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Chattanooga: County Commission elects Coppinger to chairman post

By: Matt Wilson
(Contact)

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Audio: Hamilton County Commission agenda session — Aug. 28, 2008

Former Chattanooga Fire Chief Jim Coppinger will take up the gavel next week as he officially takes the seat of Hamilton County Commission chairman.

“I think the opportunities for this county are tremendous as a result of some of the positive things that have happened, not only with Volkswagen but a number of other companies,” Mr. Coppinger told his fellow commissioners.

The commission unanimously elected him chairman at its meeting Thursday.

Mr. Coppinger will take over for current Chairman Bill Hullander. Other commissioners asked him to stay on as chairman for an additional year, Mr. Hullander has said, but he thought it best to let the position go to someone else.

Mr. Coppinger, a Republican, has been on the commission since 2006.

Commissioners also elected Commissioner Warren Mackey, a history professor at Chattanooga State Technical Community College, as vice chairman.

“I look forward to serving this community,” Dr. Mackey said. “There are a lot of talented and wise people who can give (me) counsel.”

Dr. Mackey, a Democrat, also has been on the commission since 2006, when he was appointed to take the seat vacated by former Commissioner William Cotton. Mr. Cotton was found guilty of extortion charges coming out of the FBI’s Operation Tennessee Waltz investigation.

Mr. Coppinger and Dr. Mackey were the only commissioners nominated for their respective positions.

Commissioner Richard Casavant had said he planned to seek the vice chairman’s position, but no one entered his name into the running.

Before the vote, Commissioner Greg Beck, a Democrat, challenged the commission’s rules for electing a chairman. He said they “overtly and blatantly discriminate against” commissioners in Democratic districts. He said a rotating chairmanship, in which commissioners from each district would get the opportunity to serve, would be more fair.

Six Republicans and three Democrats now sit on the commission.

Commissioner Curtis Adams, a Republican, disagreed.

“There’s nothing that beats the votes, the democratic system,” he said.

Also on Thursday, the commission gave preliminary approval to a resolution that would give a $175,000 settlement to a man who claims he was severely beaten in the Hamilton County Jail. The final vote will be Wednesday.

Earlier this month, the commission deferred a vote on awarding the settlement to Gary Arnold, who had been put in jail for failure to pay child support.

Mr. Arnold’s attorney has said his client now must use a walker because of injuries sustained from the beating by another inmate.

If the commission does not approve the settlement, the case could go to court, County Attorney Rheubin Taylor has said.

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