Former Chattanooga Parks and Recreation head Rob Healy filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking that he be allowed to run against Mayor Ron Littlefield in the March election.
ELECTION DEADLINE
The qualifying deadline date for anyone wanting to run in the March city election is Dec. 18.
The Hamilton County Election Commission voted unanimously three weeks ago that Mr. Healy was ineligible to run because he will not have lived in the city for a full year before the election’s Dec. 18 qualifying date, as required by the City Charter.
Mr. Healy said Wednesday he feels the interpretation of the charter was wrong. The charter states he must live in the city for a year before the March 3 election date, he said in court papers. He moved into downtown on Feb. 22, the papers said.
“I believe the wording in the charter is quite clear and I can run for city mayor,” Mr. Healy said.
Jerry Summers, attorney for the election commission, said Wednesday he welcomed the suit, filed in Hamilton County Chancery Court.
“I think this is the best way in the best interests of everybody to decide it,” he said. “We think we followed the law, but if the court says he can run, that’s fine with us.”
City Attorney Randy Nelson, Tennessee Elections Administrator Brook Thompson and Mr. Summers have said they believe Mr. Healy must have lived in the city for one year before the qualifying deadline.
Richard Beeland, spokesman for Mr. Littlefield, said the mayor would have no comment at this time.
In 2006, Mr. Littlefield fired Mr. Healy from his job as head of the parks and recreation department.
Mr. Healy said he is being represented by Chattanooga attorneys Jerry Farinash and David R. Evans and that he expects a hearing within the next seven to 10 days.
The attorneys have asked that the court expedite the process because of the deadline, Mr. Healy said.
Cliff has worked for the Times Free Press for five years and covers Chattanooga city government. He previously covered Rhea County, as well as transportation and growth and development in Southeast Tennessee. A native of Maryville, Tenn., Cliff graduated in 2003 from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis on journalism. Before coming to Chattanooga, he was a crime reporter with Hernando Today, a supplement of The Tampa (Fla.) ...
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