Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman Jeff Brown said one thing both progressives and tea party members can agree on this year is they want change.
"There's a very anti-incumbent mentality right now," he told the Southeast Tennessee Political Action Committee on Friday.
Mr. Brown said he is seeking to focus on issues rather than partisan bickering in this year's elections, in which he is considering taking part. In response to a question regarding Mr. Brown picking up qualifying papers to run against incumbent Hamilton County Register of Deeds Pam Hurst, he said he is still deciding whether to run.
Senate to hear from TVA nominees
It won't quite be a quorum of the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority that gathers this week in Washington, D.C. -- but almost.
The four nominees for the TVA board proposed by President Barack Obama will go before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Senate must confirm the part-time board members.
The Democratically controlled Senate is expected to easily confirm the nominees. But before they can take their seats, the five current TVA board members will meet in Bristol, Va., on Thursday.
The White House has nominated Dr. Barbara Haskew, a Democrat and Middle Tennessee State University economist who previously headed TVA's rate design group, and renominated Bill Sansom, a Republican businessman from Knoxville who previously chaired the TVA board, for terms extending until 2014.
Dr. Marilyn Brown, a Georgia Tech professor who shared the Nobel peace prize with former Vice President Al Gore for her work on global warming, was nominated for a term until 2012. Neil G. McBride, a Democrat and Oak Ridge attorney, was nominated for a term through 2013.
President Obama will be able to nominate a fifth director in May when the term of Howard Thrailkill, of Huntsville, Ala., expires.
ramsey on budget
Upon prompting from Hamilton County Commission Chairman Curtis Adams on Thursday, County Mayor Claude Ramsey said he saw about what he was expecting in Gov. Phil Bredesen's proposed budget.
"I didn't see any bonuses," Mr. Ramsey said. "I predicted that this year would be a very tough budget year, and I haven't seen anything that would change that."
ENOUGH FOR A MEETING?
A few members were absent Tuesday when the Chattanooga City Council opened its committee meetings, creating some confusion.
Council Chairman Jack Benson looked around at the members present. "Do we have a quorum?" he asked.
He started counting.
"One, two, three, four, five, we don't have a quorum," he said.
"Yes, you do," City Attorney Mike McMahan replied.
"Russell (Councilman Russell Gilbert) was here," Mr. Benson said.
Councilman Manny Rico immediately piped in.
"I'll vote for him," he said.
The council laughed.
"You did the other night," Mr. Benson said.
congratulations
Hamilton County commissioners took a few minutes out of their Thursday meeting to congratulate Miss Tennessee Stefanie Wittler of Soddy-Daisy on her third-place finish in the Miss America pageant.
Commissioner Warren Mackey pointed out that Desiree Daniels of Hamilton County came in second in the 1982 Miss America pageant.
Sen. Berke to speak
State Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, will speak to the JFK Club at noon Monday about education, according to a press release.
The specific topic is "Education reform: Improving schools is everyone's responsibility."
The speech will take place at the Out of the Blue Cafe, 3230 Brainerd Road. Cost of the buffet is $11.
Rowe to speak
Joe Rowe, a former candidate for City Council, will speak at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Greater Chattanooga Democratic Women's Club.
Mr. Rowe will speak about the city's annexation attempts and how they can hurt families, according to a news release. Mr. Rowe is a member of Hamilton County Residents Against Annexation.
Anyone with questions should contact Katherine Snyder at 875-0100 or Ann Pickering at 296-8184.d
Compiled by staff writers Matt Wilson and Cliff Hightower
E-mail Matt Wilson at mwilson@timesfreepress.com
E-mail Cliff Hightower at chightower@timesfreepress.com
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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