Commission debates whether to fill Adams' seat

Praise for departing Hamilton County Commissioner Curtis Adams was constant at a meeting of that panel Thursday, but what will happen with his District 8 seat remains a mystery.

After 22 years on the County Commission, Mr. Adams will leave on May 13. He is taking a job as city manager in Crossville, Tenn.

If the commission does not name an interim replacement, a new commissioner won't be chosen until the general election in August. After that, the winner won't be sworn in until September, so people who live in District 8, which covers East Ridge and parts of Chattanooga, could be without representation for four months.

At Thursday's agenda session, County Attorney Rheubin Taylor said it was up to commissioners to decide whether the seat should be filled with an interim commissioner.

Commissioner Larry Henry said District 8 is quite large and its residents need representation.

"I think it's important that we try to find somebody to fill that seat," he said.

Mr. Adams said the seat should remain vacant until his District 8 voters make the decision during the election.

"They won't suffer any damage from me not being there three months," he said.

Nor should commissioners appoint any of the four candidates now running for the seat, Mr. Adams said.

"It would be cold politics if they appointed somebody running," he said.

Mr. Adams also is chairman of the commission, and Commissioner Fred Skillern will assume the chairman's position after Mr. Adams leaves. Mr. Skillern said he was leaning toward a temporary replacement for the seat, but he wanted to hear both sides before taking a stance.

"Today's the first time I found out we didn't have to fill (Mr. Adams' seat)," Mr. Skillern said. "I lean to fill it, but I want to be more careful than ever with how we fill it. We definitely shouldn't give it to anybody running for election."

Thursday's meeting yielded no clear indication of how the commission plans to deal with the vacancy, but several commissioners reached after the meeting said they would appoint an interim commissioner only if there is enough "outcry" from District 8 constituents, according to Commissioner Jim Coppinger.

ELECTION DATES* April 5: Last day to register to vote in county primary* April 14-29: Early voting in county primary* May 4: County primary* July 6: Last day to register to vote in county general election* July 16-31: Early voting in county general election* Aug. 5: County general election

The last time a county commissioner vacated a seat was in 2004 when District 6 Commissioner Ben Miller died in office. His wife, Lou Miller, was appointed in a temporary "caretaker" position, but she declared candidacy and won the general election later that year.

In 2008, there was a change in state law, leaving it up to remaining commissioners to replace a commissioner if he or she steps down with less than 120 days remaining before the general election.

Mr. Adams said he plans to stay in office until May budget hearings conclude, but the county budget often is scrutinized and voted upon in June.

After the meeting, Mr. Adams said he never met the four Crossville City Council members who voted Tuesday to give him the $105,000 position.

"Me leaving and going to Crossville (is) not that big a deal," he said. "It's because I'm a commissioner and I'm taking a political job up there. If I was going to work for a shoe factory, nobody would pay any attention."

Continue reading by following these links to related stories:

Article: Adams could leave District 8 without representation

Article: Commissioner Adams to become Crossville, Tenn., city manager

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