Sabrena Smedley
In this 2014 file photo, Hamilton County Commissioners Randy Fairbanks, right, and Sabrena Turner-Smedley talk during a Hamilton County Commission Meeting at the Hamilton County Courthouse in Chattanooga, Tenn.Hamilton County Commissioner Joe Graham’s request to use $32,275 in discretionary money to replace windows at the John A. Patten Recreation Center quickly turned into a forum on his character and behavior today.
Commission Vice Chairman Randy Fairbanks and Commissioner Sabrena Smedley spoke at length regarding Graham’s lack of support for special projects within their districts, labeling him a bully and a hypocrite, and accusing him of going to the media whenever a vote does not go his way.
“We’re not always going to agree on every vote – we shouldn’t,” Smedley said. “But we should disagree respectfully, and shouldn’t be running to the media and throwing each other under the bus for own personal gain.”
Other commissioners voiced confusion over why Graham would bring a discretionary funding matter for his district to the commission since he has withheld support for special projects within their districts for the last 18 months.
Except for a few special exceptions, Graham has simply voted “present” when commissioners request to use discretionary money taken from the county reserve fund. When County Mayor Jim Coppinger did not include $900,000 in discretionary funds – which breaks down to $100,000 per commission district – in the fiscal 2016 budget, six commissioners amended the budget to include them and later overrode the mayor’s veto of the amended budget.