Greg Martin, R-Hixson, will again resign his post on the Hamilton County Commission Dec. 31 as he prepares to represent District 26 in the Tennessee House of Representatives, a position he was elected to in November.
“It’s been a true honor of a lifetime,” Martin said during his last commission meeting on Wednesday. “And I’ve learned so much from this body of diverse people that I don’t always get along with but I love and respect. It’s been a good training opportunity to disagree and yet be respectful of one another.”
District 26 includes Harrison, Lakesite, Middle Valley, Soddy-Daisy and part of Chattanooga. Martin said he will be sworn in Jan. 10.
The commission must now choose a new member to fill the vacancy. Residents of District 3 interested in the role have until noon Jan. 8 to submit a letter to the commission’s office in room 401 at the Hamilton County Courthouse.
Chairman Chip Baker, R-Signal Mountain, proposed Wednesday that commissioners meet individually with prospective candidates and cast a vote on the appointment during their regular meeting Jan. 11.
Chattanooga City Councilman Ken Smith, of Hixson, represented District 3 on the County Commission for several months after Martin relinquished the role in March to fill on an interim basis the Tennessee House seat vacated by Robin Smith.
Smith resigned in March amid controversy over her ties to an alleged bribery and kickback scheme involving former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, and his former chief of staff, Cade Cothren. Smith has pleaded guilty to one count of honest services fraud and awaits sentencing.
Martin ran for election to the state House in November but was unable at that point to remove his name from the ballot for County Commission.
Ken Smith confirmed Wednesday that he again intends to throw his hat into the ring to represent District 3. Smith said it’s unclear what that would mean for his position on the City Council. He was previously appointed to the County Commission in May and sat on the panel until a new, 11-member panel was sworn in Sept 1.
Martin first joined the County Commission in 2016 following a special election. He was re-elected in 2018.
“County government is an extension of the state,” Martin said Wednesday. “There is no county government without the state, and I’m honored that the people elected me to go represent them in Nashville. I think I’ve been prepared to be an effective advocate for Hamilton County because of my experience on this board.”
Martin said after the meeting that he’s striven to be authentic and accessible during his time on the County Commission.
“I’ve returned every phone call and every email of everybody in District 3,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anybody that I’ve dodged because I think it’s really important that when people have someone representing them that they’re accessible.”
Contact David Floyd at dfloyd@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249. Follow him on Twitter @flavid_doyd.