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Opinion: Clint’s Clips: Legislature tells Hamilton, six other counties: One political seat per customer

Staff File Photo By Robin Rudd / Hamilton County Commissioner Ken Smith won't be affected by the legislature's recent passage of a law for seven counties forbidding the same person to sit on a county commission and a municipal governing board, if the panels so determine.
Staff File Photo By Robin Rudd / Hamilton County Commissioner Ken Smith won't be affected by the legislature's recent passage of a law for seven counties forbidding the same person to sit on a county commission and a municipal governing board, if the panels so determine. Staff File Photo By Robin Rudd / Hamilton County Commissioner Ken Smith won't be affected by the legislature's recent passage of a law for seven counties forbidding the same person to sit on a county commission and a municipal governing board, if the panels so determine.

By Clint Cooper 4 min read

Legislature limits service

Two Hamilton County commissioners could see their service limited on that body or on another governing body they serve, if their fellow panel members so choose.

A bill passed by the Tennessee legislature earlier this year affecting seven counties, including Hamilton, says the same person can’t serve on both a county commission and the governing body of a municipality, but only if their two-thirds of their colleagues on either of the bodies they serve agree.

The two affected members are Commissioners Gene-o Shipley, R-Soddy-Daisy, who is also a Soddy-Daisy commissioner, and Ken Smith, R-Hixson, who is also a Chattanooga City councilman.

The legislation, SB2928/HB2937, was signed by Gov. Bill Lee on April 22 and became effective on May 1.