CHICKAMAUGA — Mayor James C. Deck III may be removed from office. In under three minutes Tuesday, Chickamauga’s mayor pro tem, Evitte Parrish, and the City Council unanimously agreed to schedule a public hearing to consider whether grounds exist for the removal.
No explanation was given for the potential action.
Parrish read through a section of the city’s charter related to the removal of a public official at a meeting at the Chickamauga Civic Center on Tuesday evening, when a motion for the yet-to-be-scheduled public hearing was passed.
The hearing will afford Deck an opportunity to be heard, Parrish said during the meeting. The council was advised it did not need to immediately set the date for the hearing, and Parrish adjourned the meeting.
In the parking lot afterward, attorney Jeremy Penland said that he represented Deck. Penland said he would not be available to answer questions until Wednesday afternoon.
Chickamauga to set public hearing on whether grounds exist to remove mayor
Deck said by message on Facebook that he wanted to talk to his attorney before potentially commenting.
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Several Chickamauga residents declined to comment after the proceedings.
Mark Dodd, 65, said he attended the meeting out of curiosity. He read the statute and has experience in municipal bureaucracy, he said, having served as the vice mayor and on the city council for a small town in Tennessee. He didn’t know the circumstances of the meeting, he said, but he pieced together from various clues — including the presence of a mayor pro tem — that it would be interesting.
“My opinion is, it’s gonna be a series of tough decisions, and they have to do it right for all parties involved,” he said. “That’s all I know.”
Dodd expected the meeting to be over quickly and didn’t know if the mayor attended.
Dodd has lived in the town for three years, and he spoke kindly of the city’s government. He said he’s seen what has been continuous progress on adding livability features, like the trail connecting the town to the nearby battlefield. The meeting, at the very least, means civic processes are working, he said.
“This is a good sign of a functioning council, that they’re able to do this,” he said. “Disregarding the circumstances, but it is a board that’s doing their job.”
Contact breaking news reporter Mason Edwards at medwards@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6409.