Several Hamilton County commissioners Friday flatly denied allegations by the county’s former chief executive that they violated the state’s Open Meetings Act in the process of choosing a new county mayor.
Former County Executive Dalton Roberts wrote a column in Friday’s Chattanooga Times Free Press in which he alleged the Sunshine Law was violated this week when Fred Skillern resigned as chairman and Vice Chairman Jim Coppinger moved up. That will make Coppinger interim mayor after Claude Ramsey’s resignation takes effect Tuesday.
Roberts, who was county executive from 1978 to 1994, questioned how Commissioner Larry Henry was elected vice chairman after failing earlier to win support for the position.
“All the pieces were put into place by Skillern in conversations with certain commissioners,” Roberts wrote. “If that wasn’t a violation of the Sunshine Law … there has never been one.”
Skillern on Friday strongly denied that he violated the Sunshine Law.
He said that after he told the news media he would resign as chairman, he contacted commissioners to confirm the reports. They asked him if he wanted to be vice chairman, he said, and he told them “no.”
“When it’s already been in the news media, how can that be a violation of the Sunshine Law?” Skillern asked. “I’m not asking them to vote for me. I’m telling them I’m going to resign.”
Henry also flatly denied Roberts’ claims, saying they upset him. He said commissioners chose him because of his experience.
“I was like the third-string quarterback,” Henry said. “I was the only one with any experience left. … I didn’t seek it. I didn’t campaign for it.”
Commissioner Tim Boyd, who supports Carter, said he talks regularly to commissioners outside the meetings, but because he is not asking them to do anything, he said it’s not a violation of the Sunshine Law.
When asked about Roberts’ column he said, “I guess he can allege anything.”
Commissioner Greg Beck also said he has not violated the law.
Other commissioners did not return calls seeking comment.
Coppinger and Mike Carter, Ramsey’s special assistant, are vying to replace him when he steps down Tuesday to join Gov.-elect Bill Haslam’s staff.
The commission had been in a 4-4 deadlock but on Friday, Commissioner Warren Mackey said he would switch his vote to Coppinger.
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