Most everyone thought the meeting — and so-called “Chairgate” — was over Wednesday. But in the final round of announcements at the Hamilton County Commission meeting, the bitter battle over courtroom furniture resumed.
After much debate, several procedural votes, veiled insults, rhetoric and hurt feelings, commissioners ultimately voted 5-4 to amend a late resolution passed last week that would buy chairs for two Hamilton County courts. And the commission did so with zero support from its three finance committee members.
HOW THEY VOTED
To pass an amended chair resolutionYes: Chester Bankston, Greg Beck, Randy Fairbanks, Marty Haynes, Sabrena SmedleyNo: Tim Boyd, Joe Graham, Warren Mackey, Jim Fields
The debate started in October to replace chairs in Hamilton County Criminal Court for $60,000. Commissioners thought it was settled last week.
But at the very end of the meeting Wednesday, Mayor Jim Coppinger “with reluctance” brought up some issues the purchasing department had with last week’s resolution drafted by finance committee Chairman Joe Graham.