A former member of the Bradley County Commission is questioning the timing of the governing body’s audit committee meeting.
Dan Rawls said if the meeting is not held before the May 3 election, it will appear suspiciously protective of District 6 Commissioner Erica Davis, who is seeking re-election. A recent audit by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office said Davis violated the state’s conflict of interest statute by indirectly benefiting from a county contract at Lake Forest Middle School.
The panel is expected to discuss the finding against Davis when it meets.
“What’s very interesting is that the audit committee the last three years has met in January, February and the first of March last year,” Rawls, who represented District 6 when he was on the commission but is not seeking elected office, said Wednesday in a telephone interview. Rawls believes the meeting is coming in May or later based on remarks in a prior commission meeting, he said, and that’s after voters make their commission picks.
“This year, when they have a finding they have to deal with – and this commissioner is in a contentious race – this is the first time I can ever remember that it was scheduled this late,” he said.