Maury County Commission
The Maury County Board of Commissioners (informally known as the County Commission or Maury County Commission) is the legislative body of Maury County.
Overview
The County Commission is responsible for crafting the county's budget as well as other local policies. The County Commission meets every third Monday at 6:30 p.m at the Tom Primm Meeting Room at 6 Courthouse Square, Columbia (across the street from the County Courthouse in the Hunter Matthews complex).[1]
The Tennessee state constitution specifies that a county commission can have as many as 25 members, with each district having up to three members.[2] The Maury County Commission is currently composed of 22 members, with two members each from eleven districts.[3] County Commission districts are redrawn at least every ten years using data from the most recent United States Census.[4] In 2001, the County Commission created the 11th District (out of Districts 6 and 8) to accommodate growth in Spring Hill.[5] The 2011 redistricting cycle did not result in the creation of any new districts but did significantly alter the lines, resulting in several incumbent commissioners being drawn out of their districts.[6] The next round of reapportionment will occur before January 1, 2022.[7]
Commissioners serve four-year terms.[8] The most recent election was held on August 2, 2018. The next election will occur on Thursday, August 4, 2022.
The presiding officer of the County Commission is its Chairman.[9] The current chairman of the Maury County Commission is First District Commissioner Don Morrow.
Vacancies on the County Commission arising between elections result are filled by appointment. Appointments are made by a vote of the remaining County Commission members.[10]
Generally, any person over the age of 18 who is a registered voter in the district they seek to represent, is qualified to serve as a county commissioner. However, there are several exceptions (for example, members of the military, those convicted of bribery or "infamous" crimes, and people with unpaid debts to the government are barred from seeking office).[11][12]
A majority of the County Commission is required to transact business. [13]
Meetings of the County Commission are subject to the state Open Meetings Act, including the requirement that meetings be open to the public and the requirement that notice be given before the meeting.[14]
History
Before 1978, the powers of county government were not neatly separated into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The amendments made in 1978 assigned executive responsibilities to the county executive (county mayor) and the legislative responsibilities to the county commission.[15] Prior to the 1978 changes, the county's legislative functions were assigned to a county court whose members were known as "magistrates" or "justices of the peace."[16]
Current Members
| District | Name | Party | First Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Don Morrow | Independent | 2010[17] |
| 1 | Ken Banks | Republican | 2019 (appointed)[18] |
| 2 | Craig Harris | Republican | 2014 |
| 2 | Eric Previti | Independent | 2014 |
| 3 | Talvin Barner | Independent | 2010 |
| 3 | Gary Stovall | Independent | 2010 |
| 4 | Connie Green | Republican | 2018 |
| 4 | Matthew White | Republican | 2018 |
| 5 | Brian McKelvy | Republican | 2018 |
| 5 | Scott Sumners | Republican | 2014 |
| 6 | Jordon Shaw | Independent | 2018 |
| 6 | Sue Stephenson | Republican | 2014 |
| 7 | Wayne Patterson | Independent | 2018 |
| 7 | Linda Whiteside | Independent | 2005 |
| 8 | Terry Potts | Independent | 2014 |
| 8 | Debbie Turner | Independent | 2010 |
| 9 | Michelle Haney | Republican | 2018 |
| 9 | Kevin Markham | Republican | 2018 |
| 10 | Brian Vick | Independent | 2018 |
| 10 | Tommy Wolaver | Independent | 2006 |
| 11 | Gwynne Evans | Independent | 2014 |
| 11 | David Mischke | Republican | 2018 |
References
- ↑ "County Commission." Maury County. Undated. Web (maurycounty-tn.gov). 18 Feb. 2021.
- ↑ Tenn. Const., art. VII. § 1. (for an online copy see: The Constitution of the State of Tennessee. Office of Chief Clerk of the State Senate. 14 Nov. 2014 (revision date). Web (capitol.tn.gov). 18 Feb. 2021.)
- ↑ "Commissioners." Maury County. Undated. Web (maurycounty-tn.gov). 18 Feb. 2021.
- ↑ Tenn. Code § 5-1-111.
- ↑ McMillan, Jack. "New districts, political shakeup mark 2002 campaign." The Daily Herald. 28 Dec. 2002. Web (Daily Herald archive). 18 Feb. 2021.
- ↑ Seiber, Christine. "Commissioners to serve outside of their districts." The Daily Herald. 3 Oct. 2012. Web (Daily Herald archives). 18 Feb. 2021.
- ↑ See Tenn. Code. § 5-1-111.
- ↑ Tenn. Const. art. VII. § 1.
- ↑ See Tenn. Code § 5-1-103.
- ↑ Tenn. Const. art. VII. § 2.
- ↑ "Qualifications -CLB." University of Tennessee - County Technical Assistance Service. Undated. Web (utk.edu). 23 Feb. 2021.
- ↑ "County, State, Federal Candidate Qualifications (PDF)." Maury County Election Commission. Undated. Web (maurycounty-tn.gov). 23 Feb. 2021.
- ↑ See Tenn. Code § 5-1-108.
- ↑ "Meetings and Notice Requirements -CLB." University of Tennessee - County Technical Assistance Service. Undated. Web (utk.edu). 23 Feb. 2021.
- ↑ "County Government under the Tennessee Constitution." University of Tennessee - County Technical Assistance Service. Undated. Web (utk.edu). 23 Feb. 2021.
- ↑ See Tenn. Code § 5-5-101.
- ↑ Also served 1994-1998.
- ↑ Appointed to fill the term left by the death of Ronnie Attkisson.
