AC Charter Commission recommends no changes to county government, no charter

Information from WYSH Radio

With little fanfare, the Anderson County Charter Commission has completed its work and will meet just one more time, this Thursday, February 15, to conclude its business.

Eight people were elected in November 2016 to serve on the commission, which examined the structure of county government.

The issue was placed on the ballot after a group obtained enough signatures to call for the election of a charter commission. The race ended up coming down to two groups, one in support of things like term limits and making the county law director an elected position, and the other in support of a more measured approach to the process.

Meeting last week, the Charter Commission voted unanimously to recommend no changes to the current form of government and that no charter be drafted.

In a supporting document explaining the Charter Commission’s recommendation, member Steve Mead wrote that “while possible advantages of changing to a Charter form of government have been discussed in some detail, not a single person (including those who spearheaded the petition drive) have appeared (or written) [who] supported changing from the existing constitutional form of county government.”

The Charter Commission, chaired by former Schools Director V.L. Stonecipher, heard reports from all county department heads and elected officials and sought input from the public as it worked to determine if a charter form of government was needed.

The Charter Commission will meet Thursday, February 15, at 6 p.m. in room 312 of the Courthouse to formally adopt a resolution declining to draft a charter or make changes to county government. That meeting, as all of the committee’s meetings have been, will be open to the public.

WYSH Radio in Clinton is an Oak Ridge Today news partner.