Fri
Jul 27 2007
06:57 am
By: R. Neal
Will the turmoil in the County Mayor's office boil over again today? Or is the worst over and things will start settling down?
The paper's big story on Finch and TennCorp seems to have fizzled out a little, judging from today's installment.
But now attention is being focused on the hospitality fund. There doesn't seem to be much "there" there, but in the current climate its days are probably numbered. Letting the Chamber handle that sort of thing seems like an appropriate solution.
Anyway, whatever happens today might be a clue as to whether things are going to blow up or blow over. Bad news always seems to come out on Friday afternoon.
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N/S article
Based on all of the information available at this time, Ms. Finch continues to have the mayors support, spokesman Dwight Van de Vate said in a statement.
With this quote, it sounds like they're keeping all of their options open on this situation. One translation: She's got our support right now, but if new information comes to light, we'll review it then to see if we need to change our present position.
Or... We're scared she
Or...
We're scared she hasn't told us everything and a reporter might do some research and come up with something new. Seems to me they think Finch could be a continuing problem. Playing it safe, giving yourself an out.
Slowing down for thorough research, I hope
Yeah, I kinda hear that "hedgin' our bets" tone coming from Finch's superiors, too, Catfish and CBT.
I can't tell whether the story is fizzling, or whether the N-S is simply slowing down to better answer all the questions the situation raises. Either turn of events is a good thing, though.
Meanwhile, the news that Finch/Ragsdale did not reveal to Commission that Finch's sister was director of TennCorp is a second disappointment (following the disappointment that Finch withheld her sister's phone number from media). I'll remain guardedly optimistic for Finch and taxpayers, both...
WRT the hospitality fund, I agree with your notion that the Chamber should undertake funding and delivering events of this sort, Randy ('course, I'm someone who would like to see that Great Schools budget awarded directly to the school board, too).
Personally, I credit Ragsdale with some good consciousness-raising/information-sharing ideas, like our recent education and senior summits, but his efforts are now causing him the appearance, warranted or not, that he has his finger in too many pies.
Maybe his task in the future is to just foster stronger relationships with groups like the school board, the Chamber, and such, to simply support their efforts of this sort, rather than undertake them directly through his office.
Either way, I still lack a concise understanding of what the existing county policy is on local entertainment. Walls said weeks ago that it's disallowed, yet Norwood has defended activities like the notorious "lobster lunch." Which is it?
Just Wait
Stay tuned sports fan... I think there is more to come when they really start digging into the hospitality account... companies giving money to Knox County some which hold county contracts... sounds kinda like payola...
If it is against the county charter to spend dollars on alcohol... then should it not also be illegal to spend these hospitality dollars (which are in deposited in county accounts)too...
Arms and Hospitality Fund
I think we might see Mike Arms exit in the near future.
The man has another fulltime job in Oak Ridge.
The Hospitatlity fund audit will show at least $10,000 being paid to National Public Strategies, Tyler Harber's former firm, while he was employed by the County.
I think the Mayor's office is "washed up." The house of cards is starting to fall.
Wow
The Shopper had a column about the so-called liquor fund over a month ago. We linked the multiple "donations" of BB&T to their hiring on a no-bid contract as the county's financial adviser and a line of credit home loan to John Werner on the SAME DAY as their hiring.
Our research did not turn up a payment to Tyler Harber's company -- we probably didn't go back far enough. If that's true, then you've documented county officials (Arms and Werner) shaking down county contractors to fund political operations against the Mayor's enemies. Follow the money. -- s.
Oh yeah
How comes when "they" write it it's journalism and when "we" write it it's an agenda? -- s.
How comes when "they" write
How comes when "they" write it it's journalism and when "we" write it it's an agenda?
Please, do not conjur up the Brian... :)
Does anyone know if Finch
Does anyone know if Finch has any other relatives in the local non-profit business?
blowing over?
WRT the original post, you wonder if the visit to the N/S honchos that Ragsdale, Finch and Vandevate made yesterday morning had a "calming" impact on the coverage.
OTOH,
maybe the N/S has only reported on all the low hanging fruit with this situation and they're working on the stories that need a little more digging.
Conjuring up Brian
My guess is that Arms is so busy putting out fires that he's not had time to ghost for Brian this week. -- s.
Conjuring up Brian
now Hornback's blog hasn't been updated all week, so maybe he's not around.
Non-porfit
The difficult problem with a non-profit organizations is, how to spent all the funds to maintain the non-profit status.
$$$$
I believe Ms. Clark is pardon the pun, "right on the money"...
is real estate it is always location location location...
in politics it is always money money money...
Hospitality Account
In looking over the the list of the givers to the hospitaity account... does any now what the BB&T transfer account is about???
Some funny stuff in there.
Some funny stuff in there. These folks ain't vegans. Mortons, Capital Grill, Palm - pricey steakhouses all.
Randy Sanders gave $4,000 (two times $2,000)? Is that former UT coach Randy Sanders. Maybe this is someone else I don't recognize. But, it's not shown for any particular event.
And, lest you think these folks only dine at Club LeConte or fancy steakhouses....note Werner's meal at Fox & Hounds...which I believe is an infamous Newport, TN establishment. I'm guessing with Cocke Co. Mayor McMahan. If they wanted a steak in Newport why didn't they go to the Grease Rack?
Randy Sanders
The same name turned up when we examined the Mayor's "discretionary" or "miscellaneous" account spending a few months ago. The explanation we were given then was that Sanders was an independent auditor.
Larry Van Guilder
Friday no more
Post Black Wednesday the N-S prints bad news on Sunday.
Man,first we blame Randy for 5-6..now trying to tie him to THIS?? Isn't coaching at UK enough punishment?
I like that Chamber idea.
I couldn't imagine it was
I couldn't imagine it was the coach. Thanks for the clarification.
Now, about those payments to Tyler Harber from this fund...
Ah yes
Tyler Harber: The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Wonder if Harber had one of the County's P-Cards.
He had something better...a
He had something better...a badge.
I predict an article on
I predict an article on Tenncorp tomorrow, with an interview with Finch's sister.
TennCorp
I'd like to see research on what Finch's non-profit has done. Have they had fundraisers? Events? Do they do things quietly? I'd not heard of them until yesterday and they've been around since 1994.
Thanks for Missing me
R.Neal and S.Clark it is good to know that both of you think of me often.
Catfish, good observation. I was out of the state and simply had NO time between meetings to log on to KnoxViews or update Brian's Blog for a week. The rest of the Brian's Blog team had the week of, as well. I am attempting to catch up.
Lots of stuff and comforting to know that S.Clark and R.Neal are always thinking of me. S.Clark is apparantly suffering from lots of paranoia. S.Clark, you need to keep that stuff in check. A little paranoia is healthy, a lot is unhealthy. You may want to schedule a Health Check on it.