CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Mayor Kim McMillan held a press conference today to discuss her plan for addressing the needed revisions to Clarksville Charter.
During the January City Council meeting, the City Council had the opportunity to pass a resolution that would have provided long over-due updates to the Charter, it also addressed the five major provisions identified by the Legislature that needed further consideration, along with the single issue of the boards and commission conflict of interest provision.
The resolution passed, but it did not receive the 2/3 majority approval that is necessary for ultimate Council approval following passage by the General Assembly. After this vote, McMillan proposed sending a charter revision that would address only the single boards and commissions conflict of interest provision. it did not receive the 2/3 majority vote that is required for ultimate Council approval following passage by the General Assembly.
“As I stated during the Council meeting and have re-emphasized to the citizens of Clarksville, this issue is too important to wait any longer,” said McMillan. “While the City is moving ahead with the work on these boards and commissions, Clarksville is missing the opportunity to have the benefit and service of qualified, interested and talented board members.”
There are plenty of Clarksville citizens who would be willing to serve on the boards, but there are some positions that require special education or training, examples would be architects, attorneys, engineers, etc.
“Because of the current conflict between this single Charter provision and the Ethics Code adopted by the City Council, citizens who meet these specific requirement but who have indirect business relationships with the City that pose no real conflict cannot currently fill these positions,” said McMillan. “This situation is not good for our city.”
Mayor McMillan stated that she was going to resubmit the single issue to the City Council for another vote, and encouraged citizens who are wondering why this hasn’t been resolved yet to contact their local City Council member and let them know that it’s “time to stop playing political games and do what’s best for Clarksville.”
The mayor also stated that she would immediately be appointing a Charter Revision Commission comprised of the City Council members and 12 citizens. The Charter Revision Commission will join McMillan in a review of the work produced by the previous Charter Commission and the resolution McMillan submitted to the City Council.
“I am certain that resolving the boards and commissions issue during this Legislative session and working through the Charter Revision Commission is the responsible and most efficient way to proceed on this vitally important subject,” said McMillan.
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