When the Shelby County Commission meets on Wednesday — which in theory is a committee day — its first order of business will likely be another effort, after a failed one two weeks ago, to approve the committees and chairmanships appointed by chairman Justin Ford.
But not only is that prospect very far from being a sure thing, Ford’s chairmanship itself may be at stake.
This Commission, elected in August, reached gridlock in record time — before it could even complete the routine reorganization that begins a new four-year term. But if Democrat Walter Bailey, who moved to refer Ford’s appointments back to committee at the Commission’s September 22 meeting, can hold his coalition of six Democrats and one Republican, Steve Basar, he can hold off the rival coalition of five Republicans and one Democrat, Ford, who went the other way in September.
The key to what happens is Basar, the Republican member who was last year’s vice chair, a position that used to be the stepping stone to the chairmanship, but who saw all but one of his party-mates deny him their votes to become chairman. Clearly aggrieved, Basar turned up at Thursday night’s meeting of the Shelby County Republican steering committee at Clark Tower to voice a complaint about that.
Unlike others, Basar said, he would not go public with his version of events or name names. He then proceeded to do both. As he put it, the vote for chairman had been a case of betrayal, not only of himself but of Republicans in general. And he put the onus on GOP Commission colleague Heidi Shafer, not just for voting for Democrat Ford but for nominating him in the first place.
Read the rest of the story here...
http://bit.ly/Zrujn3
The County Committee meeting starts at 9:00 ...
Call 222-1000 if you want to attend the meeting and want a parking pass to park in the Vasco A. Smith building. Coming down Poplar, make a left on 2nd street and it is the 2nd garage entry on the right. If you would like Commissioner Basar to do the people's business and not some selfish me my I agenda, please call 901-222-1000 and ask for Basar to leave a message and/or email him at steve.basar@shelbycountytn.gov and tell him that the committee appointments have been fair across party lines, there is no reason to contest them.
But not only is that prospect very far from being a sure thing, Ford’s chairmanship itself may be at stake.
This Commission, elected in August, reached gridlock in record time — before it could even complete the routine reorganization that begins a new four-year term. But if Democrat Walter Bailey, who moved to refer Ford’s appointments back to committee at the Commission’s September 22 meeting, can hold his coalition of six Democrats and one Republican, Steve Basar, he can hold off the rival coalition of five Republicans and one Democrat, Ford, who went the other way in September.
The key to what happens is Basar, the Republican member who was last year’s vice chair, a position that used to be the stepping stone to the chairmanship, but who saw all but one of his party-mates deny him their votes to become chairman. Clearly aggrieved, Basar turned up at Thursday night’s meeting of the Shelby County Republican steering committee at Clark Tower to voice a complaint about that.
Unlike others, Basar said, he would not go public with his version of events or name names. He then proceeded to do both. As he put it, the vote for chairman had been a case of betrayal, not only of himself but of Republicans in general. And he put the onus on GOP Commission colleague Heidi Shafer, not just for voting for Democrat Ford but for nominating him in the first place.
Read the rest of the story here...
http://bit.ly/Zrujn3
The County Committee meeting starts at 9:00 ...
Call 222-1000 if you want to attend the meeting and want a parking pass to park in the Vasco A. Smith building. Coming down Poplar, make a left on 2nd street and it is the 2nd garage entry on the right. If you would like Commissioner Basar to do the people's business and not some selfish me my I agenda, please call 901-222-1000 and ask for Basar to leave a message and/or email him at steve.basar@shelbycountytn.gov and tell him that the committee appointments have been fair across party lines, there is no reason to contest them.
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