Rutherford Co. Commissioners appoint Jeff Phillips to be chairman & remain on planning commission

Commissioner Jeff Phillips will serve as Rutherford County Commission chairman and remain on the planning commissioner, officials decided Thursday.

"I want to thank you for putting your trust in me," Phillips told the Rutherford County Commission following a unanimous vote to appoint him as chairman.

Who will be next County Commission chair: Mayor Joe Carr or Commissioner Jeff Phillips

Phillips said his goal will be to follow the example of Jesus Christ as a servant leader who stressed the Golden Rule of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

"Everyone here is a proven leader," said Phillips, adding that another goal will be to listen thoroughly to others.

County Mayor Joe Carr, who won the election on Aug. 4 as the Republican nominee, decided recently against competing to serve as chairman. The mayor instead will be able to veto most commission decisions he opposes. The commission can override a veto with a majority vote.

Prior to Thursday, the county commission for decades had mayors serve as the chairman of the commission, including the past four: Bill Ketron, Ernest Burgess, Nancy Allen, and John Mankin.

The commission also appointed Commissioner Trey Gooch to serve as the commission's new chairman pro tem, which means he fills in as chairman if Phillips is absent to preside over meetings. Phillips had been the chairman pro tem.

The commissioners also appointed new Commissioner Romel McMurry to serve as their chaplain to lead prayers during the beginning of meetings.

'It was a real disappointment': Jeff Phillips cut from Mayor Carr's planning commission nominations

Commission keeps Phillips on planning commission

The meeting also included a debate about keeping Phillips on the Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission, which provides guidance and regulation on proposed growth outside the cities.

Carr previously nominated new Commissioner Joshua James to replace Phillips on the planning commission.

The elected commission, however, voted 11-8 to reject the confirmation of James because a majority including Commissioner Anthony Johnson wanted to see Phillips instead appointed to remain on the planning commission.

"I have no ill will toward you (James) at all," Johnson said while looking at James.

Johnson said his intent is to keep Phillips on the planning commission because of his 28 years of experience.

"He needs to continue to serve in that capacity," Johnson said. "I'm for the greater good of this county."

Fellow elected Commissioner Mike Kusch also spoke to urge that Phillips remain with Kusch and Commissioner Pettus Read on the planning commission. Carr nominated Kusch and Read along with new planning commissioner Gooch, a long-time elected commissioner. All three and Phillips won confirmation.

"The experience of that group is vital," Kusch said.

Following their speeches, Carr walked to the lectern from an audience seat to say he was glad to nominate Phillips to remain on the planning commission.

"It was no way my intention to divide this commission," Carr said. The mayor noted that he previously nominated James with hopes that the veterans remaining on the planning commission could mentor a new leader offering a fresh perspective.

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After the elected commissioners confirmed Phillips, he said he wants to continue serving on the planning commission but will be resigning from his 16-year role as chairman of this governing body. He has served on the planning commission during all of his years as an elected commissioner: 1990-98 and 2002 to the present.

Phillips in particular wants to help the planning commissioners work on a new comprehensive plan to guide growth in the communities of the county's unincorporated areas.

Phillips navigates tie vote on steering committee appointment

The elected commissioners also appointed seven to the commission's Steering, Legislative, and Governmental Committee:

• Craig Harris, who remains as chairman;

• Read, who remains vice chairman;

• fellow veteran Commissioners Kush, Allen McAdoo, Michael Wrather, and Paul Johnson;

• and new Commissioner Jonathan Beverly, who edged out fellow new Commissioner Wayne Irvin in a confusing tie-breaker process.

Beverly and Irvin each had 13 commissioner votes initially and then 10 votes each in the first two ballots. In the third ballot, Beverly won confirmation with 11 votes.

The absence of Commissioner Phil Dodd created tie votes among the commissioners in the first couple of ballots. Had the past tradition of a mayor serving as the commission chairman still been in place, Carr could have cast a tie breaker vote.

Carr had said he supports the separation of the executive and legislative branches of the local government.

The mayor, however, recently considered pursuing the chairman role because he was concerned that a commissioner serving as chairman could deliberate with other commissioners in private in violation of the Sunshine law. Debates on agenda votes are required to be held at public meetings.

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription for all dnj.com stories. 

Roll call on Mayor's nomination

• Commissioners who voted against Joe Carr's nomination of Commissioner Joshua James to serve on planning commission: Hope Oliver, Michael Wrather, Jonathan Beverly, Mike Kusch, Pettus Read, Phil Wilson, Anthony Johnson, Carl Boyd, Romel McMurry, Trey Gooch and Chantho Sourinho

• Commissioners who voted to confirm James to serve on planning commission: James, Steve Pearcy, Robert Peay Jr., Laura Davidson, Paul Johnson, Wayne Irvin, Craig Harris  Allen McAdoo

• Commissioner who abstained from vote to confirm James: Jeff Phillips, who then won confirmation to remain on planning commission 

• Note: Commissioner Phil Dodd was absent

Meeting time and date

The Rutherford County Commission Steering, Legislative and Governmental Committee will be meeting at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Rutherford County Courthouse in downtown Murfreesboro to recommend the other committee assignments for the 21-member commission.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Rutherford County Commission appoints Jeff Phillips to be chairman