‘No confidence’ vote for director of elections

January 29, 2025 by Ben Pounds

On a 10-4 vote, the Anderson County Commission passed a resolution of “no confidence” at its January meeting regarding Anderson County Administrator of Elections Mark Stephens.

All of the commissioners except for Tim Isbel, Michael Foster, Robert McKamey and Jerry White voted for the measure. Commissioners Steven Verran and Anthony Allen were absent.

The vote came due to concerns about the Elections Office’s spending.

Finance Director Robert Holbrook said the Elections Office currently has two payroll accounts in the red totaling $12,669.63, and four other payroll and benefit codes projected to be in the red at fiscal year-end totaling $18,119.

Commission Chairman Tyler Mayes accused Stephens of not responding to Holbrook’s requests for compliance.

Mayes said county Law Director James Brooks does not believe that the commission has control over the election office. But Mayes disagreed.

“At the end of the day, it’s taxpayers’ money, so I think that we do have control over taxpayers’ dollars,” Mayes said. “We don’t have a lot of oversight, but one thing we can do is say we don’t like what’s going on.”

“You can’t be in the red,” said Commissioner Sabra Beauchamp. “This is tax dollars. Not your dollars. Not my dollars. This is everybody’s dollars, and when you’re running your budget in the red and you don’t even have the decency to answer an email from your finance director, that’s embarrassing.”

She said Holbrook should tell the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Jason Mumpower about Stephens. She wanted Stephens and all of the Election Commission to show up at the next Anderson County Budget Committee meeting.

“Get mad if you want to,” she said. “I like a good challenge. All (heck) will break loose if they do not show up.”

Beauchamp made a motion not just for the vote of no confidence, but for it to go out to the Anderson County Election Commission, the state of Tennessee Election Commission, and Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett.

Commissioner Phil Yager seconded.

Stephens spoke to the commission defending his office’s spending, saying there were “a lot of accusations that are unfounded and untrue.” He said the Election Commission wanted to work with the County Commission.

“There was no obstinance or hiding or running away from that,” he said. “That was not the gist of the meeting.”

He said only two accounts had shortfalls and he and the Election Commission had plans to handle them.

“We don’t have a static budget,” he said, explaining that it was unpredictable how much they might need to spend.

“Our budget is like a wave,” Stephens said.

He said contrary to Beauchamp’s statement, he had answered every email from the Finance Department.

Indeed, he said the Elections Office had returned $1.3 million over the last 16 years to the county’s general fund.



Speed limit

The commission voted to lower the speed limit on Cove Lane to 25 mph from 30.

The vote came in response to complaints from nearby residents and patrolling of the area by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.



Housing

The commission approved a new contract with the state of Tennessee giving slightly less money to help a new residential development in Oak Ridge’s Scarboro neighborhood between South Dillard, South Benedict, Carver and Wilberforce avenues, behind the Scarboro Community Center and across the street from Oak Ridge Schools’ Scarboro Preschool. Previously, the grant was $100,000, but now it will be $99,399.63.

The development is a partnership between the federal Oak Ridge Housing Authority and the private company Collaborative Housing Solutions, although the county approved a state grant to help. The development as planned includes single family homes and apartments.



Nuclear cleanup

Cleanup of radioactive soil and buildings at the American Nuclear site continues even after the demolition of a structure on site.

County Mayor Terry Frank talked about progress on the site.

A document attached to the meeting’s agenda gave updates even though nothing about the site was up for a vote. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has already demolished and disposed of an office building, a hot cell, and concrete and piping from March through December. It’s also dug up soil from the site and disposed of buried materials. However, the report stated the site is still contaminated and the EPA will likely take about six more months to clean it up. Frank said the EPA’s aim was to make the site clean enough for people to use it again.



Appointments

The commission confirmed Anne Brock as Judicial commissioner.



veterans affairs

Commissioners failed to rescind a raise previously approved through a consent agenda item in October for Veterans Services Officer Scott Nation.

The commission has disputed and tried to resolve issues with this raise in the past. It also failed to pass as an independent resolution on the regular agenda in December.



Animal Shelter

The commission approved a measure requiring people to pay the shelter $20 for microchipping adopted animals.



Vouchers

The commission passed a resolution opposing Gov. Bill Lee’s recent voucher proposal under discussion in the current special session.