Legislative Committee
22 APRIL 2021
Committee Members in attendance: Stoney Jackson, Chairperson, Duane
Jones, Vice Chairperson, Joyce Woodard, Mike Cesarini, Tommy Pollard,
Larry Worsham, Judy Pruett, Other Commissioners: Erin Curry, Roger
Reedy, Rose Brown, Tracy Wilburn, Harold Brooks, David Adams, David
Wamble, Gayle Jones, Bill Cary Other: Melissa Greene – County Executive,
Beth Moore-Sumners and Nancy Griffin – Financial Management, Roy
Griggs and Chastity Hobbs – Ambulance, Connie Howell, Bill Young Scott
Stewart – Pulaski Citizen
Chairman Stoney Jackson opened the meeting Since prayer and pledge were
given in previous meeting, they were foregone. Since minutes from previous
meeting were not yet available, approval was postponed.
Agenda Item – Certificate of Need (CON)– Discussion as follows:
Tennessee’s CON program is an ongoing priorty for some state lawmakers to
deregulate health care and Melissa Greene has had conversations with
legislative officials, local health care providers and other mayors. Two
resolutions from Sumner County and Williamson County have been passed
and copies were made available. She stated local hospital does not support
the deregulation. The reason being that the majority of revenue for rural
hospitals come more from services such as MRIs rather than in-hospital
patient care. With deregulation small companies can come in with little to no
regulation and take the services that provide the most profit, e.g. MRIs.
Competion is unfairly compared due to the heavily regulated hospital
business and without the more profitable side of the hospital business, they
would have to close. Many rural counties have already lost their hospitals
and the commissioners voiced their support for keeping the local hospital.
Motion to send to full court as a Resolution was made by Judy Pruett and
seconded by Joyce Woodard and was approved.
Per Melissa Greene, there will be a special call meeting for full court on 7
May 2021 and this Resolution will be on the agenda. In addition the
regularly scheduled meeting will also take place in May. Agenda Item – Nepotism – Discussion as follows: Per Stoney, changes
would require Private Act which must have 2/3 approval. For now Stoney
requested read over the provided information and will return to this issue
around January of next year (due to Legislative timing). Questions were: Do
we have a problem? No; Who would be considered as in conflict with a
nepotism policy? Does any of the Departments have a nepotism policy
already in place? School Board does. Would this Private Act cover all the
county, including those with elected department heads? Yes; Concerns:
Implement after election so that potential commissioners would be aware;
Balance the playing field. Stoney recommended if attending up-coming
conference to talk to representatives there.
Agenda Item – Old Business: Mike Cesarini asked that all consider on how
to get “new blood” into the elected commissioners, since the average age of
commissioners would fall into senior citizen category. One option: change
timing of full court meeting (All smaller committee meetings are at the
pleasure of the Chairperson). Melissa pointed out that unless the change is
brought by someone who didn’t support the change in 2018, then couldn’t be
brought to the court. This could also be done by new members since that
time. Several items to be considered: any change would affect some people,
e.g. night shift workers; cost of additional OT for security and others; parents
involved in children sports after hours. A suggestion was made by David
Wamble that they do a one year test (with 2/3 vote), doing alternate
approaches, to measure any additional public interest. No action taken at
time.
Motion to adjourn by Duane and seconded by Tommy was approved
