July 16, 2017 Woodbury, TN

Cannon County Commissioners Call

Corey Davenport’s Bluff to Force the Passage of the 1981 Financial Management Act

Consideration of the controversial matter of the County Financial Management System of 1981 which would have the County Government adopt Centralized Financing failed to receive enough votes to be adopted Saturday when considered by the Cannon County Commission.

The vote was the end product of a threat made last November by then Republican Party Chairman Corey Davenport for the commission to study it, consider it and if you don’t pass it  --- Davenport threaten to gather the required 277 signatures on a petition to force a special called election and Davenport’s hope that the people of Cannon County agree with his ideal of spending an additional $100,000.00 to create a finance office in Cannon County. Such and office would take much of the financial control from individual departments such as the sheriff, and other constitutional offices plus the schools which have their own elected leadership.   All would be placed in the hands of an appointed “finance officer”.

In a surprise move, Chairman Mike Gannon then came up with the suggestion of putting it on the ballot for the citizens to decide during the August 2018 election.

This move clearly calls Davenport’s bluff and threat to “take it to the citizens”   I say bluff, because I am beginning to question if he ever got the required 277 signatures on a petition.

He claims to have worked a deal with Commissioner Glenn Steakley to hold off demanding a special called election which would have cost the county in the neighborhood of $20,000.00.  Supposedly, Commissioner would conduct the research and make a convincing presentation before his fellow commissioners.

However, it was noted  a few weeks ago, Davenport was asked by a budget committee member how many signatures he had on the petition. Davenport refused to answer, saying that he was trying to get  more so he would have extra to cover those signatures that may be challenged.

I think the short of his answer was he just didn’t have enough signatures. Think about it: What kind of person wants to put their signature to a document demanding a cash strapped government to spend even more money for a special called election just to satisfy the ego of a bully. $20,000.00 is a lot of money.

Corey Davenport has a history of being a bully.  How many of you remember when Corey Davenport lost it in the June 2014 County Commission meeting. Making false accusations toward Mike Gannon -- screaming at Gannon “You Work for Me”. Davenport got so out of hand that his buddy Randall Reid appeared to be trying to calm him down to prevent Davenport from a heart attack.

So now it gets interesting. In Corey’s little group of followers some such as Tracy Neal insist that we can’t wait for a regular election. I’m telling you now that you better wait. There would be nothing worse that forcing the county to spend $20,000.00 for a special called election only to have the people tell you, “Hell no, we don’t want to spend $100,000.00 for a finance office and we don’t want our schools to lose control of their budget.” And “We are madder than hell that you spent taxpayers money because you refused to wait.”

Remember, in November Corey clearly threaten the Cannon County Commission to adopt the County Financial Management System of 1981 or I’ll get the votes and shove it down your throats. Now the commsion is say -- OK buddy boy -- Let’s see how many votes you have.

Several things are of interest. One is --- (or should I say “firstly” to satisfy my grammar critics?) that less than 25 percent of Tennessee’s counties have adopted the system.  Than in itself says a lot against adopting the act. The other is that the adoption of the act now becomes a 2018 campaign issue.  Not really knowing where the people stand, who running for county commissioner or county executive will take a stand for or against adopting the act?  It will get interesting!

Regardless, it was a breath of fresh air to read the commission basically told Davenport: You threaten to take it to the people  -- there you go Bozo. Be careful what you ask for, because you may get a surprise in the form of a rejection at the ballot box.

Corey Davenport Threatens Commissioners: Pass the 1981 Act or I’ll Force an Election

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