EDAC no more: BOMA cuts committees
Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen has dissolved its Economic Development Advisory and Personnel committees.
Although it received objections during its meeting Thursday, Jan. 10, the Board voted unanimously to discontinue the two committees.
“I would like to thank all the past members for their service on both committees, and I would also like to welcome each to apply for one of the other active committees in the future,” Mayor Ron Williams said. “The strength of our Town is really the passion of our volunteers.”
“… Of which we all are, as well as volunteers,” Vice Mayor Louise Povlin added.
As a member of the Personnel Committee, John Nehls, a Smith Road resident, said, “I think this (proposed resolution) is a very bad idea.
“The committees are established to advise the Board of Mayor and Aldermen,” he added. “If there is a question of the efficacy of a committee or its operation, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen then should meet with that committee.
“It should definitely not come from Town staff.”
Robin Hill, a current Farragut Stormwater Advisory Committee member and a former chairman of Farragut Municipal Planning Commission, also objected to dissolving the committees.
“I think of all the things we need to be paying attention to now, economic development in the Town is absolutely important. It’s preeminent,” Hill said, adding without the EDAC to advice BOMA, “We just go astray.”
Povlin said the Town uses consulting services and its attorney to advise the Board on human resource matters.
“With all that we have in place, that the need for a personnel committee has been reduced substantially,” she said, adding larger matters could be handled with an ad hoc committee.
“I feel that same way about the EDAC.”
Alderman Ron Pinchok recalled when he chaired the EDAC five years ago. “Even back then, the EDAC had kind of run its course as to what we could do and how effective we were,” he said.
