By Michelle Price
UCBJ Managing Editor
COOKEVILLE- With ten of the 14 Upper Cumberland counties represented, Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) board members Wednesday voted to change their bylaws and share a chairman and vice-chairman with the Upper Cumberland Development District (UCDD). Before this action can become official, the UCDD full board will have to vote at a December meeting to change their bylaws also. Each agency will maintain its own separate secretary and treasurer.
The bylaws change will remove a clause that was added during a period of instability for both agencies that prohibited the agencies from having the same person as an officer at both agencies.
Executive director Mark Farley suggested the change to the board as a way to streamline the bi-monthly meetings. Instead of stopping the meeting to switch leaders, the new chair would be able to seamlessly transition from UCHRA business to UCDD business without interruption.
The board also voted to prohibit the hiring of any former board member as a new employee for a period of 12 months after serving on the board. This bylaw change would not apply to current employees who serve on the board and this would not prohibit an employee from running for office and serving on the board, if elected.
Greg Wilson, Van Buren County Executive, was elected as chairman and Steve Jones, Macon County Mayor, was elected as vice-chair over both agencies. They will immediately begin their terms over UCHRA but will not preside over UCDD until after the UCDD Board approves the bylaws change at the December meeting.
Josh Miller, Smithville Mayor, was elected UCHRA Treasurer and Mickey Robinson, Spencer Mayor, was elected UCHRA secretary.
Three mayors were appointed to serve on the policy council: James Mayberry, Crossville Mayor; Curtis Hayes, Livingston Mayor; and Ricky Shelton, Cookeville Mayor.
In Policy Council elections, Ben Danner, Overton County Executive, was elected as chair and Jimmy Haley, Warren County Executive, was elected as vice-chair.
Cannon, Fentress, Pickett and White counties were not represented at the meeting.
