In 2012, I had the privilege to sit on Knox County’s Charter Review Committee as a citizen appointee. I enjoyed the opportunity to serve and represent our county.
The committee met for approximately eight months starting in February and running through August, and it met in the Knox County large assembly room, which can televise public meetings.
The Knox County large assembly room with image linked from KnoxNews.com.
One challenge that I faced is that I cry very easily when giving public talks and the presence of television cameras can exacerbate this issue. I am comfortable with public speaking, but from time to time, I am unable to control the crying urges. (It’s an issue that I’ve navigated for 20 years and few people are aware of the challenge.)
One strategy that I use in anticipation of this issue is to prepare (perhaps over-prepare) for public speaking situations. In this instance, I prepared “whitepapers” to outline the issues and debates that I felt would be of importance to the committee.
After publishing my first book, I thought it would be interesting to compile my personal notes and position papers from these 2012 whitepapers into a short book.
The reason for the committee is that Knox County, Tennessee, has a form of government known as “Home Rule,” which allows voters autonomy over county government at the local level.
As part of Home Rule, Knox County forms a Charter Review Committee every eight years to determine the desirability of amendments to our governing Charter.
The book Knox County 2012 Charter Review Committee is the collection of my personal notes and position papers. The topics include:
- The controversial Uniformed Officers Pension Plan.
- The debate of elected vs. appointed Row Offices.
- The convoluted Knox County Salary Suit process.
Through these notes, I have attempted to educate myself on Knox County government and Home Rule, and I hope this collection may benefit others.
If you’d like a free eBook version, please join the email list, and I will send you a link to PayHip with a free download.