Knoxville News Sentinel aka Big Metal Shed on the Hill has this story about Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and a few employees.
One employee being his adult step son (a clear violation of Knox County’s Nepotism policy) It is really sad that the County Mayor would expose his step son to this scrutiny instead of assisting him in getting a job with another government entity or in the private sector, where open public records would NOT be hurtful to his step son. At BrianHornback.Com I will NOT publish the step son’s name in an abundance of caution to protect him. The Big Metal Shed on the Hill is not so kind.
Another employee is one that was in the Knox County Finance Department that according to the story has discrepancies in his time records and some social media postings. The most glaring alleged violation is Finance Director Chris Caldwell signing the employees name to time cards. How could a Senior Director think that was ok? It takes us back to the Phil Ballard years at the Knox County Property Assessors Office when an employee on maternity leave had time sheets approved by her Supervisor. The story here on April 2, 2014 and a followup story here on April 16, 2014. Makes you wonder if any of the new possible regime that takes over on September 1, 2018 will hire ole Ballard?
Then there is the Mayor’s Chief of Staff and his travels. He has traveled on numerous occasions over seas and as a result of those travels has authored columns that the Big Metal Shed on the Hill has published. While that might not have been on county time, it raises the question, how has he accrued the amount of time to travel as extensively as he has. A former Chief of Staff to a former Mayor once attended a breakfast or lunch in Oak Ridge, TN and before he got back to the City County Building, the News Sentinel had apparently called asking if he was working a second job. It seems the same level of scrutiny is not applied to this County Mayor’s administration by the Big Metal Shed on the Hill as was used to the previous administration.
The main difference in this story and all others about Burchett is he can NOT and has not blamed this one on his ex-wife. He has said this is political. Well yeah Dude you are a career politician. You are seeking another position that is elected through a political process called an election. Duh………
