Under the Tennessee Open Records Act, 10-7-503 I requested of Property Assessor and Black Wednesday County Commissioner Philip Ballard the job position documents for Former Commission Appointed Interim Trustee and Black Wednesday Commissioner Craig Leuthold.
He sent a Job Classification Description for a Public Information Director JC-4828, PG-21, EEO-1, FLSA-Exempt 75 hours. It has a date last revised of February 7, 2011. In a memo response, Ballard wrote,
“Note under Essential Functions: Others duties may be required and assigned: We are currently working with the Nashville Property Assessor in regards to the recent changes/addition to Statue 67-5-902(c) Personal Property electronic filing. Nashville currently has a form of this type of filing and is meeting with software companies and viewed joined teleconferencing model demonstrations. This is in addition to meetings with our own and county IT departments in this developmental but ongoing phase. Noted major benefits to the business community are contained within the statue. The major deviation from paper filing to electronic filing will reap huge savings in postage, paper costs, goods, and time (the simple cat of opening, sorting and distributing the mail/schedules)(increased time to audit both internal and external) is a few of the benefits to the County. Craig’s charge in this phase is to participate in all aspects of the personal property operations, take certified courses, learn the new technology and begin the intial formulating components to assist the public as we progress into the transitional converting phase. We are interdependent of many varibles with our shared Knox County IT department, software companies training and installation dates, internal training schedules, preparation and educational processes with the public and others factors; a realistic goal is 14 months for the total conversion.”
So, it seems that Ballard has Leuthold classified as Public Information Director but is actually not doing much public information directing but working with the Nashville Property Assessor in a possible/probable new electronic filing system. But if there is some complications or it isn’t feasible, then Leuthold has simply been on the payroll doing little to nothing in actual contributions.
Ballard sent an email that he received from Dean Lewis, a Property Assessor employee on Thursday November 13, 2014 that details TN statue 67-5-902 (a)(b)(c) Interesting that the elected Assessor didn’t have, know where to obtain the statue and relied on a staffer to supply it to him.
I asked if Leuthold were participating in an educational program. Ballard wrote,
(1) We have 41 current employees who have or continue to take part in the State Assessor Professional Training/Certification Program. Craig has obtained (2) State Board of Equalization Certificate (s) which are attached since his initial hire date of 1/31/2011.
First, both attached certificates (Assessment Level I and Assessment Level II) are dated 24th, July 2013. The follow-up question would be why did it take 31 months and 24 days to complete two courses? Interesting that two days before Leuthold earned these certificates he was appointed by the Knox County Commission as the Interim Trustee. Read the WATE news story of July 22, 2013 here.
Second, Ballard identified Leuthold with “intial hire date of 1/31/2011” was Leuthold a Property Assessor employee while also the Interim Trustee 7/22/2013 – 8/31/2014? Leuthold has been a Trustee employee and County Commissioner at the same time. He has received salaries for both and had rumored that he collected travel allowances for both.
There were additional questions and answers about the programs. Those will follow in a future follow-up story.
Butter and Egg Man I must convey to you , thats just HORSE SHIT!!!!!!! You have ran that office like an adult day care center, much like your nursery school in your basement. Certification really, thats necessary when all us old farts want is someone that talks loud and explains the freeze and assistance program. Bring out some coffee and danishes and shoot the shit and tell us how to get lower taxes.
As to the electronic databases that office is so screwed up that even the IT department for the county just shakes their heads and says fictional numbers in bills go out. Lets face it we all know whats up, this is a polish up the washed up and run him for assessor. I read between the lines very well. As my old Pap used to say “hold her between the ditches” well the ditches of values are as inflated as “may pop” used tires. One pot hole and the rest is history.
I enjoy reading your responses, evading a direct answer is what I have come to expect from you. What can you expect from the most corrupt office in the county, not much as far a progress, just more of the same… Not a damn thing.
Okay now onto a direct question which lets see how you dance the watusi around this one. I am sure it will resemble a paraplegic on steroids. What are Know Williams job duties going to be on 12/1/2014 when he packs up the bus company at the trustees office and rides the elevator down to the assessors office? Hells Bells people its seems that the employees of the trustees office are trapped in a revolving door, throw them out and they land in the assessors office. Get back in the door and it will throw you in the trustees office. Add a third avenue and it will throw you into county commission. These people have no earthly clue what their job title will be until they ride the door. Even Otis the drunk knew when he was riding a cow thru town. Thats just wrong in so many ways.
And finally I wanted to explain without any certification to the good folks of this one horse town exactly Leuthold’s job description.
1. He is The Butter and Egg Mans gofer, not to be confused with golfer.
2. He gases up the Ford keeps the vehicle clean for Phil’s good time Charlie service.
3. The man just draws a salary for simply doing nothing constructive short of winding the clock for the county.
Don’t be fooled, this ass clown is grooming old Craig to take the wheel of the short bus provided by Knox WIlliams and drive this wreck into the wall of another election. Not gonna happen this time, the machine is out of steam and ignorance and a flood of signs are not going to win an election.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone from Old Elmer.