Ole’ Larry Van Guilder over at this Knox TN Today piece has a complimentary story on two term Knox County Commissioner John Schoonmaker, it is alright EXCEPT for two errors.
First, Van Guilder says that Schoonmaker lost his first bid for Knox County Commission to Dr. Richard Briggs in 2008. NOT SO FAST. It was a loss to Mike Hammond in 2004, Hammond got 1,814 votes or 64.53% and Schoonmaker got 997 votes or 35.47% that was for the second half of Knox County Mayor Chief of Staff Mike Arms County Commission term.
Then in 2008, it was Briggs with 3,970 votes or 42.06% to Schoonmaker’s 2,709 votes or 28.70% to Thomas Baer‘s 1,287 votes or 13.63% to Jim McEvers 863 votes or 9.14% to Kyle Phillips 610 votes or 6.41%.
Schoonmaker was appointed by the Knox County Commission on January 12, 2015 to fill the remaining term for Briggs. Briggs was elected to the TN State Senate on November 4 2014 in besting Democrat Cheri Siler.
In 2016, Schoonmaker was unopposed in the March 1, 2016 Republican primary and bested a Democrat opponent in the August 2016 General Election.
NOW, Van Guilder in the story quotes Schoonmaker he added he is the only sitting commissioner who has never missed a commission or committee meeting.
the meetings from the Knox County Board of Commissioners Special Session on Thursday October 25, 2018.
Commissioner John Schoonmaker on an Elevator in Chattanooga on a taxpayer funded trip in October 2018 while the Knox County Commission were meeting.
Of course, I posted this story on October 17, 2018 detailing where Schoonmaker abruptly resigned the Pension Board. This posted story with his Pension Board Resignation letter. Then this posted story where he refused to give ME (a constituent) his reason for resigning the Pension Board. Then this posted story where Schoonmaker refused a Commissioners request and I report that he will miss the October 25, 2018 meeting. Then this posted story where Schoonmaker was in an elevator in Chattanooga (at the taxpayers expense) while the Knox County Commission were meeting.
I sincerely hope that Knox TN Today and Larry Van Guilder do a better job fact checking future stories.
