So at 7 pm, thirty minutes after the alarm went off at Commission. The Commissioners had a Public Hearing to interview the people that are vying for a position and an alternate position on the Merit System Council.
There were five applicants, Gina Oster and Laschinski Emerson – they both currently serve Oster as a member and Emerson as the alternate. They are both eligible for reappointment.
Gina Oster
The three other applicants, School Board Member Patti Bounds, former Riverside, CA law enforcement officer Christopher Manning and Knoxville businessman John Marshall. Manning was interviewed virtually, those of us watching on Community Television stream, could not hear Manning. BUT I don’t guess it matters.
Patti Bounds
Christopher Manning
John Marshall
Commissioner Carson Dailey asked all applicants about political activity, especially with regard to Knox Sheriffs Office. BUT, he asked Oster an extra question, Oster who ran for State Rep in 2020 was asked if she had plans to run again. She said she really couldn’t answer that, as she didn’t know the future.
Commissioner Justin Biggs asked if that question could be asked of the others. Commissioner Larsen Jay says I am seeing shaking of heads (as in no, I presume)
Well a check with the TN Campaign Finance website shows that School Board Member Bounds on 1/20/2021 filed the latest disclosure with over $950 in her campaign account for a State Rep race which she ran in and was also unsuccessful in 2020. Dailey didn’t feel compelled to ask Bounds the same question and compliment Bounds on the race she ran like he did Oster.
Also, Bounds campaign disclosure shows she paid Kimberly Glenn the spokesperson for Knox County Sheriffs Office $150 for campaign consulting in February 2020 and the wife of the KCSO Lt. that handles the Knox County Commission Beer Board matters was paid $7,650 for social media management. Does this conflict Bounds? NO! But why didn’t Dailey and Jay address it. They knew Bounds ran for a position, just as Oster did.
By the way, Emerson an African American female withdrew her resume from consideration. So while the Commission could select a female(s), there will not be a minority to reflect a diversity of representation.
