At 4:34 pm this past Friday Members of the Knoxville Transit Authority Board received an email from Cindy McGinnis, KAT Bus General Manager.
“KTA Chair Hoyos requested that I forward the attached seating chart for KTA meetings. The chart will be included in the monthly KTA packet behind the agenda page and will enable the public to readily identify KTA commissioners, support personnel and staff. The chart will reduce confusion about where people should sit and provide consistency. Additionally, staff will be able to better prepare for the meetings knowing in advance where everyone is seated for the purpose of placing name plates. Have a great weekend,”
Normally a legislative or policy setting body works out seating arrangements amongst and by themselves. It seems that KTA Chair Rene Hoyos made the arbitrary decision of who will sit where and delegated the task of informing the Board by one of the boards contractors.
The role and actions of the KTA board apparently do not adhere to normal legislative operations. In December 2012, Hubert Smith was recommended by Mayor Madeline Rogero and confirmed by Knoxville City Council to replace the outgoing term of the current Chair of KTA. Smith was held at bay and not seated until February 2013 instead of January 2013, because the election of a new Chair was the last item on the January 2013 agenda. Somehow, it is interrupted in the bylaws that should the Chair be replaced, the Chair will not step down until the next Chair is elected. So the last action in January was the election of Chair Rene Hoyos. The Board has their first meeting in February and before the second meeting, Hoyos sets out a seating chart.
What is Hoyos motive? At the meeting in February, there were no specific seating arrangements and Smith (who has served previously on the KTA Board) sat in an unoccupied seat next to Hoyos. Hoyos attempted to direct Smith in another direction and was not pleasant with his maintaining the seat he preferred.
Smith and other members of the KTA Board have expressed concern over this over reaching authority by the Chair. Other members of the KTA Board have voiced concerns for the failure of Chair Hoyos to adhere to Roberts Rules of Order and has pledged to challenge the in ability to understand or adhere to Roberts Rules of Order. Local Attorney John Lawhorn is the legal counsel to the KTA Board. It seems his job has become a little more intense as he will have to help guide Hoyos through appropriate order of business procedures.
Who is Hoyos?