Commissioner Tim Boyd (standing) and County Mayor Chief of Staff Mike Compton (seated) during confrontation
County Commissioner Tim Boyd has written a letter to fellow commissioners and the county mayor's office asking an apology from County Mayor Jim Coppinger and his chief of staff, Mike Compton, for remarks after last week's commission meeting.
Mr. Compton took strong exception to comments by County Commissioner Tim Boyd about discretionary funds. In a clash between the two just after the close of the commission meeting, Mr. Compton told Commissioner Boyd, "You're full of s---. Get the h--- out of here."
Commissioner Boyd said he will read the letter at the commission meeting on Wednesday morning.
He also confirmed that he asked Sheriff Jim Hammond if criminal charges could be brought against Mr. Compton over the incident.
Commissioner Boyd said, "I asked the sheriff's advice on whether charges should be considered on public profanity and disorderly conduct."
He said Sheriff Hammond advised it was "not worth pursuing."
Sheriff Hammond said he told Commissioner Boyd he was free to seek a warrant from a magistrate, but he said he believed it was unlikely that a magistrate would issue one.
Commissioner Boyd said, "If that had been a citizen saying that, instead of the chief of staff, I would have been calling for the sheriff's officer to escort him out."
He said he researched the county handbook and said the Compton actions "were in violation of several county policies."
He stated, "Is the county mayor going to enforce the handbook against some lower-level employee and not his chief of staff? I just wonder."
Commissioner Boyd said he wrote the letter "because a lot of my constituents read about the incident and they asked me, 'What was I going to do about it?'"
He said, "We can't tolerate this kind of behavior - especially in these chambers.
"I ask for a public apology - not just to me, but to the commission and to the citizens of this county."
Commissioner Boyd had stated during the agenda session last week that he was "very, very disappointed" by some of the comments of the county mayor regarding discretionary funds
He cited some of the uses of discretionary funds made by Mr. Coppinger, when he was the commissioner for District 3.
And he pledged to working more closely with the county mayor and his staff.
County Mayor Coppinger said that comments by Commissioner Boyd that he has $4.4 million in discretionary funds of his own "are untrue and misleading."
The Boyd comments last Wednesday came after he and five other commissioners voted to override a Coppinger veto of the budget because the commission put the $900,000 in discretionary funds back in and took the money from county savings.
County Mayor Coppinger had already left to go to another meeting when Commissioner Boyd made his comments.
As soon as Commissioner Boyd finished his statement, Mr. Compton asked for recognition. He said, "Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, please."
However, Chairman Jim Fields let other commissioners speak before recognizing Mr. Compton.
The top Coppinger aide said concerning the Boyd statement, "There's about 15 things he said that are incorrect. It's just ridiculous what you said. I challenge you to say that when the county mayor is here."
As soon as the meeting was over, Commissioner Boyd walked over to Mr. Compton and said, "Mike, everything I said was absolutely true."
They had several exchanges before Commissioner Boyd left.
During the meeting, Commissioner Boyd said of the Coppinger statement at a Monday press conference, "Not only was it misinformation given to the public, it showed a lack of communication between the commission and the mayor's office."
He said that communication "has got to improve."
Commissioner Boyd said there was no prior discussion with the commission that their discretionary funds had been cut. He said he found out by reading it on Chattanoogan.com.
He stated, "It wasn't discussed at all."
Commissioner Boyd said the commissioners are able to have $100,000 each because the county is so fiscally strong.
He said the commissioners are able to use the funds "for tangible real items that can touch the community and provide results." He said that is not "shameful or a slush fund."
Commissioner Boyd cited uses of discretionary funds for such items as helping schools, for Loftis Middle School cheerleaders, and for helping a volunteer fire company. He said all were laudatory. He said those were by Jim Coppinger in 2006.
He said County Mayor Coppinger has $4.4 million for his own discretionary money. He said, "We respect that and don't call it reprehensible."