Commissioners Sabrena Smedley, Randy Fairbanks and Tim Boyd
Vince Dean and Esther Helton are at right
Sign presentation to Erwin family
Vince Dean and Rep. Marc Gravitt
Charges flew at the County Courthouse on Wednesday after a planned presentation to a war veteran and to Criminal Court Clerk Vince Dean got moved outside the County Commission chambers.
A group led by Rep. (and Register of Deeds candidate) Marc Gravitt arrived at the courthouse with a number of family members to honor USS Indianapolis survivor "Kayo" Erwin and Mr. Dean.
Rep. Gravitt said a section of Ringgold Road was named in honor of Kayo Erwin, who died last month. He also said the Exit 1 Interchange at East Ridge was being named in honor of Vince Dean, former East Ridge mayor and state representative. He was outfitted with signs that will be erected in their honor.
However, Rep. Gravitt said he was told just before the start of the commission meeting that the presentations would not be allowed because he had not gone through Chairman Randy Fairbanks.
There was a heated exchange at the dais between Rep. Gravitt and several commission members, including Tim Boyd of East Ridge, shortly before the start of the meeting.
The Gravitt group finally went outside and had the ceremony there on the fourth floor.
Rep. Gravitt said, "I am deeply appalled that these families got drug into this and that this got turned into a political stunt."
He said Mr. Dean had served the community for 50 years and had helped obtain the land where Bass Pro Shop and other businesses have located. He said he helped make the interchange improvement possible.
He said Kayo Erwin survived in shark-infested waters for days and was an American hero.
Vice Chairman Sabrena Smedley said she spotted Esther Helton, who is running for the vacated Gravitt House seat, with Rep. Gravitt, and she told him she was going to call Ms. Helton's GOP opponent, Jonathan Mason, to come to the meeting. Mr. Mason showed up a short time later. Commissioner Smedley said she wound up not calling Mr. Mason, but he was alerted by a text from Commissioner Boyd.
She called the appearance by the Gravitt group "a last-minute stunt to get media attention for Esther Helton. They're playing politics."
Commissioner Smedley said, "This was all about East Ridge, and any ceremony should have been held out there. I don't know why Esther Helton was the only one from East Ridge up here."
Chairman Fairbanks said he had no idea the group was coming until he was notified just before the start of the meeting. He said, "We have a procedure that we go by on delegations and it involves notifying the commission office ahead and having it checked out by them and the commission chairman. Bottom line, this is the way we treat everyone.
"Otherwise, anybody could just walk in here at the last minute and we couldn't control the meeting."
He added, "It was so unfair that this veteran and his family ever got brought into this."
Rep. Gravitt said he had checked with County Mayor Jim Coppinger a couple of weeks earlier, telling him the group was coming. He said that morning "I apologized to Chairman Fairbanks five times for not going through him," but was still told he could not speak.
He said all five members of the East Ridge City Council as well as the city manager were invited, but only Ms. Helton chose to attend or was available.
Rep. Gravitt said Mr. Dean is going in for a medical procedure and would not be available for some time afterward. He said this was the best time for the Erwin family to be present.
Mr. Dean called the commission members "small-minded" for not letting the presentation go forward. He said part of the reason was an ongoing feud he has had with Commissioner Boyd.
Commissioner Boyd said, "The East Ridge group needed to go through proper protocol to get on the agenda, especially during a very contested campaign season. Gravitt nor Dean ever contacted any commissioner or the chairman about this matter to ask if they could make a presentation. Dean and Gravitt have many years of service as public officials, and they should know better. Shame on both Gravitt and Dean for taking a noble occasion and politicizing it for a candidate running scared and needing a photo op with Mayor Coppinger.
"It should also be noted that it is obvious the County Commissioner representing the district where the section of the dedicated road is located was never contacted. This in itself is very disrespectful of both Gravitt and Dean."
Commissioner Greg Beck said all members of the commission agreed that the group had not followed protocol and should not be allowed to speak.
County Mayor Coppinger went outside with the group and stayed for the short ceremony. He also spoke to the families involved.
Rev. Mitch McClure, a former commissioner, said, "The Erwin Family is part of the congregation we serve in Middle Valley. I had been asked to attend the Agenda Session in support of a presentation honoring Louis H. Erwin, Sr., a survivor of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. After learning of this presentation, I contacted my County Commissioner Greg Martin to see if I could offer the prayer and was told another minister had already been confirmed and would be praying. Commissioner Martin conveyed this information to me and no expectation existed. I know the protocol for public prayers. I served on the Board of Commissioners when we were sued and help construct the new guidelines. This should resolve the matter about me praying. Done and finished.
"In relation to the confusion about adding an item to the Board of Commissioners Agenda, it has been a long standing procedure for these items to be done well in advance of the session. Apparently this was not accomplished. Again, the matter could not be discussed. A protocol exists for a purpose: order. The lack of order results in chaos. Done and finished.
"As to politics in this situation, it is an election cycle. What more do we need to say?
"I hope this covers any thoughts that I was offended in any way. I had no expectation of praying because the proper procedure had been followed."