Update - The Real Good Ol' Boy Network

Last month, in a post titled "The Real Good Ol' Boy Network", we broke the story of how a few in city government had conspired to exclude a particular individual from potentially running for mayor. Since then, the Daily Herald has caught on to the story and published it in the Daily Herald a couple weeks ago and also recently in their sister paper, The Advertiser News.

Below is the article, in case you have not had the opportunity to read it yet. I have added some of my comments in bold.

Deposition: Spring Hill mayor term limit designed to limit Mitchell
By D. FRANK SMITH/Staff Writer
SPRING HILL — Alderman Eliot Mitchell, who’s seeking his second four-year term in April, said he doesn’t bear his fellow aldermen any ill will even after discovering three of them may have attempted to stunt his political career.

In a November deposition, City Administrator Ken York said he heard conversations in 2004 between former Mayor Ray Williams and current Aldermen Brandon McCulloch, Sharron Cantrell, who are also up for reelection, and Miles Johnson.

York said in those conversations, all four individuals said they wanted to ensure that in case a future mayor was not doing a "satisfactory" job, their term would only be two years.

York said Williams had told him this limitation was aimed at keeping one person in particular from becoming mayor for more than two years — Mitchell.

When asked who other than Williams said this was a reason for the ordinance, York named McCulloch, Cantrell and Johnson.

"So if I understand it, the reason for the change in the ordinance was to keep Eliot Mitchell from holding office for more than two years?" Attorney John Schwalb asked York, according to the document.

"That’s correct," York said, adding later, "That is conversations I heard taking place."

Remember folks, this is all under oath.

Asked this week how and where he overheard the conversations, York said he had "no comment whatsoever."

The deposition was taken at Schwalb’s offices in Franklin for the 2006 trial Charles Schoenbrodt vs. the City of Spring Hill and Danny Leverette, which contested the length of Leverette’s four-year term as mayor.

Schoenbrodt said because of the ordinance passed in 2004, the term should only be two years. However, Judge Robert Jones ruled in favor of Spring Hill and Leverette in December, allowing him to continue serving his four-year term.

As it turned out, Williams’ and the aldermens’ fears were unwarranted. Mitchell never ran for mayor in 2005.

Mitchell said he didn’t learn about the mayor and aldermen attempting to shorten his hypothetical term until Mayor Leverette informed him of York’s deposition.

Mitchell said the board in 2004 may have felt threatened by his successful campaign for aldermen against an incumbent in 2003.

"There was a contentious relationship between myself and that group of alderman, including the mayor, at that time," he said. "Anytime you’re running because you don’t agree with the way things are done, then that can be taken as a criticism by the people in power."

Johnson said Williams was likely the source of the animosity between aldermen, because he didn’t get along with Mitchell.

BINGO!

"They disagreed on a lot of things, and Williams didn’t have a lot of respect for (Mitchell)," Johnson said. "I think that’s where a lot of this is coming from. There were some hard feelings, but things have changed a whole lot since then. We’ve got a good mayor in there now."

Yes, things have changed a whole lot from where we were. Let's not forget that we have fought for every single inch, the whole entire way. I wonder where the source of the resistance to this change has been coming from?

Despite learning his colleagues allegedly worked against him, Mitchell said he’s on polite terms with Cantrell, McCulloch and Johnson, who remain on the board. Williams died of a heart attack in January 2005.

"I see them out in the community, and we have casual conversations," he said. "I don’t have any animosity against them. ... It (the Board of Mayor and Aldermen is) better than it used to be, for sure."

Johnson said he and Mitchell didn’t get along at first either, but they have since mended their differences.

"When he first came on board, he had his own ways and didn’t seem to care about anybody on there," he said. "Today, he has mellowed up, and I think he is a pretty good guy."

Though he doesn’t hold a grudge against his colleagues, Mitchell said he was surprised by what he learned from the deposition.

"I’m surprised anytime when you have people in power that conspire to manipulate the system. I think it’s an example of how small town politics can work," he said. "One of the reasons we have a Sunshine Law is to prevent back room politics."

York’s deposition did not reveal any direct evidence of a violation of the state’s open meetings law, also known as the Sunshine Law, Tennessee Press Association Attorney Richard Hollow said.

"There’s not a violation that jumps off the page," he said. "It hints at a violation, it suggests the potential for a violation, but it doesn’t give us a clear picture of one."

Asked if Mitchell was a target for the ordinance, Johnson said he did not remember.

"I don’t remember him being the reason for that, no," Johnson said.

What's interesting here is that Miles doesn't sound too sure...

Cantrell also said she doesn’t remember the ordinance being targeted at Mitchell. But she said aldermen discussed the consequences of a two-year term for mayor at a 2004 work session.

"What I do remember thinking at the time is that it could be disastrous for the city — that in four years, someone could really do a lot of damage," she said. "But I don’t remember any one person being mentioned. ... So, to my knowledge, that conversation did not take place."

Sharon sounds a bit more definitive...

McCulloch said he did not remember any conversation around that ordinance on anyone in particular.

"I have a lot of respect for (York), but I don’t know where he got that from," he said. "I don’t recall anyone being mentioned in particular for that ordinance."

and Brandon sounds like he just downright called Mr. York a liar.

Cantrell and McCulloch are running for reelection this year. Four other candidates are vying for Cantrell’s seat for ward 3; McCulloch has two opponents for ward 1. The election will be held April 12. Early voting begins March 23.

Folks, somebody is lying here. Either the city administrator who was testifying for a deposition, or our aldermen...