Tuesday November first Linda and Joe King with Karen Miller attended the monthly South Blount Utility Board Meeting and called the Banner of Truth Radio Show to report a South Blount Customer had called for them to “resign immediately”.
Stan Giles of Louisville says he had come to their meeting last month after the Josh Flory article in the News Sentinel because he wanted to verify the numbers for himself and admitted the “article was accurate.”
Mr. Giles referred to two statements made during his visit last month. The first “that chairperson Ms. Morton, had not even read the newspaper article than challenged the very board she leads … gives me pause to question her openness to change and to respond to valid criticism. This does not give me confidence in her leadership.”
The second statement Mr. Giles criticized the board for was his hearing that the board “did not know that it was improper to pay for non-organization related expenses (i.e. meals for spouses) again gives me pause for concern because, that is pretty basic knowledge… if you don’t understand that, again then I kindly question your ability to provide good leadership to this organization.”
Mr. Giles went on to point out to the board members that “you are managing someone else’s resources and you have a fiduciary responsibility to serve the best of your abilities and provide reasonable oversight. For employees and board members to travel on organization funds …but to do so in excess and to eat at such luxury restaurants as Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse,” as reported by Mr. Flory’s article $43 Steak entrees and $ 7 baked potatoes) back to the quote “knowing that the expense would be borne by the very people you are sworn to serve, I believe it disqualifies you from serving in the future.”
Mr. Giles earlier calculated that the average tenure for this board ranges from 6-14 years, and when a vacancy does occur the board replaces itself. Giles recommended term limits and when a vacancy occurs applications from the community be sent to the Mayor to choose rather than limiting his choices to those you board members make.”
Mrs. Linda King reported in response to her question about current travel plans the board admitted they received reservations for two nights in Gatlinburg for “continuing education”. Mrs. King also reported her water bill from South Blount went up again as the amount of water for the basic customer limit was dropped another 500 gallons for the third time since hydofluroisic acid commonly misrepresented as fluoride has been added to the previously perfect water.
