News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
UCHRA’s Steering Committee A approved downsizing the agency’s governing board and councils in response to state legislation answering participation issues.
Committee members voted 4-3 in favor to reduce the agency’s governing board to 17 members, state officials not included. Executive Director Mark Farley said that number will be made of all 14 Upper Cumberland Mayors and three city mayors.
“What we would like to propose is if you want to go with a reduced number less than one from each county, that we sort of look at it from sub regions within the Upper Cumberland,” Farley said. “And what we have done is try to divide it out, so the number of municipalities are divided equally.”
Farley said the region would be divided in three sub-regions by the north, south and west. Farley said each region’s city mayors would vote on its representative to serve on the board.
“Clay, Pickett, Jackson, Overton, Fentress and Putnam County I think they have 10 municipalities there,” Farley said. “If you look at Macon, Smith, Dekalb and Cannon, they have 11 municipalities. Down in the south Warren, Van Buren, White and Cumberland have 10 municipalities.”
Jackson County Mayor Randy Heady, Overton County Executive Ben Danner and Gainesboro Mayor Lloyd Williams voted against the governing board changes. Heady said he would rather see six city mayors involved.
The agency’s Policy Council was also unanimously approved for a decrease to 19 members. Farley said equal representatives of consumer of services, program providers and local officials would make up this body.
“What I would love to see is that be a true working group, where we discuss big picture items like homelessness, housing, meals assistance,” Farley said.
With both bodies having less members, the Advisory Board also decreases since it consists of the Governing Board and Policy Council. All approved motions will not be adopted until receiving a majority vote June 16th when the executive committee meets.
