Resolution to change city charter fails at Trimble board meeting

The issue of one of Trimble's contested sections of its charter was put to rest during Monday's meeting of the mayor and aldermen.

In a vote of 3 to 2, the board failed to pass a resolution pertaining to the appointment of the town judge.

In a meeting that lasted less than four minutes, Mayor James Davis asked the board to vote on Section 3.05 of the town's charter.

Section 3.05 reads: A town judge, who shall constitute the town court, MAY be appointed by a majority vote of the Trimble Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The Town judge shall serve at the will of the board for an indefinite term of office. Said person so appointed shall possess the qualifications required of the General Sessions Judge of Dyer County. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen may appoint a person to preside in the absence of the Town judge, provided that such person shall possess the qualifications of the General Sessions Judge for Dyer County.

The resolution would have changed the word MAY in the first sentence, to the word SHALL. The wording currently gives the mayor the opportunity to appoint a town judge when he or she is elected. A change in the wording to SHALL would give the aldermen the power to appoint the judge, instead of the mayor.

Davis told the board that a vote of "no" would be to keep the charter as it is and a vote of "yes" would be to change the charter to include the word SHALL.

Davis then asked for a roll call vote. Aldermen James Ballard and John Ivie voted "no". Alderwoman Darlene Biggers voted "no". Aldermen Matt Stafford and Steven Parker voted "yes".

The motion failed and cannot be brought up again until after the November elections. Had it passed, the resolution would have gone to the State Legislature for further approval, requiring signatures from Speaker of the House of Representatives Kent Williams, Speaker of the Senate Ron Ramsey and Gov. Phil Bredesen.

Mayor James Davis appointed Judge Jason Hudson to the position of city judge after he was elected in 2008. Last February, after some concerns, the board voted unanimously to approve Hudson's appointment, replacing the previous Trimble city judge, Molly Williams.