Sam Stockard reported in The Murfreesboro Post that "the cost of a Murfreesboro Police headquarters ballooned from $32.6 million in 2012 to $55.7 million."
City staff couldn't give a good explanation for the cost overrun, other than Acting City Manager Jim Crumley saying the original cost was "grossly underestimated."
He added the building needed expensive things like an indoor shooting range, secure operations center, and new dispatch room and equipment.
Maybe they should have included that in the calculations? Stockard also floats the idea that the near doubling in construction cost was one of the reasons for the departure of former City Manager Rob Lyons.
"Council members expressed concerns in late fall 2017 they were having trouble trying to get a firm grasp of the police headquarters cost," Stockard wrote.
And then Lyons left with a golden parachute.
City Council may have violated 'Sunshine Law'
When the City Council ousted Rob Lyons, they probably violated the Tennessee Open Meetings Act, according to The Daily News Journal.
The city's spokesman Mike Browning confirmed to reporter Scott Broden that members of the City Council met privately with City Attorney Craig Tindell at least four times in the days before Lyons' resignation on Dec. 15.
State law requires that governing bodies let the public know they are meeting and meet in a place that is accessible to the public even if they aren't making a decision.
It's legal for them to meet with their attorney, as long as they give proper public notice and are discussing open litigation against the city.
Because they did not give notice of the meetings, they are in violation of state law.
"There is no exemption to the Sunshine Law," long-time open government advocate Frank Gibson told Broden. Gibson is a board member and founding director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government.
Bob Corlew announces Congressional campaign
Former Rutherford County Chancellor Robert Corlew has launched his candidacy for the 6th Congressional District, the seat being vacated by Diane Black.
Corlew, who stepped down from the bench in 2014, presided over the Murfreesboro Mosque case and the lawsuit aginst Rutherford County for denying plans for Bible Park USA.
On his website, Corlew pledges to support the Trump agenda, build a wall, support the Second Amendment, and repeal and replace Obamacare, among other hardline conservative principles.
Reeves out raises, spends Carr
According to Tom Humphrey from the Tennessee Journal, Shane Reeves raised four times as much as Republican rival Joe Carr in the primary for the special election to succeed Jim Tracy in the Tennessee State Senate.
Humphery said: "Reeves reported $170,413 in contributions, plus $150,000 in loans to his campaign. He spent $268,550 and had $51,863 remaining for the final days of the race. Carr reported raised $43,400 and loaned his campaign $100,000. He spent $107,956 and had $47,124 remaining.
Carr’s spending included $21,764 on radio ads, $19,192 on postage, $12,101 on campaign mailers and $11,551 on multi-media. Navigation Advertising was Carr’s top vendor during the period, earning $51,405. The next highest recipient was Gill Media’s $31,764 and campaign worker Rick Williams’ $4,550."
Reeves top contributors were the Jim Tracy Leadership PAC, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally’s leadership PAC and the Tennessee Realtors PAC. Carr's top contributors were Joe PAC, the Tennessee Employees Action Movement, and the Tennessee Firearms Association.
Michelle Willard is a freelance journalist who fills her days with social media marketing, politics, true crime, and taking complaints. You can complain to her on Twitter @MichWillard or by email michelle(at)murfreesborovoice.com.
