Lenoir City could bump judge sal

Another change in salary could be on the horizon for the new Lenoir City Judge.

Lenoir City Council approved a motion Aug. 8 to form a committee to reevaluate the salary for the city’s judge just days after Gregg Harrison was elected.

The city sent a letter in April informing candidates for the position the salary would be reduced from $75,000 to $7,200 starting with the new term Sept. 1. The letter and city officials cited a decrease in court performance as a reason for the reduction, indicating the salary could be reevaluated if performance improves.

Toward the end of the Aug. 8 meeting, Harrison, who currently serves as city attorney, told council he planned to expand the court to include extra days to hear more cases. He asked council to reconsider the judge’s salary to reflect the addition of those extra days and cases.

Mayor Tony Aikens agreed with Harrison that a change in salary was needed and then announced he had already set up a committee to review the matter.

Committee members include Councilman Mike Henline, Lenoir City Police Capt. David Flynn and Lenoir City residents Tammy Powell and Chris Swafford.

“I want this committee to look at it openly and bring back a recommendation to city council,” Aikens said. “I’m trying to be as open and as fair as I can human possibly be, and I’m trying to give the citizens a chance to come and voice their concerns about it. We will go from there and if the committee comes back and says we don’t recommend this at this time, then we’ll look at the law and we’ll look at what MTAS says.”

Aikens described Powell and Swafford as two neutral citizens who “don’t know Tony Aikens.”

Aikens said he will follow the recommendation of the committee at the guidance of the Municipal Technical Advisory Service, an agency of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service that provides assistance and training to municipal officials.

State law prevents adjusting a salary during a judge’s term. Lenoir City operates under a charter, and Aikens said a charter takes president over newer state law. He said the charter held in similar situations in the past.

Aikens said he has had “some attorneys” look at the charter and believes council has authority to adjust the salary during the term. He also said the matter has been sent to MTAS for review.

Aikens said he is in favor of the expansion of the court to create more accessibility and for Lenoir City Police officers to have their cases heard in the city instead of Loudon General Sessions Court. He said an increase in court performance would have led he and council to consider a salary change regardless of who was elected.

Incumbent Judge Robin NcNabb has said previously the issue of the court’s performance was not brought up to her until she received the April letter. She did not approach city council or Aikens about the decision.

Harrison won the seat with 350 votes over McNabb’s 313 votes.

Aikens did contribute $1,000 to Harrison’s campaign. He said he would have considered donating to other candidates if they asked.

The salary committee is scheduled to present a recommendation to council at 6 p.m. Monday. Aikens said the city is also holding a public hearing for city residents to voice their support or criticism.

“We’re trying to do the right thing here, regardless of what the bloggers or the social media folks say,” Aikens said. “We’re trying to do the right thing.”

The public hearing will be held at 5:45 p.m. Monday at the Lenoir City Municipal Building on U.S. Highway 321.