| As I reported earlier, I went the last Monday's
Lenoir City council meeting to watch the dog and pony show that was the
changing of the judge's salary. We've covered that. But there was even
more excitement at the end of the meeting. There
is a public comment time at the end. A dude named George Bove took the
podium to speak. To, I think everyone's surprise, he was there to speak
about me. You have to see the video to appreciate it. See below then
come back and read the rest of the story.
Click Here For
SMOKING Video
Mr. Bove said he hated to be a complainer or something
like that, then he accused me of smoking, but you have to say it right,
SMOKINGGG. Of course that's ridiculous. I haven't smoked for more than
nine years. Not sure if he saw my vape in my hand but whatever he saw,
it wasn't smoking for sure. To be fair, he never actually said my name
but he said that commissioner, and I was the only commissioner in the
room.
But it got even better after the meeting. I was
standing on the front sidewalk at city hall talking to a friend when Mr.
Bove came blowing out the front door giving be the "bird", very
professional. I figured if he was going to act like a child I would
treat him that way. I asked him if that was his age or IQ. I hadn't used
that one since seventh grade. He goes on out to his car mumbling
something. Couldn't hear him.
Then another guy with an eye patch comes out and
starts in on me. I really didn't know him. He starts telling me he just
doesn't like me. I told him I was sure there were others who felt that
way. Then Bove comes back from the parking lot and starts screaming like
a little girl, you're a liar, you're a liar. I said, "you might be
right." While he's ranting and raving, eyed patch guy was saying, you
look like a guy I'd hire to trim my bushes then fire him because he
couldn't do the job. Again, I just said, "you might be right." I don't
know if he thought that was going to hurt my feelings or what. I really
had no plans to trim his shrubs. Then Bove's at again wanting me to
explain to him the difference between smoking and vaping. I suggested he
educate himself. Then patch guy says that same story again about the
shrub trimming. They were getting pretty loud. By now, quite a crowd had
gathered including most of the city council.
These goofballs carried on like this for several
minutes until I guess it caught the attention of someone inside city
hall. Police chief, Don White, came out and said, I don't know what's
going on here, but it's over, you all get in your cars and go home. That
was the end of it. All in all, it was a real fun night.
There's an old saying I learned a long time ago that's
very true. "It's almost impossible to win an argument with a smart
person, but it's absolutely impossible to win an argument with idiots".
I didn't even try.
 I
kept thinking I had seen the guy with the eye patch somewhere before.
Then I remembered. On election day, back in May, he showed up with
councilwoman, Jennifer Wampler, out at Eatons, to campaign for Eddie
Simpson. Both he and Wampler walked back and forth in the street waving
Eddie Simpson signs as the cars drove by. That might explain some of his
anger.
So, who's George Bove? He is the Knox County appointee
to the LCUB Board even though he lives in Lenoir City. He was brought to
us back in 2012 when he was appointed to the board by then Knox County
mayor, Tim Burchett. Apparently, Burchett's wife and Bove's wife are
good friends. Bove's wife also works at LCUB and by most accounts is a
very pleasant person and everybody seems to like her. Him, not so much.
Apparently, he hangs around LCUB quite a bit. Maybe someday we'll talk
about the armored car incident.
He used to work for a company called BESCO, an
electric service company. BESCO used to get
a lot of contracts with LCUB while Bove worked for them and was serving
on the power board. Then a couple years ago, all of a sudden, Bove was
no longer with BESCO and BESCO was no longer getting LCUB contracts. Not
sure what happened there.
Below is a story I did back in 2018 on Mr. Bove. It
will give you a little background information.
Conflict Of Interest?
10/22/2018
| Back during the "Kick Earlena Maples Off The
Ballot" campaign by Lenoir City officials, the main concern
stated by the mayor, council persons and legal council was, it
could be a conflict of interest for an LCUB employee to serve on
the LCUB Power Board if she were elected. Even though Ms. Maples
made it clear that if elected to council and serving on the
Power Board, if an issue arose that could be considered a
conflict of interest, she would recues herself from any such
vote. To no avail, Ms. Maples was removed from the ballot. Just
couldn't take a chance on that possible conflict of interest
thing. You could look at all that and
think, well, that's honorable of the city officials to be so
concerned about even the appearance of conflict of interests, if
they really believe that. Let's see if they do.
I would introduce you to a gentleman who's
name most of you probably don't know. His name is George Bove.
Mr. Bove serves on the LCUB Power Board as one of the two Knox
County representatives. Mr. Bove was appointed to the Power
Board by former Knox County mayor, Tim Burchett, in 2012.
According to his Linkedin page, at the time of
his appointment to the Power Board, he was Financial
Secretary/Business Manager for the IBEW Union. In 2014 he left
his job with the Union and went to work for BESCO, Broadway
Electric Service Cooperation. From the BESCO website:
Over six decades as regional, industry
leaders, BESCO is proud of its success in providing
premier electrical services for clients across an
array of industries. While we have proudly expanded
our capabilities, we remain committed to the
electrical expertise our clients have trusted and
relied on for the past 60 years. BESCO is your
electrical partner for construction projects,
maintenance support, and emergency services,
delivering excellence every day.
Over the last few years, BESCO has been
awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in contracts by LCUB
for various work projects through out the LCUB system. (Waiting
on a public records request to find total dollar amounts)
In November of 2015, Mr. Bove bought two
parcels of property from Lenoir City mayor, Tony Aikens valued
at $250,000.00 according to records in the county register of
deeds office. The two parcels are located on Bussell Ferry Road
and Poplar Street. According to the tax bills, Mr. Bove is
living at the Bussell Ferry Road address yet still serves on the
LCUB Power Board as a Knox County representative.
I want to be very clear. I'm not suggesting
anyone has done anything wrong. But it sure would be easy to
think there's a strong possibility of a conflict of interest
here on several levels. I do not know Mr. Bove and have never
met him, but from what I read about him, sounds like a fine
person. I know nothing about BESCO, but from what I've read
about their company, it sounds like a top notch outfit.
Mr. Bove works for BESCO, BESCO gets large
contracts from the LCUB Power Board where Mr. Bove serves as a
board member. I understand that any time BESCO contracts come
up, Mr. Bove recues himself from that vote. (Remember Ms. Maples
promise to recues herself)
Mr. Bove pays the mayor a quarter million
dollars for two parcels of property then moves to Lenoir City
yet still serves on the LCUB Power Board as a Knox County
representative, apparently with the blessing of then Knox County
mayor, Tim Burchett.
Back to the beginning, the main concern stated
by the mayor, council persons and legal council about Ms. Maples
running for council was, there could be a conflict of interest.
City officials are on record showing great concern about
potential conflicts of interest. I would suspect they will take
a very close look at the possibilities here and take swift
action to correct this potential of conflict of interest.
Should Mr. Bove resign from the LCUB Power
Board due to the appearance of a possible conflict of interest?
Absolutely and probably should have the day he took a job with
a company that would be doing business with LCUB. We elected and
appointed officials owe it to the people we represent, to not
only, not, be involved where there could be a conflict, but to
never be in a position where there's even the appearance of any
conflict of interests.
From Mr. Bove's Linkedin Profile:
George Bove |
10/22/18 |
