Rules committee adopts draft deadline for agenda language, will send amendment to full commission

Knox County Commission Rules Committee members voted March 16 to forward an amendment that would require draft language for agenda items to be submitted to the commission office no later than 12:00 p.m. on the Tuesday preceding the third Monday.

The change was proposed by Commissioner Durret as a way to ensure there is workable language available for agenda review meetings. "All this does is add an additional section to state that final draft language for any agenda item shall be submitted to the commission office no later than 12:00 noon on the Tuesday preceding the third Monday," Commissioner Durret said.

Commissioner Thompson said she understood the purpose but worried the rule, as written, would be too rigid and would not allow the chair discretion for extenuating circumstances. "I do I mean I get the reasoning behind this and I'm not necessarily opposed to it. It does it does seem very rigid because it doesn't have the leeway of the chair to offer an exemption," Thompson said. Other members agreed that some flexibility would be useful.

To address those concerns the committee agreed to remove the word "final" from the draft language so that an initial draft or outline, rather than a fully polished "final draft," would satisfy the deadline while still giving the committee material to review. Commissioner Hill moved to forward the amended rule to the full commission for consideration; Commissioner Thompson seconded the motion. The committee approved the motion and the item will appear on a future full-commission docket.

The committee’s action sends the amended rule to the full Knox County Commission for its vote; the minutes did not record an individual roll-call tally for the forwarding motion.