Where's Jim?

Where's Jim? That's the question citizens in the 6th County Commission district are likely asking about County Commissioner Jim Vaughn following his recent column in the Hendersonville Standard.

In the column, Vaughn suggests the recently adopted tax rate came as a surprise to him. He further notes that he doesn't understand why the schools need more money and that it's not clear to him Sumner County faced financial disaster if something wasn't changed.

Vaughn might be surpised about the budget and tax issues because meeting minutes from the September 2nd meeting where Commissioners were sworn-in and assigned to committees reflect that Vaughn wasn't present that night.

Minutes from the September 8th meeting where the School Board's budget was voted on by the Education Committee indicate that Vaughn didn't bother showing up for that one, either. And, on September 15th, when County Commissioners voted on the budget for schools, Jim Vaughn wasn't present.

Voters elected Jim Vaughn to serve them by attending meetings, asking questions, and being a part of the process. But it looks like he took most of September off. No word yet on whether Vaughn will return his monthly stipend for September to the General Fund.

Vaughn did show up to the October 20th County Commission meeting. But his November 21st article suggests he wasn't aware of what was going to be discussed at a November 3rd County Commission meeting.

Vaughn says he was surprised a tax increase was being discussed in spite of public notice published on the County Commission website and in the Hendersonville Star News and Gallatin News Examiner on both October 22nd and October 31st. The notice stated clearly the "intent to exceed the certified tax rate."

Further, as a County Commissioner, Vaughn would have received a meeting packet and agenda. So, sometime in the two weeks between when he should have known what was on the agenda and the night of the meeting, Vaughn could have talked to Finance Director David Lawing and found out more about what was going to be recommended.

Finally, Vaughn asserts that the county was well-managed in the past. This must mean he suffers from the same faulty memory currently afflicting fellow Commissioner Merrol Hyde. Vaughn previously served on the budget committee. He was a part of the group that consistently recommended deficit budgets made whole through spending of reserve funds. It was Vaughn who helped craft a taxpayer-funded bailout of the county's failed insurance trust.

As County Commissioner Chris Taylor made clear in an analysis of the budget situation, before the vote to raise taxes, Sumner County was on the verge of financial collapse as early as July, 2015. This because previous leaders, Vaughn among them, steered the ship wrecklessly in the name of never raising taxes.

Now, taxpayers in District 6 are left to wonder: Is Jim Vaughn doing his job? He's not showing up to meetings, he's not paying attention to meeting notices, and he's not taking responsibility for his past failed leadership.

For more on news in Hendersonville, follow @HvilleNews