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Daily Dose for November 28, 2007
McWherter Out
McWherter Out -- Mike McWherter, son of popular former Gov. Ned Ray McWherter, who had formed an exploratory committee to consider a run against Sen. Lamar Alexander has decided not to run - citing a desire to spend more time with his family. McWherter: "The reality is: the demands of raising millions of dollars in short order and running an intense 12-month campaign simply are not in the best interests of my family right now." More here and here.
Pinkston Back with Bredesen -- Former Communications man for Bredesen's Gubernatorial campaign Will Pinkston will rejoin Bredesen - this time as a Senior Advisor on his state staff. Pinkston will focus on development and management of some of the administration's key policy initiatives. Prior to the new job, Pinkston had a brief stint with Nashville communications firm McNeely Pigott & Fox. Before that he was communications guy for the state Democratic Party and a newspaper man. Pinkston takes the place of former State Rep. Kim McMillan, who left the Governor's senior staff to work for Austin Peay State University.
Open Meetings Committee Votes on Recommendations -- An Open Meeting Laws Study Committee has proposed modest changes to the state's Open Meetings laws. The full committee voted to make private meetings between three officials or a majority, whichever is less, a violation of the state's Open Meeting laws. The three-member standard was proposed by Sen. Joe Haynes as a compromise to the position of a subcommittee, which suggested a four-member standard and opponents of changing the Open Meetings laws at all. The Committee also recommended defining by statute a statewide "ombudsperson." More here.
Sharpton, King III Plan Rally Targeting Bredesen -- Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III have planned a rally to wrestle control of the publically owned National Civil Rights Museum away from the foundation that currently runs it. The march would be a last-minute effort to sway Gov. Phil Bredesen and other members of the State Building Commission as they consider whether to grant a 40-year lease to the Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation, which has operated the state-owned museum for 17 years. The opposition seems to be lead by Circuit Court Judge D'Army Bailey, who resigned from the Museum board when he was replaced as chairman by Rev. Benjamin Hooks. Bailey has criticized the Museum board's makeup for not being composed of contemporary civil rights leaders and accused the foundation that runs the museum of infusing corporate money in an attempt to control the museum.
Nashville Won't Go Paperless -- The Tennessean reports that despite a move by the Shelby Co. Commission to go paperless, many Middle TN counties won't follow suit. Metro Nashville Councilman Erik Cole said he'd like to see the 40-person council use much less paper, but Cole also said not all the Council members could be expected to have the same level of computer skills required for a paperless system.
