Tommy Barnes Colbert County Commission Chairman
TUSCUMBIA – Colbert County Commissioner Tommy Barnes told the Quad Cities Daily today that he was not only the likely target in a political smear gambit, but his motives and purpose for writing a draft document that could provide a framework for modifying the Shoals Economic Development authority’s collection and distribution of tax monies were completely misrepresented in the media. “I was only doing what every Commissioner had agreed to do, and that was to provide some ideas for improving our county government that we would kick around in an open session. Instead my draft of raising some money for a much-needed railroad overpass was leaked as a firm proposal. I guess whoever did that was trying to make me look bad. Nothing could be further from the truth!”, he said. He told this reporter that he had not intended for his suggestions to be voted on until and unless the rest of the Commission had given input and decided collectively that it had merit. Barnes did not know who circulated his draft ideas to local Mayors, SEDA, and media outlets, some of whom published the work, portraying it as a finished proposal to be voted on. He said the person who leaked his work-in-progress as a finished legislative proposal was clearly attempting to do political harm to him. He was disappointed that some outlets took the fake news hook-line-and-sinker.
Here is what he wrote to the Quad Cities Daily in response:
“At the previous Commission meeting in which the Capital needs were addressed, I challenged each Commissioner to bring back ideas for funding capital projects such as Metro Jail, Internet Needs, and RR Overpasses along our 50 miles of the track in Colbert County.
The Commission was emailed a copy of one of three (3) resolutions to consider that would be discussed in an open meeting on March 5, 2019.
Apparently a Commissioner or someone forwarded the Resolution to the Media, Mayors and SEDA without approval of the body. The Commission body was to discuss and make changes or recommendations as a group.
This action lead to SEDA and others that were encouraged to attend the meeting because of a document that had not been discussed by the Commission. As stated in the Meeting, the forwarded resolution along with 2 more resolutions were to be discussed by the Commission before going into distribution to the public because we had not had any review or discussions.
Politics can be a dirty thing but this action was deliberate and did not follow the intended practice.
I will always be accountable to the voters but have learned a valuable lesson about how things van be very ugly in the political realm.
It is my right as a public official to bring up topics related to the tax dollar to make sure we are optimizing the results for that which they pay.
I love Colbert County and will continue to work on the Infrastructure issues of Broadband in the County and RR overpasses that are needed for economic development in the Shoals and Colbert County.
Sincerely,
Tommy Barnes
Colbert County Commission Chairman”
