A community meeting room at the new Sale Creek Volunteer Fire Department building has been named for former County Commissioner Fred Skillern, though the man who took his place raised the issue of naming buildings after living persons.
Commissioner Randy Fairbanks also accused fellow Commissioner Joe Graham of delving into the business of his District 1.
He said, "You would never see me coming into a district to override the commissioner. Out of respect to the other commissioners, I would never do that."
The resolution before the commission from Commissioner Fairbanks was to name the fire hall for longtime Chief Glenn Aslinger, who died in 2014.
Commissioner Graham made a motion to do so, but to amend the resolution to also honor former Commissioner Skillern.
He said he had been in contact with Sale Creek citizens and fire department personnel and that was their wishes. He said they wanted to see both honors bestowed at the same time.
Commissioner Fairbanks said he understood that the commission had a policy against naming buildings for living persons.
He said on one occasion Commissioner Skillern had "vehemently opposed" naming a building for a retired Soddy Daisy High School principal.
County Attorney Rheubin Taylor said the commission did have such a policy.
But he said it could be waived by five votes of the commission - as they had done in naming a county building for former Commissioner Paul McDaniel.
Commissioner Fairbanks also objected to Commissioner Graham having someone in the audience videoing the discussion. He said, "I knew it was going to come to this."
Commissioner Graham later said it was his daughter doing so and said she had every right to do so. He said he "had not asked her to do it; she did it on her own accord."
Commissioner Fairbanks then said he would go along with the amendment, saying it was true that Commissioner Skillern was very instrumental in making the fire hall possible.
The vote was 9-0 to designate the Fred Skillern Community Room at the Glenn Aslinger Sale Creek Fire Hall.