Bluff City Mayor Resigns In Frustration

BLUFF CITY, Tenn. – For the second time in almost six months, the mayor of this Sullivan County city has stepped down, citing an inability to work with fellow aldermen as his primary reason for leaving office.

“My efforts to make Bluff City better than when I took office is something that will never happen,” Mayor Tom Anderson said as he read his letter of resignation during Thursday’s board of mayor and aldermen meeting.

“I see the board, save [Alderman Melvin] Carrier, acting in an irresponsible manner, and they have seemingly lost all objective thought.”

Anderson said his most recent conflicts with the city’s board members have happened while working on the city’s $1.02 million budget, which in a recent draft was running a $116,000 deficit.

He said he had tried working with the aldermen to find a way to cut costs, but they instead let their “personal relationships and agendas” trump what he believed was best for the city’s 1,500 residents.

“There’s been several occasions where they’ve ignored my advice,” said Anderson, claiming the board was exhibiting a “single-mindedness that lacks the open debate required for functional government.”

Alderman Don Weaver said he and the other members were not ignoring Anderson’s advice or suggestions in their budget deliberations; they were instead focused on the main goal of balancing the budget without raising taxes.

“We never went against what he said,” Weaver said, adding he was shocked by Anderson’s departure. “The budget process is only proposals. There will be many things taken out of it and many things that will be put back in.”

Anderson took office after Bluff City’s previous mayor, Bob Thomas, resigned Feb. 7 from the post he held for 10½ years. Thomas accused several aldermen of demanding his ouster and said he could no longer continue the fight because of health problems.

“I haven’t seen anything conspiratorial,” Anderson said when asked if he saw the same things taking place during his tenure. “I’ve only seen incompetence.”

Anderson, like Thomas, said some personal issues influenced his decision to quit. He works as executive director of the Johnson County Economic Development Partnership and said his colleagues criticized him about his role as mayor because they saw it as a conflict of interest.

“There was no safe haven for me,” Anderson said, adding the stress associated with his job and his position as mayor was making him “grumpy at home.”

Though a Bluff City resident mentioned he had heard rumors of Anderson’s resignation prior to the meeting, the news shocked everyone present.

City Recorder and Finance Director Judy Dulaney said Anderson didn’t tell her about his plans until 30 minutes prior to the meeting’s start.

“Two mayors down the tubes,” Dulaney said, while sobbing after the meeting, which ended when Anderson left because neither the city attorney or the vice mayor were present to figure out what to do next.

“We ask that you not do this,” city resident Connie Leonard told Anderson as he left the room. “You are the only person that we have in this town.”

Anderson said he would continue to work in the city though he had formally left its political scene. He wished Vice Mayor Todd Malone – who will now serve as the city’s mayor – the best of luck.

“Let me take this in first,” said Malone, who arrived at City Hall after Anderson resigned and the meeting adjourned.

Malone said the board’s next job would be to find a new vice mayor and appoint someone to fill Anderson’s seat.

He said the board would take up the matters during a special called meeting but no date was set.

“The city’s going to have to run regardless,” Malone said, adding that Bluff City had a “lot of little problems that we’re somehow going to have to put a Band-Aid on.”

gmclean@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2518

Mayor Tom Anderson's Letter of Resignation

June 12, 2008

To The Citizens of Bluff City its Aldermen:

It is with deep sadness and regret that I feel I must tender my resignation as Mayor of Bluff City Tennessee effective immediately. The circumstances leading to my decision are based on my inability to reach the members of the Board and the negative effect being Mayor has had in my personal and professional life. My efforts to make Bluff City better than when I took office is something that will never happen. I see the Board, save Mr. Carrier, acting in an irresponsible manner and they have seemingly lost all objective thought. The Aldermen have apparently lost sight of what their duties should entail and have allowed personal relationships and agendas to take precedence over the tax paying citizens. I have admonished the Board on several topics, but it fell on deaf ears and blind eyes. I have not sat idly by during my tenure as Mayor, however, there is a single mindedness the Board is exhibiting that lacks the open debate required for functional government. I wish Mr. Malone well in his new office.

I want to thank the citizens for believing in me when I ran for Alderman in 2005.

Regards,

Thomas J. Anderson