MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WGNS) - An escalating legal dispute over the appointment of county officials has prompted Rutherford County Commission Chairman Jeff Phillips to formally call Mayor Joe Carr to the floor. The request for the Mayor’s appearance at the March 12th, 2026, Board of Commissioners meeting follows what Phillips describes as a contradictory application of state law regarding the hiring of department heads and board members.

At the heart of the disagreement is T.C.A. § 5-6-106(c), a Tennessee statute requiring that Mayoral appointments for county commissions and department leaders undergo a confirmation vote by the legislative body.

READ LETTER SENT FROM COMMISSION CHAIR PHILLIPS TO MAYOR CARR

The Catalyst: Solid Waste Director Appointment

Conflict between the two branches of government intensified following the transition of Matt Davis to the permanent role of Director of Solid Waste on March 1st, 2026. While the Mayor’s office eventually sought confirmation for Davis on March 3rd, Phillips noted the request arrived after the appointment had already become effective.

The Chairman’s letter suggests a double standard in how the Mayor’s office utilizes the law. Recently, Mayor Carr issued a veto against a Commission-approved resolution that would have allowed commissioners to serve as alternates on the Ethics Committee. Carr labeled that resolution "unlawful," citing T.C.A. § 5-6-106(c) and advice from County Attorney Nick Christiansen to argue that the Commission cannot appoint its own members to such roles.

Conflict Over Legal Interpretation

Phillips argues that if the Mayor is using this specific statute to block Commission resolutions, the same rules of transparency and confirmation must apply to the Mayor's own staffing decisions.

"When a County Mayor publicly characterizes a Commission action as ‘unlawful’ and invokes T.C.A. § 5-6-106(c) in connection with a veto but then makes a department-head appointment / hiring decision without submitting that appointment for Commission confirmation under the same statute, it understandably creates questions about how the statute is being interpreted and applied," Phillips wrote.

Strained Relations

This marks the second time Mayor Carr has exercised his veto power in less than three years. Carr has defended his recent veto as a necessary measure to prevent "unlawful" enactments, suggesting that the previous committee actions were a result of "playing politics."

Conversely, Chairman Phillips expressed concern that the Mayor’s Office "rarely participates" in standing committee meetings, leading to legal friction only after the Commission has already taken action. Phillips clarified that the current inquiry relates "solely to the process by which the appointment was made" and is not a reflection on the qualifications of Mr. Davis.

The upcoming March 12th meeting is intended to establish a "shared understanding of the law" to ensure transparency and avoid "unnecessary distractions from the work of serving our citizens."