Mayor Joe Carr declines to retain Jeff Phillips on planning commission - Daily News Journal

Phillips has 28 years experience as planning commissioner

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Phillips wants to work on new comprehensive land-use plan
Retired commissioner hopes Carr will reconsider position on Phillips
Mayor wants new leadership on planning commission
Elected commissioners to meet Thursday to choose chairman, confirm planning commissioners

Rutherford County Mayor Joe Carr excluded Jeff Phillips from appointment to remain on planning commission after 16 years as chairman.

The appointment decision comes when both men are also candidates to serve as chairman of the Rutherford County Commission. The majority of the 21-member commission will appoint a chairman during a 6 p.m. Thursday meeting at the Rutherford County Courthouse in downtown Murfreesboro.

Phillips previously has been one of four elected commissioners to serve as a mayor-appointed planning official, pending approval by the 21-member county commission. His name is not on Thursday's agenda for confirmation of appointment to the Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission, which considers proposed development outside the cities.

"It was a real disappointment to me but not a surprise," said Phillips, who recently won re-election and has served a total of 28 years on Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission during all of his past years as an elected commissioner: 1990-98 and 2002 to August 2022.

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Phillips was one of five county commissioners to apply to serve on the planning commission, said Carr, who also can appoint others to join the elected commissioners to serve on the 11-member planning commission.

Carr, however, chose four other elected commissioners: Pettus Read and Mike Kusch, who have been veterans on the planning commission; Trey Gooch, a long-time elected county commissioner; and Joshua James, a new elected member of the county commission.

"Based on Commissioner Phillips' work schedule and his commitment (to possibly being chairman of the commission), I thought we needed to work in a different direction," Carr said Monday night. "He’s going to be very, very busy."

Although Carr favors an eventual separation of the executive and legislative branches of the local government, the mayor said he's still a candidate to be the county commission chairman. He has said he'd like to be chairman for at least a year while the commission works more on the process for a commissioner to serve in that role without deliberating on agenda issues with other commissioners in violation of open meeting requirements.

"I’m just trying to get this county in a stronger position when it comes to Sunshine Law," said Carr, adding he has concerns about lawsuits being filed because of violations.

If Carr is chosen to be chairman, Phillips said he will give the mayor all the support possible.

"If I’m elected chairman, I would expect the same from him," Phillips said.

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Phillips wants to work on new comprehensive land-use plan

Phillips said he had hoped to remain with the planning commission to join efforts in crafting a new long-term comprehensive land use plan.

The goals for the comprehensive plan should include industrial development in appropriate locations instead of residential areas, Phillips said. He also favors green space being set aside on large lots.

The plan should be a partnership that includes local developers, real estate professionals and civil engineers, Phillips said.

"That’s the partnership that has to happen for the plan to be a consensus across the county," Phillips said.

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Should the planning commission establish a steering committee to help in crafting of the comprehensive land-use plan, Phillips confirmed he'd be willing to serve if asked.

Retired commissioner hopes Carr will reconsider position on Phillips

Phillips had served with fellow 16-year planning commissioner Rhonda Allen. She also served with him as elected county commissioner from 2010 until retiring in 2022.

Allen contends Phillips should remain on the planning commission.

"When I look at all 21 commissioners and examine their qualifications to serve on planning, it is illogical to me that you would not choose Jeff Phillips with his knowledge and experience," said Allen, who was runner up in the Republican mayoral primary to Carr on May 3.

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Allen also mentioned that the comprehensive plan that the county is in the process of updating is critical to land use planning for the next 20 years.

"It takes someone with experience to understand how important that plan is to understand it and to help craft it," said Allen, adding that she hopes Carr will reconsider and keep Phillips on the planning commission even if it means a fifth elected commissioner is appointed.

Re-elected County Commissioner Craig Harris contends the mayor's decision to keep Phillips off the planning commission was politically motivated.

"That hurts the Rutherford County," said Harris, adding that the planning commission provides critical leadership. "I think we want to put our most qualified on that commission."

Mayor wants new leadership on planning commission

The mayor said he wanted to appoint a new planning commissioner such as James to offer a fresh perspective. He expects the veteran planning commissioners to mentor James.

"That’s what we should always be doing," Carr said.

While campaigning to be mayor, Carr said one of his goals was to respond to unrestrained growth in Rutherford County. He wants the planning officials to be more sensitive to the concerns of residents.

"Not all growth is good growth for the county," Carr said. "We have a responsibility to the existing taxpayers first before any outside financial interest."

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription for all dnj.com stories.

Meeting time and date

Rutherford County Commission members this week will appoint their chairman and confirm four mayor appointments among them to serve on the county's Regional Planning Commission. The 6 p.m. Thursday meeting will be at the Rutherford County Courthouse in the center of Murfreesboro's downtown Square.

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