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Following some back and forth discussion, a recent proposed City Charter revision was voted down by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in a four to three vote.

Since a resolution for the charter revisions passed in January, the revisions have undergone the process of being introduced to the state and was passed by legislators before making its way back to BoMA again.

Alderman Derick Mann introduced the resolution to pass the state-approved revisions at the request of Mayor Ray Knowis.

“First off, I want to thank all the folks that were a part of this, it has been a long effort,” said Mann. “The state thoroughly reviewed this charter, and one comment I was told is that this was the most reviewed charter that they had during this cycle.”

Knowis said he would be voting against the revision due to objections he had previously made, though he was in support of the archaic changes that were made.

Alderman Jenna Amacher said she was a pretty heavy proponent of some of the changes Knowis objected to, but said she was not a proponent of the effective date.

“I do not believe that it is fair to those who have already pulled papers, to those who have spent money on signs and are already looking to this August election,” she said. “And to be candid with the citizens of Tullahoma, I’m ready for my break.”

She said she was on the fence, but leaning towards voting against the revisions for that reason. She added that the efforts of Mann and Alderman Daniel Berry were to be commended, but she still had some reticence about voting the revision due to her previously stated reasons.

“The timing is not good,” she said.

Mann countered that while she may have that one objection, there were many things on the charter revision worth voting for in spite of that objection.

Berry agreed with Mann, and added that there were changes made that he didn’t necessarily agree with either, but “it was an occasion where we all compromised.”

“We were told earlier that we need to put our trust in the people that come after us–and it’s not to any candidate here, we could be talking ten, fifteen years down the road–I don’t,” he said.

He reiterated his support of the changes, and thanked everyone for their work on the revisions.

Amacher then asked City Attorney Stephen Worsham if they could approve the revisions with a different effective date, to which he responded that they must comply with the signed version of the revisions sent to them by Gov. Bill Lee.

“The citizens deserve a little more time to adjust to these changes,” said Amacher in final comment. “While I am in support of the changes, I am not in support of the timing.”

The resolution was then put to a vote, and it failed with Amacher, Knowis, Alderman Bobbie Wilson and Alderman Kurt Glick in opposition. Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Mathis, Mann and Berry voted for the changes.