Chair has resident taken out of meeting

Catoosa County Commission Chair Steven Henry got in a heated argument and had a sheriff’s deputy escort a resident out after the man addressed the commission and accused Henry of a conflict of interest, among other gripes with the county.

At the meeting last week, Henry interrupted George Battersby during his five minutes of allotted time as a member of the public and threatened to have him escorted out for “lying” about who Henry’s biggest campaign donor is.

County rules ban speakers from making certain personal attacks during the public comment period. Battersby insisted he wasn’t lying

and was simply using his First Amendment right to point out things he was displeased about and wanted to shed light on.

Battersby, without saying it directly, accused Henry of using his position of power to do a favor for a friend, businessman Emerson Russell. In January, the commission gave Russell the green light to move forward with an addition to the Vineyard subdivision and a new development off Swanson Road in Ringgold.

Battersby didn’t use Emerson’s name during his public comment, but said “a friend and business partner of Mr. Henry and also his biggest donor to his political campaign” had come before the commission to obtain a variance from county rules for the Vineyard subdivision.

Battersby told the Times Free Press on Tuesday that the commission voted in favor of the variance even after the fire department had recommended against it — which Battersby saw as a conflict of interest. Henry voted in favor of the project.

“He gets very hostile, you know, when we bring up conflict of interest,” Battersby said in an interview Tuesday.

Battersby spoke uninterrupted for a little over a minute last week and touched on a few topics until getting to the subdivision issue. Henry stopped him from speaking once Battersby mentioned the project and Henry’s campaign donors.

“I’m going to go ahead and stop you because I don’t want you to sit up there and lie,” Henry said.

“This is my five minutes,” Battersby replied after some cross-talk.

“This is my room,” the chairman said. “You cannot get up here and blast other people. He is not my biggest donor. You’re a liar. You’re a bald-faced liar. Pull my campaign records.”

“What is a lie about this? You’re involved with the Vineyards,” Battersby said.

“Stick to topics that deal with the county or I’m going to have you escorted out,” Henry said.

“You are afraid,” Battersby said. “This is corruption and that’s what I’m after. Corruption as part of the county is county business. I’m very sorry the truth bothers you. You have involvement in the vineyards …”

“Sir,” Henry said to a sheriff’s deputy, “take him out. He’s not going to sit up there and …”

Battersby got his coffee from his seat and calmly left the room with the deputy trailing behind.

According to Henry’s campaign finance reports, Russell has contributed $1,600 to Henry’s campaign, consisting of $800 donations made in October of 2019 and 2020. That did not make Russell Henry’s “top donor,” according to a review of the records. A handful of other donors gave more.

Several of Henry’s contributions were for $800 each. That’s because Henry hosts a “Longest Table” dinner and campaign event where a table for eight people costs $800. Henry uses it as a fundraising event that includes dinner and a concert for donors.

In an interview Tuesday, Henry acknowledged that many of his contributions come from the construction and development sector of Catoosa County but didn’t apologize for that or his business dealings with Russell.

“I’m a builder. I’ve been building for 26 years,” Henry said. “Emerson developed a subdivision, I buy lots from Emerson, I buy lots from anybody that will sell me lots. Honestly, people voted for me because they feel I have integrity and feel I’m honest. I don’t show favoritism to myself or anybody else.”

Henry told the Times Free Press Tuesday he got so upset because Battersby broke the rules multiple times, not only calling out him but Commissioner Jeff Long and a county clerk. Battersby had mentioned a county clerk had “lambasted” him over his opinion on mask-wearing during a previous meeting.

Battersby is a regular at Catoosa County commission meetings and isn’t a stranger to podium arguments with commissioners, especially with Henry.

Battersby was also one of the outspoken residents who indirectly inspired a new county public comment rule that some, including Battersby, called an infringement on their First Amendment rights.

The new public comment rules include a five-minute time limit; that speakers may not use obscene or profane language or have any “personal threats, attacks, or personally abusive comments” toward citizens, county employees or non-elected officials; and that the board will not hear or address comments against county employees unless it falls under the county’s personnel policies, like hiring, terminations and training, as mandated by state law.

Henry told the Times Free Press on Tuesday that Battersby erred by attacking a clerk, who is a county employee, and a citizen, Russell.

Henry said he wasn’t sorry for how he acted last week and said his actions were the result of years disagreeing with Battersby. He also said he doesn’t worry about the perception that he has a conflict of interest when voting in favor of certain resolutions or changes at the county level that may positively affect people who have donated to his campaign.

“I’ve been very blessed to be in the construction industry for 26 years and keep a good reputation,” he said. “Most of the time I’m harder on developers because I know development. We try to do the right thing. I’m not saying we’re perfect. It’s not like I got the job as chair and then decided to become a developer.”