Shelby Co. mayor calls for investigation of contract process

The undercover sting called “Tennessee Waltz” was built around E-Cycle Management Inc., and led to extortion and bribery indictments against five current or former lawmakers.

Mayor A C Wharton said his chief administrative officer is reviewing the process that led to proposals submitted to the county, including one by E-Cycle that was received two months after the deadline.

The proposals were made in response to a request for services from the county’s purchasing department for a contract to dispose of surplus computer equipment.

Wharton and others have said County Commission Chairman Michael Hooks initiated the process by asking the purchasing office to issue a so-called RFP, or request for proposals.

In a written statement released Wednesday, Hooks said he introduced E-Cycle officials to county purchasing and support services administrators and helped set up a meeting.

“The presentation by E-Cycle suggested that it would save the county money in disposal of surplus electronic equipment,” Hooks wrote.

Individual commissioners cannot order Wharton’s administration to issue an RFP, but can request that one be issued by the purchasing department.

Commissioner Bruce Thompson, for example, jump-started the county’s consideration of jail and prison privatization last year by requesting an RFP be issued.

As the county’s contracting officer, Wharton said he’d like to tighten that process.

“I feel it appropriate that I have at least some involvement in the very origination of the contracting process,” he said.

Three companies submitted proposals by the December deadline, but E-Cycle’s proposal was not received until February.

Wharton said no contract was ever signed with any of the companies. He said he didn’t know “E-Cycle was still around or even got off the ground until the indictments came down.”

Those charged in the sting are Sens. Kathryn Bowers, Ward Crutchfield and John Ford, all Democrats; and Republican Rep. Chris Newton and former state Sen. Roscoe Dixon, a Democrat. Ford resigned from the state Senate last Saturday and Dixon resigned two days earlier as Wharton’s assistant chief administrative officer.

Charles Love, a lobbyist from Chattanooga, and Barry Myers, a Memphis resident, are charged with being “bagmen” for the payoffs.

Love is a member of the Hamilton County Board of Education and Crutchfield is the board’s attorney. Several board members have said they want more information before deciding whether to fire Crutchfield or ask Love to step down.

“In our country, a person is innocent until proven guilty,” board member Janice Boydston said. “Accusations don’t make it so. At this juncture, I think its premature to do anything.”

But board member Marty Puryear thinks both men should be let go.

“Under the circumstances, I think they probably should step aside until they are either cleared or a verdict is rendered,” Puryear said.