The organizational meeting that followed the swearing in ceremonies for the Jefferson County Commission didn’t include a seating chart.

But Lashunda Scales didn’t need one as she swapped seats with Joe Knight after the commission established its leadership, with Knight succeeding Scales as president pro tempore.

That was one of two positions that Scales no longer has after commissioners did away with subordinate co-chairs of their committees. Scales had been co-chair of the economic development committee chaired by Steve Ammons, who said the change was done to provide greater efficiency.

“It’s just easier to have one commissioner,” he said. “We’re all on the same committee so there’s no need for a co-chair. We’re delivering information to all the commissioners. Since each commissioner is on every committee, then you just have the chair.”

“I’m at peace today because I recognize that a position or title don’t make you who you are,” Scales said in her closing comments. “You empower the position. The position doesn’t empower you.

“And just as I’ve said today, it’s alright to talk about water rates. It’s alright to talk about (the cost of) bread and all other things,” she said. “But I’m always asking, ‘Where’s the money? Where’s the money?’ I hear what you say but I watch what you do, and I watch your votes and moving forward, that’s what’s gonna happen.”

Jimmie Stephens was again elected president of the commission. Scales cast the lone no vote as she nominated and voted for Knight. Ammons nominated Knight to be pro tem of the commission and Sheila Tyson nominated Scales.

Knight was elected on a 3-0 vote with Scales and Tyson abstaining. Scales expressed concern that the commission will be fractured during this term with decisions made along party lines.

“We represent a Democratic county and the two Democrats will be locked out,” Scales said. “There is no committee on this structure as we speak that allows us to be able to access any local dollars. Federal dollars, we all have. Local dollars, you don’t.

“Everything is about money,” she continued. “Don’t matter about the power. That’s irrelevant. The power is in the money. He who holds the gold makes the rules. If you don’t have it, you’ve got to be subject to it. Mr. President, I will support you to the degree you are willing to support my district and everybody that looks like me and my district.”

Stephens said after the meeting that the commission is not as divided as Scales said.

“The commission is working together,” the commission president said. “It always has worked together. We are elected partisan – three Republicans and two Democrats. But when we become commissioners, we represent the entire citizenry of Jefferson County. It didn’t make any difference whether you’re Democrat, Republican, white, Black, blue, green or purple.

“We will represent all citizens of Jefferson County, and we pledge to do so.”

Scales questioned the ability of the chair of economic development to use budgeted funds for travel, saying that any commissioner should be able to draw on those funds rather than their allotted discretionary funds.

Ammons, the chair of economic development, said the commission can change that, adding that a position can be created under the county manager to handle economic development.

“We’ve been discussing it for a while,” Ammons said. “It shouldn’t relate to a single commission office to do economic development completely for the county. Some of that needs to be under the (county) manager, like all of these departments should be under the manager.”

Ammons said he is not concerned that the commission is now fractured.

“I want to make sure that we do communicate,” he said. “We all have to communicate.”

The caption has been updated to show that Brown swore-in Scales.