KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — UPDATE: The Knox County Commission will soon take up the decision to strip the Board of Health's power and make it an advisory board to Dr. Martha Buchanan, Director of the Knox Co. Health Department.
The motion had been postponed until April back in January. However, Commissioner Justin Biggs said the Knox County Commission voted during Monday's work session to take up the decision at next week's regular meeting on March 29.
ORIGINAL STORY: Knox County Commissioners will meet Monday evening to discuss moving forward with an ordinance to strip the power from the Knox County Board of Health.
On the agenda, there will be a second reading of the ordinance to strip the Board of Health's power and make them advisory to Dr. Martha Buchanan, Director of the Knox Co. Health Department.
Last month, Commissioner Kyle Ward introduced the ordinance. Ward said his focus was to lift regulation on Knox Co. businesses.
"Deciding who has the authority on who makes decisions right now is like confronting a wildfire and arguing over who gets to hold the hose," Buchanan said.
During the last meeting, Buchanan gave commissioners updated information on rising COVID-19 cases and said this isn't the time to make a change.
By a vote of 6 to 4, commissioners voted late Monday night into early Tuesday morning to approve the change.
The ordinance will need to be approved at the second reading before going into effect.