By Katie Northcott, News Director
NOTE: This article has been updated to correct an error that named Williams as the “city” attorney. Williams is the County Attorney.
At the meeting of the Coffee County Commission on Tuesday, March 10, County Mayor Dennis Hunt said that the May primary election would provide the resolution to a nearly year-long investigation into Commissioner Joe Mike Hodge.
At the beginning of the meeting, Commissioner Tim Brown made a motion to add a discussion of the ouster proceedings against Hodge to the agenda.
“This investigation has gone on for an unreasonable amount of time, and I think we need to put an end to it tonight,” Brown said. “We either need to oust him tonight or dismiss it.”
Hunt was resistant to adding a discussion of the ouster to the agenda. He said he did not think it was appropriate for the commissioners to take action while the county attorney was absent. County Attorney Mark Williams was overseas at the time of the meeting.
Brown’s motion failed 11-4-1-2. Commissioners Jimmy Hollandsworth, Roger Chambers, Dowe Jones, and Brown were in favor. Hodge and Commissioner Jeff Perry were absent. Commissioner Todd Malone abstained.
“There’s so many commissioners that’s had their lips surgically attached to your hind end they can’t see the truth. We need to end this,” Brown said to Hunt after the motion failed.
Hunt said Brown’s comment was inappropriate. Brown claimed freedom of speech in response.
One commissioner asked if a closed session could be scheduled with the county attorney ahead of the next commission meeting. Hunt rejected the idea.
“There’s an election coming up May the 5th,” Hunt said. “I think that will be the appropriate outcome of the issue at hand.”
Brown said that Hunt’s answer was unfair to Hodge and himself.
“Yes, an election’s coming up, and Mike Hodge has everything to lose until we settle this,” Brown said. “I’ve had people in my district–and he’s in my district–that want to know the answer, and I don’t know the answer for them. And I’ve been told that there’s been two people running in my district to bump me and him out.”
The investigation was opened on May 13, 2025, after the commissioners met in a closed session with Williams.
“There was a vote to refer an alleged action of misconduct by a member of the County Commission to me for investigation as provided by TCA 8-47-103. If upon the completion of such investigation I find that there is reasonable cause for such complaint, then I would have to institute proceedings to oust the Commissioner from office,” Williams said in a statement to Thunder Radio in May 2025.
Hodge later filed a petition alleging misconduct against Hunt and Coffee County Sheriff Chad Partin. Find more details on Hodge’s petition here.
