Coffee County commissioners appoint members to committees, announce public process to fill constable vacancy

The Coffee County Board of County Commissioners voted to fill two committee vacancies and announced a public nomination and appointment process to fill a vacant constable seat, including filing and testing requirements the board read from Tennessee law.

Those actions affect local oversight and representation: one appointment filled a law-enforcement committee vacancy, and the constable appointment will fill a locally elected law-enforcement office until the next general election.

Commissioner DeFord moved to appoint Benton Brown to the law enforcement committee; Commissioner Stubblefield seconded the motion. The appointment was approved with 16 yes votes. Commissioner DeFord presented the motion; the commission recorded the tally as 16 in favor.

“For appointments to the law enforcement committee, I’ve appointed Commissioner Benton Brown because Commissioner Laura Nettles has vacated her position on that committee,” the motion record shows.

The board also appointed Todd Malone to a vacancy on the Budget and Finance Committee. The motion to appoint Malone was made by Commissioner Stubblefield and seconded by Benton Brown; the appointment was approved with 15 yes votes and Malone abstaining.

The commission read a public notice regarding a vacancy in the office of constable, Seat 2, for Coffee County Legislative Districts 267 and set Oct. 14, 2025, at 6 p.m. as the date the board will elect a person to fill the vacancy. The chair read the notice to the public and described the nomination process: registered voters may submit names in writing to the chair prior to the meeting or in person at the meeting; a commissioner must subsequently nominate a person for the name to be considered; members of the board may nominate without a second.

The chair read portions of Tennessee law describing qualifications and filing requirements for constable candidates, citing Tennessee Code Annotated provisions and specifying several requirements: a constable candidate must be at least 21 years old, be a qualified voter of the district and possess at least a high-school diploma or a GED. The chair also read that persons required to submit additional documentation must file a sworn affidavit with the County Election Commission and, under the cited statute, a letter from a licensed psychologist attesting to the candidate’s cognitive and psychological fitness; the chair said candidates who must submit a psychologist’s letter are responsible for the cost of testing.

No board action to fill the constable seat was taken at the meeting; the notice sets the public appointment meeting for Oct. 14, 2025, at 6 p.m. Commissioners did not vote on changes to the qualifications or the process during the meeting.

The agenda and the minutes of the previous meeting were both approved by recorded votes earlier in the session: the agenda passed on a motion by Commissioner Morris, seconded by Commissioner Smith, recorded as 16 yes votes; the minutes were approved on a motion by Commissioner Stubblefield, seconded by Commissioner Duncan, recorded as 16 yes votes.

The appointments take effect immediately for committee service; the constable appointment will be made at the Oct. 14 meeting and the appointee will serve until a successor is elected at the next general election, the notice said.