County commissioner wants to reduce size of commission

A Sullivan County commissioner wants to reduce the size of the county commission from 24 to 14 members. During the Thursday night work session, commissioners moved it for a first reading during next Thursday’s commission meeting. The resolution’s sponsor, Hunter Locke, says he believes there are too many commissioners for the county’s population of around 160,000. He said by comparison, Shelby County, which includes the Memphis metro, has around 900,000 residents but only 13 commissioners. Sullivan County currently has 24 commissioners representing 11 districts. This resolution would reduce the number of districts to seven, aligning with school board districts with two commissioners being appointed from each district.