The deadline of March 6th for Commissioner Hurley to move back to her elected district or resign her commission seat has past. As of the close of business for county offices Friday, no one had heard anything from Ms. Hurley on the matter.

The timeline of events that led to now,

May 2019, Ms. Hurley moved to her new home outside the 2nd district.

June 2019, Ms. Hurley first stated that she had not moved at all, then changed her story to said she had moved temporarily to have foundation work done on her former residence.

June 2019, Ms. Hurley's former 2nd district was about to be sold for a men's halfway house. That sale was not compleated.

July 2019, Ms. Hurley refused to answer any questions from fellow commissioners about her move.

August 2019, commission voted unanimously to ask District Attorney, Russell Johnson to investigate the issue.

December 2019, District Attorney, Russell Johnson completed his investigation and found that Ms. Hurley had moved out of her district and gave her till March 6th to return or resign.

March 2020, Ms. Hurley failed to vote in the March 3rd, county primary election.

March 6th, 2020, No one has heard from Ms. Hurley on the matter.

District Attorney, Russell Johnson released the statement below over the weekend.

"Attorney T. Scott Jones and I have talked several times about this issue. In my opinion, the facts are clear that last summer she purchased a house outside of the 2^nd District with the intention of making it her permanent residence.  She, in fact, made it her permanent residence.  There are several facts to corroborate this.  Although given four months from my letter to her attorney, she has chosen not to resign or move back into the 2^nd District from which she was elected to represent. 

Attorney Jones is trying to make the best of his client’s bad situation by claiming what was intended and executed as a permanent move to a principal residence was merely a ‘temporary move’ – which is what they are claiming after his client had her error brought to her attention.

I agree with Attorney Jones in that there is a dearth of case law on this issue and that the outcome in court is not an assured thing for either side. I, however, believe that a plain reading of the law and the intent of the law is to not condone these types of situations.  We may have to ask a judge to ultimately decide this issue, which is unfortunate.  Ouster lawsuits, if that is the route I go, are given preference for hearing over cases already docketed.

I will contact Attorney Jones one last time before I file any sort of lawsuit.  I owe this to the citizens of the 2^nd District who voted for her and the other nine commissioners and the other Loudon County elected officials who live in their district and follow the law. The right thing for me to do is to try and remedy that situation for them."