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Members of the Ethics Committee,

As a concerned citizen of Wilson County, I am formally requesting that the Wilson County Ethics Committee initiate an investigation into Commissioner Jerry McFarland for a troubling abuse of power, specifically involving harassment, stalking, and overreach toward county employees.

Commissioner McFarland has demonstrated a clear pattern of using his position to retaliate against employees who fail to comply with his demands. Most concerning is his behavior towards a current county employee, which, by his own admission, he justified under the guise of “investigating” her. This “investigation” took the form of persistent and unwanted personal scrutiny and interference in her professional responsibilities, actions that meet the definitions of harassment and stalking under Tennessee law.

Commissioner McFarland exceeds the legal scope of a county commissioner’s authority under Tennessee law. According to Tennessee Code Annotated § 5-5-107, a county commissioner’s powers include voting on county policy, budgeting, and serving constituents — not launching investigations, pursuing personal vendettas, or interfering with the operation of individual departments.

Such misuse of public office undermines the integrity of Wilson County government and creates a hostile work environment for employees whose only fault is performing their jobs ethically and professionally.

I urge this committee to take immediate and transparent action. The people of Wilson County deserve elected officials who act within the bounds of the law and respect the rights and dignity of our county workforce.