Hooper’s absences continue to raise oversight questions
Last month, an investigation by The Smoky Mountain News revealed that Jackson County Commissioner Jenny Lynn Hooper had missed at least 13 of 16 meetings of various oversight or advisory boards she volunteered to serve on after her November 2024 election. Since then, new information has come to light showing she’s now missed at least 14 of 17 meetings, but Jackson County Tourism Development Authority Chairman Robert Jumper still can’t cite any authority that exempts Hooper from the removal policy stated in TDA’s own bylaws.
Term ends for TDA chairman
After leading the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority through what will likely become four of the most formative years in the organization’s history, Robert Jumper’s term on the board has ended.