Tennessee § 13-30-118 - Appeal procedure — Appeals committee.

§ 13-30-118. Appeal procedure — Appeals committee.

The creating local government or local governments shall establish an appeal procedure as described in this section for any person aggrieved by the decision of the corporation with respect to real property proposed for acquisition or acquired by, held and disposed of by the corporation for the land bank. The legislative body of the local government is authorized to create an appeals committee or a joint appeals committee if more than one (1) local government created the corporation. Any person aggrieved by the decision of the corporation concerning any aspect of this chapter may obtain review of the official's decision by requesting an appeal of the decision of the official in written form to the appeals committee within ten (10) days of the date of the official's decision. The appeals committee shall hear the appeal within thirty (30) days of the written request for appeal. The appeals committee shall consider the appeal and render a decision on all hearings within thirty (30) days of the hearing date, unless the hearing is continued from time to time by a majority vote of the committee for further information. The appeals committee shall act as a quasi-judicial body whose purpose is to determine whether the corporation followed proper and authorized procedures related to the acquisition or disposal of real property held in the land bank, its applicability to the appellant, and to rule upon the actions of the official. The appeals committee shall not be bound by formal rules of evidence applicable to the various courts of the state. Hearings before the appeals committee shall proceed as follows: The corporate official shall explain the official's decision and the reasons for the official's decision related to the real property at issue; The appellant shall explain the appellant's reasons for protesting the decision of the official; The appeals committee may request further information from any corporate official. The appeals committee shall not have the power of subpoena; The appeals committee shall deliberate and render a decision by a majority vote as to whether the official acted appropriately in making the decision. The decision shall also include a recommendation for appropriate legislative action to be taken by the local government, if any is required or recommended, to remedy the issue in accordance with the decision rendered by the appeals committee; Decisions will be reduced to writing and copies shall be sent to all parties, including the legislative body of the local government or local governments, as appropriate, and shall become a part of the minutes of the appeals committee and the appropriate legislative body; Decisions of the appeals committee shall be final. Acts 2012, ch. 1096, § 1.