Breaking barriers

Denise Palmer becomes first Anderson County Commission chairwoman

September 17, 2025 by Ben Pounds

Denise Palmer, who replaced Tyler Mayes as Anderson County Commission chair Monday night, becomes the first woman to hold that post.

But she said she prefers to be known for other things.

“It’s an honor, but I hope that people will see through the fact that I’m a woman and judge me by my character, qualities, leadership abilities,” she told The Courier News.

“It’s quite the honor just to be chair, and so I really want to strive and do the best that I can.”

She won the seat in an 11-4 vote, with Commissioner Shain Vowell getting the other four votes at the Monday commission meeting. Shelly Vandagriff became vice chairwoman by acclamation. Palmer appointed Commissioner Sabra Beauchamp to be parliamentarian.

Mayes, in a letter to commission last week, said a new consulting job with the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service as well as a commitment to his children led him to move to a home outside of his district. That automatically removed him from the commission, as well.

“I’m very glad to be serving with the very first female triumvirate leadership this county’s ever had,” Commissioner Phil Yager said of the commission’s new leaders.

As chair, Palmer is in charge of calling full meetings of commission to order as well as adjourning them and moderating comments from both citizens and commissioners.

“All I can say is, ‘wow,’” Palmer told the Commission. She told The Courier News she felt humbled and “a little nervous” but prepared.

“I want to maintain the fairness and the professionalism that we’ve had in this position,” she said. She also wanted to focus on collaboration. “I know that we differ on issues, but I’d like to see us work together for the good of the whole county.” She said she did not immediately have anything she felt like changing from how the previous chairman, former Commissioner Tyler Mayes had run the commission. She said those changes would be for the full commission to decide, not just her.

“I will work hard, do the research, be fair, honest and I want to work with every commissioner up here.

Palmer explained Beauchamp, who she chose has a “legal mind” and knows Commission’s procedural rules well from being on the Rules Committee.

“She’ll hold us accountable,” Palmer said. “I’m happy that she agreed to do it.”

While votes for the Commission’s chair come every September, this time Mayes was not eligible, and he attended the meeting as a citizen, not a commissioner.

Mayes said he would most miss the friendships and relationships he’d made on the Commission.

“I enjoyed every night of it, to be honest with you,” he told The Courier News, in spite of long meetings at times.

County commissioners Palmer, Joshua Anderson, Anthony Allen, Stephen Verran, Phil Yager, Vandagriff, Bob Smallridge, Beuchamp, Jerry White, Michael Foster and Ebony Capshaw voted for Palmer.

Commissioners Robert McKamey, Tim Isbel, Vowell and Tracy Wandell voted for Vowell.