Tenn. Code § 13-4-102
Each municipal planning commission shall elect its chair from among its appointed members. The term of the chair shall be one (1) year with eligibility for reelection. Each municipal planning commission shall adopt rules for the transaction of business which shall include, but not be limited to, the selection of additional officers from among its members it deems appropriate to fulfill the organizational needs of the municipal planning commission, the requirements for the municipal planning commission to make findings of fact, statements of material evidence and reasons for its actions as part of each motion or action of the municipal planning commission and the keeping of a record of its resolutions, transactions, motions, actions, and determinations which shall be a public record. Any existing provision relating to the appointment of a planning director contained in any municipal, city or town charter or private act must be used in appointing a planning director. In the absence of such a provision, the chief executive officer of the municipality shall have the power to appoint and fix the compensation, within the funds appropriated by the legislative body for this purpose, of a planning director, who shall be qualified by membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), experienced in city, regional or state planning or educated in a related academic field. Any person serving as a planning director on March 31, 2010, shall not be required to meet the aforementioned qualifications. For purposes of this section, "chief executive officer" shall mean city manager or administrator, where one exists. In the absence of a city manager or administrator, "chief executive officer" shall mean mayor. Where allowed under the prevailing local authority, the planning director shall have the power and authority to hire and fix the compensation, within the funds appropriated by the legislative body for this purpose, of such other employees and staff as the director may deem necessary for the work of the planning commission. Where allowed under the prevailing local authority, the municipal planning commission may also contract, within funds appropriated by the legislative body for this purpose, with planners or other experts for such services as it may require. In the absence of such authority, only the municipality may contract for such services. The appropriate financial official of the municipality, city or town, within the funds appropriated by the legislative body for this purpose, will disperse funds for the salary or salaries of the planning director and staff and the operational expenses of the planning office and the contracted services of planners or other experts retained to provide assistance to and studies, plans, reviews and reports for the municipal planning commission. The municipal planning commission may also, through the legislative body, receive and expend funds from grants, gifts, contracts, fees, and appropriations from federal, state, other local governments or private sources for the purpose of carrying on its planning functions.
T.C.A. § 13-4-102