Oak Ridge Today

Letter: Medicaid, TennCare expansion could benefit Tennessee

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To the Editor:

I just went to my first Breakfast with the Legislators, hosted by the League of Women Voters in Oak Ridge.

First, let me thank the League and the four legislators who came, representatives Kent Calfee and John Ragan, and senators Ken Yager and Randy McNally.

I appreciate the thoughtful and varied questions that were asked. I learned a lot from the legislators and the questions.

My particular area of concern was the expansion of Medicaid/TennCare in Tennessee under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

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Letter: Americans have right, responsibility to protect selves, property

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By Mark DeVol

Who is responsible for our safety?

The Militia Act of 1903 was initiated by U.S. Secretary of War Elihu Root following the Spanish American War. H.R. 11654 established the “regular army”; the “organized militia,” henceforth known as the National Guard; and the “unorganized militia.”

H.R. 11654 defined the unorganized militia as “every able-bodied male between the ages of 18 and 45.” It further established that all members of the “unorganized militia” have the absolute personal right and Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms of any measure and type.

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Letter: Second Amendment ‘fanatics’ unchallenged, reasonable regulations constitutional

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To the Editor:

I have worked with mentally disabled people for more than 30 years, including serious predators.

Please do not let the apologists for the National Rifle Association try to change the subject to just reinstitutionalizing the mentally ill. Yes, the mental health system is seriously broken nationwide, but this is only a symptom of the malaise of the country that has ceased to accept responsibility for caring properly for the sick and the poor. OMG! A right to health care and food! Appalling.

Unmanaged and untreated mental illness is a national tragedy and disgrace, but it is not to blame for guns in the hands of unstable people. Our acquiescence and silence and failure to challenge the Second Amendment fanatics is the root cause.

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Letter: Time to try a new mayor in Oak Ridge

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Note: The following is a copy of a letter sent to Oak Ridge City Council.

Dear City Council Members,

Over the last decade, while he was vice mayor and mayor, Mr. Tom Beehan accomplished some very noteworthy things.

Oak Ridge completed a major upgrade to its high school. The west-end turnpike was modernized. The Guest House (Alexander Inn) was preserved. And Oak Ridge was selected to host a brand new Kroger Marketplace store.

Despite these accomplishments, it’s time to recognize that the clock is ticking on our city’s economic problems and move to a fresh new approach.

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Letter: Secret City race raised about $5,000 for Child Advocacy Center

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To the Editor:

The board and staff of the Child Advocacy Center of Anderson County, or CACACT Inc., wish to express their great appreciation and gratitude to the many organizers and sponsors of the Secret City Half Marathon and the Secret City Run for Kids on Nov. 18. The race generated approximately $5,000 for CACACT Inc, which serves abused children living in Anderson County.

Specifically, the mission of CACACT Inc. is to combat severe physical and sexual abuse and resulting trauma by coordinating and providing services in a child friendly, safe, and nurturing environment. Our vision is that all children in Anderson County will be safe, families strengthened, victims healed from trauma, and offenders held accountable.

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Letter: Micromanagement or good government?

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To the Editor:

I am very saddened by the loss of Ellen Smith from the Oak Ridge City Council. I have told her that she will have my support for running again in two years. We will be greatly impoverished by her absence until then.

There are those who blame long meetings on Ellen’s dedication to detail and asking many clarifying questions. The devil is always in the details, and it has been Ellen’s interest, talent, incisive mind, and dedication to the details that has made her so vital to the maintenance of good government and to ensuring the people’s right to accountability of how their money is being spent. It has been her dedication to scientific principles of actual verifiable proof of bald assertions that has made her the guardian of the people’s best interests.

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Letter: School board campaign educational, financial default remains

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To the Editor:

I would like to personally thank each of you, the nearly 4,300 citizens that supported me in my campaign to change how our Board of Education deals with its major problems.

Many of you may have noticed that from the beginning of this campaign I elected to run a very unconventional political campaign that was intended to inform rather than just win votes. My campaign was designed to inform the general public about a little known financial default. A default that the BOE has not wanted to even admit exists and explains as a simple misunderstanding.

But this default is as real as the daily sunrise. In spite of that, it has received little public press and no open discussion by either the BOE or the current City Council members.

When I began this campaign, I understood full well the major difficulties that I faced in operating a political campaign based on informing the public. In August, less than 10 people knew a default had occurred. By Nov. 6, about 18 percent of the voters knew about the default. Political campaigns are rarely based on informing anyone or on any real facts. Even fewer campaigns are won based on real facts or principles.

Today, the same disagreement and financial problem exists following the election that was created by the BOE over a year ago. A problem that has resulted in a $766,470 reduction in the 2013 school budget, reducing the Oak Ridge city transfer from $14.6 million to $13.86 million.

This major 2013 reduction has yet to be dealt with by the BOE, and the school budget remains unbalanced. This reduction will also reduce all future city school transfer funds because it establishes a new base from which all future increases grow.

Now, the same people that created the problem and poor relationship must correct it. Members of the BOE have threatened both state and legal action to retain the previous budget, but none of these threats have yet taken place. Also, nothing has been done to improve the situation.

I wish both the BOE members and the school staff well in dealing with the reality of this unaddressed significant budget reduction and their self-created poor relationship. Should this situation remain uncorrected, both will impact staffing and program content in our fine school system.

Citizens, thank you again for your support and your committed concern to both our quality of life and everyone’s’ efforts to improve Oak Ridges’ competitiveness as we move to the future.

Leonard Abbatiello

Oak Ridge

Letter: Gratitude offered for local teamwork in Siemens Competition

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To the Editor:

The Math Thesis program is one of the above and beyond programs offered at Oak Ridge High School. Aimed at providing research opportunities for high school students, the program pairs students with a mentor at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, either as individuals or as teams. The students define a project with their mentor and conduct research over the summer. Then the students write a paper about their results.

One of the places they submit their results is the Siemens National Math and Science Competition. This year, a total of 2,255 students participated in the Siemens Competition, with a total of 1,504 submitted projects.

Of the 1,504 projects submitted, 30 teams and 30 individuals have been selected as regional finalists across the country. That’s right, a total of 60 projects out of more than 1,500, split evenly between teams and individuals.

This year, two of the 30 finalist teams are from Oak Ridge High School. Three other ORHS students were recognized as semifinalists. Wow.

Oak Ridge High School’s record at the Siemens Competition is nothing short of incredible. Six teams advance from the regional competitions each year. ORHS teams have advanced to the national level competition four times and have won the national competition twice. No other high school in the country has as many students recognized by the Siemens Foundation as Oak Ridge.

Most importantly, this is a story about the village. The individual students work hard, no doubt, but they didn’t get there by themselves. The thesis program was dreamed of, designed, and built by a teacher, a teacher who was empowered and backed by the school system. Other teachers have and are carrying the program forward. Even more teachers are responsible for preparing the students over time to be in a position to compete.

ORNL supports the program with workspace and resources. Each mentor contributes expertise and guidance, and each is actively engaged with the students, a task that is not part of their regular work. Whether students advance in the competition or not, this opportunity is priceless!

So, gratitude to: Benita Albert for conceiving of and implementing the program; Karl Flatau, Tammy Carneim, and Jessica Williams for carrying it forward; the Board of Education for supporting the program; ORNL for generously providing mentoring staff and research opportunities; each mentor for investing time and energy; and the countless individuals who contribute to the opportunity for the students, regardless of the outcomes. It matters.

Finally, congratulations to regional finalists Kyoung-A Cho, Yu (Samantha) Wang, Jim Andress, and A.J. Toth, and to regional semifinalists Neall Caughman, Megan Kelly, and Patrick Williams.

Cathy Toth

Oak Ridge

Letter: Mayor seeks re-appointment

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(Note: The following is a letter that Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan sent to his fellow City Council members.)

Congratulations to the winners of Tuesday’s Oak Ridge City Council election. You worked hard, and now you will work even harder as we come together on City Council to continue to move Oak Ridge in a positive direction.

It has been an honor and privilege to serve as the mayor of Oak Ridge for the last five years.

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Letter: Mayor pro tem seeks re-appointment

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Jane Miller

Jane Miller

(Note: This is a copy of a letter that Oak Ridge Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller sent to her fellow City Council members.)

Dear Members of City Council:

By submission of this letter, I am formally announcing that I intend to seek re‐election to the position of mayor pro tem on Dec. 10.

First, I welcome and congratulate Ms. Baughn on her election. She will bring new and different ideas to the Council. I also congratulate Mr. Hensley and Mr. Hope on their successful re‐elections. Although we are diverse and have a variety of opinions on various issues, I believe we will collectively continue to make good decisions to move our City forward.

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Letter: New City Council member gives thanks

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To the Editor:

I would like to thank the citizens of Oak Ridge for allowing me to represent them on City Council. I am both honored and excited to go to work for you. I am eager to work with my fellow council members, the city manager and the city staff to make Oak Ridge more affordable for residents and businesses.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Ellen Smith for her five years of service on council. She dedicated a tremendous amount of herself to the betterment of Oak Ridge without expectations of praise or notoriety. She is a woman of absolute integrity for whom I have the utmost respect, and I wish her nothing but the best.

Finally, I would like to thank my family, friends, and other supporters (some of whom I’ve never even met) for their hard work and dedication over these last eight months. I had the most amazing people backing me and am absolutely humbled at how much time and effort you sacrificed to help me win. I thank you all for believing in me and am ready to make you proud!

Trina Baughn

Oak Ridge

Letter: Future of school system in good hands with Fillauer

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To the Editor:

The Oak Ridge Schools are something we can be proud of as a community. We owe a great deal to those individuals who dedicate their time and expertise in keeping our educational system strong.

I have had the privilege of knowing Keys Fillauer for the past 25 years. Our son Billy, a 1999 graduate of Oak Ridge High School, remembers Keys as a “very energetic, enthusiastic, hands-on teacher who brought a lot to the table. He always encouraged students to be involved in the community.”

Through my affiliation with Oak Ridge Schools and the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge, I have had the opportunity to work with many of his students who volunteered for programs and festivals. These students seemed to share a common bond—eager to contribute as well as to learn. How fortunate they are to have had a mentor who has time and again demonstrated his willingness to contribute his time and skills for worthwhile causes.

Specifically, I am grateful to him for being master of ceremonies for The Children’s Museum Gala and the International Festivals in past years. He continues to support the Ronald McDonald House, Boys Club, and the Oak Ridge Playhouse, to name just a few of his many accomplishments.

The future of our educational system, our children, and our community is in good hands with Keys Fillauer as a member of the Oak Ridge School Board.

Carroll Welch

Oak Ridge