Oak Ridge Today

OSM grant provides public water to Seiber Flats

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Seiber Flats

Maxine Gernert, far left, field representative for Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, Anderson County Water Authority General Manager Larry Clowers, Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, and project engineer Bob Colvin, far right, gather with Seiber Flats homeowner Joe Goans and his son Joel. (Photo courtesy of Anderson County Government)

 

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SEIBER FLATS—Father and son Joe and Joel Goans, of Anderson County’s rural Seiber Flats community, have done things to their home they’ve never been able to do before, all because they now have public water.

For years, Joe and his family used well and pond water to do everything around their property, including flushing toilets inside their home.

The Anderson County Water Authority recently completed the extension of approximately 9,400 linear feet of water lines to the rural area beyond Briceville.

Now, the Goans family and others in their neighborhood, have public water and they’ve already put it to good use. [Read more…]

August events in Anderson County

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Here is a list of August events in Anderson County submitted by the Anderson County Tourism Council.

[Read more…]

Irwin: Frank may have to hire commission attorney in Yeager ouster suit

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Chuck Fritts, Myron Iwanski, and Dusty Irwin

Anderson County Commissioner Dusty Irwin, right, has proposed a special meeting to possibly repeal an approved motion made last week by Commissioner Myron Iwanski, center, that covers legal fees for current and former county employees in the ouster suit filed against Law Director Jay Yeager. Also pictured is Anderson County Commission Chair Chuck Fritts.

 

Jay Yeager and Terry Frank

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, right, and Law Director Jay Yeager have been embroiled in several high-profile disputes, including over an ouster suit filed in May in Chancery Court.

Irwin says he’s willing to consider options

CLINTON—Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank may be the only person authorized to hire an attorney to represent county commissioners responding to subpoenas or other legal notices filed in the ouster suit against Law Director Jay Yeager, a commissioner said Monday.

That means a motion approved 13-2 by the Anderson County Commission last week might have to be repealed, said Commissioner Dusty Irwin, whose district includes Norris and Andersonville. That motion allows each commissioner to hire their own attorney and bill the county, Irwin said.

He said his recommendation this week is based on his interpretation of state law and attorney general’s opinions. He’s called for a special meeting to repeal last week’s motion by Commissioner Myron Iwanski, who represents part of Oak Ridge and is former interim county mayor, and consider a new motion that asks Frank to find and hire an attorney to replace Yeager in the case.

“Although I am no lawyer, the attached seems clear that the commission cannot authorize or hire legal counsel in the absence of a law director, and our law director (Jay Yeager) has stated to the commission that he cannot represent or advise us on the ouster suit he is currently involved in,” Irwin said in a Monday e-mail forwarded to commissioners and the media. “Also, it appears to me that only the the county mayor can perform this hiring action and that the commission may only approve the expenditure by a majority vote.”

It’s not clear if other commissioners will agree. Iwanski was unavailable for comment Tuesday morning. [Read more…]

Democratic Women host tea for Mary Headrick on Monday

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Mary Headrick

Mary Headrick

The Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club will host a tea on Monday, July 28, for Mary Headrick, the Democratic candidate for the Third Congressional District seat, and other female candidates in this year’s elections.

The tea, in support of female Democratic candidates, will be from 5-7 p.m. July 28 at Democratic Headquarters at 125 Leinart St., Suite 3, in Clinton. Tea and light refreshments will be served, a press release said.

Women are invited to come meet Headrick, have tea, and discuss issues important to the Third District, the release said. The club will also offer its support to district candidates for the female position on the Democratic Party Executive Committee: Dixie Damm and Beth Hickman. Other Democratic female candidates from the region are invited to attend.

State, SL Tennessee announce 1,000 new jobs in Clinton

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CLINTON—Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty, along with SL Tennessee LLC officials, announced Friday that the company will build a new 250,000 square foot building to join its two existing facilities in the Clinton/I-75 Industrial Park, a Select Tennessee Certified Site. The South Korean automotive parts manufacturer will invest $80.5 million and create 1,000 new jobs in Anderson County. Located in Clinton since 2001, this will be the company’s fifth expansion.

“I want to congratulate SL Tennessee on its latest expansion and thank the company for the 1,000 new jobs created in Clinton,” Haslam said. “SL Tennessee has been an outstanding corporate citizen in Anderson County for nearly 15 years, and we are grateful to the company for bringing us one step closer to our goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”

“Tennessee has the greatest concentration of automotive industry employment in the South and with the addition of 1,000 new jobs from today’s announcement, we continue to build on this momentum,” Hagerty said. “Upon completion of this project, SL Tennessee will more than double its workforce, making it the largest employer in Clinton and one of the largest in Anderson County. I appreciate SL Tennessee’s continued investment in our state and for providing quality jobs to our citizens.”

This is the second 1,000 plus jobs announcement in the past two weeks in the automotive sector. Last week, Volkswagen announced a $600 million investment in Tennessee and 2,000 new jobs being created in Chattanooga. [Read more…]

Haslam, SL Tennessee to make economic development announcement Friday

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Governor Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam

Gov. Bill Haslam and executives from SL Tennessee will make a significant economic development announcement in Clinton on Friday, a press release said.

The ceremony starts at 10:15 a.m. Friday at SL Tennessee at 311 Frank L. Diggs Drive.

Others expected to attend include U.S. senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker; Rep. Chuck Fleischmann; Y.K. Woo, SL America president; Scott Laska, SL Tennessee business development manager; Clinton Mayor Scott Burton; Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank; and other local elected officials.

County officials urged to hire attorneys in ouster suit as legal fees rise

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Jay Yeager and Lynn Byrge

Anderson County Law Director Jay Yeager, left, the defendant in an ouster suit filed by a group of residents, is pictured with Lynn Byrge, one of the petitioners, during a Monday morning Anderson County Commission meeting.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10:06 a.m. July 22.

CLINTON—The legal fees in a few high-profile disputes between top Anderson County officials could approach a half-million dollars, and Anderson County commissioners should all seek their own legal counsel in an ouster lawsuit filed against the law director, stunned commissioners were told Monday.

Subpoenas have already been issued in the ouster suit, and several officials, including a few County Commissioners, have reportedly received letters asking them to waive their attorney-client privilege.

Anderson County Commissioner Myron Iwanski, who is former interim mayor, said some of the records he’s been asked to provide go back 10 years, and some of them are personnel records. Iwanski said he needs legal representation because he doesn’t want to disclose anything improper, a mistake that could lead to another lawsuit.

“It’s about trying to do what’s right for the county,” Iwanski said.

He said former Anderson County Jail Administrator Avery Johnson has also been served with a subpoena and will need legal representation.

“This is just the start of the legal battle,” Iwanski said. [Read more…]

Anderson Commission Chair Fritts seeks re-election

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Chuck Fritts

Chuck Fritts

Chairman Chuck Fritts is seeking re-election to the Anderson County Commission, representing District 1. District 1 includes the Bull Run and Claxton precincts.

“It has truly been an honor and a privilege to represent the residents of District 1 on the Anderson County Commission,” Fritts said in a press release. “I take very seriously the trust that you have placed in me, and it is my desire that you will allow me to continue to serve you and, working with my fellow commissioners, to move Anderson County forward.”

First elected in 2002, Fritts said he brings valuable experience, knowledge, and leadership to the Anderson County Commission and has worked hard to represent the residents of District 1.

“He has taken this position very seriously and has worked long hours to do the job he felt he was elected to do,” the press release said. “He is not only well-known throughout Anderson County, but also throughout the state of Tennessee.” [Read more…]

Officials discuss Veterans Court, docket in General Sessions Court

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Veterans Court Docket

From left to right are Anderson County Veterans Affairs Officer Leon Jaquet, General Sessions Judge Ron Murch, and Assistant Commissioner Don Smith. (Submitted photo)

Judge Ron Murch recently met with Anderson County Veterans Affairs Officer Leon Jaquet and Tennessee Assistant Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Don Smith to discuss the implementation of a Veterans Court/Docket in the Anderson County General Sessions Court. Smith has been visiting judges in East Tennessee to discuss the commencement of veterans courts, a press release said.

The Veterans Court/Docket would operate within the framework of the existing Sessions Court and would identify veterans within the court system, the release said. It would coordinate services available to them through the VA that would assist with drug and alcohol problems, stress problems, and other needs such as housing, education, job training, medical services, or any other services or VA benefits available to them. The Veterans Court/Docket would involve mentors, who are also veterans, that would assist veteran defendants in getting to court and to any scheduled appointments for services, and working with the County Veterans Office to coordinate available benefits. [Read more…]

Anderson Commission, School Board candidates at Thursday forum

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Candidates in contested races for Anderson County Commission in Districts 6, 7, and 8 in Oak Ridge, and for Anderson County School Board in District 7 have been invited to take part in a Thursday evening forum.

The candidates are expected to speak and answer questions. The unopposed candidate for School Board in District 6 will be introduced.

The forum starts at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Oak Ridge High School Amphitheater at 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike. It’s been organized by the League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Anderson County Commission approves budget, tax rate unchanged

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Anderson County Commission in June 2014

The Anderson County Commission is pictured above during a June meeting. (Photo by Sara Wise)

CLINTON—The Anderson County Commission approved a budget for Fiscal Year 2015 during a special meeting Tuesday. The budget will not raise property taxes in the county.

Commissioners Tracy Wandell, Rick Meredith, Zach Bates, Jerry White, and John Shuey did not attend, but the other 11 commissioners voted unanimously to approve the budget. Commissioners had called the special session during their June meeting.

Under the budget approved Tuesday, the Oak Ridge property tax rate will remain at $2.347 for every $100 of assessed property value, while property owners in Clinton will continue to pay $2.50 per $100 value. All other property owners in Anderson County pay $2.529 for every $100 of their assessed property values. [Read more…]

Guest column: Anderson County election ballot explained

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The August 7 ballot for the state primary and local general election will be an important and complex ballot. You will find three main sections to the ballot.

First will be the state and federal primary, second will be the county general election, and third will be the retention questions for Tennessee Supreme Court judges and appellate court judges.

The first eight offices on the ballot are the contests for the state and federal primary election. They are governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Tennessee Senate, Tennessee House of Representatives, and state executive committeeman and committeewoman. These eight offices are the ones a person must declare whether they are voting in the Democratic or Republican primary.

After these eight offices come the candidates for the Anderson County general election. It does not matter which party primary you selected to vote in, Democrat or Republican, you are now free to vote for the candidate of your choice no matter to which party you belong. The county general election offices are: [Read more…]