Oak Ridge Today

Anderson Commission, School Board candidates at Thursday forum

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

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

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

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…]

Robert McKamey to seek re-election to County Commission

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Robert McKamey

Robert McKamey

Robert McKamey, Anderson County commissioner from District 5, will seek re-election in the August 7 general election.

The Fifth District includes the Clinton High School, Dutch Valley, Marlow, and Norwood precincts.

McKamey, 64, served in the old Third District from 1982 until 1994 and has served in the Fifth District since 2006. McKamey serves on several committees, including Operations, Legislative, Nomination, Highway, Human Resource, and Veterans Advisory Committee.

McKamey previously served as chair on the Insurance Sub-Committee, Jail Projects Superintendents Committee, and Legislative Committee, and Long Range Planning Subcommittee. McKamey also served as chairman of the Redistricting Committee, E-911 board of directors, and CASA board of directors. [Read more…]

State bill allows Anderson Commission to donate school buildings to EVC

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Emory Valley Center Presentation

Tennessee Representative John Ragan, second from right, presents Janet Wood, Emory Valley Center development director, second from left, a copy of the bill supported by Ragan and Senator Randy McNally, right, and passed by the Tennessee General Assembly allowing the Anderson County Commission to donate the original red brick school buildings to Emory Valley Center. Also pictured at left is Emory Valley Center board member Bill Hevrdeys. (Submitted photo)

 

Submitted

A bill supported by Tennessee Representative John Ragan and Senator Randy McNally passed the Tennessee General Assembly allowing the Anderson County Commission to donate the original red brick school buildings to Emory Valley Center.

A copy of the bill was recently presented to Janet Wood, Emory Valley Center development director.

In 1958, a local group of parents raised money and built the first red school building for their children with disabilities who were not allowed in the public school system at the time. Plans are under way for a historical marker to be placed there recognizing the efforts of these parents.

Tuesday morning forum features Anderson County Commission candidates

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

A Tuesday morning election forum at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce will feature candidates for Anderson County Commission in the three Oak Ridge districts.

A Tuesday morning election forum will feature candidates for Anderson County Commission in the three Oak Ridge districts.

The Election Selection forum at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce will start at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. It will feature candidates for Anderson County Commission in Districts 6, 7, and 8 in Oak Ridge. It’s open to the public, all the candidates in those three districts have been invited to participate, a press release said.

“There will be time to meet the candidates during unstructured social time followed by a structured question and answer session,” the release said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to talk with candidates and learn first-hand their thoughts and positions on key issues facing our community.”

For additional information, contact Greta Ownby.

Longtime businessman Anderson running for County Commission

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Joey Anderson

Joey Anderson

Longtime local businessman Joey Anderson has announced he is running for Anderson County Commission in District 6 in the Aug. 7 election. District 6 includes the City Hall, Robertsville, and West Hills voting precincts in Oak Ridge.

Anderson is a 1986 graduate of Oak Ridge High School and earned a BBA in business management from East Tennessee State University.

Growing up active in the Boy Scouts of America, earning the prestigious Eagle award, and being involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Oak Ridge has carried over to remaining active in the community, a press release said. He is currently serving as president of the Oak Ridge Boys and Girls Club Alumni. He was also treasurer for many years for the alumni. Anderson is also a member of the Oak Ridge Quarterback Club.

Anderson’s roots are deep in Oak Ridge, the release said. He operated and managed Anderson’s Hilltop Market for 18 years, carrying on the family business started in 1944 by his grandfather, Joe Anderson. Anderson said his small business background would help him navigate managerial and budgetary challenges on the Commission if elected. [Read more…]

Commission candidate Mansfield to have two meet-and-greets this weekend

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Myra Mansfield

Myra Mansfield

Myra Mansfield, a candidate for Anderson County Commission, will host two meet-and-greets this weekend. Mansfield is a candidate for Anderson County Commission in the Eighth District, which serves the communities assigned to vote at Jefferson Middle School, Emory Valley Center, and Woodland Elementary.

On Friday evening, Mansfield will be available to meet the public from 4–6 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Corporate Center at 151 Lafayette Drive. A short program will be featured at 5:15 p.m. Please enter the Oak Ridge Corporate Center from Lafayette Drive between Emory Valley Road and Laboratory Road, a press release said.

On Saturday morning, Mansfield will be available to meet the public from 10 a.m.–noon at her canopy in the parking lot at 699 Emory Valley Road, which is the old Paragon Health Club next to the Food Lion building. [Read more…]

League of Women Voters has Anderson, Roane candidate forums in July

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

The League of Woman Voters of Oak Ridge will have three candidate forums in July, two for Anderson County candidates and one for Roane County candidates.

The first Anderson County candidate forum will be on Tuesday, July 15. It will feature candidates for Anderson County offices and judicial positions. The second forum will be on July 17, and it will feature Oak Ridge candidates for the Anderson County Commission and Anderson County School Board. Both forums will start at 7 p.m., and they will be held in the Oak Ridge High School Amphitheater. ORHS is located at 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The Roane County candidate forum will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, in the Roane State Community College City Room, A111. This forum will feature candidates for Roane County offices and judicial positions and candidates who would represent Oak Ridge districts on the Roane County Commission and School Board. RSCC is located at 701 Briarcliff Ave. in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Chamber has Q&A with mayor, sheriff candidates Thursday morning

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce is pictured above.

Learn more about the three candidates for Anderson County mayor and two candidates for Anderson County sheriff on Thursday morning at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.

The first “Election Selection” event is 7:30 a.m. Thursday, July 10, in the Joyce Conference Room at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. It’s open to the public.

All five candidates for mayor and sheriff have confirmed their plans to attend, the Chamber said. Here are the candidates: [Read more…]

Iwanski announces re-election campaign for County Commission

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski

Myron Iwanski is seeking re-election to Anderson County Commission in District 8, which includes the Woodland, Emory Valley, and Hendrix Creek precincts in Oak Ridge.

Iwanski was appointed in 2011 to serve as mayor by County Commission early in his current term on County Commission. This was a 19-month appointment until a mayor could be elected for the remaining two years of former Mayor Rex Lynch’s term.

“It was an honor to be selected by my peers on County Commission to serve as chairman of County Commission for three terms and then as mayor during a difficult time for our county government,” Iwanski said in a press release.

“We had to work together to make some tough decisions,” Iwanski said. “We put several initiatives in place that will expand our retail and industrial tax base, promote tourism, and create jobs. This included setting funds aside for industrial land and infrastructure and creating a public/private partnership to hire a retail recruiter. We also put initiatives in place that are slowing the growth in the county jail population while helping reduce the crime rate. [Read more…]

Letter: Creasey has served religiously, saved taxpayer money

Posted at
By 1 Comment

To the Editor:

I have felt compelled to write a letter in support of Jerry Creasey for re-election to Anderson County Commission.

Jerry does not represent me as my commissioner in Oak Ridge. But he has served religiously, trying not to discriminate against anyone.

He has served on the Anderson County ADA oversight board to help the elderly, as well as all ages, to see that disabled rights are enforced and that state and federal laws are met.

Recently, the Oversight Committee has helped inspect the facilities at volunteer fire departments, the new Anderson County jail, and the addition of a new elevator in the Courthouse. The new second-floor bathrooms are now ADA-compliant. [Read more…]

Honors: Anderson County commissioners award $500 scholarship

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Anderson County Commissioners Scholarship

 

Submitted

The Anderson County Board of Commissioners established and began contributing personal funds to a scholarship fund in 1996. This fund is set up to provide a scholarship annually to a student at each of the three high schools in Anderson County.

Oak Ridge commissioners, from left to right, Myron Iwanski, Whitey Hitchcock, Jerry Creasey, scholarship recipient Jasmannie Garcia, Steve Mead, and Robin Biloski, and John Shuey (not pictured) were pleased to award Garcia, Oak Ridge Class of 2014, with his $500 scholarship to be used at Roane State Community College, where he will enter the nursing program.

Congratulations, Jasmannie!