Oak Ridge Today

IDB has public hearing, special meeting to consider mall plan Thursday

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Oak Ridge Mall Master Plan

A city board will have a public hearing and special meeting Thursday to consider a tax financing agreement for the $80 million redevelopment of the Oak Ridge Mall. (Submitted image)

A city board will have a public hearing and special meeting Thursday to consider a tax financing agreement for the $80 million redevelopment of the Oak Ridge Mall.

The public hearing starts at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom. It will include a presentation by Crosland Southeast, the North Carolina company that has a purchase contract on the mall and has proposed redeveloping it. The public hearing will also include public comments.

The Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board will have a special meeting after the public hearing to consider approving the tax increment financing, or TIF, agreement, which could be recommended to Oak Ridge City Council and Anderson County Commission. [Read more…]

Anderson County Commission approves deer hunting at former landfill site

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CLINTON—Members of the Anderson County Commission, during their quarterly day meeting on Monday, approved a resolution that will allow citizens to hunt deer on the county-owned former Blockhouse Valley Landfill site.

Deer hunting will be limited to the former landfill site and restricted to permitted individuals.

Citizens interested in obtaining permits for the hunt must submit their applications and requests by calling (865) 457-6291 by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6. [Read more…]

Fifth ‘In God We Trust’ sign, flagpole, vets memorial celebrated at courthouse

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Anderson County General Session Court In God We Trust Sign

Steve McDonald of Calvary Baptist Church introduces a new “In God We Trust” sign on the side of the Anderson County General Sessions Division II Courthouse in Oak Ridge.

A sign inscribed with the national motto “In God We Trust” was unveiled on the side of a Anderson County courthouse in Oak Ridge on Friday.

It’s the fifth “In God We Trust” sign to be posted on a county courthouse since July in a citizen-led initiative that has prompted a debate over the proper separation of church and state.

Also celebrated during a lunchtime ceremony Friday were a flagpole and memorial to five Anderson County veterans killed in the past decade in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. [Read more…]

Tax financing meeting for Oak Ridge Mall postponed

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Oak Ridge Mall

A meeting to consider a tax financing agreement for the redevelopment of the Oak Ridge Mall has been postponed. The L-shaped mall is pictured at center above.

The meeting to consider a tax incentive that could be used to help redevelop the Oak Ridge Mall has been postponed in order to allow a city board to update its policy to reflect current state law, a city consultant said Friday.

The meeting, which had been scheduled for Sept. 26, could be rescheduled two to three weeks later, economic development consultant Ray Evans said.

He said the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board has a tax increment financing, or TIF, policy that was initially enacted in 2008 and last updated in 2011. [Read more…]

Council approves locations for sewer system tanks, county donates land for one

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Emory Valley Road Sewer System Holding Tank

An earlier draft image of what a sewer system holding tank could look like on Emory Valley Road. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

CLINTON—The Oak Ridge City Council had already taken steps to move the planned sewer system holding tanks farther back from major roads or make them less visible, and on Monday, the Anderson County Commission agreed to donate a small parcel on Emory Valley Road for one of the tanks.

Oak Ridge officials have said the tanks are needed to help comply with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency order that requires the city to end all sewer system overflows by September 2015. [Read more…]

Fritts re-elected chair of Anderson Commission

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Chuck Fritts

Chuck Fritts

Note: This story was updated at 8:12 p.m.

CLINTON—Anderson County Commission Chair Chuck Fritts was easily re-appointed to a third one-year term as chairman by his fellow commissioners on Monday.

There were two other nominees: Robert McKamey and Mark Alderson. Fritts, whose district includes Claxton and Bull Run, won in a 12-1-3 vote. Alderson received three votes, and McKamey collected one.

[Read more…]

Anderson County Commission to elect chair, vice chair Monday

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Chuck Fritts

Chuck Fritts

Robert McKamey

Robert McKamey

The Anderson County Commission is scheduled to elect a chair and vice chair during a Monday evening meeting.

Commissioner Chuck Fritts, one of two commissioners representing Claxton and Bull Run, is the current chair, and he is seeking appointment to a third one-year term.

But Commissioner Robert McKamey—one of two commissioners representing Clinton High, Marlow, Norwood, and Dutch Valley—is also seeking the chairmanship. [Read more…]

Letter: Fritts seeks re-election as Anderson County Commission chairman

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Chuck Fritts

Chuck Fritts

Note: This is a copy of a letter sent by Anderson County Commission Chairman Chuck Fritts to other commissioners this summer, before the August meeting. The Commission is scheduled to elect a chairman and vice chairman on Monday, Sept. 16.

Fellow Commissioners,

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost another full year since I’ve been serving as your chairman. It’s been a very busy year with a lot of tough issues that (have come) before us. I truly believe that we “all” have done an excellent job and have served the citizens of Anderson County extremely well.

It’s been an honor to serve as your chairman this past year. I have worked hard and put in a lot of time to not only improve myself, but also to try to improve the efficiency and flow of our meetings. We have finally made improvements to Room 312, which will improve the quality of our meetings, not only for our citizens who are actually attending our meeting, but for our citizens at home watching on Channel 95. Also, by finally putting a TV in the hallway, citizens who make an effort to attend our meeting can still see what is taking place even if they can’t find a place inside our meeting room. [Read more…]

Letter: McKamey seeks Anderson County Commission chairmanship

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Robert McKamey

Robert McKamey

Note: This is a copy of a letter sent by Anderson County Commissioner Robert McKamey to other commissioners this summer. The Commission is scheduled to elect a chairman and vice chairman on Monday, Sept. 16.

Dear Fellow Commissioners:

It is with much pride and excitement that I announce my candidacy for County Commission chair. I have not made this decision in haste, and I have consulted at length with many of my friends, family, and constituents before I chose to run for this important position.

I feel my experience, unique qualifications, proven leadership skills, and relentless dedication to the citizens we serve will make me an excellent candidate for the chairmanship. [Read more…]

City board will consider tax incentive, development area for Oak Ridge Mall

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Oak Ridge Mall Redevelopment Area

The Oak Ridge Mall economic development area is pictured above. The map shows a contiguous area that could be affected economically by the proposed development, which only includes the former 60-acre mall property, according to a city consultant. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

A city board this month will consider a financing arrangement that could be worth up to $10 million and allow a North Carolina company to use new property tax revenues generated at a redeveloped Oak Ridge Mall to be used for site development, possibly including for roads, stoplights, and demolition work.

Many of the details aren’t available yet, including the precise amount of the proposed tax increment financing, or TIF, agreement and the length of time it could be in effect. The details will be discussed at a Sept. 26 meeting of the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board, when members will consider an economic impact plan, city consultant Ray Evans said.

The economic development area could include about 90 acres. It would include the 60-acre mall and could include an apartment complex and museum, movie theater and pizza shop, real estate firm and hotel, and several busy stores on Oak Ridge Turnpike—properties that could benefit from the TIF, Evans said.

[Read more…]

Andersonville Fire Department to hold open house, grand opening today

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department will officially open its third fire hall in mid-September, but the department is offering citizens a chance to get a look at the new station during an open house and grand opening celebration set for today (Tuesday) at 4 p.m.

The Belmont station, built by volunteers at a cost of $110,000, is located at the intersection of Park Road and Sequoyah Lane on the former site of the Belmont School, which burned down in the mid-1960s. The new fire station is 5,000 square feet in size. [Read more…]

Anderson commissioners approve new jail fees for inmates, new costs covered by Time magazine

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Anderson County Detention Facility

The Anderson County Commission on Monday approved three new sets of fees for inmates, including charges for supplies ranging for pants and shirts to toothpaste and toilet paper. (Photo courtesy Anderson County Sheriff’s Department)

CLINTON—Anderson County inmates could soon pay for items such as pants and shirts, bras and underwear, and toothpaste and toilet paper, with costs ranging from three cents for soap to $24.65 for a coat.

The new fees were approved with no opposition by the Anderson County Commission on Monday. The money would be deducted from the inmate’s jail trust account or any other account or fund set up for the prisoner. The fees would not be added to court costs.

The supply fees were one of three new sets of inmate fees approved by commissioners on Monday. [Read more…]