Oak Ridge Today

Early voting update: More than 16,000 have cast ballots in Anderson County

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Information from WYSH Radio

There are now just over three days left in the early voting period in Tennessee for next Tuesday’s presidential and county general elections. Turnout at the polls has been impressive, and that string of robust participation continued on Monday.

In Anderson County on Monday, another 1,356 people voted, bringing the 11-day total, including paper ballots, to 16,370. Anderson County residents can cast ballots at the Clinton Community Center, the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge, and at the North Anderson Government Office in the Anderson Crossing Shopping Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today (Tuesday, November 1) through Thursday, November 3. For more, visit www.acelect.com or call (865) 457-6238. [Read more…]

Letter: Understanding process, significance of changing Anderson County government

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By Mary Ann Reeves

The Tennessee constitution and subsequent legislature lays the ground for changing the the government of a county (e.g. Anderson County) from its constitutional form to a charter form (also known as home rule).

To make this change in Anderson County three things must happen:

  • A charter commission must be created. There are several ways that this is permissible but the one selected was by the petition of registered voters whose number must at least equal to 10 percent of the total number of votes cast in the county in the last governor’s race. In Anderson County, 17,760 votes were cast for governor; therefore 1,776 signatures were required (and obtained) on the petition.
  • The election of the Charter Commission members. The election for the candidates must be held 75 days or more after the resolution becomes effective. The charter commissioners are elected from the same districts and in the same manner as the county commissioners. The cost of the election is paid out of county funds. In Anderson County, the Charter Commission election is concurrent with the general election (November 8) and Anderson County will incur no cost. The elected charter commissioners will set a budget and they may incur expenses for administrative costs up to a maximum of $50,000. These expenses will be paid by Anderson County.
  • Voters must approve any changes in the form of Anderson county government recommended by the Anderson County charter commissioners. Anderson County voters must approve, via a referendum, any recommended changes by the charter commission. The referendum will be done concurrently with the August 2018 election to avoid additional costs to the county. This will be a “for” or “against” vote.

[Read more…]

Oak Ridge girls’ team runs best race of year, but finishes fourth in region; Schwartz going to state

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Genevieve Schwartz of Oak Ridge, right, finished 10th in the Region 2-AAA girls’ cross country race at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. Behind Schwartz is Jenna Wall of Hardin Valley Academy, who finished eighth. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

KNOXVILLE—The Oak Ridge girls’ cross country team ran its best race of the year but finished fourth in the region on Thursday, just missing the cutoff to advance to the state meet next Saturday.

Only the top three teams in the Region 2-AAA meet at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville on Thursday advanced to the state meet in Nashville next Saturday.

However, Oak Ridge junior Genevieve Schwartz finished 10th in the 5,000-meter, or 5k, race. Anyone who finishes in the top 10 and is not on a qualifying team advances to state.

The top three girls’ teams in the Region 2 meet were West, Farragut, and Hardin Valley. West, a Knoxville school, had the top two runners, Lindsey Stallworth and Madeline Shook.

Anderson County and Hardin Valley each had two runners in the top 10, and like Oak Ridge, Farragut had one.

It will be the first trip to state for Schwartz, who finished with a time of 20:36.90. [Read more…]

Cross country photos: Oak Ridge girls finish fourth in Region 2-AAA meet

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Genevieve Schwartz of Oak Ridge, at right in the group of three above, finished 10th in the Region 2-AAA girls’ cross country race at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. At center is Mollie Longmire of Anderson County, who finished seventh, and at left is Jenna Wall of Hardin Valley Academy, who finished eighth. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

KNOXVILLE—The Oak Ridge Wildcats girls’ cross country team finished fourth in the Region 2-AAA meet at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville on Thursday.

The top three teams in the regional meet advance to the state cross county meet in Nashville on Saturday, November 5. Since Oak Ridge finished fourth, it does not advance.

But Genevieve Schwartz of Oak Ridge finished in the top 10, so she will compete in the state meet next week.

Here are photos from the Thursday meet by John Huotari of Oak Ridge Today. (See a story on the race here.) [Read more…]

Term limits: Who could no longer serve if two-term limit was in place now?

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Jerry Creasey

Jerry Creasey, an Anderson County commissioner from Oak Ridge, could no longer serve if a two-term limit were in place now. Now in his seventh term, Creasey is the longest-serving commissioner. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 6:15 p.m.

If the proposed two-term limit was in place now, Jerry Creasey, the longest-serving Anderson County commissioner, could no longer serve.

Neither could Mark Alderson, who is in his fifth term; Chuck Fritts or Jerry White (both are in their fourth terms); or Whitey Hitchcock, Robert McKamey, or Tracy Wandell (all three are in their third terms).

Creasey is in his seventh term, according to information from the Anderson County Election Commission.

It’s not clear if Myron Iwanski would be term-limited at this point. Iwanski is in his sixth term, but those terms were interrupted by his service as interim Anderson County mayor from January 2011 to August 2012—after former mayor Rex Lynch resigned and before current mayor Terry Frank was elected. Whether Iwanski would be term-limited would depend upon whether term limits, assuming a two-term limit was enacted, were consecutive or lifetime limits.

Assuming Iwanski was term-limited, though, that would mean that eight of the 16 commissioners, or half of them, would be past their second term and not able to serve if a two-term limit were in place.

No term limits are in place now, and they can’t officially be proposed, debated, or recommended to voters until after the eight-member Anderson County Charter Commission is elected November 8. Whether they are even considered is likely to depend upon which candidates are elected. The Charter Commission is not obligated to consider term limits, but it will have the authority to do so. (See a story on the Charter Commission process here.) [Read more…]

Domestic Violence Symposium on Friday in Clinton

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Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge Don Layton is pictured above on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

There is a Domestic Violence Symposium scheduled for Friday in Clinton.

The symposium has been announced by Anderson County General Sessions Court Judge, Division I, Don A. Layton, in partnership with Probation Services Incorporated, or PSI.

The symposium is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, October 28, in the PSI conference room at 135 South Main Street in Clinton, a press release said.

The symposium will feature presentations from Anderson County District Attorney General David Clark and others, including Russell Barker, Rex Lynch, Mary Ann Young, and Chad McNabb, the press release said. [Read more…]

Letter: Irwin wants to help create intelligent, functional, transparent county government

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To the Editor:

During the past year, I have worked continuously with a group of citizens from Anderson County to develop and implement a plan to move our county in a positive direction toward a charter county, or home rule, form of government.

After great consideration and encouragement, I made a decision to run for a seat on the Anderson County Charter Commission in the November 8, 2016, election. This committee of elected citizens will represent each district in our county as they draft a charter that will go before our state legislators for approval, and finally to “We The People” for a ballot vote in 2018.

Those running in favor of home rule are attempting to put local government more firmly back into the hands of the people where it belongs and once again establish a healthy balance to our county government. [Read more…]

Charter Commission candidates debate term limits, reducing County Commission, electing law director

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Seven candidates for Anderson County Charter Commission sparred over term limits, cutting the Anderson County Commission almost in half, and electing the law director during a public forum in Oak Ridge in October. The candidates, all from three Oak Ridge districts, are pictured above. They are, from top left, top row, Marjorie Mott Lloyd, Steve Mead, Kathy Moore, Theresa Scott, and from bottom left, bottom row, Bob Smallridge, David Stanley, and Hugh Ward. (Photos by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Candidates for Anderson County Charter Commission sparred over term limits, cutting the Anderson County Commission almost in half, and electing the law director during a public forum this month.

There was also a heated exchange over whether two candidates—both county commissioners, including one in her first term and another halfway through his second—are permanent officeholders.

The seven candidates are running for three seats on the eight-member Anderson County Charter Commission in the November 8 election.

The debate over term limits has focused on whether the limits are necessary, whether they would encourage more young people to run for office, and whether Anderson County voters already have the right to impose term limits through elections, among other arguments for and against.

As proposed during the campaign, there could be a two-term limit on county commissioners and the county mayor. However, nothing will be official until the Charter Commission is elected next month, and the Charter Commission is not obligated to consider the proposal. Whether the commission even considers term limits could depend upon which candidates are elected. Any changes proposed by the Charter Commission will be considered by voters in November 2018. If approved, they would go into effect in September 2019. [Read more…]

Forum for Anderson County Charter Commission candidates on Thursday

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A Thursday forum will feature candidates for Charter Commission in five districts in Anderson County.

The forum starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 20, in the “Big Room” at Clinton Community Center, which is at 101 Hicks Street in Clinton, a press release said. The forum is hosted by AndersonCharter.com.

There are 19 people running for eight seats on the Anderson County Charter Commission. Only one person from each County Commission district will be elected to the Charter Commission.

Organizers of the charter effort hope to give residents the ability to have more input and involvement in their local government, the press release said. [Read more…]

In first run for office, Farmer seeks seat on Charter Commission

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Howard Farmer

Howard Farmer

Howard Farmer, a longtime educator and farmer, is seeking one of eight seats on the Anderson County Charter Commission. It’s Farmer’s first run for public office, a press release said.

Farmer wants to represent District 5, which includes the Dutch Valley, Clinton High School, Marlow, and Norwood precincts.

“I’ve voted my entire adult life, but this is the first time I’ve stepped forward to run for an office,” Farmer said. “I’m running because it is so important that we exact term limits. We have a lot of great people in Anderson County, but we’re not tapping into their talent and potential because of career politicians. We need term limits so we can benefit from new and fresh ideas.” [Read more…]

Volleyball photos: Oak Ridge-Hardin Valley

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Oak Ridge lost in three sets to Hardin Valley during the Region 2-AAA semifinal at Farragut on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. Pictured above is senior Alex Sherles (25). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

FARRAGUT—Oak Ridge kept it close through three sets during a Region 2-AAA tournament semifinal at Farragut High School on Tuesday, but their effort wasn’t enough to hold back Hardin Valley, which eliminated the Lady Wildcats and advanced to the regional championship volleyball game against Farragut. Here are photos from the Oak Ridge-Hardin Valley semifinal. [Read more…]

Volleyball: Hardin Valley eliminates Oak Ridge in Region 2 semifinal

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Oak Ridge lost in three sets to Hardin Valley during the Region 2-AAA semifinal at Farragut on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. Pictured above is senior Alex Sherles (25). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

FARRAGUT—Oak Ridge kept it close through three sets during a Region 2-AAA tournament semifinal at Farragut High School on Tuesday, but their effort wasn’t enough to hold back Hardin Valley, which eliminated the Lady Wildcats and advanced to the regional championship volleyball game against Farragut.

Oak Ridge and Hardin Valley were usually within a point or two and they were often tied, with the Lady Wildcats (20-11, 8-0 District 3-AAA) sometimes ahead. But the Lady Hawks (30-8-1, 6-2 District 4-AAA) had the lead at the end of all three sets, when it mattered most. The final scores were 25-21, 26-24, and 25-22.

“They played their hearts out,” Oak Ridge Coach David Kolodney said. “It’s a matter of inches. It’s a matter of a couple of points.”

The Lady Wildcats, who played without senior Stella Powell on Tuesday, fought through injuries and rotations this season, and played as a team, Kolodney said. [Read more…]