Oak Ridge Today

Letter: Dodson collaborates, listens, teaches, encourages

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To the Editor:

We support Jim Dodson for Oak Ridge City Council. Jim’s extensive résumé includes his work as an educator, an athletic coach, and as a local, area, and state volunteer in several capacities.

He has received many honors, including an invitation from Governor Haslam to serve on the Humanities Tennessee Board of Directors, a position he currently holds. A graduate of Leadership Oak Ridge, Jim exemplifies the role of community leader: president elect of the Oak Ridge Sunset Rotary Club; co-chair of United Way of Anderson County in 2015-16; current chair of the Explore Oak Ridge (formerly Convention and Visitors Bureau) board; and local Arts Council board member for seven years, including time as its executive director. These are but a few of the many jobs Jim has stepped up for in the last 29 years while he has been teaching and volunteering to make Oak Ridge’s young people and the community itself a better place. [Read more…]

Letter: Dodson a leader with knowledge, temperament to make Oak Ridge the community of choice

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This election season is one of the most important one in years. There are clear choices as to leadership and style as to who will lead us. Yes, the Presidential election is one of them, but the most important election for Oak Ridge is who will serve on our City Council.

I will be voting for Jim Dodson. He is a leader with the knowledge and temperament to make Oak Ridge the community of choice for those who want to live and work in a community that has safe neighborhoods, good schools, and steady economic growth. [Read more…]

Letter: Dodson works well with others, stays involved, has positive attitude

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To the Editor:

This letter is to communicate our full support of Mr. Jim Dodson for a seat on the Oak Ridge City Council. We have known Jim for many years as an art teacher with the Oak Ridge Schools and have experienced first-hand the great job he does in that capacity.

We also feel that Jim’s involvement beyond the school system in other cultural and business affairs of the city is important and valuable experience that he will bring to this job. Jim is a well-rounded member of our community who is not afraid to be involved yet always brings a positive attitude to anything he does. We know that Jim will work well with other members of council to move our city forward and maintain the momentum that exists today. [Read more…]

Letter: Dodson’s skill set, commitment a perfect fit for dynamic times in Oak Ridge

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To the editor:

I am for Jim Dodson for City Council.

Others have written eloquently about his resume and credentials for the position. I would like to take a more personal approach.

I have known and worked alongside Jim for nearly 30 years at Jefferson Middle School. During that time, I have watched him grow exponentially both as a professional and a person. He has inspired an entire generation of budding artists. Often teaching students across four different grade levels, Jim has cultivated and encouraged the artistic skills of students of all abilities and backgrounds. His tireless promotion of student art within the school, community, and region so typifies the exceptional fine arts education that students receive in the Oak Ridge Schools. [Read more…]

Letter: Dodson will listen to all sides, work together to solve problems

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To the Editor:

Many people have written urging voters to vote for Jim Dodson for Oak Ridge City Council. Having worked on different projects for over 12 years with Jim, I want to add my endorsement.

I know Jim as a person who does what he commits to with best efforts. He cares about the Oak Ridge community, and has helped with or lead many local groups and projects. [Read more…]

Letter: Dodson works well with others, listens and encourages, helps achieve compromise and goals

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To the Editor:

I am asking for your vote for Jim Dodson for Oak Ridge City Council. I think that Jim’s greatest strength is his ability to work well with other people, listening and encouraging their ideas, helping to achieve compromise and workable goals. Because of his innately respectful attitude, he brings people together to reach consensus. This is what we need for city council to function effectively and look to the future.

Jim has served this community in so many ways. Always as a talented art teacher first with that being extended to include the Arts Council, the Dogwood Chalk Drawing Contest on Market Square, the Children’s Museum, and the Regional Student Art Exhibitions. He has also given of himself to United Way, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Sunset Rotary Club. I now have the pleasure of serving with Jim on the Celebrate Oak Ridge board, the independent board that began as the Secret City Task Force. [Read more…]

Progress PAC endorses Dodson, Lee, Vogel for City Council

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jim-dodson-joe-lee-hans-vogel

Pictured above from left to right are Jim Dodson, Joe Lee, and Hans Vogel.

 

The Progress PAC political action committee has endorsed Jim Dodson, Joe Lee, and Hans Vogel for Oak Ridge City Council in the November 8 election.

The endorsements were announced Wednesday.

“From a crowded field of seven outstanding city council candidates, these three most clearly met the committee’s criteria, which includes support of the mission, vision, and legislative priorities of the Oak Ridge Chamber and a willingness to work closely with the Oak Ridge Board of Education,” Progress PAC Chairman Stephen Whitson said in a press release. [Read more…]

Hensley endorses Lee, Dodson, Vogel

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To the Editor:

The City Council election coming up is very important to the future of Oak Ridge. We, as a community, are seeing significant positive change in many areas including retail growth, business recruitment, and quality of life. This election, in my opinion, can set the stage for further positive change and quality growth.

There are three candidates in my opinion, who are seeking seats on Oak Ridge City Council, who can continue and accelerate our city’s progress. Joe Lee, Jim Dodson, and Hans Vogel have impressive and varied experiences to bring to bear on city issues. All three of these candidates have demonstrated, through their careers and dedication to city service, their potential as Council members and that consensus building and teamwork are keys in their approaches to make things happen.

Joe Lee [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Chamber to host City Council forum on Tuesday

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The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Advocacy Committee is hosting its final forum of the 2016 election season. The forum for candidates running for Oak Ridge City Council will be held at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 18, in the Joyce Conference Room at the Chamber, which is at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The forum is free, and the public is encouraged to attend. All candidates for City Council—Jim Dodson, Wende Doolittle, Anne Garcia Garland, Chuck Hope, Joe Lee, Mark LeNoir, and Hans Vogel—have indicated their intention to participate in the forum, a press release said. [Read more…]

Progress PAC endorses Agle, Fillauer

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Keys Fillauer

Keys Fillauer

The Progress PAC political action committee has endorsed the two incumbents running for Oak Ridge Board of Education: Angi Agle and Keys Fillauer.

“PAC board members feel these candidates best support the business community’s commitment toward exceptional schools and have expressed a willingness to partner with the Oak Ridge City Council on educational issues,” a press release said.

The Progress PAC endorsements for Oak Ridge City Council candidates will be announced later, said PAC Chairman Steve Whitson, an Oak Ridge resident.

“There are 10 candidates running for seven combined City Council and School Board seats, so decisions to endorse candidates are not made without lots of thought and discussion,” Whitson said in the press release. [Read more…]

Meet the candidates at Civic Center on Thursday

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You can meet candidates for the Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Board of Education, and Oak Ridge candidates for Anderson County Charter Commission at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on Thursday.

You talk directly to the candidates at the meeting, which is scheduled from 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, October 13, in the Oak Ridge Civic Center gym.

It’s a free community event hosted by DFET (Democracy for East Tennessee), a community organization that hosts this nonpartisan event every two years, a press release said. [Read more…]

Opinion: Liquor licensees—changing the rules in the middle of the game?

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oak-ridge-city-council-ellen-smith-sept-14-2015

Ellen Smith (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

At the Monday night City Council meeting, some rules got changed in the middle of the game. That was unsportsmanlike—and it was not business-friendly.

Oak Ridge has an ordinance (dating back nearly 50 years) requiring that owners and operators of retail liquor establishments (liquor stores) must be city residents, unless Council votes to waive the requirement. And Council has routinely waived that residency requirement for everyone who requests a waiver. I’m not aware that anyone was ever denied a waiver—and very few liquor sellers actually live in the city.

Since we don’t require owners of any other type of business to live in the city and since the residency requirement hasn’t been enforced, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep it on the books. It’s just one of several antiquated ordinances related to liquor that need to be updated (a topic I’ve discussed with legal staff). But we have to live with it for now. [Read more…]