Theresa Scott to seek election to Anderson County Commission in District 7

Theresa Scott has announced her candidacy for Anderson County Commission in District 7. The seat is non-partisan and represents the Highland View, Pine Valley, and Glenwood precincts.

Having run previously in 2010, Scott said in a press release that she has been strongly encouraged by community residents to run again for County Commission.

“I am very humbled to see that people in my district continue to show their approval for me to step into this position. I want to be their choice,” Scott said in the release. “My platform remains the same—speaking up for and on behalf of the residents, taxpayers, homeowners, and voters of my district.”

While continuing her volunteer work in the community, Scott said she plans to walk through the neighborhoods to visit with the residents and listen to their concerns. She said she believes it is important to be available to the people of community, especially with physical presence.

“The main complaint that I hear about a Commissioner is that they are voted in and then nowhere to be seen,” Scott said. “I would offer direct methods for contact, including meeting face to face to discuss concerns and solutions.”

As residents of the community have already expressed their aggravation with this year’s campaign advertisements, Scott said she does not intend to aggravate them with numerous mailings and advertisements.

“We already pay enough in property taxes,” she said. “I’m not asking for their money, I’m asking for their vote.”

Scott said she has no personal agenda as a motivation for running for County Commission—only a desire to serve the interests of and be a strong voice of the residents and taxpayers.

“I am not a county employee, nor a relative of a county employee, nor a contractor doing business with the county, and will not be influenced for personal gain,” she emphasized.

By running for the seat, Scott said, she seeks to bring the concerns of taxpayers and homeowners to Anderson County government. As a homeowner who has always paid her property taxes on time, she has been very concerned about how our county tax dollars are spent.

“We need fair and loyal representation, someone willing to serve for district residents in their county government, and someone who is committed to achieving workable solutions that will enhance our city and county,” Scott said. “We need to attract retail and industrial businesses to our county. By encouraging them to develop and grow here, it will help bring our property tax rates down. If county government does not hear our voices, we will not better our community.”

Scott said she continues to work hard to bring positive change to the city through her service in many community organizations and her volunteer efforts in the city and county. She has served as a leader in the Neighborhood Watch program since 2004 and currently is a member of the Anderson County Underage Drinking Task Force. She was chosen unanimously by the Oak Ridge City Council to serve a full term on the Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board after being appointed previously to fill a vacancy for (Councilman) Chuck Hope in 2011. She is a graduate of the Oak Ridge Citizen Police Academy and is a certified Property Maintenance and Housing Inspector, according to the press release.

Scott has also been known to work with the community construction efforts such as the “Save the Alexander Inn & Guest House” and the Cedar Hill Park rebuild project, and she gives of her time to support local veterans through volunteering at various events and activities. Scott is a first-time homeowner and taxpayer and continues to reside at the same address in Oak Ridge since 2002, and she is currently employed with Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge.