Jane Miller
She’s been on the Oak Ridge City Council for more than a decade, and on Sunday, Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller said she will not seek re-election in November.
Miller was appointed to City Council in October 2003. She successfully ran for the office in a special election in August 2004 and was re-elected in 2005 and 2009.
Miller was elected by the City Council to first serve as mayor pro tem in July 2007, presiding over meetings when the mayor is absent, and she has continued since, having been re-elected by Council in 2009, 2011, and 2013.
“It has been a great honor and privilege to work with and for the citizens of Oak Ridge as a member of City Council and mayor pro tem,” Miller said in a press release. “I have been humbled to represent you as a common sense, pro-business leader and to work for responsible solutions to improve our city and pursue a better, brighter future for our citizens. This is a bittersweet decision, but after much discussion with my family over the last few weeks, it is time for me to pass this responsibility to others.”
Eleven years is enough, Miller said.
“As there are four or five very qualified new candidates stepping up to run in the November election, the voters will have an opportunity to change the dynamics of the Council,” she said. “I would like to thank everyone for the honor and the trust that you have placed in me. While I will no longer be on City Council, I will remain a proud cheerleader and champion for this awesome city that I love.”
As of Friday, those who had qualified to run for Oak Ridge City Council in the November 4 election were:
- Kelly Callison,
- R.G. “Rick” Chinn Jr.,
- Warren L. Gooch,
- Gary L. Love,
- David N. Mosby,
- Aditya “Doc” Savara, and
- Ellen D. Smith.
Miller was among those who had picked up nominating petitions to run for City Council but hadn’t yet qualified. The others were Tom Beehan, Anne Garcia Garland, and Eric Tobler.
Besides Miller, those currently serving on Council are Beehan, who is also mayor, and Garcia Garland and Mosby. Smith is a former Council member.
Thursday is the deadline to qualify as a candidate in the November election.
Raymond Charles Kircher says
You have been a council member longer than I have lived here in Oak Ridge. Your wonderful comments about the City of Oak Ridge is one reason my family and I have moved here. Thank you for your service, and those fabulous Forget-Me-Nots. There is a seat waiting on the front porch for you.
Levi D. Smith says
I hope this November the citizens of Oak Ridge vote for the city council candidate who represents our values, and not the one who runs the most media ads or promises the most “goodies”.
Ellen Smith says
Best wishes to Jane on this second retirement (I know that you retired from your day job a while back) — and congratulations to Jane’s family, who will enjoy more of her time and personal attention.
Thanks for all your efforts on behalf of Oak Ridge — please do stay engaged as an effective cheerleader and champion for this city!
Joseph Lee says
Thank you Jane.
The class of 1970 rocks!
All the best to you and yours.
Stan R. Mitchell says
Jane,
Thank you for all your years of service. I know being on City Council is a pretty thankless job, but it’s an important and necessary one. Here’s to hoping that whatever you get engaged in next doesn’t result in 5-hour meetings that don’t end until midnight!
Sincerely yours,
Stan