Letter: Chinn a hard worker with proven track record of dedication

To the Editor:

Our city deserves a lot more attention from you and me than it usually gets. The mayor and City Council have substantial influence on our everyday lives, more than you would thank. The political decisions they make effect our neighborhoods and our private homes. Oak Ridge government has a responsibility to provide public safety and essential infrastructure along with fire, police protection along with many core services.

Now you might ask who’s best qualified to lead our city, a businessman or a politician. Norma Damashek wrote: “At its best, local government provides a stable, lawful, structured environment for the business sector. Commerce can thrive where government provides good infrastructure, education, health, transportation, and stability.

“And at its best, business provides the public sector with strong economic engines and technologic advances. Local governments can thrive when economic opportunities, options, and benefits are enhanced for city residents and workers.

“It’s called symbiosis—Wholesome cooperation between government and business. It’s not only desirable, it’s necessary since neither one does well in the absence of the other.”

Our local bank (business) hires people from our community, loans money for homes and cars, boats, and business. Our local bank helps our community is so many other ways also like the Boys and Girls Club, etc. The bank pays property and payroll taxes, and the employees spend money in our city. Just suppose the manager of a local bank decided to run for City Council; would we say no, not a good idea, because if he brought business and people into our community they might use this bank? Would we say, you can help us prosper in Oak Ridge; however you can’t benefit from positive growth? Of course not; that would be ludicrous.

We have homes sitting vacant on every street. We have empty buildings and warehouses everywhere you turn. We have land on the Roane County sector of Oak Ridge vacant. We have Clark Park that we all have used for many decades that needs funding if we are going to take it over. We need businesses paying taxes and providing good paying jobs for our residents.

I support Rick Chinn Jr. for the Oak Ridge City Council. Rick is a hard worker with a proven track record of dedication to our city. While others have given up and left Oak Ridge, he has remained and invested his time, energy, and vision. What we need here is someone like Mr. Chinn who has a vested interest and will work tirelessly to promote growth in our community. I ask for your support to elect Rick Chinn Jr. for City Council.

Michael Marsh

Oak Ridge