Engineering design contractor running for City Council

Gary Love, an engineering design contractor, is running for Oak Ridge City Council in the November 4 municipal election.

“I am a proud native of Oak Ridge—and I am ready to roll up my sleeves to work with the people to make this community an even better place to live in the 21st century,” Love said in a press release.

Love said he grew up in the Woodland Community and graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1974. After graduating from East Tennessee State University in 1979 with a degree in biology, he went to work for the city of Chattanooga.

Later, he extended his education with a two-year degree in computer engineering and joined the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga, where he spent 18 years as a power design engineer, the press release said.

“I’m glad to be back in Oak Ridge, where I live with my wife, Toni,” Love said. “We have three grown children, including my son, who now works with me at Tennessee Valley Authority, where I work as a contractor in engineering design. We also have a teenage granddaughter.”

Love said that serving his community has been a longtime passion.

“I have been particularly active in managing and growing programs to help advance our young people,” he said.

As a leader of Chattanooga’s Strong Kids Campaign, he helped grow the organization’s funding from $35,000 to $96,000 during his tenure, the press release said. Love has also served as Scout Master to local troops on adventures across the country, and he is a mentor with TnAchieves and at Oak Ridge High School.

“I have had the opportunity to see some amazing places around the world,” Love said. “I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in East Africa in 2011 and Mt. Rainer in Washington in May 2014. I also had the privilege to work with a medical mission team in Cambodia in January 2014.  Yet, no place on earth compares to the comfort of home, here in Oak Ridge. And as your City Council Member, I will work with you and on your behalf to make our city even better through a more energized community and economic development program.”

Love said he plans to pursue the following ideas:

• Better, more targeted recruitment of commercial and industrial jobs by offering sensible tax incentives. “Diversification of our economy would strengthen our bottom line and provide our children the ability to live and work in the community they grew up in.”
• Foster relationships with our school board to ensure teachers and administrators have the tools they need to help the next generation learn and prosper. “Our schools are excellent, and we must continue to ensure they have the resources they need.”
• Sustainable, 10-year growth plan to continue development of our waterfront—already the most beautiful of any city in East Tennessee, Love said. “We need to jumpstart this area for smart development that will continue to attract visitors and economic opportunities to our community.”
• More choices in data services.
• Continue and improve the excellent recycling program.

“Let’s get excited about our future, and together make our city the best that it can be,” Love said. “Let’s make sure the next generation will have as much pride in our city as we do today.”