• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News
  • Subscribe

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds




Letter: Chinn asks to be appointed mayor pro tem

Posted at 2:38 pm December 9, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

oak-ridge-city-council-rick-chinn-sept-14-2015

Rick Chinn (File photo by John Huotari/oak Ridge Today)

Editor’s note: Oak Ridge City Council member Rick Chinn has asked to be appointed mayor pro tem during a Monday, Dec. 12, meeting of the City Council. Here is a copy of a Dec. 7 letter he wrote to other city leaders.

City Manager Watson and Honorable Members of Oak Ridge City Council,

First, I would like to congratulate the new members elected to Council and express my enthusiasm in working with all the new and returning members of Council for the coming years. I feel we have a great group of members and know that if we work together we can accomplish some great things for the City of Oak Ridge. In my opinion, a key to making these great things happen is working together in electing and supporting Council leadership.

That said, I would like to officially announce my interest in becoming the new mayor pro tem.

Next, I would like to express my gratitude and support for Mayor Warren Gooch in his service as mayor for the past two years and his willingness to offer his service again. I feel he has done a fine job in bringing Council together to accomplish our common goals. I fully support him in his continued service in this role.

I believe the mayor and mayor pro tem positions are much more than cutting ribbons and running the monthly meetings.

The mayor, in my opinion, is the chief lobbyist of the city with the mayor pro tem assisting in a similar role. We are unique from most cities in the fact that our health as a city is tied closely to the choices that are made by both state and federal lawmakers. Maintaining that health depends on a mayor that has strong relationships with state and federal elected officials that will result in making meaningful accomplishments for our city.

In my many years of working behind the scenes in local politics, I have been able to build these strong relationships with our senators and congressmen. Likewise, I have worked over the years to build incredibly strong relationships with our two state senators (lieutenant governor) and our two state representatives, as well as the speaker of the House.

It is true that neither City Council nor mayor are partisan positions. I believe this is something that should never change The reality is that all of our state and federal legislative officials are currently members of the Republican Party. The years I have had working with the local GOP and helping to elect these officials gives me a unique ability to call on and compel them to work for what is best for Oak Ridge.

However, I feel my ability to collaborate with members of either party is a strength of mine as well. I also feel that I will be able to play well off the leadership that Mayor Gooch can provide from the Democratic side of the house.

I’m sure you will agree it is vitally important for Council to support whoever is elected to our two leadership positions. As Benjamin Franklin eloquently stated, “If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately.” The community needs to see that this Council can work together toward a common goal to help the city move in a positive direction.

Our community is at a crossroads. The decisions this Council makes in the coming session will shape our direction for a generation of current and future Oak Ridgers. I am committed to do all I can to move us in a positive direction and work toward attracting new families and additional diversified industries while continuing to help our existing businesses and residents.

I humbly ask for your support to the position of mayor pro tem.

R. G. “Rick” Chinn Jr.

Oak Ridge City Council

***

Note: The submitted letters and columns published in the Opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of Oak Ridge Today or its staff.

Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Filed Under: 2016 Election, Government, Letters, Oak Ridge, Opinion Tagged With: mayor pro tem, Oak Ridge City Council, Rick Chinn

Advertisements

 

Join the club!

If you appreciate our work, please consider subscribing. Besides helping us, your subscription will give you access to our premium content.

Most of our stories are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our members—advertisers, subscribers, and sponsors.

But some are premium content, available only to members. Those are in-depth, investigative, or exclusive stories that are available only on Oak Ridge Today. They generally require at least four hours to report, write, and publish.

You can subscribe for as little as $5 per month.

You can read more about your options here.

We currently offer five primary subscription options to readers, and they include benefits.

Basic

  • Basic monthly subscription ($5 per month)—access premium content
  • Basic annual subscription ($60 per year)—access premium content

Pro

  • Pro monthly subscription ($10 per month)—access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month
  • Pro annual subscription ($100 per year)—save $20 per year, access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month

Temporary

  • Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here.

We also accept donations. You can donate here.

If you prefer to send a check for a subscription or donation, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Thank you for your consideration and for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support.

Commenting Guidelines

We welcome comments, but we ask you to follow a few guidelines:

1) Please use your real name, including last name. Please also use a valid e-mail address.
2) Be civil. Don't insult others, attack their character, or get personal.
3) Stick to the issues.
4) No profanity.
5) Keep your comments to a reasonable length and to a reasonable number per article.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these guidelines. Comments held for review, usually from those posting for the first time, may not post if they violate these guidelines. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Thank you also for reading Oak Ridge Today and for participating in the discussion.

More information is available here.

More Government News

Update on downtown Oak Ridge Tuesday

A city official will give an update on the proposed development of downtown Oak Ridge during a lunchtime meeting Tuesday. The presentation will be led by Wayne Blasius, director of the Oak Ridge Planning and … [Read More...]

Clinch-River-Site-Bear-Creek-Road-Entrance-March-27-2016

TVA has virtual open house for Clinch River Nuclear Site

The Tennessee Valley Authority will have a virtual open house for the Clinch River Nuclear Site in west Oak Ridge this evening (Thursday, March 10). The open house follows the release of a draft environmental impact … [Read More...]

Oak Ridge names first honorary poet laureate

The City of Oak Ridge has named Erin Elizabeth Smith as its first honorary poet laureate. Smith will serve in this role for a two-year period, a press release said. "In this role, she will inspire and promote literacy … [Read More...]

Breakfast with Legislators on Feb. 28

The first Breakfast with the Legislators this year is scheduled for Monday morning, February 28. The breakfast will be virtual, and it scheduled from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. It has been organized by the League of Women … [Read More...]

Tax assistance center opens Feb. 8

The Oak Ridge Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Center will open on Tuesday. The VITA program is an Internal Revenue Service initiative to help taxpayers by providing trained volunteers to prepare and electronically … [Read More...]

More Government

More Opinion

Letter: Submarine Veterans base commander ‘very disappointed’ with festival this year

To the Editor: The Smoky Mountain Submarine Veterans, the Knoxville chapter of the United States Submarine Veterans, has had a booth and performed a Tolling of the Boats Ceremony at the Secret City Festival for the … [Read More...]

Five ways to foster resilience in young children

By Marjorie Alcorn: Home Visitor Healthy Families Tennessee/Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee East Region Resilience is defined as the ability to thrive, adapt and cope despite tough and stressful times. It’s a natural … [Read More...]

Letter: Oak Ridge Country Club responds to comments made at Council meeting

Editor's note: This is a letter sent to Oak Ridge City Council by the Oak Ridge Country Club in response to comments made during a City Council meeting in January, when Council considered whether to provide $120,000 for … [Read More...]

Opinion: How far can we move the needle?

By Ron Woody The buzz around the Roane County Courthouse and School Board has been what will our leaders do about the future of education in Roane County? The initial discussions were about consolidation of high … [Read More...]

Billy Paul Sams

Letter: Anderson County Bar Association wants to name law library after Billy Sams

Editor's note: The Anderson County Bar Association and legal community is proceeding with an effort to name the Anderson County Law Library after Billy Sams because "you never saw him without a book in his hands." Here … [Read More...]

More Opinion

Recent Posts

  • REAC/TS welcomes new team members: John Crapo, Josh Hayes and David Quillen
  • NASA Postdoctoral Program seeks early career and senior scientists for prestigious fellowships at its locations across the U.S.
  • ORAU names Brandon Criswell associate general counsel
  • Update on downtown Oak Ridge Tuesday
  • TVA has virtual open house for Clinch River Nuclear Site
  • Science and supercomputers at ORNL topic of Mar. 8 talk
  • First Presbyterian offers free meals & groceries on Mar. 10
  • Secret City Academy student charged with terrorism after alleged shooting, bomb threats
  • ORHS Masquers presents ‘Into the Woods’
  • Oak Ridge’s first girl Eagle Scout named a “Scout of the Year”

Search Oak Ridge Today

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2022 Oak Ridge Today