BBB-TV, Channel 12 in Oak Ridge, has posted video from the candidate forum for Anderson County Charter Commission candidates in districts six through eight. Those three districts are primarily in Oak Ridge.
The candidate forum was September 20 at the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce.
See the forum in the video below. [Read more…]
A Thursday forum will feature candidates for Charter Commission in five districts in Anderson County.
The forum starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, October 20, in the “Big Room” at Clinton Community Center, which is at 101 Hicks Street in Clinton, a press release said. The forum is hosted by AndersonCharter.com.
There are 19 people running for eight seats on the Anderson County Charter Commission. Only one person from each County Commission district will be elected to the Charter Commission.
Organizers of the charter effort hope to give residents the ability to have more input and involvement in their local government, the press release said. [Read more…]
Pictured above from left to right are Jim Dodson, Joe Lee, and Hans Vogel.
The Progress PAC political action committee has endorsed Jim Dodson, Joe Lee, and Hans Vogel for Oak Ridge City Council in the November 8 election.
The endorsements were announced Wednesday.
“From a crowded field of seven outstanding city council candidates, these three most clearly met the committee’s criteria, which includes support of the mission, vision, and legislative priorities of the Oak Ridge Chamber and a willingness to work closely with the Oak Ridge Board of Education,” Progress PAC Chairman Stephen Whitson said in a press release. [Read more…]
Steve Mead
Steve Mead, an Anderson County commissioner representing an Oak Ridge district, is running for one of eight seats on the Anderson County Charter Commission in the November 8 election.
Mead has expressed some concerns about term limits, at least as proposed in Anderson County this campaign season. Term limits have become one of the defining issues of the Charter Commission campaign, although nothing official will be proposed, debated, or approved until after the eight-member commission is elected next month.
In a press release, Mead said eight candidates have made term limits the primary focus of their campaign. He said those eight candidates were recruited by Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and her supporters, although at least two candidates—Jim Cooper and Kathy Moore—have denied that in statements to Oak Ridge Today.
Mead said he supports term limits for career politicians that make a living from their elected offices. That’s similar to the position taken by other nation-wide organizations like U.S. Term Limits Inc., Mead said in the press release. [Read more…]
Angi Agle
Angi Agle is running for re-election to the Oak Ridge Board of Education in the November 8 election. Early voting starts Wednesday, October 19.
Now completing her third term, Agle serves as the Board’s representative on the Tennessee Legislative Network, which helps to keep all Board members informed about proposed and new legislation affecting schools from the state level, a press release said. Agle has earned the Level IV Board Member designation from TSBA through continuing education through the Tennessee School Boards Association—in addition to civic and legislative advocacy.
“Oak Ridge Schools are now gaining traction toward some long-time goals, and I believe it is important to see these through,” Agle said in the press release. “The Seven Keys to College and Career Readiness, the five-year plan devised by the community-based 2020 Planning Committee, and the Access Oak Ridge initiative give us concrete goals, direction, and tools to ensure that our students—all of our students—succeed.” [Read more…]
Howard Farmer
Howard Farmer, a longtime educator and farmer, is seeking one of eight seats on the Anderson County Charter Commission. It’s Farmer’s first run for public office, a press release said.
Farmer wants to represent District 5, which includes the Dutch Valley, Clinton High School, Marlow, and Norwood precincts.
“I’ve voted my entire adult life, but this is the first time I’ve stepped forward to run for an office,” Farmer said. “I’m running because it is so important that we exact term limits. We have a lot of great people in Anderson County, but we’re not tapping into their talent and potential because of career politicians. We need term limits so we can benefit from new and fresh ideas.” [Read more…]
Kathy Moore
Longtime Oak Ridger Kathy Moore has announced that she is running for one of eight seats on the Anderson County Charter Commission, a press release said.
Moore supports term limits. The press release said term limits would give more people an opportunity to participate in local government as candidates and as board members.
Moore said she wants to use her experiences to serve as the representative from the Eighth District. That district includes the Emory Valley, Hendrix Creek, and Woodland voting precincts.
“As a lifelong Oak Ridger with experience in both city and county government, I believe I can provide knowledgeable input into the charter process,” Moore said. “A charter has worked well for the City of Oak Ridge, ensuring that citizens are an active part of our government. I want the same for Anderson County in order to move us forward.” [Read more…]
The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge has canceled the candidate forum that had been scheduled for Tuesday, October 18. The forum was for Tennessee legislative and Third District congressional candidates.
The League of Women Voters said it announced the cancellation “with extreme regret.”
Several of the candidates were unable to attend due to prior commitments or other issues, a press release said. [Read more…]
The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Advocacy Committee is hosting its final forum of the 2016 election season. The forum for candidates running for Oak Ridge City Council will be held at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 18, in the Joyce Conference Room at the Chamber, which is at 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
The forum is free, and the public is encouraged to attend. All candidates for City Council—Jim Dodson, Wende Doolittle, Anne Garcia Garland, Chuck Hope, Joe Lee, Mark LeNoir, and Hans Vogel—have indicated their intention to participate in the forum, a press release said. [Read more…]
Joe Jarret
Joe Jarret, an attorney who has served two different charter county governments as law director-chief legal counsel, will speak next week at the Anderson County Democratic Women’s Club. The meeting, which includes a pot luck dinner, will start at 6 p.m. Monday, October 24, in the Club Room of the Clinton Community Center, which is at 101 South Hicks Street in Clinton.
Jarret will discuss the mechanics and practical effects of a charter form of government. He has served three different government entities as chief legal counsel, the most recent being Knox County. During his service there, he provided legal advice to the 27-member Charter Review Commission during months of public hearings.
A federal and state mediator, the attorney has practiced law for more than 24 years. He is chair of the Tennessee Bar Association City/County/Local Government Law Section, and past president of the East Tennessee Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration and the Tennessee Valley Mediation Association. [Read more…]
Keys Fillauer
The Progress PAC political action committee has endorsed the two incumbents running for Oak Ridge Board of Education: Angi Agle and Keys Fillauer.
“PAC board members feel these candidates best support the business community’s commitment toward exceptional schools and have expressed a willingness to partner with the Oak Ridge City Council on educational issues,” a press release said.
The Progress PAC endorsements for Oak Ridge City Council candidates will be announced later, said PAC Chairman Steve Whitson, an Oak Ridge resident.
“There are 10 candidates running for seven combined City Council and School Board seats, so decisions to endorse candidates are not made without lots of thought and discussion,” Whitson said in the press release. [Read more…]
You can meet candidates for the Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Board of Education, and Oak Ridge candidates for Anderson County Charter Commission at the Oak Ridge Civic Center on Thursday.
You talk directly to the candidates at the meeting, which is scheduled from 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, October 13, in the Oak Ridge Civic Center gym.
It’s a free community event hosted by DFET (Democracy for East Tennessee), a community organization that hosts this nonpartisan event every two years, a press release said. [Read more…]
