Oak Ridge Today

Survey: Do you support or oppose term limits, a smaller county commission, electing law director?

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Note: This story was updated at 3:55 p.m.

Among the issues in the campaign for Anderson County Charter Commission are whether term limits should be implemented for Anderson County commissioners and the Anderson County mayor, whether the County Commission should be reduced in size, and whether the law director should be elected.

We are curious what Oak Ridge Today readers think so we set up some poll questions to ask you. They are below.

Nothing can officially be proposed, debated, or recommended to voters in the November 2018 election until after the Charter Commission is elected this November 8.

There have been proposals this campaign season to enact a two-term limit for commissioners and the mayor and reduce the County Commission from its current 16 to a minimum of nine. There have been other proposals as well, including making the mayor’s position part-time, making the law director’s position part-time, and appointing a mayor rather than electing the mayor. [Read more…]

Some periodic park, greenway closures for fall deer hunts

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Haw Ridge Park Parking Lot

Part of the Melton Lake Greenway is pictured above at the Haw Ridge Park parking lot.

 

Haw Ridge Park, North Boundary Greenway, and Gallaher Bend Greenway will be closed periodically for Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area managed quota hunts this fall, a press release said.

The closure on Haw Ridge includes the portion of Melton Lake Greenway adjacent to the park, from the lake to the parking lot on Edgemoor Road, the press release said.

The hunts, which are open only to those pre-selected in a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) quota drawing, will take place on the following dates: [Read more…]

Speed limit to be reduced, part of greenway closed as construction starts on eighth rowing lane

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SIRA-Regatta-April-17-2016-6

Officials and referees used Oak Ridge Rowing Association boats to monitor the races on the seven-lane course at the 2016 SIRA Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The speed limit on a section of Melton Lake Drive will be temporarily reduced for at least three months starting Monday while the eighth rowing lane is built, and part of the Melton Lake Greenway will be closed as necessary, city officials said.

The speed limit will be reduced from 45 miles per hour to 25 mph along Melton Lake Drive between Amanda Drive and Palisades Parkway, a City of Oak Ridge press release said. The change will remain in place for a minimum of three months beginning Monday, October 31. Signs will be installed to warn drivers of the reduced speed limit.

The project will also require about 500 feet of greenway to be removed and replaced at the end of construction, the press release said. As a result, a section of Melton Lake Greenway between Amanda Drive and Palisades Parkway will be temporarily closed.

Due to site preparation work, the greenway will close Friday, October 28, but will reopen for the weekend. The closure will be put back in place for the duration of the project on Monday, October 31, the press release said. [Read more…]

Term limits: Who could no longer serve if two-term limit was in place now?

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Jerry Creasey

Jerry Creasey, an Anderson County commissioner from Oak Ridge, could no longer serve if a two-term limit were in place now. Now in his seventh term, Creasey is the longest-serving commissioner. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 6:15 p.m.

If the proposed two-term limit was in place now, Jerry Creasey, the longest-serving Anderson County commissioner, could no longer serve.

Neither could Mark Alderson, who is in his fifth term; Chuck Fritts or Jerry White (both are in their fourth terms); or Whitey Hitchcock, Robert McKamey, or Tracy Wandell (all three are in their third terms).

Creasey is in his seventh term, according to information from the Anderson County Election Commission.

It’s not clear if Myron Iwanski would be term-limited at this point. Iwanski is in his sixth term, but those terms were interrupted by his service as interim Anderson County mayor from January 2011 to August 2012—after former mayor Rex Lynch resigned and before current mayor Terry Frank was elected. Whether Iwanski would be term-limited would depend upon whether term limits, assuming a two-term limit was enacted, were consecutive or lifetime limits.

Assuming Iwanski was term-limited, though, that would mean that eight of the 16 commissioners, or half of them, would be past their second term and not able to serve if a two-term limit were in place.

No term limits are in place now, and they can’t officially be proposed, debated, or recommended to voters until after the eight-member Anderson County Charter Commission is elected November 8. Whether they are even considered is likely to depend upon which candidates are elected. The Charter Commission is not obligated to consider term limits, but it will have the authority to do so. (See a story on the Charter Commission process here.) [Read more…]

Friends of Oak Ridge Library have Fall Book Sale this week

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Friends of the Oak Ridge Library, or FOL, will have its Fall 2016 Book Sale October 27 through 30 in the Oak Ridge Public Library Auditorium.

The sale will include fiction and nonfiction books, magazines, audiovisual materials, and other publications covering almost every subject, a press release said. Most titles are 50 cents or $1 each.

Titles withdrawn from the Library are half price Thursday through Saturday. Although most sale items are books, there are always a few non-book items.

Thursday evening from 5 to 7:30 p.m. is a preview sale for members, the press release said. Memberships will be available at the door ($5 per person and $10 per family). Scanning devices cannot be used during the preview sale on Thursday. The Silent Auction begins on Thursday evening and ends at 5 p.m. on Saturday. [Read more…]

Charter Commission candidates debate term limits, reducing County Commission, electing law director

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anderson-county-oak-ridge-charter-commission-candidates-collage

Seven candidates for Anderson County Charter Commission sparred over term limits, cutting the Anderson County Commission almost in half, and electing the law director during a public forum in Oak Ridge in October. The candidates, all from three Oak Ridge districts, are pictured above. They are, from top left, top row, Marjorie Mott Lloyd, Steve Mead, Kathy Moore, Theresa Scott, and from bottom left, bottom row, Bob Smallridge, David Stanley, and Hugh Ward. (Photos by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Candidates for Anderson County Charter Commission sparred over term limits, cutting the Anderson County Commission almost in half, and electing the law director during a public forum this month.

There was also a heated exchange over whether two candidates—both county commissioners, including one in her first term and another halfway through his second—are permanent officeholders.

The seven candidates are running for three seats on the eight-member Anderson County Charter Commission in the November 8 election.

The debate over term limits has focused on whether the limits are necessary, whether they would encourage more young people to run for office, and whether Anderson County voters already have the right to impose term limits through elections, among other arguments for and against.

As proposed during the campaign, there could be a two-term limit on county commissioners and the county mayor. However, nothing will be official until the Charter Commission is elected next month, and the Charter Commission is not obligated to consider the proposal. Whether the commission even considers term limits could depend upon which candidates are elected. Any changes proposed by the Charter Commission will be considered by voters in November 2018. If approved, they would go into effect in September 2019. [Read more…]

Charter Commission a ‘big deal’ for Anderson County, attorney says

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Joe Jarret

Joe Jarret (Submitted photo)

 

The Charter Commission being elected on November 8 is a “big deal” for Anderson County, an attorney said this month.

“If you live here, you’re going to be affected by it,” said Joe Jarret. He is an attorney who has served two different charter county governments as law director-chief legal counsel, a University of Tennessee lecturer, and former chief legal counsel to the Knox County Charter Review Commission.

Jarret said there are three types of county government in Tennessee: [Read more…]

Party In The Park on Saturday will feature free family fun

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Party in the Park on Saturday will feature family-friendly activities for children and adults, crime prevention presentations and information, free food, and more.

It’s free and presented by the Oak Ridge Police Department and Oak Ridge Neighborhood Watch Program.

Party in the Park is scheduled from 12 to 5 p.m. Saturday, October 29, from 12 to 5 p.m. at Alvin K. Bissell Park near the Oak Ridge Civic Center.

Party in the Park is designed to heighten awareness of crime and drug prevention, to generate support for local anti-crime programs, and to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, a press release said. [Read more…]

Gem Show at Karen’s Jewelers this week to feature 60,000 rough, cut gemstones

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miner-with-gary-bowersox

Gary Bowersox, right, joins a miner at a Colombia emerald mine after lecturing at the First International Emerald Symposium there. (Submitted photo)

 

Explorer and gem hunter Gary Bowersox will bring a Smithsonian-style gem show to Karen’s Jewelers this week that will feature more than 60,000 rough and cut gemstones and jewelry. The show will feature many new cut gems, including finished jewelry pieces of Afghanistan emerald, Tajikistan ruby, and Vietnam aquamarine.

The gem show, “Magnificent Gemstones of the World,” will be presented from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, October 27 and 28, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, October 29, at Karen’s Jewelers, which is at 1120 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The Lady of the Nile aquamarine, a designer piece valued at $86,000, will be among one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry at the show, which will include gems valued from $5 to $100,000. Bowersox purchased the rough aquamarine at Thuong Xuan, Vietnam, then took it to fourth-generation carver Uli Pauly in Germany for carving in the Egyptian theme. Jewelry designer Gregg Crawford finished the piece, which is set in an 18-carat gold Egyptian motif with 12 platinum prongs surrounded by three Afghanistan emeralds and 1.14 carats of fine diamonds.

Besides emerald, ruby, and aquamarine, the exhibit includes garnet, tourmaline, lapis lazuli, amethyst, topaz, sapphire, and kunzite. The exhibit features gems often seen only in museums. [Read more…]

Hope responds to PAC endorsements

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Chuck Hope

Chuck Hope

Oak Ridge City Council member Chuck Hope, the one incumbent running for re-election in the November 8 election, has responded to the endorsements by the Progress PAC political action committee.

The Progress PAC endorsed Jim Dodson, Joe Lee, and Hans Vogel, who are all making their first runs for seats on the seven-member City Council. The endorsements were announced last week.

Hope was not endorsed. You can see his response here.

The PAC was established two years ago by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors, and it operates autonomously from the Chamber’s Board.

All six of the candidates endorsed by the Progress PAC two years ago were elected, although one candidate who wasn’t endorsed, Rick Chinn, was also elected. [Read more…]

Children’s mental health advocate to discuss AWARE program in AC Schools on Monday

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Kim Guinn

Kim Guinn

Kim Guinn, an advocate for children’s mental health, will discuss the Advancing Wellness and Resilience in Education, or AWARE, program in Anderson County Schools during a meeting on Monday.

Guinn is director of the Project AWARE initiative for Anderson County Schools.

The Monday program is at 11:30 a.m. October 24 in Room 102 of the Activities Building of First Presbyterian Church. It’s presented by the AAUW, Oak Ridge Branch.

The AWARE program is supported by a federal five-year-grant to help students with mental health or substance abuse issues, a press release said. In this program, teachers and other adults who interact with young people are taught “mental health first aid.” [Read more…]

Wildcats football starts at 7 p.m. at Webb

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The Oak Ridge Wildcats football game at Webb starts at 7 p.m. today (Friday, October 21), rather than at the normal 7:30 p.m.

It’s a non-region game. The Webb Spartans are 6-1 overall and 3-0 in Division II, Class A, East and Middle Region.

The new start time was announced by Webb School of Knoxville earlier this week. [Read more…]