Oak Ridge Today

Early voting ends Saturday

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Time is running out to vote early in next Thursday’s countywide general election and state and federal primary elections. Early voting will continue today until 6 p.m. and will be open Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Polling locations are at the Clinton Community Center, the Midtown Community Center in Oak Ridge, and the North Anderson Government Office in the Anderson Crossing Shopping Center.

On Thursday, 681 people voted, bringing the 12-day total to an impressive 7,140 early voters.

Election Day is Thursday, August 7, and polls across Anderson County will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day. For more information, call the Anderson County Election Commission at (865) 457-6238 or visit the website at www.acelect.com.

TDEC orders Oliver Springs to fix treatment plant or face fine

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has ordered Oliver Springs to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant or face a hefty fine. The state gave the town until August 31, 2015, to correct the problems outlined in the order, including several violations in the past few years dealing with system overflows and E. coli contamination.

The plant discharged water into Poplar Creek.

If the problems are not corrected by the end of August 2015, the town could face a fine of up to $175,000.

The state also issued a moratorium on adding any new sewer customers. [Read more…]

OS Beer Board hands down penalties

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Information from WYSH Radio

The Oliver Springs City Council, acting as the city’s Beer Board, handed down penalties on Thursday to two businesses that sold beer to an underage person during a beer sales law compliance check.

Representatives of the Pizza Hut on South Tri-County Boulevard asked the Beer Board to revoke their beer license for six months rather than pay a $1,250 fine, and the Board obliged.

Lee’s Market on Tri-County Boulevard was fined $1,250 and had its beer license placed on probation for six months. It was the first offense for both businesses.

Oliver Springs Town Council appoints new member

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Information from Dudley Evans/BBB-TV

The Oliver Springs Town Council on Thursday night voted 5-0 to appoint Don Shillings to serve out the remaining two-plus years of former Alderman James Brummitt’s term.

Brummitt resigned two weeks ago from the alderman’s position, saying he wanted to devote more time to family and his other political seat as as Roane County commissioner, where he also serves as chairman. Shillings was one of two names brought before the Council during the meeting. He was present and, immediately after the vote, was sworn in and took his seat.

No stranger to politics, Shillings served two terms on the Oliver Springs Town Council in the past, one a four-year term and the other a two-year term. He thanked his fellow council members and the mayor for their support, and he said he looks forward to serving the citizens again in Ward 6.

So far, five candidates for juvenile judge, four for sheriff, three for chancellor

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Anderson County Courthouse

The Anderson County Courthouse on Main Street in Clinton is pictured above.

So far, there are five potential candidates for Anderson County Juvenile Court judge, four for sheriff, and three for chancellor.

An independent has picked up a petition to run for county mayor, possibly opposing Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, and Tennessee Rep. John Ragan has an opponent in the Aug. 7 Republican primary.

The five candidates for Anderson County Juvenile Court judge are Victoria “Vickie” Bannach, a Clinton Republican; Lauren Biloski, an Oak Ridge Republican; Victoria Bowling, a Heiskell Democrat; J. Michael Clement, a Clinton Democrat; and Brian J. Hunt, a Clinton Republican. They are candidates in the May 6 county primary.

The current juvenile court judge, Brandon Fisher, a Clinton Democrat, is running for Anderson County chancellor in that election. The other two chancellor candidates are Phil Harber, a Clinton Republican, and Robert Warren Wilkinson, an Oak Ridge Republican. [Read more…]

Brummitt resigns from Oliver Springs Council

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Information from WYSH Radio

During Thursday’s meeting of the Town Council, Oliver Springs Mayor Chris Hepler asked council members to accept a letter of resignation from Alderman James Brummitt, who has decided to resign his seat on the Council, effective immediately.

Brummitt, who also serves as chairman of the Roane County Commission, had served three terms on the Oliver Springs Town Council.

The mayor did not offer any specific reason for Brummitt’s decision to step down, but it’s been clear to many observers that he and new City Manager Tina Treece have differed on several policies and procedures since she replaced David Bolling. [Read more…]

Civic Center Recreation Building closed for maintenance Saturday to Wednesday

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Oak Ridge Civic Center Gymnasium

The Oak Ridge Civic Center Gymnasium is pictured above during a Christmas ceremony in December 2011.

The Oak Ridge Civic Center Recreation Building will be closed for floor and swimming pool maintenance from Saturday, Aug. 2, to Wednesday, Aug. 7.

The building and pool will reopen on Thursday, Aug. 8, but the gymnasium will not reopen until Monday, Aug. 12.

The Civic Center Recreation Building is at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

BBB: OS Budget Committee recommends water, sewer, tax rate increases

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Information from WYSH Radio

On Thursday, the Oliver Springs Budget Committee recommended a tax rate increase and across-the-board water and sewer rate increases as they prepare to adopt a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

BBB-TV reported that the committee recommended water and sewer rate increases for both residential and commercial customers as the city prepares to apply for a loan to make improvements to its aging wastewater plant. [Read more…]

Former Anderson commissioner, OS manager hired in Kingston

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Information from WYSH Radio

Former Anderson County Commissioner and Oliver Springs City Manager Dave Bolling has been hired as the new city manager in Kingston after spending the last year as the town administrator of Newcastle, Maine.

Bolling and one other finalist were interviewed on Friday, and following the interviews, the City Council voted unanimously to offer the job to Bolling. His first day on the job will be June 1, and he will earn an annual salary of $70,500 a year with a performance bonus possible after the first year and a $5,000 moving allowance. [Read more…]

No injuries, exposures in Oliver Springs sulfur dioxide leak

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Oliver Springs Sulfur Dioxide Leak

Howie Rose, director of the Roane County Office of Emergency Services, pictured at right front, briefs firefighters responding to a sulfur dioxide leak at the Oliver Springs Waste Water Treatment Plant on Joel Road on Wednesday morning. (Photos by Tom Scott)

No one was injured or exposed to sulfur dioxide in a leak at the Oliver Springs wastewater treatment plant on Wednesday, but a small group of nearby residents were asked to stay in their homes as a precaution, City Manager Tina Treece said.

The small leak from a system connected to a 150-pound cylinder of sulfur dioxide was discovered by workers who heard an alarm when they arrived at the plant on Joel Road at about 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Treece said there was no odor in the air and it turned out that the leak posed no danger, but officials wanted to make sure conditions were safe for residents and workers.

[Read more…]