Anderson County Commission Archives

(For members) Retiring Bull Run, Paradise could save millions, more than $1 billion in ‘lifetime costs’

Posted at 1:49 pm February 18, 2019
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The coal-burning Bull Run Fossil Plant in Claxton and Paradise Fossil Plant Unit 3 in Kentucky are not economical to operate, and retiring them will offer a savings of about $320 million and avoid more than $1 billion in capital costs, the Tennessee Valley Authority said Thursday.

The TVA Board of Directors voted 6-1 to close Paradise Unit 3 and unanimously agreed to close Bull Run during a meeting in Chattanooga on Thursday. Paradise could close by December 2020, and Bull Run is expected to close by December 2023.

The Bull Run and Paradise closures will be the first 1,700 megawatts of coal plant retirements of the 2,600 megawatts that could be retired through 2033 under a 2015 integrated resource plan, TVA President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Johnson told the board.

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AC Commission meets Tuesday

Posted at 11:31 am January 22, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Information from WSYH Radio

The Anderson County Commission will meet Tuesday evening at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton. Typically held on the third Monday of every month, this month’s meeting was moved back one day because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Among the items on the agenda include possible discussion of the need for a new roof at the county-owned building in Oak Ridge that houses Anderson County General Sessions Court Division II after rain water infiltrated the building and damaged records and equipment.

Other items of discussion will also focus on working with the City of Oak Ridge and Roane County on developing a strategy to move forward with a proposed hazardous material disposal site on the Oak Ridge Reservation. [Read more…]

Reminder: AC Commission has workshop on proposed DOE waste facility

Posted at 11:07 am January 7, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Anderson County Commission will hold a workshop today (Monday, January 7), starting at 6 p.m., to discuss the U.S. Department of Energy’s proposed construction and operation of a new hazardous waste disposal facility on the federal reservation in Oak Ridge.

The purpose of the meeting is to allow commissioners, officials, and residents to provide comments before the deadline for public comment on Wednesday January 9, on the proposed Environmental Management Disposal Facility (EMDF). The deadline was pushed back to this month after officials requested more time to look over the information.

David Adler, director of the Quality and Mission Support Division for the DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management, will attend Monday’s meeting, according to WYSH Radio in Clinton. [Read more…]

Public notice: Workshop to discuss 205 Main Street, AC senior program

Posted at 12:25 pm September 27, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Anderson County commissioners have been notified that there will be a workshop next week to discuss the 205 Main Street building in Clinton, which had been expected to be used for the Anderson County Senior Center, and to discuss the development of, and ideas about, the county’s senior program.

The workshop has been scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday, October 1, at the current Senior Center location on Edgewood Lane in Clinton.

WYSH: Wandell elected Commission chair, Creasey vice chair

Posted at 9:31 am September 7, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Anderson County Commissioners are pictured above after being sworn in at the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018. At center front (third from left) is Tracy Wandell, who was elected chair by the other commissioners, and at right front is Jerry Creasey, who was elected vice chair. (Photo courtesy Shannon Wandell)

Information from WYSH Radio

Newly elected and re-elected Anderson County commissioners were sworn in Tuesday morning at the Courthouse in Clinton.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, commissioners held a brief meeting during which they elected Tracy Wandell to serve as the next chair of the Commission, succeeding Tim Isbel.

Longtime Commissioner Jerry Creasey was elected vice chair. [Read more…]

Anderson: Barker elected sheriff; incumbents win in Oak Ridge

Posted at 9:40 pm August 2, 2018
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Russell Barker

Note: This story was last updated at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 3.

Russell Barker, a Republican, won the race for Anderson County sheriff on Thursday, beating Mark Lucas, a Democrat, in a race decided by about 2,000 votes, according to unofficial results.

Meanwhile, four incumbents were re-elected in two Anderson County Commission districts where there was a challenger in Oak Ridge.

Barker is a detective sergeant with the Clinton Police Department who has served as director of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force in Anderson County. Lucas is chief deputy of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

Barker had 7,684 votes (57.79 percent), compared to 5,613 votes (42.21 percent) for Lucas, according to the unofficial results posted after all 27 precincts had been counted Thursday night.

Anderson County Sheriff Paul White is retiring at the end of his third four-year term, and he did not seek re-election.

In another contested race, Regina Copeland, the Republican director of the 911 center, defeated Ebony Capshaw, a Democrat, by a 69.74 percent to 30.26 percent margin (8,981 votes to 3,987). The last elected trustee, Rodney Archer, is now executive director of the County Officials Association of Tennessee, and Myron Iwanski, a former county commissioner and commission chair appointed to the trustee job through this August election, did not seek the job in the election. [Read more…]

Barker leads in early, absentee voting for sheriff

Posted at 8:35 pm August 2, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Russell Barker

Note: This story was last updated at 8:50 p.m.

Russell Barker, who has served as director of the Seventh Judicial District Crime Task Force in Anderson County, leads in early and absentee voting for Anderson County sheriff, with a roughly 56-44 percent margin over Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas, according to unofficial results released Thursday evening after polls closed and before any precincts had been counted.

Barker, a Republican, had 4,182 early and absentee votes (55.72 percent), compared to 3,323 (44.28 percent) for Lucas, a Democrat.

It’s not clear if Barker’s lead will hold after all 27 precincts in Anderson County are counted. Early voting leads often or usually predict the eventual winner, but in prior elections, the lead has sometimes narrowed or even reversed. [Read more…]

Voter’s guide: Notes from a candidate forum

Posted at 9:30 am August 2, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Note: This story was last updated at 10:35 a.m.

Today, August 2, is Election Day in Anderson County. The election includes the Anderson County general election and state and federal primary elections.

It’s the second of three elections this year. The first was the county primary election on May 1, and the last is the municipal election and state and federal elections on November 6.

Here are notes about Anderson County candidates in today’s county general election from a forum at Oak Ridge High School in July. The county general election includes selections for mayor, sheriff, county commission, trustee, circuit court clerk, county clerk, register of deeds, road superintendent, and school board, among other positions. Some of the candidates have no opposition.

Anderson County Sheriff [Read more…]

Creasey seeks re-election to Anderson County Commission, District 7

Posted at 10:06 pm August 1, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Jerry Creasey (Submitted photo)

Oak Ridge resident Jerry Creasey is seeking re-election to the Seventh District seat on the Anderson County Commission in the county general election on Thursday, August 2.

Creasey grew up in High Point, North Carolina, where he attended High Point College and graduated from Guildford Technical Institute in Electronics Technology following his four years of service with the United States Air Force as a B-47 Radar and Weapons In-flight Trouble Shooter, a press release said. Coming to Oak Ridge in 1968 to work at the Y-12 plant, Creasey retired as radio systems manager after 27 years of service. He has since been involved with his wife’s small telecommunications business.

Creasey has served as chairman of the Anderson County Commission, as well as chairman of the Legislative, ADA Oversight, Computer, Legislative, and the Veterans Committees. He is presently serving on the ADA Oversight, Broadband, and Budget committees. [Read more…]

Bouchard seeks election to Anderson County Commission District 7

Posted at 9:46 pm August 1, 2018
By Jimmy Bouchard Leave a Comment

Submitted photo

Jimmy Bouchard is seeking election to the Anderson County Commission to represent District 7, which covers the Glenwood, Pine Valley, and Highland View precincts, a press release said.

In a press release, Bouchard said he is a local small business owner of In & Out Maintenance, a renovation and construction company.

“I am a longtime member of the community where my wife and I are happy to be raising a family,” Bouchard said. “I am married to my best friend, Kelsie, and have two boys Kolton, age six and a rising first-grader at Glenwood Elementary, and Kaison who will be turning two in August. We are also very excited and happy to be welcoming our third boy later this fall. I am an extremely hard-working father and take pride in all my efforts, and I want to work hard for all the families in District 7.” [Read more…]

Catherine Denenberg receives endorsement from Tom Beehan, Kay Brookshire

Posted at 4:44 pm August 1, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Pictured above from left are Kay Brookshire, Catherine Denenberg, and Tom Beehan. (Submitted photo)

Former Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan and his wife, Kay Brookshire, are supporting Anderson County Commissioner Catherine Denenberg in her race to return to her commission seat representing District 6 in Oak Ridge, a press release said. Election day is Thursday, August 2.

“We support Catherine Denenberg because we believe it’s important to have an independent voice representing Oak Ridge on Anderson County Commission,” Beehan said. “She’s a great problem solver, a good listener, and as a County Commissioner, she works well with other commissioners and with those in Oak Ridge city government.”

Denenberg has represented District 6 since Commissioner Harry “Whitey” Hitchcock stepped down from the position early this year. Hitchcock asked her to seek his commission seat, and Denenberg said she was humbled and honored to do so. County Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint her to the seat, the press release said. [Read more…]

Anderson County has public workshop on Senior Center on Aug. 7

Posted at 10:55 am July 21, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

There will be a special public workshop about the Anderson County Senior Center building at 205 Main Street on Tuesday, August 7.

The workshop will start at 4 p.m. August 7 in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

“The purpose of the workshop is to discuss the Senior Center building at 205 Main Street,” a notice said. [Read more…]