Oak Ridge Today

Nineteen candidates for Oak Ridge City Council, School Board

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Vote Logo

Note: This story was last updated at 2 p.m.

Ten candidates have qualified to run for Oak Ridge City Council in the November 4 municipal election, and there are nine candidates for Oak Ridge Board of Education—a total of 19 candidates.

It’s the largest field of candidates in recent memory, and it’s not immediately clear when, or if, there has been a field as large.

The deadline to qualify as a candidate in this fall’s municipal elections in Anderson County was noon Thursday.

There is a mix of incumbents and newcomers in Oak Ridge, Clinton, Rocky Top (Lake City), Norris, and Oliver Springs.

Oak Ridge

In Oak Ridge, two incumbents, including Mayor Tom Beehan and Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller, are not seeking re-election. Meanwhile, the other two incumbents whose terms expire this November, Anne Garcia Garland and David Mosby, are running for another four-year term.

In addition to Garcia Garland and Mosby, the other Oak Ridge City Council candidates are:

  • Kelly Callison,
  • R.G. “Rick” Chinn,
  • Warren L. Gooch,
  • Gary L. Love,
  • Pedro J. Otaduy,
  • Aditya “Doc” Savara,
  • Ellen D. Smith, and
  • Eric Tobler.

[Read more…]

Thursday deadline to qualify for municipal elections across Anderson County

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Vote Logo

Thursday is the deadline to qualify for municipal elections across Anderson County, and so far, there appears to be a mix of incumbents and newcomers in Oak Ridge, Clinton, Rocky Top (Lake City), Norris, and Oliver Springs.

Eleven people, including the four incumbents, have expressed an interest in running for four seats on Oak Ridge City Council in November, and seven candidates have qualified so far.

Meanwhile, three people, including one incumbent, have qualified to run for three seats on the Oak Ridge Board of Education. A total of nine potential candidates, including the three who have qualified, have picked up petitions to run for Oak Ridge school board.

The November 4 election is the last in a series of three elections this year. The deadline to qualify is noon Thursday, August 21. A candidate needs 25 verified signatures on a nomination petition to qualify.

Those who have qualified to run for Oak Ridge City Council are: [Read more…]

AC Water Authority completes Lake City project; Park Road extension almost done

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Lake City Water Authority

Officials with the Anderson County Water Authority, Lake City, and Anderson County governments gather at the new waterline extension valve control station in Lake City. (Photo courtesy of Anderson County government)

CLINTON—The Anderson County Water Authority has completed a water line extension project near the Lake City Industrial Park and is nearing completion of the five-mile water line extension on Park Road in Andersonville, a press release said.

Representatives of the Water Authority and government officials from both Anderson County and Lake City recently gathered to celebrate the completion of the water line extension. The water line extension and control valve station in front of the nursing home was part of the effort to provide increased water pressure to that area.

The Lake City project included installing between 700 feet and 1,000 feet of new six-inch water pipe off an existing eight-inch line and the valve control station, according to Jack Shelton, ACWA board member.

“It’s an exciting time for Lake City as we are striving to improve our water distribution system for our town,” said Andrew Howard, a Lake City Council member. “Lake City is very proud of our Water and Sewer Department as well as Anderson County Water Authority. Our own Water and Sewer Superintendent, Travis Thrasher, worked closely with ACWA to strive to provide efficient services to our community. We are thankful to be a part of community utilities that are able to work together closely.” [Read more…]

Oliver Springs liquor vote, Norris Council race remain close

Posted at
By 1 Comment

Unofficial results from Tuesday’s election remained close on an Oliver Springs liquor referendum and the race for a fifth seat on the Norris City Council, and it wasn’t clear how provisional ballots could change the final vote tallies.

Oliver Springs voters appeared to have rejected the liquor referendum, with 486 voting yes and 519 voting “no” in Anderson and Roane counties. The referendum would allow package stores to sell alcoholic beverages.

But there are about 50 provisional ballots in Anderson County and an unknown number in Roane County, election officials said Wednesday. It wasn’t clear how many of those were from Oliver Springs, or how the ballots and a post-election audit might affect the final vote when results are certified Nov. 19.

Results in the race for four of the five seats on Norris City Council seemed clear. Chris Mitchell, Bill Grieve Jr., Loretta A. Painter, and Jack Black all received more than 500 votes, according to the unofficial results.

But the write-in race between four candidates competing for a fifth seat was close. York Haverkamp had 166 write-in votes and Eugene F. Oates had 154.

Anderson County Election Commission Administrator Mark Stephens said the write-in ballots will have to be checked vote by vote.

“We have really never had to do this in the past,” he said.

In other races in Anderson County, Steven R. Emert received the most votes in the special election to represent District 3 on Anderson County Commission. That district includes Andersonville, Fairview, Norris, and Glen Alpine. Former commissioner Johnny Alley resigned from the seat after he was elected Anderson County property assessor in the Aug. 2 election.

Also Tuesday, Shain Vowell and Andrew Howard won two seats on Lake City City Council, Vowell with 231 votes and Howard with 191.

Most of the other results mirrored results in larger regions, with the exception of the presidential race. Republican Bob Corker beat Democrat Mark E. Clayton in the U.S. Senate race, Republican Chuck Fleischmann defeated Democrat Mary M. Headrick in the battle to represent Tennessee’s Third District in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Republican Dennis Powers trounced Independent Virgil Kidwell.