• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds

Cinder, public works director, to retire Sept. 4

Posted at 11:04 pm June 16, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Gary Cinder

Gary Cinder

Gary Cinder, who has been Oak Ridge public works director for 24 years and interim city manager twice, is retiring September 4.

Cinder has been in public service for 33 years. He could go to work in the private sector, possibly as a consultant.

“It’s time to try something new, something different,” Cinder told Oak Ridge City Council members on Tuesday.

Cinder was the lead staff member on locating, designing, and building the Oak Ridge Central Services Complex on Woodbury Lane. That building is used by the Oak Ridge Public Works Department, Oak Ridge Electric Department, and the school bus maintenance facility, among others.

Cinder has led a major effort to ensure that Oak Ridge complies with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency order that requires the city to repair all sewer system overflows by September 28. That work is mostly complete, and the city is in good shape, Cinder said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Central Service Complex, city manager, Gary Cinder, infrastructure, Jim O'Connor, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Public Works Department, Roger Flynn, sewer system, Steve Byrd, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

OS Council takes interim tag off Campbell

Posted at 1:48 pm March 20, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

The Oliver Springs City Council voted unanimously Thursday to take the interim tag off of City Manager Becky Campbell’s title and install her in that position on a full-time basis. She will be paid slightly more than the previous city manager, whom she replaced in October of 2014.

Campbell, who has been an Oliver Springs employee for almost 18 years, will not be subject to the standard 90-day probationary period and, according to our partners at BBB-TV, would not have accepted the job had that been part of the deal.

The Council also voted to hire Lisa Relford as Campbell’s assistant. Relford currently serves as a dispatcher for the Oliver Springs Police Department.

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oliver Springs Tagged With: Becky Campbell, city manager, Lisa Relford, Oliver Springs, Oliver Springs City Council

Guest column: Moving forward in Oak Ridge

Posted at 11:16 am February 23, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns 1 Comment

With the recent uproar centered around the Police Department in our rear view mirrors, I think it is important to review what was accomplished and why.

The decision to perform a functional audit on the Police Department is a good step especially when taken in context. These kinds of audits focus on best practices, applied over the department’s field of responsibility that need to be reviewed periodically depending on a department’s complexity and size. Besides just by a calendar rotation, other events to trigger such reviews may include leadership turnover in the department to give incoming management a clean slate of actions and priorities.

I believe that since this door has been opened, it would be wise to broaden it city-wide. Think about whether such an audit could have raised awareness of our lack of proper sewer maintenance over the decades and prevented the rush and financial inconvenience that the mandate from the EPA imposes. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: audit, Bruce Borchers, censure, Charlie Jernigan, Chief Akagi, City Charter, City Council, city manager, drug problem, Jim Akagi, Joe McCarthy, leadership, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge, Police Department, policing programs, superintendent, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Senate

Watson could be considered as president-elect of international management group

Posted at 1:39 am December 4, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson could be considered to become president-elect of the International City/County Management Association, or ICMA.

Watson is one of only 41 members across the world who qualify to serve as president, according to a November 24 memo to the Oak Ridge City Council. He could become the first ICMA president from Tennessee in the 100-year history of the organization.

The seven-member City Council on Monday is being asked to support Watson’s participation.

“If selected, he would be in line to become president of the professional association that represents 9,000 appointed city managers, administrators, and assistants from across the United States and the world,” said Michael W. Walker, executive director of the Tennessee City Management Association. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: city manager, ICMA, International City/County Management Association, Mark Watson, Michael W. Walker, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge City Council, president-elect, TCMA, Tennessee City Management Association

Oak Ridge city manager hires assistant

Posted at 7:27 pm November 25, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Bruce Appleton

Bruce Applegate

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson has hired an assistant.

Bruce M. Applegate Jr. will help the city manager plan, organize, develop, coordinate, maintain, and direct the overall operations and activities of the city, a press release said. He will help provide supervision for special projects and task forces, and participate in the recruitment and promotion of new and existing businesses and industries. In addition, he will assist in developing, planning, and implementing goals and objectives for the city. Applegate’s employment will become effective December 1.

“I am excited to join the staff of the City of Oak Ridge,” Applegate said. “I am eager to begin working with the city staff to address the upcoming projects aimed at bettering the community. The variety of tasks will give me an opportunity to engage with both city officials and community members to appropriately create solutions to meet Oak Ridge’s needs. I feel fortunate to be joining the city, and look forward to demonstrating my appreciation through hard work….Having gone to school in Oak Ridge, I relish the opportunity to give back to a city that has given to me.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: assistant, Bruce M. Applegate Jr., businesses, city manager, City of Oak Ridge, industries, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge, operations, special projects

BBB: City Manager Treece resigns in OS

Posted at 8:41 am November 7, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Tina Treece

Tina Treece (Photo by BBB-TV)

Information from WYSH Radio

According to our partners at BBB-TV, Oliver Springs City Manager Tina Treece has announced that she is resigning after more than two years on the job.

Treece notified city leaders of her intention to step down on Wednesday, the day after the Tuesday, November 4, election. But BBB said it wasn’t clear if the resignation was because of the election.

Treece has been in her position since early 2012, when she replaced David Bolling, who left the city for a similar job in Maine. Bolling, who is also a former Anderson County commissioner, has since returned to Tennessee as city manager in Kingston.

Filed Under: Government, Oliver Springs, Top Stories Tagged With: city manager, David Bolling, Oliver Springs, resignation, Tina Treece

Guest column: Oak Ridge—a city teetering—which way will it go?

Posted at 11:50 am June 23, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns 24 Comments

Bob Eby

Bob Eby

By Bob Eby

Friday, June 20

This week, I experienced great joy and significant sadness. The joy was being with my daughter and son-in-law as she birthed our first grandchild and we brought her home from the hospital in California. It was because I was with them during this joyous time that I missed last Monday night’s City Council meeting, but I did watch it live through Internet streaming (technology is great!). It was during that time that I felt sadness and disappointment. I realized that this wonderful community I have known for 50 years now balances on a tipping point, to fall on a downward spiral or gradually move forward with a great and dedicated effort toward prosperity. Why do I say this?

Last year, the Board of Education hired a new superintendent who brought with him much energy and a vision to re-establish the Oak Ridge Schools to its premier status as not only the number one school district in the State of Tennessee but also the premier district in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in the country. The Board fully supported the vision, though we were recommending a three-year roll-out, which we felt was more realistic and would allow opportunity to adjust the implementation as we and the staff worked together to achieve our goals.

With their recent action, the City Council not only chose not to support this vision, but they very likely have failed to provide our teachers and associated staff the recognition they so deserve with any funding for their first raise (2 percent) in four years. City Council does plan to provide city-employeed staff with a raise. I think it is only right that all employees of our community receive a raise. All school staff and city employees are equally deserving of this recognition of their value to Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Guest Columns, K-12, Opinion Tagged With: 1:1, budget, business community, Chamber of Commerce, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, city manager, election year, engineering, mathematics, Oak Ridge Board of Education, Oak Ridge City Council, per capita spending, school system, science, STEM, superintendent, taxes, technology, technology initiative, tipping point

Guest column: Baughn’s budget recommendations to city manager

Posted at 9:38 am April 27, 2014
By Trina Baughn 28 Comments

Trina Baughn

Trina Baughn

The following are my 2015 budget recommendations to the city manager:

Mr. Watson,

I commend you for your willingness to reduce spending in your formulation of the Fiscal Year 2015 city budget. This approach is essential to making Oak Ridge more attractive to prospective residents and businesses.

As you know, Oak Ridge has the third highest city/county property tax rate in East Tennessee at $4.74. What you may not realize is this year, the city of Knoxville dropped below us in these rankings with a combined city/county rate of $4.71 while the majority of Knox Countians still pay less than half of our rate at $2.32.

In response to your request for council suggestions, I encourage you to set a very obtainable goal. That is, reduce our total budget by .05 percent ($90,000) and return those monies to the taxpayers in the amount of a one-cent tax rate reduction. The following are my suggestions for accomplishing this goal. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Guest Columns, Opinion Tagged With: budget, Chamber of Commerce, city budget, City Council, city manager, Convention and Visitors Bureau, CVB, Fiscal Year 2015, Kroger, Kroger Marketplace, library, library funding, Mark Watson, Parker Hardy, property tax rate, revenue, senior management, spending, staff, tax cut, tax rate reduction, travel, travel expenses, Trina Baughn, UPF, uranium processing facility

City manager staying in Oak Ridge

Posted at 10:56 pm January 27, 2014
By John Huotari 3 Comments

Mark Watson, Tom Beehan, and Ken Krushenski

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson is pictured at center above. Also pictured are Mayor Tom Beehan, left, and City Attorney Ken Krushenski.

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson will not be moving to Texas for a job in Pearland, near Houston.

In December, Pearland officials said Watson was one of four finalists who could replace the city’s former manager, Bill Eisen, who retired at the end of December after 12 years.

But Watson—who was in Pearland for interviews, tours, and staff briefings this past weekend—told Oak Ridge City Council members at the beginning of a Monday night work session that he is staying in the Secret City.

He said the Pearland City Council could select a new city manager during a Monday night meeting, and members could pick Clay Pearson of Novi, Mich. Watson said the competition was tough. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: city manager, Clay Pearson, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge City Council, Pearland, Pearland City Council, Texas

Watson one of four finalists for Texas job; decision possible in late January

Posted at 2:27 pm December 28, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson is one of four finalists for a similar job in one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas, and officials there could hire someone near the end of January, an official said Monday.

Jon Branson, one of two assistant city managers in Pearland, Texas, said the City Council is tentatively scheduled to conduct some final interviews on or around Jan. 25, and officials hope to have a decision shortly afterward.

Pearland’s current city manager, Bill Eisen, is retiring at the end of the month after 12 years. Branson will be the interim city manager starting Jan. 1, and he will serve until the Pearland City Council hires a new city manager. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Bill Eisen, city manager, economic development, Houston, Jane Miller, job, Jon Branson, Kroger Marketplace, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Mall, Pearland, Pearland City Council, Strategic Government Resources, Texas

Oak Ridge city manager being considered for job in Texas

Posted at 8:30 pm December 19, 2013
By John Huotari 12 Comments

Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson is being considered for a job in Texas, three council members confirmed Thursday evening.

Watson is a finalist for a city manager position, and a decision could be made in January, Oak Ridge Mayor Tom Beehan said.

The mayor said he hopes Watson, who started here in August 2010, stays in Oak Ridge.

“Mark Watson has been an outstanding city manager,” Beehan said. “He was a great hire.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: city manager, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge, Texas, Tom Beehan, Trina Baughn

Council approves 10 percent pay raise for city manager

Posted at 9:41 pm November 11, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Note: This story was updated at 10:10 a.m. Nov. 12.

After two attempts to give him smaller raises failed, the Oak Ridge City Council voted 4-3 on Monday to award City Manager Mark Watson a 10 percent salary increase.

Council rejected two separate proposals to lower the pay raise to 4 percent and 1 percent, the same salary hike given to other city employees this year.

The 10 percent increase raises Watson’s pay from just under $137,000 to $150,321.60, and it is effective Aug. 8, 2013.

The salary boost, which has generated much opposition online, had been recommended by a three-member City Manager Evaluation Committee. The committee had compared Watson’s pay to other city managers across Tennessee and in other U.S. Department of Energy cities. The recommended raise would keep Watson’s pay competitive, and it was based on his performance during his three years in Oak Ridge and evaluations by the seven City Council members, committee chair Chuck Hope said. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Anne Garcia Garland, Charlie Hensley, Chuck Hope, city manager, City Manager Evaluation Committee, David Mosby, Jane Miller, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge City Council, pay raise, salary increase, Tom Beehan, Trina Baughn

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Search Oak Ridge Today

Classifieds

Availability of the draft environmental assessment for off-site depleted uranium manufacturing (DOE/EA-2252)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces the … [Read More...]

Public Notice: NNSA announces no significant impact of Y-12 Development Organization operations at Horizon Center

AVAILABILITY OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE OFFSITE HOUSING OF THE Y-12 DEVELOPMENT … [Read More...]

ADFAC seeks contractors for five homes

Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) is a non-profit community based agency, … [Read More...]

Recent Posts

  • Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival Announces 2025 Storytellers
  • Laser-Engraved Bricks Will Line Walkway of New Chamber Headquarters
  • Democratic Women’s Club to Discuss Climate Change, Energy and Policy
  • Estate Jewelry Show at Karen’s Jewelers Features Celebrity Jewelry
  • Keri Cagle named new ORAU senior vice president and ORISE director
  • ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal+ORAU Annual Giving Campaign exceeds $100,000 goal More than $1 million raised in past 10 years benefits United Way and Community Shares Oak Ridge, Tenn. —ORAU exceeded its goal of raising $100,000 in donations as part of its internal annual giving campaign that benefits the United Way and Community Shares nonprofit organizations. ORAU has raised more than $1 million over the past 10 years through this campaign. A total of $126,839 was pledged during the 2024 ORAU Annual Giving Campaign. Employees donate via payroll deduction and could earmark their donation for United Way, Community Shares or both. “ORAU has remained a strong pillar in the community for more than 75 years, and we encourage our employees to consider participating in our annual giving campaign each year to help our less fortunate neighbors in need,” said ORAU President and CEO Andy Page. “Each one of our employees has the power to positively impact the lives of those who need help in the communities where we do business across the country and demonstrate the ORAU way – taking care of each other.” ORAU, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, provides science, health and workforce solutions that address national priorities and serve the public interest. Through our specialized teams of experts and access to a consortium of more than 150 major Ph.D.-granting institutions, ORAU works with federal, state, local and commercial customers to provide innovative scientific and technical solutions and help advance their missions. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org. Learn more about ORAU at www.orau.org. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakRidgeAssociatedUniversities Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/orau Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orau ###
  • Children’s Museum Gala Celebrates the Rainforest
  • Jim Sears joins ORAU as senior vice president
  • Oak Ridge Housing Authority Receives Funding Assistance of up to $51.8 Million For Renovating Public Housing and Building New Workforce Housing
  • Two fires reported early Friday

Recent Comments

  • Raymond Mitchell on City manager’s ‘State of the City’ canceled due to weather
  • Raymond Mitchell on City manager’s ‘State of the City’ canceled due to weather
  • Mysti M Desilva on Crews clearing roads, repairing water line breaks
  • Mel Schuster on Crews clearing roads, repairing water line breaks
  • Cecil King on Crews clearing roads, repairing water line breaks
  • Rick Morrow on Roads, schools, businesses closed after heavy snow
  • Diana lively on Free community Thanksgiving Dinner on Nov. 25
  • Anne Garcia on School bus driver arrested following alleged assault on elementary student
  • Raymond Dickover on Blockhouse Valley Recycling Center now open 6 days per week
  • Mike Mahathy on School bus driver arrested following alleged assault on elementary student

Copyright © 2025 Oak Ridge Today