The City of Oak Ridge is recruiting members for four boards. The four boards are Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau, Environmental Quality Advisory Board, Trade Licensing Board, and Traffic Safety Advisory Board.
Applications from Oak Ridge residents are being accepted in the Oak Ridge City Clerk’s Office. The submission deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, June 29.
Here is more information about the boards and the vacancies: [Read more…]
The Oak Ridge City Council is pictured above in December 2016. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)
The Oak Ridge City Council will consider elections and appointments to 23 boards and commissions during its Monday night meeting.
The boards and commissions include the Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Industrial Development Board, Land Bank Corporation, and Beer Permit Board, among others.
The Monday meeting starts at 7 p.m. January 9 in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom at 200 South Tulane Avenue. You can see the agenda here. See information about the elections and appointments here.
To the Editor:
The City Council election coming up is very important to the future of Oak Ridge. We, as a community, are seeing significant positive change in many areas including retail growth, business recruitment, and quality of life. This election, in my opinion, can set the stage for further positive change and quality growth.
There are three candidates in my opinion, who are seeking seats on Oak Ridge City Council, who can continue and accelerate our city’s progress. Joe Lee, Jim Dodson, and Hans Vogel have impressive and varied experiences to bring to bear on city issues. All three of these candidates have demonstrated, through their careers and dedication to city service, their potential as Council members and that consensus building and teamwork are keys in their approaches to make things happen.
Joe Lee [Read more…]
Mark Watson
By Mark S. Watson, Oak Ridge City Manager
The City of Oak Ridge is one that prides itself on the interest, knowledge, and involvement of its citizens in local government. Oak Ridgers are always willing to add a different perspective, technical information, and just darn good opinions on topics that affect them.
On January 12, 2015, the Oak Ridge City Council will appoint citizen volunteers to fill vacancies on boards and commissions that have occurred due to term expiration and attrition from the board membership.
Applications must be received in the City Clerk’s office by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31.
Over the past years, the City Council has found it sometimes challenging to fill the vacancies of its various boards. People are busy, and getting busier! Some feel that many governmental matters require special knowledge. Others have not thought of providing their talents to shape their community. [Read more…]
To the Editor:
Kudos to Dr. Bruce Borchers and the school staff for the creative and practical fresh look and proposal for resolving the dilemma of our 71-year-old pre-K and Administration building. I believe this solution is fiscally far more attractive and feasible than any alternatives that were suggested in the past. At this point, I am soundly behind it.
Kudos too, to Parker Hardy and the Chamber for being willing to discuss the possibility of letting their building be part of the plan. [Read more…]
The Oak Ridge City Council will have a mid-year election on July 14 to fill vacancies on municipal boards and commissions.
The Oak Ridge City Clerk’s Office started accepting applications on June 2. To be considered, applicants must be Oak Ridge residents and complete an application by noon Friday, June 20, 2014. Late applications will not be considered.
The boards and commissions with vacancies include Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Oak Ridge Housing Authority, Recreation and Parks Advisory Board, Senior Advisory Board, and Traffic Safety Advisory Board.
Visit the city’s website for more information.
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…]
