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City Council to consider elections, appointments to 23 boards, commissions

Posted at 12:34 pm January 5, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

oak-ridge-city-council-december-2016

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.

Filed Under: Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Beer Permit Board, Convention and Visitors Bureau, elections, Industrial Development Board, Land Bank Corporation, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission

Letter: Yager’s experience, education help make him best-qualified for AC Commission

Posted at 9:32 am July 20, 2016
By Oak Ridge Today Letters Leave a Comment

To the Editor:

We support Phil Yager for Anderson County Commission’s Eighth District. Phil has a long list of experience, education, and attributes that make him easily the best-qualified candidate in this election.

In the area of finance, his B.S. degree in Business Administration coupled with 30 years of work in financial management and investment give him a great background for making wise and prudent decisions about budgets and fiscal decisions. Phil’s work as Director of Mediation and Arbitration for the Better Business Bureau give him insight into the importance of making impartial and fair decisions after careful consideration of multiple sides of an issue.

To say that Phil Yager cares about the community he lives in is an extreme understatement. In the 10 years that he and his wife have owned a home in Oak Ridge, he has amassed an impressive list of boards and organizations that he has been appointed to or has joined. Included in this group are the Industrial Development Board, the Board of Housing Code Appeals, the City Charter Review Committee, and the Site Specific Advisory Board. He also has volunteered in various capacities with Emory Valley Center and the Emory Valley Center Foundation; the Rowing Association; Keep Anderson County Beautiful; United Way of Anderson County; and Neighborhood Watch. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Letters, Opinion Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Better Business Bureau, Eighth District, Emily Jernigan, Industrial Development Board, Phil Yager, Site Specific Advisory Board, the Board of Housing Code Appeals, the City Charter Review Committee

Phil Yager announces candidacy for Anderson County Commission

Posted at 10:50 am April 14, 2016
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

Phil Yager

Phil Yager

Note: This story was last updated at 12 p.m. June 5.

Phil Yager has announced that he is a candidate for Anderson County Commission in District 8, which includes the Woodland, Hendrix Creek, and Emory Valley precincts.

“I am running for this position because I want to work hard on issues that are important to all of us: safe neighborhoods, economic development, quality education, and improving our housing stock,” Yager said in a press release. He wants to help expand business and industrial opportunities, maintain the county’s quality of life, and make sure children have excellent schools.

Community service is important to Yager, who has served as a community volunteer for a number of organizations, the press release said. He was appointed by Oak Ridge City Council to serve on the Industrial Development Board and serves as treasurer on that board. He was also appointed to serve on the Oak Ridge Board of Building and Housing Code of Appeals.

Serving on those boards, Yager has been actively involved in important issues facing Oak Ridge—industrial and retail growth, as well as the issue of distressed housing, the press release said. Yager was also selected to serve on the Oak Ridge Charter Review Committee. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 2016 Election, Anderson County, Front Page News, Government Tagged With: Anderson County, Anderson County Commission, Angeleque McNutt, District 8, Emory Valley Center, general election, Industrial Development Board, Myron Iwanski, Oak Ridge Board of Building and Housing Code of Appeals, Oak Ridge Charter Review Committee, Oak Ridge Neighborhood Watch Program, Phil Yager, Robin Biloski, United Way of Anderson County

Main Street project won’t close Tuesday; closing could be in January

Posted at 8:55 pm December 14, 2015
By John Huotari 27 Comments

Neil Wilson of RealtyLink at Rise and Shine on Nov. 3, 2015

Neil Wilson, left, principal of RealtyLink, gives an update on the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall at an Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Rise and Shine at TNBank on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 15.

The new company leading the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall won’t close on the property on Tuesday, and the closing could be pushed into January, officials said this month.

But it’s nothing to be concerned about, one official said Monday, adding that there are many pre-closing activities to accomplish in a short period of time, some in series.

“There have been no holdups, just a lot to do,” said Ray Evans, retail consultant for the City of Oak Ridge. “As an example, a subdivision plat has to be approved by the Planning Commission prior to closing. In order for the plat to be prepared, the property had to be re-surveyed. The new survey stakes are very apparent around the property. The plat was submitted yesterday (Monday). It will likely go before the Planning Commission at its meeting on January 7.”

Evans said RealtyLink has had geotechnical staff on site doing core borings during the past few weeks.

“In addition, they have been working on completing the environmental work,” he said.

Officials said RealtyLink and its contractor remain committed to having stores open for seven of the new tenants for the 2016 Christmas season. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Business, Front Page News, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: CapitalMark Bank and Trust, closing, closing date, Crosland Southeast, David Bradshaw, First National Bank of Tennessee, Industrial Development Board, Main Street—Oak Ridge, Neil Wilson, Oak Ridge Mall, Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission, Ray Evans, RealtyLink, tax increment financing, TIF, TNBank

Council to consider amending mall plan, inviting DOE to discuss travel practices

Posted at 8:56 am October 19, 2015
By John Huotari 9 Comments

Oak Ridge Mall

The Oak Ridge City Center, which could be redeveloped as a multi-use town center known as Main Street, is pictured above. Also known as the former Oak Ridge Mall, the L-shaped building is at center. The white building at center left is Walmart, and it is not part of the proposed redevelopment. Neither is the white building at center top, the Tinseltown Theater. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 12:35 p.m.

During a special meeting Tuesday, the Oak Ridge City Council will consider amending the economic impact plan for the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall. The change is being considered primarily because the master developer has changed.

The amendment to the economic impact plan, which also includes a date change, will be considered a day earlier, on Monday, October 19, by the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board and Anderson County Commission.

The Industrial Development Board has a public hearing and special meeting on the $13 million tax increment financing, or TIF, for the redevelopment and an amendment to the economic impact plan at 3:45 p.m. Monday, October 19, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Training Room. The County Commission is expected to consider the amendment in a meeting that starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Business, Front Page News, Government, Meetings and Events, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Top Stories, U.S. Department of Energy Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Board of Education, Crosland Southeast, DOE, economic impact plan, Industrial Development Board, John Ragan, Ken Yager, Kent Calfee, Mark Watson, Municipal Building Training Room, Oak Ridge City Center, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Mall, Oak Ridge Preschool, per diem rates, Randy McNally, RealtyLink, special meeting, tax increment financing, TIF, travel, travel practices, U.S. Department of Energy, work session

With new developer at work, AC to consider amendment to Oak Ridge mall economic plan

Posted at 10:22 am October 12, 2015
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Oak Ridge Mall

The Oak Ridge City Center, which could be redeveloped as a multi-use town center known as Main Street, is pictured above. Also known as the former Oak Ridge Mall, the L-shaped building is at center. The white building at center left is Walmart, and it is not part of the proposed redevelopment. Neither is the white building at center top, the Tinseltown Theater. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Anderson County Operations Committee on Monday night will consider an amendment to the economic impact plan for the Oak Ridge Mall economic development area. Officials have said some minor changes would be required after a new master developer become involved in the redevelopment of the former mall.

The Oak Ridge City Council and Industrial Development Board are also expected to consider some minor changes to the mall-related documents. The IDB has a special-called meeting on October 19.

The Anderson County Operations Committee meets at 6 p.m. Monday, October 12, in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton. The Committee is expected to forward a recommendation on the amended economic impact plan to the Anderson County Commission for its October 19 meeting. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Anderson County, Business, Business, Government, Meetings and Events, Oak Ridge, Slider Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Courthouse, Anderson County Operations Committee, Crosland Southeast, economic impact plan, IDB, Industrial Development Board, Main Street—Oak Ridge, master developer, Neil Wilson, Oak Ridge City Center, Oak Ridge City Center LLC, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Mall, Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission, RealtyLink, redevelopment, tax increment financing, TIF

Six employers pledge $500,000 for Main Street Oak Ridge infrastructure

Posted at 12:53 pm July 3, 2015
By John Huotari 4 Comments

Warren Gooch

Warren Gooch

Six Oak Ridge employers have pledged $500,000 to support public infrastructure at Main Street Oak Ridge, the $80 million redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall.

Officials said it shows unprecedented community support for the project.

The six companies are Methodist Medical Center; Oak Ridge Associated Universities; UCOR, a federal cleanup contractor; Restoration Services Inc., a cleanup contractor; Consolidated Nuclear Security, which manages and operates Y-12 National Security Complex; and UT-Battelle, which operates and manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

“All Oak Ridgers realize the successful development of the Main Street town center project is of critical importance not only to the citizens of the City of Oak Ridge and the business community but to the region in general,” Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch said. “We appreciate these great corporate citizens stepping up the plate to help make Main Street Oak Ridge a reality.”

Tim Sittema

Tim Sittema

Project executives said critical final decisions are being made on the ramp-up to the project.

The relocation and reconstruction of public infrastructure such as Wilson Street and the two Main Streets are key elements of the project and the Oak Ridge City Council and the Industrial Development Board have pledged $1.5 million toward these improvements. According to the city’s consultants, costs will exceed this amount, so the corporate pledges are a welcomed addition to the development’s financial backing, a press release said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Business, Front Page News, Government, Government, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Slider, Top Stories Tagged With: Consolidated Nuclear Security, Crosland Southeast, IDB, Industrial Development Board, infrastructure, Main Street, Main Street—Oak Ridge, Methodist Medical Center, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge City Council, Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board, Oak Ridge Mall, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, public infrastructure, Restoration Services Inc., Tim Sittema, UCOR, Warren Gooch, Wilson Street

Guest column: Serving the city helps achieve community goals

Posted at 1:07 pm December 19, 2014
By Oak Ridge Today Guest Columns Leave a Comment

Mark Watson

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…]

Filed Under: Government, Guest Columns, Oak Ridge, Opinion Tagged With: applications, Beer Permit Board, Board of Building and Housing Code Appeals, boards, City Clerk, City of Oak Ridge, commissions, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Environmental Quality Advisory Board, IDB, Industrial Development Board, local government, Mark Watson, Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge City Council, Personnel Advisory Board, Recreation and Parks Advisory Board, Senior Advisory Board, Trade Licensing Board, Traffic Safety Advisory Board, TSAB

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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...]

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