Two new members of the Oak Ridge City Council and one incumbent will be sworn in Monday. Two incumbents re-elected to the Oak Ridge Board of Education will also be sworn in.
The two new City Council members are Jim Dodson and Hans Vogel. The incumbent is Chuck Hope.
The two school board members who were re-elected in the November 8 municipal election are Angi Agle and Keys Fillauer. [Read more…]
To the Editor:
Monday night, December 12, 2016, there will be a changing of the guard when two Oak Ridge City Council members “retire.” Both have been instrumental in bringing the dawn of a new day for the city. Neither can be accused of slacking their elected duties. And while their approaches have been different, their mutual goal was to make Oak Ridge the best city it could be. And, in a season of strange electoral occurrences, both chose not to run for re-election even though the odds were they would be voted back into office.
Councilwoman Trina Baughn and I, on occasion, have found ourselves on different sides of an issue or two. However, she has treated me and my ideas with respect. I have not been the exception. I hope I have behaved in the same manner.
In recent history, Trina probably has been the most prepared Council member to discuss the issues at hand. I will not forget her toting a black notebook (or two) holding her “homework” as she took her seat on the dais. In the wrong hands, minutiae can be boring. In Trina’s hands, they were generally irrefutable landmarks supporting her position. Being a person of strong disposition, Mrs. Baughn never wavered when her views were ridiculed or attacked. But she was also willing to compromise when unity was necessary. [Read more…]
Warren Gooch (2016 file photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Oak Ridge Mayor Warren Gooch is seeking a second two-year term as mayor. Gooch has written a letter to the rest of the seven-member Oak Ridge City Council outlining why he is seeking re-election.
The Oak Ridge City Council is expected to appoint a mayor and mayor pro tem during its next meeting on December 12.
Four City Council members expressed an interest in serving as mayor two years ago, but so far this year, Gooch is the only one who has asked to be appointed.
The Oak Ridge City Council appoints two of its members as mayor and mayor pro tem at a regular meeting after each municipal election—they’re held every two years—and after all newly elected members have been duly qualified, according to the Oak Ridge City Charter. There was a municipal election on November 8 this year. [Read more…]
Jim Dodson
Jim Dodson, Chuck Hope, and Hans Vogel won the three open seats on Oak Ridge City Council, according to unofficial results in Anderson and Roane counties.
Dodson, a Jefferson Middle School art teacher who has been heavily involved in community and volunteer activities, received a total of 6,902 votes, including 5,957 in Anderson County and 945 in Roane County. He collected the most votes in Anderson County.
Hope, the only incumbent in the race, received 6,040 votes, with 5,016 in Anderson County and 1,024 in Roane County. He was the top vote-getter in Roane County.
Vogel, an Oak Ridge National Laboratory employee who, like Dodson, was making his first run for a City Council seat, earned 4,439 votes, with 3,568 in Anderson County and 871 in Roane County. [Read more…]
Jim Dodson
Note: This story was updated at 9:15 p.m.
Jim Dodson, Chuck Hope, and Hans Vogel lead in early voting in Anderson County for Oak Ridge City Council, according to unofficial results posted on the Anderson County Election Commission website on Tuesday evening.
Dodson, running for City Council for the first time, had 4,088 early votes. Hope, the only incumbent, had 3,398. Vogel, who is also making his first run, received 2,544.
There are three open seats on the seven-member City Council. Two incumbents, Trina Baughn and Charlie Hensley, did not seek re-election.
Dodson, Hope, and Vogel also have a lead in early voting in Roane County, according to unofficial results posted at 8:33 p.m. Tuesday. Hope led with 853 early votes, Dodson had 786, and Vogel had 762. [Read more…]
To the Editor:
I am writing to encourage Oak Ridgers to vote for my husband, Jim Dodson, for City Council. I know I am biased, but I have a unique perspective as to why I think he will make a good council person. Many people may ask, why is a middle school art teacher running for council? What makes him a good candidate? I believe it is precisely because he is a middle school art teacher that he will make a good candidate.
Jim has taught middle school for 30 years. If I had a nickel for every time a teenager or adult called out to him in the grocery store, park, football stadium, church—“Hi, Mr. Dodson”—I would be a rich woman. Most of the time these students/adults go on to tell me that Mr. Dodson is/was their favorite teacher. I believe it is because of two of Jim’s character traits: He is always respectful, and he always strives to be fair.
It’s not always easy showing patience to middle school kids, especially when they are acting out, mouthing off, showing little effort in class, etc. But somehow, according to the kids, “Mr. Dodson never loses his cool.” Now, more than ever, our world needs candidates who show respect to all (even those whose ideas or comments he doesn’t agree with). Let me be clear, Jim is not a pushover, he is in control of his class, but he rarely has to raise his voice to command control. By showing respect to the kids, he obtains their respect to meet this goal. [Read more…]
To the Editor:
When Oak Ridgers go to the polls to elect members of the Oak Ridge City Council, they will find a number of excellent candidates from which to choose. However, I would like to encourage all voters to seriously consider two of the candidates.
First, I have known Jim Dodson for a number of years. Jim and I have worked together on numerous projects, and I have found Jim to be one of the most honest, dependable, and reasonable people I have ever known. Jim has served our city as an educator, volunteer, and community leader for more than 30 years and has made an indelible impact on the lives of many in our community.
I truly believe Jim will bring the same kind of enthusiasm, expertise, and creativity to the Oak Ridge City Council that he has brought to so many other organizations and projects. Jim is an asset to our city and will definitely be an asset to our City Council. [Read more…]
To the Editor:
As a young voter frustrated by the embarrassing dialogue of our national election, I am so happy we have a candidate for Oak Ridge City Council that commands the wisdom and leadership qualities we seek and in which we can place much confidence. I appeal to you to take a close look at Jim Dodson, candidate for Oak Ridge City Council.
Jim Dodson has a history of stepping up and taking initiative and leadership in programs that are good for Oak Ridge, Tennessee, its citizens, and businesses.
I am personally aware that for many years he initiated and organized displays and competitions of art work by Oak Ridge students and others across Tennessee and has raised millions of dollars for scholarships. His foresight and leadership go beyond his concentration on the arts and continue to be recognized. This website includes a brief synopsis: http://www.tennesseeartsacademy.org/about-us/staff.aspx. [Read more…]
To the Editor:
Thirty years or so ago, I was the principal of Jefferson Junior High School when we lost our art teacher. We typically interviewed five to 15 applicants for vacant teaching positions, and Jim Dodson was among those we talked to.
I had been interviewing for several years at that point and had realized that very occasionally someone would apply for a job who was so well qualified, so well spoken and convincingly knowledgeable, so all around good that just about anyone would have recognized him/her as the person to hire. Jim Dodson was that kind of applicant (his references saw him as we did).
The time I spent in his classroom observing him teach that year and in the years that followed only embellished what I had hoped was true when we first met him. [Read more…]
To the Editor:
It is with pleasure that I recommend to you Jim Dodson for Oak Ridge City Council. Jim is an active leader in our community in several different ways, from his involvement in United Way to the Arts Council of Oak Ridge, and he has just become a member of the Board of Directors of Aid for Distressed Families in Appalachian Counties.
In each of these organizations, Jim serves as a natural leader. His relationship with the arts community extends beyond Oak Ridge to include Knoxville and Nashville. In all areas where he is active, he is well respected not only for his creative thinking, but for his excellent leadership ability.
He stays in touch with students through being a teacher at Jefferson Middle School. This connects him with a portion of the younger generation (now known as Generation Z—born since 1995, which makes up 25 percent of our population, more than Baby Boomers and even more than Millennials!).
I believe these younger generations are the future of Oak Ridge. Those of us who are Baby Boomers (born in 1946-1964) are retired or nearing retirement. [Read more…]
To the Editor:
I’m writing to add my name to the list of folks who support Jim Dodson for Oak Ridge City Council.
Jim and I have worked together over the last six years on various Arts Council and Rotary projects, and I’m always impressed by what he’s been able to accomplish. [Read more…]
Chuck Hope
Oak Ridge City Council member Chuck Hope, the one incumbent running for re-election in the November 8 election, has responded to the endorsements by the Progress PAC political action committee.
The Progress PAC endorsed Jim Dodson, Joe Lee, and Hans Vogel, who are all making their first runs for seats on the seven-member City Council. The endorsements were announced last week.
Hope was not endorsed. You can see his response here.
The PAC was established two years ago by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors, and it operates autonomously from the Chamber’s Board.
All six of the candidates endorsed by the Progress PAC two years ago were elected, although one candidate who wasn’t endorsed, Rick Chinn, was also elected. [Read more…]
