Oak Ridge Today

Registration open for city athletic leagues

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Team registration for the City of Oak Ridge Department of Recreation and Parks’ 2024 Spring Softball and Spring Outdoor 3×3 basketball season is now under way.

For softball, a Men’s League will be offered on Monday evenings with a possibility of Thursday makeup games. A recreational and a competitive coed league will be offered on Tuesday evenings with possibilities of Thursday make up games.

For basketball, an 18+ Open League will be offered on Wednesday evenings with a possibility of Thursday makeup games.

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Recreation, Parks Board to discuss upcoming year during Saturday work session

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The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Advisory Board will discuss its work plan for the upcoming year during a Saturday morning work session. The Board will also discuss ways it can work alongside the Recreation and Parks Department on long-range planning.

The work session starts at 9 a.m. Saturday, January 31, in the Club Room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

For more information about the Recreation and Parks Department, call (865) 425-3450 or visit www.orrecparks.org for information on all of their programs.

Guest column: Baughn lists budget-cutting proposals to reduce tax rate

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Trina Baughn

Trina Baughn

During our May 13 and May 28 meetings, the Oak Ridge City Council will determine your property tax rate for the next year via our annual budget. Our decision will directly affect your personal finances. Of greater consequence, however, we will establish our city’s competitive position.

Currently, Oak Ridge has the third-highest property tax rate in East Tennessee at $2.39 when you add in the Anderson County rate of $2.35. Each penny of our rate equals approximately $90,000 of spending. We have a tremendous opportunity to make Oak Ridge more competitive and attractive to prospective residents and businesses without sacrificing our quality of life.

In addition to increasing our revenues (I’ve suggested converting select city-owned assets into taxable properties, eliminating tax abatements, and negotiating voluntary payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements), we must ensure the highest and best use of each and every penny you entrust to us.

During our deliberations, I will make the following motions to immediately reduce our tax rate and/or improve our marketability to outsiders: [Read more…]