Oak Ridge Today

Council to consider bond resolution for Preschool, Senior Center Monday

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A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

A rendering of the new Oak Ridge Preschool at Scarboro Park. (Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Studio Four Design)

 

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider a resolution this evening to issue up to $13.75 million in bonds so the city can build a new preschool and senior center, and make improvements at Scarboro Park as part of the preschool project.

The special meeting starts at 6 p.m. Monday, October 29, in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom at 200 South Tulane Avenue.

Council approved an initial bond resolution of up to $16.5 million for the preschool and senior center projects during a meeting on Monday, September 10. That amount is higher than the amount of tonight’s bond resolution. Some savings have been realized compared to original estimates, Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said in a memo to Council members. [Read more…]

Anderson County has public workshop on Senior Center on Aug. 7

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There will be a special public workshop about the Anderson County Senior Center building at 205 Main Street on Tuesday, August 7.

The workshop will start at 4 p.m. August 7 in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton.

“The purpose of the workshop is to discuss the Senior Center building at 205 Main Street,” a notice said. [Read more…]

Council to review Preschool, Senior Center, Water Plant projects Tuesday

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The Oak Ridge City Council will review the Oak Ridge Preschool and Senior Center projects, and receive a briefing on the Water Plant project, during a work session on Tuesday.

The work session is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, in the Multi-Purpose Room in the Central Services Complex on Woodbury Lane, behind the Hobby Lobby shopping center.

The reviews of the Preschool and Senior Center projects are scheduled to be presented by Jacene Phillips of Studio Four Design. [Read more…]

Senior Board to meet with design firm to discuss new Senior Center on Monday

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This site option was unanimously recommended for a new Oak Ridge Senior Center by the Senior Advisory Board on Monday, April 10, 2017. (Image courtesy Studio Four Design/City of Oak Ridge)

This site option was unanimously recommended for a new Oak Ridge Senior Center by the Senior Advisory Board on Monday, April 10, 2017. (Image courtesy Studio Four Design/City of Oak Ridge)

 

The Oak Ridge Senior Advisory Board will meet with a design firm to discuss the new Senior Center on Monday.

The special meeting, a work session, is scheduled at 10 a.m. Monday, October 16, in the B room of the Oak Ridge Civic Center. During that work session, the Board will be meeting with Studio 4 Design to discuss the new senior center project.

“Board members and other interested citizens are invited to attend,” a notice said.

If you have any questions, contact Recreation Manager Linda McGhee at [email protected] or (865) 425-3999.

County takes action on General Sessions Court, Senior Center

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Anderson County could renovate the former Oak Ridge Senior Center, which was once housed in this part of a building owned by Anderson County on Emory Valley Road, and use the space for Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Anderson County could renovate the former Oak Ridge Senior Center, which was once housed in this part of a building owned by Anderson County on Emory Valley Road, and use the space for Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—Anderson County officials are taking steps to move the General Sessions Court in Oak Ridge from a privately owned building to a county-owned building and to move the county’s Senior Center into a larger space in Clinton.

Both projects have been discussed at the most recent meetings of the Anderson County Commission in Clinton.

Last Monday, May 15, Anderson County Commission approved about $1.4 million in borrowing through capital outlay notes that can be used for capital projects, including the General Sessions Court and Senior Center. The funding will include $500,000 for renovation work for the Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, and $600,000 to purchase the new Senior Center building, Anderson County Commissioner Robert McKamey said. The money is being borrowed at a 2.35 percent interest rate for 12 years. The $1.4 million also includes $300,000 for capital projects, which could include roofs on a few buildings.

The county will repay the capital outlay notes from the general fund, McKamey said.

The bids on the renovation work for Anderson County General Sessions Court, Division II, in Oak Ridge, had come in higher than expected in April. The low bid of about $530,000 from Preen Construction of Knoxville was announced during County Commission’s April 17 meeting.

Officials had previously said the renovations could cost about $300,000, citing an estimate from Michael Brady Inc., a Knoxville architectural firm. [Read more…]

Top 5 during City Blueprint meeting: Senior Center, green space, disc golf, animal shelter, public transportation

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Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge

Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge

 

The Oak Ridge city staff has tallied the top five comments received during the City Blueprint initiative, which kicked off with a public meeting in Grove Center in January. Here are the top comments:

  1. Seniors need their own, updated senior center.
  2. More green space.
  3. Improve disc golf.
  4. New animal shelter.
  5. Public transportation to and from Knoxville.

There is an effort under way to build a new senior center.

The city estimated that about 500 people attended the January 26 kickoff meeting for the City Blueprint at High Places Community Church in Grove Center. There were 670 suggestion cards turned in, with 775 comments on the cards and another 100 comments shared on Facebook. [Read more…]

Senior Advisory Board to recommend one of four options for Senior Center site location on Monday

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The Oak Ridge Senior Advisory Board will recommend one of four Senior Center site locations proposed by Studio 4 Design at the board’s April 3 meeting.

The board is expected to make the recommendation on one of the four locations during a special meeting at 9 a.m. Monday, April 10, in the Oak Ridge Civic Center Club Room.

Board members and other interested citizens are invited to attend the meeting. If you have any questions, you can contact Recreation Manager Linda McGhee at [email protected] or (865) 425-3999.

Oak Ridge Today has requested more information on the four options, and we will update this story as we can.

Temporary Civic Center, Senior Center closures announced

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Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

 

The Oak Ridge Civic Center Recreation Building will be closed to the public on Wednesday, January 25, and Thursday, January 26, for an Electric Department training event.

As a reminder, the Senior Center will also be closed between Monday, January 23, and Saturday, January 28, as it transitions to the Civic Center Recreation Building. The Senior Center will reopen Monday, January 30, at the Civic Center. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum closed due to snow, city centers opened at noon

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The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge is closed today (Saturday, January 7) due to the weather. The Amateur Radio Kids Day scheduled for this afternoon is canceled.

The museum will call those who had birthday parties scheduled for today to reschedule.

“The safety of our visitors and staff are important to us,” the Children’s Museum said.

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson delayed the opening of the Civic Center, Scarboro Center, and Senior Center until noon. The library also opened at noon.

City manager to discuss pending Senior Center move to Civic Center on Nov. 21

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson will discuss the pending move of the Senior Center to the Civic Center during a November 21 meeting.

It’s a special work session of the Oak Ridge Senior Advisory Board, and it’s scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, November 21, in Room 54 of the Senior Center on Emory Valley Road.

The Senior Advisory Board recommended earlier this year that the Oak Ridge Senior Center be located at the Civic Center and Alvin K. Bissell Park.

The Oak Ridge Senior Center is currently located in a county-owned building on Emory Valley Road. It’s been there since 1999. [Read more…]

Column: Hope, the incumbent, responds to PAC endorsements

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Chuck Hope

Chuck Hope

By Chuck Hope

First of all, I want to say congratulations to Jim Dodson, Joe Lee, and Hans Vogel on being endorsed by the Chamber’s Progress PAC political action committee. I think it is important for the citizens of Oak Ridge to know that those three candidates are not the only candidates who support a vital economic development plan for Oak Ridge.

My community involvement has been extensive, serving on both the Chamber Board and the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City’s Beer Permit Board before being appointed to Council. I was selected by a council majority in July 2011 to fill a vacated council seat and successfully ran for election in 2012. My vision for economic development is to continue to grow our retail sector while continuing to work harder on industrial growth opportunities. Growth like carbon fiber, whose industry is showing a lot of promise right now.

I want voters to know that I was the top vote-getter in my first election, and I am one of just a few Council members that have been on both the Chamber of Commerce Board (chairman in 2010) and City Council. I have been a businessman in Oak Ridge since 1982, and during the past 15 years, I have supported the City/Chamber contracts and aligned myself with what I thought to be the Chamber’s “mission, vision, and legislative priorities,” and worked closely with the Oak Ridge Board of Education. [Read more…]

City’s proposed budget would leave property tax rate unchanged

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Note: This story was last updated at 10:30 a.m.

The proposed city budget presented to Oak Ridge City Council members on Tuesday would leave the property tax rate unchanged, but it could include rate increases for water, sewer, and trash collection.

If approved by Council, the budget would not increase the property tax rate for the ninth year in a row. After five-year reappraisals last year, the rate is now set at $2.52 per $100 of assessed value.

The proposed budget includes a 3 percent pay adjustment that would move employees along their pay scales, helping to separate those who have worked for the city for a while from those who have just started.

The trash fee would increase by $3.50 per month, raising it from $10.50 to $14 per month starting in October. The fee was raised to $10.50 last year. At $14 per month, the city would no longer subsidize part of the trash fee, as it has previously done. The city used to pay half of the $14 fee, meaning residents paid $7 per month and the city paid $7. [Read more…]