Oak Ridge Today

Roane: Woody re-elected as county executive; Bowers wins Commission seat

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Ron Woody

Ron Woody

Roane County Executive Ron Woody was re-elected to a third four-year term as county executive on Thursday, and Charlotte Bowers of Oak Ridge won one of two seats on Roane County Commission in District 4, which includes west Oak Ridge.

Woody was first elected to his office in August 2010. On Thursday, he beat challenger David Morgan, a former Roane County property assessor, 8,217 votes to 3,113 (72.52 percent to 27.48 percent). That’s according to unofficial election results reported after all 24 precincts had been counted.

Bowers, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, was one of two Oak Ridge candidates to run for the District 4 seat on Roane County Commission in the August 2 election. The other was Cory Jenkins, general manager at Cumberland Utility District. They were among five candidates who qualified to run in the district.

The other three candidates were from Oliver Springs. They were James W. Brummett, an incumbent, and Thaxton H. “T.H.” Brown Jr. and Jerry W. White.

Brummett, a former chair of the Roane County Commission, was defeated Thursday, finishing third behind Bowers and White, who is also a new commissioner. (There is now a Jerry White on Anderson County Commission, and a Jerry White on the Roane County Commission; they are not the same person.) White has worked at K-25 and Y-12 in Oak Ridge, and he is currently employed providing security for the Roane County Sheriff’s Office at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston. [Read more…]

Meet the Roane County candidates on Friday

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There is a Meet the Candidates Yard Party on Friday in Oak Ridge.

It’s scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 15, at 106 Oklahoma Avenue. It’s hosted by Roane County Commissioner Renee Kelley.

The event is primarily for the residents of the Fourth District of Roane County, but everyone is welcome to come and discuss the issues and have their concerns addressed, a press release said.

The event is not a fundraiser. Instead, it is presented in loving memory of Commissioner Steve Kelley, the press release said.

This press release was submitted by Renee Kelley.

Two Oak Ridge candidates qualify to run for Roane County Commission

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Two Oak Ridge candidates have qualified to run for two seats in District 4 on the Roane County Commission in the August 2 election.

The two Oak Ridge candidates, Charlotte Bowers and Cory Jenkins, are among five candidates who have qualified to run in the election.

The three other candidates are from Oliver Springs. They are James W. Brummett, an incumbent, and Thaxton H. “T.H.” Brown Jr. and Jerry W. White.

Former Roane County Commissioner Steve Kelley, an Oak Ridge resident, had occupied one of the District 4 seats since 2010, and he had been expected to seek re-election in August. But Kelley died in February. [Read more…]

Roane County Commissioner Steve Kelley of Oak Ridge dies at 63

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Steve Kelley

Steve Kelley

 

Roane County Commissioner Steve Kelley, an Oak Ridge resident, died Wednesday evening, February 21. He was 63.

Kelley, who lived on Oklahoma Avenue in Oak Ridge, represented District 4 on the Roane County Commission. That district includes the Oak Hills, Oliver Springs, and Orchard View voting precincts. Oak Hills is in west Oak Ridge.

Kelley was on the Budget Committee appointed by Roane County Executive Ron Woody.

“He was a great Budget Committee member,” Woody said Sunday. “He will be dearly missed as a Budget Committee member and as a Roane County Commissioner.” [Read more…]

Presentation on Oak Ridge Airport scheduled for Tuesday

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Image from a Billy Stair presentation on the Oak Ridge Airport project to Roane County officials at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.

Image from a Billy Stair presentation on the Oak Ridge Airport project to Roane County officials at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.

 

A presentation that will provide information about the status of the Oak Ridge General Aviation Airport project has been scheduled for Tuesday evening.

The presentation is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 16, in the Robertsville Middle School Library. It’s part of a joint work session between the Oak Ridge City Council and Oak Ridge Board of Education that will begin at 6 p.m.

The airport presentation will be given by Billy Stair, aviation consultant, and Bill Marrison, president of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority. In December, Stair gave a presentation about the airport to Roane County officials.

After that meeting, Oak Ridge Today reported that Tennessee officials have appropriated $15 million that could be used for the proposed airport at Heritage Center, the former K-25 site in west Oak Ridge. The appropriation, which is pending approval of the Oak Ridge Airport by the Federal Aviation Administration, would be enough to cover about 33 percent to 38 percent of the current estimated project cost of $40 million to $45 million. [Read more…]

State appropriates $15 million that could be used for Oak Ridge Airport

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Image from a Billy Stair presentation on the Oak Ridge Airport project to Roane County officials at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.

Image from a Billy Stair presentation on the Oak Ridge Airport project to Roane County officials at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.

 

KINGSTON—Tennessee officials have appropriated $15 million that could be used for the proposed airport at Heritage Center, the former K-25 site in west Oak Ridge.

The appropriation, which is pending approval of the Oak Ridge Airport by the Federal Aviation Administration, would be enough to cover about 33 percent to 38 percent of the current estimated project cost of $40 million to $45 million.

The appropriation was announced by Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John C. Schroer in a November 8 letter to members of the Tennessee General Assembly. Oak Ridge Today received a copy of the letter on Monday.

The $15 million that could be used for the Oak Ridge Airport is one half of a $30 million appropriation approved by the Tennessee General Assembly for the Aeronautics Economic Development Fund earlier this year, said Billy Stair, a former communications director at Oak Ridge National Laboratory who is now a consultant helping with the airport project. That half was to support the construction of new general aviation airports like the project in Oak Ridge, and Oak Ridge received all of the $15 million for general aviation airports, Stair said.

“MKAA (Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority) is the only public entity in the state with planning documents for a new airport currently under review,” Schroer said in his November letter to legislators. The $15 million will be allocated to the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, which would own and operate the Oak Ridge Airport, pending FAA approval. [Read more…]

Roane Alliance contributes $10,000 to International Friendship Bell Fund

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roane-alliance-check-presentation-3

Steve Kelley, left, Pam May and Wade Creswell present a $10,000 check from the Roane Alliance to Pat Postma, second from right, for the new Peace Pavilion to house the International Friendship Bell. (Submitted photo)

 

The Roane Alliance recently contributed $10,000 to the fund supporting a new Peace Pavilion to house the International Friendship Bell in Oak Ridge’s Bissell Park.

Wade Creswell, president of the Roane Alliance; Pam May, Roane Alliance vice president; and Roane County Commissioner Steve Kelley presented the contribution to Pat Postma, co-chair of the International Friendship Bell Citizens Advisory Committee.

Kelley, who represents Roane County Commission District 4 in Oak Ridge, said county officials consider this a tourism contribution that will bring economic benefit to the county.

“The Tourism Committee of Roane County Commission had been looking for ways to help the new Manhattan Project National Historical Park become an economic engine for Roane County,” said Kelley, who chairs the committee. “I suggested a donation through the Roane Alliance to the bell project, to support the Bell and Peace Pavilion as an attraction for national park visitors. We believe it will help increase traffic to the national park and surrounding attractions.” [Read more…]

Roane County Budget Committee meets Monday

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The Roane County Budget Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, May 11, at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston.

The Budget Committee includes Ron Woody, Steve Kelley, Bobby Collier, Randy Ellis, and Ron Berry.

The committee will meet in in the first floor conference room at the courthouse. The meeting on Thursday, May 7, was canceled.

The Budget Committee meetings are open to the public.

Roane County Budget Committee meets Monday

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The Roane County Budget Committee will at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 6, in the first floor conference room at the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston.

The meetings are open to the public.

The Budget Committee includes Ron Woody, Steve Kelley, Bobby Collier, Randy Ellis, and Ron Berry.

New Circuit Court clerk winner after Roane recount

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On Thursday, it looked like candidate Sarah E. Stewart had won the election for Roane County Circuit Court clerk.

But there was a new winner after a Friday recount: candidate Ann Goldston, who is now a deputy clerk.

Roane County election officials recounted every vote in Thursday’s state primary and county general election after an early voting memory card that had stored about 1,300 votes was not turned in. Election officials called it a human error.

The recount showed Goldston won 4,876 votes (41.5 percent) to Stewart’s 4,538 (38.6 percent). The earlier results, before the recount, showed a narrow win for Stewart.

Finishing in third in that race in both counts was Marty Miles, who had 2,349 votes (20 percent) in the recount. [Read more…]

Roane County executive, sheriff re-elected

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Ron Woody

Ron Woody

Roane County Executive Ron Woody was elected to a second four-year term on Thursday, and Sheriff Jack Stockton won a third term.

Woody beat former county mayor Mike Farmer, who previously lost to Woody after one term, by a 60 to 40 percent margin. The unofficial vote tally, with all 24 precincts reporting, was 3,388 votes for Woody to 2,237 for Farmer.

Roane County Sheriff Jack Stockton coasted to re-election, beating Rockwood Police Department Patrolman Jared Hall by a 78 to 22 percent margin. The vote tally was 4,504 to 1,284, according to the unofficial election results. [Read more…]

Roane approves ‘In God We Trust’ signs

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Roane County Courthouse

The Roane County Courthouse in Kingston is pictured above. (Photo by Sara Wise)

WYSH Radio/Oak Ridge Today

The Roane County Commission voted 13-1 on Monday to place the words “In God We Trust” at three locations in the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston. The signs will be similar to those placed above all four entrances at the Anderson County Courthouse last year and the one placed above the entrance to the Oak Ridge General Sessions Court building.

The Roane County proposal was made earlier this year, but commissioners initially balked at approving it until it made its way through the property committee.

The black granite signs will be placed above the north and south entrances to the Courthouse. A bronze plaque inscribed with “In God We Trust,” which is the national motto, will also be placed in the Commission meeting room, which also serves as a General Sessions courtroom. As in Anderson County, the signs will be paid for by private contributions. [Read more…]