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VOL. 6, NO. 1
JANUARY 2, 2012
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Farragut’s 2012 agenda ready to roll By Suzanne Foree Neal It’s barely 2012, but staff for the town of Farragut is already working on strategic planning for the new year. Topping the list is finances, something a lot of towns are putting down as priority No. 1. “We want to be sure we have adequate revenues, lower expenses, maintain high ratings for our finances, strengthen our local economy and see new businesses,” says David Smoak, town administrator. “Those things will certainly help our sustainability.” Smoak says the board set a vision for the town last spring and that’s what the staff is working off. It includes nurturing the town’s history, beauty, high quality residential choices, multiple activity centers, convenient living, outstanding recreational opportunities and community spirit. The town will soon unveil new exhibits at the Farragut Folklife Museum and over the next few years will showcase the area’s Civil War history, including the Battle of Campbell Station. The town is working with the Tennessee Department of Transportation on the Old Stage and Watt roads connection with construction expected to start by fall. Construction will continue on Everett Road for probably the next 14 months. “I think people have gotten used to it,” Smoak says in reference to all the detours. The town
FEATURED COLUMNIST BETTY BEAN
Meet ‘Jane’ A practicing psychologist discusses her own struggles with mental illness. See page A-6
NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
City/County Christmas tree recycling Knox County will recycle Christmas trees throughout January at Dutchtown Convenience Center , 10618 Dutchtown Road; Forks of the River Convenience Center, 3106 Water Plant Road; Halls Convenience Center, 3608 Neal Drive; John Sevier Convenience Center, 1810 John Sevier Highway; Powell Convenience Center, 7311 Morton View Lane; and Gibbs Convenience Center, 7201 Tazewell Pike. Trees must be cleaned of all ornaments, lights, wire, string and other décor.
will also begin resurfacing roads with that work beginning in the summer. A new greenway is expected to make an appearance connecting Wentworth subdivision across Little Turkey Creek over to McFee Road. “We hope to start that in the spring and be done by summer to help out residents in that area,” Smoak says.
The usual community events are being penciled in on the town’s calendar. Included in the schedule are the Dogwood Arts Festival; July Fourth; Red, White and Blues Festival; Picnic on the Pike; and Freaky Friday, to name a few. Smoak says there will be some ordinance “clean up,” including a new business privilege license for a nomi-
nal fee. “Keeping track of businesses in town is very difficult,” he says. “We need to know about the businesses in town to help us help businesses grow. It’s just a license to operate a business and does not include any taxes.” He summed up the plans for 2012 by saying, “Our goal is to work on our board’s vision and move the town ahead.”
Turkey Creek Public Market gets new management By Theresa Edwards
Christmas tree collection in the city is the same process as for brush collection. After all decorations have been removed, trees should be placed at the street for collection.
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Turkey Creek Public Market has shaken up its management team with the hiring of Cheri Spinazzola as the general manager. She previously worked as general manager for Nashville’s Opry Mills, a Simon-owned retail outlet. The assistant manager is Jay Underwood. Spinazzola is happy to be “back home” and to join the team at Turkey Creek. “I’m excited about a new marketing campaign that is just beginning,” she said, “as well as the extension of Outlets Drive to Campbell Station Road in the spring.” She is lining up entertainment and asks anyone interesting in booking an event to call 671-5000. The market is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Info: www.turkeycreekpublicmarket.com/.
Focus on finance
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By Larry Van Guilder Mayor Tim Burchett is the chief fiscal officer for Knox County, so it comes as no surprise that his focus for 2012 can be summed up in two words: the budget. “We’re in constant discussions about the budget,” Burchett says. He also has bi-weekly meetings with Schools Superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre. Last year, $7 million in federal stimulus money funded programs and some personnel costs for the schools. That money is gone, but the needs are as great as ever. “My concern is that cuts
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Burchett says Knox County is “a donor community” currently, and the former state senator understands what it takes to change that: “17 votes in the Senate and 50 in the House.” Burchett slimmed down the county administrative budget last year, and the cuts weren’t nearly as draconian some feared. The mayor says the “tweaking” will continue, and the buck Tim Burchett will stop on his desk. “When they talk about don’t affect the classroom,” (cutting) ‘a few percentage the mayor says. points,’ I’m the one who has One source for offsetting to make those decisions,” some of the stimulus money he says, and it’s never easy, loss is the Basic Education especially where jobs are Program (BEP) which dis- concerned. “You can’t run tributes state education dol- government like a business lars to local school districts. or business like the govern-
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ment,” he adds. Burchett acknowledges that closing the Lakeshore Mental Health Institute potentially could burden the county with what amounts to an unfunded mandate. “I hope we don’t use that as an excuse to grow government,” he says. “I hope those dollars follow the patients. “Unfortunately, we’re not equipped (to care for the patients) and neither is J.J. (Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones).” Already there’s talk on County Commission about beefing up local outpatient treatment programs, but Burchett says he’s optimistic the state will do the right thing. “I texted the governor and he assured us those folks will be taken care of.” Dean Rice, the mayor’s chief of staff, says the administration will “stay the course”
in 2012: Continue to “shrink the footprint” and “spend less.” To that the mayor adds that government needs to become less intrusive. “Too many times I’ll hear, ‘What’s government doing for jobs’? I say it gets out of the way and lets businesses operate.” Burchett successfully championed a new elementary school for the Carter community, but, in general, he says he’s not a “big project” fan. “Instead of starting new programs, pay down the debt,” he says. (Last year’s budget included the administration’s plan to pare the debt by $100 million over five years.) “It’s not sexy, it doesn’t make headlines,” Burchett says, “but those millions we save now will pay off down the road.”
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