‘We are here’ is message Witt wants out about Town Hall county services
When Knox County Clerk Sherry Witt took office earlier this year, she immediately realized its satellite offices were underutilized — especially the one located in Farragut Town Hall.
“I’m just not sure if people know we are at Town Hall,” Witt said about the office, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“I have had a lot of people tell me they didn’t know the office was (at Town Hall, 11408 Municipal Center Drive),” Farragut Mayor Ron Williams said.
“We had about 3,200 transactions there last month, and that may sound like a lot but not compared to other offices,” Witt said. “The County Clerk’s office typically conducts from 55,000 to 60,000 transactions overall every month, mostly at our downtown office and the one at Cedar Bluff.”
Witt noted the Town Hall office, one of five satellite locations in the county, provides almost all services found downtown and at the Cedar Bluff location, with the exception of driver’s licenses and passports. “Parking is ample, too,” she added.
The Clerk’s office offers motor vehicle titling and registration services, marriage license applications and new business licenses.
On Oct. 1, Witt also began offering duplicate title printing at the Farragut location “for the convenience of individuals and car dealerships in the area,” she said.
Also new this year is a partnership with Knox County Trustee Ed Shouse’s office, which allows Knox County property tax payments to be accepted at Town Hall.
“This has proven to be another vital option for people who have questions or prefer one-on-one interaction when paying their property taxes or applying for a tax freeze or tax relief,” Witt said.
Furthermore, she said a new pilot program of cross training between her office and Shouse’s has meant only one additional seasonal employee has been hired at the satellite office, rather than two.
“So that saves taxpayer dollars, too,” she said.
Witt said as property tax season gets under way, this localized service should be convenient — and hopefully will see more usage.
“(Foot) traffic will get heavy up to and through February,” she said. “And we are more than ready.”
For more information, call 865-966-5205.
Witt said the County Clerk’s office has operated a satellite office in Farragut for 25 years.
Misty Cappareli is service leader for the Town Hall location, and team members include Marianne May, Jason McCarter, Karen Condrone and David Garrett.
