letters to the editor
Keep electing, don’t appoint Law Director
I would like to update the 5th District, which includes the Town of Farragut, per me serving as its citizen representative to the 2020 Knox County Charter Review Committee. There will be a meeting this Thursday (tonight, July 30) at 5:30 p.m. at the City/County Building (you will have to go through security and there is a mask mandate) and there is a public forum.
The biggest issue to be alarmed about is a move to transition from an “elected” Knox County Law Director to a “mayoral appointed” Law Director. This is being driven by the Knox County Mayor’s appointees of the KCCRC and a few Knox County Commissioners with ties to the public sector. The manner in how this was put on the agenda is highly questionable from a procedural/public administration perspective.
Transitioning from a Law Director that serves “all the people” and is “independent” to one that “serves the Mayor” and is an “employee” brings many challenges. Not only does it take a vote and voice away from ALL of Knox County voters, it could be very detrimental to those with a minority voice. Likewise, it removes a “check and balance” from the executive branch, and most importantly I see it also removing a “safe guard / barrier” to any future moves towards of a “metro government / bigger bureaucracy.”
Knox County has competitive advantage to other communities by having an elected Law Director. I have had experience in Knox County over the years dealing with various elected Law Directors and also the City of Knoxville’s appointed Law Director, and from those experiences I can tell you there definitely is a different mindset (it is the same mindset you see in having an elected Sheriff versus an appointed Chief of Police). In my opinion, the preference is to have someone who serves “we the people.”
I have updated Town of Farragut’s Mayor Ron Williams of this issue and informed the media and many outside community / political groups, too, of the business of the KCCRC and especially with this move against the election of the Law Director. From the Knox County and Town of Farragut resident, public administration and being a fiscal conservative perspectives, I am going to support the election of the Law Director.
Switching topics, I would like to congratulate the following: 1) Town of Farragut for its recent “Freedom Ranking” from The Beacon Center, 2) The Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce and their entire team on their new branding effort (as it was a home run), and 3) The Shrimp Dock for not only being an asset to our community on so many fronts, but to showcase a “level of humor” in advertising that is not often seen in this market.
Bravo Zulu to all these organizations.
Bill Johns, MBA, MPA
Farragut
5G health issues need more voices for Town leaders to hear
As a 30-year resident of Farragut I am very concerned about the lack of representation over the health concerns that the residents of Farragut have voiced over the installation of 5G towers in our neighborhoods and on our schools and workplaces.
It has been requested to have experts in the field who have documented these grave health concerns present these concerns at Town meetings. Our concerns need to be taken seriously.
From my perspective, you would have to be living under a rock not to be aware of these serious threats to our health and the health of our children. Please dig in and do your research before you allow these harmful towers to be installed.
Go watch the movie “Dark Waters” because it is the same kind of situation.
Nellaine Sutton, Farragut
