Fighting social media falsehood, recruiting sales-tax bizes among ’25 Town tasks
As Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen delved into priorities and projects on which to focus this year, it considered the challenges it will face during a Board retreat in Turkey Creek Medical Center classrooms Friday, Jan. 24.
For Mayor Ron Williams, he said the biggest challenges this year will be: social media misinformation, completing long-in-tooth projects, recruiting sales tax businesses, dialing in the Advanced Traffic Management System, or traffic light system, and completing Campbell Station Inn.
“I think this coming year, we need to be very, very proactive in our social media,” Williams said. “What I mean by that is Wendy (Smith, communication manager) does a good job with what she puts out there, and I think we can expand on that and make it even better.
“We have a lot of misinformation that gets out there … I think (the social media) would be a help,” he added.
Williams also referred to projects that have been in the works for a while.
“A good example is Union Road,” the mayor said. “That has been around for at least eight years, maybe longer. It’s unbelievable that we’re still at the point that we’re still trying to get right-of-way acquisitions.”
Regarding recruiting sales tax-generating businesses, “that’s something I’m keen on personally, is going after these businesses and try to bring them to Farragut,” he said. “To continue with the recruiting, I know the Tourism Committee is involved in that.”
About the ATMS, Williams said, “It’s pretty phenomenal.”
In the next five years, he sees the biggest challenges are increased I-40/I-75 traffic issues, prioritizing all Town infrastructure projects, succession planning, future political environment based on the Board’s current views and the 70-acre park project.
Aldermen Drew Burnette, Alex Cain and David White all agreed traffic in the Town is a challenge, “especially at the Kingston Pike corridor,” Cain said. “We need to think outside the box a little and look to expand.”
“I hear people are wondering how they’re going to get around,” White said. “How are we going to get (new) school (traffic) out?”
Cain added he thinks the Board needs to “stop falling back on outdated traffic studies and the mantra ‘it’s always been like that’ or ‘it doesn’t meet the need.’”
He suggested looking at re-arranging lanes, timing and light sequences to keep vehicles moving.
Burnette said the challenges he sees are moving back into Town Hall, working with Knox County on the new elementary school, the growth of people and businesses moving to Farragut, working on McFee Park’s new parking area and dog park and increasing connectivity of the Town’s greenways and sidewalks.
