Letter to the editor
To the Editor:
I have a rebuttal for Farragut Mayor Ron Williams and former Vice Mayor Louise Povlin on their constant Washington double talk. In last week’s letter to the editor Mayor Ron claims residents are confusing “two different concepts, namely road improvement projects undertaken by the Town as capital improvement projects and zoning laws that govern how citizens can use their property.”
No Mayor, we are not confusing anything, we know a trick when we see one. The Farragut Press reported way back in 2024 when the Mayor changed the town budget for the Turkey Creek Road greenway to the Turkey Creek Road
Multi-Modla road project was just a lame obvious attempt to evade state law on eminent domain which the town got sued by Turkey Creek Road landowners.
In last Thursday’s Mayor and Alderman meeting former Vice Mayor Louise Povlin gave one of her prepared statements claiming, “There is no approved plan on the Turkey Creek greenway”. Ms. Povlin, no one ever said there was an approved plan. What residents have expressed their outrage with is the numerous covert attempts to ram a greenway plan through.
The Turkey Creek greenway was on the May 2024 FMPC agenda NOT for discussion, but for a first and only up or down vote where Ms. Povlin made the motion to approve with no plans available on the wall projection screen. The only reason the vote was not held is prominent attorney John Neal told the Planning Commission if the town took one more step on the greenway he would file a lawsuit. In the next Mayor and Alderman meeting the board approved $500,000 for eminent domain on Turkey Creek Road and Mr. Neal filed the lawsuit.
The Farragut Press reported all of this here: https://www.farragutpress.com/articles/2024/07/13940
On the covert shenanigans the town did after the lawsuit was filed to evade state law. What the public does not know is that the town contacted the State Attorney General to void the eminent domain law which he refused, asked the town’s State Representative to void the law which failed, and a few weeks ago asked the town’s State Senator to void the law but the Senator pulled the bill after loud local protests.
Is it too much to ask the Mayor and former Vice mayor to stop the endless word salads? To stop the double talk? You’ve been caught at each attempt. Including last week’s attempt to end the Agricultural zoning in Farragut.
~ Mike Mitchell
Farragut
