News

Smile, you might be on a new Town candid camera; 1 of 2 matching grants

Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously during its meeting Thursday, July 10, to approve two resolutions to participate in two grants to make the Town and staff safer and more secure. One key addition will be security cameras.

“The Town’s property insurance coverage provider, Public Entity Partners, offers an annual matching grant for security equipment and devices,” Finance director/Town recorder Allison Myers said about PEP’s Property Conservation matching grant.

In this case, she said the Town is seeking a matching grant to purchase security cameras “to protect insured property from damage and loss.

“Proper security equipment can help prevent harm to Town employees and citizens, protect Town property from damage and may assist the Town in the recovery of stolen property or monetary reimbursement from an at-fault party for damages,” Myers added. “Security equipment will help prevent and record vandalism, theft, damage and general misconduct on Town-owned property.

Additionally, “cameras and equipment will act as a deterrent to such conduct, assist the Town in pursuing legal action when merited and help protect the Town from false claims of wrongdoing or negligence,” she said. “Public Entity Partners will match what the Town spends on approved items to help protect insured property from damage or loss, with the maximum reimbursement amount based on a property coverage classification matrix.”

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Virtues, vices told: residents, experts talk Virtue Road Phase 2 plans

Attempting to complete Phase 2 of construction on Virtue Road — which will encompass 4,912 feet and create two 11-foot lanes with curb and gutter plus a 10-foot asphalt bike/walking path and boardwalk — the Town of Farragut project will start just south of Evans Road and end at Willow Cove Way.

Engineers and other professionals from LDA Engineering, the company in charge of planning this project, met with homeowners, property owners and other residents to be affected by the construction in the main assembly room of Town Community Center Wednesday evening, July 9.

The asphalt path “changes sides at Turkey Creek and becomes a 10-foot raised boardwalk out over the water” spanning 1,190 feet, said Lincoln Fugal, LDA project manager. “Before it turns the corner, it switches briefly back over to the right-hand side as you’re going to the lake and then terminates.”

“A lot of people had safety concerns; there’s a lot of existing conditions along this roadway that are unsafe,” said Joe Martin, a certified Geographic Information Systems professional with LDA. “This plan will actually improve the safety of the roadway in several ways. It keeps the speed limit at 30 (mph). There’s some site distance issues that this project takes care of and things like that.”

About specific resident concerns, “I would say driveway access and making sure that they still have access to the creek on the other side of the road,” said Jason Elliott, an LDA civil engineer who along with Fugal, Martin and LDA civil engineer intern Emmy Castleberry manned discussion tables where they fielded resident questions. “That was one of (a) gentleman’s main concerns.

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Traffic flow continues to be a priority for Town of Farragut Board, staff

From the Town

Traffic flow continues to be a key priority for Town of Farragut Board and staff.

Farragut residents talk, and the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) and Town staff listen. That’s why several new transportation and infrastructure projects were included in this year’s budget, which passed at the July 24 BOMA meeting.

Residents want traffic to move efficiently, and several projects that will improve traffic flow are included in the Town’s Capital Investment Program (CIP).

The CIP, created by Town staff and prioritized by the Board, lays out how big projects, like road improvements and park improvements, will be funded and managed over the next six years. Design and/or construction on the following projects is scheduled to begin this fiscal year (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026):

• Adaptive traffic signal upgrades — Adaptive technology will be added to signals at the Town’s major intersections. Completion of the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) created central control for the Town’s 26 signals, but adaptive technology will allow the signals to adjust timing based on traffic demands.

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YMCA calls attention to critical funding need

YMCA of East Tennessee is calling attention to the critical need for continued federal support of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program — a vital funding source for more than 10,000 afterschool programs nationwide, including four operated in low-income areas of Knoxville by YMCA of East Tennessee.  

On July 1, the YMCA and other out-of-school childcare providers were notified that the federal government is holding the money to review 21st CCLC funding, even though the funds were mandated by Congress’s Fiscal Year 2025 spending bill and signed by President Donald Trump in March.  No timeline or process has been shared for this review.

“If this funding is withheld this fall, 149 children in our community will lose access to Y afterschool,” said Matt Ryerson, President & CEO of the YMCA of East Tennessee. “We’re looking at an immediate $70,000 funding gap this fall and an additional $95,000 to $100,000 needed for the spring semester to serve these families.”

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KCSO reports

• At 2:38 p.m., Friday, July 11, a complainant reported a theft at Farragut Post Office, 11409 Municipal Center Drive. Complainant said she dropped off a check on Saturday, June 21, for $6,163.04 made out to DuPage County Property Taxes. She was checking her Pinnacle Bank account and noticed the payee was changed to a known suspect. The check was deposited online on Tuesday, June 24, into BMO Bank.

• At 5:43 p.m., July 11, a complainant called KCSO Teleserve Unit to report theft from a Vista Trail residence. Complainant said “an unknown suspect stole (power tools) from his trailer,” the report stated. “Complainant (said) the trailer was parked in his backyard and was not visible from the street. He further advised the suspect had unclipped the weedeaters from their hangers and removed them, discarding the clips on the ground. The complainant noted that the clips were not damaged.” Total value of loss was listed at $2,950.

• At 9:14 a.m., Wednesday, July 9, a complainant reported a forgery at ORNL, 11405 Municipal Center Drive. Complainant said he wrote a check for KUB in the amount of $18 and mailed it out from a Gulfwood Drive residence on June 24. “On (July 7) he was reviewing his bank statements and noticed check number … had been cashed in the amount of $481” on Wednesday, June 25, the report stated.

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Town calendar

• To celebrate National Parks and Recreation Month, Farragut Parks & Recreation Department will host Party in the Park at the splash pad in McFee Park from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, July 25. Games, crafts and music are all part of this free celebration of the end of summer.

In addition to enjoying the splash pad and playground, partygoers can participate in a large-scale water-ball fight and water obstacle course. Swimsuits are encouraged.

Food by Southern Yankee Pizza, Clean Smoke BBQ and Tikiz Shaved Ice & Ice Cream. For questions, contact Recreation and Event manager Rachel Malone at rmalone@townoffarragut.org.

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