Opinion
March 4, 2026 by
To the Editor:
Last week I was unable to attend a Farragut Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting due to illness and prepared the following presentation read at the meeting.
Recently there was much publicity about condemning property to build sidewalks or walkways. I know government has authority by eminent domain for roads, utilities, and schools; but the use of eminent domain for sidewalks and walkways is wrong. I don’t know if it’s legal, but I do believe it is wrong except sidewalks for school.
For the past several years, I heard many times about “this is what the founders wanted” or “this is what the founders would do”. As one of the seven founders I can verify those statements are not always true. The founders were seven people with some very important common opinions, but also some differing opinions.
Unfortunately, only three of the founders remain. I can assure you all, or at least almost all of the founders, did not support condemning property for walkways. We tried to be very respectful of property owners.
The first walkway constructed by the town was along Turkey Creek Road 45 years ago. It ended at the sharp curve because it could not be built due to topographical restraints. Too costly and too much damage would be done to several residential properties. Now the Town is proposing obtaining property using eminent domain and building a very expensive walkway.
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March 4, 2026 by
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.
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March 6, 2026 by
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