January Update

January Update for Knox County!

 ***2017 is here and we are looking forward to a year of prosperity for Knox County. There is great opportunity in the future and if we all work hard we can keep our taxes down and our quality of life high. We continue to work hard toward our goal of becoming the Mayor of Knox County. If you would like more details on our campaign or would like to view our announcement follow this link: ElectBobThomas.com. We would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year!

***January's Ed and Bob NIGHT OUT in Knox County will be on Wednesday, January 18th, 5-7p at Sam and Andy's WEST in the Aspen Square Shopping Center at 11110 Kingston Pike. We invite all Knox County citizens to stop by and talk with us about their concerns and while you are there have one of the best burgers in town!

***The Knox County School Bus Driver Awards will be presented on Thursday, January 19th at 11:00am at Ted Russell Ford at 8551 Kingston Pike. The awards are sponsored by Ted Russell Ford and WIVK. Five drivers who are graded with excellent marks will be presented a $100 check from Andy White owner of Ted Russell Ford along with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Knox County School System along with a prize package from WIVK.

***The Martin Luther King holiday brings a lot of events to celebrate the life of Dr. King. Thursday, January 12th I will be attending the Awards Luncheon at the Downtown Marriott. On Monday January 16th I will be walking in the MLK Parade that starts at 10am at the Tabernacle Baptist Church on Martin Luther King Avenue then ending at the Greater Warner Tabernacle AME Zion Church in Burlington, for the annual Memorial Tribute Service. Monday night I am one of the sponsors of the Knoxville Symphony's Celebration of Dr. King starting at 6p at the Tennessee theater. The concert is free.

***In December the Ed and Bob NIGHT OUT in Knox County was turned into a fundraiser for the Salvation Army as we rang the bell at the entrance to West Town Mall. Many citizens stopped by to speak with us and best of all, many came by and put money into the Red Kettle. Thanks!

 ***Knox County’s 18th annual Holiday Festival of Lights at The Cove at Concord Park kicked off Friday, Dec. 16th. The three-quarter-mile greenway trail was illuminated with many Christmas figures. Every year your family should put this on your "must do" list.

After the holidays my wife and I drove to Gatlinburg to see the damages caused by the fires and to spend money there to do what little we could to help the city get back to normal. It was hard to see the destruction in these pictures all just a few blocks off of the Parkway. It is going to take years to rebuild, but I hope we all will try to visit often.

***Over the holidays it was my honor to dine with Tennessee Vol Legend Gus Manning. While at Club LeConte I witnessed Gus signing the enclosed Vol Flag that is on display in the club. Gus is a real treasure of Knox County and a encyclopedia of Vol stories, folk lore and secrets.

Congratulations to Knox County native Sarah Harris who was crowned Ms. Chattanooga. I met with her to discuss her work for Second Harvest of Knox County.

In Commission news...
On Tuesday, January 17th at 2:00pm, the Knox County Commission will hold its monthly workshop in the Main Assembly Room of the City County Building. This month we are meeting in the middle of the day on a Tuesday due to the MLK holiday and the Knoxville City Council meeting in the same room that night.

On Monday, January 23rd at 1pm the Knox County Pension and Retirement Board will meet on the 6th floor of the City County Building in the Commission Conference Room. I am on that board and will be present. The Beer Board will meet at 4:00pm. The regular Commission meeting will begin at 5pm followed by Zoning at 7pm. All meetings will take place in the Main Assembly Room of the City County Building.

The Commission agenda is very light with only 14 resolutions. The bulk of the items that are coming before Commission for January are from one department. There are 7 items from Engineering and Public Works. There are no school items unless some are added later. School resolutions are merely a formality as they pass whether we vote for them or not. In zoning there are 6 issues this month. The Millstone Lane issue is coming back after being deferred from December to give the opposition time to have discussions with the developer. Some resolutions that stand out are:
1. A resolution honoring long-time Knox County leader Jack Huddleston.
2. Acceptance of a $144,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture for the Knox County Stormwater Division.
3. Acceptance of a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the Knox County Air Quality Program.

Should you or any Knox County resident need assistance from Knox County government, please contact me at:
Bob.Thomas@KnoxCounty.org or 865-309-4364

Seat 10 At-Large Commissioner of Knox County Commission
Chairman, Knox County Cable TV Committee
Chairman, Knox County Disability Committee
Knox County Development Corp Board
Knox County Pension & Retirement Committee
Knox County Parks & Recreation Board
Metro Drug Coalition Board
Dogwood Arts Festival Board
Young-Williams Animal Center Board
American Cancer Society Board
Arts & Culture Alliance Board
Community Television Board
Thompson-Boling Arena Use Committee