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PAGE APB The Knoxville Focus September 30, 2019 September 30, 2019 www.knoxfocus.com **HUGE AUCTION**PAGE A1 FRIDAY, Oct. 4 at 6PM The Knoxville See pictures at The Knoxville fountaincityauction.com Fountain City Auction (865)474-9931 OCUS FREETake One! www.knoxfocus.com F September 30, 2019 Phone: 865-686-9970 | PO Box 18377, Knoxville, TN 37928 | Located at 4109 Central Avenue Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee 37912 Knox County’s ‘Safe Babies Court’ Is Working By Focus Staff the circuit, chancery An Academic-All-American who is Irwin is an imposing man and Irwin runs the administrative Few people pay and juvenile courts. in the Minnesota Vikings Hall of a no-nonsense dispenser of the side of the juvenile court oper- much attention to The juvenile court is Fame, Tim Irwin planned for the law, a conservative Republican ation, which includes represen- the court system headed by perhaps the day when one career was over who manages to be fair and com- tatives from several other state until or unless they most easily recognized and had prepared for another. passionate. It was this same and local offices including the have a legal prob- judge in Knox County: Irwin went to law school, start- imposing man who has invited sheriff’s department, the attor- lem. Folks are too Tim Irwin. Judge Irwin ing when he was still playing foot- dogs into the court to comfort ney general’s office, the public busy from day to day is still remembered ball and obtained his law degree children, as well as keeping a defender’s office, and the depart- to give much thought fondly by many Knox and began a legal practice. When warehouse full of stuffed animals ment of children’s services, all to such things, nor Juvenile Court Countians from his Juvenile Court Judge Carey Gar- for youngsters. It is a heartwarm- the while maintaining a heavy do people much Judge Tim Irwin days playing football at rett passed away, Tim Irwin was ing and memorable sight to liter- court docket. care about the vari- the University of Ten- appointed by the Knox County ally see Judge Irwin handing out The juvenile court has its very ety of local courts - - - the small nessee before going pro and play- Commission and ran for a full teddy bears with a grin to a child own clerk of the courts, who claims court, the criminal courts, ing with the Minnesota Vikings. term unopposed to succeed him. who is confused and frightened. Continue on page 2 MANNIS CAMPAIGN OPENS EAST KNOX OFFICE Knox County, Pension Board circling wagons By Mike Steely [email protected] doors until invited back in. The pension board recon- In what began as a rou- vened its meeting and tine meeting of the Knox Owings addressed the County Retirement and Pen- members. It became obvi- sion Board stopped abrupt- ous that his remarks had ly ten minutes into the ses- already been heard during sion when pension board the private session. He attorney John Owings stood said the new class action and declared the board was lawsuit against the county going into executive. Anyone was related to the pension not a member of the board board’s allowing vacation or an authorized county offi- pay to be included in sher- cial was told to leave the iff department employee’s meeting. retirement. It became obvi- Like Old West settlers ous that a decision was the Knox County Pension made in the executive ses- Board, Mayor and County sion but had to be “public” Commission have begun cir- with a request and vote by cling their wagons in prepa- the board members in an Campaign consultant Gary Drinnen, volunteers Linda Conner and Linda Freeman, and mayoral candidate ration of an attack. open session. Eddie Mannis relax after putting some finishing touches on the Mannis Campaign’s Downtown/East Knox- The private session Owings called the suit ville office. Stop by and visit 900 East Hill Ave Suite 110! between the board, the “unnecessary” and said it attorney, and county admin- “lacks merit,” adding that istration last Monday lasted he feels the matter was set- almost an hour. During tled in a former lawsuit. the executive session He then asked the board Knox County Mayor Glenn to authorize him to “inter- Jacobs entered the meet- vene” as their representa- UGO holds children’s hospital benefit ing, stayed for a brief time, tive. Although the pension and left again heading back board was not named in the to his office in Room 640. lawsuit the board members The Knoxville Focus waited outside the closed Continued on page 2 Many questions remain about relocating the school offices By Mike Steely [email protected] TVA Towers? Why is the superintendent being treat- Why are the county ed so roughly because he mayor and some mem- has questions? bers of commission rush- How does the parking ing the approval of a lease at the Towers compare to of the TVA East Tower for parking at the AJ Building? the Knox County School Is there a problem with system? What’s the actual the public visiting the TVA- value of the Andrew John- owned building and what son Building, where the about TVA supplying the PHOTO BY MIKE STEELY. school system is currently security there instead of housed? the Public Building Author- Joining the Ghostbusters at the UGO Fundraiser for East Tennessee Children’s Hospital were Angie Howell of the hos- What’s the actual projec- ity? pital, John Hickman who organized the event, and Andrea Thrasher of UGO. The Chapman Highway UGO Epic Event tion of moving expenses These are all questions Saturday drew hundreds of parents and children who bought raffle tickets to support the Children’s Hospital and chat- and upkeep at the Towers that came up during and ted with various mascots and comic book and movie characters. compared with mainte- after the Knox County Com- nance and operation at mission meeting last week. REDUCED 2 bed, 1 bath, the AJ Building over the Commissioner Larsen Jay 1,234 square foot cottage in next several years? Who had a discussion added to quiet countryside, settled supplied the figures on the agenda “regarding the on 1 acre. New carpet. Over- the value of the AJ Build- potential location move of sized Heat Pump w/ 6-7 year ing and the expenses the Knox County Schools.” Jay old roof. Wood burning stove in living room. MLS# 1072627 $99,900 county will need to pay at called the proposed move the Towers? “an opportunity to save Cathern King Why haven’t the school $29 to $30 million and (865) 216-5646 cell superintendent or the build more schools.” He (865) 688-3232 offi ce school board been asked called the proposal to sell Each offi ce is independently owned and operated. if they want to move to the Continue on page 4 PAGE A2 The Knoxville Focus September 30, 2019 Knox County, Pension Board circling wagons Cont. from page 1 attorney Tom McFarland, this matter,” Jacobs said, the law office, in consulta- “The mayor and I haven’t board and that Owings had voted, with no objection, to who represents the twelve asking that the request be tion with the mayor, but talked about it, I’d like to the authority to respond on give Owings authority to Knox County citizens who added to the commission’s Jacobs pushed for the sole discuss it with him. What’s its behalf. assist with the case. are party to the action. He agenda. The motion to add authority to hire. Armstrong before you is who gets to Dailey asked Jacobs why Owings said he would noted that the pension it to agenda passed. The said a reply must be made pay for it,” Armstrong said. he was asking for permis- file the necessary papers board is not a party in the meeting went on to other within 30 days. He restated that the ques- sion to hire an outside attor- to become involved “within litigation but that the pre- business and then returned The work session meet- tion is, “Does the county ney and Jacobs responded, the week.” vious action by the Knox to the Jacobs request. ing finally motioned for a commission have the power “The law director has a con- Commissioners Brad County Commission is part Chairman Hugh Nystrom vote and the Jacobs request to increase payment under flict.” Anders, Hugh Nystrom, of the suit. said the mayor’s request to hire an outside attorney the Uniformed Officers Pen- The original suit against Larsen Jay and Randy McFarland’s suit was filed came in “right before we without consulting the law sion Plan?” the pension board was filed Smith voted to give Owings the previous Friday but he set our agenda” and would director’s office passed Schoonmaker said the by Law Director Armstrong the authority and then the had written the pension be considered. with seven votes, two “No” mayor’s request “comes in after he found that the Uni- commission members went board back in July on behalf Several of the commis- votes and two commission- at the 11th hour” and said formed Officers Pension downstairs to the commis- the Knox County taxpayers, sioners had comments ers passing. that all legal matters are Plan had been changed sion work session where demanding that the board and questions but Mayor Voting “Yes” were Justin supposed to go through the to include vacation pay as another vote would come stop the additional pay that Jacobs answered one of Biggs, Evelyn Gill, Michele law director’s office.