November 13, 2017 www.knoxfocus.com Now offering onlinePAGE A1 auction services Fountain City Auction for all of your auction needs (865)604-3468 fountaincityauction.com FREE Take One! November 13, 2017 Kids’ Coupon Book Money to be Spent on Lavish Banquet? By Focus Staff streets to sell the books Superintendent Thomas. year. McMillan then asked certainly had no objection Mike McMillan, East Knox or have been accosted by The school system seems how long Davis had known to honoring teachers, he County’s member of the friends and neighbors sell- to be the only entity in town a new sponsor had been thought it sent the wrong board of education, found ing coupon books for their that has both a chief of needed, to which Davis message to the public an odd item on the last kids. Two dollars of every staff and a chief operating responded he couldn’t to expend money raised meeting agenda. Making coupon book comes back officer, an innovation cre- remember. McMillan asked through the sale of coupon a few inquiries, McMillan to the school system to do ated by the former superin- if it had been longer than books for a banquet. discovered the school with as they please. Super- tendent, Jim McIntyre. 30 days? Davis respond- “Nobody appreciates the system proposed to spend intendent Bob Thomas evi- Under questioning from ed it had likely been longer job done by good teachers $15,000 on a banquet to be dently determined $15,000 McMillan, Davis admitted than thirty days, but still, more than I do,” McMillan held at the Knoxville Con- of that money will go to in the past the banquet his memory failed him. said, “but while this seems vention Center. The funding sponsor a banquet honor- was sponsored by a corpo- Unable to hide his dismay, like a small amount of source appalled McMillan; ing teachers of the year at ration. McMillan wondered McMillan denounced the money, and considering Mike McMillan it was to be drawn from the every school in the county. why that was not the case notion of spending coupon the amount spent by the school system’s share of During the last workshop any longer. Davis replied money for a banquet, even school system annually, it school officials did not coupon book sales. session of the board of that the school system if the dinner was to honor is. Yet I think it sends the more aggressively seek out Just about everybody in education, McMillan sharp- had been notified the cor- teachers. McMillan, who wrong message to parents a new corporate sponsor Knox County has seen small ly questioned Clifford porate sponsor decid- spent his entire adult life as and the public.” immediately upon being children trudging along Davis, the chief of staff for ed not to participate this an educator, said while he McMillan wondered why Continued on page 3 We thank you for your service Knoxville Election Historic Women’s Victory By Mike Steely [email protected] Who would have predicted a year ago that the new Knoxville City Council would see four women, two being minorities, elected? Tuesday’s General Election set a record in the total number of people casting ballots during an off-year election. Currently the only woman on the coun- cil is Brenda Palmer and the only African- American is Daniel Brown, who served as mayor briefly between Bill Haslam’s election as governor and Madeline Roger’s election as mayor. Counting those who voted Tuesday and in absentee and early votes, 11,735 people voted in a race the Election Commission was hoping to get at least 10,000 ballots cast. PHOTO BY MIKE STEELY. Tuesday’s election permitted registered About 23 members of the Capt. Bill Robinson Chapter 1078 Vietnam Veterans Of America walked down Gay Street Friday to Knoxville voters in all districts to choose celebrates the service of U.S. military veterans in the city’s annual Veterans Day Parade. council members from five districts. While some thought that Amelia Parker’s write-in campaign might upset the momen- tum being built by Lauren Rider it did not. Parker got 2,015 write-in votes but Rider’s Short-term rental regulations passes first vote District 4 campaign pulled in 5,289 votes to Harry Tindell’s 3,405. By Mike Steely and Councilman Nick Della Volpe voting Law Department if the STR rules were [email protected] Gwen McKenzie pulled 57% of the vote for the changes. part of the city’s zoning and Attorney to Jennifer Montgomery’s 43%. The 6th Two major changes for Knoxville As it now stands STRs would be allowed Christa Cuccaro said the city’s power District battle between McKenzie, an Afri- passed on first reading Tuesday as the in all residential neighborhoods. does not involve zoning and were part can-American activist and professional, Knoxville City Council debated regulat- Mayor Madeline Rogero read a state- of its “police powers.” She and Planning ing short-term rentals and expanding the ment before the discussion saying that and Montgomery, a realtor and president Commission Director Gerald Green told Historic Overlay in the Parkridge Neigh- the proposal “may not make everyone of the Parkridge Neighborhood Association, the council that short-term rentals were borhood. The subjects saw some heated happy.” She went on to say she “fully sup- came to an end with Mayor Madeline Rogero remarks from both sides as some council ports” the issue and noted only a few a right of a homeowner, just as long-term endorsing McKenzie just days before the members and citizens spoke out. complaints have been lodged against rentals are. election. The short-term rental (STR) debate cen- that type of temporary rental, noting that Grieve said the policy was “not enforce- Stephanie Welch, in South Knoxville’s 1st tered on whether to accept the proposal those complaints were about zoning vio- able” and Della Volpe asked, “What are District, received the highest percentage of offered by the planning commission or lations. we doing here?!” any candidate, pulling in 73% of the vote, to make the rules more restrictive with She also said the proposal will make it “You make it more difficult to be a cohe- or 7,387 votes. Rebecca Parr got 2,686 amendments from Vice Mayor Duane easy to change or alter the rules. sive neighborhood,” Della Volpe said. votes in her challenge. Welch had been Grieve. He suggested five amendments Proponents told the council that STRs When Councilman Nick Pavlis suggest- endorsed early on by out-going Councilman Nick Pavlis. to the proposal: exclude R-1 and R-1E fill an income gap and the proposed rules ed giving current non-owner occupied Seema Singh Perez surprised many by restricted neighborhoods from having were very generous to both sides. Oppo- STRs a few months or a year to resolve short-term rentals, lowering the minimum nents said the rules were a violation of defeating James Edward Corcoran in the their properties Della Volpe said, “That’s “transients” in a home to 8 instead of zoning, pose an unnecessary risk and set 3rd District. She received 6,105 votes to crazy!” 12; require the homeowner to remain on a dangerous precedent. Corcoran’s 4,470. site during occupancy; limiting off street Another STR owner asked them to Dealing with current non-owner occu- In the 2nd District Andrew Roberto, who parking, requiring a STR owner to notify include non-owner occupied rentals as pied STRs may be back as an amend- resigned from the Election Commission to neighbors and post a sign. an amendment. Grieve said that passing ment in the final vote in two weeks. seek the office, defeated Wayne Christensen All five amendments, one after one, the ordinance is a “slippery slope.” The current proposal passed with only with almost 60% of the vote. Roberto pulled were voted down in 7-2 votes with Grieve Councilman George Wallace asked the Grieve and Della Volpe opposing it. 6,141 voters to Christensen’s 4,250. Call, text or email Fredda Temples today! 865-659-4024 [email protected] FOUNTAIN CITY CHARMER! 3BR, 2.5BA on large triangle corner lot, partially fenced. Kitchen w/access to side patio great for entertaining. MBR with half bath. 5034 N Broadway, Nice Rec Room down with BR/oce Suite 240 & BA. Large storage/workshop bldg. Knoxville, TN 37918 Established neighborhood near 865-922-5500 schools. $179,900 PAGE A2 The Knoxville Focus November 13, 2017 How Much Money Special children and the school system By Mike Steely At that point a child gets an evalu- ages 3-5, should contact the Knox [email protected] ation to see if the child meets any County Schools Child Find program As part of our continuing series category. located at Fort Sanders Education Do Judges Make? about Special Needs Children we are An Individual Education Plan can Development Center. Child Find eval- When we think chancellors.” focusing on the Knox County School then be developed between the uates children to determine eligibility about individuals Pursuant to System. schools, parents and teachers. Some and the need for special educational who hold posi- the statute, The Knox County School System children may need to attend a spe- services. tions of authority beginning Sep- offers special needs children sever- cial education class, have a special If an older child is believed to in our life, there tember 1, 2006, al ways to learn—not only with edu- education case manager and attend require services, a parent, teacher or are a only a few all chancel- cation but also with social interac- regular classes full or part time, with school counselor can make a refer- different posi- lors and judges tion.