PAGE APB The Knoxville Focus January 21, 2019 January 21, 2019 www.knoxfocus.com PAGE A1 Now offering online auction services The Knoxvillele Fountain City Auction for all of your auction needs (865)604-3468 fountaincityauction.com OCUS FREETake One! www.knoxfocus.com F SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE - $74.50/YEAR January 21, 2019 Phone: 865-686-9970 | PO Box 18377, Knoxville, TN 37928 | Located at 4109 Central Avenue Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee 37912 Mobility, Commissioners safety may decide who discussed pays Pension at Hardin Suit lawyers By Mike Steely Valley forum [email protected] By Nick Skoda The Knox County Com- An open house-style mission meets in work public forum was held session Tuesday to pos- on Tuesday, January 15 sibly decide which county at Hardin Valley Acade- department pays the my regarding proposed $165,000 lawyer fees in changes to Hardin Valley the settlement of the suit mobility, for both motor- against the Knox County ists and non-motorists. Retirement and Pension The meeting was held Board. The commission to gauge public opin- meets on Tuesday because ion on matters that are all City-County offices were important to the occu- closed on Martin Luther pants of Hardin Valley King, Jr. Day on Monday and the abutting areas. Two items are on the The roads and areas agenda, both presented that are being studied and by the finance department, will be revisited with a and both with a blank plan of action are: Hardin space for the account that Valley Road all the way to would be charged. Some of Hickory Creek Road; Ever- the commissioners have ett Road at Yarnell; Yar- said in past meetings that nell Road at Campbell the law department should Station; Lovell Road at foot the bill since it initiated Hardin Valley and Pellis- the original suit. sippi Pkwy; Solway Road. But the commission After a recent survey voted to settle the dis- was conducted, receiv- pute, prompted by County ing feedback from 795 Mayor Glen Jacobs, and respondents, it was deter- then voted to hire an out- mined that the top five side firm to represent the comments regarding the county in the settlement. issues surrounding these One resolution calls for roads and areas are con- attorney fees for individu- gestion during school al and class defendants, drop-off/pick-up and rush $97,500, a mediator fee hour, that the roads are of $3,150, and the outside too narrow, that there is counsel of Arnett, Draper poor lighting and visibil- and Hagood, LLP in the ity, general congestion amount of $48,895. and the lack of shoulders. The second resolution Two examples of com- calls for reimbursement ments were,“Yarnell is of attorney fees previously too narrow and needs to paid by current or former be widened for growth sheriff’s department to happen,” and at the PHOTO BY LUTHER SIMMONS employees for attorneys in hard bend in the road the amount of $17,562.60. just as Hardin Valley If the debate on the fees Rd becomes Hickory The Powell Panthers’ Ayden Greene breaks away for a shot against Vine in echoes previous discus- Creek Rd it was said that Thursday night’s Knox County Middle School basketball tournament champi- sions the commission may “removing the bend in the split on a vote to designate road will lead to exces- onship game at South-Doyle Middle School. Greene scored 18 points as Powell which department will be sive speeding unless a defeated the regular season champion Golden Bears 56-48. Please see story and paying the fees. The commission is also Continue on page 3 other tourney coverage in Sports & Recreation, Section C. Continued on page 3 Board decides to continue Career Magnet Academy By Anne Primm Representative McMil- sign for the campus in an Representative Virginia evaluation tool. Nowell local educator input and lan then called on Deputy amount not to exceed Babb questioned McMil- said that even though this more accurately represent Chairwoman Terry Hill Law Director Gary Dupler, $5000. Additionally, upper lan about Principal Hawn’s product has its issues, it teacher performance. called the Wednesday Jan- whom he had enlisted administration is to report request for a name change is based on the Tennes- The final topic of discus- uary 16, 2019 meeting to along with Superinten- to the Board on CMA’s for the school. McMillan see Standards. The Ten- sion was the role of ACT order at 5:04 p.m. Coun- dent Bob Thomas to work recruitment and market- and Dupler agreed that nessee Standards are the (ACT Suite of Assessments) cilwoman Stephanie Welch with him in formulating a ing progress at the March this was a separate issue guidelines teachers have and/or SAT in lieu of End- and Dr. Anthony Wise of motion to present to the and May Board Work Ses- that would need to be been using for nearly two of-Course Exams. After dis- Pellissippi State Commu- board regarding CMA. The sion meetings. brought before the board decades and to change cussion with Knox County nity College were present. motion read as follows: Three speakers spoke for approval. now would really upset School Superintendent Eighth District board Approve programmatic in public forum in favor of The next item up for dis- teaching and learning. Thomas and other school member Mike McMillan changes as implemented keeping the school open cussion was 2019 Legisla- Teacher Evaluation was personnel, the board made a motion to change in the 2018-2019 school before the board took a tive Priorities. Public forum the next legislative prior- decided not to address to the agenda to move year for Career Magnet roll call vote which ended speaker Caitlin Nowell, sev- ity. The board wanted to this issue at this time and discussion of the Career Academy and re-allocate in an eight to one deci- enth grade Language Arts urge the legislature and to wait until more informa- Magnet Academy from the the current magnet budget sion to continue operation teacher at South-Doyle the State Board of Edu- tion is available about the last item on the agenda to of the CMA to provide mar- of the school. Hill cast the Middle School, addressed cation to develop sound ACT Suite of Assessments the first item on the Regu- keting material, increased dissenting vote. the board about keep- guidelines for teacher eval- which is still under devel- lar Agenda. recruitment, and a modest Fourth District ing TNReady as the state uations that incorporate opment. Your Car Detailed at Home Price includes $399 dock fee. Plus tax, tag and title. WAC. Dealer retains all rebates. Mobile*Insured*Licensed Restrictions may apply. See Dealer for details. Prices good through next week. 50% OFF Use Code: WINTER 2026 N Charles G Seviers Blvd Clinton, TN @ knoxvilleCleanRide.com (865) 253-8899 865.457.0704 www.rayvarnerford.com PAGE A2 The Knoxville Focus January 21, 2019 What is an Trap, neuter and release of stray cats approved By Mike Steely Easement? just better for the cats, it’s [email protected] You may have utility compa- better for the community.” heard of the nies. Utility com- Although city council Campen asked for a legal term “ease- panies need to members Mark Campen four-week delay to give ment” and may run their power and Lauren Rider tried to the animal control board a even know that it lines across get a decision postponed chance to discuss the pro- is a term related the countryside until the Animal Control posal and make a recom- to property. How- somehow, so Board could meet, the mendation. He said that ever, you may they will buy an Knoxville City Council voted board spent months debat- not know exact- easement from to go ahead and change the ing a policy on “chickens ly what this term By Jedidiah property owners city’s stray cat policy. in the city” before making means. McKeehan in order to allow Tuesday’s second and a proposal to the council. An easement attorneyknoxville@ them to do so. final reading, dealing with a He said that the longer life is the ability and gmail.com Easements proposal that came through of stay cats means more right to legally can run for vary- the police department, will destruction of other wild- use and travel on some- ing lengths of times. They now permit the Young-Wil- life, like birds, in neighbor- one else’s property with- can last “in perpetuity,” liams Animal Clinic to trap, hoods. PHOTO BY MIKE STEELY out actually owning that meaning without end, or it spay, immunize and release Rider told the council they Young-Williams Animal Shelter CEO Janet Testerman property. can be for a set period of “community cats” back into were getting an ordinance told the Knoxville City Council that the new policy deal- Let me give you some time, like 20 years, or 50 the neighborhoods where written for one side with ing with stray cats will decrease the population of those common examples. A gov- years. they were caught. nothing from the other. She animals. ernment entity may buy an To bring it full circle The proposal had seen said she felt the council was easement on someone’s though, an easement is a disagreement from animal being “rushed and pushed” property so that they can right to use property with- control members during the into passing the change. with Marshall Stair voting received. She said that cit- build a sidewalk along the out actually owning that first reading of the proposal Councilwoman Stephanie with Campen and Rider.