June 2, 2014 www.knoxfocus.com PAGE A1 FREE Take One! June 2, 2014 BUDGET BREAKDOWN Honoring Fountain City City budget passes with tax increase By Mike Steely funding of some groups [email protected] to 2 or 3 years instead of As predicted last week one, and doing away with by The Focus, the budget an upcoming issuance of proposed by Mayor $31.4 obligation bond. Madeline Rogero, some The city’s new budget $384,611,930, passed for 2014/2015 increases City Council but not after the tax rate to $2.7257 a last ditch effort to cut it per $100,000 of assessed back and shelve the tax property value. The increase. budget is about $2.2 Councilman Nick Della million less than the Volpe led an attempt to current operating budget. cut the overall budget in It includes a mandatory the city council meeting 2.5% pay increase to all Tuesday evening by cutting city employees and enough increases in funding to money to cover the growing organizations, stretching Continue on page 2 No County Tax increase, no pay PHOTO BY DAN ANDREWS. Fountain City Town Hall hosted its annual Honor Fountain City Day on Memorial Day, May 26. Hundreds raises attended the day-long event to celebrate the community and to honor veterans. INSIDE: See Mike Steely’s Our Neighborhoods profile of Fountain City on B1. By Mike Steely [email protected] “bold move.” “It’s time to treat our Despite a last minute employees fairly,” he said. attempt to add $21 million The Board of Education to the Knox County budget had asked for a similar for 2014-2015, the county increase, proposed by commission voted the Superintendent James motion down and went McIntyre, but Mayor Fizz, Boom, Read on to approve Mayor Tim Burchett turned that Burchett’s proposed budget away, noting a decrease that has no tax increase in revenue. The school and no pay raises. system had spun their Come to the Library Commissioners Amy budget request as a pay Broyles and Sam McKenzie increase for teachers. Knox County Public Library began the regular Most of the encourages summer reading with a commission meeting commissioners agreed that Tuesday afternoon with the County employees need a panoply of programs motion to add the money pay raise but disagreed as that would have involved an to when. Knox County Public Library’s Summer Library additional 21 cent property Several of the Club is now in full swing, and there’s a program tax on each $100,000 of commissioners addressed for every age - pre-readers, readers, teens assessed property value. the motion: and adults. Reading over the summer not only Broyles said that about Richard Briggs said that prevents a decline in academic skills, but it 100 county employees if the 21 cent increase is the time when students can explore their qualify for food stamps and were adopted that city favorite subjects and fall in love with reading. more than 400 employees homeowners, who also While reading is reward enough, the Library is are at risk. pay county taxes, would be offering a prize pack worth more than $200 of “In East Tennessee we’re facing a 55 cent increase eats and treats donated by community businesses so proud of taking care of given the city mayor’s and organizations for children and teens. But our own, but in Knox County request for a bump in their that’s not all! Thanks to Friends of the Library, we are not,” she said. tax rate. He added that pre-readers can earn a book-toting rubber ducky; Broyles and McKenzie increasing property taxes children reading on their own can earn a wind- are two of the four turn away potential new up robot, and teens can earn a draw string tote PHOTO BY MIKE STEELY commissioners who have businesses. bag. Adults can also read four books and earn a A statue of a boy sitting atop the world greets people at also served on the Joint Chairman Brad Anders Library tote bag. Registration for all three programs the Fountain City Library. Education Committee. Both said that the county budget is open at www.knoxlib.org/slc. This year’s theme also reside in Knoxville. has been “living on growth” of Fizz, Boom, Read! highlights science. research at the University of Tennessee, but if She said that a 3% over the past several To help kids keep turning the page, the Library you catch him at the right time with his colorful property tax increase years. is offering more than 150 programs in June lab coat and goofy goggles, he might just make a would equal about $50 “We’re coming to a point and July. From Awesome Science Shows to scientist out of the most reluctant lab assistant per $100,000 of assessed where the growth in Knox Fun with Shakespeare, with some some magic or audience member. Join Dr. Al Hazari for some value. County will catch up with thrown in to boot, the Summer Library Club fun and fascinating science experiments. “I ask you not to think us,” Anders said. He then is fizzier than ever. Most programs are made Fun with Shakespeare: Make merry with the about the next election,” added, “We’re there.” possible through a generous grant from the Tennessee Stage Company in their interactive she said, “Do the right Speaking of a pay raise Friends of the Knox County Public Library workshop on Much Ado About Nothing, designed thing.” for teachers and county This year’s programs include: specifically for elementary school age kids. Careful McKenzie said the 21 Dr. Al Hazari’s Awesome Science Show: Most Mom and Dad, the kids might fancy themselves cent increase would be a Continue on page 4 days, he’s a serious chemist doing serious Continue on page 4 PAGE A2 The Knoxville Focus June 2, 2014 Focus on the Law Planned Unit Developments A planned unit approved by the exterior maintenance within the PUD and the development. So, if there is in addition to the development state and local and clean up so these structure or improvements are 99 condominium statutory property (usually referred authorities. The costs will be passed on thereon. You receive units in the development, condition disclosure to as a PUD) is master plan to unit owners. Also, rights and easements you will own a 1/99th requirements for transfers an area of land will reference a exterior design and to use the common undivided interest in the of residential property. to be developed plat map of the decorating decisions areas owned by another. land and improvements. Sharon Frankenberg is under unified development (mailboxes, skylights, These common areas Prior to entering into an experienced attorney control or under and outlines colors, doors, windows, are often owned by the a contract to sell a unit licensed in Tennessee By Sharon a unified plan Frankenberg, restrictive etc.) may be controlled homeowners’ association in a PUD, state law since 1988. She is a sole of development Attorney at Law covenants by the homeowners’ itself. In a condominium requires that the seller practitioner who handles for a number in place. association. Costs for development, everything must disclose in writing real estate, foreclosures, of dwelling PUDs are trash pick up and lawn is owned in common that the property is in a landlord-tenant, probate, units, commercial, governed through care are also commonly with the other property PUD and make available collections and general educational, recreational homeowners’ associations authorized to be charged owners. Each individual to the buyer a copy of the civil matters. She or industrial uses, or any which are, in turn, to unit owners. Unpaid property owner owns development’s restrictive represents Social Security combination of these, governed by written assessments may be the airspace within his covenants, homeowner disability claimants the plan for which does bylaws. Various unit filed as liens against the or her own walls. The bylaws and master deed and she represents not correspond in lot dues and authorized fees delinquent owner’s real building structures, upon request. This creditors in bankruptcy size, bulk or type of use, may be assessed and property in the local office land and amenities are PUD disclosure may be proceedings. Her office density, lot coverage, open collected by authority of the register of deeds. owned in common with included in the contract is in Knoxville and space or other restrictions of the homeowners’ A PUD differs from other members of the itself but, either way, it she may be reached to the existing land use associations. Some PUD a condominium in that homeowners’ association. should be acknowledged at (865)539-2100. regulations. The master homeowners’ associations the purchaser of a PUD You only own a fraction by the buyer. plan for the PUD must be are responsible for unit actually owns a lot of the whole property This requirement City budget passes with tax increase Cont. from page 1 advised that the city should city is on” he sees the postpone issuing it. He said pension funding as the pension fund contributions he’d also like to postpone biggest problem. made by the city. the budget vote for two “We’re paying for the D e l l a V o l p e ’ s weeks. water damage and haven’t presentation would have Rogero responded that fixed the plumbing,” Stair cut $6.2 million from the the bond fund would find said of the pension funding. general operating fund of various projects including He went on to say he was the city of $200,502,920.