PAGE APB The Knoxville Focus February 3, 2020 February 3, 2020 The Kwww.knoxfocus.comnoxvil lele PAGE A1 PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT JOHN R. WHITEHEAD OCUS FREETake One! www.knoxfocus.com F February 3, 2020 Phone: 865-686-9970 | PO Box 18377, Knoxville, TN 37928 | Located at 4109 Central Avenue Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee 37912 Schoonmaker elected to serve on TCSA Board of Directors By Mike Steely Senior Writer the Board of Zoning and Appeals regularly keeps fellow commis- was recently chosen as the first [email protected] and served three years each as sioners informed on what hap- Knox County Commissioner in chairman and vice chairman. “I pens in state government. He 20 years to serve on the Board Knox County Commissioner have 24 years of experience nav- also serves on the Audit and of Directors of the Tennessee John Schoonmaker is an accom- igating the ins and outs of Knox County Investment Committees County Services Association. plished man. As a marketing County Government,” Schoon- and works closely with the Town As a board member of TCSA, and business professional with maker told The Focus, adding, of Farragut on joint issues such Schoonmaker not only repre- more than 40 years of experi- “I served 12 years as president as the purchase and renovation sents Knox County but 510 other ence, Schoonmaker has also of the not-for-profit organization, of the new West Knox County county commissioners within been very active in local govern- the Council of West Knox County Senior Center. 33 counties in East Tennessee. ment. He was appointed to fill Dr. Homeowners, whose mission is Utilizing his business acumen The TCSA is an umbrella group of Richard Briggs’ term as 5th Dis- to positively influence the devel- and governmental experience, three associations: the Associa- trict County Commissioner when opment of West Knox County.” Schoonmaker crafted the lan- tion of County Mayors, the Ten- Briggs was elected to the state Schoonmaker was elected in guage and garnered support to nessee County Commissioners Fifth District Commissioner John Senate in 2015. 2016 to serve his first full term file a bill with the Tennessee Leg- Association and the Tennessee Schoonmaker has been elected to “I was extremely honored to as the 5th District County Com- islature that will collectively save County Highway Officials Associ- the Board of the Tennessee Coun- get the opportunity to represent missioner. He currently chairs Knox County, the Town of Farra- ation. TCSA works to secure and ty Services Association. He heads the 5th District,” Schoonmaker the Knox County Commission’s gut, and the City of Knoxville over preserve state funds and provide the Knox County Commission’s said. Finance Committee as well as $1 million each year. information to county officials on Legislative and Finance Commit- Before his time on commission, the Legislative Affairs Commit- Always interested in govern- legislation impacting counties. tees. Schoonmaker was appointed to tee. As Legislative Chairman, he ment relations, Schoonmaker Continue on page 3 In Remembrance City to budget body cameras for police patrols By Mike Steely Senior Writer [email protected] Beginning with the new fiscal year this July the City of Knoxville hopes to equip city police patrol officers with body cameras. Mayor Indya Kincannon said Tuesday she is com- mitted to the project and will seek $1.7 mil- lion in the new budget for the first year and about $600,000 for each year afterwards. Kincannon told the city council meeting that the funds will go for equipment and management of the system and that bids are now being accepted for the cameras. She said the body cameras will add accountability for both officers and the public. PHOTO BY JOHN GUSTIN AS PRINTED IN DECEMBER 2, 2013 FOCUS. “It is not going to solve all our prob- Knox County Circuit Court Judge Harold Wimberly received the Bill Williams Service Award for outstanding achieve- lems but I think it is a step in the ment in the area of adoption services late 2013. Wimberly received the award for his commitment, dedication, and ser- right direction,” the mayor said. vice to assisting the department in finding adoptive families for children in full guardianship of the state. The Honor- Police Chief Eve Thomas presented the able Harold Wimberly (left) is pictured with Bill Williams (right). council with a report on the test period for the cameras and two video examples. In the report Thomas said the department, prior to the testing, focused on policy and procedure: Judge Harold Wimberly how cameras will work, and how to best train offi- cers on their use. Technical service personnel, By Ray Hill Knox County Democratic Party at Harold Wimberly, Jr. was in the April who will be responsible for storage, retrieval and One of the worst things about get- one time and was a member of the 11, 1956 edition of the Knoxville disseminating the data, were also discussed. ting older is losing people. A week Tennessee Democratic State Execu- News-Sentinel. The article features She reported the body worn cameras offer ago last Friday, Harold Wimberly, tive Committee. Mr. Wimberly was a picture of a somber-looking thirteen the potential benefit of better transparency and Jr., passed away. I had known and a strong supporter of Senator Ken- year-old student from Tyson Junior the ability to provide another view of officer- been friends with Harold for decades. neth D. McKellar. My interest in High (named for the late U. S. sena- citizen contacts. The cameras may make for It doesn’t seem that long ago that Senator McKellar and Harold Wim- tor Lawrence D. Tyson) who had won more efficient resolution of citizen complaints Steve Hunley, publisher of The Knox- berly, Sr. created a bond between the spelling bee. That thirteen year- and lawsuits. Evidence could be used in crimi- ville Focus, and I met at the Roundup Judge Wimberly and me that we both old was Harold Wimberly, Jr. Harold nal arrests and prosecution and even offer restaurant in South Knoxville to have enjoyed. Not long before he passed became the spelling champion in 21 training opportunities for real life situations. lunch with Harold. I brought along away, Judge Wimberly emailed me a rounds and “spelled down 10 other The first year’s cost would cover the hire of an a blackberry cobbler made from photograph of Gay Street in 1915. boys and 19 girls.” It was Harold’s additional Audio Video Technician with a salary scratch by my friend Margie Ogan There was a banner hanging across first spelling bee and anybody who of about $48,000, and equipment including 400 and nobody anywhere makes better the street and Harold wondered if I knew Harold wouldn’t have been sur- body cameras, data storage, mounts, cables and cobbler than Margie. The food was had any idea what the banner said. prised. Harold Wimberly, Jr. had a batteries, routers, antenna and data plans for 350 simple, the cobbler delicious and the I replied I thought it said “Elect K. first-rate intellect and was a thought- patrol cars. The $1.7 million will also go to a digital conversation warm. It is a memory I D. McKellar United States Senator.” ful man. Quite often one had to pay management application, And software for door will keep for the rest of my life. Harold had the photograph blown up close attention lest one missed some triggers and computer aided dispatch integration. Harold Wimberly enjoyed a remark- and sure enough if that isn’t exactly especially dry bon mot tossed off by The city is looking for five-year con- able judicial career and few remem- what the banner read. Judge Wimberly. tracts for the cameras and equipment. ber that his father had been quite Having served on the bench for Harold Wimberly next graced the State law requires that camera video images involved in local politics. His father, forty years, it wasn’t unusual for pages of the Knoxville News-Senti- be confidential when involving minors, and Harold Wimberly, Sr., a prosperous Harold to have his name before the nel as a member of the University of the interiors of some facilities and private lawyer, served as Chairman of the public. 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By Jedidiah ically an attorney However, there McKeehan who is asked to are a wide range attorneyknoxville@ serve as a judge of actual titles gmail.com for the limited given to the indi- purpose of hear- viduals who may ing a specific be deciding your case. case. Again, using Knox Even though that person County as an example, the may not be officially called court that hears Orders of PHOTO BY MIKE STEELY.