JELLICO NEWS/MAYOR'S COLUMN

Volume #l. Edition #2

May 23, 2001

Apparently my first effort at resuming my column has been well received (May 15th). I have had numerous individuals to tell me that they enjoyed the first issue and several asked me to commit to continue writing. I appreciate all of the favorable comments and as I stated in that issue, I plan to resume regular publication of news about Jellico although I probably cannot do so on a weekly basis. (Some residents of the Boston community thanked me for mentioning their recent "clean-up" campaign that was so highly successful And a resident of Clairfield, Carol Judy, agreed with my comments about a local paper being needed for Jellico. She gave me some copies of a small information sheet published in that community to inform everyone of what is taking place throughout that area.) Lisa Casey has announced the resumption of this column on the Internet with a link in red, "The Mayor's Column has Returned". (I am clearly opinionated in my writing and in the interest of fairness, she has also placed a special "Forum" link for comments from those who agree or disagree with what I write in the future.) www.jellico.com/jellico/mayor.htm

Note: I receive a tremendous amount of e-mail (job related correspondence, advertisements, personal messages, etc.) and I can not start to answer everything that is sent to me. But I never fail to read my incoming correspondence and anyone who chooses to do so can e-mail me at my address: jclifton@whitley.kl2ky.us

Mr. John Leach, Director of Utilities, has informed me that the sewer rehabilitation project should be completed within the next two or three weeks including reclamation of the affected areas. Once that first phase of the 'project is completed, a pre-construction meeting will be held to finalize plans for the new treatment facility. Leach stated that he intends to have the concrete poured for that structure before cold weather begins.

When I assumed the mayor's office three years ago, neither I nor any of the other elected officials were convinced that we could solve the massive problem facing our town without placing a big burden upon our users. We did have to vote some increases but they were much lower than anyone had even hoped for when we received the mandate from the state of Tennessee to correct the situation we have with untreated sewage. But now if all goes as planned, we will have solved the largest, most difficult and expensive problem that Jellico has had to face since we were first chartered in 1883.

I was extremely proud when we were presented the monthly financial statement during the May meeting of the city council. When I assumed office three years ago, we had an operating balance of something like $ 450,000.00. That balance is now nearly S 700,000.00 and the city recorder informed us that the auditor had stated that the actual balance is close to $ 1,000,000.00 when all assets are taken into account. I have been told by almost everyone knowledgeable with the situation that our town is now in the best financial condition in its history.

But that is a mixed blessing!!! As I have stated many times in the past - if we can bank more money than we need to have in reserve, then we are either providing too few services for our citizens or we are simply charging them too much. It has always been my opinion that we need to provide more services. And I was shocked during the meeting when an issue was made of the fact that the parks and police departments have overspent their yearly budgets by relatively small amounts when compared to the amount of money that we now have at our disposal.

As was pointed out by one councilman, last year's budget was under the auspices of the city administrator and not the members of council But that is one action upon which I can agree with the former CA. What better way to spend taxpayer money than to provide recreational opportunities and police protection for our community? (Some funds have also been appropriated for some badly needed blacktopping and street repairs this summer.) And we are still banking money!

Our city police department is like any other department or agency that serves the public, it is often criticized for its mistakes but rarely praised for its successes. But the recent county wide recognition of Officer Tony Day for his work with domestic violence victims brings home the point that we do not always see (and are even often unaware of) some of the outstanding work done by police officers here and all over this county. After reading the accounts of some victims that Officer Day had helped to protect from further physical abuse, it is clear that be also faced some potential threats to his own safety. And how can you adequately honor anyone for performing a job under such stressful conditions?

Congratulations to Officer Day, Chief Ned Smiddy and the entire Police Department for achieving that outstanding award.

Some feel that we are like the city of Knoxville in that we have a problem with advertising billboards - not the billboards of local businesses but rather the large billboards owned by commercial companies from other areas that are rented out and bear signs directing motorists away from Jellico to motels, restaurants, etc. located in other towns. (We have no problem with those advertising local businesses.)

Councilman Alvin Evans has pointed out during several meetings of the city council as well as during meetings of the planning commission, that not only do the signs hurt Jellico businesses but the city receives no compensation from the commercial billboard companies or those who rent the signs from those companies.

Existing billboards are "grandfathered" and there appears to be little that can be done under the law to have them removed or modified. But Knoxville has recently banned the erection of any such new signs in the future and we plan to explore that possibility also. Attorney Jeff Hall has agreed to research the regulations prior to our next council meeting.

We voted to permanently name the new city building housing our library/tourism office/community conference room as the "H.K. Tramell Building". And that was certainly a fitting tribute to one of the chief founders of our town. And none of us can ever remember when there was not a "Tramell Building" sitting at the corner of North Main and Fifth Street. The council action has insured that we will continue a tradition that dates back for nearly one-hundred years.

It has been suggested by someone that we may want to consider naming something in our town for the late Harold Moon who served our city in several positions. I certainly favor that idea as well.

We were very late in getting confirmation of our "Jellico/Great American Clean-up" and the banners furnished for that event are difficult to read. But I want to thank everyone who has helped in any way with the efforts to improve our environment by eliminating litter.

I want to welcome the "Jeepsters" to Jellico for this weekend's rally. They have been very well received in other towns that have hosted that event and I hope that their experience in Jellico is an equally enjoyable time for them. (Several readers of my first column have told me that they were unaware that tbe event had been scheduled.)

My work schedule will prevent me from getting involved in any patriotic observances on Memorial Day this year. But I certainly want to thank James L. "Sarge" Collins, Gary "Boo" Leach, Major Gene Owens and his staff and students in the Jellico High School JROTC and anyone else wbo helps to insure that our deceased veterans are remembered on the special day established for that purpose.

Every generation has used the saying, "A dollar just doesn't buy much anymore" And one national chain has used it as an advertising slogan.

But I recently visited a relatively new business, "One Dollar Treasures", at 260 North Main Street and I was amazed at what that business had for sale for around one dollar. Owner/operator JoAnn Jones has stocked a tremendous variety of items and it was interesting to tour the store that is very well stocked.

Jellico Elementary School Librarian Gail Garrett is busily preparing the new library at J.E.S. to have it ready for use when school opens next fall. I have always felt that a good library is the backbone of a school's academic program and I am sure that the new library is a welcome addition to that school by staff, students and parents.

Some were surprised that I did not deal with political issues in my first column. Politics has certainly been tbe hot topic of discussion in Jellico over the past year and politics is certainly an interesting and worthy topic about which to write. But we are within ten months of a city election and the politics will take care of themselves from now until next April. I do not have opportunity to talk with anything like a large percentage of our citizens on a daily basis but I certainly talk with everyone that I can when the opportunity arises. and it appears clear to me that the mood right now among the voters with whom I have is to make some major changes at city hall. As one of our most highly respected senior citizens stated after one of our recent meetings of the city council, "April is spring cleaning time and we need to houseclean next spring". Another individual at a local service station recently reminded me that "A new broom sweeps clean". (I had not heard that once popular expression in years.) I cannot disagree with either of those statements.

But I do hope that we do not throw out the baby with the bath water. We have had some officials to put politics aside and to attempt to work for the city, and Councilman Jim Dobson certainly fa11s in that classification. As I have stated many times in the past, Jim Dobson admittedly did not support me in the past election. But he has worked in the best interest of Jellico during the past three years and in my opinion he has certainly earned the right to be reelected to the council if he desires to remain in his seat.

The central issue in the next city election without doubt will be the position of city administrator. (The council majority is presently advertising for our FIFTH city administrator (counting the present interim CA) in the last two and one-half years. (A city employee told me several weeks ago that he would be perfectly content to work for the city of Jellico until retirement and never hear the words "city administrator" spoken again.)

The search for another city administrator is apparently a wide one. Internet users are aware that we recently had an individual from Tehran, Iran to log onto the Jellico Website. He did not mention the position of city administrator but who knows? He might be contacted to determine if he has any interest in the position.

I strongly believe that candidates for both mayor and members of council will be required to declare themselves as supporting or opposing the concept of city administrator, i.e. continuing with the present city charter or returning to our former charter that calls for the mayor/council form of government.

I have heard rumors that one potential candidate for mayor has already endorsed my idea of combining the office of mayor with the position of city administrator to insure that we hove an elected and full time person to administer the day-to-day operation of our town. If that individual does become a candidate and actually feels that way, we will at least agree on one issue before the campaign even starts.

But regardless of what happens - it's going to be an extremely interesting election to say the least!!! I seriously doubt that any election in the history of our town has been more widely anticipated and/or more badly needed than the election coming up next April.

Think the price of gas is high in Jellico? You think right! But the national news networks have been running photos of a sign in front of a convenience market somewhere up north with gasoline pumps. The prices? Regular - 1.69       Plus - Arm       Super - Leg. It sure seems like an arm and a leg around here when we pay to fill up the tank. But thank goodness we can still buy it cheaper than in many states and regions of this country.

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Mail any comments or suggestions, etc. to:
John Clifton
P.O. Box 533
Jellico, TN 37762