This Flock camera at the Racoon Valley Road and Clinton Highway intersection is one of the cameras the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office uses. ACSO Public Information Officer and Anderson County Commissioner J. Shain Vowell told The Courier News a vandal had damaged it, which is why it is pointing away from traffic. The other fixed ones, he said, were still functional. - Ben Pounds
Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank says she wants to end or pause Anderson County’s use of Flock cameras.
Any decision involving cameras used by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, however, would need approval from the Anderson County Commission.
The county has three cameras mounted on poles in stationary locations and a fourth portable camera.
Frank made her statement at the end of a public hearing held by the Anderson County Commission’s Operations Committee on Sept. 10 in the Clinton High School auditorium, 425 Dragon Drive.
Thirty-one citizens spoke at the meeting, all opposing the cameras.
Concerns raised included privacy and constitutionality; the possibility of hackers gaining access to the Amazon cloud storage system; law enforcement officers abusing the system for stalking; false positives involving license plates from other states; automated cameras replacing police work; and the possibility of a future government using the cameras to enforce more-restrictive laws.
“You don’t know who will govern after you,” said Sarah Fluegel, an assistant at the Oak Ridge Public Library and one of the citizens who spoke.
Wendy Maness has launched her re-election campaign for Clinton City Council, seeking a second term focused on fiscal responsibility, strategic planning, public safety, infrastructure improvements and stronger community connections.
Since joining the council in December 2022, Maness has worked with city staff and residents to advance projects, address concerns and prepare Clinton for responsible growth.
During her first term, Clinton maintained balanced budgets, paid off its debt and increased employee compensation by 26 percent over four years, without raising taxes. Maness backed investments in police and fire services, emergency equipment, fire training, schools and infrastructure. Her votes advanced the reconstruction of Jaycee Park Pool, playground improvements, pickleball courts and Community Center bowling alley renovations.
Only a single candidate each from the Republican and Democratic parties will be on the ballot to seek the District 8 seat on the Anderson County Commission in a special election included on the Nov. 3 general-election ballot.
Democrats from District 8 chose Gina Grubb as their candidate during a special caucus on Friday evening, Sept. 4.
Then on Tuesday evening, Sept. 4, District 8 Republicans nominated former Judge Don A. Layton as their candidate.
Phil Yager, the former independent commissioner for District 8 who lost his re-election bid in the Aug. 6 county general election, chose not to run, after initially picking up a petition and announcing that he would be a candidate.
The winning candidate will fill the seat that was won by Democrat Elizabeth “Liz” Henry in the Aug. 6 election.
Anna Golladay is running for Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District, saying she wants to bring empathy, moral courage and greater accountability to the district’s representation in Congress.
“I’m Anna Golladay and I’m running for TN’s third district because I want to return empathy and moral courage to our politics,” Golladay stated in a press release. “To fight for the dignity of every person in our state.”
Golladay described herself as a small-business owner, former pastor, neighborhood organizer and a woman who understands the importance of family and community.
“And because I’m tired of our politicians getting paid to do nothing,” Golladay said. The incumbent “hasn’t held a town hall since his first term fifteen years ago. He sees District 3 as a means to a personal end, rather than caring about the folks he is representing.”
The Clinton City Council will hold a public hearing at its next meeting regarding annexing some land.
The hearing will occur on Monday Sept. 28, during the council’s meeting, which will be at 5:30 p.m. in Clinton City Hall, 100 N. Bowling St.
The annexation involves five parcels on the terminus of Crestwood Drive, one parcel on Phillips Lane and one on Spring Street.
Matt Widner, building official with the building and codes department, gave details at the Aug. 24 City Council meeting.
He said the property owners had requested that their property become part of the city.
If annexed, the city will zone it for residential development, Widner said.
He said as part of the city, the parcels would likely get police, firefighting, water, street lighting, and other services.
The plan of services for these lands is a topic for the hearing, and people may read the current draft in full at Clinton City Hall, 100 N. Bowling St., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Norris will pay a Chattanooga company $67,099 to put a new roof on the gymnasium at the Norris Community Building on Chestnut Drive, but will have to keep the gym – which has the city’s only pickleball courts – closed until the work is completed, possibly by early November.
The City Council voted Monday night to award the roof contract to Tri-State Roofing Contractors, which submitted the lowest of five bids the city received for the work.
Bids ranged from Tri-State Roofing’s $67,099 to $147, 454.
City Manager Bailey Whited told the City Council that he was recommending giving Tri-State Roofing the contract, since the bid was well under the $135,000 the council had put in the budget for the project.
There will be some additional cost for the work, depending on how much damaged roof decking and insulation will need to be replaced once the old roof is removed. Whited said there was no way to estimate that before taking off the existing flat roof.
