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Copyright © 2013 farragutpress

ISSUE 6 VOLUME 26

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FARRAGUT, TENNESSEE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013

Town could owe KCS $1 million-plus ■

DAN BARILE editor@farragutpress.com

Farragut Town administrators were advised by Knox County Finance director Chris Caldwell recently that the Town is delinquent in paying a portion of Mixed Drink taxes to Knox County Schools. Town spokesperson Chelsey Riemann released a statement from the Town saying, “Town of

Farragut has received notification of an issue affecting cities and counties across the state of Tennessee regarding the required allocation of 50 percent of Mixed Drink Tax revenues to each county school system where the city or county resides. “A large number of Tennessee cities that do not have their own school systems have not been transferring these funds due to a misunderstanding regarding the

use of the Mixed Drink Tax.” Farragut Town administrator David Smoak said, “A referendum was passed in 1987 and the Town has made several direct allocations to the schools since 1993. Most of these allocations would be less than the required amount to be designated for schools from the Mixed Drink Tax, although some have amounted to more than was required to remit to the schools.

“The State of Tennessee levies a 15 percent Gross Receipts Tax on wine and spirit sales for onpremises consumption. The state keeps 50 percent of the revenue and remits the other 50 percent to the local government jurisdiction where the business is located.” Knox County and Farragut officials plan to meet sometime this week to figure out just how much Farragut owes the Knox County

TAMMY CHEEK tcheek@farragutpress.com

Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen Thursday heard about how the Town is taking steps to be more sustainable through recycling and energy conservation. One event this year is radon testing, scheduled this month. “Radon is a sustainability issue because it affects our health,” said Lori Saal, the Town’s sustainability coordinator. “It goes to air quality, indoor and outdoor.” She said a radon awareness event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18, at Lawson McGhee Public Library, 500 W. Church Ave., Knoxville, as part of Radon Awareness Week, Oct 16-22. She said the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and Tennessee Department of Heath are heading up this event with local sustainability directors. The purpose of Radon Awareness Week is to make people aware of the dangers of radon. According to TDEC, radon is a naturally occurring gas that can seep into homes through cracks and openings in the foundation. The Environmental Protection Agency reports radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.

See TAX on Page 2A

Residential building on the rise

Board hears measures to reduce waste, energy costs

Schools system from revenues connected to the local Mixed Drink Tax that were never turned over. At this point, Farragut could owe as much as $1.1 million. However, Smoak said, “An exact amount is difficult to determine at this time and we are waiting on the Tennessee Comptroller’s office to give guid-

Pumping for charity Natalie Lester/Special to farragutpress

Farragut Mayor Ralph McGill pumped gas and greeted customers at the Pilot off Campbell Station Road Monday, Oct. 7. The three-day event raised $86,200 for the United Way of Greater Knoxville. This beat last year’s record $64,950 by $21,250.

TAMMY CHEEK tcheek@farragutpress.com

The town of Farragut has seen an increase in the number of new residential construction permits this year. The Town is expected to surpass a fouryear trend since the beginning of the recession that started in 2009, when new residential construction decreased in Farragut, said Chelsey Riemann, public relations coordinator for the town of Farragut. As of the end of August 2013, Riemann said the Town had already issued 80 new residential construction permits, which is just four permits away from meeting the 84 permits issued during all of 2012. “The value of these permits issued the first eight months of 2013 is $30,038,897, already exceeding the 2012 total value of $26,829,550,” Riemann said. “I think it just shows an overall trend in the nation’s economy that things are getting better, and we’ve continued to see growth in new residential permits,” said David Smoak, town administrator. “Hopefully, that trend continues.” Mark Shipley, interim community development director, said the Town has had a gradual increase since 2010, when overall residential and commercial building permits bottomed out at 46. Since that time, Shipley said the number See PERMITS on Page 2A

See ENERGY on Page 3A

SERC, Smith discuss FHS school zone signage ■

ALAN SLOAN asloan@farragutpress.com

Giving motorists “a better visual cue” to increase awareness of student pedestrians while driving near Farragut schools along Kingston Pike and on West End Avenue, an idea where Town engineer Darryl Smith and Farragut Schools Educations Relations Committee found common ground. How best to present that “visual cue,” in the form of a school zone along the Farragut High School entrance off Kingston

Pike or simply add a few flashing signs, along with similar debate about West End Avenue, was SERC’s main meeting topic. Smith joined SERC members during the club’s monthly meeting Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 8, in Town Hall Community Room. “I contacted Mr. [Michael] Reynolds at Farragut High. … He said, ‘Well frankly, I’ve been wanting a school zone there for years, but there hasn’t been a lot of traction to the idea,’” said Mark Littleton, SERC chair, about the FHS principal. Smith pointed out the inter-

section of Kingston Pike and Lendon Welch Way —where FHS students who park in the old Kroger parking lot cross — “is a signalized intersection with push-button controls for crosswalks. That’s actually a lot safer than being in a school zone.” Also, “Nothing gets your attention more than the red-lights,” Smith said about the speed reduction effects of three traffic signals within a few hundred yards of each other at Lendon Welch Way. Because FHS is several hundred yards up the hill from

Kingston Pike, the school “does not front” on the pike, Smith said. However, committee member Nancy Wentz pointed out that traffic on Lendon Welch Way that turns right onto Kingston Pike, with a green light, coincides with the crosswalk “go” for students going to and from the old Kroger lot across Kingston Pike. Lee Wickman, representing FHS Parent Teacher Student Organization, said, “It’s just going to take one teenager in a big hurry” turning right from Lendon Welch Way to Kingston

Pike to hit a crossing student. Committee member Mike Singletary suggested programming the light to be red in all directions for a few seconds during peak student crossing times before and after school. Singletary also suggested, “You put up a sign that says, ‘No Turn on Red’ off of Lendon Welch Way. However, Smith said he discussed such a plan “with a traffic engineer.” “The congestion that creates in his model is unbelievable,” See SERC on Page 3A

Community 6A • Death Notices 7A • Westside Faces 14A • Business 1B • Sports 3B • Classifieds 9B • Real Estate Gallery 10B Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce 1C

Hibachi Style Dining Sushi Bar • Full Bar Holiday Parties • Take-Out Available Lunch—Monday – Friday 11 – 2 • Sunday 11 – 2:30 Dinner—Monday – Thursday 5 – 10 • Friday 5 – 10:30 • Saturday 4 – 10:30 • Sunday 4 – 10:00

226 Lovell Road (at Parkside Drive) 675-0201 • 118 Major Reynolds Place (At the Top of Bearden Hill, Kingston Pike) 584-4898


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