How well did the MSM (Main Stream Media) Daily Paper accomplish their job of County Commission endorsement?
1st District Seat A – Pass – Nick Della Volpe
1st District Seat B – Failed – Ann Dingus deserves the vote of the people.
2nd District Seat A – Pass – David Collins
2nd District Seat B – Failed – No Republican on the ballot, Deborah Porter was an excellent write-in Republican
3rd District Seat A – Pass – Tony Norman
3rd District Seat B – Pass – Ivan Harmon
4th District Seat A – John Schmid –
4th District Seat B – Failed – Phil Guthe is worthy of the vote of the people.
5th District Seat A – Pass – Michael Hammond
5th District Seat B – Should have endorsed Craig Leuthold – who has no opposition.
5th District Seat C – Failed – John Griess has the experience and deserves the vote of the people.
6th District Seat A – Pass – Chuck James
6th District Seat B – Failed – Greg Lumpy Lambert deserves the vote of the people.
7th District Seat A – Pass – R. Larry Smith
7th District Seat B – Failed – Scott Moore deserved the endorsement – who has opposition
8th District Seat A – Pass – Phil Ballard
8th District Seat B – Pass – John R. Mills
9th District Seat A – Pass – Larry Clark
9th District Seat B – Failed – Paul Pinkston deserves the vote of the people.
In 11 races they were correct and received a passing grade.
In 6 races the were wrong and received a failing grade.
In 2 races they were not graded, due to lack of an endorsement.
6th District School Board – H. Lee Martin received the endorsement in this no-partisian race.
Brian,
I did not expect the endorsement of our paper. I find it rather interesting they think a candidate that sends his children to CAK and Webb should be on the public school board. You were a school board member and I would like your thoughts on this as well.
Thomas Deakins
School Board races are not Democrat or Republican, I disagree with the legislature of 1992 on this, make the Democrats run as Democrats.
I reported the endorsement of Lee Martin.
I was on the School Board for four years 2000-2004. The current problem with make-up of the school board is a lack of someone with business experience.
First District – Government employee (City of Knoxville – Parks and Rec.)
Second District – former Government employee (Arizona legislature)
Third District – Government employee (Property Assessor’s office)
Fourth District – Education (UTK)
Fifth District – Health Services
Sixth District – Government employee (Parks and Rec)
Seventh District – Currently Government employee (Democrat Mike Padgett’s office) The new Representative is a retired administrator of the Knox County School system.
Eighth District – Retired Knox County School Principal.
Ninth District – Marketing and Grant writer for a Non – Profit.
While several of these individuals are good people and good board members, it is not their fault that as a body they lack someone with business experience.
One of the previous school boards (city or county)had a member that utilized private education for their children. I believe it was board member Overholt (I believe that he also served as Chairman)
I feel that the greatest need the school board has today and it will not be solved in one election is to have someone with business experience. The KCS budget is a $366 million dollar budget (2/3 of the county budget)
The system should begin to look at successful businesses for strategies to operate.
Thanks for reading.