Several weeks ago, the incumbent fourth district Knox County Commissioner spoke to the Center City Conservatives Republican Club. A video was posted to the campaign Facebook page, I have retained a copy of the video in the likely event, anyone challenges what I write that he said what he said.

First off he says the county has paid down $80 million in debt payments over 5 years. He states school funding has increased $46 million in 5 years. He says 2 schools were built, 1 paid with cash and 2 middle schools have been approved. He said they must increase revenue and must grow.

Business Parks

He said that business parks must be increased, the existing parks are 90% full and that businesses are moving here from China, Germany and all over the USA. He said unemployment is down to 5.3% from 7.4%.

Schools

In the next term, he says he wants to increase spending on schools, but it has to go to teachers in the classroom. The Knox County School Board may remind him of the court authorized agreement that Commission can not tell the school board what they can or can not do with the schools revenue. He says that they must start helping children with dyslexia. He said “1 in 5 child” has dyslexia. He said they are going unnoticed in schools. He says, they learn, just at a different pace, they use a different part of their brain than we do. I would be interested to know what Dr. James P. McIntyre, Jr. and his Executive Director of Student Support Services whose department handles all students with any disability.

Mentally Ill

He said that the county needs to look at ways to help our mentally ill, the closure of Lakeshore really hurt us. He said our Knox County jail is the second largest mental hospital in the state. A jail is housing for those who have broken or violated the law, not a hospital. He stated that 25% of the inmates are mentally ill. It wasn’t clear if he means they are locked up because they are mentally ill. He said the state closed Lakeshore to save $22 million and said they would still fund that and they haven’t kept their end of the deal. He said we need to get our mentally ill back off the streets and get them the help they need. When he took an aggressive position as the state was closing Lakeshore and was fighting the closure, he was not forthcoming that his spouse was employed there. It seems he is still using his position as County Commission to criticize the state and city for the closure.

Safety Center

While the discussion of closing Lakeshore was going on, the incumbent Fourth District Commissioner was opposed to the Safety Center. A proposed 30 bed safety center that Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones and Former District Attorney General Randy Nichols proposed in concert with Helen Ross McNabb.

At the Center City meeting the Commissioner has had an about face. He said we are going to hav eto fund it. We are never going to get Lakeshore back, just no way. He went on to say, it has to be larger than 30 beds, a larger regional safety center and help out lying counties and have them pay into it.

School Board

He says he is not running for the school board but when it eats up 63% of the budget it has to be a focus. As parents, teachers and school staff make up a large portion of the voting electorate. His statement that education eats up the budget in my opinion demonstrates a flippant, disrespect for the investment in education for the next generation. Funding education is an investment!

Pet Ordinance

He said that he redone the county pet ordinance, he says he saw pictures where animals were frozen to trees this past winter.

The 2016 election season is fast approaching. The Fourth District Republicans have two good choices for the Republican nomination for Fourth District Knox County Commissioner. Hugh Nystrom and Janet Testerman. Early Voting February 10 through 23, 2016 with Election Day on March 1, 2016.