Latest news with #KnoxCountyCommission
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former county commission chair to run for Knox County clerk
KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — Richie Beeler, former Knox County Commission chair, announced that he is running for the position of county clerk in 2026. Beeler was appointed to the Commission in December 2018, replacing Dave Wright who had gone on to become a state representative. He was elected again in 2020 but decided not to seek another term after that. Knox County prosecutor fired over social media posts, DA's office to review all cases The current county clerk is Sherry Witt, who is in her last term. Beeler has served as her chief of staff for the last three years. Beeler also has experience as the finance director and office manager for the register of deeds office between 1990 and 2017. He is an ordained Baptist minister. 'An important part of good government is seeking to improve what we already do well,' Beeler said. 'I intend to prioritize the commitment to service and stewardship championed by our current Clerk, while building the culture of integrity and excellence Knox County deserves.' The Republican and Democrat Primaries for county clerk — as well as other local positions such as mayor, trustee and sheriff — are scheduled for May 5, 2026. The general election for these positions is scheduled for August 6, 2026. 'We're getting double whammied right now': Local union president reacts to planned UPS layoffs 'I've given most of my working life to Knox County government, and I understand the level of stewardship these offices demand. They are the government that is closest to the people, and it is vital they have the people's trust. As one of the most important public facing agencies in Knox County, the Clerk's office should set the standard our citizens expect.' Richie Beeler More Election News For the 2026 election, Board of Education Chair Betsy Henderson and Commissioner Larsen Jay annouced that they plan to run for mayor, while Register of Deeds Nick McBride is running against Justin Biggs to be the Trustee. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Knox County Schools budget news: Teacher salaries and meal prices are going up
Knox County Board of Education unanimously approved its $700.5 million budget for the next fiscal year, which includes money earmarked for increases to teacher salaries and benefits. The budget has an increase of 3.1% over the current budget, with $19.7 million for teacher salary and benefit increases. The pay hikes are on top of last year's investment to bring teacher salaries in line with neighboring districts. The district's next steps for teacher salaries will be to stay current with market rates by doing annual increases on a schedule, including all eligible employees this year. Another adjustment will be made in the next budget cycle to meet the requirements of the Tennessee Teacher Paycheck Protection Act, which raised the minimum teacher salary to $50,000 for the 2026-2027 school year. KCS will reassess its overall salary rates in 2028, and will continue to do so every three to five years. "This was a pretty tight budget this year," Superintendent Jon Rysewyk said. "We do want to try to do what we can in that, but it really wasn't an oversight. It was really just us having to make some decisions to be able to keep operations the way they are." The board unanimously approved a capital improvements budget of $24.4 million and nutrition budget of $33.76 million. Next, the budgets must be approved by the Knox County Commission. During the public comment period, JLL Transport LLC owner John Llewellyn discussed pay increases for bus drivers amid rising costs. The board will reassess costs in the summer and present the information in the fall to see where the district has saved money to reallocate toward driver pay increases. The board would need to approve it then. KCS will delegate $24.4 million to capital improvements, most of which will cover air conditioning and ventilation for schools, a new gymnasium for Gresham Middle School, facility upgrades, roofing and pavement repairs. Out of the allotment, $1.8 million will be used for the first phase of planning for a new K-8 school for the Mechanicsville, Lonsdale and Beaumont area. The board already approved a $66 million for the new school to serve upwards of 1,600 students by 2028. The district wants to meet the projected increase of approximately 400 school-age kids by 2030 as part of the city of Knoxville's projections for the Transforming Western housing development. The district is in the early stages for a "South Knoxville solution," too, based on projected growth in that part of the county. The district is asking for $51.9 million to develop this plan beginning in fiscal year 2029. The district's budget for the School Nutrition Fund is estimated at $33.76 million. It will increase meal prices due to its increasing costs for labor and food. The price increase will support the 63 KCS schools that are part of Community Eligibility Provision, which provides free breakfasts and lunches for eligible schools. The increase will go in effect at other schools. Old versus new meal prices: Breakfast: $2 current, $2.25 new Elementary lunch: $2.75 current, $3.25 new Middle/high lunch: $3 current, $3.50 new Adult breakfast: $2.25-$2.50 current, $3 new Adult lunch: $3.50-$4 current, $5 new Parents may apply for free meals at Keenan Thomas reports for the Knox News business growth and development team. You can reach him by email at Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks at This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: KCS budget news: Teacher salaries and meal prices are going up
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Knox County Trustee Justin Biggs is running for reelection in 2026
Knox County Trustee Justin Biggs is running for a second term in 2026. The trustee's office serves as the county's bank. It collects property tax payments, funnels the money where it should go, and is a central player in how the county manages its budget. Biggs, a Republican, is the only candidate who has announced a bid for the office so far. The primary election is May 5, 2026, and the general election is Aug. 6, 2026. Biggs advocated for stability in the office and touted the office's strong collection rating during his first term. "I just want to make sure that coming into a second term, we keep moving in the right direction, doing everything we can to bring the government to the people and do the best we possibly can," Biggs told Knox News. Biggs announced his reelection campaign in a video posted to Facebook on April 5. Biggs has been a Knox County officeholder since 2018 when he was elected to an at-large Knox County Commission seat representing the whole county. In that role, he was a strong supporter of the sheriff's office and an advocate for stripping the Knox County Board of Health of its authority during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before his 2022 election as trustee, Biggs worked in the office for over 14 years in various capacities. He was named one of the Knox News' 40 Under 40 winners in 2021, when he told Knox News he wanted to advocate for Knox County's veterans by offering them property tax assistance. Biggs during his first term as trustee instituted a mobile office program through which employees in county vehicles can do house calls to help constituents. Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knox County Trustee Justin Biggs is running for a second term in 2026
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Knox County school board chair Betsy Henderson is running for Knox County mayor in 2026
Knox County Board of Education chair Betsy Henderson is running for Knox County mayor in 2026. Henderson, a Republican from Hardin Valley, said March 28 she has appointed a campaign treasurer after previously hinting to Knox News she was considering a run. Henderson also sent out mailers touting her conservatism and leadership before her announcement, but didn't mention her plans to run. "Over the past few months, I have been so encouraged by the heartfelt conversations I've had with people throughout Knox County. It is clear that we find ourselves at a crossroads," she wrote to Knox News. "We have the opportunity to keep our county a place where families thrive, where conservative Christian values guide us, and where personal freedom, responsibility, and hard work are celebrated. A place where our policies empower parents to make the best decisions for their children, where taxes stay low, and where local businesses flourish without the burden of government overreach," she wrote. Henderson was appointed to the school board in 2020 after then-chair Terry Hill was elected to the Knox County Commission. Henderson was reelected to the school board representing the 6th District of northwest Knox County in 2022 with nearly 60% of the vote. She was reelected to a second term as board chair in September by her fellow members. Her campaign treasurer is Zane Duncan. Henderson said she'll make a "more formal" announcement in coming weeks. Read a column by Betsy Henderson: We can support both public schools and school choice Henderson is the target of a school board recall petition by her 2022 school board election opponent. Though state law makes it unlikely the petition will lead to Henderson's removal from the board, Phillip Sherman told Knox News he wants to send a message to Henderson and hold her accountable for not listening to constituents. The petition is in response to Henderson's handling of criticism levied by Hill after Henderson testified to Tennessee lawmakers in favor of the dramatic expansion of private school vouchers. Henderson said she was testifying as a mom, not a school board member. The Republican-majority school board had declined to endorse vouchers in its annual list of priorities. Henderson told Knox News that Hill's criticism was "a sad attempt at political theater by a politician desperate for headlines" and suggested Hill "spend more time focusing on cutting wasteful government spending and dealing with the county debt instead of attacking someone who dares to speak up for education freedom for Knox County families." Only one other candidate has declared a candidacy in the Republican primary. County Commissioner Larson Jay announced his run in January 2024. Jay, a Republican who has served as a commissioner representing the whole county since 2018, has raised more than $270,000 for his campaign. No candidates have announced a run in the Democratic primary. The primary takes place in spring 2026 and the general election is in August 2026. Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs has been elected twice in a row and is term-limited from seeking reelection in 2026. Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knox County school board chair Betsy Henderson running for county mayor
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Want to learn how to have a say on new Knox County homes or community safety? Here's a way
The Key is a forward-looking weekly column on how to get involved by Knox News politics reporter Allie Feinberg. If you know of a meeting happening in the community, email Allie at The second week of the month means there aren't Knox County Commission and Knoxville City Council meetings, but lots of decisions get made in the interim. Here's what I mean: The Knoxville-Knox County board that approves big new developments will meet, plus you'll have a chance to get to know police officers in West Knoxville. Before we go into details, allow me to look backward for a minute to some of the biggest political news from last week. Knox County commissioner and former school board chair Terry Hill is pushing for ethics reform after current school board chair Betsy Henderson advocating for private school vouchers statewide. The Republican-majority Knox County school board voted against including vouchers in its 2025 legislative priorities. Hill, in a rare public rebuke of a fellow Republican (watch the video above), spoke directly to Henderson during the board's public comment. "I represent the same constituency that you do, Ms. Henderson," Hill said. "You have made the statement publicly and privately that because you were elected overwhelmingly, what you say represents your constituency. I will tell you, in fact, it does not." Also last week, former Knox County Sheriff J.J. Jones confirmed to me he's running again in 2026. Jones served as sheriff for 11 years, from 2007-2018. He was part of the mass removal known in Knox County political circles as Black Wednesday. He also implemented the county's 287(g) contract, which deputizes local law enforcement to act on behalf of ICE to detain asylum seekers or undocumented immigrants in return for training and funding. The Knox County Planning Commission will vote on a new development at the intersection of Hall Drive and Dutchtown Road near the Webb School campus in West Knox County. The land is reserved for agriculture, but developers want the commission to rezone to build 8.5 units per acre. That's pretty dense for the edges of Knox County. Planning staff members are recommending the happy medium of dwelling five units per acre. Important date: The commission will discuss and vote on developments at 1:30 p.m. March 13 in main assembly room of the City-County Building, 400 Main St. What you can do: Have a comment? You can submit it online by 3 p.m. March 12 at Deadline: If you want to speak in front of the commission, sign up by 9 a.m. the day of the meeting by at Study up: You can view the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission agenda at If you're a West Knoxville resident interested in community safety, KPD West District Commander Tracy Hunter will discuss trends in the district, crime prevention tips, answer questions and address the concerns of residents. Important date: The council forum is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. March 11 at the Knoxville public works building, 3131 Morris Ave. What you can do: Have your thoughts ready and show up! There are no deadlines to sign up to speak. State Rep. Elaine Davis wants all government bodies to expand their public comment rules. Her bill comes as the Knoxville City Council is reconsidering its own rules following public comment periods that took hours as demonstrators spoke about issues that weren't on the agenda. At Knoxville City Council meetings, community members can speak about a specific agenda item when that item is discussed, and about any topic at the end of the meeting during a general public forum. In recent years, demonstrators have found a workaround. They begin by talking about the agenda item, then pivot to the topic of their choice. Important date: The Tennessee House will debate the bill at 3 p.m. ET March 10, and the Tennessee Senate's State and Local Government Committee will debate it at 11:30 a.m. ET March 11. What you can do: You can livestream the House session at and the Senate committee hearing at Study up: You also can find Davis' bill (and the state Senate's companion version) at If you're a West Knoxville resident interested in policing, KPD West District Commander Tracy Hunter will discuss ongoing crime trends in the district, crime prevention tips, answer questions and address the concerns of residents. Important date: The council forum is from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. March 11 at the city public works building, 3131 Morris Avenue. What you can do: Have your thoughts ready and show up! There's no deadlines to sign up to speak for this meeting. The Knox County Planning Commission will vote on whether to approve a new development at the intersection of Hall Drive and Dutchtown Road past Cedar Bluff. The land is currently reserved for agriculture, but developers want the commission to rezone it at 8.5 dwelling units per acre, a pretty significant jump. Knox County planning staff members are recommending the happy medium of dwelling units per acre. Important date: The commission will discuss and vote on developments at 1:30 March 13 in main assembly room of the City-County Building, 400 Main St. What you can do: Have a comment? You can submit it online by 3 p.m. on March 12 at Deadline: If you want to speak in front of the commission, sign up by 9 a.m. the day of the meeting by at Study up: You can view the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission agenda at Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: New homes near Pellissippi Parkway and Knoxville police meeting | The Key
