tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-284184532009-06-29T06:30:05.428-05:00News and Views from Your County Commission, District 4, Seat CWendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-19427066350943129842009-06-28T06:04:00.009-05:002009-06-28T16:27:49.576-05:00

Hello everyone,Boy has it been hot outside! I hope you're all being careful about the heat. It doesn't take long for anyone to get into trouble when it's this hot- even those I-can-do-anything teens we all love so much. Make sure you're wearing a hat, drinking plenty of water, and taking regular breaks to cool off when you're working, or playing, out in this heat.A few weeks ago I shared with you

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-67034285070319172352009-06-21T13:46:00.011-05:002009-06-21T21:50:09.007-05:00

If this is how the game is played, I think it’s time for a change. Your Blount County Ethics Committee came to the Commission in May with a unanimous proposal to open up the process for addressing complaints in a way that would have been unprecedented in Blount County history.For the first time ever, we agreed to transform the committee into an all-citizen committee, composed strictly of at-large

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-38162572085773266132009-06-17T10:28:00.005-05:002009-06-17T11:03:09.358-05:00

Hello everyone--This article appears in today's Daily Times and I wanted to share it with you. Throughout 25+ years of working in the mental health community of East Tennessee, I've repeatedly witnessed the amazing courage and strength shown by those fighting to escape violence at home.I once knew a woman who lived with her 3 children in her car for over a month in order to hide from her husband,

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-47529268590740723772009-06-14T14:12:00.008-05:002009-06-15T14:15:33.288-05:00

Hello, everyone-My family and I spent a long day in the mountains yesterday, hanging out all day at the Cable Mill area of Cades Cove along with some 6,500 other people. It was a beautiful day of celebration in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Those mountains have been in my blood since the day I was born, so it was a treat to be there for a concert by the

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-22780338952039999832009-05-31T09:50:00.008-05:002009-05-31T22:13:24.969-05:00

Hello everyone,I hope you've all enjoyed the beautiful weather we've had over the past few days. I so love the longer days of summer, when I can sit outside after a hard day with my toes in the grass, watching the sun go down and the stars come out. Some of the most wonderful conversations happen when family and friends gather for a little 'porch time' on a warm summer evening, don't they?I have

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-54928683486984266162009-05-14T13:43:00.012-05:002009-05-16T10:32:44.780-05:00

Hello everyone- Please forgive me if I sound a little testy. I've worked in the mental health field for a very long time, and one of many things I've learned over the years is that you can't fix a problem until you acknowledge it exists.I've been asking questions one way or another about the way our county debt has been managed for over a year now. Starting last April, when we were asked to

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-42706854346835880302009-05-03T08:49:00.021-05:002009-05-09T06:52:17.476-05:00

Hello everyone,Today, I'm providing a list of links to news articles that offer some perspective on the use of derivatives or 'swaps' as a financing tool in local government. Some of this will be a repeat; some of it you've probably seen yourself if you follow this issue. Nonetheless, gathering a collection of viewpoints can help as we try to get a handle on the big picture.In other words, I know

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-10440573337046610012009-04-26T15:15:00.011-05:002009-05-04T13:20:22.330-05:00

Hello everyone,Did you, by any chance, happen to pick up a copy of the New York Times earlier this month? I know you’ve heard about this. If you go to the library and check out the hard copy for April 8, look there on the front page, right side above the fold, just below a giant photo of our President greeting the troops in Iraq. There you’ll find this article.Firm Acted as Tutor as It Sold Risky

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-18535893798301678642009-03-09T10:14:00.016-05:002009-03-14T10:47:28.973-05:00

Hello, everyone!Did you make it out to the Sneak Peak for the new Blount County Animal Center last weekend? I hope so. The weather was beautiful --not quite like today! There were delicious treats donated and served by Gina’s Country Kitchen, lots of visitors through the afternoon, and a handful of 4-leggeds there to celebrate our progress.Here are a few photos, for those of you who wanted to

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-8490331134392164872009-03-01T10:23:00.013-05:002009-03-19T09:55:12.989-05:00

UPDATE: The following update is from the blog of the Tennessee County Commissioners Association (TCCA) at http://www.tccablog.blogspot.com/, posted by Exec. Director David Connor on Wednesday, March 18, 2009.***"CTAS Debuts Recovery Act Portion of Webpage : The UT County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) now has a portion of their website up and running that will direct county officials to

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-56167983333041311352009-02-26T08:51:00.005-05:002009-03-01T12:55:11.492-05:00

UPDATE: BECAUSE OF WEATHER, THIS EVENT WAS POSTPONED ONE WEEK. HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK WILL BE SUNNY & DRY, SO PLAN TO COME ON OUT AND JOIN US NEXT SATURDAY, March 7th! Hello, everyone-Just wanted to pass along an invitation for all of you to join me this Saturday at the site of a project we can ALL be proud of. Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Jerry Cunningham and Chairman Steve Samples on the

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-46712290276335100322009-02-22T09:30:00.004-05:002009-02-22T09:47:00.789-05:00

Hello everyone,I didn’t think we should pass those bond resolutions at Thursday night’s commission meeting-- but for the sake of our county, I really hope I’m wrong.I wrote last time that we were being asked to refinance 53 million dollars in loans. In order to understand exactly what that meant, I asked Mayor Jerry Cunningham for all available documentation on those loans. In our packet, which

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-38341814245619669382009-02-15T13:27:00.007-05:002009-02-15T14:00:57.478-05:00

Hello, everyone, Take a look at the commission agenda for this week’s meeting, under “New Business”, Items L5 and L6. These two resolutions ask us to approve the refinancing of a couple of outstanding county loans, or “loan series”, similar to something you might do when you refinance your mortgage. On the surface, that sounds like a reasonable, sensible and even ordinary thing to consider. And

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-46950320927539467022009-02-08T23:15:00.011-05:002009-02-13T08:41:51.793-05:00

UPDATE:At the commission worksession on Tuesday night, Chairman Samples announced at the start that the owner of this property had withdrawn his request "indefinitely". I never met the gentleman in question, and do not know the reasons behind his change of heart. Nevertheless, I was happy to hear it. I only wish the same decision had been made by those doing business on Ridge Rd. and Montvale.

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-59562646982940069082009-02-03T15:43:00.013-05:002009-02-03T17:17:38.340-05:00

Hello everyone,Yesterday’s snowfall was an unexpected treat for kids everywhere. When my two got home, released early from the halls of academia, they were beside themselves with joy, unable to believe their good fortune. After a good romp in the yard, we kept a nice fire going at our place all day, a rare treat. I hope you and your family were able to stay home too, warm and dry.By the way, at

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-8074256812205521302009-01-25T12:05:00.011-05:002009-01-26T11:15:52.932-05:00

Hello everyone,Yes, I’m back. I’ve taken a mid-winter break from blogging, and of course- there are all kinds of things we need to catch up on. How are you? How are things going in your part of the world?We had a wonderful holiday at our house with happy chaos for a few weeks there. Among the highlights was when my brother and I took the kids for a traditional drive around Cades Cove on a

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-50984107695161475502008-11-27T06:29:00.002-05:002008-11-27T06:37:41.407-05:00

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-70895315091195154382008-11-17T16:48:00.009-05:002008-11-18T23:31:51.353-05:00

Hello, everyone- I've spent the past week thinking about the Ceramaspeed property and whether or not that would be a good purchase for us as a county. On Thursday, I went out to tour the facility and had a good talk with Mr. David Kidd, the plant manager there. (Thank you, Mr. Kidd.) I could easily see why everyone was so excited; it is indeed a huge place, and there is much to consider. Here are

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-41400549681364118012008-11-07T05:49:00.013-05:002008-11-12T23:05:29.775-05:00

Hello, everyone-At last week's work session, the County Commission discussed the latest issue to come up in the proposed project to build -or buy- a new home for the Blount County Highway Department and the School Maintenance Department. The project is already terribly over budget, and there appears to be significant pressure for the Commission to approve a completely new direction.I'd like to

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-91490012060711439002008-10-13T07:43:00.003-05:002008-11-27T07:47:59.755-05:00

Hello, everyone-I received in the mail today an announcement from John Lamb, Director of the Blount County Planning Department. You can read the announcement for yourself by clicking here.Blount County citizens are being invited to participate in a Green Infrastructure Workshop, with the goal of identifiying priority areas "for conservation, preservation, protection, parks and trails" in Blount

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-45392198792247742052008-10-02T07:57:00.008-05:002008-10-02T08:38:49.606-05:00

Hello everyone, If you haven't already done so, I urge you to get out and register to vote. The deadline, in order for you to vote in the November 4 Presidential Election, is Monday, October 6. If you've moved since the last election, or if it's been years since you've voted, it wouldn't hurt to update your registration either.Registering is really, really easy! Just call the Election Commission

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-81925832711085634762008-09-28T17:57:00.007-05:002008-09-28T20:32:56.874-05:00

Hello, everyone-Well, as you know by now, your County Commission did elect a new General Sessions judge on September 9. Though one commissioner had mentioned to me that he would be surprised if more than one person applied for the job, there were actually three applicants; and each of those was given ample opportunity to promote his or her qualifications for the job.Assistant district attorney

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-15288044241673340522008-09-07T05:56:00.005-05:002008-09-07T07:08:28.913-05:00

Hello, everyone-This is a packed week for county commissioners, with a number of meetings, events, and issues that may be of interest to you.The most important of those meetings is a Special Called Meeting to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 6 p.m. in Room 430 (the commission room at the courthouse). At that meeting, we will be electing a Judge to serve until 2010 in the General Sessions Court

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-56910032077014357622008-08-23T05:30:00.013-05:002008-08-24T14:25:34.370-05:00

Hello, everyone, First of all, thank you, those of you who came to the Constituents' Coffee last Monday night. We had a great group and a lively discussion, didn't we? As always, I really enjoy hearing what you have to say.As a follow up to our conversation that night, I must report to you that Thursday evening's County Commission meeting was both severely disappointing-- and in a strange way--

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28418453.post-27205994044883207852008-08-17T06:26:00.005-05:002008-11-27T07:50:37.253-05:00

Hello, everyone-There are three things I'd like you to know about.1. Judicial Appointment ProcessOn Thursday evening, while attending the first meeting of the Smoky Mountain Animal Care Advisory Board, I learned that there would be a Special Called Meeting of the County Commission on Tuesday, September 9 to elect the commission chair and other positions as we normally do in September. I asked

Wendy Pitts Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15748742862711320964wendypittsreeves@yahoo.com1