I asked what do we have in Seymour. Simply question. Complicated Answer.
One response seems to have said it best.
“Seymour is a clique, not a city/community.”
To put it a different way, we might consider ourselves as the Seymour Society.
Apparently the people that live in or have moved to Seymour seem to be satisfied with the status quo. Or are they happy until their properties or rights are encroached upon?
With so many moving into Seymour bringing various city/county government experiences are speaking up against what they see as questionable activity.
Several commentors stated they don’t want additional or local government. Nor do they want government offices in Seymour. They like driving the 12 to 15 miles to do their government business.
Some even laughed at the notion that anyone from the outside would ever hold an elected office.
It seems like the ones that voiced their opinions just want things to be left alone.
Some of the commenters really opened my eyes as to how they see our community being represented.
One comment summed it up well. “Our local commissioners are in it for the little perks and get fatter everyday. They all need to do what is the right thing for Seymour and Resign. A bunch of nothings doing what the big guys want them to do, sweep the crumbs under the rug and keep them there. Our tax increase was a joke it didn't help our schools or children, all it did was give money to hire a bunch of hatchetts.”
That last comment has become more apparent as a local developer proudly proclaims that he has a local politician in his pocket and can get anything done in Seymour.
In another matter, a local commissioner, upon his own notion, showed up to a court hearing in a controversial community matter.
Another commented that, “If Seymour incorporates, I believe they receive a portion of the county sales taxes. Farragut has no taxes, they operate off their share of the county sales taxes.”
Being incorporated would allow Seymour to take control of what, where and how things happen here. If any of the city politicians were not acting in the best interest of the people, there could be a provision to recall any elected official. A necessity that does not exist in the present county government.
With so many things on people’s minds today, the future of Seymour, is certainly not at the top of their lists.
So the Seymour Society will live on in little cliques until collectively they decide to go another direction.
I simply brought up the question, ‘What do we have’ because many have questioned where is our representation and why don’t we have the same as others in the county.
Are the voices that spoke up the majority or just a few whole consider themselves the authority on what the Seymour Society wants?
— 
— 
— 
Comments may take up to 10 minutes to appear due to site cache.
User Comments
What we have is voter apathy - big time. Uneducated people trust that their government is doing the right thing and don't get involved. As more and more people actually SEE FOR THEMSELVES, FIRST HAND that their government officials are out of control and doing ilegal and unethical things, they learn and then get involved. The first step is to ask questions. Look where that got Max Watson! If these corrupt officials will turn on one of their own home grown boys, what will they do to an outsider? I still want to know as a taxpayer - what happened to the hundreds of dollars worth of BBQ Ribs that were purchased with taxpayer money? More questions than answers! These public officials work FOR US, I expect some answers and so should Commissioner Watson. Larry Waters needs to learn Roberts Rules of Order!!
Seymour does not need to incorporate. If you want to move to an area thats incorporated you are free to do so.
I wouldn't want to incorporate either, that would mean higher taxes which is something we don't need right now.
and moved out of the area as quickly as possible!
If you don't like it here....move back up North you dang Yankees. You transplants keep ruining what was once a beautiful place. We don't mind you living here....we mind you bringing your ways with you and trying to impose them on us!
#5 is the perfect example of the highly moral, highly intelligent, "love thy neighbor" type of attitude that's wrong with this area. Make sure you preach one thing on Sunday morning, but the rest of the week is a farce. Too funny!
I really appreciate the fact that you "don't mind" if I live in your "beautiful place"....as long as I keep my mouth shut. Very kind of you! Hate to inform you of this, but a free country means I can live anywhere I DANG please and speak as loudly as I like. Have a nice day.
Farragut is incorporated but has not taxes. It incorporated to keep Knoxville from annexing it. Knoxville is already past John Sevier Hwy and can legally annex across county lines. If Knoxville annexes Seymour our taxes will more than triple. Of course Knoxville will allow alcohol to be served in restaurants That will be the selling point than will allow the apartment residents along Chapman Hwy to vote for annexation.
The sky ain't fallen and Seymour ain't incorporating. Get over it. It was proven a few years back and if need be it will be proven again.
Go back home you dang yanks!
and remember the alamo!
If you are in fact the "life long" royalty as you suggest, then you of all people should know that it is in fact Seymour's very own that is "ruining" the area. It is the incest and in-breeding of a system that has never been challenged and only works for a few that is ruining our community and school system It is the children of all the dying farms, selling off land that has been in their families for hundreds of year, and is then being degraded and overdeveloped into housing that
we do not need. So ask yourself who is allowing all this over development to happen, and who are the developers? Look around # 5, it is your fellow life long residents!
#9, Knoxville is about 3 miles away at John Sevier. Knoxville is known for its finger annexation along major routes. If the few residents and on Chapman Hwy want to be in Knoxville to serve alcohol then Knoxville will come down Chapman Hwy and divide Seymour. Unless you are in the proposed annexed area, you can't vote.
Knoxville can NOT annex across county lines. It all stops at the county border.
#14, There are 30 incorporated cities in TN in more than one county. A few local cities are: Oar Ridge in Roane and Anderson, Morristown in Hamblen and Jefferson,Lake City in Anderson and Campbell, Oliver Springs in Anderson, Roane, and Morgan, and Johnson City in Washington, Carter, and Sullivan counties.
Knoxville can annex across county lines and if the residents of Smoky Crossing want alcohol in restaurants, they have the voting power to allow Knoxville in Sevier County.
all of these 30 incorporated cities were formed before current laws were enacted. Knoxville cannot annex outside of it's Urban Growth Boundary and that is certainly within Knox County. That's a fact.
Get your facts straight, the urban growth plan does not restrict Knoxville from annexing outside the plan, nor does it restrict annexation outside of Knox County. The first plan expired in December 2004 and has been updated.
Seymour is in an unplanned area of Sevier and Blount Counties. The residents in the planned annexation can vote for it, just like the one resident did at John Sevier Hwy which was not in the planned Knoxville Growth Plan.
Hey "Welcome to Knoxville"... Why not talk to Bill Lyons or someone at Knoxville's Department of Policy and Communications (http://www.ci.knoxville.tn.us/policy/def...) and get this settled. Is it possible to annex outside of Knox County? Is it possible to annex outside of the Urban Growth Boundary?
Why should I ask Bill Lyons when I can read Knoxville's policy for myself. cityofknoxville.org/development/annexation_policy.pdf
The State of Tennessee local governments to follow Public Chapter 1101 to qualify for certain grants and funding. PC 1101 states that incorporated cities can only initiate annexation by ORDINANCE in the county which there city hall is located. If the annexation is by REFERENDUM this rule does not apply.
You can find more information on PC 1101 at http://www.state.tn.us/tacir/Portal/Repo...
When was the last time a city annexed in more than one county? 20-30-50 years ago? What was the political climate back then? I doubt it would be as easy as some have suggested today.
Morristown finalized their annexation into Jefferson County in Oct 2007. Some property owners in Loudon County are considering annexation into Farragut, because Farragut has no property taxes. The political climate is less today than is was before the Urban Growth Plan.
Once again if property owners in Seymour want to be regulated by Knoxville, so they can serve alcohol, a request to be annexed will be made. If Knoxville approves the request, then the residents in the proposed annexed area will vote on annexation. It you don't live in the proposed annexed area, you can't vote on the issue.
Guess what happens to property values on Chapman Hwy when alcohol can be served. Also remember that Blount County is the first part of Chapman Hwy into Seymour, which means Blount County is the only one that can file action against the annexation. Yes it can happen someday and unless you live or own property on Chapman Hwy in Blount County there is nothing you can do about it.
Add Your Comment!