election commission anxious to move

move to new facility planned if funds clear budget process

Staff Photo

Ronee Flynn, the interim Administrator, is hopeful that the funding will survive the budget process.

By Staff Reports

published: June 25 2007 06:00 AM updated:: June 28 2007 10:09 AM

Space in the courthouse is in short supply and the strain is starting to show in the Election Commission office. Already cramped, two more desks were moved into that office last Friday as workers squeezed past one another to serve customers at the window.

The county mayor's office and the county commission have recognized the need for more space and have requested over $340,000 in the 2007-2008 special purpose budget to address the space limitations the Election Commission faces.

The $340,000 would fund building new office space for the Election Commission. The new office is planned to be adjoined to the current voting machine warehouse at 1145 Dolly Parton Parkway.

The budget committee is still considering the request and is not expected to vote on the funds until late June or early July. According to the mayor's office, the county is facing an approximate $10 million budget shortfall this year. This could affect the funding for the Election Commission. Nearly $7 million of the shortfall is due to the change in education funding from the state.

Ronee Flynn, the interim Administrator, is supportive of the move. "We are anticipating getting the funding for the new addition and renovation", Flynn to the Seymour Herald. Flynn went on to say, "We are excited about the space we are going to have available to serve the voters of Sevier County."

According to the mayor's office, the Election Commission would not be the only benefactors of the move. The agriculture extension office would also be moved out of the courthouse, to make space for the mayor's finance office. In addition, the County Clerks office stands to gain the space that the current finance office holds.

Until the budgeted funds are approved, Flynn intends to continue to use creative office planning to keep providing great service to voters.

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User Comments

#1 John Taxpayer commented, on June 25, 2007 at 9:27 p.m.:

Joe Keener already addressed this issue our [edited] county Mayor and got nowhere. Now the [edited] will set up a space committee. All they need to do to find space is too look between [edited] ears. There is plenty of empty space there.

#2 John Taxpayer commented, on June 26, 2007 at 12:31 p.m.:

I see that selective editing has now become part of the Herald's SOP and spiking it with self generated commentary for personal gain is now the sequence that will be undertaken. "STUPID" and "FOOL" and "IDIOT" are not against one constitutional rights of freedom of speech. Don't soften my message. STUCK ON STUPID is the way of life for our county mayor and county commissioners. It is about time all fo the Sevier County taxpayers found out about this fact. We even have a Sevier County Monument of Stupidity, the SR 66 and 441 intersection right in the heart of downtown Stupidville.

#3 Crikey commented, on June 26, 2007 at 1:02 p.m.:

Heh --so John Taxpayer can criticize folks by name and will not post his own? Talk about hypocrisy. Whoever edited it at the paper actually made the comment more humerus! I like to fill in my own blanks!

#4 That's all??? commented, on June 26, 2007 at 4:25 p.m.:

Thats all it said. I was adding cuss words. My bad!

#5 Bleep! commented, on June 27, 2007 at 3:51 p.m.:

It seems that most citizens can think of much funnier descriptive words for their elected officials than what was edited out. Ah, but the circus goes on.

#6 John Taxpayer commented, on June 28, 2007 at 10:27 a.m.:

I don't see any other names on here and isn't back stabbing the way of life in Sevier County. The first lesson I ever learned in Sevier County was the fact the the truth did not matter. Only speed matters, the first story to get there will be the one that is believed. We need to change this system for "ALL" the residents and taxpayers of Sevier County.

#7 Just Wondering commented, on June 28, 2007 at 3:36 p.m.:

How many years has Ms. Flynn been the "acting" administrator?

#8 John Taxpayer commented, on June 29, 2007 at 2:05 p.m.:

Arn't they all "actors" at the court house? I believe the "show" is called THE FAMILY AFFAIR

#9 cyn commented, on July 1, 2007 at 12:24 a.m.:

No, it's called Knot's landing but I always got that show confused with the Dukes of Hazzard anyway.