Dear Editor,
Once again, the citizens of Claiborne County have the opportunity to elect a road superintendent on August 7th. In the last election I must admit that I voted for Mike Sharp but this time I will be voting for Brad Davis. Mr.Sharp has done a very poor job of maintaining the county roads for “ALL” of the Claiborne county citizens. I live in the Springdale area of Claiborne County. The entrance road to Springdale has not been re-surfaced in over 10 years. During the winter months potholes pop up everywhere. The grass along the sides of the road is growing over into the road. The road is already narrow enough. The brush on Little Sycamore Road prevents those stopping on Dalton Lane from seeing oncoming traffic making it hazardous to pull out. I believe that 8 years of Mike Sharp is enough. $48,000 a year is too much of taxpayers money to waste on someone who gets all they can, cans all they get and then sits on their can.
I encourage the citizens of Claiborne County to get out and vote on August 7th for Brad Davis. We are currently living under a “do-nothing” Congress and House of Representatives. Lets join together and vote out those who do nothing for what they are paid. Vote “Brad Davis For Road Superintendent on August 7th.”
Chuck Humphries
Tazewell, Tenn.
Law enforcement needed in Clairfield
To the Editor:
I live in Bell Co Ky just across the tenn Ky line I was at my sisters house in Clairfield I could not believe my eyes at all the drugs and kids on 4wheelers underage I thought that you had to bee a certain age to ride a big 4wheeler.
I went to Rodgerston hollow and in 30 min time I bet I saw 15cars go up on pill hill that’s what they call it because they know what goes on up there.If I could get in touch with David Ray I would WELCOME him in my family members house and if he would just sit there for a couple of houres he could see what was going on.
It’s like they know it take so long for a cop to get over there that they can do what they won’t and by the time the cops get ther they can never find them.
I am so sadend by the way that little community had gone down hill.
Frances Partin
Pineville, Ky.
Issues with roads, parking at flea market
To the Editor:
I was born and raised in Claiborne County but entered into the military when I was eighteen that was in 1951 thru 1955 during the Korean Conflict, spent most of the four years in and around Korea during that time.
I came back to live in Claiborne County in 1994 and have lived here since that time. Since Freeman Road is a county (gravel) road I have requested from every road superintendant to either black top or use some other means of maintaining the road only to hear the same excuse from every one that has held that office and the excuse is always: it is not in the budget this year, maybe next year. The present super may have spread fifty tons of gravel on the road within the last four years. Now he is again campaigning for another term. If fuel prices are so high that the road dept. cannot afford to do any work on the county roads, why even pay for a road commissioner. Are the tax payers paying someone to fill the position and receive nothing in return?
Within the last six months I have requested that they spread some gravel on the road. Still none. Now that the election is nearing we might get enough to insult the intelligence of the residense of Freeman Rd. but since there are no big names that live out here the chances of receiving any services for the taxes that we pay are slim to none.
The no parking signs that are erected at the Giles flea market continue to be ignored. The local sheriffs deputies and the state highway patrols must have a crick in their necks from looking the other way when they drive by there on Saturday and Sunday. There has been at least one fatal accident there as a result of congestion. How many people have to be killed there as a result of lack of enforcement before someone wakes up. If any person is involved in an accident at the flea market, the 911 number has a record of the number of times I have requested inforcement of the no parking there only to be ignored.
Ken Sandefur
Tazewell, Tenn.
Contact state legislators to change law
Dear Editor:
I would like to commend the County Commission on passing the resolution to elect the Director of Schools. There have been School Board Members who feel the same way.
As a parent, I feel that all offices should be elected by the people. These are our children, and we all are participating in their education. However, this is not a decision that our County Commission can make. It is not a decision that our School Board can make. It is a decision that is entirely in the hands of the Governor of the State of Tennessee and our State Legislators. To bring about an elected Director of Schools, we must write our State Senator, Mike Williams, we must write our State Representative, Dennis Roach, and we must write our Governor, Phil Bredesen.
I feel that this is an issue we need to work together to accomplish.
Thank you,
Lynn Massie
Tazewell, Tenn.
Land ownership should not be an issue
To the Editor:
To the voters of Claiborne County:
My grandfather, W.E. Harmon made a deed to the Claiborne County School System for the Arthur School and in that deed it clearly states to be used for a school.
At that time, $3,000.00 was given to the community leaders through my grandfather. My grandfather used that $3,000 as a donation to pay for the block, the concrete and other materials used to build the school.
It was a clear understanding in a community meeting of my grandfather, R.J. Francisco, Dr. K.D. Taylor, Roger Rowland, Cynthia Daughtery, Dan Smith, Jimmy Smith and myself that the property would revert back to the heirs should it ever cease being a school.
Jimmy Estep has said that it could go either way but the deed is clear that it should be used as school property.
What is so sad is that a few individuals who are trying to make an issue out of this are doing so because they’re interested in other races. I’m disappointed that they would use our school children to build a false issue. One such example is that they are saying that they are going to be for an elected Superintendent. We know that we have no voice in that whatsoever. That’s a false issue and it’s totally up to the State Legislature and the Governor.
The individuals, and there were five of them, who were at the meeting that resulted in the Arthur School being built have written letters to the Claiborne County School Board and it was presented. The School Board made a vote that was unanimous and the true spirit of those letters. Those individuals are the backbone of the Arthur Community. They would never lie. They would never say anything that wasn’t true.
When the property was deeded back to the Harmon heirs, the value was very little. However, in keeping with the spirit of the deed, I would have done what was right. I would have been owed several thousands of dollars where the county had parked buses on my property where I had provided security for the buses and for various other things that I did in a spirit of public wellbeing.
If I had brought suit and we had taken this to court, it would not have been good for myself, it would not have been good for the county, and it would not have been good for the community.
Therefore, the issue was resolved with a unanimous vote of the School Board and the recommendation of Donald Dobbs, the Director of Schools.
At the present time, our school system does not have a single school, not one, that is on the No Child Left Behind list. Our Administration and our School Board have asked for a budget that does not place one penny tax increase on the citizens. I have faith in this Board. They are trying to do what’s right. It just bothers me that some people do not want justice. After all, justice is harmony, and revenge is only self satisfaction. I want harmony. I want to do what’s right. Let’s put politics behind us and get on with educating our children.
If I added anything else to this, it would be thank you, the voters, for putting up with misinformation from those who have their own agenda and that agenda is to be elected to an office where they can pursue things that are in their interest. Like you, I feel that our only interest is our children and that in Claiborne County, it’s good to see people who still keep their word.
Thank you,
Bobby Harmon
Cumberland Gap, Tenn.
Armed society necessary
Dear Editor,
A disarmed people is the food of tyrants. The gun is civilization. Human beings have two ways to deal with one another - reason and force. If you want me to do anything for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument or force. Every human interaction falls into one of these two categories. Reason or force, that’s it, nothing else.
In a truly moral and civilized society, people will always interact through persuasion. Force has no place in our social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it sounds to some.
When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force.
The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 90 lb woman on the same footing with a 200lb.+ mugger, a retiree on equal footing with hopped-up gang-bangers. My pistol, if needed, can whittle eight numbers in 8 seconds.
Some people want to remove all guns from society. GOD forbid. When God fearing Christians peoples loose their firearms, they are held helpless. THE GUN IS CIVILIZATION FOR CIVIL PEOPLES.
An armed mugger can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly. Watch who you elect down to the state shack. Understand!
If the attacker and defender are both armed, field is level. When I carry a gun (legally), I don’t do it looking for a fight, but because I’m looking to be left alone.
Carrying a gun legally removes force from the equation and that is why carrying a gun is a civilized act.
When guns are outlaws, only outlaws and police will have guns and only a fool trusts the police with his life because the police are never there when you need them most.
I am a 70 year old, with limited physical abilities. The 12 Gauge semi-automatic loaded with 000 magnum makes me equal with any thug who wants to force his way into my home.
W EMMERSON WRIGHT writes “NO LAW EVER WRITTEN HAS STOPPED ANY ROBBER, RAPIST, OR KILLER LIKE COLD BLUE STEEL IN THE HANDS OF THEIR LAST INTENDED VICTIM.”
Bill Monroe
Maynardville, Tenn.
If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it
Dear Editor:
I read my Claiborne Progress this morning, and I was pleased to see that the Claiborne County School System has met all their performance guidelines under the No Child Left Behind Act. I was proud to see that our school system is among the top in East Tennessee. My Board Member does not run this time, but I’m proud of the job that the Board has done.
Glancing on through the paper, I couldn’t help but notice some things that just don’t make sense to me:
1. How could anyone cut four million dollars out of the budget that is required by State law that you have it in order to get Federal and State funding?
2. Who in this world would want to fire one hundred and twenty-one teachers?
3. Who would want to close three of our schools when they are overcrowded now?
When we talk about pupil/teacher ratio, we are talking about school nurses, vocational programs, special education teachers, guidance, Federal money, grants, early childhood programs, and we are talking about a big business that is complicated and hard to run.
As for me, I am thrilled to death that we are not getting a tax raise when everything in the country is going up. It has been my motto if something is not broke, it doesn’t need fixing. I am not endorsing anyone, I am just saying that we need to look at who we vote for and put a lot of thought in it.
Sincerely,
Hester Kuykendall
A tax payer who just wanted to have his say
Tazewell, Tenn.
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