Current Loudon County Property Tax Assessor, Chuck Jenkins, will be seeking to fill the office for the next term. Jenkins is a two term commissioner from the second district who was appointed to the assessor's office in 2006 after Doyle Arp moved into the county mayor's office.   In a surprising move, County purchasing director Leo Bradshaw, has also qualified to seek the assessor's office. This is not Mr. Bradshaw's first time on the ballot. In 2002 Bradshaw ran an unsuccessful campaign against incumbent Loudon County Trustee, Estelle Herron. Bradshaw lost to Ms. Herron but was then hired by then county mayor, George Miller, as the county building inspector. Bradshaw left the inspector position in 2004 after commission failed to pass pay raises for department heads. Bradshaw was then rehired as the county purchasing agent in 2005.
 

One an unusual election on the February 5th ballot, will be the election of a second district commissioner. With former commissioner, Chuck Jenkin's, appointment to the assessor's office, the commission had to appoint someone to fill the vacant second district commission seat until the next regular election. That appointment fell to Lenoir City resident Shirley Reno. Along with Reno, those that have picked up petitions to seek the second district seat "B" are, Loudon County Sheriff's deputy, Tony Arden, Mary Lynn Fletcher, Loudon County School Board member, Larry Proaps and Austin Shaver. And yes Austin is my son. If Proaps were to be elected to commission, he would be required to give up his school board seat.

August 08 will see another important county election. The odd number district county school board seats will be up for grabs. There will be six positions on the ballot. BOE members seats that will be on the line are, first district BOE members Bill Marcus and Scott Newman, third district, Larry Bass, fifth district Freddie Gene Walker and June Klinstiver and seventh district member Nancy Paule. With all the contention, controversy and dissatisfaction involving the Loudon County BOE, this could be a big election.

The big elections don't end there. In November, the Lenoir City Mayor and three city council seats will be up for election. The three councilmen who will be on the ballot are Loudon County Sheriff's Chief Deputy, Tony Aikens, Gene "Blacky" Johnson and Eddie Simpson. Three of the Lenoir City School Board members will also be on the ballot. Mitch Ledbetter, Rick Chadwick and Mike Henline. Last year, board member Mike Henline, was elected to the Lenoir city council. He currently serves as councilman and school board member. Henline stated that he doesn't plan to seek reelection to his school board seat.

2008 is shaping up to be a big election year in Loudon County. Changes could be on the way.