Most folks would assume that to seek an elected position in the City of Lenoir City, a candidate would need to be a resident of the city. In all other cases, the assumption would be correct. However, in the office of Treasurer/Recorder there are no residency requirements in the city charter.

More than a year and a half ago, I brought this anomaly to your attention. Residency Not Required when Mr. Wilburn was appointed to the position. The question was even raised about his residency when he was appointed interim.

Every other elected position in the city requires that a candidate must live within the city to be qualified to seek office. However, there is no such language requiring residency to seek the office of  Lenoir City Treasurer/Recorder.

The absence of any residency requirement for the Lenoir City Treasurer/Recorder job opens the option that anybody from anywhere can seek the office.

Currently, three other candidates have picked up petitions to seek the office. Randall J. Brown was the first to pick up a petition and currently is the only candidate who has qualified to run for the office. Assistant Lenoir City Treasurer/Recorder, Maggie Hunt and Lenoir City resident Frank Hahn have also picked petitions but have not yet filed their petitions to qualify.

Candidates for any of the offices on the Lenoir City ballot for the November election have till next Thursday, August 16th, 12:00 noon to file a qualifying petition.

Offices on the ballot include Mayor and three council seats. Thus far, only current Mayor, Tony Aikens has qualified to re-seek the mayor's seat. All three incumbent councilmen, Bobby Johnson Sr., Eddie Simpson and Harry Wampler have qualified to seek re-election. A fourth candidate, Becky Watkins has also qualified. In the council race, candidates run "at large" meaning the top three vote getters take the seats.