How is it that a tiny number of elected officials will allow continued residential development when the majority of the resident population are opposed to it? Look at Farragut for so many years, they have tried to maintain their upscale community status. Many years ago, Farragut even incorporated to prevent Knoxville from annexing them so as to maintain that upscale appearance.  Now look at Farragut, loaded with apartments low scale and upscale.

In Lenoir City of course, it's the one man wrecking crew, mayor Tony Aikens, who is in a mad rush to destroy the city with roof tops, roof tops, roof tops, in his words. And according to Aikens, it's all so Lenoir City can have a steak house, that's what he's said several times.

While Loudon City is lagging well behind Lenoir City in residential over development, mayor Jeff Harris is just busting to load up the Loudon down town, water front area with low to moderate income apartments. He's hoping for hundreds more apartments out near Tennessee National and hundreds more apartments in the Center 75 Industrial Park. Yet the people don't want that.

What's The Difference?

Back in 2021 and 2022, county commissioners held several town hall meetings through out the county to take input from residents on their opinions on development. Opposition to mass over development was near 100% from the citizens who attended these meetings. Commissioners then took action to stop run away development throughout the county, outside the city boundaries. What's going on in Lenoir City and Loudon City, will not be happening in the county.

What's the difference between county officials and city officials? County officials listen to and responded to their constituents. City officials ignore their constituents.  There's no other way to see it. Does anybody really believe Tony Aikens and Jeff Harris are the smartest guys in the county and know what's best for everybody?

What Can We Do?

What can we do to stop this? I'm asked this question multiple times a week from residents of both Lenoir City and Loudon. They want to know how they can stop the madness that's apparently gripped many of their elected officials. Of course the obvious answer is, to reach out to the elected officials who can take control of development policies in their cities, show up to their meetings and let yourself be heard. Obviously, most elected officials in both cities could care less what the residents of their cities want. That leaves only one other solution, those elected officials who ignore the wishes of their constituents, must be voted out of office and replaced with men and women who will actually listen to them.

This November, both cities will have elections. In Lenoir City, Aikens, council members Mike Henline, Jennifer Wampler and Eddie Simpson are all on the ballot. All four have ignored all requests to stop the over development. In Loudon, only two council seats will be on the ballot. The mayor doesn't run this time.

Keep up the fight, keep letting officials know what you think.