Sun
Jan 24 2010
04:03 am
Safe Elections?
By: whisper

Everyone is worried about voting by paper or computer. And what state politician is voting for paper ballots or eslate machines, you should be worried about local politicians.

When a certain appointed Rockwood Commissioner showed up at the election office Friday @ 4:30pm to pick up his nominating petition, he discovered the office is closed at that time. So he trots across the hall to the office where our property value is set.

He then meets up with the proud elected official in that office. The Commissioner and her spend about an hour in her office. At which point they were spotted in the hallway and the Roane County Property Assessor was instructing a lady janitor to unlock the election office door.

Then the Rockwood Commissioner enters the election office unescorted by any election office official to "retrieve" his petition.

So why everyone is worried about what type of machine we are voting on, our elected officials seem to have free access to the election office. A setting County Commissioner that is up for re-election entering the election offices with out knowledge or permission from the election commission? With assistance from another elected county official?

One might say that this is all hearsay but if you recall the Court House now has video cameras!

WELL SMILE YOUR ON CANDID CAMERA!

STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL NEWS OUTLET FOR MORE INFORMATION!

Topics:

I really hate that.Is it

Submitted by chelsea on January 24, 2010 - 11:06am.

I really hate that.Is it possible that someone from the Election office was contacted prior to going in? I think this "appointed" commissioner is asking some much needed questions about Roane County Government. I also think he could/would be a good candidate for Chairman of the commisson and eliminate Beets' dual and conficted role in city/county government. I can't vote for him, but I sure can vote against Beets.

Roane election official says petition flap 'unfortunate'

Submitted by randyellis on February 1, 2010 - 12:57pm.

KINGSTON - It spawned a couple of reports and much courthouse talk as the political season heats up.

But an incident where a county commission candidate went into the Roane County Election Commission office after hours has been shrugged off by the election administrator as "an unfortunate set of circumstances."

(link...)

Randy Ellis
randyellis@gmail.com

It did show some poor

Submitted by chelsea on February 2, 2010 - 10:30am.

It did show some poor judgement, but hopefully it will not make much difference at the polls. I think Mr. Berry is asking questions that should have been asked a long time ago. He may cause some controversy, but he could bring a new openess in Roane County Government.
Again, I cannot vote for him as I don't live in his district.

Let me add, I know Randy

Submitted by chelsea on February 2, 2010 - 10:35am.

Let me add, I know Randy Ellis is running. I can't vote for him either, but I think he also would ask the hard questions and buck the status quo. At least I hope he will. I know he is friends with some on the commission, but I think he can put friendship aside when his constituency is at stake.

You bet I will ask the hard

Submitted by randyellis on February 2, 2010 - 11:02am.

You bet I will ask the hard and tough questions chelsea! I do have friends on the commission. But I also serve on other committees with commission friends and I challenge them there the same as I would on Commission! I am there for the people of District 2 (Harriman, Emory Heights, Swan Pond and Midtown) not my friends!

Randy Ellis
randyellis@gmail.com

My question to Ron Berry

Submitted by WhitesCreek on February 2, 2010 - 11:14am.

My question to Ron Berry would concern the perception that connected people have one level of service from the County and the rest of the citizens have another. His actions seem to say that he thinks this is just fine by him.

I do like what I've heard so far from Ron and would like for him to openly discuss this matter, let us know if he thinks it is an error, and how he plans to conduct himself if he is elected for a full term in this regard? Ron would seem to have the capabilities required of a good commissioner going forward if he can satisfy us on this particular instance.

Teresa “Intimidation” Kirkham

Submitted by harriman1 on February 3, 2010 - 10:40am.

Roane County Ethics Committee needs to be involved in this. What if it had been a tax payer going in to Kirkham's office after hours?

Kirkham sent an e-mail to Roane County News publisher Johnny Teglas on Jan. 28 denying any involvement.

“Make sure my name is not mentioned in connection with the petition and Ron Berry,” she wrote. “I had nothing to do with it.”

According to Johnson, she did.

“It obviously would have been better if Ms. Kirkham had not directed the janitor to unlock the election commission office,” Johnson wrote in his letter to Holiway.

(link...)

Randy

Submitted by RICK on February 2, 2010 - 12:22pm.

I hope that when you are on the commission (and I have no doubt that you will), You will not only serve the people of District 2, but serve the county with pride and sensibility. That has been missing from the county commission for years.

Thanks Rick that is my Goal!

Submitted by randyellis on February 2, 2010 - 2:57pm.

Thanks Rick that is my Goal!

Randy Ellis
randyellis@gmail.com

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