Open letter to Louisville citizens

Since three of our Louisville aldermen have been the victims of organized personal attacks and obstruction from working to improve our town for all citizens, I would like to share my knowledge with you as a former Louisville alderman.

Being very familiar with town politics in Louisville, I chose not to run for reelection due to the combative nature of the job. The three aldermen have been attacked openly (signs posted on roads and at the town hall) and with seemingly little regard for the truth. Yet, these aldermen continue to fight for us, the citizens of the town. These aldermen have tirelessly worked for change that will benefit all citizens of Louisville. This change does not come at the expense of the taxpayers as all three are committed to the policy of no property taxes.

They have, at every meeting, asked for a report on the amount of pledges for the new town hall and the amount received in order to ensure our town does not go over budget on this project. These three aldermen suggested at the Jan. 12 meeting that a graph be posted for the citizens to see the amount received versus the amount pledged. It was indicated by others that this was too burdensome. How can relevant information regarding our community be burdensome and unnecessary? As a citizen, I believe having any information about our town is relevant and essential.

 
These three aldermen have formed several committees to encourage citizen input and to make Louisville a more beautiful town. If you have used our walking trails, you know the need for the newly-formed Parks and Recreation Committee. If you look at many of our buildings, you see the need for the Design Review Committee and the stricter enforcement of zoning which they have been instrumental in developing.

The need for a full-time town administrator is evident. These three aldermen have supported having a town administrator in order to achieve efficiency, responsiveness and good business practices so badly needed in our town. Grants are a vital component of funding for small town America and this new town administrator will continuingly research possible grants and will develop plans to qualify for these grants. How exciting is this? Their premise is that the town administrator would operate areas, such as Poland Creek Campground, as a viable business with a working phone number for citizens and the public to make reservations. This town administrator will most likely meet with serious opposition, as change is hard for any town, but this change is necessary.

Our town will grow and this growth must be planed. I, for one, thank these forward thinking individuals who are brave enough and care enough to speak for us. These gentlemen worked to establish a town Web site (to improve communications with citizens) which is available at www.louisville-tn.us. This Web site will enable you, as a citizen, to access town information and services. I encourage you to visit our Web site and come to our town meeting on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the town maintenance building. As a citizen, I hope you will take the time to become involved in our town so these leaders can serve you better. We need citizen involvement and input.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sandra Murrin
3532 Light Pink Road
Louisville, TN 37777

Tracey Gormley

Tracey Gormley is the wife of Vice Mayor, Bob Gormley.   Tracey sits on the unofficial capital committee which was appointed by Mayor Anderson but not authorized by the BMA to raise money to build the Town Hall/ Community Center. 

Vice Mayor Gormley is also the BMA’s representative to the planning commission.     He is a volunteer fireman.  He has been one of the leaders of the Town Hall/Community Center effort.  He is part of the group that sued the Town of Louisville.  His second term on the BMA is up in November.  He has not announced whether he will run again. 

PLEASE come participate in your government!!!!!!!

The following is Tracey’s Letter to the Editor which was published in the Daily Times on January 14:

Letter to Editor from Tracey

Citizens’ Response:

First, I attend all of the BMA meetings and I seldom see Tracey Gormley there.   We hope she will start coming to the meetings too.  This is an election year and Tracey’s husband’s second term is up in November --- maybe that is why we are hearing from her now ---  this is an election year. 

Tracey, part of the consequences of owning a New 7,500 SqFt Town Hall is that it will increase the Town’s annual operating expenses forever.  In addition to utilities, insurance, maintenance and janitorial expenses which will cost about $40,000 annually, the Town must have someone to look after it on a daily basis. 

The mayor’s job performance unfortunately indicates she will not do that plus it will be a big job.  With a $1.3M investment the Town Hall we can’t afford for it to sit dark for all but a few meeting hours a month.  In order to generate income from the building it will have to be rented, planned and managed by a Town Administrator. 

Another way that  three elected officials plan to pay the additional financial burden the Town Hall/Community Center imposes, is to apply for government grants which are available for a town of our size.  No one has ever pursued a grant.  Sandy Murrin tried but Mayor Anderson blocked her efforts.  The new temporary city administrator, Kathy Lovingood, will spearhead grant applications and she will make the Town Hall/Community Center a revenue producing facility to defray some of the burden of ownership. 

Also, with the leadership of Alderman Gallagher and Parks and Recreation Chair, Donielle Stone, another new source of revenue will be the Poland Creek Campground revitalization which, if approved by the BMA, is projected to generate more than $50k of new annual cash flow for the town.  Poland Creek has the potential to be something the town can really be proud of but it does not even have a telephone for reservations today.  It is not advertised so it simply breaks even annually which appears to be the goal of the Mayor. 

We are fortunate to now have three aldermen who think the town’s goals and vision should be higher.  As the great football coach, Lou Holtz, said,  "God didn’t put us on this earth to be ordinary."  A city administrator, which we support, will take us beyond ordinary and she will help us to pay our bills. 

Tracey, please ask the Mayor to make the Town Hall's operating budget and capital expenditures budget (furniture, fixtures, computers, equipment, decorating, etc.) public.  These expenses are not included in the construction costs or in current cost estimates. 

Tracey, since you don’t come to BMA meetings your source of information is obviously  not reliable.  IIf the Mayor continues spending our tax dollars,  we risk running large operating deficits.  

Many thanks  to Aldermen Tingle, Gallagher and Dixon for having the guts to address unpopular issues.  The Citizens appreciate you Aldermen.   Your reward so far is to get sued by the Mayor’s Czars.  Do you believe it is right to to sue our town and our aldermen for doing the jobs they were elected to do?
 
Wayne Lance
Co- Founder, LCA ,  www.37777.info
email: www.waynelance@yahoo.com
(865) 405-4342

Click here to see video of the Planning Commission's investigation of an email with questions made by an elected official.***Be sure to watch the last 5 minutes when Jere Ingram says that the investigation is about Alderman Gallagher.

Elections have consequences.  Your Louisville Citizens’ Association supported Alderman Steve Dixon and he got an amazing 866 votes.  Alderman Joe Gallagher, one of your LCA Founders, got a whopping 666 votes.  Alderman Rob Tingle, an original LCA Founder, knocked off Vice Mayor, Bill Marcus, who stated from the audience, “That ain’t no good,” at the last meeting as the animal and noise control legislation was passing --- the Mayor voted “NO”.  Alderman Dixon led the effort to block the Town from borrowing $500,000 to build the Town Hall, saying, “Real estate taxes start with government debt. No Mayor Anderson, we will not borrow money and waste $70,000 on interest.  Our citizens do not want real estate taxes.”  That was followed by a “NO” vote by Vice-Mayor Gormley and Mayor Anderson but the Ordinance which blocked the Mayor proposed debt Passed.   Your LCA supported the Town Hall if the donations came in and if the town was not left with debt.

These aldermen are getting MANY GOOD THINGS done and the MAJORITY encourages them to continue.  These aldermen have a lot of goals to achieve and they could use your help.  Here are areas where you can help.  Steve Dixon has a Communications Committee that could use some help.  He and Rob got an outstanding web site, louisville-tn.us, on-line and they are bringing our Town’s technology into this century.  But there is still a lot of work to be done.  The town's office needs to be brought into this century.  Joe’s Parks and Recreation Committee has a lot going on and a lot to do including some Community Center duties.  Katrina Blalock and Donielle Stone are working to restructure Poland Creek Campground and Boat Ramp into something to be proud of and make it cash flow.  Steve is forming a Finance Committee and he is organizing a Town audit.  All of these committees have lots of women serving and most are chaired by women leaders.  Donielle Stone, Katrina Blalock and Sandy Murrin are chairs.   Come serve your town and see what new citizens’ --- minorities, women --- participation in government is accomplishing.   If you love Louisville you will get excited and you will get involved. 

The town has lots of needs and it has $1.6 million in the bank.  The Geraldine Anderson Administration has ignored those needs as it collected tax dollars and returned less than the bare minimum in services to the citizens.  Mayor Anderson has accumulated money with her singular goal to build a Town Hall/Community Center.  State law mandates diversity but Mayor Anderson ignored that and she appointed seven white men to sit on our Planning Commission.  Good Change is underway.  Come see it for yourself.  The Board of Mayor and Alderman meet the second Tuesday of each month.     

Thank you for your leadership Rob Tingle, Joe Gallagher and Steve Dixon ---- GREAT JOB.    THANK YOU.   

Wayne Lance

LCA Founder