Ivan Harmon came to speak, but first came the wit and wisdom of Powell Republican Club president Dan Raper and virtually everyone else in the Shoney’s meeting room.
State Rep. Bill Dunn announced his candidacy for re-election, saying it’s important to have experienced leadership in Nashville with Gov. Bill Haslam, Speaker Beth Harwell and 17 legislators not returning after the 2018 election. Dunn will host a barbecue fundraiser in September. Details soon.
County Commissioner Charles Busler is running for his second term next summer. He announced a free breakfast for veterans and spouses 8-10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at the Community Center on Emory Road (former Wheeler School of Karate). There’s no county money involved, Busler said. Each breakfast is sponsored by a different private donor. Breakfasts are each third Saturday.
Eddie Biggs and (standing) Justin Biggs, candidate for Knox County Commission.
Justin Biggs, a candidate for the commission from District 11 (at large) introduced his dad, Chief Deputy Eddie Biggs of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. “He’s my mentor and my friend.”
But Raper set the tone: “If you’re a Neo-Nazi or a KKK member, just leave now. That’s all I have to say.” No one left and no one argued.
Finally, Ivan Harmon got the floor, only to explain that he’s not decided yet whether to join the crowded field for clerk of Circuit and Juvenile courts. He said “something is wrong” in the office because no excess fees have been collected in several years. “I won’t have employees afraid for their job, but will work with each person to do their best job.”
Harmon said he expects to name a treasurer and formally announce his candidacy in October, at which time he will step down from his job with the Sheriff’s Office. Already in the Republican Primary for the clerk’s job are Don Ridings, Charlie Susano, Scott Smith and Tim Wheeler.
Harmon said he enjoys his current job as director of Inmate Industries, an organized, voluntary work program for inmates to help non-profits. In Powell, his crews helped clear land for the disc golf course at Powell Station Park; a mowing crew will take care of the new landscaping on the interstate exits at Emory Road; and inmates will be trained to remove debris from Beaver Creek to establish a water trail for kayaks.
While working as a grocery store manager and executive, Harmon served two years on the old city school board, 12 years on the Knoxville City Council and eight years on Knox County Commission.