Knox County Commissioner Richie Beeler works hard and he knows how to get things done. Take a look at the projects underway in District 8:
Gibbs High football stadium: “We’re finally making good progress, and I’m working with school officials to make the (football) program whole.” Gibbs High lost gate receipts from all home games last fall because the stadium was not finished. As penalties are assessed for missed deadlines, Beeler wants the Gibbs students and boosters remembered.
Richie Beeler
Pedestrian bridge: “We’re entering the design phase and I hope to break ground this year.” A priority of the Gibbs High Foundation, the bridge will enable safe foot traffic across Tazewell Pike between the high school and the middle/elementary school complex. It also opens parking for evening events at the high school. It will be named for Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, a Gibbs High graduate who was killed during an attack at the Kabul airport. A state grant of $1.9 million boosted the project which will be completed by Knox County at an estimated total cost of $2.4 million.
Emory Road from Gibbs to Halls: “TDOT is active; it has finished the archeological work and now is working on right-of-way. Next will come survey and design. I think it’s on the 2030 plan, but when finished it will match (the 4-lane/sidewalks) Emory Road/Powell Drive from Halls to Powell.”
Intersection at Harbison’s Crossroads: “We’re done.” This project was started by previous commissioners Jack Huddleston and Dave Wright. It included widening both Tazewell Pike and Emory Road at the intersection, a traffic signal, sidewalks and lighting. Beeler came along in time to cut the ribbon (and get some corner sidewalks).
Intersection of Tazewell Pike and Fairview Road: “I’m working to get this intersection straighten and a traffic signal, sidewalks, crosswalks added.” He would love to see a turnlane like the one at the other end of Fairview Road and Thompson School Road. He mentioned Josh and Nadine Porter, Krystal Gibson and Phillips Graves as leaders in the Gibbs Planning Advocates who are helping with this project.
Sidewalks in Carter: “We’re installing sidewalks to create connectivity between all Carter schools and the community park.”
Beeler was elected to the commission in 2020 after being appointed in December 2018 to fill the term of Dave Wright, who had won election to the state legislature. District 8 is huge – about 1/3 of the land mass of Knox County. Richie’s family goes back seven generations in the district.
He graduated from Gibbs High in 1983, already two years in as statistician and public address announcer for Eagles football, basketball and baseball. He continues to volunteer with the athletic programs.
After working in the Knox County Register of Deeds office for 31 years, Richie joined the staff of Fairview Baptist Church in June 2017, where he now serves as a teaching and stewardship pastor. In March 2022, he returned to work for Knox County as chief of staff for County Clerk Sherry Witt.
Beeler is senior leader of The Porch Ministries, a non-profit organization that mentors young men in the Christian faith. On his Facebook page, he calls himself “Papa to a brotherhood of mighty sons.”
Sandra Clark is editor/CEO of Knox TN Today Inc.