I would like to nominate the City of Oak Ridge to receive an award for excellence in community and economic development at the

Media Advisory

For Immediate Release Contact: Carole Graves

June 17, 2003 615-255-6416 (office)

615-479-1971 (cell)

Oak Ridge’s Excellence in Community and Economic Development

receives Municipal League award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Budgetary guidelines to enhance the city’s financial strength, adoption of a five-year strategic plan, a partnership approach to infrastructure expansion, and preservation of the city’s history while planning for the future are just some the reasons why the city of Oak Ridge is receiving and Tennessee Municipal League (TML) Achievement Award for Excellence in Community and Economic Development.

The award will be presented on Tuesday, June 24 during TML’s annual conference in Memphis.

In order to strengthen and support the development of the city, Oak Ridge adopted a five-year strategic plan, entitled "The Path Forward.” The plan is driven by the vision of the citizens of Oak Ridge. The city council now uses the plan to set its agenda to achieve four critical outcomes: a competitive property tax rate; competitive housing stock; effective economic development; and

enhanced quality of life. The council restructured its working committee program to reflect priorities established in the strategic plan.

The city also adopted a set of budgetary guidelines and assumptions designed to enhance the city's financial strength. These policies include strategies to expand the city's tax base, to limit debt for general fund capital projects through FY06, and to pay for capital projects without increasing property taxes. On April 21, 2003, the council adopted the FY 2004 budget in accordance with these budget and finance initiatives.

With the formation of Partners for Progress, a group of eight local governments and agencies, infrastructure expansion in the city’s west end was approached through a consensus. This partnership has resulted in construction of key city utilities designed to serve major developments in an area of the city slated for future growth. In addition, the city continues to upgrade and replace aging infrastructure built by the federal government and conveyed to the city.

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TML Achievement Award

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June 17, 2003

In early 2003, the city completed a 13-year old remediation project inherited from the federal government. As a result, the prime 11-acre tract has been sold to the private sector and placed on the tax rolls; the site has been reclaimed and prepared for reuse. The city of Oak Ridge, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, and the Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning reaffirmed a 15-year old agreement to preserve an approximately 6 acre city-owned greenbelt in its natural state. The area is host to a number of native and rare species, and serves a unique scientific and educational mission for the community.

“Because of the vision of the council and the citizens, and the hard work of a dedicated staff in adopting and implementing policies and programs, the city is poised for the future,” said Ron Darden, MTAS municipal management consultant who nominated Oak Ridge for the award.

Other accomplishments include:

restructuring, organizing, and streamlining zoning regulations that includes a new sign ordinance, planned unit development provisions, and a traditional Neighborhood Development zone;
creating a vintage housing remodeling program that offers architectural drawings to owners of original WWII era housing;
working with Manhattan Project communities to identify and promote the advantages of heritage tourism and preserving key historical artifacts from the city's origins during WWII; and
hosting the first-ever Secret City Festival, which is designed to celebrate the unique history and character of Oak Ridge.

Each year the Tennessee Municipal League honors cities throughout the state for overall excellence, improvement, specific outstanding programs, or department accomplishments. Other award winners for 2003 include: Crossville for Excellence in Capital Planning and Development, Dyersburg for Excellence in Police Operations, Loretto for Excellence in Parks and Recreation, Morristown for Innovation, Pigeon Forge for Excellence in Public Works, Smithville for Small City Progress, South Pittsburg for Excellence in Citizen Participation, and Troy for Small City Progress. All award winners will be honored at the Tuesday morning general session beginning at 8:30 a.m. on June 24 in Ballroom C-D of the Cook Convention Center.

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The Tennessee Municipal League is a voluntary, cooperative organization established by the cities and towns of the state for mutual assistance and improvements. The League’s primary function is to lobby the General Assembly on behalf of city governments. TML works with the Legislature promoting legislation helpful to cities and opposing legislation harmful to cities.