Local government closed Friday

Knox County Government offices will be closed Friday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day. This includes Knox County Solid Waste Convenience Centers and Knox County Library Branches.

For a complete list of observed County holidays, please visit http://knoxcounty.org/hr/holidays.php

Knox County closed due to weather

If you don't know by now, officials have shut down Knox County government (and the schools and the courts) for the day, due to the weather.

From the county:

The following Knox County Government offices will be closed Thursday, March 5, 2015:

• Offices reporting to the Knox County Mayor, including senior centers, libraries, health department, veterans services and convenience/recycling centers.
• Circuit & Civil Sessions Court Clerk
• Knox County law Director
• Knox County Property Assessor
• Knox County Trustee, including all satellite offices
• General Sessions Court Clerk, Fourth Circuit Court Clerk and Criminal Court Clerk offices.
• Knox County Clerk, including all satellite offices
• Knox County Election Commission
• Knox County District Attorney General

NOTE: Employees are urged to use their own discretion as to whether they can travel safely. Employees choosing not to report to work should use appropriate leave.

Harnish named to Rural/Metro top spot

Jerry Harnish

Rural/Metro, which makes a gazillion dollars because of an ambulance contract it has with the county, announced this morning that Knox County Fire Chief Jerry Harnish was named interim division general manager for Rural/Metro of Tennessee.

Rural/Metro's previous division general manger Rob Webb resigned from his position on Sept. 30.

According to the company's spin team, Harnish has 33 years of experience in fire and emergency operations, including six years as fire chief in Knox County. Harnish said the same high standard of operations will continue during his leadership.

“Both the fire and ambulance divisions are meeting and exceeding Knox County requirements,” Harnish said in the release. “We will continue to meet the emergency needs of Knox County residents and those in the other counties we serve without interruption. Our people are committed to this goal.”

Harnish began his career as a firefighter and emergency medical technician with Rural/Metro in 1980. He rose through the fire department ranks and was named fire chief in 2007.

Knox County office closed on Monday

The Knox County Government office will be closed Monday, May 27, in observance of Memorial Day.

But, technically, the left east of the Deathstar shuts down around 2 p.m. the Friday before any holiday (and sometimes even earlier). Heh.

The Knox County Commission, which holds its monthly meeting on the fourth Monday of each month, will instead meet Tuesday.

I'm assuming the city offices, too, will be closed, but - come on - does anyone who follows local government really care what the city does?

Naw, didn't think so. They're no fun.

Anyhoo, have a good long weekend.

Knox retirees to get paid sick days

Knox County officials are looking into a plan that would pay those retiring (it doesn't count if you're fired or quit) a portion of their sick leave. You see some employees toward the end of their careers like to call it in on Fridays and Monday and, you know, take that loooong weekend.

Well, the administration thinks that giving the sick days a little more meaning (in other words: Show me the coin), then employees are less apt to phone from home and abuse the day when they're really not sick.

Heh.

The maximum payoff would be $10,000, or a total of 800 hours for a 40-hour employees. The Sheriff's Office and the school system already do this. (All county employees also get paid for their annual time when they leave.)

“You're putting a value on it (the sick day) and rewarding long-tenured employees,” said Casual Chris Caldwell, the county's top bean counter.

He added that the plan will be revenue neutral in that if someone leaves and gets paid out, the county won't replace that person until whatever amount of paid sick days have expired.

Workshop set to help some businesses

Knox County Supplier Diversity Program (whoever that is) will host a workshop “to connect small and disadvantaged businesses with procurement and contracting opportunities,” according to a spin job county communications manager Michael “Big Sexy” Grider sent out yesterday but I was too lazy to blog about.

Presenters will talk about how to compete with federal, state and local governments; small business loans; and blah, blah, blah.

The event is set for April 17 from 9 a.m. to noon at 1000 north Central Avenue.

Knox County government, the Knox Area Urban League, the Office of Diversity Business Enterprise and a number of other groups/organizations will give presentations.

They'll hire anyone at the Death Star

What the deuce? Quit taking my picture

People have long joked that there's more than a few skunks working out of the Knox County Death Star. Well, heh . . . check it out. They weren't kidding.

KNS photographer Miles Cary took a couple shots of our own Pepe Le Pew. Miles said he spotted the skunk around 8 a.m. Wednesday on Hill Avenue between the garage door by the Sheriff's Office where deputies pull the bus in for prisoners and the west end of the building.

I'm outta here!

Miles noted that the skunk was last seen headed west on Hill Avenue and into the Death Star's parking garage.

After telling a top ranking county official about the skunk, he joked to me that the critter was just going to visit his parents.