On Wednesday, May 9th Mayor Madeline Rogero, City Law Director Charles Swanson, and other City officials will hold a second community meeting about the use of property at 826 N. Broadway.

They will provide an update and answer questions on issues concerning the building.

The meeting will be held at Central United Methodist Church, 201 E. 3rd Ave. starting at 5 p.m.

As Knoxville's effort toward First Lady Michelle Obama's national campaign, over 15 local community groups are working together Saturday to encourage our children to eat healthier and move more outside.

Enjoy Hands-on activity booths and demos, opportunities to connect youth with local athletic groups and a Let's Move flash mob at noon and 2 p.m.

The event will include:
♦ Hands-on activity booths and demos
♦ Opportunities to connect youth with local athletic groups
♦ Let’s Move flash mob at noon and 2 p.m.

The Let’s Move Event is free! However, you must register for the 8:30 a.m. Kid Road Mile (Victor Ashe Park location only) online at www.ktcyouthathletics.org

Confirmed Schedule of Events for Let's Move:

Mayor Madeline Rogero announced today that Knoxville has been designated a "Let's Move!" City to fight the epidemic of childhood obesity.

The "Let's Move!" campaign began under First Lady Michelle Obama under the tagline "America's Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids." It carries endorsements from big-name celebrities such as pop artist Beyonce and her team, who sang and choreographed the official "Let's Move!" Flash Dance song.

The local "Let's Move!" event is what eventually led to Knoxville's "Let's Move!" designation and will be held in Knoxville on Saturday, May 5, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at both Victor Ashe Park (4901 Bradshaw Rd.) and Holston-Chilhowee Ballpark (5900 Asheville Hwy).

"Tennessee has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in the country," Mayor Rogero said. "This designation helps us reach out to those families who need help with this issue. There will be plenty of resources at these two parks to provide nutritional and athletic information, and get kids plugged into a healthier lifestyle."

The event has been planned by a committee of health experts, recreation specialists, dietitians and other related professionals from 15 local organizations. The primary steering organizations have been Coordinated School Health, Knoxville Parks and Recreation, the Knoxville Track Club, the Knox Area Coalition on Childhood Obesity, and the Knox County Health Department. All of these groups work under the common goal to address the issue of childhood obesity.

Both locations will feature a "greenway of activities" in an effort to introduce Knoxville youth to eating healthy and moving more outside. Participants will receive an official "Let's Move!" Adventure Map that will be stamped for each activity station visited in order to be eligible for door prizes.

Every participant will receive a free "Walk with Walgreens" kit and will have the chance to enter to win a Home Depot grill. Vegetable plants will also be given away by Home Depot.

Children who attend the event at Holston-Chilhowee Ballpark will receive free fluoride treatments from the Vine School Clinic.

Sponsors for the Let's Move! Event in Knoxville include B97.5, Walgreens, Home Depot, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Subway, and Moonwalks & Such.

For more information, please call 311 or visit www.cityofknoxville.org/recreation/letsmove.asp.

In the aftermath of the mulch fire earlier this month at Shamrock Organic Products, the City of Knoxville has issued a set of requirements the company must meet in order to resume business at its site on Ailor Avenue.

In a Fire Code Inspection Report dated April 27, the Fire Marshal's Office outlined the steps that Shamrock owner Randy Greaves must take before restarting his mulch operation. In a letter, also dated April 27, City Public Service Director David Brace listed requirements Shamrock must meet before the City will resume delivering yard waste to the company under its contract with the City.

"This contract is an important part of our efforts to divert waste from our local landfills," Brace said. "But our primary concerns are for the safety of our community and our environment. We suspended delivery to Shamrock during the fire, and we will not take material there again until Mr. Greaves takes these steps to ensure that it can be stored and processed safely."

The Fire Marshal is requiring a comprehensive fire hazard analysis and fire protection plan from Shamrock.

Temporary restrictions, until Shamrock's fire protection plan is approved by the Fire Marshal, include but are not limited to the following:

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero, Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, and Covenant Health fitness expert Missy Kane announced today free walking and hiking programs that will be offered this spring and summer on City and County greenways.

Mayors Rogero and Burchett announced their partnered "Tour de Fleur" wildflower walking series, which is a free tour of greenways where an Ijams nature guide discusses previously labeled flowers. Last year, the event series debuted on Will Skelton and Ten Mile Creek greenways. The mayors announced the new greenways introduced to the program this year.

They also announced the "Happy Hiker" programs offered at various City and County senior centers.

Missy Kane announced the dates and locations for her "Get Out On Local Trails with Missy Kane and Legacy Parks" program. Kane hosts her hikes on City, County, and State trails. Each event in her program is free, but she does accept donations to benefit the Friends of Legacy Parks.

Ijams Nature Center Executive Director Paul James also announced walks that Ijams offers at its 275-acre property. Those include night owl hikes, wildflower walks, and other nature programs.

Other walking programs that were featured in the press conference today included the Knox County Health Department's Active-8 Series, the Knoxville Track Club's Knox Walks program, and the Nordic Walks that will be operated out of the Outdoor Knoxville Center on Neyland Greenway.

Tour De Fleur Wildflower Walks

May 5: Victor Ashe Park; meet at the pavilion
June 2: Ten Mile Creek Greenway, starting at Walker Springs Park
July 7: Will Skelton Greenway, starting at Ijams Nature Center
August 4: Holston River Park, starting at main shelter
September 8: Halls Greenway; meet at the Halls Library
October 6: Ten Mile Creek Greenway, starting at the Wynnsong Theater Parking Area

Get Out on Local Trails with Missy Kane and Legacy Parks

June 6: James White Greenway to the Alex Haley Statue, starting at Outdoor
Knoxville Adventure Center
June 13: New Harvest Park
June 20: Frozen Head State Park (more difficult) or Victor Ashe Park (less difficult)
June 27: Concord Park Trails
July 11: Forks of the River, beginning at Ijams Nature Center
July 18: Fort Dickerson Greenway at the Augusta Road entrance
July 24: House Mountain Natural Area

Schedules, locations, and contact information for each of the programs featured today may be viewed on the Outdoor Knoxville web site at www.OutdoorKnoxville.com/calendar/greenway-walks.

City of Knoxville contractors set a monthly paving record in March, laying 18.2 equivalent miles of asphalt on streets across the City.

Warm weather combined with extensive curb cuts done in the winter months helped the City's paving season get off to a smooth start. The paving by Rogers Group Inc. is part of a $6.3 million contract for 48 miles of work during the 2011-12 fiscal year.

"March was a great month," said Christi Branscom, the City's Senior Director of Public Works. "We're happy that citizens in neighborhoods across the City can already see the results of this year's paving schedule."

Among the many roads that saw improvements in March were Parkside Drive in West Knoxville, Fairmont Boulevard and North 6th Street in North Knoxville, Fountain Park Boulevard in North Hills, and several streets in the Lonsdale and Mechanicsville neighborhoods.

City Engineering Director Jim Hagerman said there should be a steady pace of roadwork through the summer and fall. "We realize there is often short-term inconvenience as we work on each section," Hagerman said. "But the benefits are better, safer roads for everybody."

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero presented her proposed 2012-2013 Fiscal Year Budget today to City Council members and the public - reflecting her commitment to strong neighborhoods, a greener Knoxville, an energized downtown and job creation.

More than 750 people gathered at Victor Ashe Park in northwest Knoxville to hear Mayor Rogero's first budget address in which she embraced sound fiscal practices and dealt head on with the challenges of the City's pension shortfall.

"The decisions made to guide this budget will have a lasting impact," said Mayor Rogero. "We have the opportunity to invest in our great city while working efficiently to minimize demands on taxpayers."

The 2012-2013 FY Budget has a 4.87% increase in the General Fund, which is the main operating fund of the City and on which its tax rate is based. The General Fund total is $180,562,500, and the Capital Budget is $24,396,890.

Much of the reason for the increase in the General Fund is due to health care costs, benefits and the City's pension contribution. An increase of $2.2 million to the pension plan, with the total budgeted contributions at $14.4 million, is included in the budget. Mayor Rogero is also proposing $10 million be taken from the fund balance to pay down unfunded pension liability.

Among other items in the proposed FY 2012-13 budget are:

The City of Knoxville will be hosting various events this weekend that will require temporary road closures in the downtown area, including much of Gay Street.

The City will take advantage of the Gay Street closure to install new parking signage between Wall and Union avenues. Effective Monday, April 30, the west side of this section of Gay Street will allow 30-minute parking and the east side will allow one-hour parking, with the exception of designated commercial parking zones.

Please note the following weekend closure schedule:

Friday, April 27 - Dogwood Parade / Dogwood Mile

What: Mayor Rogero will hold her annual Budget Luncheon on Friday, April 27 starting at 12 p.m. at Victor Ashe Park located at 4901 Bradshaw Rd.

Mayor Madeline Rogero will present her proposed 2012-2013 budget to City Council and to the public.

This public event will provide an overview of the Mayor's fiscal plan for the coming year.

Parking will be available onsite in the parking lot of Victor Ashe Park. Additional parking will be located along Bradshaw Road and at First Apostolic Church of Knoxville. Shuttles will be available to transport guests to the event.

Those attending the event should be aware that the park remains open to the public for use, and general daily visitors should expect heavy traffic in the area.

In a recent report by Fitch Ratings, a global rating agency, the City of Knoxville has been given the top bond rating of "AAA." This outstanding ranking reaffirms last year's equally impressive score for the City. The key rating drivers for Fitch's positive report are a sound and established economic underpinning, high and consistent reserves, and affordable debt burden.

The Fitch report also cited a broad and stable employment base as a contributing factor for the City's favorable financial position. Knoxville has experienced a recent increase in employment, lowering the unemployment rate to 7.1%, well below that of the state and nation - according to Fitch. The agency reasoned that recent investments in alternative energy sources coupled with technology transfer trends may also spur additional employment in the energy sector.

Another recent report, released by rating agency Moody's Investors Services, reaffirmed the City's high bond rating of "Aa1" with a stable outlook. The report listed Knoxville's primary financial strengths as a "large, regionally important tax base and economy" and "solid financial reserves and prudent fiscal management."

In addition, a report by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services reaffirmed the City's AA+ rating. Those ratings reflect the diverse and stable regional economic base and the City's "strong financial performance, coupled with very strong reserve levels."

"These reports are confirmation that the City of Knoxville is continuing to move in the right direction," Mayor Madeline Rogero said. "Our high bond ratings are a reflection of the City's strong financial management program and a clear message that Knoxville is a great place to do business."

For more information on the Fitch bond ratings, please visit http://www.cityofknoxville.org/finance/Fitch2012.pdf .