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Steve Drevik
228-2263

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About Steve....

Occupation/ Work: Engineer and small business owner (Agilaire)

Three Reasons to Vote for Steve... 

1. My business experience includes working with over 100 state and local agencies on issues like the environment, public policy, procurement, and ethics. I can bring the best practices from several municipalities to questions before Knox County.
   
   
2. I am totally committed to raising the standards of ethics and open government with a specific plan, including extending conflict of interest disclosures to include family members, and having commissioners disclose all meetings where Commission business is discussed.
   
   
3. My total commitment to Knox County and its citizens.   My candidacy is driven by a true calling to fix County Commission and move this community forward.  I have no political aspirations beyond Commission, and my business does well enough I have no need to use the office to enrich myself or anyone I know.   As Commissioner, my dealings would be an open book, with everything in plain view, and I would do everything possible to make Commission a place for the next round of “citizen commissioners” and make it an uncomfortable place for those who would use the office for their own gains.
   

Steve's Thoughts On....

Knox County Schools:

Schools are one of the primary engines of long-term economic growth. Large and medium-size companies consider the education of the workforce when considering whether to locate or even stay in Knox County. Our system is one of the better ones in the state, but there are improvements to be made to move us into top ranking nationally.  Teachers need obstacles and distractions removed so they can focus on teaching.   Eliminating waste in County Government can help pay for simple programs, such as educational software that has been shown to help students with ADHD.

Property Taxes:

Nobody likes paying more taxes than necessary, but property taxes are also the life blood that promotes economic growth and quality of life in Knox County.   The key to keeping property taxes low is to ensure that every expenditure is 100% in line with these goals.  As a business owner, I also want to bring more scrutiny to our budget, finding lost monies that can be used to create more opportunities and improve the lives of Knox County Citizens.   Having been a vendor to other county agencies, I know what procurement processes work best to get the best deal, and I will apply this experience as a Commissioner.

 Development:

Our strategy of matching growth with infrastructure needs serious improvement, so we know in advance where the next schools and roads are needed, rather than waiting until it becomes a crisis.   Rather than constantly amending the sector plan, the plan needs to be reviewed immediately, and reviewed every three years.    This would allow for better long-term planning and eliminate most rezoning problems.

 Environment:

Our #1 environmental issue is water quality- the lakes are a natural resource that benefits our economy (tourism) and our quality of life (parks and recreation).   With 20 years of experience in the environmental industry, working both with regulators and affected sources, I can draw on the best practices that have been shown to work for other state and county governments. One example would be to utilize existing EPA matching grants to pay for air pollution controls for diesel school buses, so our children don’t have to walk through a cloud of toxic exhaust as they board and leave their buses.