Attorney Bernard Bernstein leaves legacy of public service | Ashe

Knoxville and East Tennessee lost a major respected leader with the passing of longtime attorney Bernard Bernstein, 92, a few days ago. Our paths crossed many times. He gave good direct advice.

When I was mayor, he agreed to serve as chair of the nonpartisan citizens committee I appointed to review the need and contours of a police advisory board. His recommendations were implemented by me by executive order and later enacted by City Council.

In 1976, he was elected as a delegate to the state constitutional convention from West Knoxville. He leaves a wonderful legacy of public service.

Steve King, deputy engineering director for the city, is retiring Dec. 31 after 43 years with the city. His service included time as engineering director under Mayor Bill Haslam. At one time, his position was abolished, but he appealed to the city civil service board and prevailed. He was reinstated as deputy engineering director, where he has served to this day.

King has been a valued leader. His fellow employees chose him to serve 10 years on the city pension board. As governor, Haslam appointed King to the State Board of Examiners for Architecture and Engineering.

Of more than 1,600 city employees, only seven have 40 or more years of service. The longest-serving employee is Rodney Wilson, who came to work March 26, 1974, and works in Fleet Services as equipment technician. If he stays through March 26, 2024, he will mark his golden anniversary at 50 years.

Melissa Wilson in Parks and Recreation has 46.8 years with the city, while Brenda Conn in the city Law Department is close to her with 46.6 years of service. Kim Hawkins in the city Finance Department has 43.5 years as accounting clerk. After King, who is fifth in service, is Vicky Dalton in the Fire Department with 42.3 years. Seventh is Michael Vandergriff with 40.7 years in the city Engineering Department.

This shows that there are serious career employees who work for the city. Taxpayers can be pleased to know the city workforce does keep many dedicated people who make the city function well.

Knox County Schools Superintendent Jon Rysewyk has appointed a task force to review the accommodation of special needs students. Attorney Will Edwards is on the task force along with Cortney Piper. Both are knowledgable and able advocates.

The school system, along with Knox County, has been consistently losing lawsuits on these issues. Each time they end up costing taxpayers from $150,000 to more than $350,000. There have often been several lawsuits each year, usually in federal court.

While the meetings will not be public, the final recommendations will be given to the school board and Rysewyk for consideration and discussion. The Knox County Law Department needs to take notes on this development and recognize the school system may be moving to make overdue changes in how these issues are handled. The creation of this task force is a first for the school system, and its work will be observed closely.

Tyler Caviness, who is running for city judge, has named Marshall Jensen, an attorney, as his treasurer. Jensen had considered running for city judge but decided to support Caviness instead.

Caviness is opposing incumbent John Rosson, who has held the office for 36 years. The primary is Aug. 29.

Caviness is a graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan in Athens and the College of Law at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he earned recognition for his advocacy as a student attorney. He is married to Christy Caviness, who works as an assistant district attorney in the Knox County District Attorney’s office headed by Charme Allen.

Birthdays

June 2: Faith Carpenter is 73. Nathan A. Honeycutt is 44. Clayton Wood is 43.

June 3: Clay Oliver is 32. Courtney Drinnen is 43. Michael Hensley is 28. Hank Ammons is 72. First lady Jill Biden is 72. Scott Schimmel is 51.

June 4: Megan Venable is 49. Amanda Collins is 45. Katie Sherrod is 37. Attorney Anne McKinney is 74. Former Farragut Vice Mayor John Griess is 74. Jenny Hines is 70.

June 5: Mark D. Lampley is 55. John Trotter is 56. Kevin Kuban is 38. Louise Povlin is 58. Former Farragut first lady Linda Ford is 84. Greg Mangan is 67. Stacey Wiseman is 49. Andrew Murr is 53.

June 6: Restaurant owner Barry Litton is 72. Grier Novinger is 77. Sen. Marsha Blackburn is 71. Gloria Kessel, former first lady of Knox County, is 92. Brandon Keys is 35.

June 7: Jack McElroy, retired News Sentinel editor, is 70. Houston Havasy is 37. Former Vice President Mike Pence is 64. William Gureck of TVA is 60. Lori Maze is 57.

June 8: Bob Gilbertson is 78. Attorney Joe Congleton is 76. Jeremy Cook is 26. Mike Berry is 52. Retired city police chief Phil Keith is 74. Former state Sen. Stacey Campfield is 55 and now eligible to draw his legislative pension. Charles Perelman is 76.

June 9: Adam Thompson is 39.

Victor Ashe is a former Knoxville mayor and former ambassador to Poland. He is a columnist for Shopper News. 

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Attorney Bernard Bernstein leaves legacy of public service | Ashe