You can view the recording of this program by clicking here.

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge invites the community to join its virtual gathering of Lunch with the League at Noon on Tuesday, March 2. The speaker will be Wayne Blasius, Director of Oak Ridge city’s Community Development Department. The presentation may be accessed by following instructions provided at the close of this article.

Becoming the Director of Community Development for the City of Oak Ridge in September 2017, Wayne Blasius grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and adopted East Tennessee as his home in 1977. Prior to coming to Oak Ridge, he led the nonprofit East Tennessee Community Design Center (2014-17) and served as president of the InSite Development Corporation (2001-2015) where he completed major downtown Knoxville historic rehabs such as the Phoenix and Mast General Store/Gallery Lofts. He also consulted on energy management, infrastructure, and sustainability matters for Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Previously in his career, he served as deputy director of the City of Knoxville’s Department of Community Development.

Blasius holds a bachelor’s degree in economics (with emphasis in environmental studies) from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a master of science in urban planning from UT-Knoxville. He has chaired and served as a member on numerous community boards and agencies. The father of four children who were raised in Knoxville, he also proudly adds that he “began welcoming a string of grandchildren in 2017!”

Responsible for coordinating the City’s planning and code enforcement functions, while simultaneously focusing on sustainability and quality of life issues, Blasius will address the current status of Downtown Oak Ridge, viewed in the context of the City’s 2019 Blueprint Plan.

Lunch with the League welcomes League members and nonmembers alike to this informative presentation. For instruction on linking to the live presentation, contact maryannreeves1 [at] att.net. A couple of days following the presentation, you may view the recorded session on the League’s website (https://my.lwv.org/tennessee/oak-ridge).

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge is a nonpartisan political organization for men and women. It encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.