(Article has been updated for clarity)
When County Commissioner Randy Smith, at Monday’s County Commission work session, asked to have his resolution to name the Norwood Branch Library building for the late Lynn Redmon placed on the agenda of the March full commission meeting without recommendation, Commissioner John Schoonmaker moved to have the names of the rest of the commission members added as co-sponsors.
Smith’s request passed unanimously and will be considered at next week’s full commission meeting. Smith said he’s hoping that Redmon’s family and friends will attend.
Redmon, who died last March, was the longtime president of the Norwood Homeowners Association and an active library volunteer. His wife, Anne, was a library employee. He was also a political operative whose services were sought after by candidates for public office.
“The first time I met Lynn was at a Northwest City Sector Plan meeting and must have been 30 years ago,” Smith said. “This is one way we can keep his great name relevant in the community where he was so active. I doubt that the community ever had a better friend than Lynn Redmon.”
Former Knox County Mayor and now U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett is enthusiastic about honoring Redmon, who created targeted door-to-door lists for Burchett in his first political race.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without his help. Now everybody does it, but back then candidates just went out and knocked on every door we came to. LR changed all that. And after I became mayor, I watched him take on the big boys and mostly win. He was always prepared and when he called on his community, they turned out in numbers. He could encourage good development and stop a bad one, much to the disappointment of developers. He gave so much and never asked for anything for himself,” Burchett said.
Officially a Republican, Redmon campaigned for Democrats, too, on occasion.
The library will still be the Norwood branch, but the building will carry Redmon’s name.