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The three candidates running for alderman for the town of Louisville all agree that growth and change are inevitable for Louisville.

Alderman Sandra Murrin decided not to seek re-election, so incumbent Mike Mund, Joe Gallagher and Steve Dixon are running for two seats up for grabs in the Nov. 4 election.

Mike Mund

Incumbent Mike Mund believes that everyone has a responsibility to give back to the community and that serving as alderman to the town of Louisville is his way of doing that.

"I have done my best during my terms of office to make decisions I feel will do the most good for the people of this town ... to consider all sides of each issue and to vote in such a way that the community as a whole will grow and prosper while maintaining the rural charm that attracted us here in the first place," he said in an interview.

Mund said Louisville has undergone many changes, such as improvement of facilities and roads, construction of the town hall/maintenance building and adjoining fire station, the establishment of new businesses and the addition of two public parks: the waterfront Beal Park and the town ball field.

He also cited improvements to the intersection of Louisville and Topside roads and the re-grading and re-paving of the dangerous curve on Old Lowes Ferry Road, which has virtually eliminated accidents there.

Mund has lived in Louisville for 16 years and served as alderman for nine years. He and his wife Carla have two children Olivia, 13, and Jimmy, 10.

Mund has worked as manufacturing manager for SL Tennessee in Clinton for the past 4¬½ years and previously for Panasonic in Knoxville for 21 years.

Joe Gallagher

Gallagher, who ran for Blount County mayor against current mayor Jerry Cunningham in 2006, wants to help the Louisville grow so that it retains its rural charm and scenic beauty.

He favors the development of a new Town Center as a community gathering place, with sidewalks and bike and walking trails.

"I advocate an expanded and more clearly defined role for Louisville's Design Review Board," he said. "I promise transparency and friendliness at town meetings and an opportunity for citizens to speak about agenda items before they are acted upon by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen."

He feels strongly about town government having a code of ethics and no conflict of interest.

He said other important issues to Louisville are property rights and neighbors' rights and respect for existing zoning regulations.

Gallagher also supports community approval for major town-initiated developments and transparent government at all levels.

Gallagher and his wife Carol have lived at in Louisville for nine years, having moved here after he retired from a television sports career.

He owned and operated his own sports production companies and spent four years as assistant director of athletics at Syracuse University.

Steve Dixon

Dixon became concerned about the extremely large number of subdivisions and proposed commercial developments that were being planned in Louisville last year and their impact on the environment and rural life style.

"I don't want to live in a west Knoxville type area that floods every time it rains due to poor planning, excess high density housing and inadequate infrastructure," he said.

He lists contaminated run-off in the bays, streams and lake as a major concern. Dixon was so concerned about the high-density development proposed near Lackey Creek Bay off Devault Road that he purchased the 100-acre property to stop the development.

SDLqGrowth and change are going to come," he said. "I think now is the time to get ahead of it to ensure quality, responsible development. Louisville was conceived on a great concept of small government and low tax burdens. I applaud those who have donated so much time to build what we have now. We are moving into the next stage of the town's growth."

Dixon believes that his public finance background may be a benefit as an alderman.

He was formerly business director of Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority and director of finance for the Knoxville's Community Development Corp.

In 1987 he founded his own business and currently serves as president of two companies: Spectra Environmental Group (SEG), a full-service environmental company, and Spectra Recycling (SRI).

Dixon has lived in Louisville for the past 25 years. He has a son, Mark, and a daughter, Tara.