Often the statement is that the 911 board should just cut off the city police department from the NCIC service since the mayor refuses to pay. The problem with that is, that won't hurt the mayor, it would only hurt the Lenoir City police officers and potentially put them in danger. By his own actions, apparently, the mayor just doesn't care about his officers.

Loudon County contributes $545,000.00 per year to 911 and the the City of Loudon contributes $10,000.00. Lenoir City $0.

Let's go back to September 2023, when the funding was approved by the council. Aikens, all on his own, with no vote of the council or even input from them, just decided to cut off the funding. In the letter he sent to 911, he said it was because of the litigation going on between Van Shaver and the city. Of course that's plain ignorant. There is no and has never been any litigation between me and the city. What Aikens really means is, the lawsuit by the county against the city for their two illegal annexations. To this day, there has never been any discussion or debate among council members about the funding cut even though council woman, Robin McNabb has tried.

Who knows, maybe with a new police chief coming in, he might get the mayor to pay his bills.