You cannot hear the words “Sevier County” without the name Larry Waters coming to mind! He was born and raised in Sevier County, graduated from Sevier County High School and the University of Tennessee then later became principal in the Sevier County school system. Soon after that in 1978, Larry served as County Executive until the title changed to County Mayor in 2003.
Larry has had many accomplishments since in office and continues to work towards his goals that will positively impact his community. He has proudly opened the lines of communication among other county officials, city officials, legislative body and the public which has been the foundation for the county to prosper in many areas. His goal in every department is to get their employees to work with the citizens to stay within regulations and help them achieve their goals. One goal he would like to achieve in the next 5 years is work with leaders on a comprehensive housing plan to address the county’s housing shortage. Larry continues to stay connected by attending as many community events as possible and is informed of responses received on issues on the internet to ensure the voices are heard within the community.
Being in office as many years as Larry has, also brought its challenges and hard times. In the recent 2016 fires, the county was faced with devastation in which 14 lives were lost and 2,500 structures were destroyed. With time, the administration was able to rebuild by getting their department heads to work together to provide an atmosphere of making regulations work for the people. The Emergency Response area of county government is an area Larry feels is vital to any local government. It especially resonates with Larry and Sevier County because of their experience in dealing with disasters.
Larry feels that having the Country Executives of America membership provides not only a chance to network with other government officials, but also provides a lot of valuable information about important government topics. Networking with other officials, offers Larry and Servier County a great opportunity to see what has worked in other communities.
When he is not attending political events, Larry enjoys to spend his free time watching his grandkids play sports or grabbing his clubs for a game of golf. But let’s not forget, another favorite of his, cheering on the University of Tennessee!
Larry Waters has a long-standing relationship with Sevier County and the CEA is grateful to have had the opportunity to build a relationship with him too! We look forward to 2025 with Larry Waters and the rest of Sevier County!