← Back to Blount County, Tennessee: Election on 2026-08-06
Contest for County Trustee
general - Partisan - County Trustee
About this office
The trustee is the county's banker — collecting county property taxes, keeping and investing county funds, and disbursing money on the county's authority. It handles large sums of public money and is a fiduciary role.
Term length: 4 years.
This role calls for
- Financial trustworthiness: the trustee is the county's banker and custodian of tax revenue, handling the county's property-tax collections.
- Working knowledge of Tennessee property-tax law, including tax-relief programs for seniors, disabled residents, and veterans.
- Investment and cash-management competence for county funds under state-law constraints.
- Monthly settlement and reporting discipline.
- Accessible customer service for taxpayers paying bills, disputing assessments, or seeking relief, and the ability to administer a partly-online operation.
Derived from the office's statutory duties and operational reality. Candidate summaries below map each candidate's documented experience to these requirements.
Campaigns
Lisa Vitale's biography shows no prior public service or financial management experience relevant to the Blount County Trustee role. The record contains no documented controversies or disciplinary history. Bio does not indicate experience in Tennessee property-tax law or county fund investment management.
Scott Graves' twenty-six-year tenure as Blount County Trustee demonstrates direct experience in managing over $275 million annually and maintaining a record of zero audit findings. His background includes an MBA and service on the County Officials Association of Tennessee board. Bio does not indicate specific experience administering tax-relief programs for seniors or detailed knowledge of state investment constraints.
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