Welcome. You'll find comments and information here about education in Tennessee with a focus on Nashville as well other issues as I keep an eye on legislation and news. You'll quickly realize I'm a conservative Christian who isn't the quiet submissive type and doesn't mind rankling, if necessary, to get the job done.
Showing posts with label Nashville politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nashville politics. Show all posts
This frigid week has resulted in four (4) water main breaks in downtown Nashville. There have been 50 across the county according to the Tennessean. WSMV tells us an event had to be moved from downtown because of flooding and sidewalk buckling. Dozens of downtown businesses were shuttered due to lack of water and electricity. The Hilton Hotel was without power also. Fox17 has the best pictures and quote "Tourists were turned away."
One station reports that this hasn't been this bad in 20 years. That's not really that long a period of time and our mains are only getting older. We cannot ignore the fact that our water mains are old and need to be repaired. No one really wants our infrastructure crews out in frigid weather which only compounds already dangerous and expensive work.
A conversation with an emergency worker causes me to ask why a billion dollars will be committed for the Music City Center when there may not be adequate water service for emergency services once it's built. And no one can sell a convention center if the big gamble will be if we can provide essential services reliably. What's the good of having a brand spanking new facility if we cannot fight a fire in the facility because our water delivery system is too old? What sort of liability will Nashville be put in when we chose to invite people here and failed to be good stewards of the water system to ensure they were safe? If we don't want to bite the bullet now and really fix things... when will we? And if there is no better time to build a convention center because borrowing and labor is relatively cheap why isn't this the best time to invest in our city's essential services instead?
UPDATE: A 5th main breaks downtown per NewsChannel 5.
"Things that have been frozen start to thaw out and shift again," said Sonia Harvat [Metro Water spokesman]. "You know, the water temperature is still very cold so we do expect to start to realize a lot more breaks as the temperatures rise."
(Emphasis added.)
UPDATE II: Does Nashville still have any of those wooden pipes carrying water?
Dan Brodbeck of American Constructors, Inc. opines his support for the Music City Center. His opinion would carry more weight if:
He actually owned property in Nashville.
He could prove that those construction workers would be Nashville citizens and not transients moving in to take advantage of the jobs for the three years of building.
He could prove that those long terms jobs were the kind that could actually support a family and not just minimum wage hospitality ones.
"The [Music City Center] debate centers on a simple question: Can the city afford the most expensive project in its history, particularly in these tough economic times?
Metro had about $2.3 billion in debt at the end of the 2007-08 budget year, including $1.7 billion in obligations to be repaid with property tax revenues. The city's debt has grown by about $650 million over the past decade.
The convention center project would add at least as much money to the debt load in one year. Critics said that could put Metro in a tough position."
Ya think?? Add that $2.3 billion to the $1.3 TRILLION the Obama administration also has us co-signing for (not to include the $1 TRILLION health care bill) and we have become indentured servants --not taxpayers.
And you just have to love the part where the debt is being repaid over 30 years...but there are no guarantees the MCC will be useful for 30 years. The Nashville Convention Center only lasted us 20 years. Does this feel like a 'fleece agreement' or whole life insurance to anyone else? All the money is made up front by a few and the rest of us are left holding the debt for an aging facility that drops in value the moment we drive it off the lot. If this is such a great deal...let them use their own money--not ours.
From earlier in the article: "That [debt] would make it extremely difficult to build schools, renovate libraries or reinforce bridges."
Have you seen how badly maintained many of our schools are? Do you remember that new storm water bill you just got to pay again for what was supposed to have been repaired years ago? Do you want your hard earned dollars (those of you currently fortunate enough to be earning dollars) committed to your family's welfare or as a 'backstop' for the financing of an unnecessary tourist destination? We do need infrastructure upgrades. We do need major repairs to many of our public schools, we do need public safety equipment. Most of all we need city planners and policy makers who are willing to lift their gaze from the downtown core and its "urban vitality" and look around at the whole rest of the county where there are more than enough legitimate needs that need immediate attention.
I've been cruising around the Music City Center website and I kid you not the link at the bottom of this paragraph is dead.
The NEED – Nashville wants to take advantage of an attractive downtown to draw visitors who bring tax revenue to our city. Nashville operates on two main sources of tax revenues – property taxes and sales taxes. By growing the convention business, Nashville can expand the sales tax revenue from visitors and thus depend less on property taxes from citizens. To learn more about why Nashville needs a new downtown convention center, please visit the By the Numbers page.
Actually, what happens when you click on that link to go to a page called "theneed" their server says: theneed.php was not found... That's what I've thought all along.
It's also interesting to note that in order to persuade Nashville to build a new convention center they've got to denigrate the current facility. And if they fail to get their new center they'll have to figure out how to undo all those negative comments in order to keep business flowing to the still quite serviceable 20 year old Nashville Convention Center.
Which begs the question---how long will this new Center be competitive? Will it also be obsolete in 20 years?
Last night, Thursday, I attended a hastily called neighborhood meeting regarding the Music City Convention Center. According to Dianne Hunter (she's the woman on the far left next to the wall) she wanted "to get the clear hard facts not filtered through the media." To get those 'clear hard facts' she had a friend hook her up with Terry Clements one of seven lobbyists for the Nashville Convention & Visitor's Bureau (CVB) and she invited Council Lady Karen Bennett (District 8 Inglewood) to a small meeting in a local restaurant.
At 6:49 pm on Wednesday evening a note was posted to a neighborhood listserv providing minimal notice to the community of the meeting to be held 23 hours later. Bennett responded with a note early the following afternoon stating:
"I was contacted several weeks ago by Ms. Hunter wishing to speak with me and bring a couple of her friends with her concerning the Convention Center. I told her I would be happy to speak with her but until we have the financing portion of the package that there was really no way of having an informed conversation."
Hunter apologized at the end of the meeting for the miscommunication and the poor choice of the venue. She stated that she had asked a few people to attend and told the restaurant manager there would be between 12 and 15 people. Clearly though, considering how the table was set up to seat no more than 10 and the placement of the video screen they didn't expect the twice that number that did show up. It was a terrible venue for anything other than an intimate few who could sit close together since the meeting was in the main portion of an open restaurant with music, chatter, kitchen noise and all hard surfaces.
Bennett was allowed to speak first and made it very clear that this was not a meeting she had called. She stated that she was holding her own community meeting on Tuesday, January 12, 6:00 pm at the East Precinct. At that time the all important financial information would be available for the community to evaluate. She also admonished the CVB saying that several of these sorts of one sided meetings were being held across the city that confused constituents about who was hosting these meetings and put councilmen in a difficult spot. This tactic needed to end.
Clement began his PowerPoint presentation, which was not viewable by a full third of those in attendance, by stating that 'if you don't travel much you may not know the power of the Nashville brand'. I'll admit it came across as talking down to those of us who haven't had the opportunity to travel as extensively as he had. It came across as "We're the professionals who know this subject. You're unsophisticated. Trust us." Not a good start.
He went on to say Nashville had lost over 300 meeting by not having a larger facility. He stated the Music City Convention Center (MCC) will compete for 70% of the convention market. Glaringly obvious to me was that being in the competition doesn't equal money in the bank from winning. He did say that Mayor Dean had given them permission to start selling space not even yet approved and that if we didn't build the facility there were penalties that would have to be paid to those convention clients. Clement stated they had pre-sold 227,000 hotel rooms over 8 years, had 22 clients on board, denied that anyone was getting any space for free (hotel rooms swapped for convention space kinda thing), couldn't say how they determined the room or space rates and didn't know what the break even point was. Great, they put the cart before the horse to ensure that taxpayers have additional incentives to approve the MCC. I have little patience with this tactic.
Clement was very careful to say visitor taxes will 'primarily' fund the MCC but his slide omitted the word 'primarily'. Also careful to emphasize that property taxes will not fund the center. If he mentioned sales taxes I didn't hear it.
Another slide said the center had been 'vetted for 11 years' which is false. It's been talked about for more than a decade but never fully vetted. We're still waiting on solid numbers. Clement himself stated "the financial package is not complete yet. Hopefully, in November."
The PowerPoint was filled with pretty renderings of the facility, there was a lot of talk about the LEED roof, the proposed roundabout, urban vitality, and jobs that would be created. Of course when Clement was asked what the average salary of an MCC employee would be he had no idea.
Jameson and I both asked for a copy of the PowerPoint but Clements avoided promising a copy saying he thought it might be too large to email.
While there were several very polite questions and even a few from Hunter who seemed mostly concerned about the LEED aspects and traffic I did go a bit 'town hall' on Clement. I started by stating that I didn't think government belonged in the convention business at all. I continued by pointing out that our federal government was putting us into debt for $1.5 Trillion dollars, that the state government was only too happy to throw money away, and now, during economic hard times (and I provided a personal example) taxpayers were supposed to co-sign for more debt? How was this facility going to benefit my family and my neighborhood? Clement had already mentioned Nashville's stormwater problems and I reminded him of that expense, that our police and fire needed equipment and raises and that the sales tax monies, that fund public schools, were on the line for this MCC. Why should I support this over those other and more vital government services?
He couldn't answer. He was professionally polite and attentive but there is no way you can make a case for the MCC getting in line ahead of the family grocery bill, public safety or public schools. He was wise to not even try. I dearly hope the Council understands that 'build it and they will come' was fine for a Hollywood movie but it's not the way to run a city.
Seems Mrs. Michael Craddock dared to get a job with a land developer her husband, as Metro Councilman, worked with during the development of the Home Depot in Inglewood. According to the CP Gossip: "Craddock backed the development because it meant job creation," Wrong Rex.
From my fist person observation Craddock backed it because the neighbors backed it. They had two hard choices and chose Home Depot as the lesser of two evils. One choice being an apartment complex guaranteed to house a transient population. The other a stable, accountable corporate entity with a remarkable business record. Which would you choose to live next to?
Regarding the destruction of Evergreen I never heard Craddock say Evergreen had to go. The destruction of that historic property was the end of a long and convoluted story. All of us working on preserving it and working with the developer clearly understood we didn't own the property and Moore did. Clearly Moore was not going to preserve the property. Clearly we were stuck with Home Depot. What I saw was Craddock ensuring that the neighbors were heard, that their concerns were addressed, that Home Depot didn't just throw up a concrete box with day laborers haunting the entrance and that they preserved the two historic cabins that had not been razed.
Kudos on finding work at all Mrs. Craddock. I'm in the hunt myself and have put the word out and completely understand 'any port in a storm'. Considering Mr. Craddock's position it'd be hard to find any employer that didn't have some connection to Metro government, the council, or Craddock's real estate business. Should she have recused herself from all those potential employers? I wouldn't ask her to.
Just want to remind folks as we wade further into the convention center land grab and billion dollar public funding of what should be an entirely private enterprise that MDHA's land grab attempt last year to condemn Joy Ford's property for a must have hotel on Demonbreun and Music Row has resulted in not one shovelful of dirt being moved since the parties came to a land swap agreement last October. Last October folks. Nearly a year now.
I shudder to think where that land owner would be if we hadn't gotten very vocal about MDHA's handling of that mess. I'm concerned that with Obamanomics and few real controls over MDHA taxpayers will get stuck with a lot of land and a lot of debt.
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"
Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States of America
I don't know about you, but this family can't afford any more government help.
Folks in Detroit are asking a great question. Why is a Detroit methadone clinic manager on Nashville's city council?
The article at MLive.com notes much of the trouble between CM Pam Murray (District 5-East Nashville) and residents of her district. They provide handy links to Nashville news reports and even YouTube video of the woman defending a recent zoning bill.
They also make mention of the brand spanking new WeThePeopleOfDistrictFive.com website for recalling the councilwoman. The recall effort's motto:
With this article it looks like Murray will be fighting on two fronts now.
UPDATE:Channel 5 has a report on the petition drive. Remarkably, they managed to find Murray somewhere. I was unimpressed by her displaying a standard expanding file folder as evidence of all the work she's done in six years for the district. Not even an inch a year of paperwork.
"My true neighbors know I have done my job over there," said Murray."
What exactly is a 'true neighbor"? Exactly where do they live?
I caught a Channel 2 report with their Chris Bundgaard while making dinner but I don't see a link on their site. Pity. There was video of Bundgaard doing what so many had done before--trying to get a hold of Murray via phone and getting a full voice mail box instead.
"The BOE candidates addressed the Nashville Council on Tuesday 7/21/09 prior to their voting to fill the open District 9 seat. The final vote was 9 for Elizabeth Merkel and 29 for Kay Simmons. After viewing the video I understand why Simmons was the easy vote. She's a known quantity, she wasn't shy about reminding them she'd brought $12 million into the system, she had touching emotional stories. Regardless, I'm very disappointed that other than Merkel, no other candidate got any votes at all. Obviously, this Council doesn't appear to have any issues with the current MNPS administration and is content to send to them another of their ilk. Council lady-at-large Megan Barry was quoted in the Tennessean as saying "I want somebody who's going to be challenging, but not somebody who's going to be disquieting to the board." She certainly got someone who wasn't going to rock the boat. Whatever we do, let's not 'disquiet' the board.
Simmons was head of the Nashville Alliance for Public Education. When she stepped down former BOE Chair Pam Garrett took her place. Now, Simmons is on the BOE and will likely end up taking Garrett's former position as Chairman if she's re-elected next year. Throw in the lack of seemingly promised change in the central office and one begins to realize if the best we can do is shuffle the deck chairs...the children are in serious trouble indeed.
Here's the video from last week for those interested along with my comments.
Paul Brenner started by apologizing for his casual attire. His excuse was that some of the candidates didn't the letter about the evening's proceedings. He also answered questions that were asked previously because, according to him, councilmen came late and didn't get to hear Brenner's answers. He accuses the system of picking people even before the interviews have occurred. (Something Kennedy also touches on later.) Brenner comments on school uniforms (all or none), mayoral takeover (going to do the best job I can), charter schools (I'm against), cell phones (not in classroom), Pedro Garcia 1-10 (2. Part of the reason Brenner retired).
Brenner's solid no on charter schools because they're not the same as regular schools, take money from regular schools and don't have certified teachers like regular schools is just the sort of party line statement that got him the MNEA endorsement in 2008. I wonder if he realizes that the man he was hoping to replace is now head of the charter school office that is going to be expanded. Brenner's is a completely wrong point of view for 21st Century education.
Rich Haglund starts with a quote from the band U2: "Where you live should not decide whether you live or whether you die." [Crumbs from your table for those that aren't up on your U2 lyrics.] According to Haglund all discussion of schools should be focused on children, teachers and schools leaders. As an attorney it's Haglund's opinion that the rules are tools to be used for the children's benefit. "The Board's job is to empower other people and then get out of the way."
Rich Haglund works for the Tennessee State Board of Education as their attorney. The number of potential conflicts of interest that could arise would handicap the MNPS Board in many ways. He should never have even considered holding both positions. Further, he leaves out parents and taxpayers as having standing in those discussion of schools. Since the MNPS BOE already knows how to "empower other people and get out of the way" I don't see that they need Haglund.
Martin Kennedy definitely unloaded on the Council regarding the process that Brenner also commented on early. This father of 5 MNPS students (one with autism) and economist makes it clear that there is a socio-economic bias at MNPS which says is part of a protected monopoly he calls the education blob. He asserts that low income parents should have education choice. "The public funding of education is not the same as public provision of education."
I already blogged my support for Kennedy and Kennedy blogged his prepared comments before the vote. He did vary from the text somewhat. I truly believe that MNPS needs someone that can look at the system from an econmic and marketing point of view and say the reason we're losing children (and so our customer base and reason for being) is X and Z. Let's fix that.
Michael LeHaie was the fellow that seemed most personable. He gave a nod to Martin Kennedy saying his "comments were excellent" which probably was when folks stopped listening. He's an assistant principal at St. Cecelia Academy and it looks like they're fortunate to have him. He does have some experience in MNPS schools. He supports charters, the rezoning and dress codes. He's wasn't keen on mayoral control. Obviously, a bullet dodged for now.
Julie Lamb begins her presentation by having her daughter Georgia speak first to tell council members "she'll fight for what's right". As a parent in the Hillwood cluster, a former Parent Advisory Council Chairman and a small business owner she feels she's right for the job. A litany of her activities was given as well as her assertion that she does know the needs and parents of District 9 and the issues on the table. She did say she was excited by former BOE member Alan Coverstone's new job overseeing charter schools.
Unfortunately, while obviously an involved parent I remembered her support for Pedro Garcia (who created the Parent Advisory Council) and her comment back in 2006 that the district had made "awesome progress since Dr. Garcia arrived". We all know better now.
Elizabeth Merkel's comments included all the right buzz words: I'm a new voice, the system is broken, I'm a coalition builder, implement change right away to impact the students right away, school board needs to support teachers, we need to engage the community... She did point out the absolute fact that people are leaving the system saying there are 32,000 in elementary schools, 19,000 in middle schools and 24,000 in high school. She also reiterated that the average ACT score in Metro is 19 which won't qualify students for the lottery scholarship.
Those statistics are some that no one really wants to be reminded of. Parents start out their children in MNPS elementary schools with high hopes and good words about the local school and then look toward the future and say "No way" and we never get 8,000 of those children back into the system. Until MNPS is willing to take a long cold look at the marketing end of this equation and is willing to deal with what drives all those families out that's never going to get better. MNPS is looking toward being the education delivery system for those that have no other options. That whole "educating children is the most important thing a community can do" bumper sticker campaign has got a pretty hollow ring to it about now.
And so the star of the show, Kay Simmons takes the microphone. She reminds everyone that she's been working with the MNPS system for 35 years, and through NAPE she's brought in $12 million to MNPS, she's got heart wrenching stories of her own personal interaction with needy children and many of the folks on the Council already know her. She went through the motions of asking for their vote but they'd obviously pledged them beforehand.
Citizens, parents and taxpayers didn't get much of a chance to weigh in on these candidates. It'll be a year until they do. I don't think Simmons was a bad choice. I just don't think it was the best choice. I don't see how MNPS can make the great strides forward that are necessary with merely good choices and essentially the same folks in charge. And every year it takes to improve is a year gone in the life of a student. They've got a finite number of educational years but the system, the educational blob, goes on forever.
"You can't just wake up one day speak truth to power and expect the scales to drop from the establishment's eyes. It doesn't work that way. You have to prime the pump. You have to make the connections and form the personal relationships. Quite simply, you have to play the game. You don't have to like it, but you have to do it. Then you can hit them with a bit of truth."
"...with a bit of truth." Kleinheider's got it right. If you work exceptionally hard at making those connections, bide your time and play the game they might hear a bit of truth. They might even make some small symbolic effort at changing, but it doesn't last long and then there's a new director, new fad, new unfunded mandate from the Feds. The MNPS blob resents anyone outside their circle and if any dare point out the the emperor has no clothes the blob won't even examine the truth but react by attacking the speaker. They hardly tolerated truth from Board members like Murray Phillips, Mebenin Awipi or Kay Brooks (that interloper of the highest order) and they certainly weren't going to take it from CM Eric Crafton. The blob values the messenger and his delivery more than the actual message. It values its own preservation more than the education of the children.
And that exceptionally disheartening truth is why it's taken me a week to finish this post.
So CM Pam Murray (District 5-East Nashville) has withdrawn BL2009-429 as promised last Thursday according to this morning's City Paper. It's been a tough fight and I don't envy the folks that will have to live with Murray for the remainder of her term.
A couple of errors in the City Paper report. Hollin is President of the West Eastland Neighborhood Association not the Maxwell Heights group and the property is own by both Charles R. (Friday) Blackwood and his wife Sheridath.
Here's Charles R (Friday) Blackwood's email to all council members. I'm redacting his email address.
Council Member:councilmembers@nashville.gov Name: C.R. (Friday) Blackwood Email: Home Address: 304 Singer Dr.City: Madison, TN Zip Code: 37115 Daytime Phone Number: 615-305-7611
Comments: I am asking Councilmember Pam Murray to withdraw my rezoning request at 837 Cleveland St.,BL2009-429, scheduled for Second Reading Tuesday, July 21st.
It is obvious this has gone far beyond a rezoning issue. Councilmember Murray faces the impossible task of trying to represent the people in her district when there are those whose only goal is not what is best for the community, but to humiliate her before her colleagues in the council. She is responding with class and dignity, but we have chosen not to ask her to endure further abuse on our behalf.
Although I felt my proposal would have been a very attractive addition to that neighborhood, I have been unable to obtain the neighbors approval of my design, therefore, I will honor their wishes by withdrawing the bill and retaining the presently zoned single-family status.
Thank you for the time you devoted to this endeavor.
Respectfully,
Charles R. (Friday) Blackwood
He was just the innocent victim of a 'get Murray' campaign? Not from where I'm sitting. He brought this on himself and said so himself. He said he created this mess and he was going to clean it up. Well, now he can. Of course, the rest of us, neighbors, concerned citizens, government entities, taxpayers won't get back all the time and resources we expended fighting his illegal activity.
Now the Blackwoods are faced with the choices of converting the property back into a single family home (and adding the threatened chain link fence for the safety of the children) or selling.
The offending property (the lower left one in this photo) is only one of three that the Blackwoods own on this busy little intersection on the one mile stretch between Ellington Parkway's Cleveland Street off ramp and Gallatin Road where East Nashvillians buy the bulk of their groceries. They admitted last Thursday they didn't have the money to develop it beyond what it is now. I know neighbors have made serious offers on the property so that others, who have the means, can develop this and help revitalize this neighborhood. If what's best for the neighborhood really is a consideration for the Blackwoods I sincerely hope they will accept a reasonable offer and be content with obtaining a sizeable amount of cash to use for maintenance of their other dozen or so properties and enjoying life generally. I will encourage selling to to someone who does have the cash and skills to create a neighborhood hub of commercial/residential mixed use that complies with the neighborhood plan and that will create jobs and opportunities for the neighbors far beyond a quadplex for transients. It's their call.
It was a very contentious meeting last night at the East Branch Library. This was not what the relationship between a councilman and their constituents should be and everyone was frustrated that this zoning fight had gone on so long. Few people felt like there was mutual respect or that the other side was listening or actually trying to compromise.
I knew parking was at a premium so I got to the library about 5:15 p.m. I thought I was the first attendee but Juvenile Court Clerk Vic Lineweaver was already there. He laid pens on the tables, got the scoop on what was going on from me and Larry Eaton and then had to leave for another event.
Nine Metro Councilmen were in attendance. I saw Bennett, Claiborne, Coleman (later), Craddock, Duvall, Garrett (and Mrs.), Jameson, Maynard (later) and Tygard. They should all be thanked for going above and beyond to ensure that previous conduct at meetings was kept to a minimum. It's at times like this (and long public hearings) that I think these folks don't get paid enough. There were about 70 people cramped into this space at the height of the meeting and not enough seating. Murray should have gone along with the original meeting place of the East Precinct for everyone's comfort. Anything to diminish frustration would have been a good idea.
CM Pam Murray (District 5-East Nashville) opened the meeting by asking everyone to sign in and write down their questions on sheets she provided. Having experienced this control tactic before one of the neighbors objected right from the start and Murray never really got the meeting back from that point on. Folks did raise their hands for recognition but it wasn't always given, there was plenty of cross talk and speaking out of turn.
The initial announcements included a late email from Bill Penn of Codes saying the court case against offending property owner Charles R. (Friday) Blackwood had been dismissed with the owner paying the court fees. Since the building was shuttered and vacant Codes determined he was in compliance and no further action was needed. Also there was a letter from the Historical Commission indicating that based on what they'd been told about proposed changes to the property no preservation permit was needed.
Blackwood provided a basic history of the property. This cement block building was 2 apartments, a salvage store and a wrecker service (yes all at once) when he purchased it. Back in 2006 after speaking to 'an inspector' he had the salvage store part removed from the property zoning which left it at being zoned for a single family. He admitted again that he'd failed to get permits for the quadplex he created but kept insisting that the group move on from that.
Blackwood was facing a pretty angry group of folks who had been frustrated by his illegal activity and lack of responsiveness from Murray. It quickly got heated and Blackwood's back was up almost from the beginning.
He brought the following proposed rendering of what he'd like to do with the property to try and make it more palatable for the neighbors. When asked he told the group gathered that it would take about $35,000 to make this change. 45 days for the exterior and 60 days for the interior. It was clear from nearly the beginning that he was not going to budge from his plan. It was going to be this quadplex or a single family building. Just those two options. I heard it as a threat when he said if he didn't get the quadplex he'd make it a single family home per the zoning and put up a big ole chain link fence to protect the children that would live there.
At this point a woman asked for a show of hands for those that approved and then disapproved of this plan. The overwhelming majority of hands were for disapproval. Murray said "I have a problem with that." The people that objected didn't show up at this meeting she explained. Why not? was asked. Someone joked that "They musta missed the bus." referring to the green shirted folks bussed in for the public hearing in front of the Council on 7/7/09. Laughter all around. If it wasn't clear before this, it was clear now, Murray was not going to get much respect from this group.
Someone pointed out that this current rendering was not the one Blackwood had provided before.
Considering his history of lack of compliance with current codes how could the neighborhood trust him to follow through with this new design? Blackwood responded that codes was all over him now and they'd make sure. Not very reassuring to residents when Codes has its own trust issues.
Someone asked where these residents were supposed to park. Blackwood responded that he'd "never had a person who owned a car live there."
Another neighbor wanted to know what Blackwood's plan for the corner was. It was obvious he'd bought up that entire corner (not just the offending property). There was a specific neighborhood plan to create a gathering place of mixed use on that corner that Blackwood's quadplex didn't fit. What was his plan for all this property? He insisted it wasn't going to be anything else. He didn't have the money for it. Mrs. Blackwood spoke up and was obviously upset and threw out that 'you should buy it'. Blackwood angrily threw out a $1 million price for all the property on that corner he owns.
Would Murray be willing, in the face of so much obvious opposition, to withdraw the bill? "No. No." was her response. She clarified by saying "If you were in his shoes I would fight for you." That wasn't received very well. Mr. Blackwood isn't a resident of the neighborhood and I got the impression that this group strongly believed that their residency should override his ownership of about a dozen District 5 properties and his campaign contributions to Murray.
Mrs. Blackwood speaks up again, quite angry, and states "We own it and you don't." She wants to know what the crowd suggests the Blackwoods should put in that building. A man who is working on his own development of property near this corner suggested a store or a coffee shop. Mrs. Blackwood responds by stating there was a store near there that went out of business just recently. A neighbor asked "You mean the numbers market?" which brought laughter. At this point the Blackwoods pick up their stuff, tell Murray to withdraw the bill and leave.
Murray is very reluctant to do that. She's trying desperately to convince folks that deferring is the better plan and that a compromise is possible. She cannot define what a compromise would be and instead defines the word compromise. That was the wrong thing to do and added to the already overflowing frustration. She insists that the quadplex is progress for that corner. She mumbles something about money involved. I assumed that meant money involved in beginning the process all over again. Not everyone makes that same assumption.
It's after the Blackwood's leave that Bob Borzack brings up the only other solution to this problem which is for Blackwood to sell the property to someone who does have the money to develop the property in accordance with the Neighborhood Plan. Bob has investigated what Blackwood paid for the properties. He compared it to what has been sold recently and suggests that a more than reasonable sale price would be in the neighborhood of $330,000. Jamie Hollin tells the group that Blackwood has turned down Hollin's three offers to buy the property.
Murray still wants the Council to vote to approve on Tuesday and then people can talk about what the 'development' will look like. She suggests that a development committee be formed consisting of 5 supporters from the Greenwood Neighborhood Association and 5 opponents, an impartial moderator and a Councilman-at-Large. She barely acknowledges the fact that a comprehensive plan for the neighborhood and specific plan for the corner is already in place after many, many meetings with neighbors. She doesn't recognize that there is no need for a development committee as a result---especially in light of the fact that Blackwood has told her to withdraw the bill.
Blackwood is back (and his wife eventually joins him) to get the rendering he'd left behind. Murray asks him if he's willing to defer the bill while a committee discusses it. He's not. "Go ahead and get through with this. [Let the Council vote it down.] I'm not going to spend a lot of money." He has no intention of doing anything else with the property other than a single family home or a quadplex. He again tells her to withdraw the bill.
Murray asks again "Are you sure you want it withdrawn?"
"Yes." Blackwood responds.
Murray says she'll withdraw it Tuesday. However, I ask Murray outside and after the meeting to confirm that she'll withdraw the bill Tuesday and she told me that she will defer the bill until she receives a formal letter from Blackwood requesting the rezoning bill be withdrawn. She told me this was at the suggestion of CM-at-Large Tim Garrett. I'm suspicious of this since she was the one fighting so strongly for deferral and not withdrawal. We'll just have to keep an eye on this.
I understand the frustration that the Blackwood's and Mr. Roberts from the Greenwood Neighborhood Association (which supports this rezoning) expressed. They own the property and they believe they should have the freedom to do with it as they will. In an ideal world that'd be optimal for property owners. However, not always for near by residents. In the long time they've both been alive the world has changed in this regard. We have many more laws about land use. Notice about proposed laws, regulations and restrictions are provided. It's expected that at that time the landowners participate in the process and make their objections known. If they fail to make their case and win it's expected that those rules be followed for the greater good of the neighborhood. It's not personal at all. No one wanted to see this 73 year old man shouted at and disrespected. At a time when he expected he'd be enjoying the fruits of decades of hard work he's fighting for this income. To Blackwood it's his property to do with as he wills. To the neighbors it's their neighborhood to defend. They see Blackwood's obvious desire to provide housing to a transient population as a threat to the peace and safety of their own backyard.
Hopefully, this bill will actually be withdrawn and after a bit of a breather Blackwood will accept a reasonable offer on the properties. Seems to me that $300K or so should go a long way toward enjoying your golden years with a tidy sum left over for the grandkids.
I'm just back from Community Meeting #12 regarding the illegal quadplex at 837 Cleveland Street. It was very ugly. Briefly the property owner insisted quite loudly that it was going to be a single family home (which it's currently zoned for) or, as a result of the Council vote, a quadplex. Nothing else.
The end result was that the property owner insisted that CM Pam Murray (District 5-East Nashville) withdraw the rezoning bill. He even left the meeting, came back for his drawing of his proposed renovation of the exterior, and said it again when CM Murray offered to just defer it until a compromise could be reached. He was adamant--withdraw the bill. She said she'd do it Tuesday.
However, I double checked with her outside after the meeting and she said she was going to defer the bill until she got a formal letter from the property owner requesting withdrawal. She told me that requiring a letter was CM-at-Large Tim Garrett's suggestion.
It's not right that a neighborhood should have to fight their own representative in order to enforce the law. Constituents should not have to be disrespectful and shout in order to be heard by their representative. No representative should so provoke constituents by their actions that they have no other recourse. The neighbors may have won but trust may never be regained.
And that really was the bottom line. After years of defying the law the neighbors have absolutely no trust in Charles R. (Friday) Blackwood and he could not assure them he would try and earn it back.
As we anticipate community meeting #12 on the illegal quadplex at 837 Cleveland Street Thursday night at the East Branch Library (5:30 p.m.) I offer my overview of last Tuesday's Metro Council meeting where CM Pam Murray (District 5-East Nashville) introduced for second reading and public comment her BL2009-429 which would retroactively spot zone that illegal quadplex for her campaign contributor Charles R. (Friday) Blackwood.
I happened to get in line in the middle of a lot of green t-shirted folks while waiting to go through security at the courthouse. Standing next to me was former Metro Councilman Ronnie Grier. He asked the green group what they were here for. There being no response he pushed a bit and said that it was obvious they were all here for something...what was it? "Some building" was the only response he got. So I filled him in. His comment, born from years on the council and dealing with zoning issues was "It should have never gotten to the Council." I couldn't agree more. This whole effort should have been shut down long ago. It's as if the Metro Council is now the Planning Commission.
This first video is CM Murray introducing the bill for second reading and calling for public comments. Blackwood is first to speak for the bill. He admits again that he created this mess and he intends to clean it up. He promises if the Council will grant him this zoning change he'll be a good neighbor. Seems to me my children have tried this same tack several times. His line that no one at a community meeting had "any positive suggestions about what to do with [the property]" makes me think the real truth is no one wanted his quadplex.
Then comes Mary Copeland representing the Greenwood Neighborhood Association to dress down her 'new' neighbors telling them "Don't try to fix it." "Go along a while and see what you can do to help". She doesn't indicate how long "a while" is. People who testified after her said they'd lived there 5, 6, 8 and 29 years. Surely all of that is long enough. It's a little sad to hear her talk about how long she's dealt with the bad conditions in her neighborhood and know that the efforts of her new neighbors are intended to ensure that the forward progress that's been made continues.
The second video is testimony from neighbors against this rezoning. I've cut off a couple of 'me too' comments at the end to keep it within the YouTube limit.
Jamie Hollin, President of the West Eastland Neighborhood Association is first up. He had with him 151 petitions against this spot rezoning. 77 from Greenwood neighbors, 56 from Maxwell neighbors and 15 from other District 5 neighbors. "This is about the life and safety of the tenants, neighbors helping neighbors and the rule of law." He testified that Blackwood said "If I don't get zoning, I'll rent to MDHA."
Amy Bryson said she'd moved to Greenwood six years ago. She reminded the Council that the detailed neighborhood plan for this property was intended to be commercial on the bottom and residential on the top. She said there had been 7 meetings since January regarding this property. At them neighbors were forbidden to speak, ignored and marginalized. She attributed the success in the neighborhood to people who 'followed the rules, regulations and ordinances."
In this third installment Brian Huffine said he'd been in Greenwood since 2001 and had been on the Board of the Greenwood Neighborhood Association. He charged that lack of regular election of board members and their agenda kept Greenwood NA from be a real voice of the neighborhood.
Also speaking were Larry Eaton a 29 year resident and President of the Maxwell Heights Neighborhood Association and Marty Lang of the Dickerson Road Merchants Association both stating their organizations stand against this rezoning.
Sam McCullough of the Cleveland Park Neighborhood Association reminds the Council that this rezoning goes against the neighborhood plan and that this building was formerly a junk shop and auto repair shop. That seems to emphasize the unsuitability of this building for actual living space. Something Blackwood seemed to understand when he said that without the rezoning the property reverts back to single family and it's a four bath, 5 bedroom building which would likely only be attractive to a large family with children. However, being so close to the busy street the children would be in danger.
This fourth video is the Council discussion after the closing of the public comment period. In this 9 minutes CM Murray repeats that the property is "technically in compliance" according to Metro Codes' Bill Penn 4 times and repeats that there is "a lot of support for this bill" 8 times. She repeats the compliance line, one assumes, because Blackwood has spent so many years out of compliance. To her credit she does mention that it's in compliance because the tenants have been evicted and the place is boarded up.
CM Karen Bennett (District 8) rises "as a property owner in the district" to say that this rezoning is "not in the best interest of the community or the residents who would want to live there". She further testifies that she's attended 4 out of 7 community meetings and has not seen one resident for this rezoning. She sums up by saying this effort is "taking unfair advantage of folks who cannot afford much".
CM Erik Cole (District 7) agrees with CM Bennett and seems to suggest that deferral pending the case against Blackwood in Environmental Court might be the thing to do.
It appears to me that CM Murray knew that despite "the support" in the room for her bill it was going down and she happily latched on to the the idea of deferring the vote one more time even thought it's not what Cole was really suggesting be done as he clarifies later.
CM Michael Craddock (District 4) states adamantly that this needs to be over tonight and says Murray moved to approve this change and then she changed her mind. "We're yanking these people's chains" by making them come back yet again on this same matter.
The fifth has CM-at-large Megan Barry asking the best question. "What additional information will we have next time?" Murray provides no real answer but does say that this has been going on for more than two years. There is a request for more information about the pending court case but no real details are available...or offered by Murray. CM Langster speaks to support Murray. "They seem like they're close together."
Finally, CM Harrison and Gilmore also rise in support of deferral and another community meeting CM Bennett opines this would be beating a dead horse and requests a roll call vote on the vote to defer as well as the bill itself if necessary. Murray takes umbrage with Bennett's comments and reminds us all that there have been "more than 11 meetings" in "over two years" on this issue. Which reminds us of CM Evan's questions above.
CM Jim Gotto (who is also head of the Planning Commission) straddles the fence and suggests that the vote be deferred so his Council Planning Committee can review this before the vote on second reading. He also suggests that SP zoning might be the answer.
The bill is finally voted on and is deferred one meeting.
As I was leaving I caught sight of the bus used to cart in the group of green shirted people. Considering their inability to articulate why they were at the meeting, the fact that none of them spoke (at Murray's request she tells us), and the testimony of neighbors saying they'd never seen the vast majority them before one has got to wonder what chits were called in.
The next act in this nearly unbelievable political play can only be titled 'Dueling meetings'. The next day Hollin schedules a meeting for Thursday, July 16 at the East Precinct, a smart idea considering the police were called after the last one, the space is large, in Murray's district and well appointed. But no. On Friday CM Murray objected and informs him that she's scheduled the meeting at the smaller, older, and not in her district East Library for half an hour earlier on the same night. Copies of the email exchange at the City Paper. Remember to read from the bottom up. Mr. "Holland" agrees to have the meeting THIS Thursday, July 16, at the East Branch Library, 5:30 p.m. CM-at-Large Tim Garrett has agreed to attend and assures neighbors that everyone wishing to speak will be heard.
Stay tuned for next week's episode. [Cue tension building organ music.]
"In a letter hand delivered to the Metro Planning Commission late yesterday afternoon, developer Tony Giarratana made a formal request for a July 23rd rehearing for the May Town rezoning vote held last month. Citing the late hour, tired commission members and confusing procedural irregularities" Nashville Post
Yadda, yadda, yadda.... shades of Tonya Harding. Puleeeze.
Tonight the Metro Council will hear from neighbors regarding the retroactive spot zoning of an illegal quadplex at 837 Cleveland Street in CM Pam Murray's District 5 in East Nashville. A few councilmen will be afraid to vote against the sponsoring councilwoman's bill because she's black and many who will speak on behalf of the white landlord will also be black. Many of those speaking against the illegal actions of the white landlord will be white. The Council must not let councilmatic courtesy or racial fears keep them from focusing on the fact that if BL2009-429 passes it will invite every non-compliant property owner to demand that their property, that's been illegally modified, also be retroactively zoned to fit whatever they've created. The Council must see this issue for what it is--a complete thumbing of the nose at the rule of law in this county. No one, black or white, should get away with that.
The Planning Commission failed to hold Charles R. (Friday) Blackwood accountable for creating an illegal quadplex out of this property despite his own confession that he broke the law. He owns over a dozen pieces of property in this county. He's not unaware of his responsibilities. Despite that they voted to give him a pass and let the Council do the Planning Commission's job. It took Environmental Court to close the quadplex down and likely save the lives of the tenants.
Even after being told by the Environmental Court's Judge Jim Todd to shutter the building, and long before tonight's Council vote, signs indicating that the spaces would be for rent again appeared on the building. First in Spanish and then later an English version was added. Obviously, Blackwood felt confident about the outcome of tonight's Council vote.
Why bother having a permit system for building and health codes when the county won't enforce them? Why bother having an Environmental Court?
Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 8, Blackwood is scheduled to appear again before Environmental Court on this matter. I'd like to see that he has to appear hat in hand before Judge Todd and assure him that the building will no longer be a quadplex and that he will never again, upon pain of jail, willfully violate the health, safety and building codes of this county.
Here's the Council's feedback form. Whether you can attend the meeting tonight or not, let the Council know that you expect landlords across this county to respect the laws enacted for the safety of citizens. "The code is more what you'd call 'guidelines' than actual rules" may be a great line in a movie but when the life and health of citizens is at stake...they need to be actual rules with consequences.
UPDATE: If you do attend the meeting opponents of BL2009-429 ask that you wear red to indicate your opposition. The meeting starts at 6:00 and this bill is early on the agenda.
I've decided that 'gun nuts' is better defined as those who have an irrational fear of anyone carrying a gun. Gun nuts, based on their own fears and lack of experience with those who handle weapons safely instead of any factual evidence that safety is an issue, usually react in a knee-jerk fashion to keep guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens.
We've got a new state law that on Tuesday, July 14 will allow permit holders to enter restaurants where liquor is served unless the proprietor hangs a sign announcing no guns are allowed. The law passed through the legislative process and is presumably, the will of the people. However, this isn't enough for gun nuts. Because of their irrational fear and apparent inability to simply provide prohibiting signage for their establishments, they choose to usurp the will of the people and get their way via a judicial process. They've decided that it doesn't matter how the people's representatives voted the gun nuts will have their way.
Further, to add irony to the mix they set up a website that tells us that in honor of Independence Day we should support their effort to quash the 2nd Amendment rights of fellow citizens. Further they call the site "guns and alcohol don't mix". Well, duh. We all know that. The law is already clear. No one carrying can consume. It's already against the law to be intoxicated and carry.
They quote that there are 80 guns deaths in America every day! What they don't tell you is how many of those were the result of a legal carrier v. a street thug or distraught girlfriend. They don't because it's an inconvenient truth.
They say their liability insurance will rise if they permit guns and that will increase the price of dinners. Again, a simple sign prohibiting carrying and that's done. Regardless, they've decided that we'd surrender our freedom for 50 cents off the price of a meal. I don't think so.
The fact is money is an important issue for them:
"If a patron is packing a gun, but not purchasing alcohol they are taking the seat of a non gun holder who could be purchasing alcohol, tipping the bartender and providing much needed business to the establishment."
So they'll throw the 2nd Amendment under the bus in order to encourage drinking. Yeah, that's the socially responsible tack. Now we know what they really mean when they say guns and alcohol don't mix.
An update from District 5 resident and local attorney Jamie Hollin regarding the firetrap at 837 Cleveland Street. You may remember this is the property that was illegally turned into a quadplex. The owner, Charles R. (Friday) Blackwood, with over-and-above help for her campaign donor from CM Pam Murray (District 5-East Nashville), petitioned the Planning Commission to retroactively spot zone it so it would be in compliance and Blackwood could continue to rent it as a quadplex. Instead of teaching Blackwood and every slum lord in Nashville a lesson the Planning Commission (Mr. Ponder moved and Mr. Gotto seconded) approved this change 7-0-1 (Gee abstained) and moved it on to the Metro Council for their approval. BL2009-429 is currently scheduled for public hearing on Juy 7, 2009.
In the meantime the Environmental Court via Judge Jim Todd ordered Charles R. (Friday) Blackwood "to cease and desist" using the property contrary to Metro Codes, secure the property, paint the boards in a manner consistent with the exterior of the property and allow no one to enter the premises. After years of thumbing his nose at the laws of this city he's finally complied.
I've been watching a live stream of the informational meeting about the proposed convention center. Butch Spyridon, President of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau has been exceptionally rude, mocking and impatient. While I'm waiting to hear Dr. Heywood Sanders finish his thought he was regularly interrupted by a man who is supposed to be the face of Nashville to the world. Apparently, Southern Hospitality has been thrown out the window in Spyridon's desperate attempt to force the citizens of Nashville pay for his legacy building. Spyridon may be a great cheerleader and salesman for Nashville but he's failing to persude me that this is a must for Nashville. His mocking of Lancaster, PA and Branson, MO was childish. About the only important number Spyridon provided was the fact that financing would add 20% to the $635,000,000 estimated price tag. That should give you pause.
Frankly, Spyridon comes across as the child who has just come home from Timmy's with a free puppy and is making all sorts of promises about how he'll feed, bath and walk it. "Can I keep it? Can I? Can I?" Sanders is the patient but practical parent who knows the child cannot be relied on to care for the puppy, that vet bills will need to be paid and that at some point the child will head off to college and Mom and Dad will get stuck with Spot. He admits that the puppy that's just been shoved into his face is cute but being the adult with life experience he knows there's more to consider.
Bottom line for me is this should be a completely private enterprise. If it's a good deal there will be folks willing to gamble their own money in order to make a profit. Nashville should NOT guarantee or provide a dime of financing. Should NOT use its powers of eminent domain to help procure one foot of land for this project. Government should not be in the business of business. We've got enough to deal with ensuring the safety and health of our citizens. When we're doing that very well, there are still a dozen issues Nashville could and should focus on before providing a convention center for visitors.
Tonight the Metro Council will vote on whether to start acquiring land for this project. It's absolutely clear that this is still an unsettled issue with iffy projections and that support from the community that will make money from the deal is BIG but support from mere citizens isn't there. The Council should not move forward with this project. I don't care that Spyridon has already sold convention space in a center not yet built. He overextended his authority. Yes, I know Nashville is special...but it's not THAT special. What I do know is that we're living in historic times and debt got us here. I'm supposed to take on more? No.
I awoke at 5:00 a.m. this morning with a splitting sinus headache. Despite that pain I was seriously tempted to bang my head against the wall when I read the City Paper this morning. These are the folks that Nashville elected to run the school system. It's just unbelievable that they would say these things let alone believe them. I'm not surprised they're using them as an excuse. They need every one they can get their hands on to absolve them of responsibility. The context is last night's meeting between the Metro Council and Dr. Jesse Register, Director of MNPS in preparation for passing the Metro Nashville budget.
"Council member Ronnie Steine cited years of independent management reports from the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, which suggested the level of central office staffing was where it belonged.
Board of Education Chair David Fox said he had also relied on the Chamber reports as an independent check on staffing levels"
Ronnie Steine is on the Council's Education Committee. David Fox is Chairman of the MNPS Board of Education. Seriously? These men seriously believed that the Chamber Report Cards were unbiased and independent assessments of MNPS? Did they take ten minutes to review the membership of these committees over time? Did they take ten minutes to review the report cards over time? Did they completely forget the money and support the Chamber poured into getting some of them on the school board and council?
Councilman Eric Crafton's Save Our Students group was immediately marginalized and their work was suspect because of bias against the messenger but no one could legitimately question the quality of the data. Yet these folks are shocked ala Inspector Renault in "Casablanca" that the Chamber who clearly has an agenda in so many areas of Nashville's life would dare to present them a report that supports their plan for Nashville.
It's morning, folks. Wake up and smell the coffee.
Metro employee residency:The City paper tells us Councilman Eric Crafton has filed a bill to require Metro employees to live in Metro. I'm glad to see it. I've long thought that the people who make and enforce the rules need to live under them. I do believe if they had to live with the system they're a part of it would bring some accountability to the system. It's Bill 467 which should show up here once they upload it to the web.
Health data info:Tennessee Center for Policy Research (TCPR) has a new policy paper out on the privacy grab by the State of Tennessee via HB2289/SB2239 also known as "all payer claims database". TCPR touches on the vagueness of the bill, whether it will be effective, access to the data, privacy, costs and throw in some other important considerations like why is there only one actual health care consumer on this 19 member board? It seems heavily weighted in favor of the bureaucrats in my opinion. Here's a snip:
As with all public databases, there is a significant chance the information could become compromised. This could occur from a computer “hacker” or from someone within state government (as was the case in the State Trooper’s office last year). Exposure to liability should this sensitive data become publically available is virtually infinite and could open the state to decades of litigation from around the country. Also troubling is the potential to cross-reference health care data with other databases such as school records, criminal records, and travel logs.
Pork BBQ: provided by the Tennessee General Assembly, Governor Bredesen and TCPR. 44 pages of waste that makes you shake your head in wonderment. Some of it spent on things so foul they shouldn't be mentioned in mixed company. Some of it making repeat appearances on the report because no one in charge of the checkbook has the backbone to stop it. Only folks who are spending other people's money would allow this to continue. In this telling statement TCPR nails it.
The following is an overview of the amount of money spent subsiding some of the dozens of projects Gov. Bredesen thought were more deserving of taxpayers’ money than taxpayers, themselves:
If these projects were truly worthy why not make direct appeal to investors and donors instead of forcing taxpayers to pay for them? When will 'they' actually understand that it may be just $10,000 of someone else's money...but it's a year's worth of groceries for a family. No golf course, no art exhibit, no imaginary boll weevil is more important than feeding, clothing and housing a family.
Another snip from the Report:
In 2007, when the Pork Report first questioned this improper government expenditure, Gov. Bredesen and the Tennessee General Assembly shook taxpayers down for $2.7 million in state tax dollars to subsidize the “charity.”[Books from Birth] Ah, the good old days. In 2008, the state budget earmarked $3,444,500 for the program. In the Governor’s 2009 proposed budget, another $3,444,500 is requested for Books From Birth.
It would be a heartwarming story if Gov. Bredesen, whose personal fortune is worth an estimated $250 million, funded Book From Birth himself.
Unfortunately, he relies on Tennessee’s taxpayers – almost all of whom are less able to afford contributing to his pet project than he is – to fill up the coffers of his own foundation.
$2.64? I don't think so. I am hesitant to second guess the Chief of Police and probably like most councilmen am willing to give him great latitude in his expenditures as long as his department is doing their job well. But I just don't understand why a finance officer needs a take home car. She needs to make a midnight run to the bank to deposit evidence cash from a drug bust? Needs to authorize a check at 3:00 a.m. for K-9 dog treats? Serpas' unwillingness to explain it doesn't help and saying it costs about one gallon of gas for them to take these cars homes makes it worse. The IRS mileage deduction for 2009 is 55 cents. That's 4.8 miles. Just not believable. City Paper and WSMV.
Another reason not to vote for Wamp: Cong. Zach Wamp (R) after voting for the porkulous package gives us another reason to not for him in as governor if this KnoxNews report is accurate:
According to Tri-Cities TV reporter George Jackson, Republican Congressman Zach Wamp "stopped by Dino's restaurant on Saturday to express his support for Tennessee House Speaker Kent Williams" and to have lunch.
Further evidence that Washington DC is a long way from Tennessee. I can't read this any other way than Wamp deliberately made plans to shake the man's hand. He didn't have to. Would have had legitimate reasons not to. Wasn't, apparently, invited and compelled to visit. He just wanted to shake the hand of the pawn of Naifeh and Odom.
The state of Tennessee recognizes the inherent value of education and encourages its support. The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance, support and eligibility standards of a system of free public schools. Article XI, Sec. 12
This frigid week has resulted in four (4) water main breaks in downtown Nashville. There have been 50 across the county according to the Tennessean. WSMV tells us an event had to be moved from downtown because of flooding and sidewalk buckling. Dozens of downtown businesses were shuttered due to lack of water and electricity. The Hilton Hotel was without power also. Fox17 has the best pictures and quote "Tourists were turned away."
A conversation with an emergency worker causes me to ask why a billion dollars will be committed for the Music City Center when there may not be adequate water service for emergency services once it's built. And no one can sell a convention center if the big gamble will be if we can provide essential services reliably. What's the good of having a brand spanking new facility if we cannot fight a fire in the facility because our water delivery system is too old? What sort of liability will Nashville be put in when we chose to invite people here and failed to be good stewards of the water system to ensure they were safe? If we don't want to bite the bullet now and really fix things... when will we? And if there is no better time to build a convention center because borrowing and labor is relatively cheap why isn't this the best time to invest in our city's essential services instead?
