An Open Letter to Truman's Take

Just sent this to the Truman's Take blog in response to some incorrect assumptions they have made regarding our work. Thought it might clear things up for others as well.

Truman -

I am writing to clarify an assumption you have made incorrectly because I respect your work as a blogger. The Brentwood Watchdog is NOT affiliated with Citizens for Town Center. Unequivocally and without reservation this blog is an independent entity with no ties to any other group. As it states on the Brentwood Watchdog blog, we are "Dedicated to keeping the residents of Williamson County's premier city informed by asking questions others don't ask, sharing facts others choose not to, finding the untold stories, and encouraging healthy discussion about Brentwood's historic past, vibrant present, and possibility-filled future." The Citizens for Town Center, as we understand from their website, is primarily interested in a single issue -- the fate of the Town Center area.

Additionally, clarification should be made that NO INDIVIDUAL, PAIR, OR GROUP of candidates currently seeking Brentwood City Commission office is involved with the Brentwood Watchdog site. The information we put out is not of a "Gotcha" nature as you have claimed -- we didn't ask the questions, only shared the responses of the candidates. (As a side note, could you define the difference between what you label as "Gotcha" and, as an example, the Blackburn-Gore video you posted recently? Aren't these in the same realm? Curious to know.) As a self-professed conservative interested in keeping Middle Tennessee informed on the issues, an increase in sewer rates of 25% on 9,300 residents and 300 businesses would seem to be a newsworthy item you would follow. It's a step the entire seven-member commission took last March when they voted unanimously for passage of the ordinance that costs residents, on average, $81.24 annually. It's hard to believe you would be supportive of a property tax increase of the same amount. If the commission enacted a charge (calling it a tax OR a fee) of more than $80 per year on Brentwood residents I don't think you would stand behind that. Those seven included Mayor Reagan, Vice-Mayor Webb, and Commissioner Smithson (the three seeking re-election at this time).

Commissioner Smithson went a step further, however, in trying to set her record straight. To tell the people of Brentwood directly, in the midst of a city commission meeting, that "I would have to say we haven't raised fees on them (the citizens of Brentwood)" is making an untrue statement in the middle of a campaign while using the city meeting to make a platform speech. Commissioner Smithson and the other incumbents are free to run on their record but when doing so the record MUST be presented accurately -- that goes for all the commissioners including Mayor Reagan and Vice-Mayor Webb.

Labeling Brentwood Watchdog as an "attack" mechanism of any group or candidate is not only incorrect, it is short-sighted. Long after this Brentwood election is over Brentwood Watchdog will be here -- asking questions, sharing facts, finding untold stories, and encouraging discussion. In short, the Watchdog WILL be watching.

Respectfully and fiercely independently yours,

Brentwood Watchdog

Setting the Record Straight - Not as Easy as it Looks

During the April 13, 2009 Brentwood City Commission meeting, Commissioner Regina Smithson spent a few minutes at the conclusion of the meeting attempting to set the record straight about an answer she gave to a question during the first candidate forum in March. (An important move in what will likely be a close election with 10 candidates running for four seats. Don't forget, Election Day is Tuesday, May 5, 2009.)

The question Commissioner Smithson was asked during that forum, along with the other candidates, was, "Have you ever voted to raise a tax or a fee?" A straight-forward question if ever there was one. (Some people would even say it's a yes or no question -- people including Mayor Joe Reagan who clearly took it that way when he answered, albeit incorrectly, "No.") Commissioner Smithson mentioned a small cell phone fee increase as being the only one she could remember.

Well, almost a month after that March 16 forum Commissioner Smithson used her platform during a City Commission meeting to correct herself and expunge her record on fee increases. In fact, she seized the opportunity to proclaim that the commission has never raised fees on the citizens of Brentwood.

Some 9,300 residences in Brentwood that saw their sewer bill increase 25% a year ago (an average of $6.77 per month per customer) may disagree with Commissioner Smithson's assertion. Watch the video, decide for yourself, and vote on Tuesday, May 5, 2009. Your Vote Determines the Course Brentwood Takes.

Brentwood Names First Female City Judge

Prior to Monday night's Brentwood City Commission meeting, a reception in honor of the city's 40th anniversary of incorporation welcomed past city commission members, city managers, and other influential city officials back to where they once served.

Forty years from now, when the city celebrates 80 years of incorporation, one of the special guests may be Laurie Jewett. The Vanderbilt University Law School graduate became the city's first female city judge when she was appointed by the Brentwood City Commission to become the next city judge this summer upon Judge Thomas Schlater's retirement.

The appointment didn't come without some intrigue -- as anyone watching the Comcast broadcast noticed. In the first round of voting, Jewett and William Cohen each received three votes for the position. During that first round, Commissioners Noble, Webb, and Dunn voted for Jewett while Commissioners Reagan, Sweeney, and Smithson cast their ballots for Cohen. Since Commissioner Betsy Crossley was absent from the meeting there was no established way to break the tie. So, the commissioners voted again. In the second round of voting the votes remained the same with the exception of one commissioner. Commissioner Regina Smithson switched her vote from Cohen to Jewett. Thus, Laurie Jewett will be sworn in sometime in June and begin her duties as the Brentwood City Judge this July. CONGRATULATIONS!! 

Better Able or Less Able, That is the Question

Received another flyer from one of the Brentwood City Commission incumbents in the mail today and once again they are touting the following: "It is estimated that over 80% of US cities have financial troubles."

At least two of the incumbents (and possibly all three) have used this statistic as a reason for their re-election but they fail to cite the source of the data. We wanted to look into it.

The source is the National League of Cities, an organization based in Washington, D.C. The City Fiscal Conditions Survey was mailed to 530 finance managers in cities with populations in excess of 50,000. A total of 156 finance managers responded for a response rate of 29%. So the data was not compiled among cities of Brentwood's size (35,000) -- although Brentwood is a member of the NLC. Results from the survey, conducted from December 2008 through January 2009, show that the finance managers in 84% of the cities believe their cities are "less able to meet current needs than one year ago".

The most common response to the situation, according to the study, is that 69% of the cities have instituted a hiring freeze and/or staff layoffs. Brentwood has clearly not had to resort to laying off employees, but have there been many new hires coming on board? Some employees are being reassigned to other departments during the slowdown. It will be interesting to see the schedule of raises and benefits when the fiscal year 2009-2010 budget is released soon. 

Perhaps the most interesting fact from the report is how the cities are trying to bolster their revenues to meet their expenses. Only 14% are raising property taxes, 6% are raising sales taxes, and none are raising income taxes. What IS being done? Well, 49% report increasing the level of fees and charges for service. In addition, 28% also report increasing the number of fees and charges. Twenty-three percent are targeting fee increases for new development.

An article by Tami Luhby on CNNMoney.com that cited the study in February concluded with the following sentence: 

"City finances tend to lag the overall economy by 12 to 24 months, the league said. The weakening economic conditions will be felt by cities through 2009 and likely through most of 2010, the league said."

So, Brentwood has raised fees to meet infrastructure needs (ongoing sewer rehab project passed in March 2008), is in the midst of a de-facto hiring freeze, and has targeted fee increases for new development (sewer and water tap fee increases in 2008). Do city officials refute the idea that the city is "less able to meet current needs than one year ago" as the survey asks? It doesn't mean that the city CANNOT meet current needs -- just that its ability to do so as compared to the previous year is reduced. 

Since the survey only offers the choices "Better Able" or "Less Able", where would Brentwood fall if it fit into the 50,000+ population cities chosen to complete the survey? How would our city finance manager or city manager answer? Apparently the incumbents are stating that Brentwood is "Better able to meet current needs than one year ago". Do you agree?

Eagles, Beatles, and Cowboys, Oh My!!

Brentwood's Free Summer Concert Series line-up was recently announced and the schedule includes returning favorites from last year and some anticipated new attractions. All concerts are at 7pm at the Eddy Arnold Amphitheater in Crockett Park. The schedule and links to performing bands are below:

Sunday, May 10: Nashville Symphony Orchestra

Sunday, June 7: Riders in the Sky

Sunday, June 14: Seven Bridges - The Ultimate Eagles Experience

Sunday, June 21: Williamson County Community Band

Sunday, June 28: The WannaBeatles

Saturday, July 4: The Kadillacs (Fireworks Celebration!)

Sunday, July 12: The Tams

Stay tuned to Brentwood Watchdog for more as the concerts approach!! Should be a fun (and free) summer of music in Crockett Park! What groups or styles would you like to see and hear next summer? It's never too early to think about.

Who Will Lead Williamson County Schools?

The future of the public schools in Brentwood and around the county will be guided by one of three semi-finalists named by the Williamson County School Board during a lengthy Wednesday night meeting.

The three semi-finalists, selected from a pool of six chosen from 57 total applications, will be brought in to interview with the School Board on Wednesday, April 29, and Thursday, April 30. The interviews will be held during public meetings at 6pm and 8pm those evenings at Centennial High School.

The semi-finalists are:

Brian Blavatt (Union, KY): 19,121 students; $170,000 salary; $162 million budget

Dr. Terri Breeden (Vienna, VA): 169,000; $139,000 salary; $2.2 billion budget

Dr. Philip Jimerson (Grand Prairie, TX): 26,000; $135,000 salary; $220 million budget

A March 1, 2009 story by Maria Giordano in The Tennessean compared the 37,000-student Rutherford County Schools director salary of $126,000 with Williamson County's 30,213 enrollment and posted salary of up to the $180s. Dr. Rebecca Sharber's salary with Williamson County Schools was $156,000. Other surrounding county salaries include: Davidson (75,000 students) $250,000; Franklin Special (3,850) $134,922; and Sumner (26,542) $124,490.

The Boone County Schools website lists several accolades for Kentucky's third-largest district once led by Brian Blavatt (8pm April 29 interview) who is now a "director emeritus" under Superintendent Randy Poe. According to the website, the district was the first in Kentucky to have a student representative on the Board of Education.

Dr. Terri Breeden (6pm April 29 interview) is listed as the Assistant Superintendent overseeing Professional Learning and Training for the Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia on the FCPS website. The website also lists the FCPS as the 12th largest school district in the entire nation. Dr. Breeden, a graduate of Vanderbilt University, served as the Director of Grades 5-12 for the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools at the end of her 20 years in Metro schools before moving to FCPS in 2006. Additional biographical information on Dr. Breeden is available at the LEAD Fairfax portion of the FCPS website.

Dr. Philip "Bret" Jimerson (6pm April 30 interview) is Deputy Superintendent of the Grand Prairie Independent School District according to the website. Some facts about GPISD are that the district has 38 campuses (25 elementary, 7 middle schools, 2 9th grades, 2 high schools, 2 alternative education) and serves a population of almost 60% Hispanic students, 19% Caucasian, and 17% African-American. Jimerson, who holds a Juris Doctor degree and two master's degrees according to the Williamson Herald story by Kiri Lanice Walton, also serves as his district's legal counsel and chief of staff.

So, before summer vacation is over Williamson County will have Dr. Rebecca Sharber's successor. None of the semi-finalists are currently leading a school district -- one is retired, one is an assistant, and one is a deputy. None of the semi-finalists are local -- apparently two unnamed local applicants were deemed unqualified. It will be interesting to see if the School Board goes with the candidate with local ties from her days at Metro (Dr. Breeden), the candidate with previous experience leading a district (Blavatt), or the candidate with a district closest in enrollment size to Williamson County (Dr. Jimerson). 

We wonder if the board will be so bold as to go with someone who can represent themselves in legal matters given the way Dr. Sharber's tenure came to a close. Anyone with ties to Metro Nashville's education system -- no matter how good their credentials -- also may face an uphill climb in Williamson County. Watchdog makes the early favorite in this race Blavatt based on the rapid growth in his district, the accolades the schools have earned, and his previous experience leading a district. What do you think? Let the Williamson County School Board hear your thoughts via phone or email.

Any Creative Ideas to Spend Stimulus Funds?

According the the agenda for the April 27 Brentwood City Commission Meeting, the City has been notified that as part of the federal stimulus act the Department of Energy is offering Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants to states, counties, and cities.

Brentwood, based on population size, is eligible for $164,500 just for completing the application. It's not a competitive grant. Ask and you shall receive. So, the city staff is recommending using the funds in the following manner:

"Staff is recommending that grant funding be utilized to secure an independent consultant/engineer to conduct an energy audit of city facilities and operations to develop a list of energy efficiency initiatives prioritized in terms of both return on investment and energy savings. While electricity is the largest energy expense, the audit would cover all energy sources. The overall results of this study would then serve as the basis of the grant required energy efficiency and conservation strategy (EECS) as well as the budget for the use of the remaining grant funds and future CIP funding if the return on investment was reasonable."

Grant applications are due June 25 so there is some time to consider how to best utilize the funds. The DOE even offers some guidance in ways the funds could be spent including:

Grants to nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies for the purpose of performing Energy Efficiency Retrofits.  (*Requires some additional paperwork)

Material Conservation Programs including source reduction, recycling, and recycled content procurement programs that lead to increases in energy efficiency.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants Home Page details how activities should be prioritized in planning for use of the funds including:

Energy efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy programs and projects are building blocks for increased economic vitality, energy security, and environmental quality. EECBG program funds will have maximum impact if invested in ways that create and/or retain jobs and stimulate the economy in the short term while laying the foundation for a long-term and sustainable clean energy economy. DOE encourages grantees to prioritize programs and projects that:

Leverage other public and private resources

Enhance workforce development

Persist beyond the funding period

Watchdog thinks a consultant and energy audit of city buildings could be part of the plan but aren't there some more creative ways to leverage the funds with public and private resources and/or by working with non-profit organizations? Won't power companies conduct basic energy audits for free or for very minimal cost? Are there some original ideas for how to use these funds to stimulate the economy in addition to the consultant/audit approach? Even ways to generate additional funds down the road?

Got any ideas? Lets hear 'em!!

Brentwood City Commission Election

Two weeks from today, on May 5, Brentwood voters will head to the polls to choose four new City Commissioners from among a field of 10 candidates. Of course, early voting is already open at the Brentwood Library and Brentwood Municipal Building, so if you've made up your mind about which candidates will get your vote you can cast your ballot between now and April 30.

If, however, you're still trying to decide which candidates to support, videos of most of the community forums are available on the Internet.

The Brentwood Cool Springs Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidate forum as part of their Membership Luncheon on March 19. You can view it on their website or below.

The Brentwood Woman's Club presented their annual candidate forum on March 30 at the Municipal Building. You can view it on the city's website or below.

The final forum was presented by a group of Brentwood Parents at Ravenwood High School on April 16. That forum will air on Williamson County's Government and Education Channel WC-TV (Comcast Channel 3 & Charter Channel 96) on Thursday, April 23, at 11:30am, 4:30pm, and 9:30pm according to the online schedule.

No matter who receives your vote, the important thing is that you vote. Lets make this a record-setting turnout for Brentwood elections. Agree?

BCS Chamber Forum

Brentwood Woman's Club Forum

Only available on the City of Brentwood's website. Here.

A Little Song & Dance for a Tuesday

Charles Durning earned an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of a Texas Governor in the film adaptation of this Dolly Parton musical. If you haven't seen it in a while (it has been 27 years since the film was released), take a look at a talented performer at work.

Freedom is Just Another Word . . .

"The very aim and end of our institutions is just this: 

that we may think what we like and say what we think." 

-- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Watching the coverage of last week's "tea parties" in downtown Nashville and Franklin, I was struck once again by the wisdom of our forefathers and the brave founders of this country. We have the Freedom of Speech and a Freedom to Assemble to make our voices heard. In an ideal world, perhaps, we would have more media outlets that would present both sides of a story equally instead of being viewed as biased. Since the media is a business, however, the owners of that business think about their bottom line above all else. (If you were the business owner, wouldn't you? If not, you might not stay in business very long.) So, rather than true "down-the-middle" journalism, our media landscape is comprised primarily of outlets that do what they need to do to attract advertisers, entice viewers, and maintain readers. All things that directly impact the bottom line. And all things that result in one-sided coverage for the most part (you can't serve two masters after all, right?)

However, the beauty of the "experiment" enacted by the Founding Fathers (and Mothers and Sons and Daughters) is that citizens of this country do have access to both sides of any story. It might not be spoon-fed to us from a single source and it may -- no, DOES -- require personal effort to seek out different angles before formulating an opinion. But the opportunity to embark on that search is ours. Not every country nor every human enjoys such a right. If we choose not to make that search, opt not to listen to dissenting opinions, and marginalize those who don't agree with us 100 percent of the time, however, what purpose do our freedoms serve? Some may think living life surrounded only by like-minded individuals is the definition of heaven itself. Such a Stepford existence is a less than stimulating proposition to the Watchdog though.

Tea parties -- historic and contemporary -- demonstrate that we are a nation of dissenters who demand our voices be heard. You may not agree with those voices all the time -- in fact, in this country, it's IMPOSSIBLE to agree with them all of the time. Our bravest sons and daughters have died on this soil and in foreign countries to further the ideal that indeed, all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. Rights like freedom of speech -- especially dissenting speech because suppression of dissent is the death knell of free speech. What happens then? One of those guys carved into Mount Rushmore had a prediction . . .

"If the freedom of speech is taken away, 

then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter." 

-- George Washington

Give me a Nickel, Brother can you spare a Dime?

The 10 Brentwood City Commission candidates recently filed financial disclosure statements covering January 1 through March 31, 2009. Examination of the filings reveals some interesting information -- doesn't it always?

How much did the candidates spend at Brentwood businesses on campaign expenses?

Rhea Little spent $5946.92

Paul Webb spent $3465.85

Rod Freeman spent $2492.61 

Other than federal postage purchased in Brentwood (which generates no city revenue), no other itemized candidate expenses went to Brentwood businesses.

How much did the candidates spend OUTSIDE Brentwood?

Joe Reagan spent $4918.47 

• ($2629 to Nashville-based Comcast TV advertising; $1613.05 to Illinois-based company for yard signs and t-shirts; $323.47 to Franklin-based printer; $200 to Joelton-based web designer; $152.95 to Franklin-based magnetic sign company)

Devin McClendon spent $2249.40 

• ($1909 to California-based yard sign company; $223 on digital printing & $116 on emails to separate Nashville-based companies)

Rhea Little spent $1831.47 

• (Pennsylvania-based yard sign company)

Rod Freeman spent $462.25 

• (BrentwoodLife newspaper advertising)

Paul Webb spent $452.29 

• ($289.51 to Nashville-based t-shirt company; $162.78 on Nashville-based computer software)
  

Candidate Regina Smithson's only itemized expenditure on this filing was for mailing labels available only at the county offices in Franklin. Candidates Patsy George, Lydia Hampton, Natalie Mertie, and Miguel Palmer were not required to itemize expenses so it's unknown how much of their expenditures were spent in Brentwood. 

Since purchases from Brentwood businesses generates sales tax revenue for the City of Brentwood in the amount of 1.125%, every dollar spent in Brentwood produces about one cent for the city coffers. That's in addition to the 1.125% that goes to Williamson County Schools. 

So, to candidates Rhea Little, Paul Webb, and Rod Freeman -- THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF BRENTWOOD BUSINESSES. (Maybe next time your spending can be "exclusively" Brentwood-based!)

And to candidates Joe Reagan and Devin McClendon -- BRENTWOOD WOULD LOVE YOUR BUSINESS.

For candidates George, Hampton, Mertie, Palmer, and Smithson -- when the time comes to spend some campaign funds, we hope you SPEND IT IN BRENTWOOD.