Brentwood to Vote on "Guns in Parks" Issue Monday Night

The Brentwood City Commission's meeting agenda for Monday, July 13, at 7pm includes a vote on a resolution that if passed by simple majority (4 of 7) would prohibit handgun carry permit holders from bringing weapons into the city's parks. In addition, Resolution 2009-56 would prohibit handguns on "bicycle pedestrian trails and greenways that are part of the City's park system" according to a note included with the agenda posted recently on Brentwood's website.

Brentwood City Attorney Roger Horner authored a four-page Legal Services Memorandum (viewable in the attachments) on July 1, 2009, that was sent to Mayor Betsy Crossley and the other City Commissioners regarding the "Prohibition of Handguns in City Parks". In the document, Horner notes that such a prohibition would apply to the entire park as municipalities cannot allow guns in certain areas while prohibiting them elsewhere in the same park. Municipalities are free, however, to prohibit guns in some parks while permitting them in other parks under state law. Horner's recommendation to Brentwood officials is against such "piecemeal prohibition" and instead would affect the following parks and locations in their entirety:

• Crockett Park, Granny White Park, Tower Park, River Park, Deerwood Arboretum and Nature Center, Owl Creek Park, Primm Park, Concord Park, Maryland Way Park, Pleasant Hill parkland (not yet developed), more than 14 miles of bicycle/pedestrian trails, and more than 75 acres of greenways. The prohibition would also extend to parks and recreational facilities owned by the City of Brentwood in the future.

After citing numerous reasons to "opt-out" of the law signed by Governor Bredesen in June, including that ". . . the potential for violence would increase in proportion to the number of guns that are carried into the parks", Horner recommends passage of Resolution 2009-56 with the following statement:

The City Manager, Chief of Police and Parks and Recreation Director strongly support this proposal to 'opt out'.

If passed, signs at least 6 inches high and 14 inches wide explaining the maximum penalty of 11 months and 29 days in jail and a fine not to exceed $2,500 for the misdemeanor must be installed by September 1 in prominent locations on affected properties. Approximately 25 signs at a cost of $75 to $100 each are estimated to be needed in Brentwood bringing the General Fund cost to $2,500.

Other gun-related new business on Brentwood's July 13 agenda includes a vote on Resolution 2009-57, a resolution that would prohibit possession of weapons at "meetings conducted by the City of Brentwood or within any building owned, operated or managed, or under the control of the City of Brentwood." City staff recommends passage of this resolution as well, citing reasons offered by Horner in the memorandum regarding guns in parks.

If history is any indication, a recommendation by city staff in Brentwood usually leads to adoption or passage of the issue at hand by the elected officials. Let Mayor Crossley and Commissioners Dunn, Little, Reagan, Smithson, Sweeney, and Webb know where you stand on this issue before next Monday night.

Brentwood City Commission Votes to PARTY on Taxpayer Dime - in Cool Springs!

Monday night's Brentwood City Commission meeting included a vote on the city's annual employee recognition dinner scheduled for this coming November 13. The dinner is budgeted at just over $12,000 of taxpayer funds. The motion passed unanimously among the seven commissioners during the evening's New Business portion (after a resident requested that it be removed from the consent agenda where it was originally scheduled). Not a single commissioner voiced any alternative idea to reduce costs, reservation about spending that kind of taxpayer money outside the city, or concern of how Brentwood residents may view such a voluntary expenditure of taxpayer dollars.

The dinner will serve approximately 275 city employees a selection of chef's choice butler-passed Hors d'Ouevres during a reception, a two-entree buffet with upgraded beef carving station, and more at the Embassy Suites in Cool Springs. All this for the low, low cost of $36 per plate plus 22 percent in taxes and fees. Of course, those taxes and fees won't make their way into Brentwood's coffers since the Embassy Suites isn't located in Brentwood.

So, the residents of Brentwood will pick up a tab in excess of $12,000 for a private party for Brentwood city employees and the tax revenue will go to Franklin. (Maybe we can get Franklin officials to send a trolley or two over to Brentwood for a day or two as payback? Maybe on luminaria night? Just saying.) This on top of a 1.5% market pay adjustment across the board for city employees totaling more than $159,000 that also passed unanimously Monday night. 

At a time when the economy is sagging, jobs are scarce, and Brentwood's housing boom is a distant memory, this is a local example of the same type of behavior that caused an uproar on a national level -- spending taxpayer dollars on a private party (AIG) while those same taxpayers are making tough choices on personal budgets at home.

The very least the city commission could have done would have been to ENSURE that the money spent on this party would stay in Brentwood. The catering could have been provided by a local business owner. The event could have been held at one of the schools, one of the country clubs, or, like many companies do, it could have been held in one of our large Brentwood parks. Then it would have allowed the "Brentwood family" to bring their actual families out to celebrate the good job they do running the city. Such a choice may have necessitated moving the date from November if they didn't want to rent a nice tent for shelter, but the current economic environment is different than it was last year or the year before and some concessions could have been made. Even the tent option with tables, chairs, and linens, and a local caterer would have cost LESS than the approved $12,000 expenditure. This isn't about whether or not Brentwood city employees are doing a good job -- they are. This is about the wisdom of the elected officials and how they are choosing to spend taxpayer dollars.

Instead, Mayor Crossley, Vice Mayor Little, and Commissioners Dunn, Reagan, Smithson, Sweeney, and Webb voted UNANIMOUSLY to endorse sending in excess of $12,000 of taxpayer dollars to another local municipality for the purpose of a private party. 

Editor's Note: We propose, given the Friday the 13th date of this private shindig, that the evening's entertainment may be comprised of a screening of everyone's favorite hockey-masked, machete-wielding psycho, Jason, on a big screen in the Embassy Suites ballroom.

Brentwood's Mayoral Election Process

The following email was sent to BrentwoodWatchdog@gmail.com earlier this month:

to : BrentwoodWatchdog@gmail.com date : Thu, May 14, 2009 at 9:36 PM subject : Great job! mailed-by : gmail.com

We enjoyed the series on the School Board.  Appreciate your time and dedication.  About time we get some straight talk!

 

We have no facts on this, and want to be kept anonymous, but we've heard some disturbing rumors recently about the election for Brentwood's Mayor.  Not that Mrs. Crossley wouldn't be a great mayor, she will, but we heard that there was some kind of last minute effort to keep Commissioner Webb out from being Mayor.  That would be a shame if true.

In seeking clarification of what those "rumors" were, the sender replied with the following email:

to : Brentwood Watchdog date : Fri, May 15, 2009 at 7:37 AM subject : Re: Great job! mailed-by : gmail.com

Something about only Mr. Webb's name being on the ballot and there being write in votes.  Guess he would know. 

 

We don't really follow this stuff all that much, just talk around coffee.  May be all rumor anyway.  And we really like Betsy Crossley, so it was a good choice.

Other readers also inquired about how the City Commission chose the Mayor and Vice Mayor. For those unfamiliar, while Brentwood residents elect City Commissioners, the Commissioners themselves choose the Mayor and Vice Mayor every two years at the first meeting after the election. This year's May 5 city election was followed by a City Commission meeting on Monday, May 11, 2009. During that meeting Commissioner Betsy Crossley was elected Mayor and Commissioner Rhea Little was elected Vice Mayor. This was done by a paper ballot being handed out to each commissioner, collected by a city official, and votes being read out loud by the city attorney.

This is how the votes were cast that night. First, for Mayor:

• Commissioner Betsy Crossley voted for Paul Webb
  
• Commissioner Anne Dunn voted for Betsy Crossley
  
• Commissioner Rhea Little voted for Betsy Crossley
  
• Commissioner Joe Reagan voted for Paul Webb
  
• Commissioner Regina Smithson voted for Betsy Crossley
  
• Commissioner Joe Sweeney voted for Betsy Crossley
  
• Commissioner Paul Webb voted for Paul Webb
  

By a 4-3 vote, Betsy Crossley was elected Mayor.

And for Vice Mayor:

• Commissioner Betsy Crossley voted for Rhea Little
  
• Commissioner Anne Dunn voted for Rhea Little
  
• Commissioner Rhea Little voted for Rhea Little
  
• Commissioner Joe Reagan voted for Joe Reagan
  
• Commissioner Regina Smithson voted for Rhea Little
  
• Commissioner Joe Sweeney voted for Rhea Little
  
• Commissioner Paul Webb voted for Joe Reagan
  

By a 5-2 vote, Rhea Little was elected Vice Mayor.

This week the following email was forwarded to BrentwoodWatchdog@gmail.com by another reader with information that confirms that both Crossley and Little in fact WERE elected by write-in votes.

to : brentwoodwatchdog@gmail.com date : Tue, May 26, 2009 at 11:57 AM subject : Fwd: Brentwood Mayor and Vice Mayor Election Question mailed-by : gmail.com

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hedgepath, Debbie <hedged@brentwood-tn.org>
Date: Tue, May 26, 2009 at 11:20 AM
Subject: RE: Brentwood Mayor and Vice Mayor Election Question

Both ballots included only the names of persons who had indicated to the City Manager that they would be interested in the position, but also allowed Commissioners to write in the names of other persons.  For Mayor, the ballot listed Paul Webb and “Other.”  For Vice-Mayor, the ballot originally listed “Betsy Crossley” and “Other,” but Betsy’s name was removed after she was elected Mayor by the majority of the Commission.

None of that information was shared publicly the night of the election. There was no explanation of what names comprised the ballots. There is evidently no policy on how the city commission elects the Mayor and Vice Mayor beyond that it be done by a majority vote of the commission. However, would providing a ballot with names of all commissioners or no commissioners be a better way to handle the election? The idea that only the names of persons "interested" in the position were included is valid given the amount of time required to serve. Clearly others were interested in the positions though since "others" were elected and accepted the position.

In the first email we received, the writer mentioned the rumor of "some kind of last minute effort to keep Commissioner Webb out from being Mayor." You'll have to decide for yourselves if there was such an effort given the fact that Commissioner Webb's name was the ONLY name listed on the Mayoral ballot and Commissioners Dunn, Little, Smithson, and Sweeney opted instead to write-in another name. (Of course, this COULD NOT have been coordinated in advance by any of those four given Tennessee's strict Sunshine Laws.) It is interesting though that the newest member of the Commission, Rhea Little, chose to write-in a name not listed on the Mayoral ballot and then subsequently received votes for Vice Mayor from the three commissioners whom he joined in not voting for Commissioner Webb for Mayor. Incidentally, the only two Commissioners to NOT vote for Little (who received an overwhelming majority of votes from the Brentwood public) were Webb and Reagan.

Perhaps in the future an option would be for the commissioners to open the floor among themselves for nominations for Mayor and, subsequently, Vice Mayor. This would allow only those "interested" in serving to accept any possible nomination. It would also make the election process more transparent to the public. What do you think?

Retention Votes aren't Equal to Open Elections

Brentwood City Manager Mike Walker recently made the assertion that if Brentwood's City Commissioner elections were held in conjunction with state elections in the fall rather than as stand-alone elections in May they would be "relegated to the same status on the ballot as, for example, voting for a state Supreme Court judge or court of appeals judge."

Actually, under Tennessee's current system Supreme Court justices and Court of Appeals justices maintain their roles through a "yes/no" retention vote. The Tennessee Court System website explains it as follows:

Judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Court of Criminal Appeals are elected on a “yes-no” ballot every eight years. When a vacancy occurs, the seventeen-member Judicial Selection Commission interviews applicants and recommends three candidates to the governor, who appoints a new judge to serve until the next August general election. By state law, judges on the three courts must be evaluated every eight years. Results of the evaluations are published in newspapers across the state, to help voters decide whether the judges should be retained.

Brentwood's City Commission election, however, would NOT be a retention vote (theoretically, at least), so equating the two very different elections isn't the most sound argument in this case.

When do you think Brentwood should hold the municipal election for city commissioners? May? August? November?

Is Low Voter Participation Better? Some in Brentwood Think So

Susan Leathers' BrentWord blog did some investigating on why Brentwood doesn't hold its municipal elections in conjunction with state or federal elections in November to attract more voters than the 14%-15% that typically come out on the first Tuesday in May.

Included among the responses to her question was this gem from Brentwood City Attorney Roger Horner:

Susan –
The City Charter allows the election date to be set on any date that is within 90 days of the anniversary of the first election, OR on the same date as the November elections. In 1987, the Board of Commissioners did take action to move the City’s election date to November, in an effort to get more people to participate in electing commissioners. Then, in 1992, it was changed again, this time to the first Tuesday in May.
The benefit of having a separate election, as opposed to combining it with state and national elections, is that the voters who turn out are focused on municipal issues. While moving the City’s election to November would bring out more voters, it’s likely that you’d get a lot of voters that haven’t taken time to acquaint themselves with the local issues or the candidates. Better to have a smaller number of informed voters than to have a large number of people who may just be pushing buttons without thinking it through.
Roger
City Attorney

Really, Roger? "Better to have a smaller number of informed voters than to have a large number of people who may just be pushing buttons without thinking through."

So, better participation automatically means those voters are less informed and just push buttons without thinking it through? What evidence do you have to support this? That the City Attorney would think such a thought is one thing, that he would provide it as an official response reveals a deeper problem.

If the move to November elections did increase participation, it's rather curious why the date was switched back to May. The move back to May, according to Mr. Horner, happened in 1992. (Two years after the arrival of Mike Walker as City Manager, coincidentally). The City Manager's response to BrentWord's question included this statement:

"The local election becomes relegated to the same status on the ballot as, for example, voting for a state Supreme Court judge or court of appeals judge." 

Again, that's one person's OPINION and discounts the many people who do pay attention to federal, state, and local issues equally. That two of Brentwood's highest-ranking employees would prefer low voter turnout to greater participation reflects poorly on a City sometimes labeled by those looking in from the outside as "elite".

We're going to do some more research on this issue for a future post. It just demanded a quick response at this time. Stay tuned for more. 

Are More Condos in Brentwood's Future?

Searching the pre-election campaign financial disclosure statements for today's Brentwood City Commission election showed a couple items that piqued our interest. We'll delve into more of them as time permits, but here are two not mentioned previously:

• Incumbent Mayor Joe Reagan and Vice Mayor Paul Webb both received a $250 contribution from the Home Builders Association PAC. The address listed is 9007 Overlook Boulevard in Brentwood making this the Home Builders Association of Middle Tennessee. Two names from the "About Us" page there are Reese Smith, III, (see next item) and Bill Kottas. Smith is listed as a National Director and Kottas is listed as a Life Member under Local Directors. Smith is currently the president of Haury & Smith Contractors, while Kottas is a partner with Cates-Kottas Development. 
• Reese Smith, III, and Stephen B. Smith (Chairman of the Board at Haury & Smith Contractors) are both listed as campaign donors to candidates Rod Freeman, Regina Smithson, & Paul Webb. Reese Smith gave $250 to both Freeman and Webb as did Stephen Smith. Candidate Regina Smithson received $500 from both Reese Smith and Stephen Smith. All the contributions were made on April 15.

Given that Brentwood is approaching residential "build-out" barring future annexation or rezoning, contributions from the Home Builders Association of Middle Tennessee are somewhat curious. More curious are the contributions from the President and Board Chair of Haury & Smith because of the current focus of their development projects: condominiums.

Cloverland Hall, a $10 million Haury & Smith development of condominiums south of Old Hickory Boulevard, features 31 units on 8 acres according to a February 2003 story in the Nashville Business Journal by Phillip Nannie. Some other statements from the Haury & Smith website include:

•  ". . . we pioneered the construction of condominium developments in Middle Tennessee."
  
•  ". . . the most successful garden-style condominium project in the Mid-South."
• "A move to active-adult communities continued in the 90s . . . "
• "A niche market identifies Haury & Smith in the Green Hills area with 'infield re-development'." (infill redevelopment?)
• "The company has identified many sites for their boutique communities of patio homes."

If "infield redevelopment" is, in fact, infill redevelopment, the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington website has a very informative section about what infill redevelopment is. A few quotes from the MRSC site:

"Successful infill development is characterized by overall residential densities high enough to support improved transportation choices as well as a wider variety of convenience services and amenities."

"A cooperative partnership between government, the development community, financial institutions, non-profit organizations, neighborhood organizations and other resources is essential to achieve infill success."

With OSRD-IP zoning and other recent movement towards options other than one-unit per acre residential density in Brentwood, is it possible that Haury & Smith see further potential for development of condominiums in the city that will require some partnering with city officials to make a reality? Just something to keep an eye on in the coming years -- no matter who wins today.

LAST Chance to Make a Choice

In less than 24 hours polls will open for the Brentwood City Commission election. Polling places are open from 7am until 7pm on Tuesday, May 5.

Those of you still undecided on how to cast your four possible votes from among a field of 10 candidates still have time to search out valuable information presented during the candidate forums.

WC-TV will air the candidate forum taped April 16 at Ravenwood High School today at 9am, 2pm, and 7pm on Comcast Channel 3 and Charter Channel 96.

The Brentwood Woman's Club forum held at the Brentwood Municipal Center is available on the city website and by clicking here.

The Brentwood Cool Springs Chamber of Commerce forum is available for viewing on the organization's website and by clicking here.

Once the votes are cast and the results are in, the work will really begin (and quickly) for the four elected commissioners -- Brentwood's Fiscal Year 2009-2010 budget has its first public presentation one week from today on Monday, May 11.

Support Your Local Blogger - A Word of Thanks

Just a quick note to say a word of thanks to Truman over at Truman's Take. If you've followed our exchange of late regarding the Brentwood City Commission election you'll understand why. If not, you've got some catching up to do -- and you can do it through a search on his site or mine.

Anyway, my point is that the growing number of bloggers in Brentwood can become a real strength for the people of our community by disseminating information, sharing thoughts, and providing places for people to discuss the issues we're facing. Truman's been doing it much longer than I have so I appreciate both his desire for accountability on my part and his willingness to follow along with this blog as we grow in the coming weeks, months, and years. 

If you haven't read Truman's site, give it a look -- I check it daily. Two other recent additions to the Brentwood-centric blogosphere that are on my daily reading list are Susan Leathers' BrentWord and Kelly G's Outside the Brentwood Bubble. If you try those out, I think you'll like them. (If not, send a request for a refund to BrentwoodWatchdog@gmail.com.) 

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!! 

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.

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.