There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:30 pm. An agenda has been provided and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

• Baby P is teething, again... I didn't realize baby teeth come in waves—they just don't all show up at once. Well, my sleepless nights are quickly discovering that teething is a marathon, not a sprint!
• Attended the Jackie Shane Historic Marker unveiling.
• Met with the mayor's office about resiliency hubs in District 21.
• Talked with NDOT and Metro Planning about the upcoming Jefferson St. Corridor Public Engagement efforts.
• Working with Metro Waste Management on a new recycling collection point in the district (or nearby).
• Scheduling a meeting with neighbors in the Albion area to discuss their traffic calming application and award.

What's Happening Tonight:  

We'll be confirming the first-ever, members of the Contracts and Compliance Board. Shout out to CM Sepulveda for her hard work on this. 

There are several resolutions for consideration. Surprisingly, there are only a handful of second reading items, a just a few more of third reading legislation. I believe we will complete this meeting relatively early, however, there are a few items that will have robust discussions.

BL2024-478 - An ordinance to amend Chapter 6.28 of the Metropolitan Code pertaining to Short Term Rental Properties.

BL2024-539 - An ordinance to amend Title 17 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws, the Zoning Ordinance of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County by changing from R6 to OR20-A-NS zoning for property located at 1809 9th Ave. North

RS2024-736 - A resolution appropriating a total of $500,000.00 from a certain account of the General Fund of the General Services District for a grant to the United Way of Middle Tennessee, Inc., to provide financial counseling and other financial education activities to low-income residents in accordance with the Financial Empowerment Center program model.

RS2024-751 - A resolution approving amendment one to a grant from the Tennessee Historical Commission to the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, acting by and through the Metropolitan Historical Commission, to complete an individual National Register of Historic Places nomination for the Elks Lodge (formerly Club Baron) at 2614 Jefferson Street and an architectural survey in the Donelson area.

RS2024-771 - A resolution identifying the skills and qualities needed for Nashville's next Director of the Metro Public Health Department

BL2024-491 -An ordinance to amend Title 17 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws, the Zoning Ordinance of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County by changing from R6-A to RS5 zoning for properties located at 1712 A, B, and C Arthur Avenue

Dates To Remember:

• Hadley Washington Neighborhood Association (Neighbors south of Herman St.) 
  • October 10
  • Retrograde Coffee: 2714 Clifton
  • 6:00 pm
• North Nashville Movie Night
  • October 31
  • Elizabeth Park
  • Dusk

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon

There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:30 pm. An agenda has been provided and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

• Baby P has been traveling - He attended his first away NSC game in Atlanta - He must be good luck - This was NSC's first win since June and first goal since July!!
• Happy Birthday to my homie - Curtis! Enjoy your day!
• Met with residents in the Fisk/Osage area about traffic calming
• Visited with metro waste management about new ideas to mitigate dumping
• Working with NDOT and MNPD to find and prosecute habitual illegal dumpers

What's Happening Tonight:  

Tonight's agenda is limited and expected to be brief. While we do have a few significant items to discuss, they should involve only minimal debate.

We will select a new President Pro Tempore tonight... CMs Bradford and Sepulveda have been nominated for the position.

RS2024-708 -A resolution authorizing the Metropolitan Department of Law to compromise and settle Jonathan Saad's claims against the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County in the amount of $150,000, to be paid from the $3 million allocated by the Director of Finance on March 21, 2024, for the resolution of matters related to the Arts Commission.

RS2024-709 -A resolution authorizing grants not exceeding $26,234,615 from the Barnes Fund for Affordable Housing to certain nonprofits for the express purpose of constructing and rehabilitating affordable or workforce housing.

BL2024-476 -An ordinance to amend Chapter 2.112 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws regarding the membership of the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and the process for approving the criteria for awarding funds.

Dates To Remember:

• North Nashville Movie Night
  • October 31
  • Elizabeth Park
  • Sundown

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon

There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:30 pm. An agenda has been provided and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

• Baby P was a bit under the weather, but he's back in action - glad to see him push through!
• I had a ride along with NDOT to review a few infrastucture upgrade ideas in the District
• Met with Metro Waste, NDOT, and Codes to discuss new ideas to mitigate illegal dumping and litter
• Attended the North Nashville Transit Center Ribbon Cutting
• Met with planning to review a tentative timeline for community engagement meetings to discuss the I-40 Cap and how to best use the resources for the community's top needs

What's Happening Tonight:  

We have a very limited calendar of legislation tonight. I don't suspect us to deliberate for long as we move through the city's business. We will have several confirmations and elections for Metro Boards and Commissions along with a breif Public Hearing on Zoning bills.

Dates To Remember:

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon

There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:30 pm. An agenda has been provided and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

• Baby P attended a District 21 Community Meeting... He's ready for his 2044 campaign for Metro Council!
• Be on the lookout for a community meeting to discuss resources for individuals in need of housing upgrades.
• I am planning a meeting with NDOT to follow up on the 28th Ave N and Jefferson St roundabout conversation.
• My professional full-time position has been busy. We are in a busy time and that's been my main focus this month.

What's Happening Tonight:  

BL2024-498- An ordinance providing the honorary street name designation of “James ‘Jake’ Sherrell Way” for a portion of 17th Avenue North.

RS2024-679 -A resolution congratulating the five Nashville-related Olympians for their achievements at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Dates To Remember:

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon

There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:30 pm. An agenda has been provided and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

Happy New Year!

I hope you had great Holiday Season. Wow, 2021 was a wild ride... It was very similar to 2020, except we were social distanced a little more in public. But there were tornadoes, Covid is still hanging around, and we saw a lot of people on Zoom. I hope that you are already working on your new year's resolutions and that some of those goals will be met soon.

COVID-19 Update:

Click the picture below to see the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 in Nashville.

The CDC recommends all people 18 and older receive a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. For those who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, boosters can be administered as early as six months after the second dose was administered. For those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a booster dose can be administered as early as two months after the initial dose was administered. Boosters of the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine are available at the drive-thru sites and pop-up community vaccination events. Moderna will not be available. There is an ample supply of all three types of vaccine across our community. Visit vaccines.gov to find locations where each is being offered.

Click the image below for up-to-date hours of operation for booster and testing sites.

Metro Waste Collection:

Curbside recycling is still suspended. You may have noticed waste/trash collection times varying. Metro Water is having a tough time managing the pick-ups with Covid and the breach of contract from Red River, our third party waste collection company. This has been an issue for several years. I spoke with Dir. Potter and Mr. Honeysucker last night regarding the delay and waste collection. We currently have several employees out due to Covid, if one person in the truck tests positive for Covid the other two individuals have to quarantine as well. We also have mechanical failure with our waste collection trucks, which sets us back from meeting the daily deadlines in each community. We have secured three trucks through a third party rental company, and a resolution is nearing completion to allocate Metro Water and Waste Services to buy four additional Trucks and open new positions to hire more employees.

What I've Been Up To:

• During the Holiday Season, I relaxed with my family. These last two years have been challenging, to say the least, and this time with my loved ones was exactly what I needed.
• I am working with the Mayor's office to finalize a pilot for North Nashville to have Illegal Dumping and Bulk Item removal on a weekly basis. Currently, we only collect these items four times a year, once each quarter. As you know, this is not enough.
• I am finalizing the boundaries for a Contextual Overlay in Cumberland Gardens. We will have a meeting later this month to discuss.
• There is a $70M request for community and small business development in North Nashville and Bordeaux. CMs Toombs, Hurt, and I are working to see this legislation through.
• The 37208 Fund Committee a sub committee of the 37208 Committee awarded North Nashville residents and business owners with a total of $28,000. This came out of an initiative of the 37208 Committee that was created in response to the Brookings Institution report on 37208's incarceration rate.

What's Happening Tonight

RS2021-1251 - This resolution would repeal Resolution No. RS2018-1171, which authorized the continuation of the Metropolitan Government’s vehicle inspection and maintenance program, also called the emissions testing program. The resolution under consideration would allow for the elimination of the vehicle emissions testing program in Nashville and Davidson County. The Metropolitan Department of Public Health would be directed to take any and all actions required to end this program.

BL2021-1010 - This ordinance, as substituted, would prohibit the operation of an entertainment transportation vehicles within 600 feet of a community education facility, defined as an elementary, middle, and high school, between the hours of 8am and 6pm Monday through Friday. The ordinance would also make it an offense for a person driving or operating an unenclosed entertainment transportation vehicle to knowingly allow a passenger to consume an alcoholic beverage or beer during the operation of the unenclosed entertainment transportation vehicle.

Dates to Remember

(All are Tentative Dates)

• 23rd Ave N Traffic Calming Meeting
  • Thursday, January 20
  • 6PM
  • Location: TBD
• Clay St./15th and 16th Aves N Traffic Calming Meeting
  • Thursday, January 20
  • 7:30 pm
  • Location: TBD
• College Hill Rezone Request Meeting
  • Sunday, January 23
  • 5:00 pm
  • Location: TBD
• Cumberland Gardens Community Meeting
  • Organizing a Community Group
  • Contextual Overlay
    • Tuesday, January 25
    • 6:00 pm
    • Location: St. Luke CME Church (Tentative) 

Lets Connect:

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon

There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:30 pm. An agenda has been provided and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

Happy New Year, We are Back in Session Tonight!

As we usher in the new year, I want to extend heartfelt wishes for joy, prosperity, and good health to each and every one of you. May this year bring new opportunities and positive moments for our wonderful community.

A quick reminder: we have an important city council meeting tonight. Last week's meeting was postponed, therefore, we are meeting on an off week. Unfortunately, I am traveling for my full-time work and will not be home in time, with weather delays, to attend the meeting.

Tonight's meeting seems to be pretty straightfoward. We have several memorializing resolutions and several other, keep the business of the city, moving resolutions. There is however one resolution that has caught the attention of several constituents - RS2024-158 - A resolution approving Amendment Number 2 to a sole source contract between the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County and Fusus, Inc. to increase the value of the contract.

This is a single source contract with Fusus Inc. Meaning that the city did not receive multiple bids which is normally required for a contract amount of this magnitude.

Fusus allows for members of the public to voluntarily register cameras and share videos with MNPD. MNPD maintains a map of registered cameras, but only authorized MNPD personnel have access to the registry map. The map allows MNPD to know if there are registered cameras within the vicinity of a crime or critical incident and to request footage from the registered camera owner. The camera owner can choose whether to provide MNPD with access to the footage. This technology also allows MNPD to access Metropolitan Nashville Public School cameras in real time in the event of an active shooter or similar emergency.

The amendment under consideration increases the contract value by $175,000, from $175,000 to $350,000.

What I've Been Up To:

• Baby P had his first Christmas and first New Year celebration! And his first little cold... This was tough! We are now working on crawling and pulling up.
  
  • Thank you!! I was happy to be able to spend so much time with my family during the holidays and over the course of the month!
• Clarksville Hwy and DB Todd Jr. Blvd. have been completed - AND IT IS NICE!! The smoothest ride down Clarksville Hwy in over a decade. Thank you for your patience with this over the past 4 and half years!
• I'm looking to host a few dinner nights at local restaurants in the District. Please email a few of your favorite spots in the District and we'll send a note out and have everyone join us for dinner.
  • I received a few restaurants, but need some more recommendations. I want to start this program soon.
• 2618 Buchanan St. - I, along with Cmdr. McClain, have received several reports and complaints regarding this property. Over the past week, we had some extremely dangerous activity that has erupted at this location. Cmdr. McClain and I, along with Metro Codes, previously worked on rectifying the issues at this property (this happened last fall). They currently are under investigation through Metro Codes and we should hear something soon, specifically with the most recent issues.

What's Happening tonight:  

This meeting should be shorter than most. Other than the Fusus Inc. bill, we do not have many items that will be heavily discussed. Also, the Fusus, Inc resolution will be deferred and we will host a special committee meeting for more discussion. The public will be invited to attend. Once the meeting is scheduled we will let you know.

We have five appointments to the Arts Commission and several Fire and Building Code Appeals Board, as well as, a few others.

RS2024-160 -A resolution appropriating a total of $25,000 from the Juvenile Court to The Center for Health Policy/Meharry Medical College, a nonprofit organization selected to receive Community Partnership Fund grants.

RS2024-163 -A resolution extending the time within which the Tax Incentive and Abatement Study and Formulating Committee shall study and submit its complete report and recommendations.

Dates To Remember:

• Check back for meeting dates and event reminders

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon

There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:30 pm. An agenda has been provided and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

• Baby continues to progress - Our latest fun has been watching him dance to Prince's song "Let's Go Crazy" This is his favorite song - Crying, play Prince. Grouchy - play Prince. Happy-play Prince -- He absolutely Loves this Song!
• College Hill Community Meeting Rescheduled - This meeting was postponed and I'll keep you posted.
• Jefferson St - Working with Planning and NDOT to schedule community engagement and listening sessions regarding the Jefferson St. Cap. A few years ago, Mayor Cooper initiated a Cap project in North Nashville along Jefferson Street that was met with opposition and pushback. We listened and did not move forward with that project, however, I wanted to make sure the funds and the option for additional funding remained in North Nashville - I've accomplished that, and we are working to hear directly from you on your thoughts of where this project should go from here - and it can be other than a Cap.
• Jefferson St./28th Ave Roundabout - Several months ago we held an active community meeting regarding the proposed roundabout. Many of you wanted to look at alternatives to traffic safety other than a roundabout and we worked through ways to provide that during the meeting. I'm working with NDOT to bring this conversation back to the community with updates regarding your thoughts and designs for your review. 

What's Happening Tonight:  

RS2024-604 -A resolution honoring the life of former Member of Council Edith Taylor Langster.

BL2024-187 -An ordinance amending Section 17.16.030 of the Metropolitan Code, Zoning Regulations to amend the conditions for adaptive residential developments located in non-residential zoning districts where residential uses are permitted with conditions 

BL2024-427 -An ordinance adopting a transit improvement program for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, approving a surcharge for the program, and requesting the Davidson County Election Commission to call a county-wide referendum election to be held on November 5, 2024, regarding the levying of the surcharge on certain taxes to fund the program.

BL2024-428 -An ordinance approving, ratifying, and adopting Chapter 68 of the Private Acts of 2024, authorizing the establishment of an East Bank Development Authority.

Dates To Remember:

• College Hill Community Meeting - Preservation Overlays
  • Thursday, August 1 
  • 6 PM
  • TBD (It will be in or close to the neighborhood, waiting for final confirmation)

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon

There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:30 pm. An agenda has been provided and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

Budget Season

Budget season will come to an end tonight... Hopefully. As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, the budget must be passed by the end of June. If the council does not pass a substitute budget or any amendments to the mayor's proposed budget, we must adopt the budget as proposed by the mayor.

Since our last conversation, Budget Chair CM Delishia Porterfield has proposed a substitute budget for the next fiscal year, presenting an alternative to Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s plan. Key aspects of CM Porterfield’s budget include a 4% cost-of-living adjustment for most Metro workers, a $1 million allocation for the Varsity Spending Plan, $300,000 for a contract and compliance board, $750,000 to expand the REACH program, $900,000 for the Nashville Public Defender’s Office, $250,000 for new Metro Human Relations Commission positions, and $400,000 for an equity study for Metro Arts.

I believe CM Porterfield has submitted a strong substitute that responds to the needs of our constituents and balances the budget. Even with the budget being tight, we will be able to provide a budget that works for the city. Her proposal reflects careful consideration of various priorities and constraints, aiming to enhance employee compensation and address community needs without imposing cuts on city departments.

What I've Been Up To:

• We are feverishly planning a 1-year birthday celebration for baby P! This year has been full of joy and so many surprises. We are grateful to you for your continued support and prayers as we navigate our new lives as parents! 
  • Toddler World here we come!! (We've already been here for two months, it's just official next week!)
• Along with NDOT and the Jefferson Street Historical Society, we hosted business owners and residents along Jefferson St to highlight some of the challenges and needed updates. This meeting/tour went well and we're looking forward to the next steps.
• 28th Ave N had speed humps installed - This was an award from the NDOT Traffic Calming Program.
• We'll be hosting an Elizabeth Park neighbor walk/meeting to discuss traffic calming - finalizing dates this week.
• North Nashville Transit Ribbon cutting has been postponed - it was to happen this week. Once I know the new dates, I'll share
• Tentative Dates for College Hill's Preservation Overlay Conversation - July 25

What's Happening Tonight:  

RS2024-539 -A resolution approving an agreement for the purchase of a parcel of property near the intersection of Youngs Lane and Baptist World Center Drive for a new fire station.

BL2024-373 - This is the annual budget legislation - and you can find the substitute budget here 

Dates To Remember:

• Check back for meeting dates and event reminders

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon

There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:30 pm. An agenda has been provided and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

Things you may not care about, but it's pretty interesting news...

• Birmingham Southern is still in the Division III College World Series and the University officially closed its doors last Friday.

Closed by Court Order

1613 Buchanan St has been a source of criticism, complaints, and anxiety for quite some time. For years, neighbors have loathed this property. It has been a hub of nuisances including prostitution, drugs, loitering, violent crimes, and other illegal activities. Community members have long worked to change the behavior associated with this property or remove the nuisance for good.

Well, you may have heard, that Star Market has been closed by court order. MNPD conducted several months of investigations into this market and found overwhelming evidence of nefarious acts. The owners have been cited for money laundering, criminal fencing, and other illegal activities.

Over the past five years, since I've been the District Councilman, I have heard from both old and new residents alike regarding their disdain for this store. Today, I received a call from a 72-year-old neighbor who has lived in the same house all their life. They were over the moon; it was one of the happiest days for them in this neighborhood.

Thank you to Cmdr. Anthony McClain for his diligent work in listening to the public and responding by removing this nuisance of a property. I also want to thank former Cmdr. Terrance Graves for his years of service to this area and for his efforts in working toward change for this property.

This was indeed a good day for North Nashville residents!

Fiber Disruptions Legislation - RS2024-519

I'm happy to sponsor this resolution that will address the ongoing disruptions caused by fiber installations in Nashville. The resolution requests the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) to enforce stricter regulations, ensuring timely permanent repairs and better coordination with the NDOT Paving Program. It also calls for a re-evaluation of NDOT’s standards to ensure compliance with local and national regulations. This will help mitigate the extended disruptions to vehicular and pedestrian access that our city has been facing.

Budget Season

Over the past few weeks, we've been discussing the budget. We've hosted the final budget hearings and held the council budget workshops. Tonight, we will host our second public hearing on the budget. This hearing gives the council a chance to hear directly from the public regarding the mayor's proposed budget. In the first public hearing, we were able to hear what you would like to see in the mayor's proposed budget. One thing that I've heard consistently is housing, and we've been able to work on that. I was happy to see that the mayor proposed a substantial amount of money for the Barnes Housing Fund. This is outstanding, I serve on the Barnes Housing Trust Commission, and we have seen an overwhelming amount of applications and are gearing up for another round of funding. The dollars allocated will help us fund several additional affordable housing projects next year.

As I mentioned in my last note, this budget is extremely tight. Budget Chair Porterfield has been working diligently to find funding for the council's wishlist. This wishlist is comprised of funding areas members felt were important to their constituents. However, it's been tough finding any wiggle room with a budget that is somewhat insolvent. 

After tonight's meeting, we will have a special called meeting next week to discuss the budget and then a final reading of the budget will be heard on June 18. By law, the council must approve a balanced budget by July 1 or the mayor's budget will proceed as the adopted budget for the year.

Budget Resources:

I wanted to keep these in front of you as we continue the budget process.

• Citizens' Guide to the Metro Budget
• FY25 Budget Book
• Mayor and Finance FY25 Budget Presentation
• FY25 Budget Quick Glance Infographic
• This Link will take you to all of the Budget Hearings and Council Budget Workshops

What I've Been Up To:

• I told you Baby P is walking... Well, he hasn't stopped yet. He's also now talking - I guess you can say talking, more of a squeal or a scream when I'm not moving fast enough with his oranges and bananas. He hasn't quite learned what patience means.
• Fisk University - I've heard from a large number of constituents asking for me to support Fisk University with a resolution that will allocate ARPA dollars towards Fisk's campus.
• Alleys - I've been hearing an uptick in requests for alley clean-ups and dumping issues. I've contacted NDOT and during my personal alley inspections, I have seen several crews clearing overgrown vegetation and debris from alleys.
• Traffic Calming Updates:
  • Speed Humps have been installed on 28th Ave N between Buchanan St. and Ed Temple
  • A four-way stop has been installed at the 9th Ave N and Clay St. intersection
  • This month I will be meeting with a neighborhood committee and NDOT to discuss traffic calming in the Elizabeth Park community.
• Finalizing dates for a community meeting with the neighbors in the Hadley Park/College Hill neighborhoods to discuss preservation overlays.
• June 14th I will be with NDOT doing a walk along Jefferson St at 10am

What's Happening Tonight:  

BL2024-373 and BL2024-389 - These are the bill numbers for the budget and capital improvements budget - respectively

RS2024-491- A resolution amending RS2022-1905 and RS2024-203 by changing the proposed uses of certain American Rescue Plan Funds appropriated to Fisk University.

RS2024-519 -A resolution requesting the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure to change minimum requirements for fiber and communications installations.

BL2024-353 - An ordinance authorizing Tennessee State University to construct and install an aerial and above ground encroachment at 3100 John A. Merritt Boulevard

Dates To Remember:

• Check back for meeting dates and event reminders

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon

There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight at 6:30 pm. An agenda has been provided and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, please do not respond to this email... You can reach me at [email protected].

Things you may not care about, but it's pretty interesting news...

• Manchester City won their 4th Premier League Title in a Row! This is a major record. 
• Nashville SC parted ways with Coach Gary Smith last week.
• Birmingham-Southern College will close its doors on May 31, however, their baseball team is slated to play after the school closes!
• Seems like the cicadas will be here until August - Sorry!

Budget Season

We are in the heart of the city's budget. I always like to point out CM Zulfat Suara's Budget Conversations and her Blog. I think she does a great job breaking down this information from a wide lens while bringing in the most recent historical aspects of how we got to this upcoming budget.

This budget isn't flashy... There are no tax increases proposed, it seems that the proposal is to remain flat (very modest budget increases), the Finance Director has deemed the city's fund balance is healthy, and the increased revenue is projected to grow less than 2%. Some highlights from the mayor's proposal are the 3.5% COLA increase for teachers and metro employees. There is also a 3% merit increase proposed for eligible employees, and there is a proposed $20 per hour minimum as the lowest salary for all Metro employees. The mayor has also proposed to complete projects that were funded in prior years that have not been completed with general fund dollars. 

Here is a glance at some of the budget proposals I've noticed...

• Fire Prevention and Control's year-over-year budget decreased (They had a $1M one-time appropriation - wanted to note this)
• Public Health and Hospitals increased by roughly $2M
• Recreational and Culture has reduced by $1M
• Public Libraries will see a nearly $600k increase
• Law Enforcement and the County Sherriff will see an increase of nearly $14M
• Infrastructure and Transportation will see an increase of over $3M
• Education will grow from $1.20M to $1.24M

Looking at the numbers reminds me of what I mentioned earlier, that the budget will remain flat. Looking at historical values year-over-year, none of these budget line items are seeing a drastic increase or decrease in their funding.

Budget Resources:

• Citizens' Guide to the Metro Budget
• FY25 Budget Book
• Mayor and Finance FY25 Budget Presentation
• FY25 Budget Quick Glance Infographic
• 05/16/24 Metro Council Operating Budget Hearings: Planning Commission
• 05/15/24 Metro Council Operating Budget Hearings: Fire/EMS
• 05/16/24 Metro Council Operating Budget Hearings Board of Education
• 05/14/24 Metro Council Operating Budget Hearings: Office of Homeless Services
• 05/14/24 Metro Council Operating Budget Hearings: Hospital Authority
• 05/16/24 Metro Council Operating Budget Hearings: Human Relations Commission
• 05/14/24 Metro Council Operating Budget Hearings: Social Services

What I've Been Up To:

• Baby P is walking!! Well, kinda walking... Picture a dizzy T-Rex stumbling down Broadway... More like that type of walking.
• I'm all in on the budget... The budget book is only 600 pages this year, which will save some time reviewing.
• Racist flyers in North Nashville - I am working with Metro Police to find the origin of the hateful and racist flyers that neighbors found littered throughout their streets. If you know anything or have camera footage along 10th Ave N, 11th Ave N, and Arthur Ave, please reach out to me directly.
• I have been checking in on a few constituents who have been sick and shut-in. I've taken some time to visit with a few widowers, neighbors in the hospital, and who are now home from the hospital. Please check on your neighbor, they may need some help.
• Buchanan Street safety... Following a shooting on Buchanan St on May 5, I received an overwhelming amount of correspondence from constituents. I have been in very close contact with Cmdr. McClain regarding several of the items brought forth in those messages. He is working to mitigate the problem areas and create an enforcement team to support the area. I joined a meeting with the business owners and they have seemed to put the earnest on themselves as well. They are taking this seriously and are holding each other accountable to make sure their customers do not disrupt our community like this again.
• LED Lighting in District 21... You may have noticed new and brighter lighting throughout the District. Along with NES, we are replacing some of our older lighting and updating the street and alley lighting.
• Neighborhood preservation - Working with a few neighborhoods to preserve their areas. We are looking at several ways, either with legislation to add preservation overlays, scale back the land use policy, etc.
• Beautification - I'm working with Codes and NDOT on beautification matters. NDOT is doing better at clearing the alleys, cutting back overgrown vegetation, and picking up bulk item waste. There are several absentee-owned properties that we are reviewing. I believe that the Codes department will take action on a few of these properties soon.

What's Happening Tonight:  

RS2024-351: A resolution requesting certain departments of the Metropolitan Government to provide a comprehensive analysis of recommended changes to increase the safety, security, housing resources for the unhoused, and cleanliness of the properties surrounding the Cumberland River within the downtown interstate loop.

BL2024-336: An ordinance approving a services agreement between the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, acting by and through the Metropolitan Mayor’s Office, and the Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (“EPRI”) for an Accelerating Resilience of the Community through Holistic Engagement and use of Renewables (“ARCHER”) project to minimize the potential burden on local residents due to insufficient energy resilience related to extreme weather events.

Dates To Remember:

• Check back for meeting dates and event reminders

I invite all District 21 residents to reach out to me directly with any information or concerns in our community. Email is the best form of communication, but invite you to call me as well. My contact information is below.

Contact information: Email - [email protected] / Phone: 615.946.9700

Best regards,

Brandon