There is a Metro Council Meeting tonight… An agenda has been provided, and you can watch the meeting live via channel 3 or stream live on your electronic devices. Also, I did not have a chance to send a newsletter on Thursday, March 5, therefore, I will add an update on the agenda from the last council meeting. Here is a link to the minutes from the March 5 meeting.
Rebuilding Nashville
On March 3, 2020, a devastating tornado ripped through the northern portion of District 21. The city immediately activated a disaster relief plan for those individuals affected by the storm - homes that are totally damaged to families that did not have power and electricity. I'd like to commend our first responders, Public Works, and NES for the work that they have done and are continuing to do to help rebuild our City.
The Mayor's office has prepared a Metro Storm Response page to help you navigate the opportunities for restoration. Disaster Relief & Assistance Centers have been opened to the public at three locations - North Nashville/Germantown at Hadley Park Community Center - 1037 28th Ave N, East Nashville at East Park Community Center - 600 Woodland St., and Donelson/Hermitage at Hermitage Community Center - 3720 James Kay Lane at each location, you will be able to register for potential aid from Red Cross, SBA, and FEMA. You will also be able to receive information and opportunities for support from Metro agencies to help you begin the process of restoring your lives.
As the Community Foundation receives gifts, local non-profit organizations will receive grants to aid in the relief of tornado victims. Some organizations have received gifts and are working on ways they will be able to assist neighbors as we rebuild.
Two weeks to date, we have restored electricity to all NES customers that can receive power and Public Works continues to move forward with clean up and debris removal. If you know of any areas that need immediate debris removal, please let me know via email at [email protected], and call 311 or visit hub.nashville.gov.
CM O'Connell shared a link to the Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) that has several helpful tools that you can use during your disaster relief. This link will be useful if you are in need of legal aid, need information regarding the filing of taxes for tornado victims, and legal clinics for families.
The city will continue to help with clean up and provide services to those affected. Please contact FEMA if you have had any loss during the tornados.
Coronavirus/COVID-19
For months, we've watched other countries struggle with the Coronavirus outbreak, and we all were certain that, in due time, we will be faced with making some of the same decisions.
The city has created a Coronavirus/COVID-19 Response and Information page. During this time, please use a commonsense approach to ensuring the spread of the virus is limited. Please continue to practice social distancing -the perceived or desired degree of remoteness between a member of one social group and the members of another, as evidenced in the level of intimacy tolerated between them - wash your hands repeatedly, clean and disinfect surfaces, cover your cough with your elbow, restrain from any unessential physical touch, stay home if you are sick, and if you are sick, please call your doctor immediately. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has great information on their website to answer any questions you may have.
Social Distancing is real... Please, if you are a resident, business owner, neighbor, or manager, to refrain from your everyday interactions and practice social distancing and be sure to allow others in your care to practice as it as well. This article by USA Today gives a great explanation of social distancing and other terms that we have heard over the last week or so.
A few countries and US cities have began to enforce lockdowns, CNN has a live feed that shares information about how the coronavirus is spreading globally. Just yesterday, San Francisco enacted a lockdown that will not allow residents to leave their homes due to the vast spread of the virus throughout the city. Some cities like Little Rock, AR, have initiated curfews for their residents. Their Mayor, Frank Scott, Jr. says "This curfew is to further discourage unnecessary social gathering." Nashville has not made a decision to mandate a curfew or a lockdown, but the Health Department has suggested that we as a city increase our practice of social distancing.
Please take this issue serious and understand that this is real and it matters how you protect yourself and others from this virus. Many Americans are questioning if the actions we see around the country are the right decisions or just an overreaction. I believe the decision to keep Nashvillians safe is the best decision. There have been 73 cases of Coronavirus reported in the state of Tennessee with Davidson County having the highest amount of cases with 42.
Stay safe, continue to move about with care. Wash your hands, if you exhibit any symptoms of Coronavirus, stay home and call your doctor immediately. I will continue to provide updates via social media and through email updates.
What to expect tonight:
Tonight's meeting will be managed differently from most council meetings. We are planning to only discuss business that is essential to running the city, i.e. capital spending plan, budget and finance resolutions and ordinances, tornado relief, coronavirus. Due to the request for social distancing, we are planning to defer items that are not deemed essential at the moment to allow for community members to join a public meeting at a later date.
Dates to remember:
- All in-person meetings (large/small groups or one-on-one) that I have scheduled are postponed in light of the increasing COVID-19 concerns.
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
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