Newsletter

Friday Recap February 6th, 2025

Bill Petty

07 Feb 2026 — 32 min read

My Comment

It has been a loaded week. This is the longest Recap I have ever presented as there is a lot going on. We are in "Budget Season" and there is going to be a lot of debate as each county department comes to us with their budget that we will approve or tell them to go back and sharpen their pencils.

Hospital sale

I have some updates on the sale process for the hospital. For the time frame of the Williams Health sale and information about Foley and Lardner, our legal counsel, go here. For latest update on the sale process go to Hospital update

My two resolutions

I have two resolutions that are on the agenda for the commission meeting on Monday. Resolution 2-26-20 deals with annexation. It was discussed in the joint Property and Tax Study committees who met on Wednesday. Both committees passed it. You can read the report below. Resolution 2-26-19 to create a task force to study our need to transition from volunteer to paid fire fighters. Both committees deferred it until September and you can read the explanation in my report below.

My Campaign

I am running for a second term as commissioner for District 10. You can go to Votebillpetty.com to get to my website. There are going to be over 40 people running for office in the primary on May 5th. Each district has two commissioners and District 10 has four people running. I will need all the support I can get. If you want to help, please go to my website and donate and/or get involved.

Grass Roots Citizens of Williamson County did an interview with me. Go to Grass Roots Spotlight to read it.

Candidates for the May 5th primary

Candidates running for county office in the May 5 primary

Candidates running for state office in May 5 primary

Meetings this past week were:

Budget, Law Enforcement and Public Safety, Education, Parks and Rec., Property, Tax Study, Public Health

Meetings next week:

Monday February 9th

Economic development Council will meet a 1:30 pm in the auditorium of the County Building at 1320 W. Main St. Committee members will meet to provide updates on their respective communities and areas of interest, in addition to electing a new board vice-chair and secretary.

County Commission will meet at 6:00 pm in the auditorium of the County Building at 1320 W. Main St. Agenda/Packet

Thursday, February 12th

Planning Commission will meet at at 5:30 pm in the auditorium of the County Building at 1320 W. Main St. Agenda/Packet

For all Franklin City meetings, go here

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The AI program I use is pretty accurate, but it does make mistakes from time to time and I don't always catch them. I provide agendas and videos/audios when I have them available and recommend that you watch the video and follow along with the summary to get the most accurate report.

One of the limitations of AI is that if a participant's name is not called out, then they are listed as participant 1, 2, etc. A limitation with audio, as opposed to video, is that one cannot always identify a person by voice alone. As imperfect as these AI summaries are, they still give a pretty good account of a meeting.

Williamson County School Board

Thursday, February 12th

School Board Work Session meeting at 6:00 PM in the Professional Development Center located at 1761 West Main Street, Franklin Agenda Video starts at 6:00 pm and thereafter.

Williamson County Commission Meetings

Monday February 2nd

Joint meeting of the Budget and Law Enforcement and Public Safety met. Agenda/Packet Video

Budget Committee members: Chas Morton (C), Guy Carden, Betsy Hester, Paul Web, Mayor Anderson. LEPS Committee members: Tom Tunnicliffe (C), Greg Sanford (VC), Pete Stresser, Matt Williams, Bill Petty

AI Summary

Overview

Budget Committee unanimously approved $17,850,000 in bonds for Hill property courthouse purchase while Law Enforcement Committee unanimously rejected both resolutions (4 nays)
Hill property is ~8 acres on Columbia Avenue with selling price of $17,080,000—owner's 2024 appraisal valued it at $22,000,000
Contract has 120-day due diligence period running through April 2026 and requires county commission approval at Monday, February 9th meeting
Both committees unanimously deferred Fire Rescue Task Force resolution to September 2026 to allow CTAS to complete their 6-month fire service study first
Key concerns raised: lack of current comparable property analysis, using bonds versus operating funds, and relying on 2-year-old appraisal

Hill property courthouse purchase

Budget and Law Enforcement committees held joint meeting to vote on bond resolutions for Hill property courthouse purchase
Resolution 2-26-7 authorizes publication of bond issuance up to $17,850,000 and starts 20-day clock for referendum petition
Resolution 2-26-8 authorizes actual bond issuance, sale, and tax levy for debt service
Hill property details:
- ~8 acres on Columbia Avenue in Franklin
- Selling price of $17,080,000
- Owner's appraisal from 2024 valued property at $22,000,000
- Must stay in City of Franklin per state law
County Mayor confirmed judges reviewed 2-3 other locations and selected Hill property as preferred site
Phase one environmental report completed and cleared with no issues
Contract is subject to county commission approval and 120-day due diligence period
County Mayor noted current courthouse was outgrown from day it opened and future needs assessment from 6-8 years ago confirmed required space will physically fit on Hill property site
Due diligence deadline runs in April 2026—county commission must approve contract in March or hold special meeting in April or deadline will pass
If contract falls through, bonds cannot be issued for another purpose since they specify courthouse construction
10% of registered voters (~11,000 people) could petition for referendum within 20 days of publication

Bond authorization process and split votes

Budget Committee voted unanimously in favor of both resolutions 2-26-7 and 2-26-8
Law Enforcement Committee voted unanimously against both resolutions (4 nays on each)
Jeff Mosley clarified that committee actions don't preclude county commission from hearing resolutions, but split recommendations will be reported out
Commissioner Petty raised concerns about increasing county debt when school district could request $12,000,000 just for lighting upgrades this year
Petty proposed using operating funds instead of bonds to avoid more debt
Commissioner Sanford expressed discomfort voting without doing personal research on property value and comparables
Sanford stated owner is naming his price at $18,000,000 and likely doesn't have other buyers, so will return to negotiating table if needed
Sanford noted 2-year-old appraisal is "worthless" in his professional opinion given market changes
Jim Cross committed to send 2024 appraisal to county commission before 9:00 AM the next day
County Attorney confirmed bond authorization doesn't specify location, only designates amount to be bonded
Phoebe noted county could pay $18,000,000 from fund balance instead of bonds, but would reduce capital funds available in coming months
One penny of tax generates ~$700,000 in rural area

Fire Rescue Task Force and CTAS study

Resolution 2-26-19 creates Williamson County Fire Rescue Task Force to study current and future fire protection needs
Resolution wasn't published on Budget Committee website—committee voted unanimously to hear it anyway per procedural rules
Commissioner Petty and Commissioner Lisa Hayes co-sponsored resolution
Petty explained rationale: county continues growing, some areas underserved, difficulty recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters, eventual need for paid firefighters
Connor Scott (Director of Public Safety) and Mike Wallace (EMS) reported volunteers are being overwhelmed
Commissioner Hayes cited examples:
- Ingram family fire required 6 fire trucks (2 from neighboring county), family displaced for 2.5 years
- Carrie Underwood's property fire—their 10,000-gallon water tank prevented worse damage
Connor revealed County Technical Advisory Service (CTAS) from University of Tennessee already launched 6-month fire service study
CTAS held kickoff meeting with 3 volunteer fire chiefs and County Fire Coordinator Jay Bonson 1-2 weeks before this meeting
CTAS study will cover:
- Community needs and resident input
- NFPA standards for response times and staffing
- 5-mile service areas for ISO standards
- Funding mechanisms (tax districts, county donations, other options)
- Staffing requirements and apparatus/station needs
CTAS completed similar comprehensive study for Knox County go here for the study.
Mark Alley is CTAS representative for fire service and offered to present to committees or full commission
CTAS study is at no cost to county, though County Mayor noted some associated costs will be needed
County Mayor referenced previous JJJ task force that took 1.5-2 years and noted CTAS helped with jail certification during that process
Law Enforcement Committee moved to defer resolution to September 2026 to allow CTAS to complete study first
Budget Committee followed with same motion to defer to September 2026
Both committees voted unanimously to defer
Connor confirmed CTAS study approach is strong based on Knox County report and provides outside expert analysis at no cost

Budget Committee met after the joint meeting Agenda/Packet Video

Committee members: Chas Morton (C), Guy Carden, Betsy Hester, Paul Web, Mayor Anderson

AI Summary

Overview

Committee approved FY 2026-2027 budget guidelines with 4% salary increase for full-time and part-time employees, 5% operational budget cuts across all departments, and case-by-case review for all new positions and capital expenditures
County consultant recommended 7-9% increase to maintain 75th percentile market competitiveness, but tight revenues allow only 4% cost-of-living raise
Property values grew only 0.5% since tax rate was set in June 2025, with sales tax, hotel/motel, and wheel tax averaging 4% growth—no capacity for raises without cutting operations and capital spending
Schools cannot afford 4% raise either ($13 million cost for 4%) and need county help, but county has no extra pennies available this year
Committee unanimously rejected $15 million LED sports field lighting project for 9 high schools covering 41 fields
Committee approved $4 million second-year funding for Grassland Middle School renovation (vote 4-1) and $1.8 million for Hillsboro K-8 renovation (vote 4-1)—both are year two of multi-year projects already underway
Mayor outlined storm debris cleanup plan: residents get 30 days of doubled landfill limits (10 tons vs. 5 tons) at no charge, highway department will pick up debris from right-of-way in unincorporated areas, county will lose approximately $3.2 million in waived tonnage fees

2026-2027 budget guidelines

Claire reported county made great strides with 75th percentile market focus last year through 5% raise plus mid-year 2% adjustment, but market continues moving aggressively
Consultant Steve Thompson (BTA Consulting) actively engaged in 10 competitive market studies across Middle Tennessee and recommends 7-9% range to stay at 75th percentile—anything less means falling below that target
Phoebe reported property values only increased slightly less than 0.5% growth as of January 1st using new appraised values, generating approximately $2.2 million in additional revenue
Sales tax, hotel/motel, and wheel tax averaging 4% growth—not enough to fund raises without dipping into fund balance
Mayor proposed 4% salary increase (slightly above 3.5% cost-of-living but below 7-9% market recommendation) funded by 5% operational budget cuts, case-by-case review of all new positions through HR committee, and bare minimum capital expenditures
All non-profit funding held at zero increase
Mayor emphasized county must say no to many requests this year to protect employee pay raises—budget extremely tight, similar to 2007-2009 period when county had only one year without raises

Employee compensation and market competitiveness

County moved to 75th percentile market focus last year after years of only targeting 50th percentile
National economists report great hiring spree during COVID is over, companies not replacing employees and finding they can get by with fewer staff, decreasing pressure on wage growth
Inflation still 3+%, so 4% is basically cost-of-living raise
High-demand areas still require more than 4% increase, but overall 4% is sustainable given projected growth
Schools project $13 million cost for 4% raise (1% equals $3.285 million for faculty and staff)
Schools included 94% property tax receipts in current budget (about $8 million), meaning those funds won't be available in fund balance next year
Schools separated further from rest of state on fiscal capacity indicator formula (Robin Hood formula), so any governor TISA funding increase will be offset by that gap widening
Schools anticipate staffing reductions and already reduced some positions last year during right-sizing

School capital project requests

Jason presented 3 capital items from school's five-year capital plan, noting he's more interested in getting staff cost-of-living raises than capital projects
Schools' operations budget is 15% operations and 85% people, with anticipated increases in insurance and utilities
5% operations cut would generate approximately $4 million but still wouldn't fund 4% raise
All school capital projects would be bonded in November since they don't qualify for education impact fees (renovations, not growth-related)
LED lighting project: Committee unanimously rejected $15 million intent to fund ($12 million first draw) to convert 41 fields at 9 high schools from metal halide to LED, including football stadiums, baseball, softball, soccer, and tennis courts
TVA offering rebates between $1-1.1 million if done now, though no deadline given and rebates cycle through periodically
LED lights would not pay for themselves over 20 years based on engineering analysis 8 years ago—savings would come from replacing bulbs with bucket trucks, better lighting, and some energy savings, but fields aren't on all the time
Grassland Middle School renovation: Committee approved $4 million second-year funding (vote 4-1) for 40-year-old building—this is year two of three-year $7 million total project with $1 million funded last year
Hillsboro K-8 renovation: Committee approved $1.8 million second-year funding (vote 4-1) for 45-year-old building—this is year two of projected $6.6 million total project with $3 million funded last year
Both Grassland and Hillsboro projects are at standstill until more funding approved—work has gone as far as it can with last year's funding, some funds would be lost on engineering drawings if projects not continued

Storm debris cleanup plan

Mayor thanked Sheriff, Public Safety (Connor), ambulances (Michael Wallace), highway department, and all county workers for outstanding work over last 7-9 days clearing roads and providing safety
Residents should be patient, cut trees and bushes, and leave on property or bring to right-of-way once roads repaired and power line situation handled
Mac at landfill raised limit from 5 tons to 10 tons for next 30 days starting last Friday at no charge to residents
Contractors will be charged unless resident is in vehicle to show they live in Williamson County
County will lose approximately $3.2 million in waived tonnage fees (normally $40 per ton)
County removed bins from all convenience centers for 30 days because people don't follow rules and leave debris outside bins after gates locked
For residents who can't afford contractor or don't have pickup truck, highway department will pick up debris from right-of-way in unincorporated area (not cities) once crews get rested
County will have 3 different drop-off points for highway crews to cut and store debris for efficient removal
Unknown if FEMA will reimburse county for debris removal—no information received in last 24 hours
Timeline for pickup: may be 2-3 weeks or a month, but county will get to it

Hospital consulting RFP

Commissioner Richards brought forward revised resolution to hire independent consulting firm to advise commission on potential Williamson Health transactions
Resolution failed 1-4 in committee vote
Richards revised earlier tabled resolution to be "more amenable" to 4 commissioners serving on hospital board—new version restricts them from RFP committee but allows them to vote on overall recommendation
Richards argued commission needs professional consulting representation just like hospital has, and hiring firm directly would be cheaper than going through county's outside counsel who would contract and upcharge
Richards noted many commissioners feel they weren't part of selecting outside counsel and want to be involved in hiring consulting firm
Legal counsel (Bob Cook) advised resolution is substantially similar to tabled resolution from last month—would require motion to remove tabled resolution before this one could be heard at full commission
Any commissioner can make motion to remove from table (doesn't require someone from prevailing side like motion to reconsider), but majority vote needed
Motion to remove from table would need to happen before Resolution 2-26-22 could be heard at Monday night commission meeting

DUI court donation

Committee unanimously approved $26,000 in donations to General Sessions DUI recovery court
$25,000 from DUI court foundation's annual golf tournament and $1,000 from community partner
Danielle Gomez (DUI court coordinator) explained proceeds go directly to participants for therapy, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and small portion for program components
Donations help build rainy day fund—federal grants were terminated 2 weeks ago but then rescinded 2 days later

County clerk postage budget

Committee unanimously approved $100,000 additional postage funding for county clerk
Jeff explained office already used allocated budget for postage but recoups money that goes to general fund, not back to clerk's office
From July 1st to January 16th, 78,000 renewals done online out of 111,000 total county renewals
Each online renewal automatically collects $3 for postage, so office collected much more than $97,000 starting budget
Online renewals keep lines down in office, and postage is collected on front end
Any unspent funds will be returned to general fund

Bond refunding for debt savings

Committee unanimously approved 2 companion resolutions to refund 2015 bonds (Series A and B portions) that are callable this year
County district refunding bonds resolution (2-26-9) and general obligation refunding bonds resolution (2-26-10) together will save approximately $900,000 total
Combined savings will recoup about $100,000 per year going forward
Sam Crites present to answer questions if needed

Animal center veterinary partnership

Committee unanimously approved lease agreement with Boop Vets to operate in Animal Center space
Partnership addresses community need for low-cost veterinary care for residents on fixed income or facing financial hardship
Example: elderly gentleman's wife passed away in 2025, couldn't afford biopsy for his chihuahua's mammary mass on fixed income—grant program allowed Animal Center to help
Boop Vets will pay lease, be reimbursed for white goods used (syringes, sutures), keep drugs and medical supplies separate with separate DEA license
All costs on Boop Vets' expense, they simply utilize some clinic space that Animal Center can rearrange
Dr. Birdwell (medical director) worked out process efficiencies so both clinics can operate simultaneously without getting in each other's way
Will not take business from private vet clinics—serves residents on fixed income, those with financial hardship, or referrals from local vets when clients can't afford care
Many elderly clients have long relationships with their vets, so vets will refer them to Boop Vets when cost is barrier

Juvenile court magistrate position

Committee unanimously approved establishing part-time juvenile court magistrate position
Judge Guffey requested position establishment so they can post for it
No new dollars requested—existing part-time line item will cover expenses

Volunteer firefighter investment transfer

Committee unanimously approved changing investment companies for volunteer firefighters' Length of Service Awards program administered by Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Service
Annuity trust fund transfer from Hartford to National Life due to interest rate changes
Hartford offering 3%, National Life offering 4.25%—better return for volunteers
No change in management company, still managed by existing company

Tactical armored vehicle acquisition

Committee unanimously approved resolution to acquire rescue tactical armored vehicle (name change from previous resolution passed last year)
Same resolution as last year to accept Homeland Security grant and sheriff's office funds—only change is vehicle brand from Lenco Bearcat to different manufacturer due to build timeline not fitting grant timeframe
Vehicle purpose-built for law enforcement operations, usable by whole county plus Homeland Security District 5 (multiple surrounding Middle Tennessee counties)
Funded by Homeland Security grant, will be Williamson County property
County's cost approximately $25,000-$30,000
Sheriff explained vehicle for high water rescue, officer rescue, riot/civil unrest, armor protection to enter kill zones
County previously had armored vehicle through LISO program but got rid of it, currently has 2 armored Hummers limited to 3 people each
Davidson County, Rutherford County, and other district counties have same vehicles
Regional Homeland Security grant program (approximately 7 counties including Davidson, Rutherford, Wilson) rotates which county gets vehicle each cycle—now Williamson County's turn
If other counties need vehicle, Williamson County deputies would drive it there and man it

Law Enforcement and Public Safety met after the joint meeting Agenda/Packet Video

Committee members: Tom Tunnicliffe (C), Greg Sanford (VC), Pete Stresser, Matt Williams, Bill Petty

AI Summary

Overview

Committee unanimously approved all 5 resolutions including a $26,000 DUI Recovery Court donation acceptance and authorization to acquire a rescue tactical armored vehicle for $323,000-$325,000
Vehicle acquisition funded primarily through Homeland Security grant ($297,000) with county paying approximately $25,000 difference
Committee established compensation for part-time juvenile court magistrate position using existing budget funds due to short staffing
Williamson County authorized to donate surplus plate carriers and over carriers to Hickman County

DUI Recovery Court donation acceptance

Committee approved resolution accepting $26,000 in donations for Williamson County General Sessions DUI Recovery Court
Resolution amends the 2025-26 Williamson County General Sessions Court budget to include the donation revenue

Surplus equipment conveyance to Hickman County

Committee approved conveyance of various law enforcement equipment to Hickman County, Tennessee
Equipment includes plate carriers and over carriers that were replaced this year
Participant 2 noted this continues the pattern of surplus donations from the last couple years

Part-time juvenile court magistrate compensation

Committee established compensation for a part-time juvenile court magistrate position
Position funded within existing budget with no additional appropriation needed for current fiscal year
Participant 1 noted the court is very short staffed and cases are stacked up
Future budget year funding may be challenging to secure

Rescue tactical armored vehicle acquisition

Committee authorized acquisition of a Teradyne rescue tactical armored vehicle to replace previously approved Lenco Bearcat
Vehicle change necessary because Lenco Bearcat production timeline didn't fit grant deadline
Total cost is $323,000-$325,000 with $297,000 covered by Homeland Security grant funds
County will pay approximately $25,000 difference from existing vehicle fund allocation
Vehicle features level 4/8 armor and has 6 months production time
Teradyne matches equipment used by Franklin Police Department

TDOT trash collection grant application

Committee authorized county mayor to execute contract with Tennessee Department of Transportation for trash collection grant
Grant is for fiscal year 2025-26 and represents continuation of annual grant program

Education Committee met Agenda/Packet Video

Committee members: Steve Smith (C), Bill Petty (VC), Chris Richards, Drew Torres, Judy Herbert

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ] Carolyn Robinson - Change minutes language from 'approved' to 'accepted' Correct previous meeting minutes regarding the five year capital plan vote language.
[ ] Brian King - Provide spending info on lights and labor by Monday Include costs for light replacement bulbs and labor contracts to help assess potential budget savings from LED upgrade. Due Monday, February 9, 2026.
[ ] Brian King - Provide timeframe for Hillsborough renovation completion Timeline based on summer start, assuming funding approval.

Overview

LED lighting upgrade resolution failed 2-3 after commissioners raised concerns about financing a 13-year useful life asset with a 20-year bond while teacher pay remains uncertain
Grassland Middle School renovation ($6M total, $4M first draw) and Hillsboro K-8 renovation ($3.6M total, $1.8M first draw) both passed despite budget concerns since design work is complete and stopping mid-project would increase costs
Budget committee concurrently voted unanimously against LED lights and 4-1 on both renovations (Mayor Anderson voted no on all three)
Schools' fund balance is at lowest point in years after using $8M for pay raises last year, and district cannot afford full cost of living increases that rest of county provides
Superintendent Golden confirmed teacher pay role obligation is $3.7M and each 1% raise costs $3,285,000

Sports field LED lighting upgrade

Resolution 2-26-2 requested $15M total funding with $12M first draw to replace old metal halide lights at all high school athletic fields (football, baseball, softball, soccer, tennis)
Brian King explained current lights fail frequently—maintenance replaces bulbs twice yearly but within two weeks more bulbs are out, sometimes reaching unsafe levels where games cannot be played
LED lights have 13-year useful life but would be financed with 20-year bond
TVA and Middleton Electric offered up to 10% rebate if project approved this year
Commissioner Torres opposed due to timing after budget meeting, optics of upgrading lights while teacher pay uncertain, and financing mismatch between 13-year useful life and 20-year bond term
Commissioner Torres noted Franklin High School athletic facilities are "atrocious" and questioned prioritization of lights over facility upgrades
Brian confirmed there would be electrical savings but not enough to offset costs due to limited usage compared to building lighting
Commissioner Herbert expressed concern about budget constraints and requested data on annual bulb replacement costs and labor before final decision
Resolution failed 2 yes, 3 no
Budget committee unanimously voted not to fund the lights

Grassland Middle School renovation

Resolution 2-26-3 requested $6M total funding with $4M first draw to continue renovation work
District received $1M last year for phase one and has completed design work
Brian emphasized stopping work mid-stream would cost more and delay completion
Commissioner Herbert suggested deferring to see budget situation later in year, but Brian noted work already started
Resolution passed with at least one no vote from Commissioner Herbert

Hillsboro K-8 renovation

Resolution 226-4 requested $3.6M total funding with $1.8M first draw for renovations including front entrance reconfiguration for safety
District received $3M last year and completed design work
School was built in 1981 and current entrance has wide open hallway after buzzer entry, allowing access to multiple areas before reaching office
New design will route visitors directly into office, meeting standard of three locked doors
Commissioner Petty visited facility and confirmed front area needs reconfiguration but questioned timeline for completing security improvements across multiple years
Brian explained timeline depends on funding approval but committed to providing schedule assuming summer start
Commissioner Torres supported this resolution over LED lights since it involves physical buildings with children
Resolution passed 3 yes, 1 no, 1 abstention (Commissioner Richards abstained)
Budget committee voted 4-1 with Mayor Anderson voting no

Budget constraints and teacher pay concerns

Schools' fund balance is at lowest point since Brian has been there after using reserves for pay raises last year
Property tax change from 92 to 94 last year eliminated $8M that would have gone to fund balance
District projects slight enrollment decrease and TISA funding flat or slightly down
Fiscal capacity gap expanded by four hundredths of a percent (approximately 0.04%)
Schools cannot afford cost of living increases that rest of county provides to employees
Teacher pay role (state-required pay chart) costs $3.7M annually
Each 1% raise across all employees costs $3,285,000
District's per pupil expenditure has hovered around 50th percentile statewide for years
Some classified positions (electricians, etc.) have automatic increases every 5 years on pay structure
Superintendent Golden's top priority is finding way to provide cost of living increase for first half of employees
Commissioner Herbert noted district did excellent job cutting budget last year, best she's seen since becoming commissioner
Brian confirmed district is reviewing every line item again this year but has less to cut after last year's reductions
Mayor Anderson told budget committee that if county provides cost of living increases, they'll have to start saying no to some things

Capital plan language clarification

Commissioner Richards noted minutes incorrectly stated five-year capital plan was "approved" with 4-0 vote when committee only "accepted" the report
All three resolutions also referenced that commissioners "approved" capital outlay needs
Staff agreed to change language from "approved" to "accepted" throughout documents since plan is not set in stone

Tuesday February 3rd

Parks and Recreation Committee met Agenda/Packet Video

Committee members: Drew Torres (C), Mary Smith (VC), Lisa Hayes, Gregg Lawrence, Meghan Guffee, Sean Aiello

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ] Gordon Hampton- Pass committee's appreciation to staff volunteers Thank staff who volunteered for EMA phone lines and warming shelters during the storm.

Overview

Committee unanimously approved resolution authorizing license agreement with Beamon Toyota for naming rights on the county's NEFCO LED aquatic video/timing board at $1,000/month
Board delivery expected by end of week (around February 6-7, 2026) with installation planned for week of February 9th after county commission approval
Parks had no building or pipe damage from recent storms, but nature parks remain closed due to dangerous conditions and may take several weeks to reopen
Storm debris removal will take months due to inability to rent chippers and volume of material
6 parks staff worked warming shelters and others manned EMA phones during the emergency

Beamon Toyota aquatic video board naming rights

Committee approved Resolution 226-17 authorizing the county mayor to execute a license agreement with Beamon Toyota for naming rights on the NEFCO LED aquatic video/timing board
Beamon Toyota purchased and donated the digital video board to the county
License fee set at $1,000/month (nominal amount since Beamon Toyota donated the board)
Board delivery expected by end of week (around February 6-7, 2026)
Installation scheduled for week of February 9th after county commission approval
Resolution passed unanimously

Storm damage and parks recovery efforts

Parks had no damage to pipes or buildings that would delay opening or require services like Servpro
Nature parks remain closed due to dangerous conditions from fallen limbs and limbs hanging in trees
Nature parks may take several weeks to reopen safely
Peacock Park is open
Timberland Park is inaccessible because The Trace national parkway is closed
Large amounts of debris in piles throughout parks, with public adding their own debris to county brush piles
County cannot find chippers to rent, causing delays in debris removal
Chipping reduces volume significantly—one pile unchipped requires 10 truckloads vs 1-2 truckloads when chipped
Storm remnants will likely be visible for a couple of months
6 parks staff volunteered to work warming shelters and others manned phones for EMA during the emergency
County made all rec centers available for showering, which many people used
Fairview warming shelter served more Davidson County residents than Williamson County residents

Wednesday, February 4th

Property Committee met Agenda/packet Video

Committee members: Ricky Jones (C), Barb Sturgeon (VC), Brian Clifford, Jennifer Mason, Matt Williams

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ] Participant 6 - Order appraisal for courthouse property Current appraisal is couple years old at ~$21.7M. Need updated appraisal before March property committee meeting to evaluate $17.85M purchase price.

Overview

Committee deferred the $17,850,000 courthouse property bond to March pending a new appraisal of the 5.5-acre site valued at $21.7 million in a 2-year-old appraisal
Judge Veile testified that current courthouse facilities are severely inadequate despite population doubling since the building opened in 2004, with judges lacking courtrooms and only 2 jury trial rooms for criminal cases
Committee approved BOOP (Better Outcomes for Owners and Pets) nonprofit vet clinic lease at Animal Center to provide affordable care for low-income residents at no cost to taxpayers
Hospital RFP process paused pending county input—commissioners must submit community covenant priorities by February 20th for review at February 25th property committee meeting before March 9th County Commission vote

Courthouse facility needs and challenges

Judge Veile testified that current courthouse facilities built between 2002-2004 were inadequate when completed and are now severely lacking as county population has doubled
Circuit court has fewer jury trial courtrooms than judges, with only 2 courtrooms available for criminal jury trials
Clerks work in hallways and judges constantly compete for courtroom space
Historic courthouse cannot be used for trials with defendants in custody because it lacks a holding cell
Judge Veile described the proposed 5.5-acre Columbia Avenue property as a "unicorn" due to its footprint, downtown location, and parking availability

Courthouse property purchase bond and deferral

Resolution 2267-8 proposed $17,850,000 general obligation bond to purchase nearly 5.5 acres for new 125,000 square foot courthouse
Owner provided 2-year-old appraisal valuing property at $21.7 million and is asking $17,850,000
Committee voted unanimously to defer resolution to March pending new county appraisal, which Jim Cross committed to order and complete within 30 days
Contract has 120-day due diligence period from effective date of December 7-9, 2025, extending to approximately April 2026, with 30-60 day close after due diligence
Deferral to March meeting accommodates Downtown Neighborhood Association and Downtown Business Members Association requests to survey residents and business owners
Jim Cross explained the 2019 master plan for expanding existing courthouse would not meet future needs and provided no new parking beyond existing garages
Structured parking costs run $35,000-$40,000 per space above grade
City height restrictions limit buildings to 2 stories directly on Columbia Avenue but allow 3 stories set back from the street
Phase one environmental study completed quickly to support decision timeline

BOOP nonprofit vet clinic lease agreement

Committee unanimously approved Resolution 2614 authorizing lease with BOOP (Better Outcomes for Owners and Pets) nonprofit vet clinic at Williamson County Animal Center
Dr. Preston founded the nonprofit to provide affordable vet care for low-income and fixed-income residents who cannot afford full-price services
BOOP will lease space from the county, reimburse for white goods used, and maintain separate drugs, DEA license, and malpractice insurance at no operational cost to taxpayers
Animal Center director shared example of elderly man who nearly surrendered his Chihuahua after his wife's death because he couldn't afford a biopsy—grant funding saved the dog and kept them together
Clinic will accept referrals from local vets regardless of family income and serve residents who lack ability to pay full vet prices
Dr. Birdwell (Animal Center medical director) designed clinic flow to share space without disrupting county operations

Routine resolutions approval

Resolution 2612 approved unanimously to declare county-owned property and equipment surplus and authorize auction sale with 3-page attachment listing items
Resolution 2613 approved unanimously to surplus and convey law enforcement equipment (ballistic plates and related items) to Hickman County
Resolution 2617 approved unanimously authorizing Beeman Toyota naming rights on county's Navco LED aquatic video timing board at indoor sports facility in Brentwood, which Beeman paid for
Resolution 2618 approved unanimously granting easement to Middle Tennessee Electric to reset 2 utility poles on county property for Columbia Avenue expansion near TMA garage

Hospital RFP process and county involvement

Jesse Neal reported that hospital and Kaufman Hall agreed to county requests for transparency and input after commissioners sought more involvement in RFP process Go here for latest Update
Hospital provided evaluation criteria used to date and requested county's additional criteria, priorities, and community covenant requirements
RFP process paused—hospital has not winnowed the field or sent "letter two" to participants pending county direction
Jesse emphasized community covenants and commitments impact healthcare access for generations and should be led by County Commission
Kaufman Hall and Bass Berry & Sims told Jesse they are holding next communication to RFP participants pending guidance from County Commission
Jesse recommended commissioners identify 3 priority factors to signal to potential partners by Monday's meeting as starting point, with comprehensive list to follow

Community covenants and commitment priorities

Commissioner Mason emphasized maintaining prisoner care services at current 30% of charges rate and ensuring sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE nurses) available on every shift or on-call
Jesse recommended telegraping prisoner care as priority now so potential partners can account for it in proposals rather than addressing it haphazardly at end of process
Commissioner on hospital board noted every additional community service obligation drives purchase price down and suggested itemizing elements to compare prices with and without each obligation
Committee discussed potential role for foundation seeded with sale proceeds to maintain community services like EMS and prisoner care
Debate over children's hospital requirement—one commissioner argued it's a money-losing operation averaging 8 patients per month and too close to Vanderbilt, while hospital board member countered that new partner could provide specialties Vanderbilt withheld to keep patients in Nashville
Committee established process: commissioners submit covenant suggestions to Carolyn by close of business Friday, February 20th, property committee reviews February 25th, final list presented to County Commission March 9th
Jesse circulated packet with customary covenants and commitments based on other hospital transactions applied to Williamson County context
Committee acknowledged need to review provider contracts for "get out of jail clauses" that allow providers to leave if hospital is sold

Joint meeting of Property and Tax Study Committees Agenda/Packet Video

Property Committee members: Ricky Jones (C), Barb Sturgeon (VC), Brian Clifford, Jennifer Mason, Matt Williams. Tax Study Committee members: Lisa Hayes(C), Gregg Lawrence (VC), Drew Torres, Mary Smith, Steve Smith

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ]- Send meeting recording to Kristi To help with typing up amendments.
[ ] Carolyn Robinson - Type up amendments and send list of amendments discussed during the meeting for both committees.

Overview

Both committees approved Resolution 2-26-20 requesting state legislation on growth plan and annexation reform—Tax Study passed 5-0, Property passed 4-1
Both committees approved Resolution 2-26-22 to create an RFP committee for hiring an independent hospital consultant—Tax Study passed 4-1, Property passed 3-1
Hospital resolution was significantly amended to have the steering committee appoint the five-member RFP committee per county rules, and Property Committee removed conflict of interest language excluding hospital board commissioners
State Senator Hensley and Representative Monty Fritts already filed SB 2311 addressing annexation approval requirements and financial impact reporting
Commissioner Petty scheduled meeting with Franklin officials Patrick Baggott and Eric Stuckey for February 11th to discuss growth concerns

Public comment on growth and annexation concerns

Janet Curtis requested approval of Resolution 2-26-20, citing three key issues: financial impact statements before annexation, non-contiguous annexation creating "islands of city control," and granting county residents the right to opt out of the urban growth boundary
Curtis argued county residents bear tax burden for city expansion but have no representation in annexation decisions
School overcrowding crisis highlighted: Mill Creek Middle at 117% capacity, Page Middle at 100%, Thompson Station Elementary near 98-100%, and Nolensville Elementary over 105%
District enrollment reached 41,374 students with schools hitting effective crowding around 90% capacity due to specialized programs and disability accommodations
Curtis noted Loudoun and Maury counties already passed similar resolutions unanimously

Growth plan and annexation reform resolution overview

Commissioner Petty emphasized resolution isn't criticizing county leadership but addressing infrastructure strain from rapid growth—county grew from 91,000 to nearly 300,000 residents and built 27 schools since 1990
Petty raised concerns about West Haven area development adding high-rises and 800+ homes across from Armistead with only a two-lane bridge over Harpeth River—earliest new bridge completion is 2032
Commissioner Hayes noted residents felt unrepresented during 2024 growth plan discussions when hundreds requested removal from UGB and were immediately denied
Kristi Ransom explained she revised the original sample resolution circulating among counties because it referenced wrong public chapter numbers and requested relief that wouldn't accomplish stated goals
Resolution requests delegation consider seven items including financial impact studies, non-contiguous annexation restrictions, and UGB opt-out provisions

County authority over plans of services

Resolution requires cities submit plans of services to county for review and comment, with county legislative body approval required when county infrastructure will be impacted
Kristi Ransom clarified every annexation already requires a plan of services approved by the city, but current law doesn't require county review or approval
Commissioner Torres questioned whether plans can offer "no services"—Kristi explained plans must include minimum information about service timing and delivery, with annexed landowners having standing to challenge unfulfilled plans
commissioner Hayes emphasized county needs ability to review plans since county provides services and is fiscally responsible for impacts
Commissioner Williams raised concern about county having veto power over city annexations, noting this could be perceived as overreach

Non-contiguous annexation and UGB opt-out provisions

Resolution requests prohibition of non-contiguous annexation to prevent "donut hole" developments in rural areas
Commissioner Lawrence noted Franklin City Attorney pushed back hard on provision requiring property owner consent for UGB inclusion and allowing removal upon request
Lawrence observed this creates same problem as non-contiguous annexation but in reverse—donut holes within the UGB
Kristi confirmed provision would create patchwork that makes city planning difficult
Commissioner Hayes argued residents who don't want development shouldn't be trapped in UGB with no ability to opt out

Collaboration with municipalities and potential conflicts

Commissioner Torres expressed concern resolution could damage goodwill built with municipalities through recent growth plan process
Mike Matteson from planning staff noted Williamson County has "really good relationships" with municipalities compared to other Tennessee counties where cities and counties "don't get along at all"
Growth plan update process resulted in Thompson Station excluding most residents who didn't want inclusion, and Franklin maintained similar UGB size to 20 years ago
City managers Eric Stuckey and Jason Gage from Brentwood sent emails expressing concerns about the resolution
Commissioner Chaz emphasized importance of maintaining collaborative relationships while giving county residents more voice

State legislation strategy and delegation approach

SB 2311 already filed requiring municipalities obtain county legislative body approval for annexations and submit reports to county
Commissioner Williams suggested resolution pits counties versus cities and won't succeed at state level—proposed instead requesting bill modeled after Williamson County's interlocal agreement process
Williams noted 95 county mayors versus 400+ city mayors statewide means state representatives typically won't support county-versus-city legislation
Commissioner Petty acknowledged delegation will receive resolution as considerations, not mandates, and may not adopt all provisions
Petty emphasized need for "meaningful conversation" and cooperation between county and cities on growth impacts

Interlocal agreements and roundtable meetings

Kristi explained Williamson County's growth plan included novel interlocal agreement preventing cities from annexing outside UGB except for economic development projects approved by mayors' roundtable
Agreement requires revisiting plan in five years to prevent it sitting dormant for 20 years like previous plan
Growth management roundtable of all jurisdiction mayors meets quarterly to discuss shared issues, with transportation being key focus
Mike confirmed roundtable meetings are public with published agendas allowing citizen comment like any committee meeting
Commissioner Morton suggested adding county commissioners to roundtable to give county more voice in growth discussions

Independent hospital consultant resolution

Resolution creates special committee to initiate RFP for independent consulting firm to advise county commission on potential Williamson Health transactions
Commissioner Hayes argued county needs same level of professional expertise as hospital, which hired Kaufman Hall as consultant
Commissioner Hayes emphasized consultants play different role than legal counsel and likely cost less than other resources
Commissioner Matt Williams opposed resolution as "completely redundant" since hospital board already hired strategic consultant and will share information with commission if recommending sale
Hospital board set timeline for April recommendation with county decision in May—Commissioner Greg called this "too quick" for adequate public input

RFP committee composition and conflicts of interest

Original resolution proposed five-member committee excluding the four commissioners serving on Williamson Health Board of Trustees
Commissioner Torres objected to excluding hospital board commissioners, arguing it unnecessarily calls them out and they could provide valuable operational insight
Property Committee voted 3-1 to remove conflict of interest language from whereas clauses and committee exclusion provision
Tax Study Committee voted 4-1 to keep whereas language but remove exclusion provision
Commissioner Matt Williams stated "if nominated, I will not serve" and requested not to be considered for committee

Resolution amendments and procedural matters

Both committees amended resolution to have steering committee appoint five committee members per county rules rather than full commission vote
Kristi clarified amended language: "The commission hereby creates a special committee to initiate a request for proposals and retain an independent consulting firm to advise the county commission regarding potential transactions involving Williamson Health"
Property Committee removed whereas clauses six, seven, and eight referencing conflicts of interest
Tax Study Committee removed whereas clauses six and seven but kept clause eight
Kristi noted original resolution on this topic was tabled at last commission meeting and will need to be pulled off table and replaced with amended version

Thursday February 5th

Public Health Committee met Agenda/Packet Video

Committee members: Barb Sturgeon (C) Sean Aiello, David O’Neil, Chris Richards, Mary Smith,

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ] Participant 4 - Draft NES board representation resolution Resolution asking state legislature to amend statute allowing counties served by NES to have board representation. Due Monday morning at latest.

Overview

Committee approved $17,000 donation to Animal Center for contract veterinarians to perform spay/neuter services
Committee approved lease agreement with Boop Vets to operate a low-cost nonprofit veterinary clinic at the Animal Center 3 days per week using a sliding scale pricing model
Committee approved $25,000 state-funded Health Department tuition assistance program ($10,000 in 2026, $15,000 in 2027) for public health and nursing education
Commissioner proposed resolution asking state legislature to allow counties served by NES to have board representation
Animal Center staff showed exceptional dedication during ice storm with 4 employees staying from Friday morning through Tuesday at 3:30 PM to maintain minimum staffing levels

Animal Center donation for spay/neuter services

Committee approved $17,000 donation from Friends of Frederick Washington County Memorial Center for contract veterinarians to perform public spay/neuter services
Andrea explained the Animal Center's medical director Dr. Bardwell handles care for all shelter animals plus some public spay/neuter, but contract vets are needed for additional public services
Friends of the Animal Center reimburses the shelter for spay/neuter services provided to qualifying low-income residents who complete special applications
Donor specified the funds must be spent on veterinary services

Boop Vets low-cost clinic partnership

Committee approved lease agreement allowing Dr. Preston to operate Boop Vets nonprofit clinic at the Animal Center
Dr. Preston has been a veterinarian in the community for many years and wanted to open a nonprofit clinic to serve residents who cannot afford standard vet care
Clinic will operate 3 days per week with sliding scale pricing based on income qualification
Two pathways for service:
Private vet referrals require no income qualification
Walk-in clients must provide proof of need similar to tax freeze requirements for elderly or fixed-income residents
Boop Vets will operate independently with their own software, DEA license, and malpractice insurance
Partnership benefits the Animal Center through lease payments, ability to use Boop's equipment like ultrasound machines, and lower costs on bulk purchases of supplies like syringes and sutures
Dr. Bardwell and Dr. Moser coordinated client flow to prevent overlap between the two operations
Ondrea Johnson gave an example of elderly couple with Yorkie that broke its leg—their vet splinted it but they couldn't afford orthopedic surgery, so the break didn't set and required amputation that Animal Center performed using a $10,000 Community Foundation grant
Partnership allows animals to stay with their families instead of being surrendered to the shelter for treatment and rehoming

Animal Center ice storm response

4 Animal Center employees stayed from Friday morning through Tuesday at 3:30 PM to maintain minimum staffing levels during the ice storm
Minimum staffing requirement of 4 is based on national standards that prescribe employee-to-animal ratios
EMA opened warming shelters at Fairview and Franklin High School that allowed people to bring their pets
Animal Center provided crates and supplies to support pet owners at warming shelters, including someone who brought their bearded dragon
Grace Tunnicliffe had her 21st birthday while locked in the shelter during the storm
Sheriff's deputy called Andrea at 9 PM on Monday night to get cat food for an elderly couple, and Grace Tunnicliffe met the deputy out front to provide it
Andrea drove to work with a caved-in Bronco roof after a tree fell on her car and her husband cut it off with a chainsaw
Community members dropped off cookies and other items for staff staying overnight

Health Department tuition assistance program

Committee approved $25,000 cost reimbursement contract with the state for employee tuition assistance through 2027
Program provides $10,000 in 2026 and $15,000 in 2027 for Department of Health employees entering public health or nursing programs
Health Department presented the educational policy to the committee in August 2025 and received the contract Friday, January 30, 2026
Health educator was accepted to a PhD program at TSU and is seeking tuition reimbursement through this program
Funding comes entirely from the state with no county cost

NES board representation proposal

Commissioner O'Neil proposed resolution asking state legislature to amend statutes to allow counties served by NES to have board representation
NES board has 5 members all appointed by Metro Nashville Mayor with no representation from Williamson, Sumner, Cheatham, or Robertson counties despite serving customers in those areas
Commissioner O'Neil characterized the situation as taxation without representation since counties pay electric bills and rates but have no say in decisions
Commissioner O'Neil requested the resolution be ready for full commission meeting on Monday, February 9, 2026
Commissioner Smith suggested expanding the resolution to cover all utilities including water districts
Commissioner O'Neil emphasized the ice storm response failure and lack of tree maintenance as immediate issues requiring attention
Multiple commissioners offered to co-sponsor the resolution

Friday, February 6th

The SSD Taskforce met and I was unable to attend. I know they are continuing to go through the county regulations looking for ways to improve how we permit septic systems. They will have a public meeting and final report in April.

Board of Mayor and Aldermen

No meetings this week because of the storm

For all meetings next week go here. The next BOMA meeting is January 13th

Election Commission

No meetings this week or next

If not me, who?

If not now, when?

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1)

“We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer gently.” (1^st Corinthians 4:12-13)

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves" (Philippians 2:3)

Blessings,

Bill

pettyandassociates@gmail.com

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