Friday Recap for February 14, 2025
Williamson County GOP Re-organization Convention
As, I am sure, many of you know, we will be holding the Williamson County GOP re-organization convention on March 4th. This re-organization is required every two years according to Tennessee Republican Party bylaws. Here are the particulars:
What: GOP Re-Organization Where: Liberty Hall at the Factory in Franklin When: March 4th, 2025 Time: Doors open at 4:30 pm and close at 6:00 pm Why: to choose our leaders for the Williamson County GOP for the next two years.
There are eight positions on the board, and they are Chairman, 1st Vice Chair, 2nd Vice Chair, 3rd Vice Chair, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary and Assistant Secretary.
The current board has done a terrific job and we would like to see them continue. It seems that there is some confusion as to the conservative credentials and accomplishments of this board. To be clear, they have grown the organization both in regard to membership and donations. Here is a summary of their accomplishments:
· Increased membership 68%.
· Increased Chairman’s Circle donations by 62%.
· Quadrupled funding to Republican candidates with in-kind and cash donations.
· Quadrupled the party’s cash on hand from a starting balance of $40,000 in April 2023 to an estimated $160,000 by the end of their term.
· Reduced illegal crossover voting in Republican primaries by 43% with a targeted educational campaign to Williamson County voters.
Three of the current board are stepping down, but their replacements are immensely qualified to take their place.
For full information about the slate and how to register, please go to Elevate 2025. I recommend that you register online because, if you don't, you will have to wait in line at the convention while someone with a computer verifies that you are a qualified participant, which is the new term that replaces the term bona fide. The doors open at 4:30 pm and close promptly at 6:00 pm. Anyone not in line at 6:00 pm will not be allowed in.
This is a very important election, and we need every republican in Williamson County who is a qualified participant to attend and cast their vote. The term qualified participant has replaced the term bona fide in Rule E of the TNGOP bylaws. To be clear, they both mean essentially the same thing, so, if you have been bona fide in the past, you will be a qualified participant now. The bottom line is, if you register and your record shows that you have voted in three of the last four republican primaries, you are good to go.
To be a qualified participant, you must reside and be registered in Williamson County and must have voted in three of the last four republican primaries either in Williamson County or elsewhere. If you are new to Williamson County and have not lived here long enough to have voted in three of the last four republican primaries but have in another county or another state, you can still qualify. All you have to do is contact the election commission where you voted and ask them to send you, via email, your voting record and forward it to 2025reorg@williamsongop.org
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Williamson County School District
The school board met for their monthly work session on Thursday Agenda Video. The members present were: Bostic, Clements, Johnson, Beasley, Hibma, Galbreath, Driggers, Welch, and Cash. Those absent were: Brown, Wyatt, and Reeves.
If you want to understand the school budget, you need to listen to the entire discussion which starts at the 0:10:00 mark and runs to 1:50:00 mark. The budget process each year is very detailed and requires a lot of study to understand. There are terms, like General and Rural that have specific meaning that you need to know.
You need to know that the school budget is actually four budgets, which are General Purpose, Central Cafeteria, Extended School, and Capital expenses, and they look like this for fiscal year 2025-26:
To be clear, these budget numbers are a draft and there will be much more discussion not only from the school board, but the county commission. All county budgets are finalized in June every year and must be approved by the 24 county commissioners. I can’t encourage you enough to study the draft budget which is item 3.a of the agenda
Next week is the monthly board meeting is on Tuesday the 18th at 6:30 PM in the Auditorium at the Williamson County Administrative Building. Agenda Video. The Administrative Building is located on the first floor at 1320 West Main Street, Franklin, TN 37064.
If you want to speak at this meeting:
If you’d like to speak during public comment, please send your name, complete mailing address, topic of comments and any organization you represent to publiccomment@wcs.edu. You may sign up for public comment for the next meeting between Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 12 p.m. through Monday, February 17, 2025 at 12 p.m.
Williamson County Commission
On Monday, the County Commission met agenda video. It was a relatively short meeting. Judge Deanna Johnson from the Recovery Court spoke and Commissioner Gregg Lawrence posted the following:
Monday night, Judge Deanna Johnson came to our meeting and gave us an overview of the current state of the Recovery Court. If we take an honest assessment of how our traditional methods of justice are working in the war on drugs, we must admit that they have largely been a failure. Often, we have made the problems worse, not better by sending non-violent offenders to prison which starts a vicious cycle of failure. Recovery court is an initiative that was started several years ago that represents a new model that I believe should be the model for the future of criminal justice involving drug offenders. I would encourage all of you to attend this fundraiser and you will see firsthand how lives are being changed for the better and as Judge Johnson pointed out Monday night, real recovery is taking place and taxpayers are spared the enormous expense of the incarcerating these non-violent offenders.
Another highlight from the meeting was the passage of Resolution 2-25-2 which is in the agenda above. This resolution, as amended, allows us to do a study to see if increasing the amount and scope of the Adequate Facilities Tax in Williamson County is a net positive for us. You can hear the debate and vote on this resolution starting at 1:06:32.
The Planning commission met on Thursday Agenda Video
Next week
The Board of Health will meet on Tuesday at 5:00 pm in the Executive Conference Room of the Williamson County Administrative Complex, 1320 West Main Street, Franklin. Agenda
The Law enforcement/ Public Safety Committee is meeting on Wednesday at Williamson County Administrative Complex Executive Conference Room 1320West Main Street Franklin. There is no agenda or packet available.
Board of Mayor and Aldermen
The Beer Board met on Tuesday Agenda Video
The BOMA Work Session met on Tuesday Agenda Video
The BOMA Board Meeting met on Tuesday Agenda Video
The board voted, seven to one with Alderman Peterson as the lone no vote, to do a study for the Smith family annexation initiation which is number nine on the agenda. Also, in the consent agenda was the approval of the gay pride festival permit.
Budget and Finance met on Thursday Agenda Video
Sustainability Commission met on Friday Agenda no video
Next week looks like this here
Williamson County Election Commission
There were no meetings this week and non are scheduled for next week.
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.” (1st Corinthians 4:12-13)
Blessings,
Bill
Community resources
If you like Friday Recap, check out these other grassroots conservative projects!
- Williamson County Citizens is a volunteer network of local voters that elect grassroots conservatives to public office.
- TruthWire News covers a broad spectrum of political and governmental issues, from the actions of your local school board and county commissioners to the machinations of city councils and state government officials.
- Tennessee Voters for Election Integrity is helping restore confidence in Tennessee Elections.
- Williamson County Republican Party is one of the most active parties in the state and captures the conservative heart of Tennessee.
- Mom's For Liberty Williamson County is dedicated to fighting for the American family by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government.
- Tennessee Stands produces video media, podcasts, and live events, and provides social commentary on relevant issues in our state.
- M4LU is a new site developed by the national Mom's for Liberty but generated right here in Williamson County. The mission of M4LU is to to inform, equip, and empower parents with knowledge, understanding and practical tools.
- WCSB Substack. This site reports on the Williamson County School Board meetings. It provides accurate summaries of all WCSB meetings.
Help educate citizens of Williamson County
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