Friday Recap for June 6, 2025

My Comment

It's June 6th, which is D-Day. In remembrance, I am sharing a prayer that was prayed by millions of Americans as the troops embarked on the invasion that fateful day in 1944 that marked the beginning of the end of WWII and the freeing of the people of Europe. President FDR is credited with writing it with help from his daughter and son-in-law.

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home - fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas - whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them - help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too - strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen.

Given the times we are in internationally, nationally and locally, I think this prayer is appropriate for us all. We are all cracked pots in need mending and prayer is good for our souls.

Did You Know

Solid Waste in Williamson County

Most of us seldom think about the solid waste we throw away each week, but it has to get picked up and put somewhere. We have an excellent solid waste system here in Williamson County and here is the link to their website. Disposing of our waste is not a simple process of digging a hole and burying it. A landfill site is a highly technical endeavor run by professionals who know what they are doing, and we have a great staff at ours. I particularly like their mission statement:

Our mission is to have a comprehensive, innovative, countywide solid waste management system that is flexible, sustainable, coordinated and built on a foundation of sound environmental principles with collaboration of county departments and municipalities.

There are two videos that I highly encourage you to watch that will give you a better feel for what our solid wast department does on a regular basis. A tour of the facility. How we recycle. note: as you watch the tour video, the term leachate will come up, go here for an explanation of what it is and why it is important.

This past week the following committees/commissions met:

Monday June 2nd

• Williamson County Budget Committee
• Williamson County School Policy Committee

Tuesday June 3rd

• Williamson County Purchasing and Insurance Committee
• Public hearing of the Williamson County 2025-26 budget

Wednesday June 4th

• Williamson County Highway Commission
• Williamson County solid Waste Board

AI Disclaimer:

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.

• Enjoying Friday Recap? Take a minute now and forward it to 3 people. Copy this https://friday-recap.ghost.io/ghost/#/editor/post/680aad97ab206e0001e15b3f in your email.

Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Subscribe now. 👇

Williamson County School District

Monday June 2nd

Policy Committee met Agenda Audio

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Dana - Get feedback from principals on wireless device policy language Obtain feedback from principals regarding the specific language for defining instructional time and enforcement details for the wireless communication devices policy before the work session, particularly around whether study hall should be included in instructional time and how to clearly define when devices can and cannot be used.
• [ ] Participant 1 - Forward Forsyth County Schools link to board members Send the link to Forsyth County Schools' cell phone policy information and implementation materials to all board members for their review.

Overview

• Committee approved assessment policy 4.601 for second reading, requiring tests to be released to students and parents unless specific security exceptions apply
• Physical activity policy 6.411 updated to comply with new state law requiring 45 minutes daily for elementary and 90 minutes weekly for middle/high school
• TCAP score weighting set at 15% for high school end-of-course exams, 10% for grades 6-8, and 0% for grades 3-5
• Committee moved toward bell-to-bell cell phone restrictions for K-8 students, with high school restrictions during class periods only
• Parent consent forms will be simplified due to new state law eliminating requirements for basic first aid and approved school activities

Assessment and test release policy

• Committee approved policy 4.601 for second reading after revisions from last work session
• Policy requires tests to be released to students and parents as default practice, with exceptions for test security concerns
• Exceptions include common formative assessments, final exams, and tests with curated questions that require prior principal approval
• Teachers must have reassessment methods for essential standards when students don't demonstrate mastery
• Participant 4 confirmed administration supports the policy changes emphasizing default test release
• Participant 3 noted policy gives teacher teams autonomy to determine reassessment approaches while ensuring equity between classrooms
• Policy addresses previous school-level restrictions that limited IEP team flexibility for individual student accommodations

Student wellness physical activity requirements

• Policy 6.411 updated to comply with new state public chapter requirements
• Elementary students require 45 minutes daily of physical activity, including unstructured play when weather permits
• Middle and high school students require minimum 90 minutes weekly of physical activity
• Elementary restrictions: walking to/from class, electronic device time, and PE class time don't count toward requirement
• Middle/high school restrictions: only walking to/from class doesn't count toward requirement
• PE classes can count toward the 90-minute requirement for secondary students
• Current implementation varies by school with some offering activities during lunch periods and intervention time
• Participant 6 confirmed no schools reduced specials time to meet the 45-minute elementary requirement this year

TCAP score weighting in grades

• Policy 4.700 establishes TCAP score weighting percentages across grade levels
• High school end-of-course exams weighted at 15% of student's semester grade
• Middle school TCAP scores (grades 6-8) weighted at 10% of student's second semester grade
• Elementary TCAP scores (grades 3-5) will not be used for student grades
• Participant 7 clarified students taking high school courses in middle school will have those weighted at 15%
• Q-brief methodology will continue to be used for calculating final scores from state assessments

Wireless communication device restrictions

• Committee discussed new state law requiring cell phone policy by July 1st
• Current practice varies: middle schools restrict devices all day, high schools allow during non-instructional time
• Committee favored bell-to-bell restrictions for K-8 students, matching current middle school practice
• High school policy would restrict devices during class periods only, allowing use during lunch and passing time
• Participant 5 advocated for community education campaign before implementing stricter high school restrictions
• Technology committee will provide recommendations for comprehensive rollout in fall semester
• Policy must define "instructional time" and address enforcement procedures for violations
• Smartwatches and wearable devices included under wireless communication device definition

Parent consent form updates

• New state law eliminates consent requirements for approved school activities and basic first aid
• Nursing forms simplified - no longer need consent for ice packs, band-aids, or approved video/voice recordings
• Prescription and non-prescription medication consent requirements remain unchanged
• Counseling consent forms will be revised with tiered approach for different service levels
• Library book consent forms will continue as required by board policy
• Updated forms will be distributed in July after new law takes effect
• Families registering now will receive additional forms in July via Skyward

Next Week

Thursday June 12th

School Board Work Session meets at 6:00 PM in the Professional Development Center unless otherwise noted. The PD Center building is located at 1761 West Main Street, Franklin. Agenda Video starts at 6:00 pm live streamed or anytime later.

Williamson County Commission

Williamson County Commission committees

Special Note: Since Williamson County does not record any meetings other than the commission, budget committee and planning commission meetings, I am recording all the meetings that I attend on my iPhone. We are in the process of reviewing a technology upgrade that will allow the county to record more meetings as well as include agendas, minutes and packets on our website. I will keep you up to date when progress is made.

Monday June 2nd

Budget Committee met Packet. Video

AI Summary

Overview

• County approved $500,000 additional funding for jail medical costs, bringing total annual medical budget to $2.3 million due to inmates staying longer and arriving with more serious health conditions
• Renaissance Festival generated $1,294,950 net revenue despite 4 days of rain, with over 80,000 tickets sold
• School board received $900,000 for controversial science textbooks that cost $19,000 more than budgeted amount
• Multiple end-of-year budget transfers totaling hundreds of thousands approved before June 30th fiscal year end
• Fire service agreements approved with Nolensville ($250 per call, estimated $70,000 annually) and Fairview for emergency response coverage
• $1,163,173.88 transferred from School Balance fund to the county for debt service and principle on Energy Systems Conservation.

End-of-year budget transfers

• Election commission received $51,239 total across three transfers for equipment maintenance, dues, memberships, and licensing needs
• County clerk transferred $3,700 from printing to communication, dues, travel, and operating expenses
• Sheriff's office transferred $100,000 into medical and dental services, with monthly TK Health payments of $84,000
• Property management received $50,000 total for overtime, maintenance repairs, and $27,000 for electricity costs
• Public safety transferred $16,000 for disaster response overtime from Florida and North Carolina deployments
• Health department received $3,293 to complete Fairview clinic upgrades
• Highway department transferred $21,000 from bridge construction to traffic signal installation at Oxford Glenn and Clovercroft
• Parks and recreation transferred $55,700 for part-time staff reclassification and facility maintenance

School textbook funding controversy

• School board approved $900,000 for science and AP textbooks despite previous budget reduction of $1.5 million
• Participant 4 confirmed this was the controversial textbook selection between teachers and school board
• Amount represents $19,000 more than originally budgeted, not $900,000 above alternative textbook costs
• Participant 4 noted Ms. Farmer (WCS CFO) projected this expense during budget process

School special education and insurance adjustments

• $150,000 transferred from contracts with private agencies to mileage and other contracted services for special education
• $20,000 approved for additional custodial expenses from facility rental revenue by nonprofits
• $700,000 appropriated for liability, workers comp, and property insurance claims based on actual versus projected costs
• $300,000 approved for trustee commission payments, exceeding $5.1 million budgeted amount

Jail medical costs crisis

• Participant 6 detailed inmates arriving sicker and staying longer, with some medications costing $600 monthly per inmate
• One inmate with stage four kidney failure stayed from May 15, 2024 to May 2, 2025 requiring dialysis
• Three current inmates have medications costing $3,900 monthly combined
• County received only 6 male state prison bed transfers (50 total inmates) and 4 female transfers (8 total inmates) from July 1, 2024 to present
• Recent example: $310,000 hospital bill negotiated down to $81,000 for esophageal varices treatment
• Participant 5 noted one penny of tax rate equals $1.8 million, with medical costs exceeding that amount

Fire service interlocal agreements

• Nolensville agreement approved for $250 per call reimbursement, estimated $70,000 annually for closer emergency response
• Fairview agreement approved for similar primary response arrangement for calls closer to their stations
• Connor Scott noted working on auto aid agreement with Franklin for structure fires to improve insurance coverage for residents outside 5-mile radius
• Mayor Anerson questioned state reimbursement for Interstate 840 responses, noting counties serve state highways with volunteer departments

Renaissance Festival financial results

• Gross revenue of $2,284,950 with $990,000 expenses yielding $1,294,950 net revenue
• Over 80,000 tickets sold despite 4 days of rain during 9-day event
• $70,000 transferred to sheriff's department for deputy coverage, with reserves helping stay under budget
• Festival generated over 20 tons of garbage and 300 gallons of cooking oil
• Participant 9 thanked multiple departments including sheriff, EMS, EMA, IT, and Arrington Volunteer Fire Department

Health department backpack program donations

• $13,561.33 approved for 22nd annual backpack giveaway serving over 2,500 kids
• Amendment added Cigna Insurance Company and St. Paul Episcopal Church to donor list
• Participant 2 confirmed no conflict of interest with Cigna donation

Property sales and easements

• Comcast easement approved along Orton Highway for communication hub installation at no cost to county
• Nolensville purchased 0.226 acres for $104,000 for Sunset Road expansion near convenience center
• Osborne Park and Castle Park designated for perpetual public recreation use under LPRF grant requirements

Grant approvals and programs

• $175,800 dental services grant approved with state of Tennessee for health department
• $46,595.83 reimbursement received from Tennessee Emergency Management Agency for North Carolina and Florida hurricane deployments
• Sheriff's office evidence-based program manager position approved with Educare partnership, including Matrix model, parenting curriculum, and Moral Recognition Therapy
• $8,400 Mars Pet Care donation approved for K9 program dog food

Tuesday June 3rd

Purchasing & Insurance Committee met Resolution Audio

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Participant 4 - Present stop loss contract to county commission for approval Present the approved stop loss insurance option 3 (12-month contract at $61.85 individual premium) to the county commission meeting on Monday for approval, either as a late-filed resolution or through a special called meeting if needed before July 1st deadline.
• [ ] Participant 6 - Prepare legal memo on county's authority regarding medical procedure coverage Prepare a one or two page memo outlining the county's authority as a self-insured entity regarding what medical procedures can and cannot be covered, including duties for required coverage, risks and exposures if electing to deny coverage, and relevant federal law requirements including Obamacare, state law, and policy requirements.

Overview

• Committee voted to exclude stop loss insurance from broker consultant scope and approved 12-month CIGNA renewal at $61.85 individual premium (15% increase from current $53.78)
• Urgent July 1st deadline drove decision as 30-day consultant process would leave county without stop loss coverage
• $3.3 million laser claim for 24-year-old male employee will impact costs regardless of chosen option
• County attorney to prepare legal memo on authority to deny medical procedures as self-insured entity
• Stop loss decision goes to full commission Monday, June 9th for final approval

Stop loss renewal deadline urgency

• Current stop loss contract expires June 30th, 2025 with July 1st renewal deadline
• 30-day consultant process would extend past deadline, leaving county without coverage
• CIGNA provided emergency renewal options to avoid coverage gap
• Committee faced choice between expensive 6-month bridge or 12-month contract

Broker consultant scope reconsideration

• Committee voted unanimously to reconsider previous motion requiring consultant for stop loss
• Participant 5 motioned to exclude stop loss from consultant scope to meet July 1st deadline
• Consultant will still assist with medical benefits negotiation and future stop loss bidding
• Broker consultant proposals due June 17th with committee to vote on selection later

Coverage options and cost comparison

• Option 1 (6 months): $116.98 individual premium with $200,000 pooling point
• Option 3 (12 months): $61.85 individual premium with $400,000 pooling point
• Committee approved Option 3 for $4,342,361.60 total annual premium covering 5,851 individuals
• Six-month option would cost approximately $8.2 million annualized versus $4.3 million for 12-month option

High-cost laser claim disclosure

• 24-year-old male employee has condition requiring $3.3 million gene therapy procedure
• Laser claim will impact county costs regardless of chosen stop loss option
• Procedure recently FDA-approved and administered in hospital setting
• CIGNA confirmed this is medical claim, not prescription drug coverage

Prescription drug coverage evaluation

• County currently has no prescription drug stop loss coverage
• Adding Rx coverage would increase premium from $61.85 to $68.57 per individual
• Tim from CIGNA estimated break-even scenario with approximately $500,000 paid in and out
• Committee chose not to add Rx coverage based on historical claims data

Legal authority for procedure denials

• Jeff Mosley (county attorney) to research county's authority to deny medical procedures as self-insured entity
• Legal memo will address federal law requirements, Obamacare mandates, and state law obligations
• Discussion included gender-affirming care procedures with anticipated policy changes under new federal administration
• No claims made for gender-affirming procedures to date according to county attorney

Commission approval process

• Mayor plans to present stop loss decision to full commission Monday, June 9th as late-file resolution
• Risk of two commissioners objecting could prevent hearing, requiring special meeting June 20th
• New contract requires commission approval before July 1st implementation deadline

Budget Committee held hearing on 2025-26 budget Video

AI Summary

Overview

• Budget Committee conducted public hearing on $904,145,990 proposed 2025-26 fiscal year budget with $1.34 per $100 tax rate
• Committee amended budget by $72,000 for overlooked contract, bringing total general fund to $174,079,520
• Sheriff Hughes requested competitive pay for deputies, citing staffing challenges and compensation gaps with neighboring agencies
• Citizens raised concerns about tax burden affordability and budget oversight processes
• Final budget decisions scheduled for June 20th at 9:00 AM after receiving state education funding numbers

Budget presentation and tax rates

• Total proposed budget presented at $904,145,990 across all county funds
• County General Fund budgeted at $174,007,520, General Purpose School Fund at $565,306,797
• Reappraisal year requires revenue neutral tax rate of $1.88 per $100 of assessed value
• Budget Committee recommended $1.34 per $100 tax rate on May 13, 2025
• County General Fund rate set at $0.28, General Purpose School Fund at $0.77, General Debt Service Fund at $0.15

Public hearing comments

• Frank Limpus questioned Election Commission's $300,000 budget overage request above $1.4 million proposed budget
• Limpus criticized pattern of submitting operating budgets then requesting additional funds late in fiscal year
• Sheriff Hughes advocated for competitive deputy pay, noting 60 vacant positions filled in first year but compensation remaining core issue
• Hughes emphasized public safety workforce of 350 men and women requires competitive compensation to recruit and retain quality employees
• Elise Farrell urged committee to use alternative revenue sources and avoid increasing tax burden on everyday taxpayers

Budget amendment for omitted contract

• Committee discovered $60,000 contract to county commission approved last year was omitted from current budget
• Participant 5 motioned to amend budget, Participant 4 seconded the motion
• Final amendment amount corrected to $72,000 for contract approved in February 2025
• Amendment passed 3-0, increasing total general fund budget to $174,079,520

Future budget process timeline

• County Commission meeting scheduled for next Monday with potential budget changes but no formal budget agenda item
• Final budget meeting set for June 20th at 9:00 AM for all remaining decisions
• Committee still awaiting final state education funding numbers, typically received 2-3 days before deadline
• Budget staff analyzing additional revenue streams and commissioner suggestions before final meeting

Wednesday June 4th

Highway Commission met Agenda

Solid Waste Board met. They approved three resolutions for an interlocal agreement for solid waste backup service in case of an emergency with the City of Murfreesboro, the City of Franklin, and Rutherford County.

Public Health Committee was cancelled due to lack of a quorum.

Next Week

Monday June 9th

County Commission meets at 6:00 pm in the County Administrative Office Complex Main Auditorium, 1320 W. Main St. Franklin Packet Video

Thursday June 12th

Budget Committee meets at 4:30 pm in the Executive Conference Room Williamson County Administrative Complex 1320 West Main Street Franklin, Minutes Resolutions Video starting at 4:30 pm and anytime after.

Planning Commission meets at 5:30 pm in the Williamson County Administrative Office Complex 1st Floor  Main Auditorium 1320 West Main Street Franklin Packet Video starting at 5:30 pm and anytime after.

These are all public meetings and anyone can attend.

Williamson County Commission Committees

Board of Mayor and Aldermen

To see the meetings from last week, go here

Next Week

Tuesday June 10th

BOMA Work Session meets at 5:00pm in the Williamson County Administrative Office Complex 1st Floor  Main Auditorium 1320 West Main Street Franklin Agenda Video starts at 5:00pm and there after.

BOMA Meeting meets at 7:00 pm in the Williamson County Administrative Office Complex 1st Floor  Main Auditorium 1320 West Main Street Franklin Agenda Video starts at 7:00pm and there after.

Thursday June 12th

Budget and Finance meets at 3:00 pm at the Eastern Flank Event Facility
1368 Eastern Flank Circle, Franklin Agenda Video starts at 3:00 pm and there after.

Election Commission

There were no meetings this week and none 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.” (1^st Corinthians 4:12-13)

Blessings,

Bill

pettyandassociates@gmail.com

Community resources

If you like Friday Recap, check out these other grassroots conservative projects!

• Williamson County Citizens Provides free tools and information to help grassroots conservatives exercise their citizenship here in Williamson County.
• 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

Want to support Friday Recap? Forward this newsletter to 3 people and invite them to subscribe. Use this link

Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Subscribe now by clicking below.