Friday Recap for May 9, 2025

My Comment

Last week, I explained the problem Williamson County is having with payments from the state. I do have one correction. I stated that we are only getting $4,400 per student; actually, we are only getting $4,294. This past Monday, three school board members and three county commissioners filed a complaint in the Chancery Court of Tennessee for The Twenty-First Judicial District, Franklin claiming that the discrimination in issuing funds based on fiscal capacity is unconstitutional. Read the complaint here. As I mentioned, most of the other counties in the state get $7,295 per student and if we could get an additional $1,500 per student, we wouldn't have an unbalanced budget and more importantly, we wouldn't have to add the yearly capital expenses to our debt. Our capital expenses are north of $40 million this year.

Did you know?

I'm starting a series I'm calling Did You Know?, to explain all the parts of our county and what they do. We have 27 departments/commissions that make our county run, plus a 52 school school district. There are a lot of moving parts and each department has an important function. Most of us take the services our county provides for granted, at least I know I do. We don't think about where our trash goes, or what happens to a child when they break the law. Behind every service there is a dedicated group of people operating to ensure, for example, that a fire truck, ambulance or sheriff's deputy comes to our aid when needed or something as simple as registering our car. Here is the organizational chart and here is a page where you can get more information about each department/commission. Also, you can see what's happening in our schools here.

I have already visited with a number of the department heads and have had tours of their operations. Next week I will be sharing my experience from the Juvenile Court.

This past week the following committees/commissions met:

Monday May 5th

• Williamson County Budget Committee
• Williamson County School Board Policy Committee

Tuesday May 6th

• Williamson County Public Records Commission
• Williamson County Parks and Recreation

Wednesday May 7th

• Williamson County Highway Commission

Thursday May 8th

• Williamson County Planning Commission

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.

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Williamson County School District

The Policy Committee met on Monday May 5th agenda audio

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Vicki Hall - Share requested discipline data Share the discipline data that was requested by board members, including ISS/OSS data disaggregated by behavior type.
• [ ] Dana - Investigate energy drinks in schools Investigate whether energy drinks (Celsius) are being sold in schools and if they comply with nutrition guidelines.
• [ ] Lydia - Pass along concerns about school snacks Pass along to Mr. Golden the board's concerns about nutritional content and pricing information for snacks sold at schools.
• [ ] Dana - Add "and parents" to policy 4.601 Add "and parents" to line 19 on page 1 of policy 4.601 regarding test and quiz access.
• [ ] Lee - Share seven points of discipline focus Share the seven points of discipline focus with the board members.
• [ ] Lee - Provide elementary school schedule examples Provide examples of elementary school schedules showing how they will implement the 45 minutes of physical activity requirement.
• [ ] Dana - Update policy 4.7001 for first and final reading Update policy 4.7001 regarding TCAP weight percentages for first and final reading at the next meeting.
• [ ] Lee - Meet regarding school's test correction policy Meet with Maria and Dave regarding a school's policy on test corrections that limits students to only getting back up to a 60% if they scored below 60%.
• [ ] Dana - Make corrections to Student Wellness policy Fix the redundant sentences about physical activity not being used as punishment in policy 6.411 Student Wellness.
• [ ] Dana - Review service delivery logs language for special education policy Review language with Tony regarding service delivery logs for special education policy 4.202 and prepare for potential amendment at the board meeting.

Overview

• Committee reviewed five education policies including special education service logs, parent/student test access, TCAP test weight (reduced from 15-25% to 5-15%), and student wellness requirements
• Board decided not to add service delivery logs requirement for speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists after extensive discussion about administrative burden
• New state law requires elementary students to receive 45 minutes of unstructured physical activity daily and middle/high school students to receive 90 minutes weekly
• Board approved maintaining TCAP test weight at 15% for final grades, which data shows impacts only 7% of students' letter grades
• Committee agreed to revisit student code of conduct policy to examine consistency in discipline practices, particularly around bullying and harassment

Special education service delivery logs

• Committee reviewed proposal to require service logs for speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists
• Participant 3 clarified the proposal would not apply to direct instruction teachers, only to specialized service providers
• Participant 7 explained that service providers have caseloads of 40-80 students weekly, making detailed logging potentially time-consuming
• Participant 2 noted the district has had fewer than 5 parent complaints about services in the last two years
• Participant 2 confirmed the district has had no due process complaints during her tenure regarding service delivery
• Participant 8 explained that classroom teachers already monitor when students leave for services, providing an existing check on service delivery
• Committee decided against adding the service log requirement due to concerns about administrative burden on providers

Parent and student access to tests and quizzes

• Board reviewed new policy 4.601 requiring teachers to allow students to review and retain copies of tests and quizzes
• Policy exempts common formative assessments, final exams, and performance-based assessments from being sent home
• Board agreed to add "copyrighted materials" to the exemption list to address ELA test security concerns
• Participant 8 explained the policy aims to balance test security with student learning needs
• Policy requires teachers to communicate their assessment practices through course syllabi at the beginning of the year
• Committee discussed concerns about test retake policies varying between schools, with some schools limiting retakes to a maximum score of 60%
• Board agreed to move forward with the policy while monitoring implementation and potentially revisiting specific grade limitations next year

TCAP test weight in final grades

• State Board of Education changed allowable TCAP weight range from 15-25% to 5-15% of final grades
• Staff recommended maintaining current 15% weight for consistency
• Participant 8 presented data showing TCAP scores affected only 7% of student grades (5% increased a letter grade, 2% decreased)
• Data showed 100 fewer D and F grades resulted from including TCAP scores at 15% weight
• Board agreed to move policy forward for first and final reading at the next meeting

Student wellness and physical activity requirements

• New state law requires elementary students to receive 45 minutes of unstructured physical activity each full school day
• Middle and high school students must receive 90 minutes of physical activity per full school week
• Physical activity must include outside play when weather permits
• Law prohibits withholding physical activity as punishment or discipline
• Participant 6 expressed interest in eventually increasing elementary physical activity time to 60 minutes daily
• Elementary schools have already adjusted schedules for next year to accommodate the 45-minute requirement
• Board agreed to review sample elementary schedules before finalizing the policy

Student code of conduct and discipline consistency

• Committee discussed concerns about consistency in discipline practices across schools
• Participant 9 explained the district has standardized responses for seven key behaviors including bullying, harassment, and school threats
• Participant 1 questioned whether current discipline approach for bullying (mandatory ISS) allows enough flexibility
• Participant 9 noted middle schools have improved in-school suspension programs to include counseling and behavior modification
• Board requested discipline data showing patterns of infractions and consequences across schools
• Participant 9 mentioned a bullying task force led by Vicki Hall will begin meeting to review prevention and response practices
• Committee agreed to revisit the policy after receiving more comprehensive discipline data

Next Week:

School Board Work session meets on Thursday May 15th agenda Video at 6:00 PM in the Professional Development Center located at 1761 West Main Street, Franklin. Video starts at 6:00pm or anytime thereafter. Public comments are not allowed at work sessions, however, anyone is welcome to attend and watch the proceedings.

Williamson County Commission

Williamson County Commission committees

Monday May 5th

The Budget Committee met agenda minutes 4/21 minutes 4/22 minutes 4/29 Joint Budget/Education minutes 3/24Association of city mayors dues capital requests resolutions Tn county survey transfers school proposed budget sheriff's dept compensation study

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Brad - Email security technology cost breakdown Send email to the commission with the breakdown of security technology costs per school before the end of the week.
• [ ] Phoebe - Prepare tax penny increase scenarios Create scenarios showing what could be done with different tax penny increases (8, 9, 10, 11 cents) and using fund balance to prepare for the Tuesday, May 13, 2025 meeting.
• [ ] Brad Coleman - Provide property tax impact information Prepare information showing what the proposed tax increases would mean for property taxes of average homes in the county, including examples for $800,000 and $1,000,000 homes.

Overview

• Budget committee approved $34,498,756 for county capital projects and $43,073,656 for total capital budget including solid waste and highway
• Committee approved $565,306,797 for the school budget with a projected funding gap of $12 million (approximately 7 pennies on tax rate)
• Property reassessment showed county assessed value growing from $19 billion to $29.3 billion, a 52% increase
• Committee approved $267,475 for additional jail nursing staff (84 hours per week) to address critical staffing shortages
• Committee reviewed sheriff's compensation study with options ranging from 65th to 95th percentile market rates
• Property tax rate will need to decrease from current 1.88 to approximately 1.21 to remain revenue neutral after reassessment
• Each new penny on tax rate will generate approximately $2.7 million in revenue

Budget transfers for library, finance, and public safety

• Committee approved $43,800 transfer for library from utilities and other services to data processing supplies and library books
• Committee approved finance department transfer for additional printing, stationery supplies, and travel expenses
• Committee approved $2,000 transfer for public safety from office supplies to postal charges

Highway department budget amendment for inclement weather

• Committee approved $50,000 amendment to highway department budget for overtime charges related to inclement weather
• Funding to come from unappropriated highway fund balance

Refuge Center funding for opioid abatement services

• Committee approved agreement with Refuge Center for counseling to provide opioid abatement and remediation services
• Funding to come from opioid abatement funds

School security technology funding

• Committee approved $13,815,425 intent to fund for school security technology needs
• Golden explained this is year two of a three-year plan for access control systems
• Security improvements include classroom door access control, paging systems, intercom and emergency systems, video cameras, and network security

School maintenance and renovation funding

• Committee approved $12,153,000 intent to fund for major asphalt, roofs, and HVAC needs
• Committee reduced Hillsboro K-8 renovation funding from $6.6 million to $3 million for first year
• Committee reduced Grassland Middle School renovation funding from $7 million to $1 million for first year
• Golden noted Grassland Middle School opened in 1981 and is currently at 55% capacity

School letter grade bonus funding

• Committee approved $4 million budget amendment for letter grade bonus funding
• Golden explained this is new funding from the state for schools that received an "A" grade
• Funding will help mitigate gap in state funding compared to neighboring counties

Cafeteria fund budget amendment

• Committee approved $2,080,927.52 amendment to Central Cafeteria Fund budget
• Golden explained cafeteria fund is self-contained and governed by federal USDA regulations
• Funds represent excess over 3-month balance that must be used for food service improvements

Animal center donations and vehicle purchase

• Committee approved $26,000 budget amendment for animal center to purchase a vehicle using donations
• Committee approved $2,053 in additional donations for animal center for drugs and medical supplies
• Committee accepted donation from Kevin and Kelly Cox on behalf of Sunrise Dog Walking Volunteers in memory of Van Tucker

Sheriff's office K9 program changes

• Committee approved surplus and conveyance of two K9s from narcotics division to their handlers
• Committee accepted donation of Belgian K9 for jail operations to detect contraband
• Committee accepted donation of Labrador retriever K9 from Secret Service for detecting electronics in jail

Artificial intelligence policy adoption

• Committee approved policy governing ethical use of generative AI for county departments
• Policy outlines consequences for misuse and applies only to generative AI, not predictive AI

Jail nursing staff funding

• Committee approved $267,475 for additional nursing staff (84 hours per week) at county jail
• TK Health representatives explained current staffing has one nurse working alone per shift
• Current nurses handle over 500 medication passes per shift and face high turnover due to workload
• Additional staffing will help with medication distribution, inmate intake assessments, and emergency response

Sheriff's office compensation study

• Committee reviewed compensation study showing sheriff's office currently at approximately 68th percentile of market
• Study presented options for 65th percentile ($1.64 million), 75th percentile ($2.72 million), 85th percentile ($3.81 million), and 95th percentile ($5.79 million)
• Sheriff explained compression issues where newer employees make almost as much as experienced staff
• No additional funding approved beyond current budget allocation

Solid waste and highway capital budget

• Committee approved $3,589,900 for solid waste capital projects including liner upgrade, robot trucks, dump truck, leachate tank, and convenience center site plans
• Committee approved $4,985,000 for highway capital projects including corridor study projects, pickup trucks, traffic signal boxes, and dump trucks

County capital budget approval

• Committee approved total county capital budget of $34,498,756
• Budget includes $2,295,116 for sheriff's Axon lease for tasers and equipment over nine years

School budget approval

• Committee approved school budget of $565,306,797
• Current funding gap is approximately $12 million (about 7 pennies on tax rate)

Property reassessment and tax rate discussion

• Assessor reported county assessed value growing from $19 billion to $29.3 billion (52% increase)
• Average residential homeowner will see approximately 62% increase in assessed value
• County will need to reduce tax rate from 1.88 to approximately 1.21 to remain revenue neutral
• Committee discussed potential tax increase of 9-13 pennies to fund budget needs
• Each penny on new tax rate will generate approximately $2.7 million in revenue
• Committee will finalize tax rate at May 13th meeting

Tuesday May 6th

Parks and Recreation minutes resolutions

AI Summary

Overview

• Committee unanimously approved April 1 meeting minutes and two budget resolutions totaling $328,118.07
• Resolution 52524 appropriated $178,118.07 from donations for staffing youth sports leagues, field maintenance products, and community choir expenses
• Resolution 52523 appropriated $150,000 for performing arts center shows and contracts, funded by participant fees
• Festival revenue reached $313,000 from 18,000 tickets sold in the first weekend, $36,800 ahead of last year despite rain

Approval of April 1 meeting minutes

• Committee unanimously approved the April 1 meeting minutes with a 4-0 vote
• No corrections or issues were raised regarding the minutes

Resolution 52524: $178,118 budget amendment for donations

• Committee unanimously approved the $178,118.07 budget amendment with a 4-0 vote
• Rick Taylor (Deputy Director) explained $149,523 came from Community Youth Association
• Parks department provides staffing for basketball, volleyball, and softball leagues, then bills the associations for these services
• Amendment includes funds for maintenance, repair, and lawn products for high-use athletic fields
• Community choir donation funds were allocated for musicians and costumes

Resolution 52523: $150,000 appropriation for performing arts center

• Committee unanimously approved the $150,000 appropriation with a 4-0 vote
• Rick Taylor clarified all performing arts center revenue must flow through the Parks department
• Funds represent either rental payments or 70/30 ticket sales splits between the department and entertainers
• Exact fund amounts weren't anticipated in advance as they depend on show bookings and ticket sales

Festival revenue update

• First weekend festival revenue reached $313,000 from 18,000 tickets sold
• Revenue was $36,800 higher than the same weekend last year despite rainy weather
• Parks department is currently $1.1 million ahead of last year's revenue
• Department trending toward $12-12.9 million in revenue this year, approximately 15% ahead of last year
• Rick Taylor attributed increased revenue to staff programming and fee changes

Wednesday May 7th

The Highway Commission agenda No further information

The Williamson County Planning Commission agenda/packet

AI Summary

Overview

• Planning Commission approved amendment to Article 6 of zoning ordinance requiring all new commercial uses to be reviewed as major site plans regardless of building size
• Approved Deer Run retreat site plan with 5,400 square foot administration welcome center on 81.06 acres
• Approved Healthy Flavors site plan adding seven greenhouses totaling 160,000 square feet on 17.56 acres
• Approved Adley subdivision concept plan for 30-lot conservation subdivision on 151 acres with 97.46 acres of open space
• Modified roadway improvement timing for Troubadour Golf and Field Club from the 288th lot to the 336th lot
• Approved High Park Hill phase four revision adding acreage to 8 lots from open space
• Approved Starr Creek phase two preliminary plat with 25 lots on 165.32 acres

Zoning ordinance amendment for non-residential site plans

• Staff presented amendment to Article 6 regarding minor site plans for non-residential uses
• Current ordinance allows staff to review minor site plans for non-residential uses under 5,000 square feet
• Amendment requires all new commercial uses to be reviewed by Planning Commission as major site plans regardless of building size
• Staff noted concerns about high-traffic uses (like fast food restaurants) in buildings under 5,000 square feet
• Amendment addresses concerns about infrastructure impacts, particularly traffic
• Planning Commission approved the amendment and forwarded to County Commission with recommendation for approval

Deer Run retreat site plan review

• Site plan includes 5,400 square foot administration welcome center, parking lot, and entrance gate with guard check
• Property located off Perkins Road on 81.06 acres
• Water provided by HB&TS Utility District
• Retreat served by non-traditional wastewater treatment and disposal system
• Planning Commission approved with standard conditions outlined in staff report

Healthy Flavors site plan review

• Located off Shelbyville Highway on 17.56 acres
• Project adds seven greenhouses totaling 160,000 square feet
• Water provided by Nolensville College Grove Utility District
• Sewer is on-site septic system
• Planning Commission approved with standard conditions outlined in staff report

Adley subdivision concept plan

• Located off Manly Lane on 151 acres
• 30-lot conservation subdivision with density of 1 unit per 5 acres
• Lots range between 1 acre and 3.52 acres in size
• 97.46 acres of open space (73% of site)
• Internal roadways will be private and gated
• Water provided by City of Franklin
• Sewer provided by Limestone Water Utility Company
• Eric McNeely confirmed sewer extension approved through Tennessee Public Utilities Commission
• Planning Commission approved with conditions outlined in staff report

Troubadour roadway improvement timing modification

• Planning Commission approved modification to roadway improvement timing for three phases:
  • Phase 5 (4 lots on 7.01 acres)
  • Phase 12 (16 lots on 22.59 acres)
  • Phase 13 (48 lots on 154.98 acres)
• Original condition required roadway improvements before the 288th lot
• Revised traffic study showed improvements not needed until the 336th lot
• Improvements include widening Patton Road to 11-foot travel lanes and 4-foot shoulders for 1,000 feet
• Highway Commission approved construction plans in March 2025
• Road closure approved in April 2025 while school is out of session
• Improvements scheduled for completion by July 30, 2025

High Park Hill phase four revision

• Located off Murfreesboro Road on 81.11 acres
• Contains 40 lots
• Revision adds acreage to 8 lots from open space within the phase
• Required open space still met after revision
• Water provided by Nolensville College Grove Utility District
• Lots served by non-traditional wastewater treatment and disposal system
• Planning Commission approved with standard conditions

Starr Creek phase two preliminary plat

• Located off Arnold College Grove Road on 165.32 acres
• Contains 25 lots with approximately 27 acres of open space
• Roads will be public
• Water provided by Nolensville College Grove Utility District
• Lots served by non-traditional wastewater treatment and disposal system
• Planning Commission approved with standard conditions

Final plat approvals

• Planning Commission approved eight final plats:
  • Pruitt Large lot easement subdivision (1 lot on 5.03 acres)
  • Werner Ruger property (1 lot on 9.93 acres)
  • Arrington Wood subdivision section one (3 lots on 20.87 acres)
  • Troubadour Golf and Field Club section 12B (8 lots on 14.96 acres)
  • Troubadour Golf and Field Club section 5 (4 lots on 7.01 acres)
  • Troubadour Golf and Field Club section 13B (32 lots on 42.33 acres)
  • Troubadour Golf and Field Club section 14 (4 lots on 6.59 acres)
  • Little Creek Farm subdivision (18 lots on 57.08 acres)
  • Archer Springs large lot easement subdivision (4 lots on 33.7 acres)

Williamson County Commission Committees

These are all public meetings and anyone can attend.

Next Week

Monday May 12th

The County Commission Meeting will meet at 6:00 pm meeting packet March budget report March minutes in the County Administrative Office Complex Main Auditorium at 1320 W. Main in Franklin. Video starting ate 6:00 pm on Monday and anytime thereafter. I want to highlight one resolution in particular. If you have been reading my recap for a while, you know that I often complain about the lack of information regarding various meetings on the county website. Well, that's about to change resolution 5-25-1, which will require agendas and packet information for every meeting announcement 48 hours prior to the meeting.

Tuesday May 13th

There is an Economic Development Council meeting at 1:30pm in the County Administrative Office Complex Main Auditorium at 1320 W. Main in Franklin. I have no information on this meeting.

There is a budget committee listed on the website calendar at 4:40 pm in the County Administrative Complex Executive Conference Room 1320 West Main Street Franklin but I don't have any information as of yet.

Thursday May 15th

Purchasing and Insurance meets at 4:30 in the County Administrative Complex Executive Conference Room 1320 West Main Street Franklin agenda Executive Summary benefits RFP summary of instructions

These are all public meetings and anyone can attend.

Board of Mayor and Aldermen

For all the meetings this week and next week, go here

These are all public meetings and anyone can attend.

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.
• 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.

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