Friday Recap July 17th, 2026

My Comment

1,842 folks came out to vote today, which was a pretty good first day. Republicans got 1,202 (66%). Only 860 people voted of the first day on the May 5th primary, so, it looks like we're going to see substantially higher numbers this time around.

Two districts of concern are my district 10 and district 11. In 10 the vote count was 113 Republican and 96 Democrat and in 11 it was 102 Republican and 91 Democrat.

We cannot take any of these races for granted. The Democrats, to their credit, are better organized and energized than I have ever seen, and it is showing in the numbers. We need Republicans to come out to vote and to get involved. We have tents set up at the various voting sites and welcome anyone to stop by and hold a sign for your favorite candidate. Actually, sign holding is a lot of fun. You get to meet other like-minded people, have meaningful conversations with voters as they come and go, and make new friends. I know it's hot, but a couple of hours is very doable. If you are interested in helping out go to Williiamsongop.org and click on "get involved"

Early voting started today and ends on Saturday August 1st. Election day is Thursday August 6st. For locations and times, go here. We have all 24 commission seats up for grabs and six School Board seats. I am supporting the Republican candidates in all of these races.

Highlights from this week

Monday's Commissioner Meeting

• All four courthouse resolutions passed unanimously (24-0): bond issuance up to $17.85M, property acquisition at 926 Columbia Ave, establishment of a continuing courthouse development task force, and $100K appropriation for preliminary study — the task force recommended the H.G. Hill property after finding renovation of the current judicial center not feasible

Tuesday's BOMA Work Session

• de-annexation of 837.04 acres west of Hillsboro Road is already effective as of July 7th; property remains in the UGB
• Poplar's Reserve annexation and PUD
• Proposal: 41 single-family lots on 22.78 acres (density 1.8 units/acre), located north of Clovercroft Road, east of Oxford Glen Drive — contiguous to city limits and within the eastern Franklin UGB

Tuesday's BOMA Meeting

Clovercroft annexation and Poplar Reserve zoning

• Resolution 2026-47: 22.78 acres north of Clovercroft Road and east of Oxford Glen Drive annexed into Franklin — passed unanimously; public hearing August 11, 2026

Thursday's Purchasing and Insurance Committee Meeting

• Charles (The Drury Group) walked through proposed 2027 benefit plan changes — no decisions were made; the committee needs to vote at the August meeting (likely August 20th) before the committee dissolves September 1st
• Gordon Getz presented three programs for the committee's consideration: a pharmacy savings program alongside the existing PBM, a high-claimant program for members costing $150,000+, and a spousal carve-out program

Meetings this past week were:

Monday, July 13th

Williamson County Commission

 Tuesday,

Franklin BOMA Work Session and BOMA Meeting

Thursday, July 16th

Purchasing and Insurance

Meetings Next Week:

Monday, July 20th

The Human Resources Committee will meet at 5:30 pm in the Executive Conference Room of the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. main, Franklin Agenda Resolution Committee members: Judy Herbert (C), Jennifer Mason (VC) Greg Sanford, Tom Tunnicliffe, Bill Petty, Brian Beathard

Tuesday, July 21st

Board of Health will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Williamson County Administrative Complex, 1320 W. Main Street, Franklin Agenda

Wednesday, July 22nd

Storm Water Appeals Board. I have no more information.

The Property Committee will meet at 5:30 pm in the Executive Conference Room of the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. main, Franklin. This meeting's agenda is to have Phil Mazzuca and legal representation for Williamson Health and the Williamson County Commission discuss the sale of the hospital and answer questions from commissioner. This is a public meeting and all residents are invited to come and comment if they so desire. Committee members: Ricky Jones (C), Jennifer Mason(VC), Barb Sturgeon, Brian Clifford, , Matt Williams

Thursday, July 23rd

Franklin Investment Committee will meet in the County Building at 1320 W. Main, Franklin at 3:00 pm. I have no further information.

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.

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

Williamson County Commission Meetings

Monday, July 13th

County Commission Meeting Agenda/Packet Video

AI Summary

Overview

• The July 13th Williamson County Commissioner meeting was the final meeting for ~9 departing commissioners, Superintendent Jason Golden, Mayor Rogers Anderson (after 24 years), and Diane Giddens (after 38 years of service)
• All four courthouse resolutions passed unanimously (24-0): bond issuance up to $17.85M, property acquisition at 926 Columbia Ave, establishment of a continuing courthouse development task force, and $100K appropriation for preliminary study — the task force recommended the H.G. Hill property after finding renovation of the current judicial center not feasible
• Commissioner Petty withdrew his lobbyist oversight resolution after the mayor's office updated the county lobbyist's contract to require pre- and post-legislative session reports
• Multiple capital and budget resolutions passed, including $12.79M in county capital projects, $3.62M for solid waste equipment, $2.66M for highway corridor studies and equipment, and three school intent-to-fund resolutions totaling ~$35.1M
• Juanita Patton confirmed to the Hospital Board of Trustees (24-0); all other board appointments passed unanimously
• Williamson County Schools named highest-performing district in Tennessee by the state Dept. of Education
• Late filed resolution 7-26-39 submitted by Commissioner Petty was objected to by Commissioners Tunnicliffe and Steve Smith. This resolution was to hire an independent consultant to advise the board on the proposed sale of Williamson Health to Ascension. According to commission rules, any resolution that is filed later than two weeks before a monthly commission meeting is considered late filed, and can be prevented from being heard if two commissioners object.

Citizens' comments on the courthouse

• Judge David Veal urged the commission to pass all four courthouse resolutions, arguing the H.G. Hill property on Columbia Ave is the only suitable downtown site — the Eddie Lane property isn't for sale, may not be available until 2029, and isn't walkable to downtown
• Veal noted the current contract lets the county purchase the Hill property for $6M under appraised value

American Farm Stand Day proclamation

• Mayor Anderson read a proclamation establishing American Farm Stand Day on the last Sunday of August, recognizing the American Farm Stand Association — founded in Franklin in February 2026 — which has grown to over 600 farm stands across all 50 states

Departing commissioners and officials recognition

• Commissioner Herbert thanked Commissioner Betsy Hester; Commissioner Petty thanked Commissioner Megan Guffey and Commissioner Chris Richards; Commissioner Jones thanked Commissioner Lisa Hayes; Commissioner Clifford thanked Commissioner Steve Smith (his mentor); Commissioner Smith thanked Commissioner Aiello; Commissioner Lawrence thanked Commissioner Stressor and Chairman Bedford
• Superintendent Golden and Chairman Bedford both credited Mayor Anderson as the single biggest difference maker for the county over his 24-year tenure
• Diane Giddens received a Tennessee Senate Joint Resolution (No. 1166) honoring her 38 years of service, the last 24 as Chief of Staff under Mayor Anderson; she was also recognized with a standing ovation
• The 9 departing commissioners were invited to the well for a photo and to take their nameplates home

County financial report

• CFO Phoebe Riley reported May privilege tax collections exceeded $1.4M and commercial privilege tax collections were $220,358, with June expected to be even stronger
• Education impact fee collections for May exceeded $1.7M, bringing total available for allocation to approximately $98M; resolution 7268 pulls $5.89M of that to pay school debt
• Total bond ask for the fiscal year is just over $164M (including previously approved amounts, the JJJ drawdown, and new requests); the county will pay down approximately $69M, resulting in a net debt increase of ~$95.8M driven almost entirely by the JJJ project
• Approximately $200M remains to be drawn on the JJJ project after the $95M drawdown; Riley has a scheduled meeting with the bond advisor to produce a new 10-year debt projection
• Cool Springs Conference Center posted a $31,826 loss for May — the only negative in the report

Williamson Medical Center report

• CEO Phil Mazooka confirmed he will remain with Williamson Health through the entire strategic planning process (sale to Ascension), despite media reports of his retirement
• The hospital will attend the July 22nd County Commission Property Committee meeting with consultants Kaufman Hall and Basperian Sims to answer questions about the proposed sale
• Four new physicians added: Dr. John Dockery (Bone and Joint, Spring Hill), Dr. Yusuf Sabet and Dr. David Tran (primary care, WMG), and Dr. Katherine Moroni (inpatient neurology); cardiac MRI is now online and scheduling patients
• CFO Terry Fowler reported a May net loss of $757K against a budget of $1.6M (variance of $2.4M), driven by lower surgical volumes due to an unfavorable mix of business days; year-to-date income is $5.3M, slightly below budget by $160K (2.9%)
• June revenues returned to normal and the fiscal year ending June 30th is expected to finish at budget; days cash on hand held at 107 days

School superintendent transition

• Superintendent Jason Golden announced Dr. Lee Webb as his successor, effective Wednesday, July 16th — she has been in the district longer than Golden, having served as teacher, assistant principal and principal at Ravenwood and Centennial, HR director, and assistant superintendent for secondary schools
• Williamson County Schools was named the highest-performing district in the state by the Tennessee Dept. of Education, with the highest proficiency rate across all subjects
• Golden noted capital items on the agenda had been previously approved at the budget committee in May and were being brought forward together with county capital requests

Courthouse task force report and resolutions

• Commissioner Aiello reported the 16-member Special Courthouse Task Force concluded renovation of the current judicial center is not feasible and unanimously recommended acquiring the H.G. Hill property at 926 Columbia Ave for a new courthouse complex serving the 21st Judicial District and General Sessions courts
• Resolution 72261 (bond issuance up to $17.85M) passed 23-1; resolutions 72630 (property acquisition), 72629 (courthouse development task force), and 72624 ($100K appropriation) all passed 24-0
• The task force vote was 14-2 on the property acquisition (Mayor Moore and Administrator Stuckey dissenting) and 15-1 on the development task force; the Property Committee voted 3-4 against both
• Commissioner Lawrence suggested the parking lot on West Main as an alternative site worth investigating — he supports securing the Hill property but doesn't want it treated as the definitive location
• No consultant has been identified yet for the preliminary study; Gresham and Smith (who did the original JJJ report) has been discussed, but the task force will make a recommendation, likely in coordination with the PBA

Elections and appointments

• All appointments passed unanimously or near-unanimously:
• Public Building Authority: Eric Bayer and Ronald Crutcher reappointed (6-year terms, 24-0)
• Water and Wastewater Authority: Garland Teague reappointed (5-year term, 24-0)
• Agricultural Committee: Commissioner Judy Herbert reappointed (2-year term, 23-0, 1 abstain)
• Hospital Board of Trustees: Juanita Patton appointed (24-0); Robert Wampler withdrew his name
• Industrial Development Board: Brandon Oliver reappointed (6-year term, 23-0, 1 abstain)

County capital budget resolutions

• Resolution 7263 — $12.79M county general capital projects appropriation passed 24-0 (with a corrective amendment for mislabeled line items)
• Resolution 7264 — $3.62M for solid waste/landfill equipment passed 24-0
• Resolution 7265 — $2.66M for highway corridor studies (Arnold College Grove Road, Clovercroft) and new trucks passed 24-0; Commissioner Herbert noted a car had recently flipped on Arnold College Grove Road
• Resolution 72269 — $6.24M intent to fund for fire/ladder service and parks and rec capital projects passed 23-1

School capital and security funding

• Resolution 72632 — $13.67M intent to fund for Board of Education capital needs passed 23-1
• Resolution 72633 — $15.89M intent to fund for school security and network technology (year 3 of 3 of a key fob/access control project) passed 23-1; Golden confirmed this is not a state mandate but is prioritized with state safety guidance
• Resolution 72634 — $5.51M intent to fund for major asphalt and roof needs across 53 schools passed 23-1; roofs at Grassland Elementary, Allendale Elementary, Oakview, Longview, Bethesda, and partial at Winstead are included, with a minimum 20-year lifespan

Privilege tax and debt service transfers

• Resolution 7266 — $5M from education privilege tax for rural debt service passed 24-0
• Resolution 7267 — $5M from adequate school facilities privilege tax for general debt service passed 24-0
• Resolution 7268 — $5.89M from education impact fees for general and rural debt service (tied to 2018 and 2019 bond issuances) passed 24-0
• Resolution 72618 — $675K from fire protection privilege tax for PPE and a response vehicle passed 24-0
• Resolution 72619 — $550K from recreation privilege tax for parks and rec equipment and flooring passed 24-0

Routine county office resolutions

• Resolution 72610 — $50K for Circuit Court Clerk office equipment (from litigant filing fees) passed 24-0
• Resolution 72611 — $229K for Register of Deeds operational expenses and equipment (from $2 recording fee reserves) passed 24-0
• Resolution 72612 — $10K for County Clerk equipment (from $3 title work fees) passed 24-0
• Resolution 72613 — $50K for County Clerk equipment (from reserve account) passed 24-0
• Resolution 72614 — $15K health dept employee education program funded by state grant passed 24-0
• Resolution 72615 — $8K in donations accepted for health dept backpack giveaway (from Franklin Tomorrow, Williamson Health, Brenda Huey, Well Point, Brentwood Rotary, and St. Paul's Episcopal Church) passed 24-0
• Resolution 72616 — $1,300 state grant for Animal Center veterinary services passed 24-0
• Resolution 72617 — $192K state grant for juvenile services community-based and intensive probation programs passed 24-0
• Resolution 72620 — $10K state grant (no county match) for an adult changing table in parks and rec passed 24-0
• Resolution 72621 — $166,721 state grant for General Sessions Mental Health Court passed 24-0
• Resolution 72622 — $397,466 state grant for Sheriff's Office (year 2 of 2) passed 24-0
• Resolution 72623 — personnel transfer between Finance and IT for operational efficiency passed 24-0
• Resolution 72626 — interlocal agreement with Franklin County to house juveniles at $200/day (Franklin County covers medical/dental) passed 24-0; Williamson County currently has 19 such agreements and housed 49 youth from other counties in FY25-26
• Resolution 72627 — continuation of school resource officer MOUs with Williamson County Board of Education and FSSD passed 24-0
• Resolution 72628 — interlocal agreement with City of Fairview for temporary maintenance of Crow Cut Road (recently annexed) passed 24-0
• Resolution 72631 — budget correction adding $6,460 that was missed in a prior spreadsheet error passed 24-0
• Resolution 72635 (fee) — new $2 fee on electronically filed documents through the Register of Deeds online portal passed 24-0 (required two-thirds majority)
• Resolution 72635 (notes) — $13M tax anticipation notes for cash flow during property tax collection gap (Oct–Mar) passed 24-0
• Resolution 72638 — library director authorized to hire a new position before January 1, 2027 to meet Secretary of State maintenance of effort requirements passed 24-0

Lobbyist oversight resolution

• Commissioner Petty withdrew resolution 7-26-36 after the mayor's office updated the county lobbyist's contract to require pre- and post-legislative session reports at no extra charge — Petty said the addendum addresses most of what he wanted
• The unresolved concern before withdrawal was whether the resolution would inadvertently cover the Sheriff's lobbyist and other elected officials' contracts; no clean amendment language was found
• Commissioner Morton and Commissioner Mason both want better lobbyist accountability but couldn't support the resolution as written due to unintended consequences; Commissioner Mary Smith suggested letting the contract changes play out first before pursuing a resolution

Budget meeting date rule change

• Resolution 7-26-37 — rules amended to set the annual budget meeting on the Thursday following the regular June commission meeting (second Monday), replacing the "third Thursday" language, passed 22-1 with 1 abstain (required two-thirds majority)
• Commissioner Mason raised concern that in some years (e.g., next June) this puts the regular meeting and budget meeting in the same week, leaving staff only ~2 days to prepare; Riley confirmed next year is an unusual calendar case and the change will typically still land on the third Thursday

Thursday, July 16th

Purchasing and insurance Agenda 5-21-26 minutes New Health Plan presentation Video Committee members: Sean Aiello, Meghan Guffee, Gregg Lawrence, Steve Smith, Mayor Anderson. Commissioner Aiello was absent.

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Participant 10 - Pull analysis on Local Plus with out-of-network benefits Commissioner Lars asked what it would look like if Local Plus included out-of-network benefits (higher deductible/OOP), similar to how the state structured it when they moved employees to the narrow network.
• [ ] Participant 10 - Resend claim summary to all commissioners Confirm it was sent and get it to anyone who didn't receive it.
• [ ] Participant 6 - Coordinate with Leslie on RFP timeline and set August P&I meeting date Leslie is out this week — once she's back, confirm when RFP responses will be ready so the August meeting date can be locked and advertised in time. The committee dissolves in September and must vote on the 2027 plan and retiree plan at the August meeting.
• [ ] Participant 6 - Send utilization report by hospital and network Show where employees are going (Williamson Health, Vanderbilt, Ascension, HCA TriStar) and whether OAP employees are using facilities that are also in Local Plus — to support the case for driving migration.

Overview

• Charles (The Drury Group) walked through proposed 2027 benefit plan changes — no decisions were made; the committee needs to vote at the August meeting (likely August 20th) before the committee dissolves September 1st
• Three core recommendations: set employee contributions to $15/$30/$60 with Local Plus HSA as the only free option, raise deductibles and OOP maximums to match the state plan (estimated $4.8M in claims savings), and increase the ER additional copay to $300 while adding a $50 urgent care copay on the deductible plan
• The Mayor cautioned against implementing every change at once — employees just received a 4% raise and aggressive cost-shifting would effectively take it back from a workforce of roughly 6,700
• Participant 1 wants a utilization report showing where OAP-enrolled employees are actually going before the August vote, to support an education campaign around Local Plus

Citizen communication: Gordon Getz

• Gordon Getz presented three programs for the committee's consideration: a pharmacy savings program alongside the existing PBM, a high-claimant program for members costing $150,000+, and a spousal carve-out program
• Mayor Anderson directed him to bring the pitch to Charles, Mike, or Gina, noting most work requires an RFP and the consultant would need to verify whether these programs are exempt

OAP vs. Local Plus and deductible vs. HSA

• Williamson County claims run $500/employee/month ($6,000/year) higher in OAP than Local Plus, driven by Cigna's higher reimbursement rates in the broader network — not by which hospital employees use
• Local Plus excludes TriStar (HCA) doctors and facilities from in-network, though true emergencies at TriStar are still covered in-network; Participant 7 noted that many providers practicing at TriStar facilities may still be in-network individually
• The deductible plan runs $300–$400/month more expensive than the HSA on a premium equivalency basis — even after factoring in the $500 annual HSA contribution (or $1,000 for families)
• Current enrollment is 60% Local Plus / 40% OAP; the goal is to push that closer to the state's 90/10 split, which the state achieved largely by accident when the broad network RFP was delayed for nearly two years
• Participant 10 flagged that employees often choose OAP out of fear that Local Plus means no out-of-network benefits at all — the committee sees employee education as critical to any network migration strategy

Employee premium contribution options

• Charles presented six premium scenarios; the recommendation is the $15/$30/$60 option, which keeps Local Plus HSA free for employees and adds costs across all other plans
• At current enrollment, the $15/$30/$60 option would generate roughly $110,000 in additional employee contributions — though that figure would likely be lower as employees migrate to the free option
• The most aggressive option ($40/$80/$160) would generate $287,000 (a 30% increase in employee contributions) but was presented as illustrative, not recommended
• Charles intentionally set different cost increases for the OAP HSA vs. OAP deductible to preserve a price signal pushing employees toward HSA even within OAP
• Participant 7 asked whether premium equivalents are being set against an expected or max claims budget — Charles believes it's expected claims but didn't confirm with certainty

Deductible and out-of-pocket changes

• Option 1 (recommended) matches the state plan: raises the deductible by $300 EE / $600 family and OOP max by $1,600 EE / $3,200 family, with an estimated $4.8M in claims savings
• Option 2 is a half-step increase — deductible up $150/$300, OOP up $800/$1,600 — saving an estimated $2.8M
• Neither savings estimate accounts for enrollment migration; Charles estimated roughly 10% movement based on last year's experience with similar changes
• Participant 7 asked whether the $4.8M claims reduction would flow through to lower stop loss premiums — Charles confirmed it likely would, but not until the next policy year since the new stop loss went into effect July 1, 2026
• The Mayor noted the county hasn't touched plan design in a year and that Option 1 would be a significant change for employees

ER and urgent care copays

• ER costs are 25% above the national average for comparable plans, prompting a proposal to raise the additional ER copay from $155 to $300 or $500 on the deductible plan (waived if admitted)
• A new $50 flat copay for urgent care would be added to the deductible plan, replacing the current deductible/coinsurance structure — this change is only possible on the deductible plan, not the HSA
• Charles noted the ER increase and UC copay roughly offset each other from a claims savings standpoint; the goal is behavioral change, not direct savings
• Participant 7 suggested pairing any ER/UC change with a communication strategy that positions the free telemedicine program as a triage tool
• The Mayor suggested the committee could leave the ER copay at $155 and still add the $50 UC copay as a softer alternative
• Participant 3 asked for a list of urgent care locations throughout the community to include in employee communications

Formal recommendations

• Charles's three formal recommendations: employee contributions at $15/$30/$60 (Local Plus HSA free), deductible/OOP increases matching the state plan (Option 1, $4.8M savings estimate), and ER copay raised to $300 with a new $50 UC copay
• No vote was taken; the committee will decide at the August meeting

Rx cost trends

• Drug costs are trending down every month — Charles attributed this to GLP-1 program changes and an increase in what Cigna pays for certain drugs (likely biosimilar-related)
• No changes to the Rx program are recommended at this time

Retiree plan and UnitedHealthcare two-card issue

• The retiree plan moved to UnitedHealthcare roughly six months ago, saving retirees over $100/month, but the split medical/Rx card structure is causing ongoing confusion — particularly for diabetics
• UHC and the benefits team have held Zoom calls and in-person meetings to address it, but the issue persists; the RFP is going out to find a carrier that can offer a single card at a competitive price
• UHC is unhappy about being put out to bid after only six months and wouldn't provide claims data, calling it immature and non-credible

Timeline and next steps

• Bids will go out the week of July 21st (delayed because Leslie is out this week); carriers get three weeks to respond, then Charles needs a few days to evaluate
• The committee must vote on both the active employee plan and the retiree plan at the August meeting — the third Thursday falls on August 20th, though a specific date needs to be confirmed and advertised within the required window
• The committee dissolves September 1st with four members departing, making the August meeting the last viable window to act before open enrollment

Franklin Board of Mayor and Alderman

Tuesday, July 14th

BOMA Work Session Agenda/Packet, Video

AI Summary

Overview

• Judge Jessica Bourne recommended for reappointment to a second four-year term as City Court Judge, expiring September 1st
• E-bikes and play vehicles ordinance (2026-19) walked through in detail — no vote yet, board gave feedback and wants a one-year revisit after passage; key open items include signage strategy for multi-use paths, Segway classification, and pre/post enforcement data
• Capital projects update covered 18 completed projects totaling $78.3M; major active projects include New City Hall (crane down end of July), The Pearl (Robinson Lake opening ~October, Pearl opening March 2028), East McEwen Phase 4 (April 2028), and Lewisburg Sidewalk (construction starting August/September)
• New CIP transportation scoring rubric presented — five categories (state of good repair, roadway safety, economic opportunity, congestion management, fiscal stewardship) with pairwise weighting; board wants to run existing projects through it as a test before adopting
• Sidewalk gap public engagement website demoed — board pushed back on leaving it open continuously given the $1.017M fund vs. volume of requests; Participant 17 suggested a time-limited annual push instead
• Harpeth River Bridge design generated significant discussion — T-DOT wants to award the bid by end of July and won't accept major changes without a rebid (estimated ~1 year delay); board consensus is not to delay, but to pursue minor changes (railing style, formliner pattern, color staining, city seal insets) through Historic Zoning Commission
• Three FHA developments advanced: Denson Place (602 units, 5.14 acres), Iris Place (144 units, 7.68 acres), and a $200K infrastructure contract for 8 voucher units at 108 Natchez
• Poplar's Reserve (41 single-family lots, 22.78 acres) walked through — staff recommends disapproval of all three MOS requests, Planning Commission approved all three; no vote taken
• Bassett PUD (230 multifamily units, 7.031 acres) and both FHA rezonings recommended for approval by staff and Planning Commission
• More family de-annexation of 837.04 acres west of Hillsboro Road is already effective as of July 7th; property remains in the UGB
• Firearms discharge ordinance (2026-20) and public records ordinance (2026-02) both presented as straightforward cleanup items

City judge reappointment

• Staff recommended reappointment of Judge Jessica Bourne for another four-year term — her current term expires September 1st
• City Court Clerk noted Bourne is well-regarded by defendants for her calm demeanor and educational approach

E-bikes and play vehicles ordinance

• Ordinance 2026-19 proposes three e-bike classes: Class 1 and 2 (up to 20 mph) allowed on streets and signed multi-use paths; Class 3 (up to 28 mph) on streets only; all classes prohibited on sidewalks
• Play vehicles (roller skates, skateboards, coasters) would shift from prohibited on all public ways to allowed on streets, roadways, and sidewalks — still prohibited in public buildings, public places, and garages
• Segways weren't addressed in the draft — Shauna and Eric agreed they should be classified with scooters given they're motorized
• Signage is a key open question: Participant 5 raised that some multi-use paths look like sidewalks and riders won't know the difference without clear marking; Participant 17 wants to minimize new signs and suggested colored pavement markings as an alternative
• Two public speakers — both experienced e-bike riders — asked for clearer language distinguishing e-bikes from e-motos, helmet requirements for e-scooter riders under 16, and default allowance on multi-use paths unless specifically excluded
• Franklin PD already released a public PSA (Officer Jared Anderson) and a vehicle comparison guide before the ordinance was drafted; staff wants to extend QR code distribution to local bike shops
• Participant 16 wants the ordinance revisited in one year to assess what's working and what needs adjustment
• Participant 18 asked for pre-ordinance enforcement data so the city can measure impact — staff committed to pulling what's available

Capital project updates

• 18 projects completed 2020–2025 totaling $78.3M: 7 parks, 6 transportation, 4 general services, 2 stormwater
• New City Hall: ~$39.2M spent to date against a ~$95M guaranteed max price; crane comes down end of July
• The Pearl: $33.1M spent to date; Robinson Lake expected to open ~October (ahead of the 2027 target), The Pearl in March 2028
• East McEwen Phase 4: $16.3M spent, on track for April 2028
• Lewisburg Sidewalk to Collins Farm: design complete, property acquired, construction starting August/September, completion 2027
• Liberty Park: bridge bid awarded, $564K spent; bridge and irrigation replacement starting August/September, full park completion 2028
• Old Peytonsville Road and Long Lane Connector: $9.5M spent of $28.2M budget, completion 2030
• East McEwen Phase 5: $1.95M spent, ROW acquisition underway with Brentwood and Franklin, completion 2030
• Franklin Road from Mack Hatcher to Mallory: traffic study underway, staff bringing back 3 options (e.g., one northbound lane vs. full five-lane section) in the next few months — timeline depends heavily on scope and ROW complexity
• Southwest Mack Hatcher came up as a priority for Participant 2 — Eric confirmed it's a state-driven project, likely well over $150M, and would need to advance on the regional transportation plan before T-DOT would act

CIP transportation scoring rubric

• Staff modeled the rubric after the Nashville MPO's approach — five categories: state of good repair, roadway safety, economic opportunity, congestion management, and fiscal stewardship
• Roadway safety uses AASHTOWare crash data; congestion uses INRIX (cell/GPS data); economic opportunity involves some subjective scoring with input from planning and other stakeholders
• Pairwise comparison tool lets the board weight categories against each other — current sample weights: roadway safety 35%, project readiness 27.5%, with the other three at 12.5% each
• Participant 17 noted some categories are more subjective than others and flagged that traffic data will change over time — wants a process for periodic re-scoring so priorities can shift as conditions change
• Participant 1 cautioned the rubric is one tool, not a final answer — a two-star project might still be a board priority for reasons the data can't capture
• Next step is to run a sample of existing projects through the scoring so the board can evaluate whether the calculator makes sense before adopting it

Sidewalk gap program

• Max Baker demoed a draft public-facing website (input.franklintn.gov) where residents can pin sidewalk gap ideas on a map, submit descriptions, and like others' submissions — built on the same platform as the parking study outreach
• The sidewalk gap fund is $1.017M (created in FY 2027 by Ordinance 2026-04), which doesn't go far given the volume of requests
• Participant 5 pushed back hard — says sidewalk gap requests are already one of the most common constituent asks and the fund can't come close to meeting demand; opening a public portal risks setting expectations the city can't meet
• Participant 4 agreed and suggested keeping the process internal so aldermen can apply their knowledge of upcoming projects to prioritize efficiently
• Participant 17 suggested a time-limited annual push (like the parking study) rather than a continuously open portal, to generate useful inventory without creating an always-on expectation gap

Harpeth River Bridge design

• T-DOT received a competitive bid and wants to award by end of July; they consider the 2019 design — developed with Historic Zoning Commission input and ~$900K in city enhancement funding — fully approved
• The $900K covers the pedestrian separator wall, decorative Franklin Green streetscape lights, and the railing system
• T-DOT's position: removing or relocating the pedestrian separator is a major change requiring a rebid (~1 year delay, additional design costs on the city's dime); they will not accept stone veneer on the traffic-side wall (not crash-tested)
• What T-DOT will allow without rebidding: changing the railing style, changing the formliner pattern, adding color staining to the wall, and adding city seal insets into the columns
• Board consensus is not to delay the bid, but to send the allowable changes (railing, formliner, color) back through Historic Zoning Commission for recommendations
• Participant 18 noted that at least four board members didn't know until recently that the final product would look different from the original rendering — flagged this as a process lesson for future projects
• Participant 4 said he's a "dead no" if the decorative railing on the pedestrian side can't be achieved — Paul confirmed the outer railing can be upgraded
• Participant 16 asked whether city seals could be inset into the brick columns at each end — Paul confirmed that's a minor formwork change T-DOT would accommodate
• The 96 bridge is next in T-DOT's queue immediately after this one; a rebid here would delay that project too

Poplar's Reserve annexation and PUD

• Proposal: 41 single-family lots on 22.78 acres (density 1.8 units/acre), located north of Clovercroft Road, east of Oxford Glen Drive — contiguous to city limits and within the eastern Franklin UGB
• Three MOS requests, all related to street connections: (1) no stub to eastern property line, (2) align western connection to northern property line via cul-de-sac extension rather than extending Denhart Drive, (3) cul-de-sac instead of full connection to Albrecht Drive
• Staff recommends disapproval of all three MOS; Planning Commission approved all three (votes of 5-3, 6-2, and 8-1 respectively)
• Applicant (Greg Gamble, Kimley Horn for Landmark Investments) noted the eastern connection is blocked by 14–25% slopes that exceed the city's 10% road grade limit, and the western connections would impact two existing homes and a state waters pond
• Traffic study (voluntary — not required until 100+ units) found Oxford Glen/Clovercroft intersection is failing in the evening; proposed road improvements would bring it to LOS B morning / C evening
• Developer committed to dedicating full five-lane right-of-way along Clovercroft, with a three-lane section built now
• Market Street (privately constructed) expected to open ~October; McEwen Drive city project completes 2028; first residents not expected until ~2028

Bassett PUD rezoning

• Proposal: 230 multifamily units on 7.031 acres (density 32.7 units/acre), rezoning from RC-12 to PD, located north of Goose Creek Bypass at 2408 and 2412 Goose Creek Bypass
• One MOS: reduce minimum foundation height from 18 inches to no minimum — staff and Planning Commission both recommend approval, consistent with past approvals
• Staff and Planning Commission recommend approval of both the rezoning and development plan

Denson Place PUD (Franklin Housing Authority)

• Proposal: replaces an existing decades-old FHA development at 137 Natchez Street with new multifamily housing — 5.14 acres rezoned to PD 21.70; total of 602 new units across the Denson Place and Iris Place projects combined
• Development named in memory of Reverend Denny Denison, a longtime affordable housing advocate in Franklin
• Four MOS requests: reduced parking to 1.75 spaces/unit, natural area reduced from 10% to 0% with 15% total open space, and two adjustments allowing stormwater infrastructure and utility easements within a 75-foot historic buffer near a potentially National Register-eligible church to the north — staff and Planning Commission recommend approval of all four
• Participant 17 asked that the three-story building (facing the future county complex behind the HG Hill site) be kept below the police station's ~38-foot height — applicant confirmed a flat parapet roof would bring it to 34'6" and offered to make that change
• Architecture updated since the joint conceptual workshop to add more brick to the gables and more detailing to better match the Natchez neighborhood character; buildings fronting Natchez Street are two stories, not two and a half
• Participant 18 raised a question about on-street parking on Natchez — applicant clarified parking would be inset into the development, not encroaching on travel lanes

Iris Place PUD (Franklin Housing Authority)

• Proposal: 144 multifamily units on 7.68 acres (density 18.85 units/acre) at 500 West Mead Boulevard, rezoning from PD to PD 18.85; demolishes all existing buildings and constructs 5 new multifamily buildings
• Two MOS requests mirror Denson Place: parking reduced to 1.75 spaces/unit, natural area reduced from 10% to 0% with 15% total open space — staff and Planning Commission recommend approval of both
• Both FHA developments will upgrade the city's water infrastructure in their areas, adding redundancy and bringing fire hydrant pressure up to city standards

FHA infrastructure contract at 108 Natchez

• City contract 2026-00267 with Franklin Housing Authority for up to $200K for infrastructure improvements supporting 8 voucher units at 108 Natchez Street

More property de-annexation

• De-annexation of 6 parcels totaling 837.04 acres owned by the More family (west of Hillsboro Road, north and south of Mack Hatcher Parkway) became effective July 7th — petition was submitted April 8th
• Qualifies under TCA § 6-51-201(c) and (e): agricultural use, same family ownership since annexation, and the de-annexed area matches the original annexation map (Mack Hatcher now bisects the property, which was the original reason for annexation)
• Property remains in the Urban Growth Boundary — no changes to utility service area planning or land use planning at this time; UGB update is ~2.5–3 years away

Firearms discharge ordinance

• Ordinance 2026-20 updates city code to prohibit firearm discharge within 500 feet of school property, following a change in state law that removed the city's ability to regulate hunting

Public records ordinance update

• Ordinance 2026-02 updates the city's public records policy to reflect changes to Tennessee citizenship requirement exceptions, labor charges after inspection, address and title changes, and new state legislation

BOMA Meeting Agenda/Packet Video

AI Summary

Overview

• Mayor Moore proclaimed July 30, 2026 as Leadership Franklin Day (30th anniversary) and July 28, 2026 as Sergeant George Jordan Day, honoring Williamson County's only Medal of Honor recipient
• Franklin won the All America City award for the second time in six years — the only city to do so in that span
• Kevin Townsville, HR director for over 9 years, was recognized on his retirement; Jill Parsons introduced as new management fellow (University of Kansas MPA program)
• Tuckaway PUD sidewalk modifications (MOS 2 and MOS 3) both passed — MOS 2 six to one, MOS 3 and the full development plan unanimously — deferring sidewalk construction until Lewisburg Pike is widened, a neighboring sidewalk is installed, or 10 years, whichever comes first
• All rezoning first readings, board appointments, annexation, and Carothers Parkway sidewalk funding passed unanimously

Proclamations

• Mayor Moore proclaimed July 30, 2026 as Leadership Franklin Day, marking the organization's 30th anniversary — founded in 1996 with 500+ alumni and 100+ class projects to date
• Mayor Moore proclaimed July 28, 2026 as Sergeant George Jordan Day, honoring the Williamson County native and Buffalo Soldier who received the Medal of Honor on May 7, 1890 — the county's first and only recipient
• The George Jordan proclamation originated from a school project by May Cross, who brought it to the mayor roughly 9–10 months ago

LEAP nonprofit overview

• Stephanie Tillman and Lynelle Weathers presented on LEAP (Law Enforcement Assistance Partnership), a fully volunteer nonprofit that supports Franklin police officers
• LEAP provides confidential financial assistance during medical crises, family hardships, and injuries, as well as college scholarships for officers' children and morale events
• LEAP is funded entirely through community donations and events — no paid staff — and can be found online under "Lee Franklin" and on social media

Consent agenda and minutes

• Items 15–23 placed on the consent agenda and approved unanimously
• Minutes from the June 23, 2026 work session and board meeting, and the June 29 joint board and Williamson County Commission work session, approved unanimously

All America City award and staff recognition

• Franklin was named a 2026 All America City — one of 10 winners from 20 finalists nationwide, and the second time Franklin has won in six years
• Mayor Moore shared a congratulatory note from Tallahassee Mayor John Daley
• City Manager Stuckey credited Mayor Moore, Michael Walters Young, Joey Echeverria, Robert Mott, Melissa Ryerson, and Franklin Tomorrow (led by Mandy Tate) for the application and presentation
• Alderman Berger noted Franklin Tomorrow was itself founded by a Leadership Franklin class project
• Kevin Townsville recognized for 9+ years as HR director, supporting a team of over 800 city employees — retired end of June
• Jill Parsons introduced as new management fellow, two weeks in — pursuing her MPA at University of Kansas with a focus on local government; undergrad in political science and Spanish from KU; previously interned in Leawood, Kansas

Tuckaway PUD sidewalk modifications

• MOS 2 (internal pedestrian connection from Lewisburg Pike sidewalk to building front door) approved 6–1 (Alderman Barnhill voted no) with conditions: sidewalk must be concrete and run parallel to the proposed driveway, construction deferred until the Lewisburg Pike sidewalk is installed
• MOS 3 (Lewisburg Pike frontage sidewalk) approved unanimously with conditions: defer construction until Lewisburg Pike is widened, a sidewalk is installed on the adjacent property to the north or south, or 10 years — whichever comes first
• The engineering rationale is that a swale along Lewisburg Pike makes sidewalk installation impractical until TDOT pipes or relocates it — any sidewalk built now would likely be torn out during the road widening
• Alderman Barnhill raised concern about the board deviating from its own zoning rules, noting staff recommended denial of both modifications
• Alderman Brown and others argued the deferral is appropriate because the sidewalk would inevitably be destroyed by the road project, and a neighboring sidewalk installation would trigger the church's requirement anyway
• Vice Mayor Baggett and others acknowledged the likely outcome is the church builds the sidewalk in 10 years since Lewisburg Pike widening is not in TDOT's current 10-year plan
• The full development plan (including both approved modifications) passed unanimously

Board appointments

• Ken Moore, Clyde Barnhill, Peterson, Greg Caesar, and Matt Brown appointed to the pension committee — passed unanimously
• Dana Coase reappointed to the Development Services Advisory Commission — passed unanimously

Rezoning first readings

• Ordinance 2026-07: 7.031 acres at 2408 and 2412 Goose Creek Bypass rezoned from Regional Commerce 12 to PD 32.7 — passed unanimously; public hearing on development plan set for August 11, 2026
  • Vice Mayor Baggett and Alderman Potts flagged architecture concerns, noting a large box storage facility next door was a prior miss — applicant asked to present at the August 11 work session
• Ordinance 2026-15: 5.14 acres at 137 Natchez Street (Denson Place PUD) rezoned from PD to PD 21.7 — passed unanimously; public hearing August 11, 2026
• Ordinance 2026-16: 67.68 acres at 500 Westmead Boulevard (Iris Place PUD) rezoned from PD to PD 18.85 — passed unanimously; public hearing August 11, 2026

Clovercroft annexation and Poplar Reserve zoning

• Resolution 2026-47: 22.78 acres north of Clovercroft Road and east of Oxford Glen Drive annexed into Franklin — passed unanimously; public hearing August 11, 2026
• Ordinance 2026-17: Same 22.78 acres zoned to PD 1.8 (Poplar Reserve PUD) — passed unanimously; public hearing August 11, 2026
• Alderman Caesar flagged concern about the southeastern-most parcel sitting only 25 feet from the widened Clovercroft Road and wants that addressed as the design moves forward
• A citizen (Janet Curtis) raised concerns about road improvement impacts on existing driveway access for neighboring property owners and a potential "donut hole" county parcel surrounded by city land

Carothers Parkway sidewalk funding

• Resolution 2026-61 authorizing funding for a 5-foot sidewalk along Crothers Parkway from Beaman Drive to the Crothers Parkway Bridge passed unanimously

For all other meetings go here.

Election Commission

No meetings this past 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

Community resources

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

• Grassroots Citizens of Williamson County 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.
• TruthWire Local news and commentary.
• 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.

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.