Newsletter

Friday Recap March 13, 2026

Bill Petty

14 Mar 2026 — 29 min read

My Comment

I'm running late, but I have a few thoughts that I would like to share, and will write something for next week.

If nothing else, please get involved in the upcoming primaries. Regardless of whom you support, you have not only a vote, but the freedom to support and volunteer for the candidate of your choice. We all need to be engaged now more than ever.

I will be creating short videos ala Tim Burchett and putting them here and on my campaign website very soon, so stay tuned.

My Campaign

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

Final Candidates for the May 5th primary

Candidates running for county office in the May 5 primary.

Candidates for August 6th primary*

Candidates running for state and federal office office in the August 6th primary. Filing deadline is noon March 10th.

*This is a correction from earlier reports where I had the primary listed for May 5th.

If you don't know who is running for office in your district or where and when to vote, you can go to Grassrootscitizens.com

Also, there is an interview with me by grassrootscitizens here

Meetings this past week were:

Williamson County Commission Meeting BOMA Work Session BOMA meeting

Meetings next week:

Tuesday, March 17th

The Williamson County Board of Health will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Williamson County Administrative Complex, 1320 W. Main Street, Franklin, to accept any additional public comment and take action on the proposed amendments to the Regulations Governing On-Site Sewage Disposal Systems in Williamson County as described below. Go here for more details.

Wednesday, March 18th

Williamson County Law Enforcement and Public Safety will meet at 5:30 pm in the Executive Conference Room of the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. main, Franklin Committee members: Tom Tunnicliffe (C), Greg Sanford (VC), Pete Stresser, Matt Williams, Bill Petty. Agenda is not available yet.

Thursday, March 19th

Williamson county Planning Commission will meet at 5:30 pm in the Main Auditorium of the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. Main St., Franklin. Agenda Video starts at 5:30 pm.

Williamson County School board Work Session meets at 6:00 PM in the Professional Development Center located at 1761 West Main Street, Franklin, Agenda Video Starts at 6:00 PM.

Notice is hereby given that Williamson County will hold an open meeting to be held at 6:30 PM on Thursday, March 19, 2026, in the Executive Conference Room of the Administrative Office Complex (1320 West Main Street, Franklin, to discuss TDEC Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant opportunities for Williamson County’s Soccer Complex West, located in Franklin, TN.

Friday, March 20th

SSDS Task Force will hold a public meeting at 9:00 a.m. in the in the Executive Conference Room at the Williamson County Administrative Complex (1320 W. Main St. in Franklin). This is their last meeting and they will be discussing amendments to the county regulations.

For all Franklin City meetings, go here

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

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

Williamson County School Board

Nothing this week, but next week is the Work Session on the 19th, see above.

Williamson County Commission Meetings

Monday, March 9th

County Commission Monthly Meeting Agenda/Packet Video to see how each commissioner voted on every resolution, go here

AI Summary

[ ] Commissioner Richards - Send Williamson Inc. contract discrepancy to Jeff Mosley for review The contract signed by the mayor differed from what the commission originally approved in 2024. Mosley asked Richards to send the documents so he can review whether it was a clerical error.
[ ] Jeff Mosley - Discuss with Jesse Neal whether full commission can attend hospital executive sessions Commissioner Richards raised the idea of the full commission going into executive session to be briefed on the hospital strategic planning process. Mosley volunteered to explore whether the strategic planning exception permits this.
[ ] Jesse Neal - Find out if hospital has moved beyond strategic planning into a pre-sale process Commissioner Richards asked for clarity on whether the hospital is now in a pre-sale phase, which would shift decision-making authority to the commission. Neal said he'd pose the question.
[ ] Jesse Neal - Add children's hospital / NICU services to the post-closing covenants list Commissioner Morton flagged this as a potential covenant to include — ensuring a buyer commits to maintaining pediatric/NICU services. Neal acknowledged the request.
[ ] Jim Cross - Request 180-day extension from HG Hill property seller Commission passed an amendment to Resolution 32626 directing this request for the 926 Columbia Ave property. Seller is waiting to see tonight's outcome before deciding whether to grant it.
[ ] Mike Madison - Deliver septic task force recommendations report to commissioners By April 1st. Report will cover the regulatory amendments being sent to the Board of Health and the task force's overall findings.
[ ] Phoebe Riley - Consult bond counsel on revised language for bond resolution and arrange attendance at May meeting Resolution 32625 was deferred to May specifically so bond counsel (Jeff Oldham) can review changing the purpose language from land purchase only to potentially include renovation. Commissioner Aiello also requested bond counsel be present at the May meeting to answer wording questions before the June vote.
[ ] Shawn Aiello - Provide monthly written updates on courthouse task force progress Agreed to when Commissioner Hayes asked how the commission would track progress. Task force runs March–September 2026; recommendations may come sooner.

Overview

The commission's main focus was the courthouse — a task force (Res 3262) passed 21-0, the bond issuance (Res 3261) was deferred to June 8, the publication resolution (Res 32625) was deferred to May, and the Columbia Ave property contract (Res 32626) was amended to request a 180-day extension from the seller and passed 19-2
The hospital independent consultant resolution failed — a motion to remove the previously tabled Res 1262 from the table fell short 11-10
County refunding bonds came in better than projected at $1.28M in savings vs. the estimated $900K
Williamson Medical Center was named to Newsweek's World's Best Hospitals list for the 6th consecutive year; January EBITDA was down 28% vs. budget due to the ice storm but favorable year-to-date by $2.16M
The Williamson County Safety Action Plan and Multimodal Greenway Plan were adopted 21-0
Updated education impact fees passed 19-2, effective July 1, 2026

Invocation, pledge & roll call

Several commissioners were absent due to spring break
Minutes approved; citizens communications followed

Citizen comments on courthouse

Penny Kimley (Williamson County Equestrians for Shared Greenways) asked the commission to vote yes on the Multimodal Greenway Plan
Bob Ravner raised concerns about the ~$100M cost of the Columbia Ave option and asked for hard numbers on alternatives, including rebuilding on the existing Fourth Ave site
Judge David Veal argued the current facilities are inadequate, noted the Columbia Ave property has an appraisal of $23M+ vs. the $17.85M sale price, and asked the commission to approve the bonds
Steve Fahey (Downtown Neighborhood Association) shared survey results from 75 households: 75% said a new courthouse doesn't need to be in downtown Franklin, 68% opposed the HG Hill/Columbia Ave site, and the top preferred uses for that property were grocery, dining, and retail — courthouse received only 20% of votes
Judge Tom Taylor argued the Columbia Ave property is singular and fits the county's needs, drawing parallels to past decisions on Harlinsdale Farm and the landfill
Dana Frick (healthcare finance background) asked commissioners to support Res 3263 for an independent consultant on the potential hospital sale, warning that a for-profit system would add cost layers for executive bonuses, shareholder dividends, and taxes

Donate Life Month proclamation

Mayor Rogers Anderson proclaimed April as Donate Life Month in Williamson County
Alex Comas (Tennessee Donor Services) noted 65% of Williamson County residents are registered organ donors — the highest percentage of any county in Tennessee — and the county consistently ranks in the top 5 statewide for donations collected
County Clerk Jeff Whidby and Franklin Driver Service Center Branch Manager Anna Bennett were recognized for their role in driving those numbers

County financial update

The 2 refunding bonds approved in February went to bid on March 3 and came back with total savings of $1.28M, better than the projected $900K over 9 years; closing is expected later in March
January privilege tax collections were $721,301, slightly down, though February preliminary numbers show a pickup in both privilege tax and education impact fees
Cool Springs Conference Center brought in $18,303 in January, bringing year-to-date revenue to $197,156
Budget committee meetings start at the end of March and run through April

Hospital awards & financials

Williamson Medical Center was named to Newsweek's 2026 World's Best Hospitals list for the 6th consecutive year — one of only 3 Tennessee hospitals and 420 US hospitals recognized across 32 countries
Also recognized as #1 in Tennessee for medical excellence in spinal fusion and top 10% nationally for women's health by Care Chex/Quantros
More than 850 community members participated in the February calcium scoring heart scan opportunity
New cardiac CT is fully operational; new cardiac MRI was delivered and is expected to begin seeing patients in late April or early May
January financials were impacted by the winter ice storm, which canceled 2-3 days of elective surgeries and procedures
EBITDA was $1,018,192 (28%) below budget for the month but favorable year-to-date by $2,164,690 (12%)
Net income was $1,041,000 below budget for the month but favorable year-to-date by $1,682,000 (252%)
Operating revenues were $604,818 (2%) below budget; operating expenses were $282,000 (1%) above budget
EBITDA margin was 7.8% for January and 9% year-to-date
Days cash on hand was 113 days; debt coverage ratio was 2.45

Hospital sale & independent consultant

Counsel confirmed the hospital's RFP process has been paused to incorporate county commission input before going back to bidders
Counsel stated there is nothing in current state law that distinguishes between for-profit and not-for-profit buyers with respect to proceeds — both are treated the same
Commissioner Sturgeon asked who is responsible for determining what services a buyer must provide; counsel said the hospital is required by law to produce a community needs assessment and that information should be requested and provided when a proposed transaction comes to the commission
Commissioner Williams noted the hospital board is listening to the commission and incorporating its input, and argued the process should be allowed to play out before hiring a consultant
Commissioner Guffe noted 4 commissioners plus the mayor serve on the hospital board and invited any commissioner to attend open board meetings
Commissioner Hayes argued the contract with Jesse Neal's firm does not cover the "deal team" advisory role and that the commission needs its own expertise representing taxpayers
Commissioner Lawrence wants a second opinion given the complexity of the transaction, noting 70% of surgeries on Williamson County residents are performed outside the county
Commissioner Petty supports having a consulting firm to help the commission understand the process, noting there is much he doesn't know
The motion to appeal the chair's ruling that Res 3263 was substantially similar to the tabled Res 1262 failed 6-15
The subsequent motion to remove Res 1262 from the table failed 11-10

Elections & appointments

All appointments passed unanimously (21-0) unless noted:
Emergency Communications District Board: John Allman and Alan Lovett reappointed (at-large, 4-year terms)
Highway Commission: David Coleman (Southeast District) and Wayne Davis (Southwest District) reappointed (2-year terms)
Regional Planning Commission: Robin Baldry and Sharon Hatcher reappointed (4-year terms) — passed 20-0 with 1 abstention
Zoning Appeals Board: Karen Emerson McPeak reappointed (5-year term)

Courthouse task force formation

Res 3262 passed 21-0 — establishes a commission-led, open-meetings task force to analyze judicial facility needs, pick up where the Triple J Master Plan left off, and avoid repeating past mistakes
Commissioner Aiello noted the task force will allow many voices but only commissioners can bring resolutions forward; he described it as a "think tank" with recommendations ultimately voted on by the commission
An amendment proposed by Commissioner Mason was adopted 21-0, adding the DA's Office, Public Defender's Office, Clerk and Master, and a County Property Management rep, bringing the total task force membership to 16
The task force runs from now through September 2026 — the September cutoff was chosen because a county election may change the commission's makeup; recommendations could come sooner
Commissioner Lawrence cited the Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial, noting residents are currently waiting over a year — sometimes close to 2 years — for trials requiring more than 4 days, with only 3-4 such slots available per year
Commissioner Petty supports the task force and wants it to move quickly, noting the courthouse problems won't go away until a new structure is built
Commissioner Aiello, Commissioner Morton, Commissioner Torres, and Commissioner Webb were appointed to serve on the task force, passing 21-0; Commissioner Mason may also participate through the DA's Office appointment

Courthouse bond & property votes

Res 3261 (bond issuance up to $17.85M for courthouse land purchase): deferred to June 8 meeting, 18-3
Key discussion: bond language currently limits use to land purchase; Commissioner Aiello suggested changing "and" to "or" to allow renovation use as well, but counsel advised against amending without bond counsel review
Res 32625 (publication/notice resolution, required 20-day public notice before bond issuance): deferred to May meeting, 20-1, so bond counsel can be present to address language questions and the publication clock can run before a potential June vote
Res 32626 (authorizing the mayor to execute a purchase agreement for 926 Columbia Ave, Franklin): amended to request a 180-day extension from the seller instead of approving the purchase outright; passed 19-2
The due diligence period on the current contract expires April 8, 2026; the county has not yet received a response from the seller on the extension request
Counsel noted that if the seller doesn't grant an extension, the contract expires and earnest money would be returned per the contract terms
Approving the bond issuance (Res 3261) does not obligate the county to purchase any specific property; a separate vote on the contract itself would be required

Safety Action Plan & greenways

The commission adopted the Williamson County Safety Action Plan and Multimodal Greenway Plan 21-0 — both funded under a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant
Brian Hill (AECOM) presented the Safety Action Plan: 88% of fatal/serious injury crashes occur on just 20% of roads; most crashes are lane departures and angle crashes on high-speed roadways
Participating communities — Brentwood, Fairview, Nolensville, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station — committed to a 30% reduction in fatal/serious injury crashes over 10 years, 75% by 2050, and near elimination by 2075
Each community received its own set of recommended policies, systemic strategies, and specific priority projects with conceptual designs and cost estimates to support grant applications
Adoption unlocks eligibility for SS4A implementation grants; a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) was expected that month with an estimated 20% match requirement
Ben Boyd (Design Workshop) presented the Multimodal Greenway Plan: currently only 5% of county residents are within a 10-minute walk of a greenway; the proposed 21 new corridors in unincorporated areas would give 99% of residents access within 5 miles

Education impact fees

Res 3264 passed 19-2, updating the education impact fee schedule based on a Tishler-Weiss study dated February 16, 2026; fees take effect July 1, 2026
The current education impact fee fund balance is approximately $91M, which can only be used for growth-related capacity increases
Upcoming school projects eligible for impact fee funding include a new middle school on the Jordan property in Brentwood (estimated $103M, targeted to open 2029) and expansions at Nolensville High School (2030) and Centennial High School (2031) at approximately $18M each
Commissioner Mary Smith voted no, citing affordability concerns and the existing $91M balance with no current growth projects to spend it on

Septic regulations update

Res 32624 passed 21-0, asking state representatives to amend Tennessee Code to give the county commission approval authority over septic regulations, rather than the Board of Health alone
Commissioner Herbert reported the septic task force is wrapping up — final meeting is approximately one week out — and a set of amendments is going to the Board of Health the following week
Key proposed changes include: replacing setback tables with the state's standard tables, allowing multiple structures (e.g., a barn with a floor drain) to share one septic system, and limiting use of curtain drains to reduce homeowner costs
Community Development Director Mike Madison confirmed the county has advertised for the septic director position and is already receiving applications
Commissioner Hayes raised concern about employee morale and asked for a leadership-focused hire; Madison agreed a new director will help stabilize the team

Budget amendments & donations

All passed 21-0 unless noted:
Res 3265: Library budget amended by $7,090 from donations and memorials
Res 3266: Archives budget amended by $48,000 from the records management fee reserve for overhead scanners
Res 3267: Highway Department budget amended to $1,010,000 (amended up from $810,000) from highway fund balance for overtime and equipment during the ice storm, plus contracted cleanup services
Res 3268: Sheriff's Office budget increased by $56,000 from Law Enforcement Training Program funds for SRO continuing education
Res 3269: Sheriff's Office budget increased by $4,000 from a donation by Glenn Reichard for computer equipment
Res 32610: Animal Center budget increased by $8,000 from a Friends of Williamson County Animal Center donation for puppy and kitten food
Res 32611: Office of Public Safety budget amended by $30,611.77 reimbursed by TEMA for emergency management assistance to Texas
Res 32612: Parks and Rec budget amended by $2,500 from a Brentwood Rotary Club Foundation donation for all-terrain wheelchairs
Res 32613: Parks and Rec budget amended by $8,426.51 from a J.L. Clay Seniors donation for wheelchairs at Peacock Hill
Res 32614: Parks and Rec budget amended by $2,500 from a Franklin Noon Rotary donation for all-terrain wheelchairs
Res 32615: Parks and Rec budget amended by $164,951.50 from donations for officials and park maintenance
Res 32616: County Clerk budget amended by $50,000 from filing fees for equipment
Res 32617: Veterans Service budget amended by $4,275 from memorial brick paver sales for pavers to be installed before Memorial Day
Res 32628: Animal Center budget amended by $50,000 from a donation by Cindy and Mark Enderly for pet care
Res 32629: Opioid abatement agreement amended with the 21st District Recovery Court for $175,000 from opioid abatement funds for wrap-around services
Res 32630: Parks and Rec budget amended by $2,500 from a Franklin Breakfast Rotary donation for all-terrain wheelchairs

Misc resolutions

Res 3262 (courthouse task force): covered above
Res 32618 (Mental Health Court coordinator): passed 21-0 — approves a full-time coordinator position for the Williamson County Mental Health Court
Res 32619 (Rotary Rodeo alcohol permit): passed 20-1 — authorizes temporary beer sales at the Agricultural Exposition Park during the annual Rotary Rodeo in May; all revenue goes to Williamson County charities
Res 32620 (Safety Action Plan): covered above
Res 32621 (soccer complex turf grant): passed 20-0 with 1 abstention — supports a Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant application for turfing 2 multipurpose fields at the soccer complex, requiring a match of up to $1M
Res 32622 (Williamson Inc. service agreement amendment): passed 18-1 with 2 abstentions — amends the agreement since the county no longer has space to lease and manage; Commissioner Richards flagged a discrepancy between the resolution approved in 2024 and the contract signed by the mayor and asked counsel to review
Res 32623 (landfill inflation adjustment): passed 21-0 — adjusts the contract obligation in lieu of performance bonds by 4.1% per state requirement
Res 32624 (septic regulations): covered above
Res 32627 (Juvenile Justice Center planning denial overrule): passed 20-1 — overrules the City of Franklin Planning Department's denial related to 4 technical points on parking and building materials for the Juvenile Justice Center

Board of Mayor and Aldermen

Monday, March 9th

Historic Zoning Commission Agenda Video

AI summary:

Action Items

[ ] Aaron Rogers - Revise and resubmit ramp proposal for 210 3rd Ave North Commission denied the front-yard ramp. Work with staff or bring back to DRC with stronger documentation showing why side/rear placement isn't feasible. Brian suggested the side porch entrance as a potential alternative if the stone base sign and plumbing fixture can be relocated.

Overview

All 8 applications were approved with staff conditions except the front ramp at 210 3rd Ave N, which was denied — applicant encouraged to work with staff or return to DRC with an alternative location
2 upcoming training events require commissioner action: legal training on April 1st (RSVP needed) and annual HZC training (email poll needs responses)

Minutes approval and announcements

February 9, 2026 minutes approved
DRC meeting is Monday, March 16th at 4:00 PM at the Eastern Flank Event Facility — application deadline was midnight March 9th

210 3rd Ave N — building alterations and addition

Commission approved the demolition of the accessory structure, building alterations, addition, new accessory structure, and fence repair — all with staff conditions
The fence repair was folded into the building alterations motion rather than treated as a separate vote

210 3rd Ave N — front ramp denial

Staff recommended denial because the ramp is proposed in the front yard, conflicting with guidelines that call for minimizing hardscape in front yards and positioning ramps on rear or side facades where not readily visible
Applicant Aaron Rogers argued the front is the only viable location due to side setback encroachments and that routing visitors to the rear conflicts with accessibility principles — the front also leads directly into the reception area
Kathy asked about the relationship between the ramp and on-site parking, and said she'd need more convincing documentation before supporting the front location
Brian suggested the side entrance near the porch as a better alternative, noting the main obstacles appear to be a stone base sign and a plumbing fixture on that side
Commission voted to deny; Brian encouraged the applicant to work with staff or bring it back to DRC with a revised proposal

121 3rd Ave N — rear deck covering

Staff recommended approval of the one-story open-air accessory structure with a simple side gable form to cover the existing rear deck
Approved unanimously with staff conditions

717 Glass Lane — roof painting and door infill

Staff recommended approval — the building is nonhistoric (built 2004), making both the metal roof painting and door infill appropriate
Applicant Will Ford noted the paint system carries at least a 5-year warranty and is one of the better metal roof systems on the market
The door being infilled was already finished with drywall on the interior — effectively a door to nowhere — and the owner wants it removed
Approved unanimously with 2 staff conditions

103 Cottage Lane — window replacement

Proposal to replace all 25 windows on the building (constructed circa 2010s, nonhistoric)
Approved unanimously with staff conditions

135 4th Ave S — courthouse rear fence

Proposed fence runs around the perimeter of the parking lot behind the Williamson County Judicial Center and the Dan German Building, paralleling Church Street
Design features a 2-foot brick wall topped with a 4-foot wood privacy fence, segmented by 8-foot posts with cast stone caps, plus pedestrian and vehicular gates
Staff noted the brick-and-wood combination isn't historically common in the Downtown Franklin district but has precedent at the nonhistoric brownstones and other approved projects
Kathy asked about concealing mechanical equipment for the gate operators — applicant James Denny confirmed operators are on the non-pedestrian side and gates swing inward, keeping the sidewalk clear
Kathy and Angela both found the material mix acceptable — brick reads as the dominant element and the wood softens the street presence
Approved unanimously with staff conditions

Harlinsdale Farm Worker Houses 1 and 2

Both 247 Franklin Rd (Worker House 1) and 255 Franklin Rd (Worker House 2) are within the Franklin Road Historic District and listed on the National Register as part of Harlinsdale Farm
Both proposals cover building and site restoration; staff presented conditions but made no recommendation since these are city projects
Applicant Brandon Petty clarified that both houses will use natural sealed wood rather than composite — composite had been discussed at a prior DRC meeting but was dropped because it wasn't a good fit and city staff had no maintenance concerns with natural wood
Brian noted the guidelines don't recommend composite anyway
Both approved unanimously with staff conditions

Upcoming training reminders

Legal training is scheduled for April 1st — commissioners should watch for the city email, RSVP so lunch can be arranged, and contact staff if the email hasn't arrived
Staff sent an email polling commissioners on availability for the annual Historic Zoning Commission training — responses needed

Tuesday, March 10th

BOMA Work Session Agenda Video

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ] Participant 10 - Bring back signalized intersection concept for Liberty Pike/Mallory Lane Concept should include pedestrian and bike accommodations, address the residential/school context, and include delay comparisons for the next 10–15 years (not just the 2050 design year) so the board can evaluate scaling options.
[ ] Participant 11 - Bring steering committee resolution to next work session Separate resolution to form the steering committee for the central Franklin parking study.
[ ] Participant 8 - Develop IDD workforce housing framework for the board Alderman Brown asked the housing commission to model what a reasonable workforce housing ask looks like when a developer comes in with an IDD — ideally a calculator or rubric the board can use to evaluate and negotiate.

Overview

Board covered 6 items: event permits, housing commission update, parking study, intersection redesign, and a road reimbursement agreement
Housing commission presented affordable housing ideas; Alderman Brown asked the commission to develop a workforce housing framework for IDD negotiations, and Vice Mayor Baggett pushed the commission to look beyond single-family ownership
Board approved a $250,000 downtown parking study with Walker Consultants — first major study since 2016
Liberty Pike intersection redesign from roundabout to signalized intersection drew significant pushback from Alderman Berger; no vote taken, staff will bring back a concept with a pedestrian plan
Boyd Mill Pike road improvements moving forward — $400,000 city contribution, construction starting May 2026, targeting completion by Q3 2026

Event permit approvals

Board approved two event permits with no questions: Pumpkin Fest (Heritage Foundation, now a 2-day festival) and Dickens of Christmas in December

Housing commission update

Chair Lebowitz and commission chair Paul presented the commission's current focus and future direction
The commission is revising Title 21 of the municipal code to streamline the process and open incentives to for-profit developers, not just nonprofits
A survey is going out to developers and contractors to gauge what city incentives would actually move the needle on attainable housing
An inclusionary zoning fund has sat at roughly $200,000 unused for 8 years — the commission wants to repackage it to allow uses like down payment assistance or interest rate buydowns (Paul estimated $200K could fund 4–5 down payments or buy down ~20 mortgages)
Habitat for Humanity provided land cost data showing Franklin lots run about $300,000 more than the average comparable community — the board supported a recent $335,000 vacant lot purchase that will yield a deed-restricted home
Paul raised several ideas for increasing housing supply: using open space zoning to carve out single-family lots, revisiting ADU and flag lot restrictions (Hill Estates has 15–20 lots roughly 275 feet deep that could work), and converting vacant office space to residential units
Paul showed a Clayton Homes modular example where 14 units were built in about 2–2.5 weeks on a prepared site — the key constraint is finding a tract of land first
Chair Lebowitz suggested the city could partner with nonprofits or private developers to purchase and deed-restrict existing homes, using city funds (e.g., $50,000 per home) to preserve neighborhood character and create attainable housing
The commission has focused exclusively on single-family ownership because of limited bandwidth (meeting 6–8 times a year), but Paul is open to expanding scope

Workforce housing and IDD

Alderman Brown wants the housing commission to develop a practical framework — essentially a calculator — that the board can use when a developer brings an IDD to evaluate what a reasonable workforce housing ask looks like
Brown's goal is for the board to be able to walk into an IDD negotiation with something concrete from the commission, not just a general interest in workforce housing
Paul agreed the commission can work on that
Vice Mayor Baggett pushed back on the commission's single-family ownership focus — some of her employees live in the Gulch because it's the most affordable option in the two-county area, and she wants the commission to actively explore rental and multifamily attainable housing
Paul acknowledged the commission has been too narrow and said if the Title 21 funds can be repackaged, the door opens to condos and other housing types, not just single-family

Downtown parking study

Staff recommended and the board approved Resolution 2026-04 authorizing a contract with Walker Consultants (with STV as sub) for a central Franklin parking study
Total cost is $250,000 — half from the hotel/motel fund, half from the Planning and Sustainability Department budget
The last major parking study began in 2016, putting this at roughly the 10-year mark, which staff noted is about the maximum recommended interval between updates
Study area covers the historic downtown core, Factory District, Columbia Avenue, and West Main Street corridor, and includes an analysis of large-scale event parking
Staff is piloting GoVocal, an online public engagement platform, to improve citizen input — if it works well, other city departments may adopt it
Engagement plan includes stakeholder interviews, street interviews, pop-up events, and at least one citizen survey
A steering committee will be formed — staff will bring a separate resolution to the next work session
The resolution authorizes the city administrator to adjust scope as needed without increasing the overall cost

Liberty Pike intersection redesign

Staff presented Resolution 2026-07 to revise the Liberty Pike / Mallory Lane / North Royal Oaks Blvd intersection from a roundabout design to a traditional signalized intersection
Four traffic studies were conducted; the most recent (RK&K, using Cool Springs transportation study projections) found the roundabout would fail substantially before the 2050 design year, exceeding the 0.85 volume-to-capacity threshold and operating chaotically
Staff noted the only fixes — enlarging the roundabout with bypass lanes or building a grade-separated interchange — aren't feasible given available real estate; grade separation would push costs to roughly $35–40 million
Estimated cost for the signalized intersection is ~$8.5 million vs. ~$21 million for the two-roundabout design, though staff acknowledged these aren't apples-to-apples (the roundabout covered two intersections)
Alderman Berger made an extended case against the signal: roundabouts have 8 conflict points vs. 32 for signalized intersections, handle uneven traffic flows better, and metering remains an operational option later if needed; he also noted both options are projected to fail by 2050 and questioned whether 25-year traffic forecasts account for remote work, autonomous vehicles, and land use changes
Berger asked to see delay comparisons for the next 10–15 years rather than just the 2050 projection, and said the item deserves more discussion than the time available tonight — no vote was taken
Citizen speaker Ned Danenberg (Bike Walk Franklin) raised that the 23-page traffic study contains no mention of pedestrians, and urged the board to demand the design be safe for an 8-year-old or an 80-year-old crossing the road, including medians or refuge islands
Alderman Brown wants to see a pedestrian plan before any vote — the intersection is adjacent to a high school and multiple apartment complexes
Staff committed to bringing back a developed concept that accommodates bike and pedestrian access and will show repercussions of any scaling back

Boyd Mill Pike road reimbursement

Board reviewed Resolution authorizing city contract 2026-0079 with West Haven Owner LP (Southern Land Company) for a $400,000 lump sum city contribution toward road improvements on Boyd Mill Pike from Stonewater to Championship Boulevard
Ron Cryer (Southern Land) said the project can be bid out by April 2026, with construction starting around May 2026 and completion targeted for Q3 2026

BOMA Meeting Agenda Video

AI Summary:

Overview

Board of Mayor and Aldermen met March 10, 2026 — 2 aldermen absent (Caesar, Potts)
Brush cleanup from Winter Storm Fern is at massive scale — 1,800 tons collected in 5 weeks against a normal full-year total of 2,800 tons; team targeting completion by mid-to-end April
Gateway Village PUD vesting extended 24 months to April 10, 2028 — passes unanimously; site still has no permits pulled
Annexation initiation for ~40 homes on 18.71 acres off Clovercroft Road approved unanimously; Landmark Investments voluntarily doing a traffic study
Columbia Pike 79.89-acre annexation, plan of services, and agricultural zoning all passed unanimously
Citizen Angela Park raised a complaint about a fence built on her property line at the Coletta Park development — staff acknowledged and photos submitted for the record

Meeting admin & roll call

Aldermen Caesar and Potts were absent
Agenda set 5–1 (Vice Mayor Baggett opposed)
Minutes from the February 24, 2026 work session and BOMA meeting approved unanimously
Consent agenda (items 9–14) passed 5–1 (Vice Mayor Baggett opposed)

Citizen complaint: Coletta Park fence

Angela Park (Cross Creek resident) said developer Clay Lane told homeowners they'd have 80 feet of tree preservation between the black silt fence (their property line) and the orange silt fence (new homeowner's fence line)
She found a completed fence built on the black silt fence line — on her property — not at the 80-foot buffer
The fence was built around existing trees, leaving gaps at the ground, and included broken wood pieces
She submitted photos to Casey for the record; staff acknowledged the comments but no formal action was taken at the meeting

Winter Storm Fern brush cleanup

Team has collected 1,800 tons of brush in just over 5 weeks — roughly 60% of the 2,800 tons collected in a full year
Current weekly intake is 313 tons vs. the normal average of 53 tons/week
578 knuckle boom loads brought in; 1,400 tons sent out; 400-ton stockpile still needs to be ground up or processed through the air curtain burner
Normal collection runs Monday–Thursday; team added Friday and Saturday, a 50% increase in collection hours
West Haven, McKay's Mill, and Fieldstone are largely complete; Tuesday routes are caught up
Strategy changed 2 weeks ago — deploying all knuckle booms to one neighborhood at a time to drive completions rather than doing partial passes across multiple neighborhoods
Nate said mid-to-end April is the target for being in good shape; no firm completion date given due to unpredictable volume per neighborhood
Nate and assistant director Wayne Sullivan are prepared to operate trucks themselves if a truck is short
Alderman Brown asked about debris left after collection — guidance is to bag small material in brown bags or rake it back up for a follow-up knuckle boom pass; street sweepers will also be sent through after collection
Vice Mayor Baggett stressed that setting and meeting realistic expectations matters more than speed, and asked the team to keep communicating regularly about where they're working

Gateway Village PUD vesting extension

Resolution 2025-107 approved unanimously — extends vested rights 24 months from April 10, 2026 to April 10, 2028
Original revised development plan approved by BOMA October 11, 2021; plan includes 6.75 dwelling units/acre and 144,258 sq ft of non-residential space across 60.5 acres
A previous 3-year extension was granted in October 2024; applicant submitted a site plan for Lot 134 but has not pulled any permits
If vesting lapsed, the project would need to restart the full approval process — pre-application, development plan, Planning Commission, and 3 readings with BOMA — though current plan largely complies with today's zoning ordinance
Alderman Barnhill and Alderman Berger both want to see the site (currently a gravel lot) actually built out
Staff clarified the maximum vesting extension allowed is 3 years, which is why the applicant requested 2 years rather than more

Annexation initiation: Clovercroft Road

Resolution 2025-110 approved unanimously — initiates a plan of services study for 18.71 acres north of Clovercroft Road and east of Oxford Glen Drive (4086 and 4092 Clovercroft Road)
Landmark Investments (Mike Burton) and Gamble Design Collaborative (Matt Huff) are proposing approximately 40 single-family homes averaging nearly a quarter acre each, plus 3 additional lots for the DeBoer family
Homes planned at over 3,500 sq ft with Franklin-inspired architecture; DeBoer family (mother and two children) wants to subdivide their property for family members to live together
Adjacent Navarro subdivision currently has only a single point of ingress/egress — this development would expand and interconnect the road network
Landmark voluntarily initiated a transportation study (not required for a development this size) at Alderman Berger's request, focusing on peak-hour demand, total trips, and safety
Approved Ward 1 developments will generate approximately $9.7 million in collector road impact fees; roughly $750,000 already collected and available — Landmark wants to work with staff on directing those funds strategically toward the collector road network
Alderman Berger is supporting initiation to get the plan of services info, not committing to annexation yet; wants to address the Liberty Pike/Oxford Glen roundabout and Clovercroft Road issues
Vice Mayor Baggett wants housing to set back behind the tree line as Navarro did, not front directly onto Clovercroft

Columbia Pike annexation & zoning

Three items all passed unanimously — plan of services (Resolution 2025-105), annexation (Resolution 2025-106), and zoning (Ordinance 2025-53 as amended)
Property is 79.89 acres south of Hillview Lane and west of Columbia Pike; contiguous to existing city limits and within the urban growth boundary
Sewer is not currently available — if annexed, the property owner must construct sanitary sewer per Franklin Water Management requirements before service is provided; water provided by HBNTS
Property is within the development reserve design concept under Envision Franklin — any future development would require an Envision Franklin amendment before a rezoning could be requested
Zoned agricultural (with Hillside/Hillcrest Overlay District); the HHO boundary was amended at the January 22 Planning Commission meeting to match the revised conservation line in Envision Franklin
Planning Commission recommended approval of all three items 7–0
Vice Mayor Baggett noted the 3 criteria he applies to annexation requests: property owner's request, location within the urban growth boundary, and whether it serves a public interest

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

Election Commission

March 13th

Agenda Audio

AI Summary

Action Items

[ ] Participant 2 - Submit FY26-27 election commission budget to the county Submit electronically per the county's deadline. Budget includes 5% cuts to printing and postage line items, plus a $16,000 capital request for equipment replacement.
[ ] Participant 2 - Update voter registration card — make website URL red on next print run Change the williamsonvotes.net URL text to red on the reverse of the card, consistent with the card's existing use of multiple colors.
[ ] Participant 2 - Check chairman's availability for the William Sinek voter registration session Session is Wednesday, March 18th. Chairman wants to attend and promote voter registration alongside Chad.

Overview

Commission approved the FY26–27 budget with 5% cuts to printing and postage, plus a $16,000 capital equipment request, to be submitted electronically to the county
Election Day hours set at 7 AM–7 PM for the May 5, 2026 county primary; poll officials appointed with admin discretion to adjust assignments
Vote center 23 relocation to Academy Park Gym is approved; vote centers 25 and Independence High School are still pending
Next meeting set for Wednesday, March 25 at 4:00 PM to complete 3 performance audits and approve August primary ballot candidates (after withdrawal period closes Tuesday, March 17)

March 4th minutes approval

Minutes prepared by Secretary Graham were approved 4–0

Ballot candidate placement policy

Administrator Gray reached out to Wilson County and others, but most counties are busy with primaries and few have formal policies in place
Marshall County had a residency contest for their May primary with state involvement, and had no plan in place — Gray is monitoring
Commission wants to keep this on the agenda and develop a policy proactively, even though the filing deadline for the current cycle has already passed and there's no immediate urgency

FY26–27 budget

County budget office asked all departments for a 5% reduction in operating expenses (excluding personnel)
Gray identified printing and postage as the two line items to cut, noting this is a non-presidential cycle so those costs are naturally lower
Commissioner Burnett raised whether reducing those line items now creates problems in future years — Gray acknowledged the next presidential cycle will likely need the full amounts back
Commission also requested $16,000 in capital budget for laptop and infrastructure replacement at vote centers, with no cuts to that line
Budget approved 4–0; Gray will submit electronically to the county
First county budget meeting is April 14 at 4:30 PM

Vote center relocations

Vote center 23 (County Enrichment Center) → Academy Park Gym: approved by Parks and Rec for requested dates, relocation can proceed
Vote center 25 (eastern Franklin, Highway 96 corridor): Southeastern Christian Church on Clovercroft Road is unresponsive — Gray sent a certified letter to the senior pastor over a week ago with no reply; Parish Presbyterian is still a possible alternative and Gray spoke with them this week
Independence High School vote center: communication is ongoing, no agreement yet on Tollgate as a replacement
Chair noted concern about having no public spaces south of Cool Springs in that area
Commissioner Burnett, offered to check on the vote center 25 location in person since she lives nearby
All relocations will be formally adopted once finalized; vote on vote center 25 deferred to next meeting

Election Day hours and poll officials

Hours set at 7 AM–7 PM for May 5, 2026 county primary, approved 4–0
Poll officials appointed as presented, 4–0, with the caveat that Election Commission staff can adjust assignments administratively as needed
Lockable Election Day and absentee ballot boxes for the May primary were sealed just before the meeting, witnessed by Secretary Graham

Voter registration card redesign

New voter registration cards are already in use — the reverse side was redesigned to remove vote center locations (which caused problems when a location became unavailable) and now shows the county election calendar and photo ID info
Chair suggested making the website URL (williamsonvotes.net) red text on the next print run; Gray confirmed that's doable

Upcoming events and next meeting date

Wednesday, March 18 at 1:00 PM: Williamson County League of Women Voters luncheon — open to the public; Chair and Gray plan to attend; Chair wants to do a PowerPoint if a projector is available
Wednesday, March 18: William Sinek voter registration session — Gray invited to promote voter registration and explore getting corporate stakeholders involved in supporting poll official locations; Chair also wants to attend
Next meeting: Wednesday, March 25 at 4:00 PM — agenda will include 3 performance audits and August primary ballot candidates
Commissioners distributed copies of the codified Tennessee election laws (covering elections, registration, and campaign finance), provided by Secretary of State Tre Hargett and Mark Goins Tennessee Election Coordinator

August primary ballot candidates

Filing deadline was March 10 — earlier than the historical first-Thursday-of-April deadline
Commission can approve qualified candidates appearing on the August state primary ballot once the withdrawal period ends Tuesday, March 17
Caveat noted that William Petty retains authority to remove or disqualify candidates

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.
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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.

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