Friday Recap November 7th, 2025

Commission meeting

The full commission will be meeting on Monday the 10th. This is going to be a marathon session that will go on for hours. There are three resolutions in particular that will generate a lot of debate:

Resolution 11-25-39 Adequate Facilities Tax Adjustment. The full resolution is in the packet for the Commission Meeting, but basically, it raises the rate that the county charges on non-residential construction from $.34 per sf. to $2.00 per sf. This money is used for Highway and Fire/Ambulance costs. It was amended by both the budget committee and the Tax Study committee, both of which are in my reports below.  

Septic Permit Process — Resolutions No. 11-25-7 & 11-25-8. For years, getting approval on septic tanks in Williamson County has been more difficult and expensive because of excessive regulations that go way beyond state regulations. These resolutions will start the process of fixing this problem. There is discussion of these resolutions in my reports below for Budget and Public Health.

Proposed sale of Williamson Health - Resolutions 11-25-5 and 11-25-33. There is a lot of concern about the future of Williamson Health. The County owns the building and the land that it is on, and the County Commission has final approval to accept or reject any offer to buy it. One of the concerns is, if it sells, where do the profits go. Right now, by state law, they must go into a trust fund and all monies will be used exclusively for health services in the county. Resolution 11-25-33 is an appeal to the state to grant a private act or amendment to the law so that the net proceeds from any sale of the Williamson Health come to the county and be controlled by the county commission. Resolution 11-25-5 affirms the county's authority and calls for legal council to represent the county during the sale process.

Commissioner Mary Smith does a great job of explaining what is happening in the county in her monthly newsletter. In her latest one, she lists all the resolutions we we'll be debating on Monday. I highly recommend her newsletter and encourage you to subscribe. Here it is.

My Comment

I hope you all can see the amount of information we commissioners must digest each month. Many of the decisions we make involve legal, accounting and regulatory expertise. We rely on the opinions of knowledgeable people who work for the county and who report to us each month, as well as experts in various fields as well as legal council we have on retainer. We have a 900+ million dollar budget to approve each year that is 91 pages of numbers. We have hundreds of resolutions to vote on each year, many of which are simple and no-brainers, but many are difficult, requiring arcane knowledge possessed by professionals on whom we must rely for accurate and honest information. The Williamson Health issue is a perfect case in point. I am always interested in your take on all of this and am willing to listen to the concerns you may have. I certainly don't know everything and am constantly learning about all issues. This is our county and your voice is important. I urge you to stay informed, attend committee and commission meetings and hold your commissioners accountable. If you ever want to contact one of us, you can go here for our contact information. For me, you can just reply to my recap.

U.S Representative district 7

 We all need to get behind our Republican candidate Matt Van Epps as this is not a lay down election.  The Democrats are well organized and energized.  As I mentioned earlier, the vote differential between Republicans and  Democrats in the recent primary was only 18%, 36,854 Republicans to 31,002 Democrats for a difference of only 5,852 votes. The Democrat establishment is zeroing in on this election and if they can flip this seat to blue, it will change the dynamic in Washington and give the Democrats a win that will reverberate around the country. We cannot let this happen.

Van Epps' opponent is a leftist who would fit right in with AOC and her cohorts.

How you can help

The Williamson County Republicans are organizing three ways to help:

Phone Call day on November 15th. There are three shifts: 9:00am to 12:00pm, 12:00pm to 3:00pm and 3:00pm to 6:00pm. To sign up, go here

Tent greeters for early voting. Starts on the 12th and runs through the 26th. Go here to sign up.

Pole Watchers during early voting. Sign up here

The voter registration deadline for the District 7 special election is Nov. 3, 2025.

Key dates:

• Voter registration deadline: Nov. 3
• Early voting: Nov. 12-26
• Absentee ballot request deadline: Nov. 22
• Election Day: Dec. 2

If you have any questions contact the Williamson County Election Commission at 615-790-5711.

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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 District

Monday November 3rd

Policy Committee Agenda Video scroll down to Policy Committee at 6:00 pm and after. There was a malfunction in recording this meeting. It is being fixed and I expect to have a report ready for next week.

Thursday November 13th

WCS Work Session will meet at 6:00 PM in the Professional Development Center located at 1761 West Main Street, Franklin Agenda Video starts at 6:00pm and thereafter.

Williamson County Commission

Monday November 3rd

The Budget Committee Resolutions Transfers Video Committee members: Chas Morton (C), Guy Carden, Betsy Hester, Paul Web, Mayor Anderson

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Phoebe - Model financial impact of $1 adequate facilities tax increase Prepare financial model showing the net impact and allocation breakdown if the adequate facilities tax is raised to $1 per square foot, including calculations for how much revenue would be allocated to schools, cities, and county after all percentage distributions are applied.
• [ ] Christy - Research authority and oversight options for County Commission regarding septic regulations Research and provide legal analysis on options that would give the County Commission oversight authority over septic regulations, including requirements that new regulations involving fees, taxes, or citizen burdens come to the Commission for approval before implementation. Report due by February 2, 2026.
• [ ] Phoebe - Research current tax and fee burden on commercial properties Compile summary of the current tax and fee burden on commercial properties in Williamson County beyond the existing 34 cents adequate facilities tax, including business taxes, sales tax, and other major fees, and calculate what the proposed increase would add to that burden.
• [ ] Phoebe - Research adequate facilities tax rates in Rutherford, Davidson, and Maury Counties Research and provide information about adequate facilities tax rates for commercial development in Rutherford County, Davidson County, and Maury County, including details about their municipality structures and how they compare to Williamson County.
• [ ] Christy - Correct budget line item typo in Resolution 1125-17 Correct the typo in Resolution 1125-17 title and 'be it further resolved' section - the budget being amended should be 'Capital Projects' not 'Property Management' before the resolution goes forward.
• [ ] Mike - Verify jurisdiction of Crow Cut Road Confirm whether Crow Cut Road crosses into another county to ensure speed limit changes are coordinated appropriately and avoid conflicting speed limits between counties.
• [ ] Mike Matteson - Convene Subsurface Sewage Disposal System Task Force Establish and convene the Subsurface Sewage Disposal System Task Force to recommend reductions in septic system regulations, starting from state regulations and identifying what additional regulations Williamson County needs above state requirements. Task force must meet by December 15, 2025, and provide final report and recommendations by April 1, 2026.

Overview

• Education Impact Task Force formed with Tom Tunnicliffe as chair and Paul Webb as vice chair to study adequate facilities tax
• Adequate facilities tax study showed raising commercial development fees from 34 cents to $2 per square foot countywide would generate $11.6 million over 10 years ($5.8 million for adequate facilities, $5.8 million for school facilities)
• Commission passed septic department regulatory reform resolution creating task force due April 1st, 2026 to recommend regulation reductions, but removed proposed 25% budget cut after significant debate
• Elderly tax relief program expanded with qualifying income increased from $47,000-$60,000 to $63,000, adding approximately 450 residents at cost of $270,000 annually
• Hospital sale proceeds legislation request failed 2-3, would have asked state to allow sale proceeds to come to County Commission instead of private foundation
• Commission approved $900 per hour rate for Foley Lardner attorney Jesse Neal to represent county's interests in potential hospital sale process

Task Force formation and leadership elections

• Budget committee members plus Tom Tunnicliffe comprise Education Impact Task Force membership
• Tom Tunnicliffe elected as chair unanimously
• Paul Webb elected as vice chair unanimously
• Task force will study adequate facilities tax as separate body from budget committee

Citizen concerns about septic department budget cuts

• Three employees from septic department spoke against proposed 25% budget cuts
• Kai Ewer noted plat review times improved from 6 months to 2 weeks after staffing up, warned cuts would reverse progress
• Jonathan Stewart pointed out 88 project files awaited review 2 years ago, now only 10 remain during busy season
• Frank LaRusso highlighted staff coming in on Sundays to reduce backlog
• Staff emphasized 90% of department budget is personnel costs

Budget transfers

• Animal Center transferred $500 from memberships to office supplies
• Elections Commission transferred $3,000 to communications and $50,000 to postal charges
• General Sessions Court transferred $9,500 from full-time magistrate salary to overtime to cover retired magistrate position with temporary staff

Adequate facilities tax study presentation

• Ben Griffin from Tischler Bise presented analysis of commercial development impact fees
• County currently has 144,000 jobs translating to 55 million square feet of non-residential floor area
• Projected 2035 growth to 160,000 jobs and 60.6 million square feet (5.8 million square feet increase over 10 years)
• Current 34 cent rate only in unincorporated areas generates $123,000 over 10 years
• Raising to $1 per square foot countywide would generate $5.8 million total over 10 years
• Raising to $2 per square foot (state maximum) would generate $11.6 million total over 10 years
• Cities receive 30% of adequate school facilities tax based on population
• Franklin Special School District receives 6.57% of adequate school facilities tax based on ADA
• Study found no overlap requiring credits to education impact fees since commercial development doesn't pay education impact fees
• Neighboring counties (Rutherford, Davidson, Maury) charge $1.50 per square foot for commercial adequate facilities tax

Adequate facilities tax rate increase

• Resolution 11-25-39 proposed increasing adequate facilities tax from 34 cents to $2 per square foot for commercial development
• Budget committee amended rate from $2 to $1 per square foot
• Committee amended effective date from immediate to July 1st, 2026
• Resolution passed budget committee 5-0 as amended
• Education Impact Task Force passed same amendments 5-0
• Revenue allocation: adequate school facilities tax to schools with 30% to cities, adequate facilities tax split between ambulance equipment and fire apparatus
• Commissioners debated whether cities should receive fire apparatus funding or if it should go entirely to ambulance service
• Commissioner Webb raised concern about subsidizing rural fire service with city-collected fees but amendment to remove fire apparatus funding failed for lack of second

Elderly tax relief program expansion

• Resolution 11-25-32 increased qualifying income from current $47,000-$60,000 range to $63,000
• Change brings eligibility in line with consumer price index and cost of living for Williamson County
• Estimated 450 additional residents will qualify
• Projected cost increase of approximately $270,000 for next budget year
• Program will automatically adjust annually based on Social Security cost of living increases going forward
• Currently serves over 1,200-1,300 residents on state program
• City of Fairview and City of Franklin participate in matching program, Franklin considering doubling their match
• Special School District participates in both state and county broad-based programs
• Effective date June 30th, 2026
• Resolution passed budget committee unanimously

Hospital legal counsel engagement

• Commission approved engagement letter with Foley Lardner attorney Jesse Neal for potential hospital sale representation
• Rate approved at $900 per hour for Neal, with range of $535-$900 for other attorneys on matter
• Neal brings expertise in hospital mergers and acquisitions and Attorney General approval process for governmental hospital sales
• Previously represented Lincoln County and Hamilton County in hospital transactions
• Standard practice for acquirer to reimburse county's legal fees as part of transaction
• Hospital board has separate counsel through Waller Lansden
• Neal formerly served as Assistant Attorney General reviewing hospital transactions
• Resolution requires Attorney General approval if hospital board recommends sale

Septic regulations reform and task force

• Resolution 11-25-7 established task force to recommend reducing subsurface sewage disposal system regulations
• Williamson County has 478 pages of septic regulations compared to state's 78 pages (over 6 times more)
• Average septic system costs $70,000 in Williamson County versus $10,000-$20,000 in neighboring counties, up to 10% of average house cost
• Some systems cost up to $100,000, with homeowners forced to abandon functional systems due to regulations
• Commissioner Tunnicliffe noted department is "universally the most hated department in county government"
• Multiple lawsuits threatened by constituents over septic issues
• One commercial property owner waited 5 years with condemned septic system later proven functional
• Task force composition includes one commissioner plus experts (soil scientists, surveyors, etc.) to avoid public meeting requirements
• Original proposal included 25% budget cut ($572,000) to capture 3-4 vacant positions
• Mike Matteson (Director of Community Development) requested removing budget cut provision until after task force completes work
• Matteson agreed not to fill 2 current vacant positions
• Commission amended resolution to remove 25% budget cut and related whereas clause
• Task force report deadline moved from February 1st, 2026 to April 1st, 2026 to allow adequate time
• County Commission will receive report at May 2026 meeting
• County attorney directed to research giving County Commission oversight of septic regulations by February 2nd, 2026 (amended from January 1st, 2026)
• Currently regulations approved by Board of Health without County Commission input
• Department currently spends $2.5 million annually on septic program that state provides for 85 other counties at no local cost
• Resolution passed budget committee with multiple amendments

School buses and pay adjustments

• Resolution 11-25-13 appropriated $3,184,000 for purchase of 15 buses
• Schools reducing general education bus fleet by 6 buses but increasing special education buses by 4, resulting in net reduction of 2 buses
• Special education needs continue increasing countywide
• Resolution 11-25-14 moved $12,465,616 between budget categories for approved raises and pay adjustments
• Teachers received 4% total pay increase, other staff received varying amounts
• 2% adjustment changed pay chart structure
• Both resolutions passed budget committee unanimously

Hospital sale proceeds legislation request

• Resolution 11-25-33 requested General Assembly to exempt Williamson County from law restricting hospital sale proceeds
• Current 2012 state law requires public benefit hospital sale proceeds go only to private foundation for healthcare use
• Resolution asked state to allow proceeds to come to County Commission as elected representatives
• Would give commission discretion to use funds for healthcare (like ambulance service) or other needs like jail project
• Senator Johnson's office worked with county to craft resolution language
• Resolution could be enacted as private act or general statute change
• Vote failed 2-3 (Commissioners Morton and Carden voted yes, Commissioners Webb, Hester, and Mayor Anderson)

Grant acceptances and donations

• Veterans Treatment Court received $114,679 rollover from Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council federal grant funds
• Williamson County Archives received $4,685 grant from Tennessee State Library and Archives
• General Sessions Court received $15,912 from state for electronic monitoring
• Sheriff's Office received $40,000 safety grant ($30,000 overtime, $10,000 equipment) from Department of Safety and Homeland Security
• Health Department received $44,400 from state
• Parks and Recreation received $95,295 in donations
• Excel Aquatics donated $1 million for auditorium expansion at planned Bethesda Parks and Recreation Center, receiving right of first refusal for lane rentals in exchange
• Library received $9,349 grant from Tennessee State Library and Archives
• Library received $18,688 donation from City of Franklin
• Animal Center received $8,000 donation from Friends of Williamson County Animal Center for kitten food
• Animal Center received donation of Genia MV1 seal and cut electrocautery unit from Friends group
• Animal Center received $990 donation for syringes
• Parks and Recreation received $3,524,000 grant from Department of Environment and Conservation
• Archives received $19,780 grant from Tennessee State Museum
• Sheriff's Office received $4.5 million grant from Department of Safety and Homeland Security for 60 school resource officers at up to $75,000 per salary per school including Alternative Learning Center
• All grant acceptances and donations passed budget committee unanimously

Tuesday November 4th

The Economic Development Council Agenda Audio

AI Summary

Overview

• Williamson County's total assessed value jumped from $20B to $30B in the recent reappraisal—a 52% increase driven primarily by residential properties increasing 65% while commercial only rose 31%
• County is moving to 3-year reappraisal cycles and plans to shift to 2-year cycles starting in 2028 to avoid sales ratio issues that nearly cost the county $3-4M in lost revenue
• Franklin reported $650M in permitted investment year-to-date, consistent with recent years exceeding $800M annually, with no slowdown despite significant impact fee increases
• Sheriff's Office received approval for 18 new positions and is opening a new special operations building, with starting deputy salary now at $61k
• Tourism visitor spending reached $1.3B in 2024, up 4% from prior year
• County Mayor advocated for real estate transfer tax that would generate $13-14M annually for road infrastructure

Citizen concerns about growth management

• Jane Sadler urged officials to be thoughtful about growth and preserve Williamson County's open spaces, creeks, and rural character
• Raised concerns that the county hasn't planned for boom growth and has allowed developers to drive development decisions
• Questioned bringing in more industry given the 2.9% unemployment rate, noting new employers cannibalize existing workforce
• Asked officials to consider whether new development fits the area and respects the county's history and tradition

Property assessment and reappraisal cycles

• Brad Coleman reported total assessed value increased from just under $20B to $29.4B after the reappraisal
• Assessed value continues climbing daily as field staff add new construction—county averages at least 2,000 new residential homes annually over the last 10 years
• Overall taxable value increase was 52%, but residential properties jumped 65% while commercial only increased 31%
• This marks the first reappraisal where the tax burden shifted more heavily to residential from commercial properties
• Williamson County now ranks 3rd in the state for assessed value, having passed Hamilton County several years ago and Knox County recently
• County is currently in a 3-year reappraisal cycle after moving from 5-year to 4-year cycles
• Brad plans to propose moving to a 2-year cycle starting in 2028 to eliminate sales ratio issues
• Sales ratio in 2021 came in at 63%, meaning county values were 37% low after just 2 years
• Commercial properties with tax representatives used the ratio to secure reductions, costing the county $3-4M in 2023-2024
• Two-year cycles eliminate sales ratios since properties are continuously reappraised to market value

Greenbelt and homebelt programs

• Greenbelt Act started in 1976 to help farmers and protect farmland by reducing property tax burden
• Property owners need 15+ acres to qualify for Greenbelt agricultural or forest use designation
• Greenbelt provides massive tax savings—land valued at $60k per acre may only be taxed at $800 per acre
• Greenbelt land values are capped at 6% annual increase, meaning maximum 24% increase over the 4-year reappraisal cycle
• Greenbelt participants were the only residential property owners who paid less in taxes after the recent reappraisal
• Property transfers trigger a 3-year rollback tax that recaptures what taxes would have been—rollback bills often reach $150k or more for large tracts
• College Grove and Fairview saw particularly significant land value increases, generating many property owner inquiries
• Agricultural use includes having someone cut and remove hay—doesn't require property owner to farm it themselves
• Forest use requires a licensed forester to create a forest management plan with harvest dates and health protection measures
• Homebelt program applies to properties zoned commercial but used as residential—no acreage requirement
• Homebelt requires 25 years of residence at the property and treats it as residential for assessment purposes (25% vs 40% commercial rate)
• Homebelt has no rollback tax when property sells
• Highway 100 in Fairview saw many properties reassessed to commercial rates, prompting Mayor Anderson to help residents apply for homebelt

Brentwood infrastructure projects and 2040 planning

• Ragsdale Road construction is 50% complete—an $18M project addressing development on the east side
• City is beginning design for Split Log Road widening and realignment
• Old Smyrna Road design work is progressing
• Brentwood is reviewing and updating its wireless communication ordinance to address coverage gaps on the east side
• City is developing policies for bikes and scooters after complaints in parks and injuries to kids
• Mayor Rhea will give state of the city address the week of November 4th—first time in several years the city has done this presentation
• Brentwood is launching the 2040 planning process, continuing tradition of Brentwood 2000, 2010, 2020, and current 2030 plans
• Planning process aims to keep elected leaders connected with residents and understand community priorities
• Key issues include traffic congestion and cell phone coverage gaps
• City wants to maintain healthy tax base that is resilient through economic downturns, requiring citizen education about tradeoffs
• Fairview and Brentwood both adopted certified tax rates (revenue neutral), while other cities increased rates on top of certified rates

Franklin development activity and major projects

• Q3 permitted investment totaled $121M ($68M non-residential, $53M residential, 70 residential units)
• Year-to-date permitted investment is just under $650M, consistent with 2024 and 2025 which both exceeded $800M for full year
• Total residential units for the year will be about 420, down from 800 last year due to no major multifamily projects this year
• Single-family permits remain consistent year over year—multifamily projects create the annual swings
• City significantly increased impact fees on water, sewer, and roads in recent years to reflect true cost of added capacity
• Growth has remained consistent despite impact fee increases
• City Hall construction is underway, about $3M under budget in early phases and tracking on schedule
• McEwen 4 widening from Cool Springs to Wilson Pike is underway and will connect to McEwen 5, a joint project with Brentwood
• Pearl Park (named after Pearl Bransford) will open passive park area with Robinson Lake and hiking paths in about 1 year, with full park completion in about 2.5 years
• City is working on right-of-way acquisition for Columbia Avenue widening from Downs Boulevard past Mack Hatcher
• Southeast Murfreesboro Road widening from Murfreesboro Road to Columbia is in year 7 of the 10-year state plan—city is trying to move it up since design is largely complete
• Walter Denton joined as new assistant city administrator for community and economic development about 3 weeks ago, overlapping with Vernon Gerth who retires in December
• Franklin awarded CoreStar award for Bicentennial Park by Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association
• City received Best Governance Award for Excellence in Government from National City Managers Association for 2025
• Faith Hope Franklin is hosting a mental health seminar Friday, November 8th from 9am-12pm at Franklin Special School District—features Ben Zobrist discussing his mental health struggles

Fairview growth and infrastructure initiatives

• City center construction is underway near I-40 and Highway 840 with roads being installed—will include restaurants, retail, and employment opportunities
• City is applying for a $1.1M matching grant for historical village park featuring the restored Triangle School
• Triangle School restoration won heritage and state awards—building was formerly home to the Bowie family who donated the 700+ acre Bowie Park
• New farmers market at historical park will be post-and-beam construction with stone, 24 vendor spaces under roof, parking, and large amphitheater
• Farmers market will be located across from Fairview Rec Center
• Bowie Park attracts about 30,000 visitors monthly to its 400 acres of trails and 5 lakes
• Police training facility construction starting soon in Hickman County after Fairview community opposed local placement
• Fairview is building and paying for facility, and Hickman County police will also be able to use it
• $1M matching grant secured for lighting project at I-40 and Highway 96 interchange to attract industrial and medical development
• Major T-DOT sidewalk project on Highway 100 will connect schools with new traffic light at Highway 100 and Cumberland
• Design completed for new Justice Center that will be adjacent to City Hall
• New fire department planned for other side of town near I-40 and Highway 96 on Northwest Highway to improve response times and ratings
• Approximately 3,000 houses and townhomes approved for development in Fairview

Sheriff's Office expansion and school safety

• County Commission approved 18 new positions for the Sheriff's Office in Sheriff Jeff Norman's first 1.5 years
• New jail is expected to break ground at the end of 2025
• New special operations building at top of Century Court is opening soon
• Current special operations building on Beasley Drive will be torn down—site likely location for new sheriff's office and jail
• 5 new deputies hired in October after County Commission approved salary increases
• Starting salary for detention deputies is now about $61k annually
• Sheriff's Office is upgrading software, body cameras, tasers, and weapons—all weapons now have red dot sights
• Office will start sending deputies to Blount County Academy in January 2026 instead of waiting for Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy
• 3 deputies scheduled to attend Blount County Academy in January
• Sheriff's Office will have 4 canine units total, with 2 dogs assigned strictly to schools
• 4 more canine handlers are in training and interviews
• Sheriff Norman started monthly school safety meetings for all schools
• Weekly command staff meetings now occur regularly
• All new hires must complete 4-week Field Training Officer Program regardless of experience—even a returning officer with 26 years experience had to complete it
• Evidence vault was doubled in size to store drugs and weapons separately per state requirements

Tourism economic impact report

• Visitor spending for 2024 was over $1.3B, up about 4% from prior year
• Household savings per resident is $1,631, down $4 from prior year due to population growth in the county

Real estate transfer tax advocacy

• County Mayor asked all jurisdictions to support real estate transfer tax advocacy with state representatives
• Tax would generate $13-14M annually for Williamson County
• County plans to earmark funds for roads and coordination with T-DOT
• County has strong support from representatives and is working on securing governor's support
• Davidson County recently started discussing real estate transfer tax for their funding needs

The Parks and Rec. Committee Agenda Audio Committee members: Drew Torres (C), Mary Smith (VC), Lisa Hayes, Gregg Lawrence, Meghan Guffee, Sean Aiello

AI Summary

Overview

• Committee unanimously approved accepting Excel Aquatics' $1 million donation to expand the Bethesda Parks and Recreation Center pool—the largest cash gift the county may have ever received
• Excel Aquatics' donation allows expansion from originally planned 6-lane pool to 8-lane 25-yard competitive pool plus separate 4-lane 25-yard warm water pool
• Committee unanimously approved $3.524 million TDEC LPRF grant (second consecutive year receiving this grant) with 50% match satisfied by property—~$2.8 million for College Grove Park and ~$700,000 for Wilkins Branch Mountain Bike Park
• Committee also approved $95,294.99 budget appropriation from various donations

Excel Aquatics $1M pool donation

• Excel Aquatics has been the county's resident competitive swim program for 26-27 years and serves about 600 competitive swimmers countywide
• Donation enables competitive swimming on the south end of county so swimmers don't have to drive to Brentwood for training—approximately 100-150 swimmers expected to benefit
• Excel will continue paying lane rentals (generated ~$175,000 last year and millions over the years) and providing their own lifeguards when needed
• Pool will be available to public approximately 10 of 15 hours daily since youth swim program only uses pool from 3:30 pm until closing
• High school swim teams from Page, Summit, and Independence will also use the facility
• 8-lane competitive pool will be kept at 78-80 degrees for competitive swimming while separate 4-lane warm water pool serves general public
• Excel parent also donated $150,000 worth of video scoreboards with timing systems for the natatorium through Franklin Toyota dealership
• Resolution 11-25-22 has typo stating "25 meter" that needs correction to "25 yard"

TDEC LPRF grant funding

• This is the second consecutive year the county received an LPRF grant—last year received ~$2.2 million for Castle Park and Osborn Park in Commissioner Smith's district
• State views Williamson County as regional recreation provider for surrounding counties that lack similar facilities
• County's ability to match grants and provide regional facilities gives advantage in grant selection process
• Beth Blather, Phyllis, and Andrea Hastings credited for extensive grant preparation work along with TDEC's Brian Clifford
• College Grove Park project status: $5 million approved in current 2025-26 budget cycle, planning another $5 million next cycle to complete park (down from original $14 million projection to approximately $10-12 million with grant funding)
• County cannot reapply for LPRF funding for College Grove once park is developed
• Working with developers including Pulte on connecting 4 planned communities to College Grove Elementary School via trail system from Arnold Road
• Lions Club and septic partnerships with developments also supporting College Grove Park
• Design work for College Grove starting soon with RFQ going out for architect, waiting on bond sale proceeds

Community impact concerns

• Commissioner Smith raised concerns about noise and light pollution affecting residents on Bethesda Road near facility
• Parks Director Hampton explained homes are topographically above facility so sound carries upward and dense ground cover won't solve noise issue
• LED Musco lighting system has minimal light pollution compared to old metal halide systems with no back lighting
• County installed silk fencing to protect adjacent property and TDEC confirmed no irreparable harm to property
• Mailbox access issue on Cardinal Road cannot be resolved by county—Postal Service uses rural delivery routes with all mailboxes on one side and has no plans to change
• Traffic study for area has been completed and is available through county for anyone requesting it

Wednesday November 5th

Williamson County Highway Commission will be meeting at 8:30 am in the Highway Facility Building 302 Beasley Drive, Franklin Agenda We missed this meetint

The Rules Committee Agenda Audio Committee members: Brian Clifford (C), David O’Neil (VC), Ricky Jones, Guy Carden, Barb Sturgeon, Chas Morton

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Participant 3 - Draft language revision for resolution amendment regarding filing and posting deadlines Rewrite the language for the resolution amendment to specify that the deadline for filing resolutions to committees is noon two full business days before the committee meeting, and the deadline for posting the committee agenda is close of business two full business days before the committee meeting.

Overview

• Committee passed resolution to print only first page of contracts in hard copy packets to save printing costs—one recent contract cost over $500 to print for 32 copies
• Complete hard copies will be available upon request
• Committee passed resolution requiring committee agendas published 2 full business days before meetings with resolutions filed by noon and posted by close of business on that deadline day
• Commissioner Richards withdrew resolution on deferred resolution sponsor notification after agenda publication rule addressed the underlying concern

Contract printing cost savings and hard copy requests

• Jeff Whidby told Participant 4 that one contract in a recent packet cost over $500 to print 32 copies
• Committee passed resolution to include only first page of contracts in hard copy commissioner packets while full electronic copies remain available
• Participant 5 moved to add language that complete hard copy will be provided upon request
• Committee unanimously approved the amendment and passed the resolution
• Commissioner O'Neil raised concerns that requiring summary pages for all contracts would create extra work and open room for criticism about accuracy of summaries

Committee agenda publication and filing deadlines

• Committee passed resolution requiring committee meeting agendas published online 2 full business days before meetings
• Committee amended resolution to require resolutions filed with mayor's office by noon on the deadline day and agenda posted by close of business that same day
• For Monday committee meetings, filing and posting deadlines fall on Thursday (or Wednesday if Friday is a holiday)
• Committee amended resolution to change "may be considered" to "shall be considered" for late-filed resolutions that receive majority committee vote
• Bobby Cook explained grants often require late filing because state doesn't provide documents before county's deadline
• Jamie confirmed she currently doesn't post committee agendas on the website but will under new rule
• Participant 7 noted current practice allows resolutions filed 30 minutes before meetings with no advance public notice

Deferred resolution sponsor notification

• Commissioner Richards withdrew his resolution after committee passed agenda publication rule
• Richards explained the resolution addressed an incident where his deferred resolution was reheard by budget committee without his knowledge and wasn't listed on any agenda
• Richards only learned about the re-hearing by attending the budget meeting
• Bobby Cook explained Robert's Rules prohibit committees from reviewing tabled resolutions but don't define rules for deferred resolutions
• Committee agreed the agenda publication rule with 2 business day notice requirement solves the notification problem

Tax Study met Agenda Audio Committee members: Lisa Hayes(C), Gregg Lawrence (VC),  Drew Torres. Mary Smith, Steve Smith

AI Summary

Overview

• Committee amended impact fee rate to $1.50 per square foot to match neighboring counties (Davidson, Murray, and Rutherford all at $1.50)
• Phased implementation: $1.00 per square foot starting January 1, 2026, increasing to $1.50 on April 1, 2026
• Fee is one-time (not annual) and applies only to adequate facilities, not adequate schools facilities
• Projected to generate approximately $1.1 million in additional revenue
• Applies to new construction and additions that increase square footage (vertically or horizontally)

Fee rate comparison with neighboring counties

• Participant 1 confirmed Davidson, Murray, and Rutherford counties all charge $1.50 per square foot for both commercial and residential
• Participant 5 confirmed Rutherford County charges $1.50 for commercial and $1.50 for residential
• Committee amended the rate from $1.00 to $1.50 per square foot to match neighboring counties
• Participant 1 argued matching neighboring counties eliminates concern that developers would move projects across county lines

Phased implementation timeline

• Committee initially considered December 31st start date but shifted to January 1, 2026 for clarity
• Committee debated timing of second phase between March 1st, June 1st, July 1st, and April 1st
• Participant 5 noted July 1st is fiscal year start, making projections cleaner, but April 1st works within current fiscal year projections
• Final timeline approved: $1.00 per square foot starting January 1, 2026, increasing to $1.50 on April 1, 2026
• Participant 9 noted phased approach gives some notice but not enough time for projects to rush through approval
• Committee referenced prior education impact fee that used similar phased approach (half rate starting March 1st, full rate starting September 1st)

Scope and application of fee

• Fee applies to new construction requiring building permits
• Applies to additions that increase square footage of facility (either vertically or horizontally)
• Does not apply to interior renovations that stay within existing building shell and don't increase square footage
• Participant 8 confirmed projects with permits already approved cannot be charged retroactively

Builder and development impact concerns

• Participant 2 noted builders find one-time fees acceptable and build them into costs, but fear forever taxes
• Participant 4 discussed conversation with Matt Largent from Williamson Inc., who was initially against fee thinking it was annual, but neutral once confirmed it was one-time
• Participant 4 noted education impact fee was predicted to cause county to fail but hasn't had that effect
• Participant 7 noted developers historically rush to get plans approved before fees take effect
• Participant 9 mentioned upcoming projects including shopping center at Thompson Station and other developments in unincorporated areas

Revenue projections and budget implications

• Committee reviewed projections showing potential $1.1 million in additional revenue
• Participant 5 explained April 1st increase timing works within current fiscal year projections
• Participant 5 noted if revenue exceeds projections, budget won't be amended mid-year but will adjust projections in July based on actual numbers
• Previous amendment limiting revenue to $1 million annually for ambulances only (excluding fire apparatus) failed to get a second

Adequate facilities vs adequate schools clarification

• Participant 5 confirmed fee applies only to adequate facilities, not adequate schools facilities
• Participant 8 confirmed this distinction, noting the two programs are "tightly woven" causing some confusion
• This clarification addressed concerns about 30% split requirement that applies to adequate schools facilities but not this fee

Thursday November 6th

Williamson County Board of Adjustments and Appeals will meet at 8:30 am in First Floor Conference Room at the County Administrative Complex, 1320 West Main Street, Franklin, TN. Agenda. All items on agenda approved.

The Public Health Committee Agenda Audio Committee members: Sean Aiello, David O’Neil, Chris Richards, Mary Smith, Barb Sturgeon

AI Summary. We missed the first part of the meeting, but caught the most important parts.

Overview

• Committee unanimously approved amended resolution 11-25-7 creating an SDM task force to reform septic regulations with a 4-0 vote
• Task force deadline extended from February 1st to April 1st, 2026, with final report presentation moved to May meeting
• Committee removed proposed 25% budget reduction (approximately $625,000 from $2.5 million annual budget) to preserve operations during reform process
• Mike Matteson committed to not fill 2 vacant SDM positions as contribution toward budget concerns
• Task force composition expanded to include current SDM employee designated by Community Development Director
• All task force meetings will be public and noticed to allow broad community input
• Christie will research complex regulatory structure involving Board of Health and provide report by February 2nd

Recent SDM department improvements

• Mike sent county commissioners a memo in June highlighting significant improvements in review times across the board
• Improvements resulted from additional staffing, process changes, and hard work by the team
• SDM made multiple regulation amendments in last couple years designed to streamline processes and add flexibility for property owners

Need for regulatory reform

• All 3 staff members who spoke acknowledged need for additional regulatory changes and welcome opportunity to review regulations
• Current regulations total 478 pages for the septic program
• Participant 4 noted regulations control what leadership has to do—decades of accumulated regulations now must be enforced by current staff
• Participant 8 emphasized that interpretation of regulations has been a major problem
• Staff already have ideas on changes based on experience with other counties and understanding what works

Task force timeline extension to April

• Resolution originally set February 1st, 2026 deadline for task force to complete work
• Task force required to begin work no later than December 15th
• Mike noted December is essentially unproductive, leaving only January to complete complex regulatory work
• Budget Committee voted unanimously to extend deadline to April 1st, 2026
• Committee agreed extension respects the process and will produce better final product
• Final report presentation moved from March meeting to May meeting

Budget reduction removal

• Committee removed provision requiring 25% budget reduction (approximately $625,000 from $2.5 million annual SDM operating budget) effective December 1st, 2025
• Mike argued cutting budget before task force completes work puts cart before horse
• Department needs existing staff to continue operations during task force work, craft regulation amendments, and train people to implement changes
• Significant backlog of paper files needs digitizing—will require staffing to complete
• Mike committed to not filling 2 vacant positions as contribution toward budget concerns
• Some staff members currently afraid for their jobs, which could lead to attrition when department needs to retain experienced people
• Participant 2 agreed budget should wait until task force makes recommendations to ensure proper resource allocation

Task force composition and membership

• Committee amended resolution to add current SDM employee designated by Community Development Director to task force
• Original composition includes county commissioner (to be selected by full commission vote), soil scientist, registered surveyor, and other technical experts
• Committee added provision to invite TDEC subject matter expert to participate
• County commissioner on task force will appoint the technical expert members
• Participant 4 encouraged commissioner selected for task force to consider input from other commissioners when selecting experts
• Participant 3 emphasized importance of getting right experts on committee to avoid bureaucratic task force that continues problems

Leadership and personnel concerns

• Participant 7 raised persistent leadership problems in SDM department that have existed for years
• Current SDM director is retiring
• SDM director reports to Community Development Director who reports to Mike
• Participant 8 stated problems go down to 1 person who made regulations and whose interpretation of regulations caused issues—that person is now gone
• Multiple commissioners expressed concern about protecting employees during reform process
• Participant 7 encouraged any SDM employee to contact commissioners offline to share experiences without fear of repercussions

Employee feedback mechanisms

• Participant 2 proposed internal anonymous survey to gather ideas from SDM staff who have been in the midst of issues for years
• Mike plans to talk to staff before and after task force meetings to ensure their input is captured
• Staff can attend public task force meetings and provide input directly
• Mike emphasized staff member on task force plus broader staff engagement will ensure employee voices are heard
• Goal is to leverage staff expertise and frontline experience rather than having staff excluded from reform process

Public meeting requirements

• Participant 6 researched open meetings law—TCA 8-44-102 requires all meetings of governing bodies be public
• Law defines governing body as members of any public body with 2 or more members with authority to make decisions or recommendations
• Task force clearly falls under open meetings requirements
• Christie recommended noticing all task force meetings to public, establishing meeting schedule in January, and providing opportunity for public input
• Other commissioners can attend task force meetings and provide comments even if not task force members
• Christie will handle logistics of public meeting notices and schedule once task force begins work

Board of Health regulatory structure

• Christie explained complex historical structure: local county health departments originally did all environmental health work (dogs, pools, landfills, restaurants, septic)
• When Clean Water Act passed in 1940s-1950s, TDEC added environmental functions and local health departments split
• Board of Health still holds regulatory authority over SDM septic program per Tennessee Code
• Board of Health composition specified by state law: includes doctor, veterinarian, nurse, school representative
• Board of Health has mainly dealt with septic issues over the years
• SDM staff provides staff support to Board of Health for septic program
• Mike handles operations while Board of Health approves regulation changes
• Christie will research by February 2nd whether this structure is correct and how to potentially relocate regulatory authority to county commission
• County operates as contract county with TDEC—10 contract counties total in Tennessee
• State requires counties do minimum state regulations but allows counties to add additional requirements beyond state standards

Monday November 10th

County Commission will meet at 6:00 pm in the auditorium at the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. main, Franklin. Agenda Packet Video starts at 6:00pm and thereafter.

Thursday November 13th

County Planning Commission will meet at 5:30 pm in the auditorium at the Williamson County Administrative Complex at 1320 W. main, Franklin. Agenda Packet Video starts at 5:30pm and thereafter.

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

Board of Mayor and Aldermen

For all meetings last week and next week, go here

Election Commission

Friday November 7th

Election Commission Agenda. We missed this meeting and will have a report ready for next week.

If not me, who?

If not now, when?

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1)

“We work hard with our own hands. W 2:3hen 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.
• WCSB Substack. This site reports on the Williamson County School Board meetings. It provides accurate summaries of all WCSB meetings.

Help educate citizens of Williamson County

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