Friday Recap September 19th, 2025

My Comment

Correction

Last week I reported on new developments being approved by both the City of Franklin and the county. I had some things wrong and I want to clear up any misconception I have created.  The number of approved units for the county that I gave as final approval was incorrect.  Here are the correct numbers and designations:

 The biggest miss was the 782, most of which have already been built, that I should have noticed as it is right in the summary.

 There are basically three steps to getting approval for a development: 

1.      Concept.  This is where the developer presents a basic drawing of the development and if approved, moves to the next step.

2.     Preliminary Plat.   After the concept is accepted, the developer creates a complete blueprint of the development to include, roads, sewer, water etc.  If approved, they move to the final step.

3.     Final Plat.  After the county planning department has throughly reviewed the plans and required any changes so that the plan meets all requirements of the county, the developer files the final plat that cannot be altered.

The Franklin City approvals of the Aureum and Ovation were just re-approvals. Neither of them have started construction yet.

The bottom line is that we are continuing to add more homes in Williamson County and we need to find a way to catch up with our infrastructure.

Early Voting

Early Voting for Congressional District 7 started Wednesday and goes to October 2nd. Election day is October 7 and I will have locations for that in my October 3rd FR. If you want more information go to the Williamson County Election Commission

The "map this location" doesn't work here. If you go to the link above, it will work there.

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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 September 15th

Full School Board met . Agenda Video

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Jason Golden - Provide demographic data breakdown comparing student and staff populations Provide Mr. Galbraith with a link to the state report card data and demographic breakdown comparing student populations to staff populations by ethnicity, as requested during the board meeting discussion about staff diversity

Overview

• Josh Brown was re-elected as board chair and Claire Reeves as vice chair for 2025-26
• Jason Golden suspended 2 teachers without pay pending investigation—one for social media posts about Charlie Kirk's death, another for classroom comments
• Board approved $11.9 million in budget items including $10.2 million carryover for the innovation center construction project
• Public speakers raised concerns about teacher social media conduct, student safety, bullying policies, and staff diversity practices
• Golden confirmed WCS does not make hiring decisions based on race, gender, or political factors but recruits diverse candidate pools

Board chair and vice chair elections

• Josh Brown was nominated by Jay Galbraith and unanimously re-elected as board chair for 2025-26
• Claire Reeves was nominated by Participant 1 and unanimously elected as vice chair
• Jason Golden presided over elections until new chair was seated, following standard procedure

Public safety and bullying concerns

• Brad Davis shared his daughter was bullied, attacked, and threatened by a fourth-grade classmate
• Davis said Golden told him federal laws tied the district's hands on sending violent students to alternative school
• Davis sent 9 follow-up emails to Golden requesting advocacy with federal officials but received no response until August 15th, the day after Davis signed up to speak
• David Gibson supported Davis as an ally who could help the district navigate federal constraints on student discipline

Teacher social media investigation

• Golden suspended 2 teachers without pay pending investigation following reports over the weekend
• First teacher (non-tenured, less than 5 years experience) posted about Charlie Kirk's death on personal social media
• Second teacher (tenured) made classroom comments about the incident
• Investigation timeline typically completed within 2 weeks, with 90-day maximum per state law
• Golden sent district-wide email reminding staff that "words matter" and to "pause before hitting send"
• Multiple speakers called for teacher termination, citing inappropriate conduct and double standards compared to student social media accountability

Staff diversity and hiring practices

• Robert Jackson advocated for diverse teaching staff, noting black students are 41% of population but only 23% of teachers are black, Hispanic students are 18% but only 2% of teachers are Hispanic
• Jay Galbraith questioned whether WCS makes hiring decisions based on race, gender, or political factors
• Golden confirmed WCS does not use those factors in hiring decisions but works to recruit the largest possible pool of qualified candidates
• Vicki Hall confirmed no record of denying hiring opportunities based on demographic classifications

Budget and grant approvals

• Board approved $855,618 Public School Security Grant for safety construction projects like lock mechanisms
• Approved $59,525 United Way grant for after-school tutoring programs
• Approved $220,833 state transition grant for special education students preparing for post-graduation life
• Approved $10.2 million carryover for Innovative School Models grant to complete innovation center construction by late April 2026
• Approved $677,520 state special education preschool grant for early childhood programs
• Cash requested fee elimination costs be included in next year's budget to reduce burden on principals and teachers constantly requesting donations

Policy updates and compliance

• Board approved emergency preparedness plan policy on first reading, adding requirement for after-action reviews of major incidents
• Approved 4 charter school policies on first and final reading for state law compliance
• Approved threat assessment team policy requiring parent notification within 48 hours when threats involve outside investigation and quarterly board reports on incident numbers

Calendar and planning processes

• Board approved 2026-27 budget preparation calendar with Rachel Farmer leading the process
• Approved calendar committee membership including Williamson County Schools parents
• Board set no specific parameters for 2026-27 school calendar but committed to keeping current basic structure
• Calendar committee will continue 2-year advance planning and review inclement weather days, teacher start times, and early release days

Next Week

No meetings scheduled

Williamson County Commission

Monday September 15th

Human Resources Committee Resolution Policy

Committee members: Judy Herbert, Jennifer Mason, Greg Sanford, Tom Tunnicliffe, Bill Petty, Brian Beathard. Commissioner Mason was absent

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Claire - Review contract to explain $50,000 shortfall timing Look at the health department contract to determine why the $50,000 shortfall (difference between 1950 and 2080 hours reimbursement) wasn't identified earlier when the contract was done last year, and provide explanation to commissioners

Overview

• Commissioners electedJudy Herbert as chair and Tom Tunnicliffe as vice chair
• Health Department received approval for $85,072 budget amendment—$59,000 covers state reimbursement shortfall and $39,000 brings 9 long-term employees to 75th percentile pay scale
• Health Department implemented new educational support policy allowing $25,000 annual tuition reimbursement for contract employees, fully reimbursed by state
• Sheriff's Department compensation study created significant pay compression issues—some deputies with 15-20 years experience received minimal increases while new hires and command staff saw substantial raises

Chair and vice chair elections

• Committee nominated Judy Herbert for chair
• ParHerbert was elected unanimously
• Committee nominated Tom Tunnicliffe for vice chair
• Tunnicliffe was elected unanimously as vice chair

Health Department budget amendment

• Health Department requested $85,072 budget amendment for 2025-26 fiscal year to cover salary costs not reimbursed by state contract
• State changed reimbursement policy in October 2023—now only reimburses county salary increases up to state's 4.72% maximum instead of full county increases
• $59,000 covers shortfall from state only reimbursing 1,950 hours annually while county employees work 2,080 hours
• $39,000 brings 9 of 14 contract employees to 75th percentile pay scale—these employees have 12-22 years tenure
• Health Department has 13 employees on state reimbursement contract but only 9 qualified for 75th percentile increases
• Only 3 counties in region (Montgomery, Rutherford, Williamson) don't follow state compensation plan
• State will reimburse 4.72% of total amendment through upcoming contract modification
• Participant 4 voted against due to concerns about budget planning and transparency
• Amendment passed 4-1

Health Department educational support policy

• New policy allows Health Department contract employees to receive up to $25,000 annual tuition reimbursement for public health or finance-related degrees
• State provides full reimbursement to county for educational support costs
• Employee named Bella enrolled in PhD program at Tennessee State University and will be first to use policy
• Policy requires 1-year employment commitment after final tuition payment
• County manages collection if employee fails to complete commitment or leaves early

Sheriff's Department compensation study issues

• Study only counted tenure back to 2013 due to electronic records limitations, disadvantaging long-term employees
• Sheriff Hughes hired 71 people in past year, 101 total since taking office, with 51 departures
• Sheriff restructured command from 1 chief deputy to 4 deputy chiefs to manage 31 functional responsibilities
• Study eliminated corporal rank and promoted all lieutenants to captain with no pay increase, creating unintended consequences
• Educational supplements disappeared in new pay structure—employees with college degrees now make same as those without
• Claire Cochran (director of HR) and Sheriff Hughes are working through employee files to correct experience credit discrepancies
• ECD board approved new compensation study for public safety starting September 16, 2025

Wednesday September 17th

Law Enforcement and Public Safety met Resolutions audio

Committee members: Bill Petty, Greg Sanford, Pete Stresser, Tom Tunnicliffe, Matt Williams. Commissioners Sanford and Williams were not present.

AI Summary

Overview

• Commissioner Tunnicliffe was elected committee chair and Greg Sanford as vice chair
• Committee approved $1,032,065 in new grant funding across multiple law enforcement programs
• Veterans Treatment Court received $383,642 federal grant (year 3 of 5)
• DUI Court received $363,876 state grant with no county match required
• Mental health transport program got $245,224 combining $140,975 new grant money with $104,249 rollover funds
• Office of Public Safety accepted donated Motorola repeaters from Rutherford County for backup radio systems

Committee leadership elections

• Commissioner Stresser nominated Commissioner Tunnicliffe for chair—approved unanimously
• Commissioner Stresser nominated Greg Sanford for vice chair after Sanford reached out expressing interest—approved unanimously

Veterans Treatment Court grant approval

• Committee approved $383,642 federal grant contract with Department of Health and Human Services
• Grant covers year 3 of 5 total years with no county matching funds required
• Funds support veteran treatment, housing, transportation, and personnel costs
• Participant 1 confirmed that positions end when grant funding expires

DUI court grant approval

• Committee approved $363,876 state grant contract with Tennessee Department of Health and Human Services
• Grant follows same structure as Veterans Treatment Court with no county match required

DUI Recovery Court rollover funds

• Committee approved $95,941 budget amendment using Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council rollover funds
• These are unspent funds from previous year's grants

Motorola repeaters donation acceptance

• Committee accepted donation of 4 Motorola repeaters from Rutherford County
• Conner explained repeaters operate on UHF and VHF frequencies for backup systems when primary 700-800 megahertz system fails
• Equipment improves coverage for neighboring counties providing mutual aid

Vehicle warning technology grant

• Committee approved $30,065 grant from Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security
• Conner Scott described system that alerts GPS units in vehicles when emergency apparatus with lights and sirens approaches

Mental health transport grant

• Committee approved $245,224 combining $140,975 new grant money with $104,249 rollover fundsSheriff Hughes explained program contracts with AmeriMed for mental health facility transports instead of using sheriff personnel
• Program is in its second year and provides significant resource savings

Equipment surplus to Hickman County

• Committee approved surplus of law enforcement equipment to Hickman County Sheriff's OfficeSheriff Hughes explained this supports cleanup efforts before moving to new Special Operations Building
• Equipment list included in resolution paragraph

Highway safety grant rollover

• Committee approved $22,936 budget amendment using Governor's Highway Safety Office rollover fundsSheriff Hughes confirmed funds offset overtime and equipment costs for DUI checkpoints and enforcement

Thursday September 18th

Purchasing and Insurance Committee met Drury Presentation Audio. This is a 15 page presentation that sure to make your eyes glaze over, but I recommend that you check it out to see what is happening with our county health coverage. I wasn't at the meeting, so I am not sure who was participant 1 etc.

Committee Members:Sean Aiello, Meghan Guffee, Gregg Lawrence, Steve Smith, Mayor Anderson

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Participant 1 - Research diabetic employees on GLP-1 medications Find out how many employees are currently taking GLP-1 medications and how many of those are diabetics versus taking it for weight loss purposes
• [ ] Participant 1 - Research pregnancy cleaning benefits coverage Find out if the dental plans offer extra cleanings for pregnant employees and report back with the details
• [ ] Participant 6 - Confirm meeting room for September 29th Confirm the room reservation for the September 29th meeting at 9am to review retiree Medicare Advantage plan options
• [ ] Participant 1 - Provide benchmarking data for municipalities Provide benchmarking data showing how Williamson County's health plan deductibles and benefits compare to other municipalities of similar size in the region
• [ ] Participant 1 - Provide detailed GLP-1 savings projections breakdown Provide quantified projections showing how much savings is attributed to reduced costs versus increased rebates for the estimated $7.5 million in GLP-1 related savings
• [ ] Participant 4 - Notify schools about September 29th meeting Make sure the schools have HR representatives present at the September 29th meeting since retiree Medicare Advantage plan changes will significantly affect them with 1,500-1,600 retirees

Overview

• Committee approved switching to Cigna dental with DHMO and PPO options, saving approximately 50% on employee costs and $147,000 in admin fees for first 6 months
• Approved $15 monthly increase for Open Access Plan employees ($30 for family), while Local Plus remains unchanged
• Approved coinsurance change from 90% to 80% plan coverage, saving estimated $700,000 annually
• Deferred GLP-1 medication coverage decision to next meeting on September 28th - current spending at $5.2 million annually, up 40% from $3.2 million in 2024
• Pathwell Bone and Joint program approved at $500 per participant with up to 25% savings on surgeries
• Next meeting scheduled for Monday, September 29th at 9:00 AM to decide retiree Medicare Advantage changes with potential $500,000 to $2.5 million in savings

Dental carrier repricing analysis

• Charles presented repricing results showing Delta at 52% discount but noted data issues - Delta knew about annual max claims while other carriers didn't, skewing results higher
• Cigna repriced all claims including ortho, while MetLife didn't reprice ortho claims as their standard practice
• All other carriers exceeded Delta's current in-network discount performance of 43%

Dental network coverage assessment

• Cigna network covers 85% of current dentists, meaning 15% disruption for employees
• Participant 3 noted most employees will judge plans based on whether their current dentist is included
• MetLife and Cigna committed to performance guarantees to improve rural provider networks, though no specific provider count guarantees

DHMO vs PPO plan options

• DHMO plan eliminates deductibles and $1,500 annual maximum, uses fee schedule instead
• PPO plan maintains current structure with $1,500 annual maximum
• Charles recommended requiring employees to choose a DHMO dentist during enrollment to ensure network participation
• State of Tennessee currently uses Cigna DHMO product

Dental plan cost breakdown

• DHMO costs: $12.06 single, $24.42 employee plus one, $57.66 family - approximately 50% reduction from current costs
• Enhanced plan employee costs drop from $6.64 to $6.23 monthly
• Employee plus one drops from $27 to $14.45 monthly
• Family coverage drops from $60.28 to $28.28 monthly
• Retiree rates would drop roughly 50% under DHMO option

GLP-1 medication coverage options

• Committee deferred decision to next meeting after requesting data on current diabetic users
• Current annual spending: $5.2 million (up 40% from $3.2 million in 2024)
• Encircle Rx program option costs $1.25 per member per month ($189,000 annually) with estimated $1.3 million net savings
• Requires BMI 32+ or BMI 27+ with two weight-related conditions, plus Omada program enrollment
• Alternative option: eliminate coverage except for diabetics, saving $5.2 million based on current spending
• Participant 3 favored Davidson County approach of covering only medically necessary cases

Pathwell bone and joint program

• Committee approved program costing $500 per participant who enrolls before surgery
• Provides up to 25% savings on musculoskeletal surgeries through Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee
• Members get $0 cost for surgery, 100% coverage for up to 5 PT visits, $600 travel benefit for 60+ mile trips
• State of Tennessee had only 77 employees sign up for similar program
• Participant 7 raised concerns about using taxpayer money to direct patients to county-owned facility, but legal confirmed no issues

Medical plan deductible increases

• Committee took no action on deductible increases after Participant 6 expressed concerns about employee pushback
• Option 1: increase deductible $300 employee/$600 family, out-of-pocket max $1,600/$3,200, saving $4.2 million
• Option 2: increase deductible $150 employee/$300 family, out-of-pocket max $800/$1,600, saving $2.1 million
• Charles noted these align with state of Tennessee increases

Medical plan coinsurance changes

• Committee approved changing from 90% to 80% plan coverage, saving estimated $700,000 annually
• Participant 5 noted 80% coinsurance is standard benchmark nationally
• Charles explained this gets employees to out-of-pocket maximum 10% faster but doesn't increase total liability

Employee contribution adjustments

• Committee approved $15 monthly increase for Open Access Plan employees ($30 for employee plus one/family)
• Local Plus plan costs remain unchanged
• Open Access includes all hospitals and most doctors; Local Plus eliminates HCA TriStar hospitals
• Charles noted corrected employee plus one HSA rate should be $317.34, not $307.34

Retiree Medicare Advantage updates

• Charles ( Drury representative) received RFPs today with preliminary savings estimates of $500,000 to $2.5 million
• Current provider ellspring (formerly Cigna) has poor reputation with retirees and physician network issues
• Decision required by October 15th to notify CMS
• Next meeting scheduled Monday, September 29th at 9:00 AM to make final decision
• Affects approximately 1,600 retirees

Next Week

Monday September 22

Rules Committee meets at 4:30 in executive conference room in the County building at 1320 Main St., Franklin Resolutions. The first resolution is one that I am sponsoring and it requires us to record every county committee meeting. Right now the only committee meeting that is recorded is the Budget Committee.

Wednesday September 24

Property Committee meets at 5:30 pm in executive conference room in the County building at 1320 Main St., Franklin Resolutions

For all the other meetings, go here

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 everything this week and next, go here

Election Commission

No meetings this week or next 

If not me, who?

If not now, when?

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

“We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer gently.” (1^st Corinthians 4:12-13)

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.

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