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Christmas Wishes From the Commish
It's hard to believe 2023 is coming to a close. No doubt, this has been an emotional year for me with the loss of my amazing father, James H. Gregory, Sr., but also a year full of so many opportunities that give me hope for a brighter future.
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I know that many of us will be facing a Christmas with different emotions, but I pray that you find hope in the season. And, to remember that we have already received the greatest gift of all in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and that this a reason for all to rejoice.
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So, from our family to yours, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas full of the blessings of Christ and a safe and prosperous New Year.
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Highlights from November's Meeting
- Several parents spoke out regarding the 5G Tower currently located next to Trinity Elementary School. Here is a recent news story regarding the concerns we are hearing:
WKRN - 730+ people petition to remove cell tower from nearby Williamson County public school
- Sheriff Dusty Rhoades announced his retirement, effective 1/1/2024.
- Total amount of Bonds issued for 2024 capital projects came to $83,915,000, $17,500,000 was removed from the Triple JJJ project due to what work was actually planned for completion this upcoming year.
- The purchase of the radio station WAKM 950 AM was defeated (14 - No, 7 - Yes, 1 - Abstain)
- More than $1 million dollars of Opioid Settlement money was distributed to various organizations across our county to assist in the rehabilitation and care of those who are fighting addiction.
- The Commission voted (18 - Y, 4 - N) to increase public notice regarding Committee vacancies from 7 to 15 days.
- If you would like to see the full commission meeting, it is available here.
- Check out how Williamson County compares to other counties across the state.
Next Up
There is no Commission meeting the month of December but here's a few of the items coming to the Commission beginning in January:
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Schools: The County Commission, will be voting on whether or not to approve the WCS Capital Improvements Plan for the next 5 years. Currently, this plan includes the following:
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- Land Purchase for schools and Central Office & Construction of 9 New School Buildings totaling $741,000,000
- Additions, Renovations and Maintenance Projects totaling $221,352,277
- Total CIP Request of $961,352,277 ($209,000,000 to go beyond 2028)
Elections: After the retirement announcement of Sheriff Rhoades at the November meeting, we were also informed via email that Erin Nations would be stepping down as County Commissioner for District 6 after being appointed to the 21st District Judicial seat vacated by Judge Michael Binkley. Both positions will be voted on in the upcoming General Election to be held in August. Until then, the County Commission will be required to nominate interim replacements for both.
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Also, please keep in mind that elections for School Board members for Districts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 are coming in 2024. We need to elect candidates who will not only be strong advocates for a high-quality education but will be fiscally responsible in ensuring the school systems spends our hard-earned tax dollars wisely.
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Other News: Regarding the 5G Cell Tower Code Updates, the final resolution is scheduled to be presented to the Planning Commission at their January meeting tentatively scheduled for Thursday, 1/14/2024. This change will require a minimum of 1500 feet between school buildings and residential areas and future cell phone tower locations. We are still working on enhancing public notification processes to improve transparency and awareness to the impacted areas.
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This past week I attended the kick-off meeting for the Arrington Special Area Plan. I will be sharing more information regarding this effort in the coming weeks including the meeting schedule so that those who are interested may attend.
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- If you want to support stronger local regulations against 5G cell towers in close proximity to schools and residential areas.
- Budgeting season is coming, if you want the Commission to focus on ways to save money and reduce debt to avoid potential property tax increases.
- Please review the county calendar to know when meetings are occurring so that you may participate in public comment and have a greater understanding of the business coming before the County Commission.
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REDUCE-REUSE-RECYCLE…There is a new way to recycle mattresses in Williamson County and to save them from going into the landfill. Click here for more details.
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The next meeting will be November 13th at 7:00pm at the County Administrative Building. If you are unable to attend in person, you can always view virtually by going to the WC-TV website.
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The public is now invited to give input at any County Committee Meeting. Click here to see the full list of Committees and when the meet.
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You can find the most up to date public notices including County Commission, Planning Committee and Election Committee meetings here.
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