EVENTS
Nashville will hold another big 4th of July celebration downtown. The music line-up includes Old Dominion along with Gramps Morgan, Cassadee Pope, Levi Hummon and the Nashville Symphony, and the fireworks display will be the biggest ever. A new Family Fun Zone will provide plenty of activities for kids. Everything is free and open to the public. Event details and information can be found at the Visit Music City website.
Some streets will be closed to traffic for the 4th, but WeGo will be providing transportation to and from downtown. Fares are free after 4 pm until close. All routes will operate on a Sunday/Holiday schedule. Service on select routes will be extended to get customers home after the fireworks. Bus riders are encouraged to use the WeGo Central transit center downtown for the bus ride home. There will be special WeGo Star train service to and from downtown. All bus routes will operate on a Sunday schedule Road closures and congestion may require unexpected detours of stops downtown. July 4th train tickets are available for purchase now on ticketsnashville.com. Round-trip tickets cost $15 with a $2 processing fee and cannot be purchased at local train stations TVM’s. The tickets will remain on sale until 24 hours before the event, or until the train is sold out. WeGo information on buses and trains is available here.
Trash and recycling will shift a day with the July 4th holiday. Trash and recycling pick-up scheduled for Monday should be put out on Tuesday and so on through the week. The trash schedule by address can be found on the Nashville.gov website.
School Board Elections and State Primary Elections are August 4. This year for the first time, school board elections are partisan. The primaries were held in May, and now general elections for school board, judges, and other county officials will take place in August. The school board positions for even numbered districts only are up for election this year. The candidates are:
- District 2
- Edward Arnold (Independent)
- Rachael Ann Elrod (Democrat, incumbent)
- Todd Pembroke (Republican)
- District 4
- Berthena Nabaa-McKinney (Democratic, former school board member)
- Kelli Phillips (Republican)
- District 6
- Fran Bush (Independent, incumbent)
- Cheryl Mayes (Democrat, former school board member)
- District 8
- Erin O’Hara Block (Democrat)
- Amy Pate (Independent)
In addition, primaries for state representative, state senator, and congress will also be on the ballot. Because of the redistricting that took place earlier this year, these districts look significantly different from the past ten years. Voters can check political districts here. The last day to register to vote in this election is July 5. Early voting runs from July 15 to July 30.
Jefferson Street Jazz and Blues Festival will be July 23 at Fisk University. The festival celebrates the vitality of the Jefferson Street community through its arts, music and food culture. The Artist Meet and Greet kicks off on Friday, July 22nd at 4 pm at Fisk University. Festivities resume the next morning at 10 am for a day of music, arts and food featuring local and national jazz and blues artists and food and retail vendors from the North Nashville community. The Jefferson Street Jazz & Blues Festival builds cultural awareness, attracts diversity and commemorates the historic Jefferson Street Corridor through the sounds of jazz, blues, funk, gospel, soul and R&B. Not just a music festival, this event pays homage to the historic treasures and challenges that make the Jefferson Street community a unique and vital part of Nashville.
Ticket proceeds go towards the Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership (J.U.M.P.), an organization committed to developing and promoting cooperative economic development, revitalization, education and public safety programs in North Nashville. Learn more at the Jefferson St. Jazz & Blues fest website.
Brush pick-up begins July 1 in Area 8 (Green Hills, Hillsboro West End, Belmont Hillsboro, Percy Warner, Devonshire), July 7 in Area 9 (Bellevue, West Meade, Hillwood, White Bridge, Cherokee Park, Richland West End, Sylvan Park, Sylvan Heights, Hadley, Fisk Watkins Park), July 20 in Area 10 (Whites Bend, Charlotte Park, Cockrill Bend, Nations, TSU, College Heights, Germantown, Buena Vista), July 26 in Area11 (Joelton, Whites Creek, Marrowbone, Scottsboro, Bells Bend, Bordeaux, Haynes Heights, Haynes Manor), and July 29 in Area 12 (Goodlettsville, Dalemere, Bellshire). Download the map and schedule here.
ISSUES
The Metro Council passed the city’s $3 billion operating budget on Tuesday, June 21. The budget included $1.1 billion for MNPS (Metro Schools) and 500 new Metro employees in key departments to ensure they can deliver city services well. These additions should speed up police and fire response times, get our trash pick-up back on solid footing, and shorten permit application and inspection times. The budget also includes $20 million for affordable housing and the creation of a new Department of Homeless Services. Building on last year’s very successful pilot of mental health/police co-response at two precincts, the Partners in Care program will expand to four precincts, and a new pilot of non-police mental health response will begin in January. In addition we have built back the city’s reserve fund, putting us on a more sound financial footing. As chair of the Budget Committee, I think this budget was very responsive to public input and reflects what is important to the people of Nashville.
Metro Water Services always needs neighbors to Adopt a Storm Drain. Keeping drains clear of sticks, leaves, and trash can help prevent flooding during big summer thunderstorms. To adopt a storm drain near you, visit the Nashville Clean Water Project website.
The Metro Housing Division has officially launched the new Mixed-Income Housing PILOT program. This new tool is an important addition to our city’s housing toolbox. It represents the fulfillment of a recommendation from Mayor Cooper’s Affordable Housing Task Force and something I’ve been working on for several years. This tax break for developers who include affordable units in their residential projects can create 300-500 units of new affordable units in mixed-income communities. Importantly, the 15 year minimum commitment required by this program feeds into the city’s vision of “Housing security for all Nashvillians”. The tax abatement will be run through the Health and Educational Facilities Board, whose mission is to encourage and promote the improvement and maintenance of citizens’ health and living conditions. The Board is authorized to issue revenue bonds and loan the proceeds to finance the acquisition, construction, development, rehabilitation, and improvement of health, educational, and multifamily housing facilities. The types of eligible projects and borrowers are determined by State statute and include hospitals, universities, non-profit schools, and multifamily housing developers. Important documents and future updates on the Mixed-Income Housing PILOT program can be viewed at the Health and Educational Facilities Board website. The documents include the enabling legislation, the PILOT application, the Affirmative Marketing Plan document, the application and approval Timeline, and Frequently Asked Questions. Applications will be reviewed beginning July 30.
With summer comes an onslaught of mosquitoes, which are more than just a nuisance. Mosquitoes pose a serious health risk to our local communities. With many vector-borne diseases (like West Nile virus) present in North America, it is important to limit mosquito populations with a fully integrated approach that includes public education. The most effective way to reduce mosquito populations is to consistently remove any standing water anywhere in your yard. This can include birdbaths, empty buckets, toys. Mosquitoes can reproduce in a surprisingly small amount of water, but denying them that tiny bit can stop the cycle. Another strategy is to bait them with a “Mosquito Bucket of Doom” It’s a quick, easy, cheap, and super-SAFE way to reduce the mosquito population in our yards. This is made from a bucket + water + handful of weeds + BTi dunk. The active ingredient is BTi, a bacteria found in the soil which targets only mosquitoes in their larval stage. Larvicides are far more effective than adulticides (the sprays). BTi will not harm any other creatures including birds, pets, most insects (except black flies and fungus gnats), and pollinators. Here’s the link to the DIY Mosquito Bucket of Doom.
That’s the news for July. I hope everyone has a great holiday. Please let me know what issues are on your mind. Sign up for this newsletter at www.burkley.org. Contact me at 615-383-6604 or burkley.allen@nashville.gov.
Regards,
Burkley Allen
Metro Council At-Large