EVENTS
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and your holiday season is off to a great start.
Councilmembers Cash , Kupin, and I are inviting all adventurous souls to Try Transit on the way to the Downtown Presbyterian Waffle Shop on Dec 5. No need to worry about parking downtown. Join us on Thursday, December 5, for a round-trip bus ride to downtown Nashville aboard WeGo’s Route 7 – Greenhills bus. Learn about WeGo transit services in Nashville, guided by a representative from WeGo, including an explanation of the convenient “QuickTicket” fare system. This training bus ride is free of charge. Once you are downtown, you can also take part in the annual holiday Waffle Shop – a 100 year tradition benefiting Fishes and Loaves, Downtown Presbyterian’s food pantry. https://dpchurch.com/dpcs-waffle-shop-centennial-event/ Participants are welcome to attend the Downtown Presbyterian Church’s annual Waffle Shop and holiday gift shop– a complete breakfast with waffles, grits, a choice of bacon or Hattie B’s hot (or mild) Chicken and your choice of Frothy Monkey Coffee or spiced tea while enjoying the live music of Les Kerr and the Bayou Band. Cost for the waffle breakfast is a $20 donation benefiting the Fish and Loaves ministry. Meet promptly either at 10:35 at the Hillsboro High School Transit Center or at 10:40 at the Hillsboro Hardware bus stop at Blair and 21st. We will arrive at WeGo Central around 11:05. For those not staying for the breakfast, the first return trip will depart Central at 11:15 a.m. If you are staying for the breakfast or to enjoy downtown on your own, use your new bus riding skills and a complimentary day pass to return to Hillsboro Village, Green Hills, or anywhere the buses go at your own convenience.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell is inviting all Nashvillians to the 25th lighting of the grand Christmas tree in Public Square Park on Friday, December 6th at 6 pm. The annual lighting ceremony will feature performances by the Lakeview Elementary School Music Program, Head Magnet Middle School Choir, and Olive Branch Church Choir. Santa and local mascots, Gnash, Tempo, Booster, and T-Rac and live broadcast by WJXA Mix 92.9 will help celebrate the harbinger of the holiday season and the unveiling of thousands of multicolored lights that adorn the tree. The Christmas tree was donated by a Davidson County resident because it has outgrown its space and had to be removed anyway. Mayor O’Connell is encouraging Nashvillians to bring new, unwrapped toys, bikes and other age-appropriate gifts in the $10-$25 range for the Sheriff’s Office’s Last Minute Toy Store to provide gifts to Nashville families in need. Boxes will be on site for Nashvillians to drop off toys at the event. Attendees can park in Public Square Garage under the Historic Courthouse. This is sponsored by The DISTRICT Nashville, Metro Parks, MNPS, MNPD and NDOT. Nashville will continue the season with the public square Menorah Lighting on Monday, December 30 at 5:30. This will also feature traditional music by a children’s choir. Details will be published on the Metro Calendar .
Brush Pick-up starts for
Area 3 (Old Hickory, Lakewood, Hermitage, Stones River, Two Rivers, River Trace) December 9
Area 4 ( Donelson, Airport, Percy Priest, Northeast Antioch ) on December 13
Area 5 (Antioch, Cane Ridge, Paragon Mills) December 23.
Remember that brush has to pulled away from fences and utility poles so the grapple arm can get to it. For neighbors who are not on the December schedule, Metro offers free brush disposal for Davidson County residents (pick-up truck loads only, no trailers) at east and west Living Earth locations. The schedule and more information can be found on the NDOT website.
The office of Karen Johnson, Davidson County Register of Deeds, is hosting a drop off site for Marine Corps Toys for Tots. The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, citizens. Donors can bring new, unwrapped toys to the Register’s Office at 300 Deaderick Street through December 15, Monday through Friday between 8 and 4:30.. Customers are asked to enter the side of the building on Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard (Charlotte Pike) between 3rd and 4th Avenues North.. Free street parking is available in spaces on Deaderick Street and on Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard (Charlotte Pike) between 3rd and 4th Avenues North, as designated by signage.
ISSUES
Nashville General Hospital is once again asking for help to provide warm clothing to patients when they leave the hospital. Neighbors can provide new coats, ponchos, sleeping bags, hoodies, flannels, sweat pants and men’s tennis shoes (size 10 and above) for women and men at 1818 Albion Street or mail cash donations online at NGH Foundation .
Trash & Recycling Adjusted Holiday Schedule: There will be no trash or recycling collection on Christmas Day, December 25, or New Year’s Day, January 1. If trash or recycling is regularly collected on the Wednesday of the holiday, trash and recycling will be collected the following Thursday. Carts should be out no later than 7 A.M. All other routes will be shifted one day for the two week period. Metro Convenience Centers will also be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. They will operate under regular business hours the rest of the week.
Christmas Tree-Cycling: Recycling Christmas trees into mulch, rather than putting them in the trash, keeps them out of landfills and helps save Metro the cost of disposal fees. In partnership with Metro Parks and Living Earth, the Christmas Tree Recycling Drop-off program will run from December 26 to February 17, 2025, at twelve Metro Parks and both of the Living Earth facilities. Trees can be taken to the following locations: Cane Ridge Park, Una Recreation Center, Whitfield Park, Cedar Hill Park , Two Rivers Park , Joelton Community Center, Sevier Park, Richland Park, Elmington Park , Edwin Warner Park, Lakewood City Hall, Frederick Douglas Park, both of Living Earth’s locations at 1511 Elm Hill Pike and 6401 Centennial Blvd. Living Earth’s operating hours are Monday thru Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m. to noon. Trees must be cleaned of all ornaments, lights, wire, string and other decor before bringing them to be tree-cycled. No artificial or flocked trees can be accepted. Please do not dump any other items at these drop-off locations.
Nashville Tree Conservation Corps Tree Sale: Nashville is actively working to protect and replenish our tree canopy. Trees provide shade and wildlife habitat, reduce stormwater run-off, diminish heat island effect, and raise property values. Neighbors can help replace lost canopy by ordering and planting trees from the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps. The selection includes oaks, maples, dogwoods, cherry trees and other beautiful flowering and shade trees at reduced prices. For those who prefer, tree planting services can be included for an additional fee. Now is the best time of the year to plant a tree. The sooner you can get spring blooming trees in the ground, the better! For more information, visit the NTCC page.
The Nashville Living Wage rate is based on the “survival wage” in the ALICE Report from United Way of Tennessee, specific to Davidson County. ALICE stands for Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed. The 2020 Report determined that a single adult without dependents needed to make at least $17.40 (or $15.40 with employer provided health insurance) to cover the bare-minimum costs of basic necessities like housing, transportation, and food. These numbers are now $21.20 and $19.20 respectively. Workers living on the edge of the ALICE threshold know that even a small increase in cost of living greatly impacts financial stability. Local businesses can contribute to prosperity in Nashville by committing to pay a living wage, and registering with Nashville Living Wage as a certified living wage employer. Living Wage Certified Employers are part of a growing community of businesses and non-profits across Davidson County with established guiding principles. A commitment to pay a living wage means supporting and retaining employees, positively impacting your industry and the local economy, and amplifying your own values. For more information, check the Living Wage website.
Metro has over 75 different volunteer boards and commissions that help with the governance of the city, taking full advantage of citizen engagement and expertise. Residents of Davidson County are encouraged to participate in everything from the Agricultural Extension Board to the Board of Zoning Appeals. Openings are coming up for the Solid Waste Region Board, Metro Development and Housing Authority, (MDHA) Education Community and Arts Television (NECAT) board, Emergency Communication District Board, and the Zoning Appeals Board. Applications can be found at the bottom of each board’s webpage. Descriptions of all the boards and commissions can be found at main Board and Commission website.
Metro Water Services (MWS) has a robust lead protection program, begun in 1992, that was already in compliance with many revisions implemented by EPA in 2021 in response to lead crises in Michigan and Mississippi. Nashville’s drinking water does not contain lead when it leaves the treatment plants but tap water can accumulate trace amounts of lead through the corrosion of private plumbing materials containing lead. Letters were recently sent to many MWS customers as a new EPA requirement to inform customers of the presence of lead, galvanized, or currently unknown service lines in their area so they can take additional precautions as they feel necessary. Analysis shows that the city’s corrosion control program is effective in preventing lead from leaching into drinking water, and this program will continue. MWS’s lead program includes the addition of a blended ortho/poly phosphate solution to the water to prevent the possible leaching of lead from pipes, lead monitoring, and community education. Analysis for lead is done, in accordance with Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) guidelines, every three years from 50 household taps and other locations throughout the distribution system where lead may be suspected based on system age, and the sampling results confirm the success of the MWS lead program. Compliance is determined by comparing the 90th percentile of results. The highest calculated 90th percentile was 10 parts per billion (ppb) in 1995 and this number continues to decline. In 2022, it was 1.0 ppb (well below the new 10 ppb trigger level). Metro was required to complete & maintain a location-based Lead Service Line (LSL) Inventory by October, 2024. This inventory includes the public and private portion of the service line. Because the property owner—not MWS owns the water service line from the meter to the home, MWS records on what this portion is made of may not exist or may be old and inaccurate. MWS utilized several methods to obtain this information, including a Service Line Survey. The survey, completed by the resident, provides some necessary information about the private portion of the water service line. In some cases, MWS was able to dig in yards to identify lead piping. Where MWS has not been able to determine the material of the private line, the letters sent to residents may indicate that it is unknown. Concerned residents can call MWS at 615-862-4600 to find out about testing for lead inside their home. More information about the Lead & Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and the MWS lead program are on the website at Preventing Lead in Drinking Water - Nashville.gov
Metro Water has scheduled its annual rate increase for January as part of the 2019 rate study and realignment plan. This increase will be tied to the consumer price index. Steady, planned increases help MWS keep up with inflation and ensure adequate funding to provide reliable and clean water. More information about the rate structure and how to reduce water consumption are on the Metro Water website .
Mayor O’Connell has filed his second capital spending plan, which continues investment in key areas with a prioritization of Nashville’s neighborhood assets. Among them: $98.4 million for Metro Schools, including $10 million for the first phase of Glencliff High School renovations, $40 million for district-wide maintenance, $19 million for technology upgrades, $9 million for athletic field upgrades, and $5 million for new buses, and $950,000 for solar installations that will reduce ongoing energy costs at three schools – Inglewood Elementary, Overton High, and West End Middle – as well as athletic field upgrades. $103.6 million to improve bridges, roadways, sidewalks, bikeways, signals, and safety, including $42.7 million for maintenance across the county; $33.5 million for East Bank with costs shared by Metro, Fallon, Oracle, the Titans, and others; and $17 million for Vision Zero, traffic calming, priority sidewalks, priority bikeways, the transportation management center, and initial signal upgrades $88 million for the final phase of construction of the new Juvenile Justice Center $27.8 million for Metro Parks to improve facilities and safety and add energy-saving solar installations at Two Rivers, Parks’ maintenance building, Madison Community Center, and Smith Springs Community Center $5 million for final design and early construction costs for a new Hadley Park Library The plan totals $527 million and makes strategic investments in neighborhoods while also bolstering Metro’s day-to-day essential services and chipping away at needed maintenance and infrastructure. Metro Finance, which is closely monitoring federal and state funding streams and broader economic changes for any downstream pressures on local government, has signed off on the plan, also noting the city’s strong fund balances and bond ratings.
As we enter the holiday season, I hope everyone can find joy and a way to help someone in need. I am always eager to hear new ideas on how to make Nashville a great place for everyone. Please let me know about your suggestions and concerns by contacting me at burkley.allen@nashville.gov or 615-383-6604. Sign up for my newsletter at www.burkley.orgWishing everyone Happy Holidays!
Burkley Allen
Metro Council At-Large