METRO COUNCIL UPDATE
Allen, Burkley (Council Member)
METRO COUNCIL UPDATE
May 2024
EVENTS
The Metro Budget for the next fiscal year (FY25) is available on the Metro Finance website starting May 1. The Finance Director will give a detailed breakdown to Metro Council on May 1, and the Mayor will present highlights of the proposed operating budget to the public at the State of Metro Address on May 14. Both of those presentations will be taped and can be viewed on the Metro YouTube channel at https://www.nashville.gov/departments/information-technology-services/cable-television-services/metro-nashville-network/live . The budget ordinance will be on the council agenda for the May 21 council meeting for first reading. The council will begin budget hearings on May 15 and end with a public hearing at our June 4 council meeting. The Council will then hold several workshops to work through community requests via council members’ wish list items to incorporate into a Substitute Budget. The final vote on the Substitute Budget will be on June 18 (or June 25 if we need more time). Information on the whole budget process is available on the Metro Finance website at https://www.nashville.gov/departments/finance/management-and-budget/citizens-guide-budget .
Brush Pick-up begins in
Area 2: East Madison, Inglewood, Neely’s Bend, Peeler Park, Maplewood Heights, Iverson, Maxwell Heights, Edgefield, Eastwood, Shelby Bottoms, Shelby Hills, and Lockland Springs on on May 2
Area 3 Old Hickory, Lakewood, Hermitage, Stones River, Two Rivers, River Trace) on May 15
Area 4 (Donelson, Airport, Percy Priest, Northeast Antioch) on May 23
Area 5 ( Antioch, Cane Ridge, Paragon Mills ) on June 5
A map and schedule are available at https://www.nashville.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/2024-2025BrushFlyer.pdf?ct=1714407446 .
The annual National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive campaign takes place Saturday, May 13. Neighbors can participate by placing a bag of unopened, nonperishable food next to their mailbox before the letter carrier delivers their mail on Saturday, May 11, and the letter carrier will do the rest. Food goes to help families in need of this assistance.
The thirteen year Cicadas – Brood XIX will be coming back this month. Neighbors who were in Nashville in 2011 will remember the thousands of white nymphs emerging from the ground and climbing up tree trunks for their shells to harden. Once they molt, they have distinctive red eyes and a loud call. The females lay their eggs on the underside of small branches before they all die off. In a few weeks the next generation will hatch and then dig underground about 8 feet to feed on tree sap until they emerge in 2037. The cicadas are generally harmless, but the egg incisions on tree limbs can be hard on recently planted tree saplings. Folks planning outdoor events in mid-May should be aware that the noise and sheer volume of insects will be impactful.
Walk Bike Nashville’s 19th Annual Tour de Nash is May 18th. This is Nashville’s largest urban bike ride, with 4 riding distances to choose from. There is a one mile Kids Tour. The City Tour (9-mile), Local Tour (25-mile), and Grand Tour (45-mile) rides highlight some of Nashville’s best bicycle infrastructure, our scenic greenways, and local neighborhoods. It is a great way to discover new places to ride your bike. Register at https://www.walkbikenashville.org/tourdenash?locale=en
The public is invited to the 48th annual Historic Preservation Awards program, honoring Davidson County’s best preservation projects, on Monday, May 6 at 4:30 p.m. at the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church Street. The Historical Commission, along with partners Historic Nashville, Inc., Metro Historical Commission Foundation, and Preservation Society of Nashville, will host a reception immediately following the ceremony at The Athenaeum at Hastings Architecture, 225 Polk Avenue, a 2021 Preservation Award winner. Along with celebrating exceptional preservation projects, the Historical Commission will present four honor awards during the ceremony. The Commission will recognize the contributions of Tom Vickstrom with the Fletch Coke Award and will present the Achievement Award to Skip Nipper. The Commission will present its Commissioners’ Award to Nashville Old Timers Baseball Association and will recognize former Mayor John Cooper with the Preservation Leadership Award.
Have you ever wished you knew how to keep yourself and those around you safe in the face of a natural or man-made disaster? Metro's Office of Emergency Management is eager to treat citizens how to be helpful in those situations. The Community Emergency Response Team training is a program designed to train our community to work together during large scale disasters to assist their neighborhoods and surrounding areas. Community participants are trained in disaster preparedness, how to cut off utilities, put out small fires, administer disaster first aid, safely search for and rescue victims, organize themselves, and collect disaster intelligence to support first responder efforts. Interested participants can enroll in an initial on-line instructional course that can be accessed on a smart device or computer and can be completed at their own pace and convenience. The on-line course is then followed by available hands-on training sessions that demonstrate and reinforce the skills learned in the on-line training. CERT training is free and available to any interested individual or group. You can take the hands-on training on your own, or team up with family, friends, neighbors, or any group wishing to be prepared for disaster. Community groups, church groups, schools, neighborhood watch groups, business formed teams, etc. are all encouraged to participate. Please fill out our CERT Registration Form to sign up for CERT Training. For additional information or if you are interested in CERT training for your group or organization, please contact Jeff Stark by email or phone at 615-862-4789.
NAZA-funded Summer Programs
NAZA-funded free summer programs are currently open for enrollment for programming in June and July 2024. Summer programs are open to rising 5th-9th graders. Programs are offered at no cost to youth and their families in partnership with non-profit and community-based organizations. Online registration is now live at www.nashvillez.org/summer .
ISSUES
Now that spring is here, and trees are turning greener by the day, people may notice that some ash trees are being impacted by the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). This is a big deal because Nashville has a lot of ash trees, and most of them are expected to eventually succumb to this invasive pest. Ash trees are great shade trees, and they are what most wooden baseball bats and ax handles are made of because the wood is so hard. Unfortunately, the wood fiber under the bark is a favorite food of an imported Japanese beetle that has spread across the country and is now well established in Nashville. Many trees in Metro parks and along Metro streets have been marked with a big blue dot to indicate that they are ash trees, and that they are being watched for signs of weakening from the insect invasion. The trees can snap off suddenly at the base if they are not removed once significant damage occurs. The effects will be indicated by dead branches higher up in the crown of the tree, pencil-sized D-shaped holes in the bark, and bare patches of bark where woodpeckers have peeled the bark off looking for the beetles. Metro has begun removing trees in Parks and the right-of-way that could be dangerous to the public. They will be replaced with other species. Residents should check the trees in their yards for signs of infestation. Some trees can be treated, but it is expensive and must be started before the beetles have made too much headway. Hazard trees in public spaces can be reported at Hub.Nashville.gov. For more information see https://www.nashvilletreefoundation.org/eab .
Metro has over 75 Boards and Commissions that help implement the goals and policies of the Metro Departments. These are made up of citizens from all over the county who bring their diverse perspectives and expertise to ensure good decision making. Board members are appointed by the mayor or vice-mayor and approved by the Metro Council. The Mayor’s Office is always looking for good people to serve. Within the next few months, there will be openings on the Hospital Authority Board, Procurement Standards Board, Social Services Commission, Property Standards Board, Agricultural Extension Board, and Short Term Rental Appeals Board. Anyone who is interested in being considered can go to the Boards and Commissions website at https://www.Nashville.gov/boards and apply through the link at the bottom of the page. There is also a vacancy on the Human Relations Commission. That position has to be nominated by a Council Member at the May 7 council meeting. People interested in serving on the Human Relations Commission should contact me or their district council member before May to let them know of their interest.
The deadline to get a Real ID , which will be required to travel by airplane, has been rescheduled again, this time from May 3, 2023 to May 7, 2025. ID’s can be obtained at Davidson County’s full-service driver service centers on Hart Lane or Hickory Hollow Parkway and downtown at the Express Center. At least four pieces of identification are required - proof to establish citizenship or legal presence, proof of your full Social Security Number, two proofs of Tennessee residency. You should also be prepared to provide documentation of any name changes that may have occurred. You can go on-line and see where wait times are not long before choosing where to make your appointment. More information is available at https://www.tn.gov/tnrealid/get-real-id.html .
Trash and recycling pick-up will be delayed by one day during the week following Memorial Day. Residents can check the schedule at https://www.nashville.gov/departments/water/waste-and-recycling
Metro Water Services (MWS) will ssue its annual Consumer Confidence Report during Drinking Water Week May 5-11. This report shows how the quality of our drinking water compares to required health standards. There is a wealth of information on where Nashville's drinking water comes from, how it is treated before it comes to each home, and what is measured to ensure that it is always safe and healthy. The 2022 report added information on PFAS, a class of plastics that has become a new concern because of its prevalence. This is not yet a regulated compound, but MWS is being pro-active about measuring it. Read the report at ccr.nashville.gov .
Happy Spring and Happy Mother’s Day! Let me know what is on your mind by contacting me at burkley.al...@nashville.gov or 615-383-6604.
Burkley Allen
Metro Council At-Large
