Mayoral Candidates Start Raising $

Foster, Brown, Elsten all raising funds for 2012 race.

Snow Days and Sumner Schools

Some proposals being batted around... policy does not appear to be likely to change...

Indecision and Debate on 1981 Financial Management Act

It affects our schools, our county, and how our tax dollars are spent...so, the County Commission is putting it off.

Will Sumner Have Enough Buses Come December?

That's the question being raised by the County Commission and the School Board. Of course, the Commission has yet to pass a budget and it is unclear why this issue is just now coming to the forefront. Nevertheless, there could be some transportation challenges come January if this is not resolved.

New Chief Administrative Officer at Sumner Schools

Michelle Ungurait. She has experience as a teacher in Metro and more recently as a top administrator in Guilford County, NC and in Peoria, IL.

Del Phillips -- Chamber Lunch Speaker

TOMORROW. New Director of Schools Del Phillips will be the featured speaker at the Hendersonville Chamber lunch.

That's July 12, 2011.

Sumner Students Post TCAP Gains

TCAP scores will become part of student grades in Spring of 2012.

Beech Bleachers, Soccer Field at Merrol Hyde...

... Those projects and others are on hold indefinitely as the Board and County Commission quibble over who has the right to allocate and spend funds from bond issues dedicated to capital projects for the schools.

Less Tickets in Hendersonville

You may have noticed (or not) that you are much less likely to get a speeding ticket in Hendersonville in 2011 than you were in 2010. Reports indicate that traffic court revenue is down by about $100,000 a month since January of 2011. It's not because Hendersonville residents are doing less speeding. It is because of a change in police practice. A previous practice of intense road patrols and ticket writing has been replaced by a practice of neighborhood policing. That is, you are far more likely to see police cars driving through your subdivision than you were in the past.

The new policy is part of the new chief's plan to reduce the number of burglaries -- Hendersonville has a lot of burglaries (NOT armed robbery) -- but burglaries where young people break-in to homes and steal stuff. The idea is that with cops in the neighborhood, kids will be less likely to break into homes. Of course, if those officers catch you speeding in the neighborhood, you'll be ticketed. But tickets on the main roads (Gallatin Rd, especially) are far less likely now.

Later data should reveal whether this policy has been effective at reducing the number of burglaries and keeping Hendersonville homes and families safer.

School Board Improves Transparency

Jennifer Easton has the details on the new, online, paperless system that will make accessing agenda items and information much easier for the public.

Who Will Be Number 2?

Today is the deadline to apply to be Chief Administrative Officer (essentially, the #2 job) at Sumner County Schools.

Also, in case you missed it, Finance Director Maryanne Durski resigned last week to take a job with the State of TN. Additionally, Asst. Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Judy Wheeler has retired and HR Director Craig Ott has taken a job with Metro, meaning the leadership team at Central Office will be entirely new soon.

A Hendersonville Resident Takes on KMart

Kim Venable's struggles with faulty patio furniture!

Hoback Joins Mayor's Race

Alderman Jim Hoback is running for Mayor of Hendersonville. He joins incumbent Mayor Scott Foster and fellow aldermen Steve Brown and Tommy Elsten as candidates for the city's top job. Also said to be considering a race is former alderman Jamie Clary.