LeMarbre to Become Interim City Administrator

Alderman Russ Edwards with an update on BOMA business from last night's meeting:

Our meeting last night (Nov. 26th) lasted until almost midnight. A substantial majority of our time was dedicated to discussion of appointment of an interim city administrator. That was approved by a vote of 10-3.

Dave LaMarbe, Hendersonville’s former parks director, was named the interim CA. He is very well respected and will able to help us transition to a permanent CA. One of the stipulations in the resolution is that he will NOT be named the permanent CA. Al

so, this position is only for 6 months.

This was an incredibly difficult decision for me, one that I really struggled over. I voted in favor of it along with Darryl Woodcock and Eddie Roberson, and all three of us consistently voted against having a CA. One of the reasons for my vote is that I did not want any more accusations that the hiring process for the permanent CA was be obstructed in any way. The interim CA will oversee the advertising process of the permanent CA. While I did not want a CA, out of respect for BOMA’s decision to hire one by a majority of its members, we need to move forward with hiring a permanent CA as expeditiously as possible.

I really wish we we did not have to make the decision to hire an interim CA, and I’m not blaming anyone for it. I feel, though, that the correct decision by BOMA was made last night under the very difficult circumstances that are presented.

As I said in the meeting last night, this to me is similar to having an unplanned child. Having a CA was not in my plan, but now that it’s here we need to embrace it and try to find the best person to fill that role. I want the CA to succeed in making Hendersonville an even better place to live, work, and raise our families.

On a lighter note, I wish everyone a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

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Edwards Pushing Term Limits for Mayor, Aldermen

In a Facebook post, Alderman Russ Edwards indicates he's a strong supporter of term limits for both the Mayor and Hendersonville aldermen:

I assume most people support term limits for BOMA members? I do, and have asked to co-sponsor the ordinance along with Aldermen Darrell Woodcock and Eddie Roberson sending the issue of term limits to the voters via a referendum.

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SCDP Takes on Marsha Blackburn

From a Sumner County Democratic Party email:

Time to call Marsha

Marsha Blackburn is smearing a decorated veteran of our armed forces to advance the GOP's conspiracy theories. This is embarrassing for Tennessee and not at all how we want to be represented.

Let's call her offices and demand that she issue a full, public apology to him. You can just say something like, "I'm calling to say Ms. Blackburn needs to issue a full public apology to Lt. Col. Vindman for smearing his good name on Twitter." Here are the phone numbers you need:

Washington DC: (202) 224-3344
Nashville: (629) 800-6600

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Can't You Read?

Tempers flared at a recent Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting as Aldermen looked to appoint an interim City Administrator to remove management duties from current Mayor Jamie Clary. The Hendersonville Standard has more:

Cunningham, who is a co-sponsor of the resolution, said the move is necessary because Clary has instructed Human Resources Manager Peter Voss to not advertise the city administrator position. 

“The end result was our mayor unfortunately was violating our law,” she said. “Not only did he violate our law, he violated his oath of office which put us in dire straits. That more or less was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me.” 

When asked why he instructed Voss to not fill the position, Clary said that it was his understanding that the board had not passed the salary, job description and qualifications of the city administrator along with the ordinance in May. 

Several aldermen as well as Jaeckel disputed his claim. 

“It’s part of the ordinance, mayor,” said Cunningham. “Can’t you read?”

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Shooting at Save a Lot

More on a bad trip to Save A Lot from the Tennessean:

Gallatin Police have located the 1999-2002 Honda Accord seen leaving the scene of a shooting at the Save A Lot in Gallatin on Nov. 10. According to a Nov. 13 news release, police have now arrested Jordan Eakes.

According to a news release from police, the shooting occurred at 351 E. Main St.

Police announced Monday afternoon that they arrested two juveniles in the case. ,

No other information is available at this time. This is a developing story.

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SCDP to Host Gun Sense Presentation in Gallatin

Moms Demand Action will host an event at the Sumner Democratic Party Headquarters in Gallatin in December. Here's more from an email:

Sumner County residents are invited to hear the Talking Gun Sense campaign from Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Learn about how to talk gun sense to people of all different stances on this issue.

This event is 6:00pm on December 12, 2019 at the SCDP HQ,

333 W Main St., Suite F, Gallatin, TN 37066.

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Attempted Murder in Portland

WSMV has the story of a possible attempted murder in Portland:

A woman has been charged with attempted first-degree murder after an apparent domestic incident, according to Portland Police.

Police responded to a traffic accident scene near the intersection of Highway 52 and 109 where a shot was fired inside a car. 

She made statements to police about her mother that led officers to the house she shares with her mother. Officers responding to the home found the front door of the house broken and smashed, and the suspect’s mother covered in blood. The woman, who is in her 80s, was taken to Skyline Medical Center for treatment of unspecified injuries.

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Batey Barn Makeover

The Hendersonville Standard reports on an Eagle Scout project that provided a facelift to a prominent landmark on the Indian Lake Peninsula:

A visible fixture in the city’s newest park recently received a makeover thanks to a Hendersonville High School student’s Eagle Scout service project.  

HHS junior Ben Gittins recently enlisted the help and donations from friends, family, church members and local businesses in order to spruce up the old barn on the former Batey Farm. 

The city bought the 35-acre property in May 2018. The purchase was made in conjunction with the grassroots non-profit group Friends of the Indian Lake Peninsula (FOFILP) who bought an adjoining 38 acres at about the same time.

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Math and Alcohol

The Hendersonville Standard has the story of a Station Camp High math teacher getting a DUI in the school parking lot:

Serena Cooper, 35, of Gallatin was charged with DUI, first offense after School Resource Officer Thomas Briggs was called to the parking lot in reference to a teacher who was possibly intoxicated at around 11:15 a.m. on Oct. 30. 

Once Briggs arrived, he made contact with Cooper who was sitting in the driver’s seat of her Nissan Pathfinder, according to an affidavit filed by Briggs in Sumner County General Sessions Court. 

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Candy Exchange

Too much candy? There's a solution:

Beginning Friday, the Sumner County Health Department will kick off its fifth annual Treasures for Treats Candy Exchange at eight locations in Gallatin, Hendersonville, Portland and Westmoreland. 

The program, which goes through Nov. 5, aims to help reduce the amount of sugar children consume while also promoting increased physical activity by exchanging Halloween candy for various toys like jump ropes, balls and hula hoops.

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Toward City Wide Recycling?

More on the recycling in Hendersonville from the owner of Green Village Recycling:

There has been a request for proposal for city wide-recycling.  Three companies have submitted bids to the city for recycling services.  The future of city wide recycling is currently being discussed by city leaders.  In addition a Waste & Recycling Committee has been established to help review and recommend plans moving forward.

 

Green Village Recycling is proud to be a local small business, helping to affect change in this beautiful city.  We are confident that the city residents and city leaders will come to the right conclusion to offer a city wide recycling program.  We must work together to reduce our waste output.  With the volume of household waste increasing from Internet sales worldwide, we are facing a greater problem with waste than ever.

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RESIGNED

The Hendersonville Standard reports that Station Camp High School football coach Shaun Hollingsworth has resigned:

Shaun Hollinsworth is ready for a change.

The 17-year head coach of the Station Camp High School football team announced to his players Monday morning that he is stepping down, effective immediately. 

Hollinsworth finishes his tenure 80-106 overall. His teams won region titles in 2007 and 2013. However, the Bison went 0-10 this season. 

“Last Sunday [October 27] Principal Art Crook and I had our conversation that Friday [against Wilson Central] would be my last game as head coach,” Hollinsworth said. “I have been ready for a change for a couple of years, and I’m at a point in life where you start to think about how many years (you have left). I think I have a lot of coaching left. My mind was pretty much made up this summer, but I wanted to see these seniors through. This is a good group, and they have been a good group since they were freshmen. As hard as this decision is, I felt like I needed a change. I feel like Station Camp needs a change. This was decided a long time ago.”

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Doesn't Pay the Trash Bill

A story in the Hendersonville Standard indicates Mayor Jamie Clary is disputing a trash bill from former waste services provider Republic Services, and that the refusal could cause problems for the city:

Mayor Jamie Clary’s refusal to pay an overdue bill from Republic Services, the city’s former trash collection provider, ignited a heated - and confusing - discussion during a recent Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting. 

According to Finance Director Robert Manning, the city paid Republic $175,416.94 on Sept. 20, leaving a balance of $215,492.

“I’m stunned after what we were just advised in executive session to come out and hear this,” Ward 1 Alderman Peg Petrelli said during the meeting. “The lack of leadership is absolutely stunning to me at this point… This is a prime example of one of the reasons why I voted to move up the selection of a city administrator this evening – because of situations like this.”

MORE on the trash controversy

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