County Commissioners Interview Law Director Candidates

 The Sumner County Commission is hiring for a Law Director and four local attorneys have emerged as candidates.

More from NewsBreak:

A special committee of the Sumner County Commission recently held interviews for the position of County Law Director. The Committee was established to conduct a search for a new law director following the August 2022 elections.

Four area attorneys interviewed for the role. They include Russ Edwards, Eric Sitler, Jason Coleman, and Jim Cochran.

Want more from NewsBreak? Check out the app!

Shoaf Takes on "Filth" in Schools

 Sumner County Commissioner Matt Shoaf says he and his fellow County Commissioners are taking on "filth" in schools.

More from NewsBreak:

"We won't stand for filth that has made its way into our schools. We're not going to get stuck on process - we want it fixed, because that's what our children deserve."

In reference to "filth" making its way into schools, Shoaf appears to be referencing a recent County Commission resolution calling for the School Board to ban two books from Sumner County school libraries.

READ MORE local news at NewsBreak 

 

Book Battle in Sumner County

 A pair of stories from NewsBreak detail a battle between the Sumner County Commission and Sumner County School Board over books:

The County Commission last week passed a resolution raising objections to two books:

The resolution specifically mentions the books A Place Inside of Me by Zetta Elliott and Dragonwings by Laurence Yep.

The resolution states "text found in the books has examples of racism, underage drinking, foul language, violence, drugs, prostitution, alcohol, hatred of police, overthrow of the government, destruction of the nuclear family, and communism."

Meanwhile the Sumner County School Board held a hearing and retained "A Place Inside of Me."

The Sumner County School Board last night voted in favor of keeping "A Place Inside of Me" on the bookshelves in the school system's library. The move comes following a complaint that the book violates a new state law around objectionable content. Seven members (out of 11) voted in favor of keeping the book.

The vote on the library book - an award-winning illustrated book by Zetta Elliott - took place after a public hearing featuring speakers both for and against the text.

READ MORE local news at NewsBreak 

 

 

Sumner Democrats Announce Local Candidates

 From NewsBreak:

The Sumner County (Tennessee) Democratic Party announced that there are a number of Democrats seeking election to local office in this year's election cycle. 2022 marks the first time in Tennessee history that races for school board will be partisan.

In announcing the candidate slate, party chair Jessie McKinney said:

I’m so excited to share with you that we have SEVEN Democrats who are running for county offices and have qualified to be on the May 3 primary ballot. This is a historic number of Democratic candidates in Sumner County.

MORE (Including the list of candidates)>

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Sumner County Doubles Number of County Commission Districts

 The Portland Sun reports that the Sumner County Commission voted to double the number of County Commission districts from 12 to 24. That means each district will now have one commissioner instead of two and each commissioner will represent about half of the population currently represented. 

The Sumner County Commission voted 16 to 8 on Nov. 15 to double the number of county commission districts from 12 to 24. However, the total number of commissioners will remain the same, meaning each district will have one elected official instead of two.

It’s the first major change of the legislative body in more than 50 years.

The vote on Nov. 15 culminated the county’s redistricting process – a requirement of legislative bodies every 10 years following a federal census in order to make sure citizens receive equal political representation.

Sumner County’s population grew by about 20 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to recent U.S. Census data. At 196,281 residents, Sumner is the state’s eighth largest county.

MORE>

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

County Poised to Pass "NO NEW TAXES" Budget

The Sumner County Commission passed a budget recently and that budget does NOT include new taxes. Here's more from Gallatin News:

Sumner County Commissioners are scheduled to vote on a combined county government and school system budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year next week, which does not include a property tax increase for residents.

The approximately $355.5 million combined spending plans were approved by the county’s budget committee on June 15. A vote by the full commission is set for June 29.

Unlike in previous years, Sumner County Budget Committee Chairman Chris Taylor said that county departments and elected officials were told this year that additional funding would be limited due to the negative economic impact the pandemic has had locally.

MORE> 


For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Tinsley, Gaither Weave Tangled Web

A police report reveals trouble is brewing between Sumner County Commissioner Luke Tinsley and his former campaign manager, Travis Gaither. Here's more from SCOOP Nashville:

Lebanon Police say 21-year-old Travis Gaither called 911 and claimed Sumner County Commissioner & State Representative candidate Luke Tinsley forced him to withdraw cash from an ATM and give it to him. Gaither then chased the vehicle, providing updates to the dispatcher, asking police to meet him at Tinsley’s house. The investigation showed the money was a loan, and he didn’t think he had to pay it back. He was charged with misuse of 911 and possession of the marijuana in this glovebox. Gaither is Tinsley’s former campaign manager for his State Representative run.

 

Tinsley noted that Gaither put up a bit of an argument because he felt, due to their friendship, the debt should have been forgiven. When police spoke with Gaither he denied telling 911 that he was robbed or forced to do anything, rather that he wanted officers to meet him at Mr. Tinsley’s house. After reviewing the 911 recording the officer determined that to be untrue and that Gaither had, in fact, told 911 dispatch he was forced to hand over cash at an automated teller machine and that he was giving updates to dispatch while chasing the perpetrator. After this investigation and upon a tow search of Gaither’s vehicle, officers also discovered a “green leafy substance” in his glove compartment believed to be marijuana.

MORE> 



For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Got news? Email us: newshendersonville@gmail.com

County Commission Passes Wild West Gun Resolution

A so-called "gun rights" resolution that, if followed, would turn Sumner County into the "Wild West" passed the County Commission on Monday night, with only four County Commissioners demonstrating the intellectual fortitude to vote "NO".

The four NO votes: Caroline Krueger, Loren Echols, Baker Ring, and Deanne DeWitt.

The resolution was sponsored by Commission gadfly Jeremy Mansfield, who last year opposed efforts to direct new county funding to schools, the jail, and infrastructure improvements.

According to the Hendersonville Standard, the Mansfield "wild west" resolution would:

The original version of the resolution stated that Sumner County would “not authorize or appropriate government funds, resources, employees, agencies, contractors, buildings, detention centers, or offices for the purpose of enforcing or assisting in the enforcement” of anything that would “infringe on the right by the people to keep and bear arms as described” in a three-page document.

Essentially, the resolution calls on the Sumner County Sheriff's Office to ignore state and federal laws regarding gun possession and instead to follow a "purist" interpretation of the 2nd Amendment that means gun possession should not be restricted or regulated in any way.

Sumner County joins 25 other Tennessee counties in passing some version of this resolution.

A New Face for Sumner Justice

There will soon be a new justice center in Sumner County, consolidating the area's many courts into a single building and providing a safe building for workers and those with business before the courts. The Hendersonville Standard has more:

A resolution adopting the overall new judicial center for Sumner County, including a new courthouse, parking garage and jail expansion, was approved by the Sumner County Commission in a 20-4 vote Monday. 

County leaders also approved a total of $10.2 million in additional funding for the project during the meeting. However, additional votes will still be required in order to fully fund the project, which is estimated to cost $91 million in total. 

One of those opposed was Jeremy Mansfield, a commissioner from Goodlettsville, who seems to reject opportunities for progress at every turn. Mansfield wants to wait four years -- allowing judicial system employees and visitors to conduct business in unsafe facilities until then. According to his claims (with no evidence), waiting four years to begin this project would mean it could be done without raising taxes. Mansfield also opposed a tax increase that funded the road department and teacher raises earlier this year.

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Tinsley v. Weaver

Sumner County Commissioner Luke Tinsley has made no secret of his disdain for State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver. In fact, it seems likely that Tinsley will challenge Weaver in the Republican primary for the 40th district House seat Weaver represents. That race would be in 2020.

Here's more from Tennessee Holler on a key question for Weaver:


Despite Rep. David Byrd apologizing ON TAPE to 1 of 3 women who say he sexually abused them in high school, Weaver tells (rumored primary challenger) Luke Tinsley she won’t ask Byrd to resign, defends disgraced Rep. Jeremy Durham who was accused of inappropriate sexual conduct – including sexual harassment – by 22 women.

See video and more here>


For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Got news? Email us: newshendersonville@gmail.com

Pay Boost for Teachers Starts in January

Tena Lee in the Hendersonville Standard reports on the recently approved teacher pay raises that are now set to begin in January:

A $4,000 annual pay increase for all Sumner County teachers, principals and other certified employees will take effect in January following votes by the Sumner County Commission on Monday and the Sumner County Board of Education on Tuesday.

On Monday, teachers, principals and school nurses descended on the county’s administration building for a vote to set the county’s tax rate at $2.262 per $100 of assessed property value. The rate is 33 cents more than the certified rate of $1.9284.

Of the 33-cent increase, 12 cents will go toward funding raises for certified employees at an estimated cost of $8.8 million. Two cents, or roughly $1.2 million, will go toward hiring school resource officers in the remaining 15 schools that do not currently have one.

MORE>

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

A Sumner County Educator on Teacher Pay

Hendersonville resident and Sumner County educator Kyle Craighead shares his story and explains why he's supporting the proposed teacher pay raise even though it requires a tax increase:

My name is Kyle Craighead, and I have lived in Sumner County my entire life except for the four years I attended Lipscomb University. I am a proud graduate of Hendersonville High School and am thankful for the education I received at Lakeside Park, Hawkins, and HHS. I began teaching science at Merrol Hyde Magnet School in 2008, where I also at various points coached basketball, tennis, and served as the athletic director and as a teacher leader. From 2016-2018 I taught biology and served as a teacher leader at Gallatin High School. I am currently in my 2nd year as an assistant principal at White House High school and am in my 12th year overall in education. My wife, brother, and several cousins are educators in Sumner County. Education is a calling, and my family is 100% devoted to doing what is right by our students in Sumner County.

You will likely hear many facts and figures tonight, and I have a few of my own, but I want to first tell a story. This summer in June we were interviewing for an open teaching position, and at the end of the interview we asked the prospective teacher if he had any questions for us. He then asked, “Well I don’t know how to ask this without sounding selfish, but I looked up the pay scale in Sumner County, and it looks like to me that I would take almost a 1200 dollar pay cut if I moved over here. I know that can’t be correct, so can you explain this to me?”

How do you answer that question? Sumner is the 9th wealthiest county in TN out of 95 counties. Robertson is 21st . I’m not talking about Williamson. I’m not talking about Davidson or Rutherford. Robertson is across the street from White House Middle School…literally. White House Heritage is less than 1 mile from White House High School. Let that sink in a minute. This is not a distant competitor.

When finding prospective teachers, we pride ourselves on selling a strong student and faculty culture as well as a supportive community, and it works. Everyone wants to work where they are respected and have growth opportunities. We have accomplished this in Sumner County Schools. But as the Sumner County Community as a whole, how can a brand new teacher looking for a job out of college think that they are supported when Robertson, Davidson, Wilson, Trousdale, and Macon counties all pay first year teachers more? How many teachers overlook Sumner immediately? How many drop out of interview pools when they figure out the pay scale? How many of our top level Sumner County graduates are going to decide to teach in a different county? When you’re talking about a salary of 35,000 dollars, every bit counts.

I want to say this to all parents of Sumner County students: you, like us, want the best education for your child. There are endless studies on the biggest influence on a student’s learning, and every one of them point to the classroom teacher as the most important factor. I am a parent of a future student in our county, and I don’t just merely want good teachers. I expect it. I demand it, just like all of the rest of the parents out there.

In summary, I hope you all see that I am not clamoring for ridiculous teacher pay increases. I’m not even arguing that teachers work way more and are far more devoted that anyone outside of education understands, because although those are very true and valid points, I’m making a simpler point and it is incredibly easy to understand:
Robertson, Trousdale, and Macon have a combined total of 95,000 residents. Sumner has over 160,000. Sumner routinely outperforms those other 3 counties on every measurable piece of student achievement and growth, and that’s because we have amazing teachers.

In terms of wealth, Sumner is 9th, Robertson is 21st, Trousdale is 40th, and Macon is 85th.Based on that evidence, how can Sumner continue to pay the least and expect to have the best teachers in the future?

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Rhodes Backs Teacher Pay Raise

7th District Sumner County Commissioner Gene Rhodes took to Facebook yesterday to announce his support for a plan to raise teacher pay in Sumner County by $4000:

There has been a lot of back and forth over social media lately in regards to the upcoming budget vote and the teachers pay raise. I myself am a single father of 2 boys who attend Sumner County Schools. I understand what it takes to live on a budget and to be frugal. When I was running for office, I always said That I have to put my personal feelings aside and make the best decision for our county. I want to let everyone know they I am in FULL support of the proposed tax rate that the Budget committee passed on Monday night and I and 100% supportive of the $4000.00 teacher raise. I encourage you to contact all commissioners and beg them to support this. We want this great county to continue to move in a positive direction. Why do you want to go backwards? I also encouraged you to not listen to the small few who only tell you what they think they know and make up a lot of misinformation. I hope everyone has a blessed day.

The vote by Sumner County Commission is scheduled to occur on Monday, August 19th at 7:00 PM.

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

The Case for Raising Teacher Pay

As the Sumner County Commission prepares to consider a proposal to raise teacher pay and fund other key items - a move which would require a tax increase -- this graphic explains why the school system is making a push to raise pay.

To put it simply: Our stating pay is significantly lower than nearby counties and our teachers face a $3000-$4000 pay deficit compared to peer districts over their careers.


For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Got news? Email us: newshendersonville@gmail.com 

Budget Committee Recommends New Tax Rate

The Budget Committee of the Sumner County Commission met last night (August 12th) and recommended a new tax rate be adopted by the full County Commission.

The new rate would be $2.262 if the full Commission votes in favor of the recommendation.

The state-adjusted "revenue neutral" rate is $1.93.

The proposed rate includes a 15-cent adjustment for inflation since the last tax increase in 2014.

Additionally, around 12 cents would pay for a $4000 raise for every teacher in Sumner County.

Other needs funded by the proposed increase include road improvements, a new facility for the jail, a parking garage in Gallatin, and adding SROs to every school in the county (15 new hires).

Even with the proposed new rate, Sumner County would have one of the lowest tax rates in middle Tennessee.

At $2.26, Sumner's rate would be only slightly higher than Rutherford County, and significantly lower than Wilson, Davidson, Cheatham, Montgomery, and Robertson.

According to Zillow, the average sale price of homes in Sumner County is around $260,000.

Based on those values, the new tax rate would mean $216 more per year for the average taxpayer, or just about $18 a month.

The County Commission will meet at 7:00 PM on Monday, August 19th at the County Commission Chambers in Gallatin to consider the new rate.

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews


Got a news tip? Email us: newshendersonville@gmail.com

Assault at the Taj Mahal

County Commissioner Paul Goode claims he was assaulted by County Commissioner Merrol Hyde outside a recent meeting of the Sumner County Commission, according to a story in the Hendersonville Standard:

The simple assault allegation stems from a reported confrontation that took place between 10th District Commissioner Paul Goode and 8th District Commissioner Merrol Hyde inside the Sumner County Administration Building shortly after midnight on Tuesday, June 18.

Goode and Hyde have long been at odds, with the former Director of Schools (Hyde) resisting efforts to fund Sumner County Schools and other government entities with new revenue. Former Goode associate and former 45th District state representative Debra Maggart was also embroiled in the conflict between the two men at one time, attempting to push a different financial management scheme on the county by way of her position in the legislature.

It's not clear whether Goode will pursue prosecution or whether filing the report was just one more attempt to embarrass the already has-been Hyde.

What is clear is that the county is in the early stages of a potential financial crisis reminiscent of the one (led by Hyde's inaction) that caused the closing of Sumner County Schools in 2012.

Perhaps instead of bickering in the papers, Goode and Hyde could hold a WWE-style wrestling match and use the proceeds to fund volunteer fire departments?

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

TABLED

The Sumner County Commission tabled the 2019-2020 budget in a meeting last week after disagreement about funding for volunteer fire departments and other funding disputes.

The move comes as Sumner County enters a 5th consecutive year without any revenue increase. Here's more from the Hendersonville Standard:

After lengthy discussion and hearty citizen disapproval of stripping the volunteer fire department of funding, the commission voted to table the 2019-2020 fiscal year budget appropriations and to approve a continuation budget at 1:28 a.m. on June 18.

The continuation budget was approved by a vote of 21 – 2 and means that all department funding will stay as it is beginning on July 1 until a decision is reached. The appropriations were tabled and will be discussed at the next commission meeting on July.

“One thing to bear in mind when volunteer fire department came up, and that was a tough one, we had slotted $10,000 to $14,000 (each),” Taylor said, but the previously awarded $24,000 was not available due to additional expenses, such as the jail roof and repairs to jail locks.

“I’m going to ask for a one time $450,000 improvement for them, call it a tax increase, call it whatever you want,” he continued.

This was later approved by vote of 19 – 1 with 3 abstaining votes, though where the money would come from was not decided. It would give every volunteer fire department the $24,000 and also leave $130,000 for emergency services to distribute to other stations upon review. Donations and fundraising activities make up the rest of their funding.

While the County Commission struggles to fund growth, the Sumner County School Board sent a budget that included a 5th consecutive budget without a scale increase for teacher pay. Sumner County ranks 103rd in Tennessee in rate of teacher pay raises since 2014.

The situation last week echoes the early warning signs of fiscal crisis that preceded the 2012 closing of Sumner County Schools due to a budget impasse between the School Board and County Commission.

It will be interesting to see how the County Commission ultimate responds to this challenge. Will they move to increase revenue by way of a small property tax increase or will they shift funds in order to kick the can down the road or will they adjust priorities?

It seems many more early morning meeting adjournments may be forthcoming.

For more on news impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Wait, What?

The response one Sumner County Commissioner received when he inquired about receiving a county email address to conduct government business is truly baffling.

The Hendersonville Standard reports:

Elected officials for the city of Hendersonville, Sumner County Board of Education and City of Gallatin all have government sponsored email accounts. Members of the Sumner County Commission conduct their correspondence through individual, private email accounts.
“Open records are the exact reason we advise against having a county email address,” (Sumner County Law Director) Dennen responded. “If you have a county email, anything and everything would have to be turned over in a records request. By using your own, you have better control over what can be turned over if a request is made.”

Umm? That's not how this works. At all. First, a transparent government should be encouraging the creation of records, not attempting to find ways to "protect" elected officials from open records requests.

Second, if an elected official uses a personal email address for conducting public business, that email address can be subpoenaed in order to determine the government-related emails.

The Tennessee Coalition on Open Government found Dennen's explanation "absurd:"

 “You’re not asking [them] to give up a private email, but you are asking [them] to conduct government business on a government email account,” she said. “That is not unreasonable. In fact, it’s standard.”Sumner County Commissioners’ use of private email to conduct public business creates a system that makes it easier to avoid complying with the public records law, Fisher noted.

One solution would be for County Commission leadership to initiate the creation of Sumner County email addresses available to County Commissioners and other related officials.

The solution is easy. The advice given by the law director is most certainly absurd.

For more on issues impacting Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews 

Langford Named County Commission Chair

The Sumner County Commission last night elected its leaders for the 2015-16 year.

The top leadership post, Chair of the County Commission, went to Scott Langford of Goodlettsville.

Langford on the job with 17 affirmative votes.

He will chair all future meetings and determine committee leadership.

For more on Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews

Not a Single Meeting

Last night, as the Sumner County Commission passed budgets for the 2015-16 fiscal year, Commissioner Jim Vaughn made a surprising revelation.  He told his fellow Commissioners and those in attendance that he hadn't attended a single budget committee meeting or any other meeting related to the budget. He said he didn't know what was going on in this year's budget. He noted that the school system's budget was growing, but he couldn't say why or whether it was justified, just that it seemed like a lot of money.

Vaughn then joined County Commissioners Merrol Hyde, Moe Taylor, Mike Akins, and Steve Graves in opposing funding for all the county's budgets.

Vaughn's comments suggest a lack of engagement in perhaps the most important responsibility of a County Commissioner: How taxpayer dollars are spent. The School Board began it's budgeting process in February and held meetings related to the budget in May. After the School Board's budget meetings, County Commission committees began examining the school system's budget and other departmental budgets.

It's been two weeks since all budget hearings were complete -- time when Vaughn could have asked questions of department heads and/or County Finance Director David Lawing.

Vaughn no doubt knows all the key plays because prior to September of 2014, he served on the County Commission's Budget Committee. So, he was intimately involved in the budget- making process.

While other commissioners (Schell, Foster, Kemp) indicated they'd talked to key players about the budget during the process, Vaughn confessed to having paid zero attention to what was happening.

Before voting to oppose the budgets he hadn't studied, Vaughn asked to defer the budgets for 10 days so he would have time to read and study them. 

While he didn't have time to study the Sumner County Budgets he's been elected to review and evaluated, he did make time to attend meetings of the Hendersonville Board of Mayor and Aldermen and advocate for the budget there - a budget that includes a pay raise for the police department. Of course, Vaughn's full-time job is as a Hendersonville police detective. So, when police in Hendersonville get a raise, Jim Vaughn gets a raise.

This is not the first time Vaughn has demonstrated a complete lack of engagement in important County Commission business. Back in September and October, before a vote on setting the tax rate, Vaughn missed a month of meetings and then announced publicly he didn't understand why there was a proposal on the table to raise the tax rate.

Then, as now, Vaughn skipped key meetings and then complained to the public that he didn't know what was going on. While other Commissioners not on the budget committee attended its meetings, Vaughn did not. While other Commissioners not on the budget committee asked questions of the Finance Director and Department Heads, Vaughn did not.

All of this begs the question: What is Jim Vaughn doing?

For more on news in Hendersonville and Sumner County, follow @HvilleNews