It is remarkable how quickly things can change.

The last time I was writing a newsletter, it was all about opportunity — from the incredible addition of Windy Hill Park on Old Smyrna Road to a decision about how to configure bicycle lanes when we resurface Granny White Pike this summer.

Now our focus is on how to best adjust to our new situation and still effectively operate as a community.  While I don’t have many answers, I want to acknowledge what is going on and share resources I’ve found with information as it becomes available.  I also want you to know that the City of Brentwood is doing its level best to keep critical functions in operation while following CDC recommendations for the health of our community.

As always, your perspective and comments are very important to me, and I want to encourage you to contact me at either Nelson.Andrews@BrentwoodTN.gov if it’s not “on fire” and 615-917-1384 (voice or text) if it is.

News:

The City of Brentwood serves an important role in recovering after the March 2-3 Tornados

• In some ways it seems like much more than a month ago, but Middle Tennessee made national news March 3^rd after overnight tornadoes devastated parts of our community.

• While Bentwood was lucky enough to escape a direct hit, our team jumped in to help, including:
  • Running county-wide emergency communications out of a conference room at Brentwood City Hall after Williamson County lost their fiber optic line in the storm.
  • Dispatching Brentwood Fire and Rescue to the areas hardest-hit to assist Metro Nashville. Our Fire and Rescue department also collected generators and worked to make sure polling sites near the storm were operational March 3^rd for the “Super Tuesday” primary.
  • Dispatching a Public Works crew and equipment to clear roads and debris.
  • Sending Brentwood Police to help afflicted communities with curfew enforcement and other support.

• We can all be proud of our team at the City of Brentwood and the way they rise up and make time to help our greater community while not letting it degrade our local services.

What has the City of Brentwood done to address the Coronavirus Pandemic and its impact on our community?

• On March 2020, the City of Brentwood declared a State of Emergency, suspending in-person restaurant dining, gyms, and other gatherings that could spread Covid-19.  You can find the full declaration using this link.
• Brentwood is one of the first city governments to move public meetings online while also following applicable disclosure and other laws.  Both our March 23^rd Brentwood City Commission meeting and our March 31^st capital improvements plan work session were conducted with the vast majority of the participants logging in from home.
• We are also able to offer many city services online, including paying water bills, reporting problems, and receiving alerts.  You can find details here.
• Brentwood has published links to Tennessee’s Executive order 23 along with frequently asked questions on the City of Brentwood web page. 
• For full information on Covid-19 and Brentwood, you can use this link.

Where can we find reliable and up-to-date information on what is going on with COVID-19 in our community? 

• The City of Brentwood has up-to-date information posted online here.

• U.S. Senator and Brentwood resident Marsha Blackburn has published a COVID-19 Resource Guide for Tennesseans here.

• The Williamson County Office of Public Safety publishes information here, along with best-practices and links to other resources.  If you want Williamson County to send you updates, text the keyword WCCOVID to 888-777.

• If you would like a very comprehensive list of links RE: COVID-19, you can visit the Tennessee Municipal League resource page.
• The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has a Covid-19 page with their latest findings.
•  FEMA has published a “Coronavirus Rumor Control” page, which is an excellent antidote to a lot of misinformation floating around.

Don’t forget about the US Census

• In spite of all the disruption, the US Census is still going on, and it is very important everyone in our community is counted.  In a growing community like ours, accurate data is critical to our state and Federal funding.
• If you are as into it as I am, you will love this site with response rates by community.

What Can I do?

• You can make it a point to buy some of your food from Brentwood restaurants.  Our local restaurants are experiencing a tremendous shock and could really use your support.  The City of Brentwood has put together an online map showing who is open for carry-out and delivery, along with contact information. Go here  to get the latest information.  If you own or operate a restaurant, keep your listing up to date using the online survey.
• You can take this opportunity at home to see if you have any ash trees in your yard using information from the Brentwood Tree Board Board.  If you have ash trees, you can use information on the tree board page to put together a plan to save them.

• You can reach out and check on family, friends, and neighbors to see if they need anything.  If they do, try to figure out how to do it in a responsible way.

Calendar:

For the foreseeable future, City of Brentwood will be following physical distancing.  In person meetings and events will be minimal if any, and public meetings will be online. 

• The City of Brentwood TN homepage will have updates.
• You can find the City Commission upcoming meetings online.
• For sample of what a largely online meeting by the commission looks like, you can view our most recent commission meeting at and a capital improvements plan work session.

This Month’s Focus: Funding Major Projects

Independent of the unprecedented times we are experiencing, the Brentwood City Commission and Staff continue to work to carry forward with the business of the city.

Long term planning is one of the most important things that we do, and you can download a full copy of our long-term Capital Improvements Program (CIP) @ https://www.brentwoodtn.gov/home/showdocument?id=6176.

Major initiatives include:

• Building a 5^th Fire Station on Split Log Road with a target opening date in 2023 (CIP page 21).
• Re-roofing and adding cellular boosters to the John P. Holt Brentwood Library (CIP page 23).
• Building a new Parks and Recreation Operations Facility at Crockett Park by 2025 (CIP page 27).
• Opening a new Police Headquarters on Heritage Way in 2021 (CIP page 29).
• Working with the City of Franklin to extend McEwen Drive from Wilson Pike to the Taramore subdivision (CIP page 65).
• Significantly improving Murray Lane at Holly Tree Gap – possible roundabout under consideration (CIP page 67).
• Improving Ragsdale Road between Split Log and Glen Ellen (CIP page 69).
• Finishing Sunset Road from Concord Road to a new bridge north of Ragsdale (CIP page 75).
• Realigning Sunset at Ragsdale (CIP page 77).
• Renovating current park facilities and the addition of an inclusive playground (CIP page 91 and page 97).
• Renovating River Park, including repair of facilities, courts, and backboards (CIP page 105).
• Adding Windy Hill Park on Old Smyrna Road (CIP page 109).
• Continuing our Sewer Rehabilitation program (started in 2006) to prevent storm water infiltration (CIP page 121).
• Significantly increasing sewer system capacity by building a Metro/Brentwood pump station storage facility to manage wet-weather peak flows – expected completion in 2022 (CIP page 123). 

You can  view the March 31 work session discussing the proposed plan at https://brentwoodtn.new.swagit.com/videos/51508.

If you have any questions or comments about the CIP, please reach out to me.  Your perspective and comments are very important to me, and I want to encourage you to contact me at either Nelson.Andrews@BrentwoodTN.gov or 615-917-1384 (voice or text).

Resources:

• Full City of Brentwood Calendar.
• Interactive City of Brentwood Maps, including zoning, parks, utility district, land records, and Historic Places.
• City of Brentwood Commission Home page, including contact information, meeting schedule, and videos of past meetings.
• City of Brentwood Planning Commission Home page, including contact information, meeting schedule, and videos of past meetings.
• City of Brentwood Water and Sewer Master Plan and other information.
• Full contact information for your Federal, State, County, and local elected officials.
• Complete list and links to download Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports for the City of Brentwood back to 2005.