Elect Nelson Andrews

April Newsletter from Nelson Andrews -- Early Voting April 15–30: Facts, Finances, and Endorsements

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:41:51 GMT

Brentwood News: Growth Planning, Storm Recovery & Key Issues

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:02:31 GMT

Brentwood News - Looking Ahead for Brentwood: Planning, Priorities, and Community

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:00:59 GMT

Brentwood News - Winter Storm Fern Update: Response, Recovery & What’s Next

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:41:00 GMT

Winter Storm Recovery & Cleanup – City of Brentwood

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 17:28:26 GMT

Winter Storm Recovery Update – City of Brentwood

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 02:29:30 GMT

Winter Storm & Power Outage Update

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 20:21:29 GMT

Brentwood News & Holiday Update: State of the City, Events & More from Nelson Andrews

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:31:02 GMT

What’s Happening in Brentwood — And How You Can Shape What’s Next

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:08:31 GMT

Brentwood News -- Updates on Old Smyrna Road, Veterans Monument, and What’s Ahead for Brentwood

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:58:10 GMT

Brentwood News -- Brentwood Updates: Honoring Mr. Parker, Welcoming a New Commissioner & More

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 12:12:47 GMT

Brentwood News -- Commissioner Appointment, Ethics Resolution, Tennis Pickleball Project, & more

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 01:26:53 GMT

Brentwood Back on Track: Budget, Ballots & Big Decisions Ahead

Wed, 21 May 2025 15:35:48 GMT

Transparency vs. Tactics: Brentwood Votes Tuesday May 6 2025

Mon, 05 May 2025 14:33:52 GMT

Are Brentwood Commission Decisions Being Made Behind Closed Doors?

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 02:28:24 GMT

The Real Issues in Brentwood's Upcoming Election: Let’s Stay Focused

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 03:20:13 GMT

Brentwood City Manager, Veterans Memorial, Speed Limits and approaching election

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 16:06:13 GMT

Brentwood Budget Season -- Tax Dollars, Old Smyrna Rd, and is Brentwood Growth, and tennis/pickleball status

Sat, 22 Feb 2025 00:41:02 GMT

Referendum Blocked, Annual Budget Beginning, City Manager Search, and other Brentwood News

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 17:00:33 GMT

Brentwood Referendum on spending millions on tennis & pickleball being blocked by four commissioners

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 03:48:19 GMT

January Brentwood News - Why we need a Referendum on Spending

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 11:24:38 GMT

December Brentwood News from Nelson Andrews

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:22:51 GMT

November follow-up & Brentwood News from Nelson Andrews

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 22:50:18 GMT

October Brentwood News from Nelson Andrews RE Brentwood Racquet Club, City Manager Search & More

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 23:10:40 GMT

August Brentwood News regarding City Manager Search, Decisions, and Spending

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 16:28:04 GMT

June Brentwood News regarding projects and spending

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 15:36:42 GMT

Analysis of projects and spending, including concerns about delaying funding of the Old Smyrna Road engineering until at least 2025, defunding bike/pedestrian projects, and spending priorities. You can also find details on our budget and all our transportation projects.

May Brentwood News from Nelson Andrews

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 15:26:10 GMT

Kirk Bednar retiring, Brentwood Spending, Bike/Pedestrian Access, VUMC Leases Former AT&T Data Center, Racquet Sports, Mountain Biking, Murray Lane/Hollytree Gap Roundabout, and more.

Brentwood 2024 — How Do You Think We Should Wisely Spend Tax Dollars?

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 20:32:00 GMT

Wishing you a meaningful Martin Luther King Jr. Day as we honor his legacy. I hope you are warm & safe during this winter weather, had a fantastic holiday season and enjoyed time with friends and family. As we move into the new year, it signals the start of our City Budget and Capital Spending process. Brentwood Commissioners collaborate with City…

The Holiday Season in Brentwood and opportunity to improve Old Smyrna Road

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 15:54:00 GMT

I’ll start out by wishing you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a Joyous Holiday Season! In Brentwood, there is plenty of holiday cheer to go around, and we have much to be thankful for as we move from Thanksgiving to Christmas. One of my favorite traditions is the lighting of the Christmas Tree at Brentwood library. This year…

Brentwood Tennis, Pickleball, Parks, And Walkability — October 9 2023

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 22:51:00 GMT

First and foremost, I want to say thank you for all the encouraging emails, calls, and texts. My letter about the squandered opportunity to partner with Williamson County was hard to write and send, but I felt like if I didn’t say something, I would be part of the problem. I’m going to follow up on that as well as…

Brentwood Squanders Racquet Collaboration With Williamson County

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 12:09:00 GMT

Whether you see it as a deliberate move or as poor decision making, four of your elected Brentwood Commissioners squandered the opportunity to do a $10-12 million indoor tennis & pickleball facility as a 50/50 partnership with Williamson County. This was worth more than $5 million to the Citizens of Brentwood. In the past I have not criticized fellow commissioners…

Indoor Tennis/Pickleball Facility On “Pause” For Review, Franklin Road, Wilson Pike, And Other Brentwood News

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 22:34:00 GMT

June is one of my favorite times of year in Brentwood, with the summer concert series in full swing and the worst of the heat and humidity still weeks away (I hope). First and foremost, I’d like to thank all the people who came out and voted in the election this spring. Voting in an uncontested election is not at…

Documents related to the prospective Indoor Tennis & Pickleball Center in Brentwood

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 18:05:00 GMT

Resolution 2023-57, originally proposed on May 22, gives the City of Brentwood Staff direction and guidance in negotiating with Williamson County on an Interlocal Agreement Concerning Development of an Indoor Racquet Facility in Crockett Park.

This link goes to the full content of the proposal:

Resolution Tennis Pickleball 2023

Note — this agreement does not constitute final approval of the project. Anything negotiated by the City Staff would come back to the City Commission for approval and funding.

This proposal was was originally differed indefinitely on a 4-3 vote at the May 22 commission meeting and brought back for consideration at the June 12 Commission Meeting, but the best we could do is get it back on the agenda for consideration for October 2023.

Other Documents related to the possible indoor Tennis & Pickleball center include:

Nelson Andrews
Commissioner
City of Brentwood TN

Williamson County Parks & Rec Presentation on a Tennis & Pickleball Complex at Crockett Park 2023

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 21:14:00 GMT

This link will open up the slides Gordon Hampton presented to the Brentwood City Commission in our March 9, 2023. It includes inforamtion on the Indoor Sports Complex (ISC) Tennis Financials, user data, renderings of the proposed facility, layout, pictures of similar facilities, hours, services, pro-forma financials, Jr. Tennis, and an estimate of operational cost recovery.

Crockett Park Tennis & Pickleball Complex

What Makes Brentwood “Brentwood”? Election Day Thoughts

Mon, 01 May 2023 14:32:00 GMT

Tomorrow (May 2nd) is election day for Brentwood’s City Commission, and as I ask to serve another term, it is also an opportunity to reflect on what makes Brentwood “Brentwood.” Growing up here, it seemed obvious. Brentwood is that area between Franklin and Nashville that seemed to have the “best of both worlds”. Even in the early 1980’s when Brentwood…

Keep Brentwood Safe — Newsletter from Vice Mayor Nelson Andrews

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 21:19:00 GMT

Writing a “Keep Brentwood Safe” newsletter turned out to be a bigger job than I thought when I started composing it. The first draft started in January and was mostly about Brentwood’s outstanding public safety with a focus on Brentwood Police, Fire & Rescue. In recent years we have invested in a state-of-the-art police headquarters, added a 5th fire station,…

Tennis, Roads, Parks and People — March 2023 Budget Update From Vice Mayor Nelson Andrews

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 23:54:00 GMT

March – can you believe it? It feels like I ran right past the first of the year, and things are moving quickly everywhere I look. Wasn’t it just days ago we were making a New Year’s resolution, and now we are here giving something up for lent. As a commissioner, it also means: The May 2nd election is getting…

Brentwood Holiday Events, Year-End News & Comments From Vice Mayor Nelson Andrews

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 18:27:00 GMT

Before anything else, I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a Joyous Holiday Season. As the end of my first term as Vice Mayor and Brentwood City Commissioner approaches, I will say it has been a remarkable experience. This newsletter is longer than I prefer, but with two Brentwood elections happening these next 6…

January Special Election, Cell Coverage, LED Streetlights, and other Brentwood News from Vice Mayor Nelson Andrews

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 19:33:00 GMT

Fall is here, and it is one of my favorite times of year. Volleyball post-season is in full-swing with both Ravenwood and BHS moving to the regionals, our local football teams moving into the second-half of very successful seasons, and tons of people out in our parks enjoying the fields, trails, and other facilities. At the Brentwood City Commission, we…

Remembering Commissioners Smithson, Chalfant and the Way Forward

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 15:30:00 GMT

Since my last newsletter, we have lost two remarkable public servants with the passing of Regina Smithson and Bert Chalfant. I am profoundly grateful to have had the pleasure of knowing both, and will miss them each. There is no “replacing” Commissioner Smithson, but as a commission we are tasked with finding someone to fill the unexpired remainder of her…

Brentwood Budget And Update From Commissioner Nelson Andrews

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 16:30:00 GMT

I hope this finds you well and having a great start on your summer! This time of year we do Brentwood’s budget, and I spend a lot of time thinking about how we consistently deliver important services in addition to things we love such as parks and our beloved library. In addition to daily operations, we are called to think through challenges such as:

Brentwood’s City Budget addresses both daily operations and long-term investments. Our budget document is more than 300 pages, the Capital Improvement Program another 165, so I’ll try to hit some highlights here and point to where you can find the detail if you would like to dig in.

If you are thinking “we elected you to do the math so I don’t have to”, that is perfectly fine. You can stop here knowing that I really like this part of the job and am working to do it well on your behalf.

If, on the other hand, you find this all as interesting as I do, read on, and please share your thoughts and comments with me. We are lucky to have a lot of very astute people in our community, and I truly value your experience and insight.

Your perspective and feedback are valuable and I’m in the business of being easy to contact. Just use Nelson.Andrews@BrentwoodTN.gov if it’s not “on fire” and 615-917-1384 (voice or text) if it is.

Sincere thanks to friends who contribute the process of creating this newsletter. Keeping people informed is vital to good governance, and “it takes a village.” I link to source material whenever possible and welcome your questions or suggestions.

News

Bike Walk Brentwood has preliminary designs for Mountain Biking in Marcella Vivrette Smith Park and is raising money towards construction.

The John P. Holt Brentwood Library is hosting its first-ever Summer Reading Kickoff Event, “ Splash Into Summer ”

Follow-up on Previous News

Calendar

This Month’s Focus: City Budget & Projects Overview

One of the most important things we do as a commission is to make sure our City of Brentwood is financially stable and investing your tax dollars in ways that support and improve our quality of life over the long-term.

The budget document for 2022-2023 (we run on a July to June fiscal year) is 312 pages long, and a full copy can be found online here .

Revenues — where our money comes from

Expenditures — where our money goes

Investing in our Community — long-term Capital projects

Concern: Congestion, roads, and improving Brentwood’s walkability and cyclability

Concern: The quality and capacity of our water and sewer service.

Concern: The increase in severity of storm damage and maintenance on our storm water control systems

There much more to talk about, but I think these high points are particularly important right now as we navigate the next several years.

All of these elements interact as we work to keep Brentwood a great place to work, live, and raise a family. In addition to what we are doing at the City of Brentwood level, we have others investing in our community including:

While we face challenges, we are in good financial shape and are trying to get the most from our tax dollars as we work for the Citizens of Brentwood.

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.

I hope you had a good Memorial Day weekend and have plans for an enjoyable summer.

Nelson

Resources:

Nelson Andrews
Vice Mayor
City of Brentwood

“From Brentwood, For Brentwood”

615-917-1384
Nelson.Andrews@BrentwoodTN.gov

April 2022 — Possible Changes To The Original “One” Building In Maryland Farms

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 14:30:00 GMT

With the annual budget approaching, I’m working on a more extensive newsletter to cover more about where our taxes come from and what we can accomplish with them, but in the meantime a zoning request in Maryland Farms came up. Because we will be talking about this at the commission meetings coming up, I wanted to be sure to share…

February 2022 — Replacing Brentwood Middle, Improved Roads and other Brentwood News

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:42:00 GMT

When I sat down to put this together, it was a somewhat different world. We were watching the Olympics and talking a lot about NCAA Basketball. Now my thoughts are often in Eastern Europe, and I’m praying for the military and civilians caught in a war I wouldn’t have thought possible. While this goes on, I’m going to take the advice of my good friend Carol who regularly reminds me to “control the controllables.” In spite of what is going on internationally, we still have a job to do, and I’ll do my level best to do it well.

Your City Commission is working hard to represent you and make good decisions for the benefit of Brentwood. While the past couple of years have certainly had their challenges, our community is still investing in schools, roads, and the public works (like water control) that help make Brentwood a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

While there is always “room for improvement” (the biggest room in the world, according to my dad), it feels like we are making progress.

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

Sincere thanks to friends who contribute to the process of creating this newsletter. Keeping people informed is vital to good governance, and “it takes a village.” I link to source material whenever possible and welcome your questions or suggestions.

News

Williamson County approves $28,000,000 to replace Brentwood Middle School’s antiquated building and create additional capacity

Update on Flood Control and Stormwater

Brentwood Police Chief Jeff Hughes retires after 36 years with Brentwood

Follow Up on Previous News

Briefly

We have two new Department Directors on our City of Brentwood Team:

Sarah VanWormer, Information Technology Director

April Curlin, Human Resources Director:

Calendar : Our full City of Brentwood Calendar is available online

Spring Events include:

This Month’s Focus: Projects, Rezoning, and annexation within the Urban Growth Boundary

Roads and Congestion Improvements

City Facilities

Parks and Playgrounds

Rezoning – Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home (rezoning of a portion at the rear)

Annexation of land in our Urban Growth Boundary

The City of Brentwood has an online map that you can use to pull up a map that shows the current city limits and the urban growth boundary. You can find it here or by putting “City Brentwood TN Zoning Map” into Google. The “layer list” tool at the bottom will let you select any options you would like, including “Brentwood City Limit” and “Brentwood Urban Growth Boundary”.

Resources:

Writing this newsletter is an enjoyable and educational experience for me, and I hope my enthusiasm for the job and our city comes through to you as you read this. I feel lucky to be here doing what I do, and I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity. Thank you for your help and support.

Nelson

Nelson Andrews
Vice Mayor
City of Brentwood
“From Brentwood, For Brentwood”

615-917-1384
Nelson.Andrews@BrentwoodTN.gov

December 2021 — Brentwood Projects, News, And Our Holiday Festivities

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:39:00 GMT

View this email in your browser I’m incredibly impressed by the enthusiasm Brentwood Residents have for investing in our community. Just a few of the projects happening include adding turf to Crockett Park baseball fields to make them all-weather, adding inclusive capability to Granny White Park, upgrading our library, and potentially adding a mountain bike trail to Marcella Vivrette Smith…

Rezoning on Concord Road, Stormwater codes, and Brentwood City Commission Updates

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 18:51:00 GMT

Rezoning, Stormwater, and Fire Station 5 Summer is winding down, but the business of Brentwood Tennessee is winding up as we start getting into the days of Fall. It seems that everywhere we look, there is something going on right now. Construction on Franklin Road is making progress, and we are continuing to work to keep Brentwood a great place…

City of Brentwood May 2021 Update — Property Tax Rate, Disaster Relief for Flood, Summer Concert Series

Thu, 27 May 2021 18:33:00 GMT

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me this past couple of weeks with positive comments and support. I don’t think I have ever received more encouraging messages, and I’m honored to serve as your Vice Mayor. I am also pleased to see that people in Brentwood are quick to recognize cheap political stunts. We’ve recently completed election…

Elections, Vaccinations, Tax Dollars and Trains

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 14:46:00 GMT

View this email in your browser As vaccinations are rolling out and most people are eligible to receive them, I’m glad to see our community getting back to a more-familiar feel. The storms over the weekend were quite severe. I hope you and your family made it through alright. The City of Brentwood has a process to assess storm damage and…

Vaccination, Annexation, Rezoning, and construction – January 2021

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 19:27:00 GMT

Happy New Year! Like many, I am glad to get 2020 in the rear-view mirror and start the year looking optimistically at what we hope are opportunities for our community here in Brentwood. There is a lot going on right now, and I will hit some of the high points and link to more extensive detail whenever possible. While I…

Possible annexation of 175 acres into Brentwood as well as recent news and upcoming events, October 2020

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 14:38:00 GMT

As 2020 continues to grind ahead, I’m pleased to see some more “normal” business coming in front of our Brentwood City Commission.

For the first time since my election to our commission, we have a request to annex land and review the way the land is zoned. I’m going to take this opportunity to share information I have on the request as well as my initial impression. As always, I appreciate your feedback, and welcome information you would like to add to the conversation. My dad has long said “the biggest room in the world is room for improvement”, and I strive to learn as much as I can to successfully perform my work.

Before diving into that specific topic, I’ll also share some information on other things I see going on with our City of Brentwood, TN.

News :

Wikle Road Waterline Project Underway

Kick off the Holiday Season with the Salvation Army “Gathering of Angels”

Calendar :

While we are actively moving towards in-person meetings, Brentwood is still working to minimize opportunities for the transmittal of COVID-19. The City of Brentwood is continuing to follow the guidance set by the health department at Williamson County and the State of Tennessee.

This Month’s Focus: Proposed Annexation and Rezoning of land at the southwest quadrant of the intersection of Sunset and Split Log Roads known as “The Gaw Property”

Background:

Nelson.Andrews@BrentwoodTN.gov

Resources:

Thank you to my friends who have helped me with content and proofing this newsletter, and thank you again for all your support!

Nelson

Nelson Andrews
Brentwood City Commissioner
“From Brentwood, For Brentwood”
615-917-1384
Nelson.Andrews@BrentwoodTN.gov

https://www.facebook.com/CityBrentwoodTN/
https://www.instagram.com/cityofbrentwoodtn/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpy4tA7ME8ra38IDTTAXHVw?view_as=public
https://twitter.com/cityofbrentwood
https://nextdoor.com/agency-detail/tn/brentwood/city-of-brentwood-1/?i=zrncbsbbkmymdjfjpzfq

Sept 2020 update from Commissioner Nelson Andrews: Focus on YMCA One Brentwood Plan

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 22:14:00 GMT

This year continues to be a year of challenges, and I’m sure we are all going to remember 2020 for a long time. While there are changes both welcome and unwelcome, there are also opportunities for growth and improvement. Right now, we are working hard to successfully restart contact sports in our schools and parks, adapt social norms to requests…

June 2020 Brentwood Update – focus on Law Enforcement

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 20:39:00 GMT

I hope this finds you, your family and friends all safe and healthy, and I would like to wish everyone a happy and blessed Independence Day.

Our challenging times continue. To my knowledge, we have not had a medical breakthrough yet regarding COVID-19, but our community continues to follow the lead of Governor Lee and the Tennessee Department of Health and work towards opening our economy. For many, this is welcome relief, but I know it is a source of anxiety for others.

In addition, law-enforcement policy and practices are under examination nationally, and that naturally leads to questions about our local policies and practices.

While all this is going on, The City of Brentwood has lost a police officer in the line of duty for the first time with the heartbreaking death of Officer Destin Legieza.

I’m not going to try to solve these issues here, but I would like to share the resources I have.

News :

Officer Destin Legieza was tragically lost in a vehicle collision June 18, 2020

Brentwood Police Department’s Tommy Walsh Retires After 31 Years of Service

Splash Pad opening this summer at the Williamson County Indoor Sports Complex in Brentwood

While we are starting to move back towards in-person meetings, the City of Brentwood is still working to minimize opportunities for the transmittal of COVID-19. City of Brentwood is continuing to follow the guidance set by the health department at Williamson County and State of Tennessee.

by following this link

”The Brentwood Police Department consists of compassionate men and women committed to treating every person they encounter with respect. With servant hearts, we strive to make Brentwood a safe and desirable place to live, work and raise your family.”

People have questions about how much we spend on our Brentwood Police. This graphic is a breakdown of how City of Brentwood spends its General Fund, which does not include the Water and Sewer department:

Resources:

Nelson

Nelson Andrews
Brentwood City Commissioner
“From Brentwood, For Brentwood”
615-917-1384
Nelson.Andrews@Brentwood-TN.org

https://www.facebook.com/CityBrentwoodTN/

https://www.instagram.com/cityofbrentwoodtn/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpy4tA7ME8ra38IDTTAXHVw?view_as=public

https://twitter.com/cityofbrentwood

https://nextdoor.com/agency-detail/tn/brentwood/city-of-brentwood-1/?i=zrncbsbbkmymdjfjpzfq

Challenging Times – information and resources for Brentwood from Commissioner Nelson Andrews

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 23:08:00 GMT

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…

Brentwood Update from Commissioner Nelson Andrews – focus on Parks, Bike Lanes, and news

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 20:58:00 GMT

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity at the City of Brentwood, with some remarkable developments for our Park System, resounding praise of our Water and Sewer department by Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Chief Engineer George Garden, and the opportunity to review some alternatives for extending our bike lanes down Granny White Pike. As always,…

Brentwood Update for January 2020 – focus on our City’s Financial Health

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 00:24:00 GMT

Welcome to 2020! I’m sure there are going to be lots of cliches about “2020 Vision”, but sometimes cliches are good. As we come into Winter and Spring, one of the things we examine as a City Commission is Brentwood’s financial health. Brentwood runs on a fiscal year that ends in the summer, and now is the time we review how we are doing, gaze down the road and plan for where we need to go in the future.

Toward the end of this newsletter, I’m going to share some information from our 2019 financial report as well as information on what we are planning towards. Please take time to give it a look, and feel welcome to share your feedback. I would like to hear your perspective.

News :

Water Department Saves Thanksgiving!

“Refill Reduce Brentwood” – a Brentwood Environmental Initiative

Maryland Farms Greenway Trail receives additional Oak Trees

NASA Display at the Brentwood Library through February, 2020

Calendar :

January 17-19 – Friends of the Brentwood Library Used Book Sale
January 30 – City Commission Annual Budget Kickoff Meeting
February 1 2020 – The Yule Ball

February 27 – Brentwood Historic Society History Bowl

February 27-May 7 (Thursday nights) – Brentwood Citizens Fire Academy
March 5-May 14 (Thursday nights) – Brentwood Citizens Police Academy
April 4 – Arbor Day

This Month’s Focus: Brentwood’s Financial Health

On December 23 ^rd , 2019 Brentwood Published its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019. You can find a full copy of the report with this link to the City Website .

What do we spend money on as City of Brentwood?
(expenses – page 28, labeled page 8):

Where does our money come from (revenue)? (page 30, labeled 10)

Strengths:

Some Challenges we face include:

Highlights of the 2020-2025 Capital Improvement Program (page 12, labeled vi):

Do we have evidence that our city is healthy?

Resources:

Thank you again for all your support!

Nelson

Brentwood Update for Thanksgiving 2019 — Focus on Getting Engaged in our Community

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 16:28:00 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving! As we are wrapping up 2019, I’m reflecting what I’ve learned about Brentwood this year. While I’ve lived here almost my entire life, it is still remarkable how much there is to our community. It has also been a reminder of how participating adds to the joy of being here. As we come into the holidays, I’m going…

November Update from Commissioner Nelson Andrews – focus on Big Projects

Sun, 10 Nov 2019 19:56:00 GMT

Brentwood is an amazing place to live and work. In our competitive environment, it is essential that our City both undertake and/or facilitate projects that help maintain and improve our quality of life. The challenge is to proactively undertake these projects in a realistic and fiscally responsible manner.

Consideration and approval of this six-year CIP program by the City Commission represents one of the most important actions taken by the Board each year.

We’ve currently adopted a plan for the period 2020-2025, which you can find in full at https://www.brentwoodtn.gov/home/showdocument?id=5837 . The plan is extensive – 164 pages – but I’ll try to hit some highlights.

Major areas of focus are:

As you can see, this is a gross oversimplification of a very expansive program. You can find the full 2020-2025 Capital Improvement Plan at https://www.brentwoodtn.gov/home/showdocument?id=5837 . If you have questions or see something you feel needs to be addressed, please contact me. It is a lot for any of us to digest, and it is important to me to be an excellent steward of Brentwood’s resources. Our budgeting process begins again on January 30th, and I would greatly value your input.

Resources:

Nelson

Nelson Andrews
Brentwood City Commissioner
“From Brentwood, For Brentwood”
615-917-1384
Nelson.Andrews@Brentwood-TN.org

Brentwood Update for October — Rendezvous at Ravenswood, Public Safety Day, and the Environment

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 01:34:00 GMT

This past month, our environment has been making headlines even more than usual. While the press writes mostly about the global situation, I want to take this opportunity to talk about what we are doing here in Brentwood Tennessee. But first, some news:

News :

National Leaders to Attend Rendezvous at Ravenswood this Thursday – October 10

Brentwood’s Public Safety Day reminds us that home Sprinkler Systems can save lives through a dramatic demonstration:

Brentwood City Commission Votes to Ban Commercial Scooters

City of Brentwood Finance Department receives another GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence

Brentwood Earns Two National Communication Awards

Another reminder — the Census has started

Calendar :

October 10 – The Rendezvous at Ravenwood Gala

October 21 – “Ravenwood Raptor Classic” Golf Tournament

Technical Data and Information – focus on our Trees and Environment:

Emerald Ash Borer — an urgent threat to some of our most valuable trees:

Brentwood’s Tree Canopy – compiled from staff reports and research :

Environmental Advisory Board :

Biking and Walking in Brentwood

Brentwood Green Space

There are many, many other groups active in our community, and I can’t possibly recognize them all. In addition to the above, we have:

Resources:

Thank you again for all your support!

Nelson

Nelson Andrews
Brentwood City Commissioner
“From Brentwood, For Brentwood”
615-917-1384
Nelson.Andrews@Brentwood-TN.org

Brentwood Update — Greenway Trail, Battle of the Badges, Sewer Detail, and more

Sat, 17 Aug 2019 20:27:00 GMT

Thank you for all your support during the Brentwood City Commission election this year! My work as City Commissioner is challenging, but I enjoy it and I am learning a lot about our city. As part of my work, I will periodically send emails and post information about what I see going on. I welcome feedback, and appreciate your perspective…

Andrews leads in contributions, campaign finance reports show

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 01:47:00 GMT

First-quarter numbers reveal broad range among Brentwood candidates

Apr 24, 2019

Nine candidates have been campaigning for four open seats on the Brentwood City Commission and some have been raising and spending a good bit more than others.

The nine candidates are Wyatt Rex Allen, Nelson Andrews, Anne Dunn, Susannah Macmillan, John Magyar, Dale Pacetti, Stevan Pippin, Ken Travis and Terrence Smith.

First-quarter financial disclosure statements filed by candidates through the Williamson County Election Commission, revealed that Andrews led the way with $22,925 in contributions.

Meanwhile Allen and Pacetti reported a zero balance. Their campaigns are exempted from detailed disclosure because contributions — including in-kind — as well as expenditures total $1,000 or less for the reporting period.

The numbers for the other seven candidates are as follows.

Andrews

Andrews had a $10,900.89 balance on hand for the first quarter. Andrews also had $22,925 in total contributions. Jim Wiseman serves as Andrews’ treasurer.

Members of the business community and other elected officials have donated a substantial amount of money to Andrews’ campaign. Overall, Andrews collected donations from over 100 contributors.

Williamson County Mayor Rodgers Anderson contributed $250 to Andrews’ campaign, while County Commissioner Robbie Beal gave $100. Former county school board member Bobby Hullett also gave $100.

CEO’s of Tractor Supply Co. and Puffy Muffin both contributed. Tractor Supply’s Greg Sandfort and his wife, Anita, each gave $1,600, while Puffy Muffin’s Kristi Elzinga gave $500. Brian Evans, manager of Tractor Supply gave $250.

Collectively, the 13 employees of LBMC, a Brentwood-based CPA firm, contributed $1,950 to Andrews’ campaign, while Lynn Tucker, director of the Williamson Chamber Foundation, contributed $100. Pam Bryant, president of United Way Williamson County gave $250. Irby Simpkins, retired, contributed $250. Aubrey Harwell, attorney, gave $500.

Also, longtime Brentwood resident Jim Redd gave $200.

Dunn

Dunn, a current city commissioner, had a $2,574.29 balance on hand with $5,975 in total contributions in the first quarter. Dunn serves as her own treasurer.

Redd gave $200 to her campaign.

Macmillan

Macmillan had a $15,009.40 balance on hand and $18,191.47 total contributions in the first quarter. Richard Tatum serves as her campaign treasurer.

City Commissioner Mark Gorman contributed $1,000 to Macmillan’s campaign, while McLendon for Alderman gave $606.47. Dana McLendon is an alderman in Franklin and is the brother of Macmillan. Nashville resident Lance Marrow, Nashville Communications executive gave $1,500.

Macmillan also contributed $1,000 to her own campaign.

Magyar

Magyar had a $4,915.59 balance on hand in the first quarter. Kelvin Ault serves as Magyar’s treasurer.

Contributions were less than $1,000 and, therefore, do not have to be disclosed for the reporting period.

Pippin

Stevan Pippin had $1,604.31 balance on hand and $2,755 total contributions in the first quarter. Leslie Pippin serves as his campaign treasurer.

Redd gave $200 to his campaign.

Smith

Smith had a $370.40 balance on hand in the first quarter. Stephen Engibut CPA serves as campaign treasurer.

Contributions were less than $1,000 and, therefore, do not have to be disclosed for the reporting period.

Travis

Travis, a current city commissioner, had a $9,647.68 balance on hand and $12,625 total contributions in the first quarter. Travis serves as his own treasurer.

Re-elect Rogers C. Anderson gave $100 to his campaign, while Travis contributed $500 to his campaign. Louis Suttle of Brentwood gave $1,000, while Nashville resident Lance Marrow, Nashville Communications executive gave $1,500 to Travis’ campaign. Realtor Patricia Myatt of Brentwood also contributed $1,500.

You can find the original post at Williamson Herald by following the link here .

Endorsement by The Sargent Legacy Fund

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 02:22:00 GMT

Sargent Legacy Fund
P.O. Box 11515
Franklin, TN 37065

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Sargent Legacy Fund announced its inaugural endorsements for candidates in the Brentwood City Commission race. The Sargent Legacy Fund is a political action committee focusing on local, Williamson County and city elections. The Fund intends to support candidates and causes that Charles would have supported. A strong believer that local governments are better equipped to address local issues, Charles fought for limited government, lower taxes and better funding for education. The Sargent Legacy Fund is a non-partisan seeking to support the best candidates to further Charles’ view.

The Sargent Legacy Fund is pleased to endorse Anne Dunn and Nelson Andrews for Brentwood City Commission. These candidates have exhibited the level of community involvement, fiscal responsibility and support for education to earn the unqualified support of an organization named for Charles Sargent. “The Board of the Sargent Legacy Fund is confident that Charles would support these candidates for Brentwood City Commission,” said Fund Chairman Ken Young. “In fact, Charles had a personal history with these candidates that make this endorsement easy.”

Anne Dunn is an experienced City Commissioner with a strong record of support for education and preserving the quality of life for the citizens of Brentwood. Anne has committed herself to improving Brentwood and has exhibited the type of leadership the Sargent Legacy Fund supports. We endorse Anne without reservation.

While Nelson Andrews is new to the campaign trail, no one can question his civic involvement and commitment to Brentwood and Williamson County. Nelson is committed to supporting the Williamson County School System and providing the best educational opportunity for the children of Brentwood. The Sargent Legacy Fund is pleased to give its unqualified endorsement of this fine community leader.

Interview about why I’m running and what makes Brentwood Special

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 02:12:00 GMT

I had the chance to talk to a big group about why I’m running, who I am, and what makes Brentwood such a special place to live. I hope you take a few minutes and give it a look!

Preserve Brentwood Candidate Survey

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 02:13:00 GMT

1) “ Is faster population growth in Brentwood a high priority for you as a potential Commissioner, even if it means significant added expenses to maintain and upgrade our infrastructure (water, sewer, roads, etc.)?” No. My priority is to maintain Brentwood’s character as Middle Tennessee experiences growth. While “Brentwood’s Character” means many things to many people, most comments I get center around a quality of life provided by excellence in schools and public safety, complimented by a wonderful park system, library, and characterized by 1-acre density.

2) “Are you in favor of and would you vote for increasing the allowable building heights in any of the commercial areas of the City?” No – While I think it is important to maintain the vibrant, healthy commercial community that pays 60% of our bills, I have not heard that the buildings must be taller. For example, what I experience in Maryland Farms is that much of the office park isn’t very walkable, and that having to drive everywhere contributes to our congestion. There is a lot of room for improvement in our commercial district without adding height.

3) “ Would you support expanding the area currently zoned C-4?” No – I’m not aware of any remaining undeveloped land in Brentwood that would be better rezoned C-4.

4) “ Should residential dwellings of any kind (apartments, condos, town homes, etc.) be allowed in any commercial zoning (C-1, C-2, C-3 or C-4)?” No. This isn’t consistent with 1-acre density.

5) “ Would you support or vote for rezoning any residential property to commercial zoning?” While I’m not in favor of commercial zoning encroaching on our neighborhoods, I think it is poor governance and somewhat of an abdication of responsibility to make an absolute statement like this. While I don’t anticipate rezoning from residential to commercial, I think it is the responsibility of commissioners to use good judgement and problem solving to respond to situations and opportunities in a way that benefits our community as a whole while protecting the character and interests of Brentwood.

6) “ Would you support or vote for the rezoning of any agriculturally zoned property to commercially zoned property?” Committing to a blanket statement like this without context or specific situation is poor governance. That said, I’m not aware of any circumstance that calls for this.

7) “Would you support or vote for changing any residential property to Service Institution (SI) zoning in order to allow for residential dwellings of any kind (apartments, condos, town homes, etc.) with density greater than one home per acre?” No – I think 1-acre density is an important element of our city’s character.

8) “ Will you pledge to residents you will voluntarily recuse yourself from any vote where you have a conflict of interest? This would include any vote on rezoning (or change to an existing zoning classification) where you, your family or your business have a financial interest in some or all of the property affected.” Yes. Isn’t this a standard practice?

9) “The Turner Property, located at the corner of Franklin Road and Concord Road, is currently zoned as agricultural land. If this property became available for development, should Commissioners vote to rezone this property in order to allow mixed use residential/commercial components?” According to The City of Brentwood, less than half the Turner property is currently zoned AR “agricultural”. ( http://brentwood.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=2c39d0eed8484468ba9a0959603981b1 ) This would allow much of the property to be developed into a subdivision with homes on 1-acre lots. The Turner Property represents a huge opportunity for the City of Brentwood – many people would like to see something worked out to both preserve the view along Franklin Road as well as serve as an east-west connection for our city. I would like to be a part of working something out with the Turner family to preserve the views that many love while being fiscally responsible as a city and respectful of the rights of the owners of this private property.

10) “ Should the City of Brentwood allow additional apartments to be built in areas that are currently zoned C-4 Zoning?” No. Apartments are not consistent with a 1-acre density.

11) “ Should the City of Brentwood allow more apartments to be built in the areas zoned residential?” No. Apartments are not consistent with 1-acre density.

12) “The property at the northwest corner of Concord Road and Wilson Pike, generally known as the “Donkey Farm”, is currently zoned Residential (R2). Are you in favor of, and would you vote for a rezoning of this property to Commercial zoning? ” No. I have not seen anything that makes me think putting commercial zoning immediately adjacent to the homes on Wilson Pike would be a good idea. Note – according to the City of Brentwood zoning map, the “Donkey Farm” is R1, Large Lot Residential, not R2.

13 ) “ The property at the northwest corner of Concord Road and Wilson Pike, generally known as the “Donkey Farm”, is currently zoned Residential (R2). Are you in favor of, and would you vote for a rezoning of this property to Service Institution zoning?” The “Donkey Farm” at the north-west corner of Concord and Wilson Pike, appears to be R1, not R2. There is SI1 immediately east (East Brentwood Presbyterian) and C2 immediately south (Concord Market), but there is a home immediately north. That makes this location tricky – not very attractive for homes, but very close to existing homes. While I wouldn’t want to encourage C2 immediately next to R1, I would hope that over time, a solution could be discovered that works for the owners of the property as well as the adjoining property owners.

Thank you again to all who treasure the City of Brentwood. It is a very special place to me, and clearly to you as well. Being good stewards of our community and its resources is critically important, and I appreciate your interest in the candidates and their approach to governance. I hope I can count on your support.

Sincerely,

Nelson Andrews

Candidate for Brentwood City Commission

Nelson@ElectNelsonAndrews.com

615-585-9918

www.ElectNelsonAndrews.com

Citizens for Brentwood Green Space Candidate Questionnaire

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 02:02:00 GMT

2019 Candidate Questionnaire, Nelson Andrews, Citizens for Brentwood Green Space

QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Where would you rank the preservation of green space in Brentwood compared to other priorities facing the City?

There is a hierarchy to the needs of our City, and at the front are things like public safety (police and fire) as well as well as roads and other city services. After we insure adequate resources for the fundamental city services, we should continue to invest in our world-class library and preserving our green space. Our open spaces, park system and trails play a vital role in the identity of our community. Done well, there is an opportunity to improve our system in a way that improves walkability/bikability and reduces congestion in Brentwood.

2. As a City Commissioner, please outline your view on the role you believe the City should play in the acquisition of park land or dedicated green space in our community. Please address whether you feel the city should be active in the acquisition of such types of land or should only address requests or offers made by developers.

As a city commission, we have a number of tools to use in getting the job done, and I believe the commissioners should use the approach that best fits the situation. Commissioners should be actively investigating opportunities to improve and expand our parks and dedicated green spaces, but should also welcome conversations with land owners.

3. Do you feel like Brentwood has enough park land and green space or would you like to see more added?

Brentwood has some spectacular parks and green space, but I believe we should continue to add additional acreage. The Little Harpeth River runs through our city and opened up the opportunity to develop an interconnected park and trail system on the east side of I-65. My desire is that over the long term this corridor is the opportunity to connect our park and trail system between both sides of our city with the added benefit
of improving walkability and bike-ability. This single effort could potentially improve long-term mobility and reduce congestion throughout our city. That said, improving this aspect of our city would have to be done in a financially responsible way, and in keeping with the wishes of our residents.

4. Surrounding communities like Nashville and Franklin have adopted Open Space Master Plans. Nashville is in the process of revising their original Plan. Open Space Master plans include such things as an inventory of the City’s remaining open space; specific criteria to guide the City in evaluating parcels being considered for open space acquisition; defined measurements for the assessment of the costs and benefits of acquiring open space; and funding strategies for the Plan’s implementation. The city has indicated there are approximately 27 tracts greater than 25 acres are still left as undeveloped or significantly underdeveloped in Brentwood totally about 6,500 acres. Would you support the commissioning of such a study for the City of Brentwood?

Brentwood is neither Nashville nor Franklin – we have our own way of doing things, and we have done so with great success (and, in many cases, with envy from our neighboring cities). The city administration and planning staff keep an inventory of properties, and the city commission makes use of that information when making decisions. There are certainly strategic locations around the city that could help with either connecting our existing green corridors or that could improve our distribution of open space. That said, we need to keep this “wish list” in mind while being open to other opportunities as they present themselves while also taking care of our financial resources.

5: Objective 1.C.4 of the Brentwood 2030 plan is to preserve the visual character of the Cal Turner property and the City is to explore tools (such as purchase of land) to preserve visible open space of the property should development of the property be proposed.

a) Would you be in favor of purchasing the Turner property if it were to come on the market? And what is your vision of the property if the City was able to make the purchase?
The Turner property is a complex piece of real-estate. It represents the holiday postcard for many residents, as well as the view you show your relatives when they come to town. It is also a flood plain for the Little Harpeth River, has a railroad track running through the middle, is adjacent to I-65, and adjoins multiple parcels along Franklin Road that are not owned by the Turner family.

While I am very much a believer in private property rights and the principle of limited government, I think the right thing to do would be to work collaboratively with the property owners to see if there is an opportunity to create a greenway that connects the east side and west side of Brentwood and allows improved access to all our parks and trails while preserving the view shed we love and residential character of our city. We must be willing to preserve what we love about our city while carefully keeping an eye on short and long-term financial implications.

b) Would you be willing to support the increase of taxes to purchase all or a significant portion of the Turner Property, or to support a bond initiative for the purchase of the Turner property in order to preserve green space beyond that of publicly visible open space?

Brentwood has been able to make it almost 30 years without increasing property taxes. During this time, the city added over 750 acres to the park system in addition to funding our core services and building and expanding a world class library. I would like to think that as a member of the commission, we will be clever enough to find a solution to connect Brentwood’s East and West sides that also lets us extend our record of no tax increases.

6. What is your view of the priority of bicycling/walking infrastructure implementation so that our community becomes more “walkable and bicycle friendly” in the future? Would you be willing to vote for increasing the City of Brentwood’s property taxes, by a small amount to fund new trial development, sidewalk improvements and an East-West connector across I-65?

Once we take care of our fundamental city services, library, and support our schools, we should certainly focus on improving our bicycling/walking infrastructure and general mobility. I believe we will find avenues to improve sidewalks as well as create an eastwest connector without increasing taxes.

7. What city (besides Brentwood) do you admire for their healthy outdoor living infrastructure and what characteristic(s) would you like to see more of in Brentwood?

Having lived in Brentwood a vast majority of my life while also having been able to travel a great deal, there is not another city that I believe should be copied as Brentwood is truly unique and beautiful. Ironically, for me, Brentwood represents both the best and one of the more challenging of what I’ve experienced in terms of healthy outdoor living infrastructure.

One of the best aspects of Brentwood as it relates to outdoor living is that if you are in reasonable physical shape and live anywhere along the Little Harpeth River east of I-65, you can access Crockett Park, the Eddie Arnold Amphitheater, the Williamson County Indoor Sports Complex, the Brentwood Library, the Martin Center, the Brentwood Family YMCA, Tower Park, the Heritage, Crockett Elementary, Woodland Middle, Ravenwood High School, and Smith Park without ever getting on a public road. It is all accessible by bike or on foot through our trail system. Weather and endurance permitting, you could live the outdoor dream right here in our city, no internal combustion required.

The more challenging aspect is if you don’t live near the connected parks or trails. In this circumstance, you may have to try to get over the interstate or travel one of our roads with open drainage and no shoulders, in which case you have to choose between driving and living dangerously.

Brentwood has it right, but there are improvements we still need to make.

Parks are Personal

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 18:16:00 GMT

Parks are Personal .

Follow us at https://www.facebook.com/nelsonandrewsforbrentwood/ to learn more about my campaign for Brentwood City Commission.

What About Green Space?

Wed, 27 Mar 2019 18:23:00 GMT

Citizens for Brentwood Green Space works to support parks and outdoor life in Brentwood. I recently did their candidate questionnaire, which I’m including here.

Brentwood has some spectacular parks and green space, but I believe we should continue to add additional acreage. The Little Harpeth River runs through our city and opened up the opportunity to develop an interconnected park and trail system on the east side of I-65. My desire is that over the long term this corridor is the opportunity to connect our park and trail system between both sides of our city with the added benefit of improving walkability and bike-ability. This single effort could potentially improve long-term mobility and reduce congestion throughout our city. That said, improving this aspect of our city would have to be done in a financially responsible way, and in keeping with the wishes of our residents.

The Turner property is a complex piece of real-estate. It represents the holiday postcard for many residents, as well as the view you show your relatives when they come to town. It is also a flood plain for the Little Harpeth River, has a railroad track running through the middle, is adjacent to I-65, and adjoins multiple parcels along Franklin Road that are not owned by the Turner family.

Brentwood has it right, but there are improvements we still need to make.

You can learn more about Brentwood Green Space here .

Elect Nelson Andrews Campaign Update

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 21:21:00 GMT

The race for the Brentwood City Commission is in full swing, and below is an update from the campaign to elect Nelson Andrews.

Here is a super-quick summary, with more detail below:

More Detail:

Last Saturday, we had a full house for our breakfast at The Martin Center. I want to thank again our host committee, elected officials, and everyone else who took time out of their weekend to join us. If you would like to see a video of the remarks, you can view it here: https://www.facebook.com/nelsonandrewsforbrentwood/videos/307051493335186/ . Please let me know what you think, and feel free to share with anyone you know who might be interested.

Our next campaign event is on March 2 ^nd at the home of Kelley and Greg Luken at 9018 Carondelet Place , Brentwood TN 37027. The event is open to everyone who would like to come by and see us, and will take place that Saturday afternoon from 3:00-5:00 PM .

The general “flow” will be:

We will be serving snacks and refreshments.

To help me out with numbers for signs and snacks, drop me a quick note to Nelson@ElectNelsonAndrews.com to let me know if you are coming. If you would like a sign but can’t make it Saturday, just let me know and we will deliver it Sunday.

If you would like to learn more about our campaign, follow us on social media, or get involved yourself, you can find much more at https://www.facebook.com/nelsonandrewsforbrentwood/ and www.ElectNelsonAndrews.com .

Thank you again for your encouragement and support! I really appreciate it.

Nelson

Nelson@ElectNelsonAndrews.com

615.585.9918

www.ElectNelsonAndrews.com

Check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/nelsonandrewsforbrentwood/

Tennessean Feb 4 — Meet the candidates running for Brentwood City Commission

Fri, 08 Feb 2019 15:18:00 GMT

Meet the candidates running for Brentwood City Commission Elaina Sauber, Nashville TennesseanPublished 5:00 a.m. CT Feb. 4, 2019 | Updated 5:09 p.m. CT Feb. 6, 2019 More than half of the seats on the Brentwood City Commission could see new faces in May. As of Jan. 30, six candidates had filed petitions to run for the board. Those include incumbent commissioners Anne Dunn and Ken Travis,…

Brentwood businessman Nelson Andrews files petition for Brentwood commission

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 01:42:00 GMT

By Austin Thompson • Staff Writer Jan 30, 2019

Nelson Andrews, president of Andrews Cadillac and Jaguar Land Rover Nashville, stopped by the Williamson County Election Commission on Friday to file his petition to run for Brentwood City Commission.

As of Monday, eight people had picked up petitions seeking to fill four open Brentwood City Commission seats in the May 7 election. However, only five — Nelson Andrews, Anne Dunn, Susannah Macmillan, Terrence Smith and Ken Travis — had filed their petitions as of Monday.

After Andrews officially filed, he said the process has been enjoyable, so far.

“I feel great. It was really fun getting the signatures,” he said. “I’ve just been overwhelmed by all the folks I’m meeting through the process.”

In a previous interview with the Williamson Herald, Andrews pointed to his business experience and being a longtime resident in the city as reasons why he is running.

“I feel that living and working here and being involved in the community, both through civic work and business, that I have both the experience and the skill to really add something to the city,” he said.

Andrews is a member of the Brentwood Morning Rotary Club and the Ravenwood Red Zone Football Booster Club. He is a former board member of the Williamson Business PAC and Williamson, Inc.

Candidate platform

According to Andrews’ recently launched campaign website, some areas of focus for him include maintaining Brentwood’s unique identity, keeping Brentwood green, improving Brentwood’s mobility and investing in schools.

Andrews further explained on his website what his areas of focus would be, if elected as a Brentwood commissioner.

“People come to and stay in Brentwood for the promise of a beautiful community, great school system, convenient transit and cost-effective governance,” he said. “As a commissioner, it will be my responsibility to protect the Brentwood ‘Dream’ and carry it forward for future generations. Keeping our overall density at one home per acre, protecting our hills and preserving our water quality is critical.

“Our park system is one of Brentwood’s ‘Crown Jewels.’ To keep Brentwood both beautiful and healthy, I am committed to keeping our park system great and will look for opportunities to expand not just city parks but also privately maintained green spaces. With a unique combination of modern amenities, beautiful scenery and historic sites, we must continue to work hard to keep them all in good balance.

“Congestion is a widespread problem that could find improvements through road improvements, technology, mobility options, and forward-thinking employment practices. As a commissioner, I will work to assure a mobile community the links people with home, work, services, and recreation.

“As an ardent supporter of strong schools, I will continue to support investment in Williamson County Schools where enrollment includes at least 25 percent of Brentwood residents. Furthermore, I will use whatever resources I have at my disposal to advocate for our schools with the Williamson County Commission and School Board, as well as seek to develop public-private partnerships that can further improve the educational experience of these students.

“Brentwood’s city government works well today because it stays focused on maintaining and improving core municipal services. Brentwood should continue to be the leader among Tennessee cities in providing excellent services such as police, fire, public works, parks, library, water/sewer and land use planning. We must continue to budget conservatively and keep the property tax rate as low as possible, while maintaining adequate reserves in the bank for unanticipated needs. As a part of the greater community, it is important to be a part of the regional conversation. Brentwood should strive to maintain good working relationships with Williamson County and other adjacent cities.

“Commercial development should be limited to the existing areas in the northern and southern ends of the City. At the same time, we must also protect and enhance the existing commercial areas which equate to 4 percent of the total land in Brentwood that generates almost 60 percent of the general fund tax revenue. We must maintain strong development standards and be fair and consistent in their enforcement.”

For more information about Andrews’ campaign, visit www.electnelsonandrews.com/the-issues.

Link to the Williamson Herald

Nelson Andrews is fifth to turn in a petition to run for Brentwood City Commission

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 22:17:00 GMT

By RACHAEL LONG / Photos by Rachael Long

Brentwood City Commission candidate Nelson Andrews poses for a photo in the lobby of the Williamson County Administrative Complex on Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, in Franklin, Tenn.
Less than a month after picking up a petition to run for Brentwood’s Board of Commissioners, Nelson Andrews returned his petition with the required signatures to officially make him a candidate in the May election.

The Williamson County Election Commission office said Andrews, so far, joins incumbents Ken Travis and Anne Dunn, as well as newcomers Susannah Macmillan and Terrance Smith to return a completed petition.

Andrews, who returned his petition Friday morning, is a first-time candidate for the role of city commissioner. In an interview with Home Page, Andrews placed a heavy importance on maintaining support for the city’s public safety, codes, and law enforcement officers.

On Friday, Andrews said he brings the perspective of someone who works a full-time job in the community, the same community where he has worked, lived, attended school and raised his family.

But it’s his background knowledge of technology and programs that Andrews said will be beneficial to the commission as they look for solutions to the city’s congestion issues.

Until then, Andrews said he is ready to hit the campaign trail and begin the “process of running,” what he deems is an important part of being a good elected official. It’s the part that begins even before a person is elected.

“I’ve just been overwhelmed by how many folks I’m meeting through the process,” Andrews said. “It’s one thing that you expect people you know to come out, but I love having new people come out and learning more about [them].”

Candidates must return filled out petitions to the election commission office by Thursday, Feb, 21 at noon.

The Williamson County Election Commission office is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located at 1320 W Main Street in Franklin.

See entire article by clicking this link.

Nelson Andrews will ‘roll up his sleeves,’ run in Brentwood city commission race

Fri, 28 Dec 2018 15:04:00 GMT

PHOTO: Brentwood resident Nelson Andrews signs documents at the Williamson County election commission office in Franklin on Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. Andrews picked up his petition Friday for his candidacy in the 2019 Brentwood Municipal Election and is running to be a city commissioner on the Brentwood Board of Commissioners. / Photo by Rachael Long

By RACHAEL LONG

Nelson Andrews is a businessman, a community leader, a resident of Brentwood, and now, a candidate for Brentwood’s Board of Commissioners.

He picked up his petition at the Williamson County Election Commission on the morning of Friday, Dec. 28, making him the third person to do so for the 2019 Brentwood municipal election.

The 52-year old has lived in Brentwood since he was a kid and says he’s running because it seems like the natural next step.

“I have lived here since I was a kid, I’ve worked here, I’ve raised my family here,” Andrews said. “When I found out there were going to be open seats on the commission, I thought, ‘Hey, this is a good opportunity to use my many experiences to work for Brentwood.’”

One of the issues Andrews stands behind is maintaining adequate support for city services like the codes department and public safety. According to Andrews, it’s “not a sexy issue,” but an important one.

“I think there are times when we maybe take that for granted because we have had extremely good city services for a long time, but I don’t think that happens all by itself,” Andrews said. “I think it’s really important that we continue to focus on that.”

Andrews added that his experience in business provide the commission with more expertise on things like developing health benefits and retirement plans, as he has done for his own company.

At the heart of Brentwood, Andrews believes, is its residential character, something he says must be protected.

“Brentwood has a great feel and is a great place to live, and I think it’s really important that we defend that,” Andrews said.

Andrews said Brentwood’s green space and growing park system make it a great place to raise a family. For that, he credits Brentwood leadership. Continuing that kind of growth is something Andrews takes seriously.

He’s the president of Andrews Transport Group, a two-building and three-dealership company located in Brentwood. He’s a businessman by trade and a man of the community by default.

Andrews has four children: two in college and two in Williamson County schools. He’s been married to his wife for 23 years, and the family has two dogs.

“It’s a great time of life, we really enjoy it,” Andrews said. “I feel very lucky.”

He attended Vanderbilt University where he earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and his Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Until now, Andrews has been a community leader through his seat on many boards, including the Williamson County Chamber of Commerce and the Owen School of Business at Vanderbilt’s Alumni Council. He’s been a rotarian since 2008 and is still a member of the Brentwood Morning Rotary Club.

It’s funny, Andrews mused, that as soon as the Commission seats opened up, so too did his schedule.

“It was funny that my biggest volunteering commitments all just happened to coterminously end,” Andrews said. “People started calling me and saying, ‘You really ought to take a look at [running].’”

If elected, Andrews says his first priority is to learn all he can about how to do a good job and be a good commissioner. Andrews added that he hopes to learn from those who have served on the commission before and the glean all the wisdom he can from them.

He’s looking forward to the election process and all the people he will get to know through it.

“To have Brentwood be the kind of place we want, you can’t just cheer from the sidelines,” Andrews said. “You have to roll up your sleeves and get involved.”

Source:

Brentwood businessman Nelson Andrews considering run for Brentwood commission seat

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 15:02:00 GMT

Candidates seeking to run for open commission seats can turn in their petitions starting Monday, Dec. 27.

Issues that are important to Andrews include Brentwood’s green space and maintaining residential character.

“I feel that it’s important for Brentwood to maintain and grow its green space,” he said. “I think Brentwood being able to continue to maintain the residential character of the community while supporting its business community in a way that respects the boundaries is very important.”

Andrews pointed to his business experience and being a longtime resident in the city as reasons he is considering running.

“I feel that living and working here and being involved in the community both through civic work and business, that I have both the experience and the skill to really add something to the city,” he said.

With the city of Brentwood celebrating its 50th birthday, Andrews also said this is an important time in its history.

“I feel that it’s an important time in the city, in that Brentwood is celebrating its 50th anniversary,” he said. “We’ve benefited tremendously from experienced leadership.”

Andrews is currently a member of the Brentwood Morning Rotary Club and the Ravenwood Red Zone Football Booster club. He is a former board member of the Williamson Business PAC and Williamson Inc.

Source:
http://www.williamsonherald.com/news/article_5d267f74-fd3c-11e8-9534-13b2521e384b.html

Two candidates say they are planning on running for Brentwood City Commission

Mon, 10 Dec 2018 15:01:00 GMT

Current Brentwood City Commissioner Ken Travis said he will run for reelection next year. Nelson Andrews, the president of Andrews Transportation Group, also said he’s planning on picking up a petition to run for City Commission.

Brentwood will have four City Commission seats up for election in May 2019. Mayor Jill Burgin and Commissioner Betsy Crossley said they won’t run for reelection.

Commissioners serve four-year terms. Elections are held for three or four seats on the seven-seat Commission every two years. Candidates can pick up a petition to run for City Commission on December 27.

Travis was elected Commissioner in May 2015. He will finish his first term next year, which will be his first as an elected official. He also is the president of the Willowick Home Owners Association, and serves on the Planning Commission.

If reelected, Travis said he wants to be careful with the few undeveloped areas of town that still remain.

“I think we have to have responsible and properly planned growth. I don’t think we have a lot of land left, land is dwindling. What we have, we have to continue to use in the right manner,” he said. “I am a huge supporter of one acre zoning. I believe strongly in one acre zoning.”

Travis retired before becoming a Commissioner, but previously worked for General Electric Healthcare for nearly four decades. He moved to Nashville with his wife Rhonda and his two daughters in 1978, and has lived in Brentwood since 2001.

Andrews has lived in Brentwood for nearly his whole life, but this would be his first time running for elected office.

With two vacant City Commission seats, he said it felt like a good time to run for office. He said he’s contributed to the community in other ways, and wanted to use some of his ideas on the City Commission.

“I think having appropriate land use and retaining the residential character of Brentwood is really important while encouraging a healthy business community and having a good balance,” he said.

Andrews is the president of Andrews Transportation Group, which includes Andrews Cadillac and Jaguar Land Rover Nashville.

As a car salesman, he said he thinks a lot about transportation and how to reduce traffic congestion as Brentwood grows. He also hopes to preserve green space and parks in Brentwood.

With Travis’ announcement, Anne Dunn is the only sitting Commissioner who hasn’t announced whether or not she’ll run for reelection. And she’d like to keep it that way, at least until after Christmas.

“I firmly believe that most people would like a little vacation from politics and campaigns right now,” she wrote in an email. “I will be making my formal announcement after the holidays. I plan on enjoying Christmas right now.”

Source:
https://franklinhomepage.com/two-candidates-say-they-are-planning-on-running-for-brentwood-city-commission/