TGIF Brentwood!

Wow, what a beautiful day to start out the weekend. In fact, it's so beautiful there won't be much fresh posting today unless I get the weekly crime report. But I do want to share a few links and reminders about fun things to do this weekend.

A toast to the Governors Club
Here's a shout out to The Governors Club golf course, which as recognized by The Tennessean at last night's Toast of Music City Awards as one of the favorites in Middle Tennessee. The Governors Club placed third, just behind Vanderbilt Legends Club (first) and Hermitage Golf Course.
At first I was a little upset that Brentwood didn't have more winners, but then again, we don't really have many (if any) honkey-tonks, art galleries, music venues or dance clubs. But IF we had a Town Center/Mole Festival, we could at least compete in the festival category. No doubt it will someday knock the CMA Music Festival or at least the East Nashville Tomato Festival off the winners' podium..
We do, however, have parks, places to see a play (especially if you count our high schools!), local actors/actresses and local bands.
I foresee a BrentWord Readers' Favorites competition in our future.

Interesting stories in this morning's Williamson A.M. in case you haven't seen it include:

• Update on the Wooded Rapist case: http://tinyurl.com/BWwooded
• 'Pace and place guide Annandale forward': http://tinyurl.com/BWannan

A few recent BrentWord posts that you may have missed, and gentle reminders about some great things to do this weekend and early next:

• If you haven't seen Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince yet, consider waiting until Tuesday. Why? Find out athttp://brentword.blogspot.com/2009/07/popcorn-and-drink-for-1-each-really.html.
• Into the Woods continues at Towne Centre Theatre. I'm hearing good reviews and hope to catch it myself this weekend. www.townecentretheatre.com
• Have some time on your hands? Read up on the new set of finalists for the Williamson County Director of Schools position. http://brentword.blogspot.com/2009/07/strong-contenders-for-wcs-director-post.html

Plus, scroll down to learn more about Channel 4's Demetria Kalodimas; this weekend's Friends of the BW Library book sale (half-price on Saturday!); and Brentwood's new Firefighter of the Year.

Latest Crime Report just in

Yesterday's residential burglary of a Liberty Church Road home leads the newest crime report just released by Capt. Jeff Hughes of the Brentwood Police Department.
No suspects are identified in the theft of jewelry and cash from the home, whose front door was damaged to gain entry. (Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/BWburglary)

Two thefts from motor vehicles were reported:

• A GPS was taken from a car parked at Auto Advantage on Church Street between Monday and Tuesday.
• Jewelry was taken from an unlocked car parked on Shenandoah Drive in the Carondelet subdivision Saturday. A witness reports seeing two men going through vehicles.

In the vandalism report:

• The playground slide at Kenrose Elementary School was damaged and other equipment was "tagged" with markers. The date of the vandalism is unclear.
• An arrest was made in the vandalism of a Turtle Creek Drive front door in the Belle Rive subdivision on Tuesday.

In the general theft category:

• A wallet and its contents were taken from a purse while the victim was shopping at Fresh Market on July 2.
• Twenty minutes later, at the Brentwood Place Kroger, a wallet was reported taken from a purse that had been left in a restroom
• And just an hour after that, a purse and its contents were taken from a shopper at Costco on Seaboard Lane. No suspects are listed in any of these cases.
• Also, five juveniles have been identified and issued a criminal Trespass Warrant after cigar, tobacco, drink and gum were shoplifted from the Concord Market on Wilson Pike and Concord Road.

If you have information on any of these crimes, or are the victim of a crime, call the Brentwood Police Department at 371-0160. In the case of a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1.

The Kadillacs: Who knew?

City's favorite Fourth band shares all

The Kadillacs, led by Brentwood’s own Paul Ross, has headlined the city’s Fourth of July celebration for more than 20 years. And over the years, thousands of residents have enjoyed the show.

But do you really know the band? That’s what BrentWord thought. So here’s everything you’ve always wanted to know … and more … about The Kadillacs. And remember: If you want to hear them Saturday, make your way to the park early to reserve your spot in the natural grass bowl that is the Eddy Arnold Amphitheater. “Seats” are always at a premium.

So, how did the band get its name, and where did it almost meet its demise? Read on…

A little history: The band formed in January 1984 as the house band on Music City Live, a live TV show on WKRN, Channel 2. “When the show went off the air, folks loved the band and kept calling to book us,” Paul says. “We’ve never looked back since then.”

Coolest venue every played: The “Yellowstone Club” in Big Sky, Mont. Ross says it’s one of the country’s most “exclusive” club with member such as: Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Warren Miller (US Olympic star), Greg Lamond (bicycling star), and several other anonymous billionaires. “Our ‘emcee’ for the evening decked out in jeans and Eddie Bauer attire, was ‘nearly a billionaire.’”

Farthest venue played: San Diego, Calif. (on several occasions)

Most fun gig: A Derby party with Dan Akroyd (who performed his show with the band).

Longest-lasting gig (besides Brentwood, of course): Cherokee Town & Country Club’s Wassail Ball, 15 consecutive years. The club is in Atlanta.

And here at home: The Kadillacs first played the City of Brentwood’s Fireworks Celebration in 1988. “In the early days, pre-1995, we used to do Brentwood pre-fireworks, then jump into a limo and rush to play Metro’s ‘after party’ after their fireworks. We had to stop when Brentwood moved out to Crockett Park,” Paul said. “It was too far away.”

Most interesting gig: New Year’s Eve in Savannah, Ga. As part of the show, the “Flying Wallendas” did a tightrope act in the hotel atrium, 10 floors up at midnight, Paul shared.

Most scary experience: This one’s a tie. Once the band nearly froze to death (“literally,” Paul says) on a broken down bus on top of Black Mountain in N.C., in February. Another time, the band’s bus rear ended a stopped tractor trailer on I-71 on the way to a job in Cincinnati.

Longest-tenured member: Phil Rugh is the longest tenured player in the band, "but more importantly the OLDEST member of the band. That's why I keep him in the band,” Ross said, winking. Hmmm. That must make Paul the second oldest member ...

Newest member: Eric Stephens (bass player), at 2 years, 8 months

Average tenure of today’s Kadillacs: 12 years

About the name: The band had a few different names before settling on “Kadillacs” in 1987. “We once had to change our name (for one day) to the Continentals, because we played a Ford motor convention; they couldn’t bear to book the “Kadillacs!’” Paul said.

Loving those classics: The band only plays “classics.” Of course, that now includes music through the ’90s.

There she is, Miss …: One of the original “Kadillac Girls,” was Nan Kelly, former Miss Mississippi and current on-air personality on CMT.

One impressive bunch: Today band members include a nurse on the Cardiac Bypass operating team at St. Thomas Hospital; president of the Nashville Toastmasters Club; head of the Jazz Department at Tennessee Tech University; a certified adolescent drug abuse counselor; the on-air promotions manager at Fox News and, of course, the former Brentwood Chamber of Commerce board chairman.

Broadway bound? The Kadillacs’ horn section has performed for over 75 touring Broadway Show productions at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.
Well-traveled: Today the band travels around 16,000 miles on the road, per year in addition to several trips by airplane.

For all the scoop on the city’s Fourth of July festivities, read the previous post, or just click here: www.tinyurl.com/BWFourth

An open letter to Hummer, Tenghzhong CEOs

An open letter to Yang Yi, CEO, Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Chengdu, China, and Jim Taylor, CEO of Hummer.

Dear Sirs,

It has come to my attention you are searching for a new corporate home for Hummer, the sport-utility brand recently purchased from General Motors.
Look no further, your new home is Brentwood, Tenn., and we have a corporate headquarters building ready and waiting for you. In fact, it’s where bright minds like those you will employ to plot, plan and promote your tough-minded vehicles did the exact same thing for other tough-minded, four-wheel vehicles, albeit lawn mowers instead of armored vehicles for everyday use. I am, of course, referring to the long-empty Murray Ohio Manufacturing Company headquarters.
Why Brentwood? Let us count the ways:
1. There are probably more Hummers here than anywhere else in the nation.
2. Since you would be a large, corporate employer, the much-discussed Tax Incremental Financing option might be just the incentive you need to relocate here. Williamson County used TIFs to help bring Nissan to town. I’m sure Brentwood and the county could work together on this one.
3. The Murray site is one of the best commute locations in Middle Tennessee, with easy access to interstates, airports and, yes, more than a few good lunch spots.
4. Brentwood’s public schools again have been named among the nation’s best.
5. There’s plenty of Hummer-size housing available almost within walking distance, if you consider the six-mile Brentwood loop that so many of our residents stroll each and every day. Why on Murray Lane alone, there are houses, big houses, available for all of your top people.
6. Rumor has it that the adjoining Tennessee Baptist Convention building may be for sale at some point. Think creatively and there’s no telling what you could do with both parcels.
7. Because we’re the best city in Middle Tennessee, bar none. We have an AAA bond rating and are in fine shape financially compared to the rest of the nation.
Mr. Taylor (love the name, might we be related?), you told Bloomberg News that “We are building a new culture, looking around and benchmarking a lot of the cool companies, the Googles of the world, the places you read about and think ‘It would be cool to work there.’”
Well, BrentWord.blogspot.com is about to become one of the coolest, Google-like companies of the world and I’d be honored to let you be part of that.

Gentleman, please let me know if I can answer any questions for you about Brentwood or put you in touch with those who can help make this happen.

Sincerely,

Susan Taylor Leathers
www.brentword.blogspot.com
BrentWord Communications LLC

A sign of the times: Hardscuffle Road

The Historic Commission recently announced plans to post new street signs on Brentwood's historically significant roads. The new signs will be designed to include a road's current name as well as its historic one.

Those attending Monday's City Commission meeting got a sneak peek of what the first new sign will look like. They weren't the first people to see it, though. That honor went to those gathered last Saturday for the 25th annual Summer Reunion held at Nashville's Sevier Park.

The reunion brings together former neighbors and landowners of Hardscuffle, the mostly African-American community that was located where east Church Street is today.

“The Hardscuffle Community has played a significant role in Brentwood’s past. These new historic road signs are the first of their kind. The Brentwood Historic Commission is pleased to be able to recognize the many contributions the Hardscuffle Community has made in shaping our history," shared Gil Hutchinson, chair of the Historic Commission's marker committee.

"The feedback we received at their reunion was very positive. You could tell they were both pleasantly surprised and deeply appreciative of the recognition. It felt really good to be able to share the news with them.”

City Commissioner Anne Dunn, the board's longtime representative on the Historic Commission, introduced Hutchinson at Monday's meeting and recognized him for his efforts on behalf of the city.

Brentaroo, free home tour, and more...

I'm wondering if the black stretch limo I saw driving down Concord Road this week was on its way to pick up one of our Brentwood superstars for a CMA Music Fest/Fan Fair appearance?
Love living here, love seeing the tour buses at Harris Teeter (guess all the new action at Brentwood Place made it too busy to accommodate them) and wondering who's getting on, who's getting off and where they're headed.
Love seeing stars shopping in Kroger and TJ Maxx and having dinner at Peter's just like the rest of us, and because they can, without worries of being deluged by autograph requests.
Love this place.

Don't miss Brentaroo on Sunday
If you didn't make it to Bonnaroo and the CMA fest is too much for you, just head to Crockett Park Sunday night. 7 Bridges: The Ultimate Eagles Experience will be in concert beginning at 7 p.m. Last week the Eddy Arnold Amphitheater filled up fast, so get there early. As always, bring chairs, blankets and bug spray.
You can learn more about 7 Bridges, and hear some of their music, at http://www.7bridgesband.com/.

Cornerstone home tour
Ever gazed at Cornerstone, the beautiful estate on the corner of Granny White Pike and the entry to McGavock Farms? Its owners are hosting a free home tour from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. today and tomorrow. Guests may see furnishings that include French settees, an architectural table designed with angels, Pembroke tables, Chippendale chairs, Russian cut glass and much, much more.
Your tour guide? Berenice Denton, estate sale queen. Park on McGavock Road.

Neighborhood sales
Speaking of sales, two neighborhood sales are being held this weekend.
The huge Brenthaven subdivision between Concord Road and Moore's Lane is today and Saturday. Princeton Hills homeowners will open up their garages Saturday from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. At least 20 families are expected to participate. Enter from Franklin Road or Murray Lane.

Etta at Arrington
Feeling the need to break out of Brentwood? Check out Kelly Gilfillan's blog, http://www.outsidethebrentwoodbubble.blogspot.com/ for details on tonight's Etta James concert at Arrington Vineyards. That's the winery owned by former Brentwood resident Kix Brooks.

BHS, RHS among nation's best ... again

Thanks to Brentwood resident Libby Armstrong for sharing a link to Newsweek's just released 2009 list of top-ranked public schools.

Out of the 1480 schools ranked, Brentwood High School is 211 while Ravenwood comes in at 395. Of course, this is no surprise to those of us who live here but it's always great to get national recognition.

Brentwood's ranking dropped slightly from 2008, moving to 211 from 192 in 2008 but up from 223 in 2007. It has been on this list in 2006 (234), 2005 (339) and 2003 (315).
Ravenwood moved up from its 473 standing last year. The city's newest high school also scored in 2007 (577) and 2006 (468).

Congratulations to all the students, teachers, staff and support personnel who work so hard to earn this recognition.

"Public schools are ranked according to a ratio devised by Jay Mathews: the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2008 divided by the number of graduating seniors. All of the schools on the list have an index of at least 1.000; they are in the top 6 percent of public schools measured this way," Newsweek reports.

Check it out yourself at www.newsweek.com/id/201160/?GT1=43002

Jesse Lee needs us on Tuesday

A while back, I wrote about Jesse Lee, Brentwood's next big country music star. Her first video, "It's a Girl Thing" (www.myspace.com/jesselee) has already gotten great reviews and her first album comes out later this year.

When I first saw the video, I remember thinking how much she reminded me of a young Sara Evans. And wouldn't you know it, tomorrow her video faces off with one of Evans' during CMT's Power Picks show at 10 a.m. Central time.

Let's help put her on the charts. All you have to do is vote. Here's how, according to the CMT website (http://www.cmt.com/shows/dyn/cmt_power_picks/series.jhtml):

"...tune into CMT, and log on to CMT.com to vote in several rounds of video matchups to decide what will play next during the show. Get a sneak peek at the matchups by visiting the upcoming episode pages. Videos are paired in several rounds, and only the winners will air during the show.
"As you watch the show live on CMT (10 a.m. central time), vote for which video you want to see next. You'll see the percentage of votes each video receives LIVE and in real time. Vote as many times as you'd like before time runs out. The video with the most votes wins and is then played on CMT. As the winner plays, voting for the next round begins.
"Once the show has concluded, voting for the first video to play on the next episode will open. Fans have until the beginning of the next episode to decide which video will kick off the show. Tune in to see if your favorite video made the cut."

If you missed the original post, with links to Jesse's video and more, click here: http://brentword.blogspot.com/2009/04/lets-vote-for-jesse-lee.html

"Staycation" opportunities abound

By all accounts, except a first-hand one, cowboy band Riders in the Sky rocked the Crockett Park crowd at its outdoor concert Sunday night.
Commissioner Paul Webb called to tell me it was packed, over 3,000 people there. The show ran for almost two hours and best of all, it was free.
I have a feeling record crowds are going to be the norm for the 15th annual Brentwood Concert Series, held Sunday nights at the Eddy Arnold Amphitheater. Lots of people are on the lookout this year for inexpensive entertainment options close to home.
The question "Where are you going for vacation?" is being answered more often than not with "We're doing a 'staycation' this year." That's definitely true for the Leathers family.
Throughout the summer I'll be offering up staycation ideas as I discover them, so check back often. And if you have one to share, please share it with others in the comment section below.
If you have kids, don't miss Sunday's posting on the Summer Reading Program at the library. This is the best deal going. I may try to borrow a tyke tomorrow just so I can attend without guilt.
And in case you've tossed your postcard from the city, here's the remaining lineup for the concert series. All concerts start at 7 p.m. Picnics welcome, but leave the grills and alcohol at home. Don't forget the bug spray!

• June 14: 7 Bridges: The Ultimate Eagles Experience
• June 21: Williamson County Community Band
• June 28: The WannaBeatles
• July 4: The Kadillacs and fireworks
• July 12: The Tams

Bean bringing Texas BBQ to Town Center

Here's a little scoop for all fans of Texas Barbecue:
Judge Bean's BBQ is coming to Brentwood. That's right, Aubrey Bean, who first won fans with his restaurant near the Tennessee State Fairgrounds before moving to the Gulch on 12th Avenue in downtown Nashville, has bought and is renovating the old Church Street Pub.
Popped in today to check out the work and it's coming right along.
The old pub, Brentwood Sports Grille and other incarnations that have occupied the gray-framed Town Center bar over the past few years are in the process of being ripped away. Let's hope the outside is repainted to give it a new vibe too.
More details as they become available. Everyone's so excited about Chuy's coming to Cool Springs but I think this could be big for Brentwood.

When Pete's the star, put him on agenda!

I am so not happy with the City of Brentwood.
It cost me 43 minutes of my life Tuesday night after a fast 35-minute City Commission meeting.
You see, it's like this: Pete Schutt, one of my all-time favorite people in Brentwood and beyond, was elevated tonight to the ranks of country music legend Eddy Arnold, the mayors of Brentwood, England and a very few other esteemed individuals.
Mayor Betsy Crossley presented Pete with a proclamation and a key to the city.
Was it on the agenda? Did they announce it to media outlets, especially ones as big and important as BrentWord? The answer would be no. So did I have a camera? No. Did Kiri Walton from the Williamson Herald? No. Was Williamson A.M. there? No.
Before I knew it, Pete's up there getting proclamated and there's nary a cameraman to capture the historic moment. After the meeting I took a few shots on my new-but-not-yet-web-connected cell phone but had no idea how to download them to my computer.
That's where the 43 minutes comes in.
As a faithful Sprint subscriber for almost 10 years, I gave it every benefit of the doubt tonight, checking out the User's Guide first and then the website (as directed in the User's Guide). I even tried live chat with online adviser Bryan J.
But do you see a picture of Pete, or his proclamation, or his key here? Let's just say that I'm not a happy camper right now.
But like John Paul Jones, I have not yet begun to fight. Check back Wednesday for details from the short but intriguing meeting ... and hopefully a few pics of Pete.

Have a say in city's budget...

Tonight's 7 p.m. City Commission meeting represents the first of three opportunities for citizens to comment on the proposed 2010 fiscal year budget as well as the Capital Improvements Program. You can also comment on the proposed property tax rate, but since the city plans to hold that at the same rate it's been for the past 19 years, I doubt there will be much discussion.

To review the proposed budget, visit: http://cobaq.org/agenda_publish.cfm. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click link to the attachments to download a copy.

To review the proposed Capital Improvements Program, visit: brentwood-tn.org/index.aspx?page=415

To be part of the process, be at the Brentwood Municipal Center, 5211 Maryland Way, in Maryland Farms. The board room is on the second floor.

A memorable weekend for sure...

What a great weekend ...

Congrats to Anna Kiser and Will Baugher Jr., BHS sweethearts and new Belmont grads who were married on Saturday. Anna's mom, LeAnn, is a media specialist at Brentwood High. Dad Jimmy is quarterbacks coach at Vandy (think Jay Cutler). Will grew up in Meadowlake and has scored his dream job already -- working with reptiles at the Nashville Zoo.
And how is this for being a great big sister (and new brother-in-law): Anna and Will postponed their honeymoon a day in order to see sister Jamie graduate from BHS on Sunday.

***

Congrats to all of the graduates of Brentwood, Ravenwood and Brentwood Academy high schools. Go far and don't let anyone or anything hold you back. (But consider coming back to Brentwood when you're ready, we need bright young people like you living, working and paying taxes here!) And remember, especially if you are heading off to a school without a posse of high school buddies -- this is a new start. Be whoever you want to be.

***

Speaking of graduates, shout outs to five of the most wonderful young women I know, five Ravenwood grads I've had the pleasure to work with over the past few years as part of a church small group.
Cory Smeltzer is headed to Auburn, where I expect her to be a leader the minute she steps on campus. Can't wait to see what awaits her there.
Lauren Walsh is headed to Eastern University outside of Philadelphia, Pa. Lauren, who has already been on two international mission trips may help save the world (or at least a little piece of it).
Stay well until Leanne Justus graduates from pharmacy school at Samford. She's definitely someone you want taking care of you.
Look for Chloe Morelli on Project Runway in a few years. Chloe switched from MTSU to UT-Martin after a late visit when she fell in love with the smaller campus. If only she had visited Emory & Henry ...
And finally, there's Nicole Brooks, who lives within shouting distance of the Williamson County line but graduated from Overton. Nicole is headed to the University of Evansville in Illinois and wants to take the business world by storm. No doubts from me that she will.

***

Treading on friend Kelly Gilfillan's blog turf a bit, the Leathers ventured outside the Brentwood Bubble yesterday. We heard Abe Lincoln give the Gettysburg Address and share his thoughts on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; saw a short Civil War re-enactment; and paused in our busy lives to remember all those who have served in the armed forces. We also said hello to John Hartford and Jimmy Martin among others.

We had spotted an ad in the paper about a Memorial Day celebration at Spring Hill Cemetery in Madison. Being fans of cemeteries and the stories they tell, we decided to check it out. So glad we did.

Did I mention they invited everyone to a free cookout too? This is a definite "must-do" if you're in town next Memorial Day.

Today @ BrentWord: Sports, music and more

How about those Brentwood Academy baseball players winning the Division II-A state tourney yesterday? And the Brentwood Bruins' boys soccer team won its way into the Class AAA Spring Fling finals Saturday. The match is at 2:30 p.m. in Murfreesboro.

Plus: BA's Alyson Hasty earned her second state pole vault title while Chenelle Terry came home with the high jump trophy. In Class AAA action, Ravenwood's Courtney Woodard, won the triple jump for the second consecutive year.

Congrats to all the Brentwood athletes who have competed in state competition this year!

Also posted this morning:

• Memories from last night's WannaBeatles concert at the Martin Center
• A report from yesterday's Brentwood Future information meeting.

Still to come ... who knows! But check back today and over the weekend for updates and musings. (And if you missed yesterday's postings, scroll down for even more news (and a picture of Brad Pitt...)

No panties thrown but ...

The four guys on the makeshift stage didn't exactly look like the four famous skinny Brits but they sure sounded enough like them to keep the crowd smiling.

"Did you see that girl slow dancing with herself?" WannaBeatles lead singer Dennis Scott asked the mostly mature crowd at the Music & Memories benefit concert Thursday night at the Fifty Forward Martin Center.

Turns out Martin Center masseuse Kathy McFarlane, dressed in her '60s best, just couldn't stop herself. But most in the audience seemed content to sway in their chairs. Scott seemed a little disappointed that "no underwear is being thrown at us."

It really was a fun night and one that raised much-needed funds for the senior enrichment center. You see, the beautiful facility in the heart of affluent Brentwood suffers from a perception problem. People think it, and its members, are flush with cash. Not so. So fundraising is always a struggle.

If you have some extra funds to disburse, consider a visit to the center. There you can talk to the staff, volunteers and members and maybe throw a few of those extra ones, or hundreds, or thousands, its way.

And if you weren't at last night's concert, here's a taste of what you missed (to the tune of "Yesterday"):

Creme Brulee
I signed up for Jennie Craig today
They said as I was being weighed
"You've had too much Creme Brulee."

You have another chance to hear them June 28 at Crockett Park as part of the city's Summer Concert Series.

Sweet!

Have BrentWord worthy news to share? Email it to brentword@comcast.net

Public-private partnership key to "Future"

A healthy crowd attended the Brentwood Future information meeting Thursday hosted by Brentwood architect Walter Kiskaddon. Among those attending were architects, commercial and residential real estate professionals, Town Center redevelopment advocates, a landscape architect, an environmental expert, small business owners, chamber officials and several citizens.

No city officials, professional or elected, attended though many were invited.

Franklin attorney Julian Bibb presented an overview of Franklin Tomorrow, a non-profit, public-private organization formed in that Historic city less than 10 years ago. Since its inception, the organization has helped provide a focus and consensus to how Franklin should grow into its future while respecting its past.

"In the late '90s, there was a tremendous amount of bumping into each other of the preservationists and developers," Bibb told those gathered at the Brentwood Cool Springs Chamber office. "There was a notion that this could be done better than butting heads."

Two key ingredients combined in Franklin Tomorrow's recipe for success: First, they had to discover "what the community wants it to be" and second, they had to "do it in a neutral stance."

A steering committee studied cities that had already put "visioning programs" in place, among them Chattanooga, the "Tri-Cities" of Bristol, Johnson City and Kingsport (in anticipation of the slowdown at Kodak, one of the area's main economic contributors), and several in Ohio.

Bibb said the committee discovered that in all locations where these programs were successful, "the city doesn't control it but is part of the program." The same is true of local chambers, he added.

To start, Franklin Tomorrow asked the city and local businesses and nonprofit organizations to provide funding, participation and support. Later a consulting firm hired.

Public input was vital, Bibb said, to the point that the city agreed to close down Main Street around the Historic Franklin Square for six hours. During that time, anyone could come and identify their personal priorities for the city's future.

The final result: A living, breathing plan and process for implementation that allowed for growth and change.

Franklin Tomorrow's vision and input is now reflected in city decisions on park plans, environmental plans and codes, Bibb said.

Throughout his talk, Bibb came back to the notion that Franklin Tomorrow's success was possible only through the public-private partnerships formed at the very start of the process.
"(Franklin) totally gave us access," he said of the steering committee.

Kiskaddon said his hope is that Brentwood can have a similar organization, one that can help determine "what Brentwood wants to be and where we want it to grow from here."

Kiskaddon had copies of both the Franklin Tomorrow and Brentwood 2020 plans and was asked how the two differ. Community input was key to the creation of Brentwood's comprehensive planning guide when it was adopted in 1999. A major update took place in 2006.

The general consensus of those attending was that the two could complement each other, but that an organization such as Brentwood Future would be a living, breathing entity that could enhance what the city is already doing.

"I feel passionate about this," Kiskaddon said, noting he is committed as a professional and a citizen to the project. He called those attending "ambassadors" and noted that while no city officials were there, he had heard from Mayor Betsy Crossley and Vice Mayor Rhea Little and anticipated interest from others as well.

"It really needs to be a public and private partnership," he said.

What's Next: A formal meeting in June or July.
In the meantime, here are links for background...
Brentwood 2020 Plan: www.brentwood-tn.org/index.aspx?page=171
Franklin Tomorrow: http://www.franklintomorrow.org/

Ghosts, votes and update on Joe Lassus

Just in from the first showing of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, the new chick flick starring Jennifer Garner and Matthew McConaughey. What's the verdict? Just short of three stars on a five-star scale.
Garner's perfectly cast as Jenny, the maid-of-honor doctor spurned by sleazebag-photographer-who-won't-commit McConaughey. Think Christmas Carol meets Failure to Launch and almost every other movie Matthew's almost ever made. What happened to the Matthew I fell in love with in A Time to Kill?
Still, it was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon with a friend, cell phone off and popcorn (South Beach be damned) in hand.
Bored this weekend? Check it out. Or wait for the video. I actually think I'll like it better the second time around.

***

The stats: 2,233 voters cast early votes in the Brentwood City Commission race. Early voting ended Thursday. That leaves 23,782 left to be cast on Election Day, Tuesday, May 5. Let's break the mold, defy history and give the TV stations something besides the economy to report on.

Imagine the headlines, "Long line sparks Brentwood love match," "Voters wait four hours to cast votes," "Commission candidates attract more votes than McCain, Palin!"

OK, that last one's a stretch.

Check earlier BrentWord postings for details, links to candidates, etc. if you need more election information.

***

Great news from City Manager Mike Walker concerning Planning Director Joe Lassus and his surgery today:

"I just talked to Naomi. She was very upbeat as the operation was completed successfully. ... Joe has been moved to ICU and is 'talking up a storm' now. I actually heard him say in the background “Hi Buddy” when Naomi told him she was talking to me. I asked Naomi to call me with additional updates as soon as she has new information. "

A brain tumor was discovered several weeks ago and Joe has been on leave. Please continue to keep the Lassus family in your prayers.

***

Busy weekend:

• Brentwood High School's band boosters are having their annual sale from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday in the Campbell Center. That means no matter what the weather you can bargain shop to your heart's content. Great looking ferns and planters -- and bake sale items! -- are also available.
• If you have items too big for your trash containers, you can take them to Granny White Park tomorrow between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. But don't bring liquids, paints, batteries, tires or chippings. For those items ...
• Just head down to the Williamson County Administrative Complex (where you get your car tags), 1320 West Main Street, between 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. So, what is considered hazardous? Check out the Williamson Beautiful website at http://www.williamson-tn.org/kwb/hhw.htm

Devin's won my third vote

Thousands of people attended Wednesday's Tea Party in Franklin. Only 60 or so attended Thursday night's final Brentwood City Commission candidates night, by far the best of the four held this election season. The questions were fresh and different. Several of the candidates really began differentiating themselves from the pack while others missed opportunities to open themselves up to new ideas and innovations.
In my estimation, the local race can have so much more impact on people's actual lives than state or national politics since it involves their home, their schools, their property taxes, their environment. I had hoped the excitement and involvement experienced during the November elections would light the fire under this local one. I worry it's just flickering.

***

After attending all of the candidates nights, I stand by my support of Paul Webb and Rhea Little. And I'm now ready to add a third to the list.

The day I picked up a candidate's petition for the Brentwood race a young man was already at the county's election office counter. He looked at me and said, "Are you running? This could be very interesting."

I didn't but it has.

He introduced himself as Devin McClendon. I didn't know him at the time and had my doubts. But over the past few months he has impressed me with his preparation, understanding of the issues and dedication to the campaign.

Devin is smart and savvy in a positive way. He's the only candidate who wasn't born when the city incorporated 40 years ago but he has already graduated from Leadership Brentwood, served on the city's 2020 committee and is connected to the younger residents, professionals and business leaders who will take the city forward in the years ahead.

The last of my four votes? I'm still mulling that one over. But I will tell you that Miguel Palmer really intrigues me. Natalie Mertee has stepped up and Rod Freeman is a proven leader in our community. Look for more on all of them before May 5.

Have BrentWord worthy news to share? Contact me at brentword@comcast.net