Guns in parks tops commission agenda

Tonight’s Brentwood City Commission agenda isn't extensive on paper, but it includes several items of interest and the discussion on them could be lively and long.
Among them are resolutions to ban guns in city-owned parks and buildings.
Resolution 2009-56, if adopted, “will prohibit the possession of handguns in all of the City’s municipal parks. Handguns would also be prohibited on bicycle pedestrian trails and greenways that are part of the City's parks system. This resolution is proposed as a response to legislation recently passed by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Bredesen.”
The resolution’s cost, if adopted, is estimated to be approximately $2,500 for signage.
In a related resolution, No. 2009-57, which would prohibit possession of weapons at city meetings and buildings, “staff recommends that weapons should likewise be prohibited within all City buildings and at City meetings. There has been no evidence to indicate that individuals need, for personal safety reasons, to carry guns within City of Brentwood facilities. The safety and security of citizen board members, City employees, and members of the public visiting City buildings is more likely to be threatened, real or perceived, if persons other than law enforcement officers are allowed to carry weapons in City meetings and facilities.”
The guns in parks issue was the subject of Williamson A.M.’s Sunday centerpiece story. The link, in case you missed it, is www.tinyurl.com/BWparkguns.

When construction just stops
Luckily Brentwood has no unfinished, abandoned subdivision projects … yet. Other areas of Middle Tennessee have not been so lucky. Stories of half-completed homes left sitting when builders or developers have declared bankruptcy have been reported over the past year. But the city is not immune and is taking preemptive measures to prevent it here.
Ordinance 2009-07, would amend municipal code in regard to suspended and abandoned construction. "Suspended construction" is defined to include structures for which no good faith effort has been made to complete construction for a period of 60 days.
"Abandoned construction" include structures for which no good faith effort has been made to complete construction for a period of 180 days.
This ordinance would give the city the teeth needed to take “necessary remedial actions.”
For a complete description of the ordinance, check out the agenda item at www.cobaq.org/agenda_publish.cfm at the city’s website.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Brentwood Municipal Center’s second-floor boardroom. The center is at 5211 Maryland Way.
For many of the same reasons set forth in Legal Services Memorandum No. 2009-09 in support of Resolution 2009-56 (prohibiting handguns in City parks and similar public places) staff recommends that weapons should likewise be prohibited within all City buildings and at City meetings. There has been no evidence to indicate that individuals need, for personal safety reasons, to carry guns within City of Brentwood facilities. The safety and security of citizen board members, City employees, and members of the public visiting City buildings is more likely to be threatened, real or perceived, if persons other than law enforcement officers are allowed to carry weapons in City meetings and facilities.

Guns in parks; book sale, more

Heads up: The City Commission will discuss whether or not to ban guns in parks at its Monday meeting. If you have an opinion, please call or email the commissioners or come to the meeting and let your opinion be known. For more information, visit the city's website for contact information as well as a copy of the meeting's agenda, www.brentword-tn.org.

Also, mark your calendars now for the upcoming big (but last "little") Friends of the Library Book Sale. It will be the last one that has to be held in only one room. By the time the fall sale comes around, our beautiful library's new expansion will be finished and the sale will be bigger than ever.
I'll have more details on Monday, but just wanted to give you a reminder.
AND, I hear science fiction fans have something to look forward to on July 22!

OK, back to the vacation...Happy weekend.

New City Judge starts Tuesday, and more...

If I can get myself up and out of here Tuesday morning, I hope to be in the Municipal Building's board room, aka Traffic Court, in the morning. Nope, wasn't pulled over by one of our city's finest. Our new city judge will take her seat for the first time and I can't wait to see how she compares to our former one.

Last night's Planning Commission meeting was a doozie. Aubrey Bean -- aka Judge Bean's Bar-B-Q -- may be the best thing to ever happen to a city meeting. Check back later for a complete report.

Electronic Express is coming to Brentwood, in a big way. The locally owned electronics and appliance retailer will soon be taking over the space vacated by Comp USA. Gotta love those new sales tax revenues we'll be getting instead of Franklin. Hope to touch base with the company owner today. Stay tuned.

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign. Signs -- and the city's various sign ordinances -- had a big presence at Monday night's Planning Commission meeting. I'll keep my eye on that one and let you know what's up.

If you want to keep guns out of city parks, the deadline looms for city action. Email or call your commissioners today and let them know what you think. You can find all of their email addresses and phone numbers at http://www.brentwood-tn.org/.

In the meantime, if you have news to share, please email me at brentword@comcast.net. And check back later for expanded versions of all of the posts above.