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Southern Middle Tennessee Today
News Copy for July 12, 2024

All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.
We start with local news…
County Mulls Owner-Advocate Companies (MSM)
After lengthy and heated discussions, Maury County’s Building Committee voted by a 4-3 margin to forward a request for qualifications (RFQ) from Kline Swinney Associates over Hewlett Spencer as an owner-advocate for upcoming projects during their July 1 meeting.
Commissioners Kathey Grodi, Ray Jeter, Gabe Howard and Brandon Nutt voted in favor, with Connie Green, Carl McCullen and Kevin Markham voting against. The resolution was briefly discussed in the Budget Committee, and has now been passed on to the full commission.
A number of commissioners spoke in favor of Hewlett Spencer, which has managed a number of local projects, including Battle Creek High School, the Maury County Judicial Center and the Maury County Archives. Kline Swinney has done projects for Maury County Public Schools previously, but not for Maury County government.
After the vote, Commission Chairman Eric Previti asked if the Budget Committee or full Commission could substitute Hewlett Spencer when the item comes up later. County Attorney Daniel Murphy advised that the Commission could make a different nomination when the time came.
Commissioner Gwynne Evans cited increased costs of Battle Creek High School in supporting the request, saying, “When you have somebody who gets paid based on how much the building costs, I can predict (what’s going to happen)… If you’re building a $120 million building, we need someone looking out after our interests… I think the savings far outweigh the initial cost.”
An amendment to advance both RFQs from Kline Swinney and Hewlett Spencer for a decision by the full Commission failed after it was noted that it was unusual to send dueling proposals.
Jeter criticized Hewlett Spencer, asking if the company had solicited bids from general contractors on the judicial center before awarding the project. Chairman Steve Hewlett said the company had not done so.
“Their proposal says they have an open and competitive bid process. I do not believe that to be the case. I believe they hire their general contractor, and that contractor bids out their scope of work,” Jeter said.
Hewlett called that “an inaccurate picture” of the company’s practices, saying, “The team brings (bids) in. We’re not just looking for prices, we’re looking for ways to cut the cost… Bidding the general contractors is a way you get low bids and low quality.”
Jeter raised what he called issues with Hewlett Spencer’s proposal, saying, “They have not brought change orders to us after they give us a guaranteed maximum price… the open and competitive hard bid process, I don’t believe that to be the case… They are negotiating with their contractor, their engineers and architects…
“Maury County’s going to spend a lot of money on building projects in the next five to 10 years. It’s important that we get this decision right for the people of Maury County.”
The committee also received updates on construction of the judicial building, Ag Extension and county archives.
Commissioners were told all asphalt was laid at the judicial center and that carpeting and flooring was nearing completion on the ground level. Mill work on ground-floor courtrooms was completed and was beginning on the second floor. Furniture is scheduled to be installed in September and move-in is scheduled for the week of Oct. 14, commissioners were told.
With regards to the Ag Extension office, the utility rough-ins are being completed and the building had passed inspection by the fire marshal earlier that day. Sidewalks have been poured and stonework and siding are complete and the move-in date is scheduled for Oct. 1.
The county archives have passed a permanent power inspection and about 75 percent of the exterior brick work is complete, commissioners were told. Utilities are being worked on and the rear grading of the building is complete, and drywall, mechanical and plumbing are being worked upon inside.
Finance Director Doug Lukonen reported that the steering committee for the county’s new administrative complex had met in early June and had recommended to build at the McDowell Elementary site, to place both county government and the board of education on the site and to remove the senior citizens center from the project.

The Well Using Hydroponics (CDH)
Hope and dignity are the primary goals for The Well Outreach, says Chief Executive Officer, Shelly Sassen, as the food pantry finds fresh new ways to innovate and feed hungry families. 
Now, clients at the new The Well facility in Mt. Pleasant in Maury County can access high quality food options without the rising cost of grocery shopping – an expense that is becoming increasingly difficult for many to afford.
Enter hydroponic lettuce growing – a method that uses various means of growing produce via a nutrient-based water solution.
Grants have allowed much expansion for the ministry and the new hydroponic growth system is just one new direction that will yield fresh varieties of lettuce, grown entirely at the pantry's new Mt. Pleasant location.
Finding a sustainable way to provide fresh produce at a reasonable cost has been a big challenge, according to Sassen.
“We are thankful this enables us to meet our goal,” Sassen said. “This allows us to honor our mission of giving dignity and hope to our clients by providing access to the very best products that we can.”
Describing the choice of offering lettuce as a versatile food, cheap to produce, Sassen said growing greens on-site will ensure freshness and abundance under one roof, cutting out transport.
The Well Outreach recently expanded its single Spring Hill location by opening a second location in April in Mt. Pleasant, 700 N. Main St., which is more than twice the size of its original location. The new 16,000 square-foot facility houses a large food pantry, coffee shop, consultation rooms, prayer rooms, a children's area and warehouse area for food storage.
The response to the new hydroponic option has been huge, Sassen said, with the help of social media.
Greenstar, Romaine, Butterhead and Summer Crisp varieties will make their way into the homes of the nearly 1,300 people, according to Sassen.
The new greens offer a higher grade of food that people would find with farm-to-table options.
The pantry is also offering meat and dairy from nearby local farms, including farm fresh Jersey milk from Old Stone Creamery Market produced by Cleburne Jersey and Angus Farm in Spring Hill and beef from 1822 Farms in Williamsport.
The Well used its grant funds to purchase the hydroponic system installed onsite thanks in part to a Cigna Healthcare initiative that seeks to create better communities. Across the globe, Cigna has given 15 fellowships to nonprofits to launch the Community Ambassador Fellows program, a fellowship forged by choosing a nonprofit partner to better the community.
“The goal is to complete a project to positively impact the health and vitality of individuals in the communities where we live and work,” said Cigna senior clinical account executive, Kent Wuflestad, who serves as project leader.
Wuflestad and leaders of The Well identified hydroponics as an innovative approach to help deliver fresh produce year around, and Wuflestad was selected by Cigna as a 2024 Community Ambassador Fellow to turn the hydroponics dream into reality for The Well.
Wuflestad was given a three-month term to help implement the new project with $20,000 partial funding from Cigna.
The Cigna grant works alongside Gov. Bill Lee’s Community Development Block Grant program to assist lower-income families. In total, $70,000 has been prioritized to help kick start the environmentally friendly growing method, which will yield 50 pounds of lettuce per week.
Hydroponic growing at a food pantry is something brand new that one would have to look far and wide to find, according to Wuflestad.
Part of his job is to guide and educate staff and volunteers on the growing and production process.
The process begins with seeds being planted in saturated rock wool, or small nutrient-filled porous fertilizing trays, housing buds which are then transported to a large "flood tray" where they receive proper light and continue growing.
Patrons can view the cylindrical growing columns where the lettuce is eventually ready for picking.
The hydroponic growing method is free of pesticides and not entirely organic but eliminates some negative aspects of food processing.
It’s a refreshing surprise for many clients, said Mt. Pleasant site manager, Dawson Gorman.
“Their eyes kind of pop when clients see the new produce,” Gorman said. “This is the first time they’ve ever seen anything like this here.”
For now, Sassen says the plan is to keep the efforts focused on producing quality lettuce but says, other foods like tomatoes are not out of the question for the future.
Until that time, Sassen says the pantry will continue to offer the best food possible for clients.
For more information, visit www.thewelloutreach.org.

Broadband Expansion (CDH)
Maury County broke new ground Tuesday on a project to expand its broadband services to rural communities, including homes, businesses and schools.
The project was made possible through collaborations between the county, state, Duck River Electric and United Communications, which were awarded the bid to oversee the installation.
The project is part of the larger Project UNITE initiative that seeks to establish universal high-speed internet access.
Through the Tennessee Emergency Broadband Fund, United Communications, along with its parent company Middle Tennessee Electric were able to secure $53.4 million in broadband infrastructure grants in 2022.
Of the counties which received a share for the project, Maury County was given the highest in the amount of $17 million. The Maury County Commission and United committed also provided an additional $7.4 million, bringing the total investment to $24.4 million.
“It became very clear over the past three years that it was imperative for thousands of adults and students to have better communication options in our county,” Mayor Sheila Butt said. “Duck River Electric, United Communications, the State of Tennessee and Maury County have all stepped up to the plate together to make this happen.”
County Commission Chair Eric Previti said that, while Maury County was fortunate to receive the grant, it could not have been possible without the outpouring of citizen support.
"The biggest thanks from me is to the citizens of Maury County, because Maury County wrote more letters than any other county in the state requesting that this grant happen," Previti said. "And a thanks goes to our financial department for putting together the ability to get those letters done."
Previti added that a big surprise announced Tuesday is that the original plan to reach 4,000 residents has now grown to 6,500. The additional 2,500, according to a press release, is for county residents who currently have limited access to broadband providers, but did not qualify for grant funding.
"This allows more people to have service for those people in Maury County. Those with medical needs can use the service to get information to their medical providers via Internet," Previti said. "Everything so far has been design, design, design, and now it's all about install, install, install."
“Groundbreaking events usually mean that something big is coming to an area, and this one is no different,” said DREMC Interim President and CEO, Troy Crowell. “It is exciting to see Project UNITE continue connecting rural places in Middle Tennessee to high-speed internet service, and Duck River Electric is honored to be a part of supporting this effort in Maury County and in other communities that we serve.”
The project is expected to be completed by mid-2025.
“We’re committed to doing everything we can to help our neighbors get the fast, reliable internet service they need with the value they deserve,” said United Communications’ Chief Operating Officer and Maury County resident, Josh Lynch.
“Folks who sign up now can take advantage of the grant to cover installation costs, making it especially beneficial for properties with long driveways and potentially expensive fiber runs. This is a great opportunity to save money not only on installation but also on monthly service costs, all while enjoying exceptional customer service.”

Kedron Retail Center (MSM)
Concepts for the purposed Kedron Retail Center at 3919 Kedron Road were discussed during the most recent Spring Hill Municipal Planning Commission meeting.
The property that is zoned C-3 and contains approximately 2.55 acres is planned to be a multi-tenant, mixed-use building with retail and offices on the ground floor and two stories of multifamily residential – 35 residents, Development Director Dara Sanders said, adding that there would be tuck under and surface parking.
Access to the parking lot will be on both Mahlon Moore and Kedron roads with a proposed multiuse trail also on Kedron.
Requests from staff included compliance on several items, an analysis and feedback on specific items from the commissions, Sanders said, adding that one of those items included its contemporary building design.
She said that there were more conventional single-family homes to the south of the site, and the neighboring Kings Creek Subdivision was more traditional with townhomes, cottages, Craftsman-style homes and row houses.
Comissioner Jonathan Duda also asked about the designs being more contemporary. Jeff Rosiak with Gamble Design Collaborative requested the review and said that the plans were conceptual.
Rosiak said that the “architectural character” of the newer clubhouse at Kings Creek was considered when designing the building, but he was “open to guidance” from the planning commission. Duda suggested considering an agricultural tie like Kings Creek.
The commission also discussed not using urban colors but instead natural earthtones.
Duda said that he also thought he remembered the site being under water during the flooding in 2010 and asked if it was in a flood zone.
“There was actually a letter of map revision issued for this site when Kings Creek was performed that raised all this out of the flood plain,” Nick Goodridge with Dewey Engineering said, adding that the sidewalk on Mahlon Moore Road was cut short so that it did not go “into a flood plain where we would have to fill all the way down to the subdivision.”
He said that the building and parking lot are out of the flood plain.
While the proposal included a full frontage sidewalk, the Mahlon Moore Road sidewalk ends at a ditch and does not connect to Kings Creek Street, Sanders said, adding that staff suggested that connection and connectivity of some alleys that abut the rear of the site.
Goodridge said that the alley connections “would be a lot easier” as they “would not run into flood plain issues.”
Commission member Matt Fitterer said that getting pedestrian access to retail was crucial for a “well-placed development” as well as for the businesses success.

Columbia 101 (Press Release)
The City of Columbia is pleased to announce the launch of Columbia 101, an innovative program designed to engage residents with local government and community services. Participants in Columbia 101 will have the unique opportunity to interact closely with city officials and staff, gaining firsthand knowledge of how municipal services are delivered and learning about avenues for community involvement and advocacy.
This consecutive two-day program will be open to all City of Columbia and Maury County residents and offered twice per year, with the official kick-off occurring on September 17th and September 18th. Participants can expect to begin each day at City Hall before learning more about all 12 city departments and touring select city facilities, such as the Fire & Rescue and Public Works Departments.
Applications for Columbia 101 are available now and will close on Friday, August 9th at 4:00 pm. Learn more and apply today at https://www.columbiatn.com

Leadership Maury (Press Release)
Maury Alliance is excited to announce that applications for the Leadership Maury Class of 2024-2025 are now open!

Leadership Maury offers a unique opportunity to connect with local decision-makers, gain insights into various sectors, and explore all the great things Maury County has to offer. Whether you live, work, or volunteer here, this program is your chance to contribute to the future of our community.

Apply by July 19th and be part of a network of passionate leaders dedicated to making a difference! Learn more at www.mauryalliance.com.

Now, news from around the state…
Memphis Worst City for Driving (Tennessean)
Memphis ranked as the most dangerous city for drivers in Tennessee according to a study from ConsumerAffairs.
ConsumerAffairs analyzed data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System and compared cities in Tennessee with over 50,000 citizens. Based on this data, seven cities in Tennessee are above the national average for the overall crash score.
The study measured cities in five categories. It measured the number of fatalities due to crashes, number of crashes due to bad driving, number of fatalities due to speeding, number of fatalities due to driving under the influence, and number of fatalities due to positive blood alcohol content. All factors were measured per 100,000 people.
Memphis: 77.30
Knoxville: 43.26
Kingsport: 41.51
Chattanooga: 39.72
Smyrna: 35.34
Nashville: 34.50
Johnson City: 33.94
Clarksville: 28
Jackson: 20.59
Murfreesboro: 16.94
Hendersonville: 14.61
Spring Hill: 11.69
Franklin: 1.20
According to ConsumerAffairs, "Memphis not only has the worst drivers in the state, but also in the nation, according to a 2023 study."
In number of fatalities due to crashes, Memphis scored a 36.19. The national average is 12.84. A similar trend can be found in the other score factors where Memphis is almost double every average.
Memphis scored a 16.51 for the number of crashes due to bad driving, a 6.98 for the number of fatalities due to speeding, a 4.13 for the number of fatalities due to driving under the influence, and a 13.49 for the number of fatalities due to positive blood alcohol content.
The national average for the number of crashes due to bad driving is 5.13, the number of fatalities due to speeding is 3.67, the number of fatalities due to driving under the influence is 2.19, and the number of fatalities due to positive blood alcohol content is 4.79.
Early Voting (Press Release)
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett reminds all registered Tennessee voters to utilize the early voting period and cast their ballot for the Aug. 1 State and Federal Primary and State and County Elections.
“Early voting begins this Friday, and we want all registered Tennesseans to utilize our robust early voting period as a convenient way to cast a ballot and make their voices heard,” said Secretary Hargett.
The 14-day early voting period runs through July 27. All registered voters can find hours and polling locations, view sample ballots, and much more by visiting GoVoteTN.gov or downloading the Secretary of State’s free GoVoteTN app.
“Early voting is quick and easy, and registered Tennessee voters will likely experience shorter wait times during early voting,” said State Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins. “I encourage all eligible Tennessee voters to take advantage of the convenience of early voting.”
 For more information about early voting and other election information, visit GoVoteTN.gov or contact the Division of Elections toll-free at 1-877-850-4959. 

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)
It's that time of year again to strap on those boots and head down to Maury County Park for the 20th annual Maury County Sheriff's Rodeo.
This year's rodeo will take place starting at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with park gates opening at 5 p.m.
Tickets are $15 presale, which can be purchased at the United Farm and Home Co-op, 975 Riverview Lane, as well as Columbia Farm Supply, 170 Bear Creek Pike. Tickets at the gate are $20 and kids ages 11 and under get in for free.
This year's event will also feature a new seating area to provide additional room for attendees.
For more information about this year's Maury County Sheriff's Rodeo, call [phone].