Your Budget at Work - Quality of Life: Community & Neighborhoods
Homeless Task Force Named by Mayor Purcell (Social Services)
In April of 2004 Mayor Bill Purcell named a task force to develop a 10 year
plan that will meet the federal government’s goal to end chronic homelessness.
The task force includes a broad array of interests including advocates for the
homeless, representatives of the faith community, downtown property owners,
business and political leaders. Since announcing plans to address chronic homelessness
in December of 2003, Metro officials have been pulling together the information
about Nashville’s homeless and the work of other cities to address homelessness.
This year, using volunteers and Metro officials, the team conducted a count
of the city’s homeless population in our city.
The count found 1,800 homeless individuals in the city, including 450 living
outdoors.
“Our goal is to help homeless individuals and families to get off the streets and into programs that will allow them to lead better lives,” Purcell said. “I believe by bringing together service providers and community leaders; we can find ways to better serve this population.”
Racial Equality Week 2004 (Human Relations)
National Race Equality Week was observed in Nashville on October 18-22, 2004.
Each day of the week focused on a different theme with diverse activities to
engage Metro leaders, employees, youth, and the community.
The week was filled with discussions and activities focused race equality in
business and the community. Some of the highlights of the week included a Race
Equality Breakfast, themed “Building the Future: Once City, All People”
and a viewing and discussion of the film “Remember the Titans” by
60 youth at the Main Library Auditorium.
On Friday, Race Equality Week closed with a Multicultural Day Parade at the Northwest YMCA. The staff and parents decorated the facility and the children were dressed in native attire of other nations. http://www.nashville.gov/humanrelations/relations_week.htm
Library Activity Reaching All-Time Highs (Public Library)
The library celebrated its centennial anniversary in September just three months
after reaching new all-time highs for library activity, proving that after 100
years of service, Nashvillians are using their libraries like never before.
New benchmarks for library activity during the last fiscal year included surpassing 4 million checkouts in one year for the first time and recording nearly 3.7 million visits.
Through the use of advanced technology, the library began a project that provides worldwide access to online images of items from Special Collection and Metro Archives.
In November, Bank of America awarded the library a $200,000 "Neighborhood Builder" grant, the only such grant received by a library out of 60 grants awarded nationally. The grant will fund a library advocacy program for teenagers, the first of its kind in the U.S.
Library Collects Stories from "Citizen Soldiers" for Veterans History Project (Public Library)
For “Nashville on the Home Front,” the library’s fourth phase
of the joint project with the Library of Congress, the Nashville Public Library
has been gathering stories of Nashvillians who supported war efforts as civilians
on U.S. soil. The library is collecting stories and memoirs from those who worked
in factories for the defense industry, those who served the Red Cross or other
charitable organizations, people widowed or orphaned by war, clergy members
who consoled grieving families, and those who played other roles who lived or
worked in Davidson County during World War II.
“We’re looking for stories that will paint a complete picture of what life was like here in Nashville at that time in order to understand the impact of the war on individuals and the community,” said the library’s Veterans History Project Coordinator Linda Barnickel.
The Nashville Public Library began its participation in the Veterans History Project, a cooperative effort with the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, in January of 2002. To date, the library has conducted interviews with more than 150 individuals who are veterans of World War II and the Korean War. The library also has received documentary materials from more than 100 other veterans or their family members that represent conflicts ranging from World War I through the Persian Gulf War.
Metro Library presents Home Renovation Workshop Series (Public Library)
The Nashville Public Library kicked off their Home Renovation Workshop Series
in February 2005. The new series of monthly home renovation workshops at East
Branch Library featured programs on mechanical and plumbing issues in the home.
The February workshops included presentations by HVAC specialist Don Seymour and master plumber Andy Ward. Other workshops led by experts in the construction industry, included: “House of Ill-Repair,” a presentation on home maintenance pitfalls; “Brick Maintenance and Repair,” which included a slide presentation on different tuck-pointing techniques; “The Mysteries of Historic Windows Revealed,” with tips on how to restore historic windows; and “Moving on Up: Building-Out Attic Spaces.”
Metro Libraries Celebrate Black History Month (Public Library)
In February, dozens of free programs with ties to Black History Month were
made available to the public. Civil War re-enactor Bill Radcliffe kicked-off
the library’s series of programs by discussing what life was like for
African Americans who fought for the Union in the Civil War. Renowned Nashville
storyteller Marilyn Thornton, also a gifted musician, shared stories and songs
that celebrate African culture, and former Negro Leagues standouts Sidney Bunch,
Clinton “Butch” McCord and Jim Zapp joined current Major League
Baseball umpire Chuck Meriwether, who worked the 2004 World Series, to discuss
the history of African Americans in professional baseball during a panel program.
The Libraries also had several programs designed for children and young adults
during Black History Month, including film festivals, book chats, marionette
shows and story times.
Emergency Training Courses for Citizens (Office of Emergency Management)
OEM began offering a Basic Terrorism Awareness course to help local residents
understand terrorism and Homeland Security alert levels. The course covers an
array of topics, including identifying terrorism and weapons of mass destruction;
reporting suspicious activity and forming an emergency plan.
OEM also started training citizens to become members of the Community Emergency Response Team. CERT volunteers are trained to assist with response and recovery efforts during catastrophic events in the Nashville/Davidson County area. Residents are trained to manage utilities, put out small fires, and to assist first responders with other rescue efforts.
Nashville is Nation’s “Hottest” City for Expansions, Relocations (Mayor's Office)
Nashville is the nation’s top city for business expansion and relocation
this year, according to “Expansion Management” magazine. Last year,
in the magazine’s annual ratings of the nation’s Top 50 “hot”
expansion cities, Nashville ranked second.
The “Hot Cities” poll measures the perceptions of professional
site location consultants, whose business it is to help companies select the
best places for future facility expansions. The magazine surveyed more than
80 of the most prominent consultants to find out what their clients find most
attractive and why.
The consultants were asked to list their top city choices for relocations and
expansions based on business climate, work force quality, operating costs, incentive
programs, and ease of working with local political and economic development
officials.
Nashville and its metropolitan area welcomed 31 company headquarters and major facilities and added 11,308 new jobs during the past fiscal year, including headquarters of two companies with annual revenues of more than $100 million – CLARCOR Inc. and Louisiana-Pacific Corporation.
Celebrating Neighborhoods Conference (Mayor's Office)
On October 2, 2004, neighborhoods from across the city joined together and
took advantage of a unique educational opportunity through our 4th Annual Celebrating
Neighborhoods Conference hosted by the Mayor’s office. With this year’s
theme, “Tools for Success,” the day included free workshops, speakers,
panel discussions and networking opportunities that provided participants the
tools needed to achieve goals, enhance skills and strengthen neighborhoods.
Neighborhoods Training institute (Mayor's Office)
The Mayor's Office of Neighborhoods Training Institute is part of the City's
ongoing commitment to building and sustaining strong communities throughout
Nashville. The Institute offers a series of free interactive courses designed
to build capacity of Nashville's citizens by helping them develop the skills,
knowledge and organizational resources necessary to become effective advocates
for their communities. Course offerings are chosen in response to frequently
requested information from community groups and other areas of interest.
Mayor Purcell Announces Youth Internship Program (Mayor's Office)
During the 6th Annual Mayor’s Youth Summit, Mayor Bill Purcell announced
a new Metro Summer Internship Program for incoming high school seniors in Davidson
County. The program is designed to provide a combination of work experience,
site-based learning, and exposure to the staff and functions of Metro Government
offices and departments.
Developed by the Mayor’s Office of Children and Youth in conjunction with the Nashville Career Advancement Center, the internship program is open to students enrolled in a high school in Davidson County who will complete their Junior year in May 2005. Interns will be assigned to work 20 hours a week for six weeks at one of the 17 participating Metro Government agencies. The program includes one week of pre-program training and five two-hour training sessions on Fridays throughout the program. Participants will be paid $8 an hour for their work.
More than 250 Nashville public and private high school students participated in the summit titled “Our Future: Our Choice.”
First Eagle Scout Badge Awarded Through Scoutreach Program (Parks and Recreation)
The Middle Tennessee Council Boy Scouts of America and the Metropolitan Board
of Parks and Recreation are pleased to announce the first awarding of Scouting's
highest honor, the Eagle Scout badge, to a boy that has taken part in a Scout
troop operated by a Metro Parks Community Center and supported by the Middle
Tennessee Council Scoutreach program.
Phillip DeArk was formally awarded the Eagle Scout badge Thursday, November 18th at the Madison Campus Seventh Day Adventist Church.
In 2000, the Middle Tennessee Council implemented the Scoutreach program to formally create and strengthen partnerships with other youth-serving organizations. The purpose of Scoutreach is to overcome those barriers, which keep young people in urban and rural areas from participating in Scouting, such as money, transportation, and adult leadership.
Metro Parks' staff leads all Boy Scout packs and troops in area community centers. In some centers, parent volunteers assist park staff in leading the programs. Since 2000, over 700 boys have taken part in Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs through Metro Parks' Scoutreach.
Beaman Park Open to the Public (Parks and Recreation)
The 1500 acres that make up Beaman Park lie on the Highland Rim, just outside
of the Nashville Basin, in the northwest edge of Davidson County, just 13 miles
from downtown. Most of the park is drained by Little Marrowbone Creek on the
north and Bull Run Creek on the south. The vegetation is dense and wildflowers
abound. There are many plant species found in Beaman Park that are not found
any of the other 102 Metro Parks. The park is home to countless species of wildlife
- deer, bobcats, foxes, reptiles, birds, and more. Beaman is a beautiful and
rugged natural wilderness with clear springs, rock bluffs, and rare wildflowers,
steep forested slopes, deep hollows, ridge tops and elevations just under 1000
feet. Future improvements for this park include additional trails, an entrance
from Old Hickory Boulevard, and a nature center. The park is open from daylight
to dusk.
Fort Negley opens (Parks and Recreation)
The opening of Fort Negley in December was a highlight for the Metro Historical
Commission. Closed to the public for decades, the fort was originally built
by the U. S. Army in 1862, then fell into disrepair, and was rebuilt by the
Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. Again, though, it deteriorated and
was not safe for public use. Thanks to Mayor Bill Purcell, the Metro Council,
and the Metro Board of Parks and Recreation, money was appropriated for accessibility,
stabilization, and interpretation. The project was overseen by Metro Parks,
with the Historical Commission taking responsibility for bringing together historians
and guiding the preparation of the interpretive signs. The opening marked the
culmination of many years of effort by preservationists and Civil War historians.
Director of Heath Receives National Awards (Health Department)
The American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Public Health Association
(APHA) have each bestowed prestigious awards to Stephanie B.C. Bailey, M.D.,
Director of Health for Nashville and Davidson County.
APHA awarded Dr. Bailey the prestigious 2004 Roemer Award for innovative public health initiatives pioneered by Nashville’s Director of Health. The Milton & Ruth Roemer Prize for Creative Local Public Health Work is awarded to a local public health officer of a county, city, or other unit of local government, who has been found to be responsible for outstanding creative and innovative public health work.
In addition, the AMA awarded Dr. Bailey one of its Dr. Nathan Davis Awards for Outstanding Government Service this year. This award is presented to those at the national, state, and local government level who promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of the public health.
Dr. Bailey joined the Metro Public Health Department as a physician in 1981. She has served as medical advisor for the East Nashville Health Center and the department’s medical director. She was named Director of Health in 1995.
EnviroFlash Air Quality Forecasts (Health Department)
The EPA has partnered with Tennessee’s Department of Environment and
Conservation and the Metro Public Health Department to provide Middle Tennesseans
with air quality forecasts by email or text messages on cell phones or pagers.
These air quality forecast emails are issued at 3 p.m. for the next two days,
or three days. The forecasts are provided for two pollutants: ozone, which is
included from late spring through early fall, and fine particulate matter, which
is year-round. To sign up for the forecast emails, you can go to the Clean Air
Partnership of Middle TN website – www.cleanairpartnership.info.
Public Health Information Available through E-mail (Health Department)
Want to know when flu shots will be offered by the health department, or about
air pollution alerts, or where mosquito spraying will be conducted? The Metro
Public Health Department now offers a free service that will deliver public
health information direct to any Davidson County subscriber’s e-mail address.
Residents who are interested can register by logging on to the Metro Public
Health Department’s website and following the directions after clicking
on the “Subscribe for Public Health E-Mail Delivery.”
Winning the War Against Disease (Health Department)
Metro Public Health Department efforts have lead to a continued drop in infectious
syphilis rates from 250 cases in 1999, when Nashville ranked first nationally
in infectious syphilis rates, to 15 cases in the past year. Nashville no longer
ranks in the top 25 cities in syphilis rates.
Flu Shots Clinic (Health Department)
The Metro Public Health Department provided flu shots to nearly 24,000 high-risk
members of the community. The Health Department was one a few providers in Nashville
to receive shipment of the flu vaccine in October. For the first time the Health
Department opened a Fast Track clinic for flu shots in October, November, December,
and January.
Health Care for the Uninsured (Health Department)
More than 5,600 uninsured residents of Nashville have obtained access to medical
home through the Bridges to Care program during the past year. Nearly 25,000
people have enrolled in the Brides to Care since the program began in February
of 2002.
Metro Announces Proposed New Demonbreun Viaduct Design (Public Works)
Metro Public Works officials have outlined the proposed design and construction
schedule for a new structure to replace the aging Demonbreun Street Viaduct,
which was closed to traffic in the summer of 2004. At the time it closed, the
Viaduct was carrying an average of 13,100 vehicles daily.
The new Demonbreun Viaduct will fulfill the city’s commitment to restore access to key downtown neighborhoods while adding a signature landmark structure that enhances the downtown landscape.
Working closely with federal and state transportation officials, Metro has been able to expedite the planning and design phases of the project. The contract to build a new Viaduct is expected to be underway by the Fall of this year, and completed by Spring 2007.
Automated Trash Pick-Up Plan in Progress (Public Works)
Currently, Public Works is creating a new residential trash collection plan
in the Urban Services District. It is a plan for safer, more efficient trash
collection that includes providing residents with 96-gallon rolling trash carts
and continues our efforts to make Nashville a cleaner and greener city. This
automated trash pick-up system for the 120,000 residents of the Urban Services
District (USD), is expected to save Metro approximately $13.5 million over the
next 10 years.
The Shelby Street Bridge Won 6 Awards for Excellence (Public Works)
Since its opening on August 3rd 2003, The Shelby Street Bridge has become an
icon for Nashville with its brightly lit girders shining against the evening
sky. This year the Shelby Street Bridge has won 6 awards for excellence:
- Rebuild TN Coalition Award of Excellence,
- APWA TN Public Works Project of the Year,
- TN Ready Mix Concrete Assoc. Best Concrete Structure Award,
- ASCE Outstanding Engineering Project Award,
- Associated General Contractor Award of Excellence in Development,
- American Society of Landscape Architects Award of Excellence.
‘Curby’ Now Recycles Plastic Bottles (Public Works)
Metro’s curbside recycling program, known as “Curby,” has now expanded it’s recycling to include plastic bottles as well as any kind of paper, tin and aluminum cans. When the curbside recycling program began in April 2002, it was too costly and inefficient to collect and recycle plastic bottles. However, Public Works now has access to technology at Rivergate Recycling that will allow them to collect plastic bottles without costing the city any additional money.
According to Sherry Sloan, Metro’s Recycling Coordinator, adding plastic bottles to the materials processed through Curby provides several benefits for Nashville’s recycling and education efforts. “Rivergate Recycling is not charging the taxpayers a single penny for the processing and, in fact, is going to raise its payment to Metro from $5 to $10 a ton for every ton of recyclables brought in by the Curby trucks,” said Sloan. “Rivergate Recycling is also building a recycling education center at its new facility in town so school children can tour the facility and learn about recycling.”
In 2004, Curby collected 12,052 tons of recyclables. If those tons had been thrown in the trash it would have increased Metro’s disposal cost by $318,000 a year instead of receiving revenue for the material and have it go back into making new products.
Neighborhoods Initiate Code Enforcement (Department of Codes Administration)
This year, the Metro Department of Codes and Building Safety has initiated
a new community support program called, Neighborhoods Organized to Initiate
Code Enforcement. Volunteer Inspection Teams receive training on the inspection
process and are given special Inspection Worksheets to use for reporting violations.
The NOTICE program empowers citizens and allows them to work together with the
Codes Enforcement staff. Neighbors can now become a direct participant in the
inspection process that helps improve the safety and beauty of their own neighborhood.
Tolbert Hollow (Historical Commission)
Metro Historical Commission markers were installed this year recognizing the
land-ownership legacy of former slave George Tolbert. George Tolbert, a farmer,
bought 97 ½ acres here at the intersection of Tolbert Road and Old Hickory
Boulevard in Bellevue. He was a former slave who, according to family tradition,
purchased his own freedom. Tolbert worked 45 acres by 1880 and cut and sold
wood with his sons. Land ownership signified true freedom for blacks after the
Civil War.
Generations of Tolbert's descendants continued to live on his land, which has
been known as Tolbert Hollow since 1879.
Germantown Historic District (Historical Commission)
Historic land markers, produced by Historic Germantown Nashville, Inc. through a grant from the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods, were placed to mark the beginning of the Germantown Historic District on Jefferson Street across from the Bicentennial Mall. These markers recognize the European immigrants that established Germantown, the first suburb in North Nashville, in the 1850s. Large brick townhouses stood next to modest workers' cottages, illustrating the area's economic and social diversity. World War I and changes in public attitude began decades of decline. Renovation projects at two historic churches began the neighborhood's revitalization in the 1970s. Germantown became a National Register Historic District in 1979.
23rd Annual Conference on African-American History and Culture (Historical
Commission)
The 23rd annual Conference on African-American History and Culture drew approximately 325 participants to the TSU downtown campus in February 2005. The program highlighted accomplishments of the Civil Rights era and included presentations on African-American veterans, enslaved workers in the antebellum iron industry, the history of Cameron High School, and Civil Rights collections at the Nashville Public Library. Publications from the Profiles of African-Americans in Tennessee series returned this year with three new additions: Nashville’s Role in Desegregating the SEC, the Clinton High School Desegregation Case, and Mrs. C.E. (Curlie) McGruder.