Mayor Dean did not even bother to consult Fairgrounds staff before making decision to close it down

It staggers me to hear that Karl Dean, who seemed so passionate about closing and selling off the Fairgrounds, had sought so little feedback before deciding. Via Rev. Jay Voorhees:

More previously unpublished Fairgrounds/Dozier e-mails are up on Google Docs for your crowdsourcing pleasure

In January I uploaded 700 pages of Metro e-mails regarding the Fairgrounds released under the Freedom of Information Act, and got some great feedback and tips from readers, both in e-mails and in Enclave comments.

Today I received 500 more pages of Fairgrounds e-mails from earlier in 2010 than the previous batch. If you are interested in reading and analyzing them, then jump to http://bit.ly/i6cQqe. The images in the latest release make the size of the .pdf too large to read in Google Docs preview, but they can be downloaded. I will again blog feedback I get back on the e-mails.

Further crowdsourcing Metro e-mails on Karl Dean's Fairgrounds plan sheds more light, spurs more questions

An Enclave reader read through the previously unpublished e-mails that I put up at Google Docs last week and e-mailed reflections and questions to me:

1. The economic impact study that Dominy cites when filing his bill to keep the track (50-60 million dollars) is “legit” and uses proper methodology, the Chamber of Commerce “Matrix”. Toby and the Mayor’s office are obviously VERY worried about this study, and instruct Buck to get it “ASAP” and “within the hour.” (pages 365-369). This is perhaps the most damning piece of information to those suggesting there is a “higher and better” use. Some will try to mislead you and say the racetrack generates pennies per sq. ft., but these divide and conquer tactics are falling on deaf ears. The Fairgrounds generates between $50-60 million dollars a year, as prepared by the Fair Board and their staff, using the same formulas the Chamber of Commerce uses.
2. The other email that has me scratching my head is an email from Robert W. Lowe and a cc: Chad Tuck of Cassidy / Turley Commercial Real Estate Services (page 483). They are requesting to meet with Buck the week of Oct 11. What is that about?
3. Page 485, Buck attached a Word document to the Mayor’s office with some talking points, and advised the Mayor to “stay away from any discussion of Tennessee State Fairgrounds expenses.” Our supporters have long said the expenses are a big reason the Fairgrounds appears to “lose money”. This suggests the Fairgrounds was designed to fail, even going as so far as to jack up the expenses.
4. Page 531, Marilyn Edwards sounds the alarm with Rita Roberts-Turner in Human Resources that some of the State Fairgrounds employees are not qualified to apply for some of the jobs they are being told they should apply for. Call in the SEIU.
5. Interesting that Karissa Barclay was “campaigning” for Buck Dozier to become the election commissioner. How does that work? Hopefully she wasn’t tearing down any signs like she was for Cong. Cooper.
6. Page 590-599 discuss FEMA damages in detail (down to the horsepower and model numbers for equipment) and whether to request an extension of time. Did Buck and the Fair Board submit damages to FEMA? If so, how much? We believe there was substantial damage to the Fairgrounds due to the flood. Now that the Fairgrounds will be open for 2 more years – will that FEMA money come to the Fair Board? That money SHOULD be used to rehabilitate the Fairgrounds.
7. I thought is was bad when Reibeling called Nancy Amons “Sophomoric”, but evidently no one in that office takes her seriously, they can’t even spell her name correctly (610-615)
8. Page 627 and 667 – examines the “culture of fear” the Mayor’s office is instilling in the Fairgrounds staff.
9. Page 655 – State Fairgrounds staff skeptical of Toby Compton and Mayor’s office, stating in an email to Buck “wish they would be honest about their real intentions” in response to a request by the Mayor’s office to contact the vendors directly.
10. There are 23,000 “customer accounts” in the system. We assume this is a list of vendors over the past decade. So in essence, up to 23,000 small businesses rely on the Fairgrounds. Makes the 10-County Chamber of Commerce’s 2,000 look small in comparison. I understand a Councilmember requested the same list and was given a list of a few hundred. Hmmmm (Page 657)
11. Page 666-667 – Clear coordination between not only Buck Dozier and the Mayor’s office, but the Mayor himself is attending SNAP meetings at the end of October to help build support for closing the Fairgrounds. When was the last time the Mayor attended other neighborhood meetings?
12. On page 668, Buck asks Kristi Harris to remove certain documents from her computer: Summary Report on Fair viability; 12 Yr Profit/Loss; AG opinion on the property, and the HH Lease to Council. Why?
13. Page 669 – Toby Compton responds to a request from the State Delegation on the details involving moving the State Fairgrounds. It appears our state elected officials also had some concerns about the Mayor’s plans. Wonder how long it takes SMF to begin emailing this list of legislators to keep them informed?

More coming to light from Metro e-mails: State Fair Director did not take Civic Design Center plans seriously, ignored potential impact on Fairgrounds future

Local blogger Jay Voorhees analyzes those Metro e-mails that I posted on Google Docs and breaks news, previously ignored by Nashville's news media, that indicates that Buck Dozier and the former State Fair Director of Marketing did not take seriously the democratic process of collecting citizen feedback for planning and development last September:

Mr. Dozier and staff were not enamored with the report from the Nashville Civic Design Center. This report arose from public meetings on the future of the fairgrounds at the behest of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development. During the “public” portions of this process there was criticism by those now known as preservationists that the there was inadequate opportunity for public comment. The report was supposed to guide the Fair Board and Mayor on future directions, ultimately suggesting that a master plan needed to be developed.

Click on image to enlarge

When the report was leaked to the press and then rushed into release, a former staffer emailed Mr. Dozier and asked, “Did you have to pay for THAT?” Mr. Dozier replied that the fair board was indeed charged for producing the report and that it cost around $30,000 to produce. “You can pick yourself up off the floor,” he joked when mentioning the cost. In a later e-mail he told another staff member that apparently they had paid over $30,000 to learn that “…Metro needs to hire a planner.” The report seemed to have little impact on discussions about the future of the fairgrounds.

Mr. Dozier has been accused by Fairgrounds supporters of deliberately running the facility into the ground. In that context it is hard to read these e-mail exchanges and not wonder whether he wasted tens of thousands of Metro dollars on a civic design process that he never took seriously. It also warrants asking the Mayor's council supporters like Megan Barry, Erik Cole, Ronnie Steine, etc. why they never bothered to ask what happened to the community-informed design process, but instead just went along with Karl Dean's bidding.

And there is something relevant here for North Nashville/Bicentennial Mall residents. When discussions for a new Sulphur Dell ballpark revved up before last May's flood, some of us involved in those discussions asked that the Nashville Civic Design Center be brought in to lead us through a community meeting process to answer questions, address concerns, and consider feedback. After I made several attempts to contact him, NCDC Design Director Gary Gaston replied to me by saying that he had been consumed in the Fairgrounds design meeting process.

He also said that his organization was conducting a design competition for the ballpark that would be presented to the community at the end of 2010 (presentation has yet to happen). NCDC has a ballpark event on its March 2011 calendar, but there is no indication that a community planning process will take place. However, if the ballpark development process emerges and follows the script laid out for Fairgrounds planning, North Nashville participation may be rendered a moot mockery by the wasteful courthouse elite.


CORRECTION: Gary Gaston asked me to correct one of the details in this post. He e-mailed that NCDC has not been conducting a competition. Here are his comments from October 2010:

We are working with our partners at the University of Tennessee College of Architecture + Design to host a design studio of student projects on the topic of a baseball stadium. A group of 14 graduate students are currently analyzing two sites (Sulfur Dell and North Gulch) and will be designing baseball stadiums for each site. (The SoBro site was excluded because so much study has been done in that area already, and the city recently submitted a grant that would pay for a complete master plan for SoBro - we felt the idea of a baseball stadium would be addressed during that process).

Deanieleaks #8: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

If no other series of e-mails exchanged between the Mayor's staffers and Fairgrounds staffers makes clear the strong degree of micromanagement of PR for Karl Dean's redevelopment plan, this one should.

Dean's Legislative Director enlisted Dozier's staff to evangelize flea market vendors. A survey that came out a few weeks later indicated that vendors did not respond well to the "outreach" of those "fired up" staffers. The Mayor's Office also wanted notice each time Council Members asked a question of the State Fair staff. The level of action coordination is striking.

[Original Message]
From: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 4:14 PM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Subject: FW: meeting
Importance: High

Buck, FYI. We sent this e-mail a moment ago. I know you also spoke with Greg today. We want to bring them in and fire them up on a few things. Just wanted you to be aware, if asked.

Additionally, if Council members ask you or others at the grounds questions on Dominy's bill or things related to Hickory Hollow, we want to know. Drop me a line or give me a call.

Thanks! Have a great weekend.

Toby Compton
Office of Mayor Karl Dean
Legislative Director
(615) 862-6000

[--Forwarded Message--]
From: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 4:12 PM
To: Dornan, Deborah (State Fair); Burton, Steve (State Fair)
Subject: meeting
Importance: High

Deborah [Flea Market Manager] & Steve [Director of Events at the Fairgrounds] --

Hope you are well this afternoon.

A moment ago I sent a meeting request to you both for this Wednesday, October 13th at 2p here in the courthouse. Greg Hinote [Deputy Mayor] and I would like to meet about the fairgrounds and the transition of services to Hickory Hollow Mall. After that meeting we may gather with others on the team working on this as well. If this date and time doesn't work for some reason, please let me know ASAP.

I will follow-up with you both on Monday morning to discuss a few preliminary things and to brief you a bit futher on things to be prepared for at the meeting.

If needed, and it will probably be needed in the coming weeks, my direct line is 862-6010 and my cell is xxxxxxxx. I will be working with you both on outreach, etc. to expo users and flea market vendors (among others).

Have a good weekend.

Toby Compton
Office of Mayor Karl Dean
Legislative Director
(615) 862-6000

[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Subject: RE: meeting
Date: Monday, October 11, 2010 2:30:53 PM
__________________________________

Toby-
Buck is out this week, but I read this email to him over the phone so he could know what is going on. He said to let you know that he got this message. If you need anything else, just let me know. Thanks-

Kristi for Buck

We certainly cannot blame the December collapse of the Hickory Hollow lease plan on neglect on the part of the Mayor's Office. These Deanieleak e-mails indicate that they seemed to be maintaining clinch-fisted control over the marketing of the legislation. Perhaps the message was simply not marketable. Maybe no one--not flea market vendors, not CMs, not a critical mass of citizens--was buying what they were selling.

Is the racetrack demolition tack the Mayor has taken to Fairgrounds redevelopment since December any less controlled or working any better?

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2. Jump to Deanieleaks #3. Jump to Deanieleaks #4. Jump to Deanieleaks #5. Jump to Deanieleaks #6. Jump to Deanieleaks #7.)


UPDATE:

The same day that Toby Compton was recruiting State Fair staffers to proselytize Expo vendors, the State Fair Director sent an e-mail to the Metro Finance Director and the Fair Board Chair warning that Fairgrounds preservation supporter and attorney Lewis Laska was snooping around the public records on past Fair Board meetings. Laska went on to publish an analysis questioning the Mayor's Plan on legal grounds.

From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: James Weaver; Riebeling, Richard (Finance - Directors Office)
Subject: Old minutes
Date: Friday, October 08, 2010 1:04:30 PM
Attachments: fax 000.tif
__________________________________________

Gentlemen-
Attorney Lewis Laska was here all day yesterday reviewing old minutes. I am sending you a copy of the minutes that he asked my assistant to make copies of. FYI.
He says he plans on coming back again.
Thanks Buck

As far as I know no one on the Dean Team has responded to Laska's conclusions despite monitoring his research habits.

Deanieleaks #7: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

In the latest release, State Fair Director Buck Dozier raises a red flag with Finance Director Rich Riebeling about access problems for fleamarket vendors should they be moved to Hickory Hollow (Mayor Dean withdrew that Hickory Hollow plan December 1 after withering public blowback).

In the context of the previous e-mails it is hard to see this meeting proposal as anything but a further effort to define and assign talking points among the Dean Team with feedback from the corporate mall owners who stand to benefit handsomely from an Expo exile. Shouldn't Dozier have invited a representative from affected Expo vendors if he intended to act as their access advocate?

[Original Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Riebeling, Richard (Finance - Director's Office)
Subject: Update
Date: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 12:15:52 PM
__________________________________

You told me to harass you as things moved along. I have not as Toby, Weaver, and others seem to be on target.

I have one consideration for you that I don't feel that we have fleshed out well. I consider it to be a HUGE issue moving forward.

The issue of egress and ingress at the Hickory Hollow site. The building has only TWO doors in which to get vendors in and out.

I really feel the need to express to ALL who will have anything to do with the build out to talk with me and my crew about these issues.

Setting up a flea market, especially this one, is not like setting up a yard sale as you will know.

I believe that it would be profitable for CBL [Hickory Hollow owner], General Services, and a few of my staff to meet soon on the build out. Your thoughts and wisdom on the matter.

When we open Hickory Hollow I want us to be successful from the get-go.

I will be in New York next week on vacation, but will be here all of this week.

It is conspicuous that this was not a matter of "if" Hickory Hollow would open as an exposition of former Fairgrounds vendors but a matter of "when" for Dozier, regardless of how "HUGE" the obstacles were.

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2. Jump to Deanieleaks #3. Jump to Deanieleaks #4. Jump to Deanieleaks #5. Jump to Deanieleaks #6.)

Deanieleaks #6: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

The next exchange in the series of e-mails between the Mayor's Office and the State Fair executive, Buck Dozier, evinces concerns with risking spokespeople getting "trapped" unscripted by media or CMs. It also suggests that justifications for the Mayor's Fairgrounds plan are not necessarily straightforward and the arguments for the plan are not known by common rote. Moreover, rather than slowing down the process to permit more consideration and discussion, the Mayor's Office merely asks for talking points to counter Dominy's arguments.

[Original Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Subject: Council Meeting
Date: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 11:35:57 AM
__________________________________

Should I be there tonight? Weaver and I will be before the committee soon. You know that I don't mind being there. I would suggest that it might be better if I wasn't there so not to get trapped by media and councilpersons.

It is first reading anyway, so they cannot ask any questions from the floor.

Your perspective and wisdom?


[Reply Message]
From: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 11:51 AM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Subject: RE: Council Meeting

Thanks for checking. I talked with Marty about it too and we think you shouldn't bother with tonight. The ordinance, with all likelihood, will be deferred this evening by Council Rule 8 [automatically defers a bill affecting a single district not sponsored by the district's CM]. And, you are right, there will be other times to come on this, for sure.

Below is correspondence we just received from Dominy to [CM Vivian] Wilhoite for a public meeting. As you probably know, Sandra Moore is very interested in a meeting too. We will see how this shuffles out.

In the meantime, look this letter over. It has a few bullet points that we have seen worded like this before. What are some talking points for the allegations that over the past three years there have been particularly large deficits?

Also how was the board meeting this morning? If you want to talk by phone, I will be around after I grab a bite.

   File: 0975_001.pdf

Toby Compton
Office of Mayor Karl Dean
Legislative Director
(615) 862-6000


[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Subject: RE: Council Meeting
Date: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 12:21:54 PM

The Board Meeting went fine. Nothing major at all. I saw this letter. [James] Weaver [Fair Board Chair and Hickory Hollow lobbyist] has asked Howell Townes [State Fair Finance Officer] to provide him and me some statistics to answer these questions. We can and will answer them. It is complicated to answer them, but it can be done. Weaver and I are expected to meet as soon as we get the details for our future presentation. When do you need the bullet points?

I will be in New York next week on vacation. Kristi [Dozier's Assistant] can get me if you need me. I told Weaver also. We are suppose to meet with Vivian sometime out here to brief her on the subject before us.

I hear the Election Commission has narrowed the field. Haven't heard who made the cut yet.

The preparation time with his Finance Officer seemed to have paid off for Fair Board Chair Weaver, who a little later got his name in the paper by responding to a local reporter separately via e-mail, countering Dominy tit for tat.

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2. Jump to Deanieleaks #3. Jump to Deanieleaks #4. Jump to Deanieleaks #5.)

Deanieleaks #5: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

I thought it was evident from the first sequence of Deanieleaks e-mails that the Mayor's Office was playing Channel 4 news to maximize its PR about the plan to move Fairgrounds vendors to Hickory Hollow mall. Buck Dozier even thanked Channel 4 in those e-mails for helping him "relax the troops." The latest release of unreported e-mails exposes more talking-points management of Channel 4 to the point that Dozier writes that he expects a "benign" report.

I find it curious that a Metro attorney was copied in this action-coordination correspondence. Why would legal attention be needed in a discussion about media reports on the Hickory Hollow plan, if not to keep Metro legal on message?

Most importantly, take note that the Mayor's Office specifically directs Dozier to contact his good "buddies" on the Metro Council who have "concern" about Hickory Hollow and to "sow some seeds of doubt" among them.

[Original Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 12:21 PM
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office); Sloan, Doug (Legal)
Subject: Channel 4

The main area she [Channel 4 reporter Sara Dorsey] hit on was: Would the impact of the legislation [Duane Dominy's bill to Save the Fairgrounds] slow down the move? Are the vendors happy to go? Would the Council and the Mayor butting heads slow the process down? She did mention that she had "polled" by email the Council and there was a lot of concern. I really don't know how to interpret that. I get the first two points in on the beginning and had to insert the third point intentionally. Should be a benign interview. I don't believe she will use much.


[Reply Message]
From: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 12:24 PM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Subject: RE: Channel 4

Thanks. Rich got the question about the Council too [appeared in Dorsey's report].

Make a few Council calls to the folks we discussed to see what they are saying and sow some seeds of doubt. We need some of those guys to stand firm on this. Point out that there are clearly problems with [Dominy's] legislation too.

Toby Compton
Office of Mayor Karl Dean
Legislative Director
(615) 862-6000


[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Compton, Toby (Mayor's Office)
Subject: RE: Channel 4
Date: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 1:07:19 PM
____________________________________

I will begin calling some of my buddies. Thanks.

This handling of Channel 4 during the Mayor's failing autumn attempts to exile the Fairgrounds Expo to Hickory Hollow is particularly interesting today in light of an announcement Channel 4 reporter Nancy Amons made this morning on Twitter regarding a report on the Mayor's current attempts to demolish the Fairgrounds Speedway:

I have to wonder whether similar e-mails were flying between the same power brokers during this interview process and whether more cynical Mayor's Office marching orders were given to "sow seeds of doubt" among council members who could vote on both Dominy's Fairgrounds bill and the Mayor's demolition plan this Tuesday. Will Rudy Kalis and Channel 4 give the Mayor the same "benign" interview tonight that Buck Dozier and Rich Riebeling enjoyed from WSMV last September?

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2. Jump to Deanieleaks #3. Jump to Deanieleaks #4.)

Deanieleaks #4: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

The next sequence of e-mail passing between Buck Dozier and the Mayor's Office indicates Dozier's interest in working wherever Dean staffers need him whether continuing as Fair Director or running for the Election Commission.

From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Hinote, Greg (Mayor's Office) [Deputy Mayor]
Subject: Questions
Date: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 9:54:44 AM
____________________________________________

Who will be our point person on the move to Hickory Hollow? There are many questions and logistical problems still to be worked out. We submitted our best estimates on cost and what was needed to renovate the building to Alexia some time ago.

One of the traps that we could fall in is that the Hickory Hollow property would not be ready in January. Some of our biggest shows are in the first quarter of the year. Any thought as to keeping this property open for those events. My advice is to do so. If we lose those shows and vendors (including the flea market vendors), it will be very difficult to get them back.

Further, to complicate your life, if there is any desire to keep us open out here during the construction phase, we should make the announcement at the latest next Thursday, before the next flea market. Our February and March shows are booking now, and preparing their advertisement.

Lastly, I want to be where you all need me the most. The dealing is tomorrow on the Election Commission. However, I will not put my name in if you all need me to complete this project for you. I enjoy this work. But I see needs in Metro that I can help with often. Councilman Crafton is putting his name in for the Election Commission.

Sorry, for the length. Trying to keep things moving. Good move on the park in the flood plain.

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1. Jump to Deanieleaks #2. Jump to Deanieleaks #3.)

Deanieleaks #2: Mayor's Office e-mail correspondence on the State Fairgrounds

More from the series of e-mail exchanges between the Mayor's Office and the Fair Board indicating action coordination in efforts to sell the Mayor's plan to convert the Fairgrounds into private real estate. (Jump to Deanieleaks #1.)

The following e-mail exchange was between State Fair executive Buck Dozier and Deputy Mayor Greg Hinote regarding events at the election commission. I am not sure what ship Dozier intends to right. Was it the fallout of the hotly contested August 24 recount of the Democratic primary between Douglas Henry and Jeff Yarbro, who lost even though receiving the Mayor's support? What kind of power does Dozier have to right the ship?

[Original Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 10:08 AM
To: Hinote, Greg (Mayor's Office)
Subject: Update

Did you get a feel from the Mayor on the Election Commission?


[Reply Message]
From: Hinote, Greg (Mayor's Office)
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 2:55 PM
To: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
Subject: RE: Update

positive


[Reply Message]
From: Dozier, Buck (State Fair)
To: Hinote, Greg (Mayor's office)
Subject: RE: Update
Date: Thursday, September 09, 2010 2:58:13 PM
____________________________________

Thanks. I will now call Lynn [Election Commission Chairman Lynn Greer?] and see what the temperature is for this. I do believe I can right-the-ship over there for them.

I will continue to publish more e-mails in the run-up to Tuesday's council consideration of the Fairgrounds bills.

Why Are the Conservative Critics of Local Government the Ones Who Keep Reaching for Local Government Jobs?

Charlie Tygard, who called our public buildings "monuments to government," spits in the eye of term limits and wins an at-Large seat. Eric Crafton, who once threw a tantrum over the amount of government subsidized paper that he has to read, is probably going to run for the school board. Jim Gotto, who signed a no tax pledge and then voted to raise Metro taxes, is now looking at a run for State Senate. And this morning I read that Buck Dozier, who once criticized the Metro budget as being too big and unwieldy, has been awarded a $90,000 a year Metro job in a noncompetitive search that looks like a good-ole-boy appointment to get in good with Metro Council at budget time.

For guys who front such hatred for goverment, they seem to love staying in government. What's up with that hypocrisy?

This Type of Mistake Gives Self-Important Mainstream Editors More Fodder Against Bloggers

A couple of days ago a commenter to V-Squared wondered in print:

Don’t you wonder if Briley had voted differently on the numerous unmaintained newstands littering certain sidewalks in Nashville that the Tennessean endorsement [for Karl Dean instead of David Briley] might have gone a different way? Somehow I have to think the two are connected.

The only way that comment makes any sense to me is if the commenter assumes that David Briley voted for the news rack regulation bill (that Mayor Purcell vetoed), and if he or she assumes that the Tennessean was using Mr. Briley's supposed support of newsrack regulation against him.

If such is what the commenter (and, in his re-posting, V-Squared Captain AC Kleinheider) intended, then the comment is in error. Here is the roll call vote on the passage of the news rack regulation bill:


David Briley clearly voted against the news rack bill and his own campaign manager, Mike Jameson, who was the bill's primary sponsor. So, if Mr. Briley would have voted differently, then he would have voted against the Tennessean, which opposed the regulation. How would that have gained him an endorsement?

We can criticize the Tennessean for a lot of things, but their endorsements so far do not necessarily suggest that they are using the news rack regulation as a litmus test for endorsements. While they endorsed Diane Neighbors (who abstained from voting without an explanation) against Carolyn Baldwin Tucker (who voted for the bill), they endorsed John Summers (who voted "yes") for at-Large and they did not endorse Buck Dozier (even though he abstained from voting without an explanation).

Maybe If You Gave the BlackBerry Next to the Black Coffee a Tiny Little Fedora to Wear and A Diminutive Cigarette to Smoke

The Buckpage as film noir? Perhaps with the tabbed folders and pencils we could call it "Office Max noir," but there's nothing morally ambiguous or darkly erotic (à la film noir) about Buck Dozier's website. Volunteer Voters' constant shilling of the Buckpage is much more disturbing and stylistic than Dozier's campaign website itself.

Coming Out Party for Dozier and Partisan Coffee

Compared to his rather suspicious previous report on Mayoral candidate David Briley "posturing" on the environmental issues, City Paper reporter Bill Harless practically bragged this morning on relatively conservative Buck Dozier's publicized public safety platform. According to Harless a "ready and willing" and "thorough" Dozier "unveiled" and "laid out a comprehensive" platform. Harless made Dozier look good even at the prospect of criticism of a 2000 audit of Dozier's performance as Fire Marshall.

Could it be because Buck Dozier seems to be an undefiled black coffee man vs. the latte-liberal overtones "Rex" made recently ("Battle of Bongo Java") in questioning Briley for hiring strategists who previously worked for so-called "Republican-lite" campaigns?

Roll Call Vote on Last Night's Motion to Defer Controversial Hermitage PUD

Below is the breakdown of votes from the Council's deferral of J.B. Loring's and Harold White's bill to allow a medical building to expand beyond what it had originally proposed when it first moved into the Hermitage neighborhood, which is learning that if you let the camel's nose under the tent at first, the whole animal is bound to push its way in eventually.

First, here's how the candidates running for office in August voted. Mayoral candidate David Briley voted to defer, as did Vice Mayoral candidate Carolyn Baldwin Tucker. Mayoral candidate Buck Dozier, who is consistently pro-business expansion at the expense of neighborhoods, voted against deferral. At-Large candidates Charlie Tygard and Loring voted against deferral.

The 15 council members (with the exception of new member Jim Hodge) who voted against Sam Coleman's deferral for more community feedback, seem to qualify as a consistently pro-business, ambivalent-toward-neighborhoods block:

• Dozier
• Michael Craddock
• Jason Hart
• Jim Forkum
• Rip Ryman
• Feller Brown
• Jim Gotto
• Carl Burch
• Loring
• Ed Whitmore
• Eric Crafton
• Randy Foster
• Jim Hodge
• Parker Toler
• Tygard

The only surprise in the group that voted to defer was Ludye Wallace, who generally votes with the block that voted against deferral. I'm sure Ludye will come back around on March 20, after co-sponsors make little or no effort to address community concerns. Here is the group of 22 voting for deferral of the re-zoning and on behalf of concerned residents:

• Tucker
• Briley
• Adam Dread
• Brenda Gilmore
• Jamie Isabel
• Lisa Hunt
• Pam Murray
• Mike Jameson
• Erik Cole
• Anna Page
• Ginger Hausser
• Wallace
• Billy Joe Walls
• Emily Evans
• John Summers
• Jim Shulman
• Greg Adkins
• Jason Alexander
• Vivian Wilhoite
• Coleman
• Robert Duvall
• Lynn Williams

Absent: White, Diane Neighbors, and Ronnie Greer

This is one of those votes we should keep in mind at election time, especially as it is a strike against candidates Dozier, Tygard, and Loring, unless they change their tune on March 20.

Walking a Thin Line; Tottering a Bit

A Nashville City Paper editorial tip-toes its way through the car wash exemption controversy today, bracketing the question of ethics but underscoring the importance of questioning campaign financing in Metro Council politics. Except for a couple of missteps, it is worth the read. There has been no response whatsoever (outside of Diane Neighbors's response) from the council members supporting this bill as to their relationship with the car wash special interests. It is important especially for members like Buck Dozier, who is running for Mayor, to be explicit about those ties.

The problems that I see in the NCP editorial concern its characterization of the sides in this debate. It erroneously suggests that the pro-neighborhood side is not pro-development. I don't know any neighborhood advocates who see development of city neighborhoods as at odds with their goals. Development, if responsibly pursued, supports the interests of neighborhood residents and leaders. The law requiring neighborhood and council member consent on development stipulated that developers and neighbors should work together for the overall good. Absentee developers should be responsible to the folk who actually live near the development. That is pro-development; just not pro-any-kind-of-development-whatsoever.

Likewise, editors should not pit communities against "the progress of development," precisely because not all development is progressive in nature. For instance, does clogging neighborhood streets with 200 to 300 cars resulting from new car washes really count as progress? Would that count as progress in your neighborhood? It is progress for the individual who owns the wash and his bank account; but does it really count as overall community progress? Moreover, introducing the labels "liberal" and "conservative" into the mix strains analogy, since the political spectrum spans both sides of the car wash issue.

The most glaring error in the NCP editorial was the mention that the letter was from a handful of neighborhood groups. The letter came from the Nashville Neighborhood Alliance, which represents more than a "handful" of associations. Granted the number of the most vocal neighborhood groups who take issue with the car washes are the few currently facing car washes in their neighborhoods. But notice: the NCP editors failed to point out that the special business interests involved on the "development" side constitute something closer to a "handful": three individual car wash entrepreneurs. Throw council members behind them and that is a handful.

Telling Moments from the Car Wash Exemption Debate on January 2

You should do yourself a favor and watch the two specific video files in the council archives that show the car wash exemption bill public hearing and the ensuing council debate. You should see these highlights for yourself:

• There was only one proponent to speak in favor of the car wash exemption during the Public Hearing. His name is Joe Meeks and he is one of the property owners intending to build a car wash. After his speaking time ended, Ludye Wallace (Dist. 19) came up to him, said something, and shook his hand. That may or may not be significant, but Ludye failed to show opponents such partiality.
• Mayoral candidate Buck Dozier (at Large) attempted to end Council debate on the car wash exemption bill immediately after the bill's two co-sponsors, Diane Neighbors and Charlie Tygard responded to the Public Hearing feedback. Dozier called for "the previous question"--which effectively ends deliberations and prompts a vote on the bill--before any bill opponents had the chance to speak. When the council voted on Dozier's motion, there were enough "no" votes to kill it and keep deliberations going. Buck Dozier has not yet disclosed any ties to car wash developers, even though he has built a substantial campaign war chest in his run for Mayor. Given his attempt to cut off debate, I am bound to ask whether Dozier is as committed as original sponsor Amanda McClendon to a "full and honest" debate. If we ever do find out his financial ties, this vote might hang like an albatross around his mayoral hopes.
• During council debate car wash exemption proponents kept referring to the Planning Commission's approval of their bill. However, when Ludye Wallace asked a Planning official whether he thought Tygard's defense of the bill was "true," the Planning official did not exactly leap forward with a glowing endorsement. He brushed Wallace off and he stated that the bill lacked conditions that the Planning Commission had recommended, including one "to address the needs for parking restrictions on automatic car washes." That official said he was in the middle of e-mailing Tygard about that omission when Ludye called on him. What a futile attempt to get rubber stamped that proved to be.
• Despite the fact that during the Public Hearing opponents of the exemption bill outnumbered proponents 3-to-1, Harold White (Dist. 14) barked to his fellows, "I do not believe that one group of two people coming from White Bridge Road to be against [the exemption bill] represents all of Davidson County." And one self-interested car wash developer does represent the County, Mr. White?
• John Summers (Dist. 24) cut to the chase in his opposing comments:

  [The car wash exemption] bill is here because there are some people that want to be able to put in a car wash where they want to put in a car wash. And rather than sitting down and working with you as the district Council Member and working with neighbors ... and working with other property owners and trying to find a compromise, they just want to be able to go down to Codes and get their permit.

The Dobie-Dozier Cosmetic Cafeteria Solution to Funding Schools

If it weren't enough that Metro Council is on track to spend millions of tax dollars on private initiatives, now comes the mainstream touting of Bruce Dobie's education endowment idea channeled by mayoral candidate and at-large councilman Buck Dozier. Dozier, in turning attention to non-profit answers to public problems, is en vogue. But there are plenty of opportunities for foundation development in the private sector; if Dozier wants to start endowment-mongering then a mayoral run is misplaced diversion, because public servants should worry more about managing government than about privatizing the purse strings.

The merits of the foundation idea are low, to begin with. It is a ball of yarn for us to bat. It is the next flashy blue plate in this cafeteria line that we imagine ourselves in. It is a head-in-the-clouds novelty that takes us away from harder discussions about school board priorities and actual tax dollars (which is what mayoral candidates should be focused on). After all, why not just create private foundations for taxing for electricity or water services? In that case those who agree that electricity and water are vital to our community can vote with the private donations of their choosing. Oh, wait. Everybody agrees that basic utilities are vital. So, why do some of us think that generating an educated citizenry around us is any less vital for our welfare?

I'm not vehemently opposed to setting up a private endowment for public education (although private dollars always come with their own strings, so it should be regulated and overseen by those vested with the public interest). Buck Dozier may be just the leader to spearhead that initiative. But he should not be doing so as Mayor of Nashville.

Police Gang Units to Beef Up in January

Mayoral candidate Buck Dozier doesn't like it, according to the City Paper.

Clement Follows Suit

Just got a mass e-mail from Ben Hall over at the Bob Clement Campaign introducing himself and his plan to send us news releases on "critical issues." Is this a sign that David Briley--who sent out an e-mailer to local bloggers a couple of days ago--is already having influence on the race or was today's e-mail already in the works at Clement Headquarters? I don't know, but I suddenly feel included. I'm still waiting to see if Howard and Buck are going to catch up.