NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Later this year, North Nashville and Bordeaux residents will have the chance to vote on what infrastructure investments they want to see in the community.
In March, Mayor John Cooper announced that his capital spending plan included $2 million to bring participatory budgeting – which allows community members to decide how to spend part of a budget – to Nashville for the first time.
On Monday, Metro announced the members of the North Nashville Participatory Budget steering committee, executive committee, and program facilitator. Metro officials said all steering committee members are residents of Bordeaux and North Nashville.
“As the Metro Council’s 37208 special committee examined, North Nashville is a historically underserved area in need of infrastructure investment,” the mayor’s office said in a release.
Residents within the North Nashville participatory budgeting area will decide the infrastructure investments they want to fund. The process will be led by volunteers and the community. Click here to find out if you live within the area.
To be eligible, Metro said the projects must meet the following criteria:
- “provide primary benefit for the public at-large;”
- “provide a tangible, permanent benefit that allows for broad public access;”
- “designed to accomplish goals and fulfill purpose without further funding past the initial investment;”
- “are capital infrastructure, capital improvement or durable projects;”
- "$50,000 or higher with a lifespan of at least ten years.”
Read more: North Nashville, Bordeaux residents vote on how to use $2M to improve community
The first public community meeting was held Monday at the Floyd-Payne Campus Center at Tennessee State University. Metro said the steering committee will vote on its budget rulebook at 5:15 p.m. Thursday at the TSU campus.
Metro said area residents ages 14 and up will be qualified to vote on the final proposals in December.
To learn more about the participatory budget or to volunteer, you can email pb@nashville.gov or call 615-862-6000.
Metro said the steering committee members are:
- Judge Rachel Bell (Chair) – General Sessions Court Judge
- Alandis Brassel – Counsel, Scale LLP; Assistant Professor of Music Business, University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music
- Eric Capehart (Vice Chair) – Professional Counselor and Wellness Coach
- Lerlie Cleveland – Clinician, Meharry Medical College, MNPS (retired)
- Rev. Sonnye Dixon – Lead Pastor, Hobson UMC
- Delores Donigan – Licensed Aesthetician, Cosmetologist, and Cosmetology Instructor
- George Ewing – Affiliate Broker, Fridrich & Clark Realty
- Shonnita Frey – Veteran Transportation Service Administrator, VUMC
- Luvenia R. Harrison – Civil Rights Compliance Officer / ADA Coordinator, Tennessee Department of Health
- De’Sean Keys (Secretary) – Coordinator for the Office of Student Activities and Leadership, Tennessee State University
- Stephanie Nesbitt – Manager of Training and Development, Bridgestone Americas
- Lagra Newman – Founder / Head of School, Purpose Preparatory Academy Charter School
- Dr. Janet Parham – Speech Language Pathologist, MNPS (retired)
- Shereka Roby-Grant – Director of Charter Schools, MNPS
- Charles Scott – Deputy Fire Marshall, Nashville Fire Department (retired)
- Seth Thorpe – Senior, Pearl-Cohn High School
- C. Olusola Tribble – Cultural and Racial Equity Educator and Coach
- Dr. Ronald A. Wooding – Principal, Pearl-Cohn High School
