BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (WTVF) — Brentwood officials are taking steps to make sure the city is informed and represented in an emergency.
This week, the Brentwood City Commission asked Metro Nashville for representation on its Electric Power Board, the body that oversees the Nashville Electric Service (NES).
Nashville's government establishes how it operates, and the existing charter requires that all board members live in Davidson County.
In a resolution Monday, Brentwood commissioners petitioned Metro to allow for other city representation.
"We kind of knew that we didn't have anyone from Brentwood currently on the board of NES, but just recently found out that we couldn't have anybody on the board of NES," said Brentwood mayor Nelson Andrews.
This all came to light shortly after the January storm. People in Andrews' area lost power for a week.
Even though NES covers much of Brentwood, he said the city didn't have much say in the matter.
"So that's where I got the emails and phone calls from citizens saying, 'Why not?' And I didn't have a good answer for why not," said Andrews.
He hopes representation on the NES governing board would avoid widespread tree damage and improve communication overall.
"Given the amount of our city that's served by NES, I feel like that we have something to offer, and I feel like we should be represented," he concluded.
This is not the first time other cities or counties have asked for this kind of representation. It's ultimately up to Metro Nashville to decide if it wants to consider this request or amend the charter. We'll keep you updated on what happens.
Do you have a storm-related story that needs telling? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.
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