WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Cumberland University hosted a town hall panel discussion Saturday where citizens engaged with community leaders on pressing issues affecting Tennesseans, including transportation, education and immigration.
The event brought together concerned residents and local changemakers for a structured conversation aimed at finding solutions to everyday challenges.
"It's easy to get up here and say what everyone wants you to say, but let's implement it and put it in the real world," said one participant.
Transportation concerns dominated much of the discussion, particularly regarding the governor's proposed tunnel project.
"The immediate concerns are safety, environmental," said one panelist.
Another panelist representing Nashville International Airport (BNA) expressed frustration about communication gaps.
"I was a little concerned that still I'm on the process. I represent BNA and I was not kept up with what was going on with this," said the airport representative.
Residents in attendance shared personal experiences with transportation challenges.
"You're just spending a lot of time in traffic just on a daily basis," said one participant.
"If they can find a way help us navigate it will really help with their quality of life and allow us to spend time with our families. That's important," said another attendee.
Education emerged as a key topic, with one panelist addressing immigration-related questions directly.
"I want to believe we should not be denying education for the children whether they're in here [with legal] status or not," said the panelist, drawing applause from attendees.
Agricultural concerns were also raised during the discussion.
"The full-time farmers were in such a minority," said one attendee.
Another expressed concern about "a huge flux of people coming into the county."
Panel organizers set ground rules including time limits and no interruptions to ensure respectful dialogue among diverse viewpoints.
The NAACP of Wilson County, one of the participating organizations, is already planning a follow-up panel discussion for this coming Thursday evening at Cumberland University's Alumni Hall, continuing the momentum from Saturday's event.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Have you attended community forums like this one at Cumberland University? I'd love to hear your thoughts on how these discussions can lead to meaningful change in our community. Email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com to share your experiences or suggestions for future town hall topics.
