It never ceases to amaze me how some seemingly intelligent people will get a notion in their heads, and then in direct opposition to everything logical, as well as to public outcry, will stand and defend that idea in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.  Case in point, the “new town hall” project, or as I prefer to call it, “the Nolensville Taj Mahal.”

Over two years ago developer Bill Tisano, proposed to remodel his shopping center. Once town government got involved, the project grew from a simple facelift to a complete multi-million dollar overhaul and rebirth as "Town Center" and home of a new Town Hall. Naturally Tisano would pay substantially higher fees and development costs with the more expansive, more expensive plan.

Months later plans were unveiled, then drastically changed. Citizens with building and economic experience lacking in elected officials, spoke passionately against the too large, too expensive town hall location in the strip mall and facing the ball fields and in favor of caution and a smaller, separate site with room to grow. Some objected to the name "Town Center" which is a slap in the face to our Historic District.

They were ignored, debated, and treated as ignorant for exercising their right to speak. Several in town government positions stopped their ears and went full-team ahead. The mayor's friends in Nolensville and Brentwood urged the board to go ahead.

The BOMA (Board of Mayor and Aldermen) in a vote of 3-2 authorized the expenditure of up to $4M for this new town hall, even though some in the commercial construction field warned the cost was double what it should be. The BOMA majority refused to even consider alternate locations. Thank you, Vice-Mayor Dugger and Alderman Felts for speaking so passionately against this fiasco.

Alderman Alexander led some to believe he would vote against it, but in the end did not. He has a reputation for being very pro-development regardless of anything said to the contrary. Then Alderman Thomas voted in favor, knowing he had already handed in his resignation and would be moving out of state. His family would not suffer any financial consequences of higher taxes or perhaps cutting services to pay for a larger than needed town hall. He moved away shortly after casting his vote of approval. I would term that cowardly, unethcial, and fleeing the scene of a crime.

Only two on the BOMA, then or now, seem concerned with putting the Town of Nolensville into debt—severe debt—for the first time in its history for a building few taxpayers will ever enter.

True, a full year later, this developer of the Nolensville Taj Mahal has seen the cold hard reality of an economic depression as well as the cost to both the developer and Nolensville taxpayers just on preliminary work. At the last BOMA meeting Tisano claimed to have spent considerable time  and money, and confessed that he has not been able to obtain financial backing and has no serious prospect of obtaining any to keep this project alive.

Any reasonable person would have tossed it out a long time ago. Perhaps that is why he can't get financial backing. It was a bad idea from the beginning, and is especially so in today's economy.

They say that history repeats itself. I believe it. This time it didn’t take long to come around. Our former mayor acted like he believed the average resident is too dense to understand the workings of government, and in particular anything related to development; even those with the development and construction experience he lacked. Our present mayor has given the strong impression that she thinks even less of others' opinions if they don't agree with hers. From where I sit, it looks like she thinks those who have voiced objections to indebting Nolensville to the tune of $4M-to-$6M for an unfurnished building with much higher expenses shouldn't bother her and certainly should not speak out.

The need for more space at town hall could be met much less expensively and far more expediently, but some seem to feel citizens and fellow government officials who took the same oath should believe the mayor has everything under control. Disagree at your own risk and watch out for her gavel.

Come to the BOMA meeting in March. The circus act will continue as some in government refuse to read the handwriting on the wall, and do what they should have done in the first place. Unless things change, some will continue their abysmal attempt to force this doomed project down the throats of the Nolensville community who unfortunately put their faith in them to spend taxpayer's money wisely and prudently.

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written by Lynda , March 04, 2010

John, you first asked me and got a similar answer. How about YOU?

Its a heavy load few can handle even if it had better pay. Sitting
in meetings is the only way to appreciate how hard they work.
Its no harder than other town volunteers, just different with more critics.

Join us in praying for peaceful resolution and a person able and capable to handle the job to come forward.

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written by gardiner , March 04, 2010

To quote William Tecumseh Sherman, "If nominated, I will not accept; if drafted, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve."

I love this town, but have NO aspirations to be mayor. Thank you.

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written by John , March 04, 2010

I nominate Gardiner Jones for Nolensville mayor. Those words alone should keep the powers to be awake at night!

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written by Lynda , March 03, 2010

Yes, it IS our money, but there isn't much of it for necessities.
That's why people are so fired up over wasteful spending.

Somebody better decide about running for office soon.
The deadline is only a few monts away.
I can't blame anybody for not doing it, but somebody has to or
Nolensville will wind up like Lakewood.

Hopefully next time it will be somebody like the new elementary principal. Someone who talks less and listens more.

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written by jmiller , March 02, 2010

can't taxpayes stop it?
Its our money.

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written by John , February 24, 2010

I am a commercial contractor who has built all over the country for the past 20 years. I have completed well over 150 projects from coast to coast. Each and every one of them I had to go the local city hall in order to obtain the building permit. I have seen town halls in everything from large skyscrapers to converted old houses, but I have never seen one built in a shopping center. This leads me to believe that either our town leaders are trail blazers going where no one has gone before or we will become a laughing stock. There are reason’s other towns separate themselves from commercial development. Going this route takes away any chance for future expansion and we lose control of our immediate surroundings. Our government should do everything in their power to remove any perception of a conflict of interest. It appears that they are ignoring this concept as much as they are ignoring the taxpaying citizen’s opinions. I was at town meeting a few months ago and one of the many committees made a statement that on their web site nearly 200 people voted saying they wanted the town hall in the shopping center and this “proved that a majority of the citizens wanted this.” I fail to understand how less than 200 people make up the majority in a town with over 3,000 citizens.

Building inside this retail development is grossly short sited. Bill Tisano has been demonized over and over again but he is just a developer trying to make a profit. He is not from the area and does not live in Nolensville so he will look out for his own interest, just as our leaders should be looking out for ours. Has anyone given any thought to what might happen in a few years if this center is sold to another developer? What if they want to tear it down to make way for something else? Could we be going thru the garden department of a Home Depot to get to our town Hall? Maybe parking behind a Kmart to go to meetings? This not so far-fetched. It has become common now for developers to take towns to court because they would not approve a new development that was zoned properly. The city of Franklin turned down Alexander Toyota request to build a dealership in cool springs so the owner went to court. The dealership is now almost ready to open. Harding mall was torn down for other development and so was the Nippers Corner Theater. Just go to the back of even the newest strip center in Franklin while your and ask yourself if this is what you want to represent your town.

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written by jmiller , February 23, 2010

townhall yes
Taj Mahal no

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written by Lynda , February 20, 2010

Wow, but right on!

A friend reminded me last night that when the mayor lost her temper with VM Dugger at the Feb. BOMA, she claimed she had inherited all these problems. That is just one more example of untruthful excuses. Who is she trying to fool; maybe herself?

The only thing inherited was another mayor with a "my way at any cost" attitude. That was certainly not the perception when 60% of voters cast their ballot for a very different persona.

Yes, a larger town hall was, and still is, needed. I believe every person who spoke on record against the size, cost and strip mall location agreed, but there was no inherited town hall plan. All other locations examined by two Town Hall Committees were rejected. Housewife Beth Lothers was on one of those committees. Maybe she didn't have any respect for how that committee decided. Not allowing another committee and planning town hall with a developer and member of the planning board for many months and then ignoring public and fellow board member's outcry is not many people's idea of representation.

The discussion that sparked the temper tantrum and confusing outburst
about accusations was about the visible AC units on top of the new Martins BBQ. That certainly wasn't inherited either.

Nor were many of the sign ordinance problems inherited. The change to allow only black and white signs occurred on her watch, and was recommended by the Design Review Committee that was her brainchild
and to which she was a self appointed member and appointed all members.
The planning board and BOMA went along with it, and now they see the folly of their actions. They've discussed the issue to death in 5 workshops. After 2 attorneys stating there are first amendment, freedom of expression issues, the board are almost ready to allow color even though some are adamantly opposed to primary colors and orange.

It takes a big person to admit they've made mistakes.
It takes an even bigger person not to accuse others of causing problems they know nothing about.

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