From Anne Dunne:

Dear Resident,

This is only the 2nd time in my 35 years as a city commissioner that I have endorsed any candidates. I plan to vote for, in alphabetical order, Janet Donahue, Kim Smithson-Gawrys, and Rhea Little. I’d like to share with you the reasons I feel these three are good for Brentwood. This is long but I know these people well and want you to have a chance to see them as I do. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS.

First of all, let’s dispel the notion that they favor rampant growth and multi-family housing. They do NOT. Each solidly supports one acre density, single family housing, and no re-zoning of residential to commercial. Each is extremely competent, fair-minded and has a willingness to work hard to stay in touch with residents. They all have served the community in many ways through volunteerism in schools, churches, sports programs and civic clubs. They understand this community and what it has taken to get it where it is today.

Janet Donahue’s experience as an ER doctor, making life-saving decisions daily, and her 11 years (9 as chairman) on the Planning commission will serve her well. Dealing with people on their worst days has given her the ability to really listen.

Kim Smithson-Gawrys learned Brentwood’s values at her Mom’s (Commissioner Regina Smithson) kitchen table. Kim made a difference even in her teen years when she and another BHS student led a petition drive to support making Murray Lane the four-lane road we know today. She has been an active participant in the Quilts of Valor Program, which honors our veterans. Her dedication to putting others first is demonstrated by the fact that she donated a kidney to save her best friend’s husband.

Rhea Little’s leadership skills, ethics and experience are invaluable to our city. He is fair, listens, and speaks his mind. If you disagree, you don’t become his enemy. He respects your right to disagree.

None of these are self-promoting. The good of the City comes first. All have the utmost integrity and ethical values. I would trust each of them with my bank account and social security numbers.

Where do they stand on the tennis/pickleball facility question? Each has stated they will call for a referendum vote before proceeding further. How did we even get to this point, some of you may be wondering? A little background:

Four years ago, the YMCA closed its Maryland Farms facility leaving many with limited options for indoor play. The county stepped in and leased the tennis facility until the new owners are ready to build on that property. This kept the program going. In the meantime, the county approached Brentwood to see if we would form a partnership to build a facility at Crockett Park. For a one-time investment of $6 million we could then walk away, and the county would operate, maintain, and staff it, and we would get half of any profits.

After months of working out details it was ready for a vote on May 22, 2023. This was such a good deal. It gave the tennis community and the taxpayers a win-win. I went in expecting a 7-0 aye vote. To my shock, when the measure was put on the floor there was an instant proposal that it be “postponed indefinitely,” which passed 4-3. This was immediately followed by a proposal to create an ad hoc committee, which passed 4-3. In the months that followed, the county could clearly see where this was going and withdrew their offer.

If the county proposal had passed, that facility would have been built and probably ready to open its doors this summer. I have yet to hear a satisfactory objection to that proposal. In the two years since, it now appears to be steamrolling toward a Brentwood going-it-alone project with costs increasing every year. That $6 million investment doubled as soon as the partner was gone. Costs have risen each year also. This has never been voted on formally as a body. We keep voting on getting more information. That new information has cost us $971,000 to find out what the building will look like. More new information on number of patrons, etc., has cost roughly $25K in the last six weeks. Keep in mind this is only information gathering. There has been no formal vote and yet we are spending money hand over fist.

For these reasons and the concerns expressed by residents, I requested we have a referendum on issuing bonds for this at our upcoming May election. For six weeks three of us, Andrews, Little and I, repeatedly asked just one more commissioner to join us in at least putting it on our city commission meeting agenda to discuss. We were met with silence, Nos and word salad. Often the reply was it could be done by taking the money from the fund balance and therefore no referendum was needed. That is true. But that also is a way of NOT letting the residents have one of those very rare opportunities to weigh in.

TN state law limits ballot access to weigh in on issues. If you claim grassroots support, then you must respect the grassroots—the people—and let them vote.

I hope you will join me in voting for Janet, Kim and Rhea. Vote them in and they will let YOU vote on the future of the tennis/pickleball facility.

Anne Dunn
Current Commissioner and Former Mayor