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I personally ask each of you to take a few minutes, read the information shared within regarding the Bell Garden (our 13 year old community garden that supports MNPS and our Bellevue Food Bank) break-in, vandalism and mounting damages. If there is an area where you can help, it will be extraordinarily appreciated.
I have a friend who has invited me to a Galentine’s Day party. We are instructed to bring two items that reflect two of our favorite things. We will share with someone else something of importance, something we covet. I’m looking forward to being in a room full of women who will be focused on each other as people, without regard to party affiliation or any other representation. This is positive. I hope each of you has the opportunity to enjoy something similar.
My door is always open to hear your thoughts and work toward solutions. It’s my honor to continue to represent and support you helping to chart Bellevue’s path forward. Call me at 615.432.1322 or email me at sheri.weiner@nashville.gov. If there is a particular feature you’d like me to include here, please let me know and I’ll do my best to accommodate it.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- Bell Garden – Our Community Garden was Badly Damaged
- How About A Renee Update? – From Cruelty & Near Death to Wags & Wiggles
- Bellevue Community Food Bank Update
- Local and Council Areas of Interest
- A Surprise Announcement Contained Within
- Fusus Technology
- MNPD is Hiring
- Where to Find Things Like HubNashville
BELL GARDEN
It’s best if I share this in their words with pictures and video.
As many of you are aware, on the night of Thursday, February 6, our portable and hoop houses were broken into causing loss of items as well as damage. This was overwhelming and heart breaking but the community support – both in contributions and volunteers coming to help on Saturday – was amazing. Thankfully we have repaired what we can and cleaned up the mess, and thanks to donations from our supporters we will be able to replace what we lost. We are insured with a $1000 deductible, so with these donated funds will be able to handle this expense.
We will be contacting everyone who has reached out to us offering donations of cash and supplies as well as those who are offering support in other ways. Please bear with us for a little while so we can catch up.
For those of you who did not see the Channel 2 report on the break-in, HERE is the link.
Also, for anyone who would like to donate, go here: bellgardentn.org/support
And lastly, anyone who would like to volunteer with us, go here: bellgardentn.org/volunteer-2/
And, here, if you just want to buy something needed either on Amazon or in your local store: Amazon Wish List Here
RENEE UPDATE
From Near Death to Wags & Wiggles (and lots of kisses)
 This is a determined little girl who wants to live and be someone’s friend. She had a field trip to Petco this weekend to meet and greet even though she is not ready to be adopted just yet. I hope that someone saves a place for her in their home and heart.
Are Accessible Parks Always Inclusive?
What would you think if we had a playground where children of all abilities could play together without concern of some not being able to access areas that other children could access? Would you believe that such a playground exists in Hendersonville? Would you believe that there is only one such park in Davidson County and it’s at the zoo – Promise Park. Fannie Mae Dees Park has accessible and sensory features with wheelchair accessible improvements but no play structure that many children cannot access (it only has stairs). We can and should do better.
Enter Bellevue families. Several reached out to me and asked about how to make this happen. At a meeting in December we talked through the process and the group has started to organize in order to move this forward. Take a read of the article above (click on the link Are Accessible Parks Always Inclusive?) and if you want to stay posted and/or get involved, please email me. There is a Facebook page that can be found here: INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND FACEBOOK GROUP
Bellevue Community Food Bank
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The Bellevue Community Foundation has sponsored the Drive Up Drop Off Food Drives over the last several years. For 2025 we have decided to be more deliberate about how often we offer these….please look for Drive Up
Drop Off Food Drives April, September and December and, as needed. As always you may drop off any donations. Here’s the link to their page with up to date information. BELLEVUE COMMUNITY FOOD BANK |
RAILS to ROADS to INTERSTATE
TACTICAL URBANISM
I have been working with NDOT on a variety of sidewalk, cross-walk, and traffic areas of need. Arts Bellevue’s President Glen Biggs asked me several weeks ago about developing a streetscaping project. I am happy to report that his timing could not have been better. NDOT Director Diana Alarcon shared with me that there is a tactical urbanism program that we are going to tap into. There will be more to come as we move through the project. I have had some folks offer their time to participate on the committee and will be scheduling that in the coming months. If you’d like to participate on the committee with Arts Bellevue and me, please send me an email at sheri.weiner@nashville.gov.
The secret is now out
Bellevue Community Foundation is bringing it back Sunday, October 12 from 4pm til 7pm at Ford Ice Center & Bellevue Regional Community Center. There’s more information to come so mark your calendars because this one will be one not to miss!
8th Annual Nashville Tree Sale
| Order By |
Delivered |
| **January 31, 2025 |
week of February 17, 2025 |
| **March 1, 2025 |
week of March 24, 2025 |
**After January 31st, 2025 we will not offer any early spring blooming trees such as Redbud, Dogwood, or blooming cherry tree varieties in order to avoid transplant shock of these early spring bloomers. The sooner you can get spring blooming trees in the ground, the better!
https://www.nashvilletreeconservationcorps.org/tree-sale
We need neighborhood captains for Root Nashville
https://rootnashville.org/faq/
COUNCIL ITEMS OF INTEREST
What is Fusus technology? Essentially, it is a bridge that connects private cameras to the MNPD network. The benefits include more rapid police response, the ability to track down missing people, stolen property and arrest violent offenders. Councilman Rollin Horton wrote BL2025 – 690 to provide the guardrails that many said were lacking in this community safety network access program that was previously presented to Metro Council. I signed on as a co-sponsor as did 11 of our colleagues. The language of the bill you’ll find here: Text of BL2025-690. While it permits MNPD to participate in a community safety network, it adds requirements and restrictions to include locations and access, system restrictions, policy transparency, system audits and reporting.
CITIZEN’S WATER ACADEMY
Metro Water Services (MWS) is accepting application for the Citizen’s Water Academy (CWA). The Spring 2025 CWS will include five interactive sessions, held in-person over the course of 2.5 weeks. This is a great opportunity to #DiscoverWater and learn how MWS manages water from “river to river” and I encourage you to apply. As a participant, you will have the opportunity to interact with MWS Staff and experience their processes by touring various MWS facilities - including the state-of-the-art Research & Analytical Laboratory and the historic Omohundro Water Treatment Plant. All MWS customers are eligible, but class size is limited, and the selection process is competitive. Through the Academy, MWS hopes to build a diverse network of leaders and influencers, representative of all of Nashville, willing to #DiscoverWater and share their knowledge within the community. Participants must commit to attend all the sessions below which will be held at various MWS facilities. The Spring 2025 dates are as follows:
- Tuesday, April 15 - “Imagine a Day Without Water” at the K.R. Harrington Water Treatment Plant
- Thursday, April 17 - “Protecting the Environment” at the Whites Creek Water Reclamation Facility
- Tuesday, April 22 - “A Sustainable Future” at the Biosolids Facility
- Thursday, April 24 - “Protecting Public Health” at the MWS Research and Analytical Laboratory
- Tuesday, April 29 - “The Value of Water” at the Omohundro Water Treatment Plant
*ALL sessions are held from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
To apply, complete the application available online at Citizen's Water Academy Application
MNPD IS HIRING
Council meetings can be watched on Live Streaming on Metro Nashville Network | Nashville.gov, Metro Nashville Network Channels | TV Apps | Roku Channel Store | Roku, on Comcast channel 3, or AT&T Uverse channel 99.
You may come to the Council meeting and speak on any subject that is on the night’s agenda during the public comment period. The information about this process may be found here: Public Comment Process
If you have items of interest that you’d like me to address, please email me at sheri.weiner@nashville.gov.
ABOUT THE ENCAMPMENT AT SHELL & RECYCLE
Thanks to my constituent Craig Renaldi for helping us get in touch with Shell this morning. The folks at Sudden Service actually own and manage the station. I spoke (just prior to sending this newsletter out) with two of their folks (who actually return phone calls) who are sending the project manager (a delightfully helpful gentleman with whom I also just spoke) over to meet me and Officer Cantrell this week on site so that they may get the mess addressed adjacent to the Recycle Center and provide future support.
For those who object to the encampments being cleared...it is our job to see that ALL of our constituents (housed and otherwise) are safe. When folks are living in encampments, they are not safe. They are living in unhealthy conditions that can breed illness and exacerbate medical conditions they may have. They have become victim to their conditions, and may (and, in some cases, have) become victims of others. There are those who have become victims of them either through direct or indirect contact. How is any of that fair to anyone?
While we have the Office of Homeless Services, charged with providing supportive wrap around services to our unhoused and to facilitating temporary and permanent shelter, it's not been perfect. Many of our unhoused refuse support and housing, preferring to continue to live outside. We continue to seek housing solutions but, remember, there is no law at this time that requires them to accept. Metro's West Precinct has an active Quality of Life team who are charged with actively, routinely engaging with the unhoused population in order to keep everyone safe.
We know that more is needed. We are not standing idly by just watching. There are concerted efforts to facilitate solutions - it's a multi-faceted problem requiring multi-faceted solutions. No one wins when folks have to sleep outside and stand on street corners begging for money. But we also have to remember that we have laws in place to keep us all safe, that all of us must adhere to regardless of our place in life. So, yes, encampments will be cleared. Folks who break the law will be addressed. And, yes, your leaders are looking at how we can make a difference for everyone given the rise in the unhoused population and what has led to it. Stay safe.
REMINDERS
If you have a concern and/or issue with homeless encampments, please file a report at Request Type: Request Non-Emergency Police Assistance.
The hubNashville site also is where you can report a myriad of public safety concerns….go to Request Type: Public Safety. It is also the location for you to ask for Metro services…go to hubNashville and select your area of need.
Your West Precinct holds an open community meeting the 2nd Thursday of every month at 6pm at the precinct. During these meetings Commander Bowers provides statistical updates, answers questions and discusses initiatives ongoing in the area. It’s an informative and helpful opportunity to engage 1:1 with your officers. I hope to see you there.
MNPD cannot require someone to leave your private property (camping on your property) if you do not have a trespass waiver on file with their office.
LINK TO MNPD TRESPASS WAIVER
It should be returned to Sgt. Amanda Kozen (amanda.hane@nashville.gov) or postal mail to the precinct (5500 Charlotte Pike 37209).
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
If you want to get involved, I can share that you have a lot of opportunity among the over 70 boards and commissions. Lend your expertise. Browse the list of opportunities. Call me and I'm happy to connect you to those in the know. Check out the vacancies and apply.
About Boards and Commissions | Nashville.gov
Thank you, in advance, for your willingness to serve.
CONTACTS and INFORMATION
You can contact Metro directly to request Metro services at
hub.nashville.gov
In the event you do not receive a response or confirmation from HUB, please email or call me.
I typically respond within 24 hours (if not sooner).
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