This email was sent by the Office of the Metropolitan Trustee, Metro Nashville Government.

^{Nashville & Davidson County Metropolitan Trustee Erica S. Gilmore}

Dear Nashville and Davidson County Residents,

As scams continue to rise and new opportunities to reduce property tax burdens emerge, I am keeping Nashville in the know by amplifying urgent notices from our fellow Metro departments.

Property Assessment Review & Appeal Information

The 2026 Informal Review period is now open for property owners who believe their current property classification or value may be incorrect. Requests must be submitted through the Assessor of Property’s Online Filing System by Friday, April 17, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Click the blue button below to learn more or submit a request.

The Assessor of Property's primary 2025 reappraisal appeal periods have already concluded.

Property owners who previously filed a Formal Appeal with the independent Metropolitan Board of Equalization (MBOE) should refer to their decision letter for information regarding any remaining appeal options.

Davidson County's next mass appraisal year is currently scheduled for 2028.

Reduced Property Taxes for Storm-Damaged Properties

Property owners affected by Winter Storm Fern may qualify for a reduction in their assessed value.

Qualifying residential, commercial, and personal property owners can apply to receive an adjustment during the period the property is uninhabitable or inoperable.

To qualify, properties must:

• Sustain at least 50% damage, and
• Be uninhabitable or inoperable for 30 days or more

The Assessor of Property's Office will verify property conditions until the property is restored or normal operations resume.

If repairs are not completed by September 1, 2026, standard proration procedures will apply.

Click the appropriate button below to apply through the Assessor's Office. Homeowners should select the Real Property Storm Relief Application. Business owners should select the Personal Property Storm Relief Application.

Property owners seeking this adjustment should apply no later than September 1, 2026.

We appreciate the Metropolitan Council, Mayor Freddie O’Connell, and Assessor Vivian Wilhoite for their collective efforts in supporting this relief initiative.

Utility Relief & Service Updates Following Winter Storm Fern

NES Payment Relief & Flexible Arrangements

In addition to property tax relief, residents impacted by Winter Storm Fern can access temporary utility protections and expanded payment flexibility through Nashville Electric Service (NES).

Service disconnections and late fees are suspended through June of this year. Customers may also enter into flexible payment arrangements through this December to manage outstanding balances.

Tree Trimming & Planned Service Interruptions

NES is also informing residents that in order to reduce future storm-related outages, additional tree trimming is underway across Nashville neighborhoods.

Crews will trim vegetation farther back than in previous cycles and may remove trees that pose a risk to power lines. Brief planned outages may occur.

2025 Collection Transparency

2024 Property Tax Payments: Clerk & Master Only

2024 property taxes are no longer payable through the Metropolitan Trustee’s Office. Payments must be made in full (partial payments are not accepted) through the Davidson County Clerk and Master, located at 1 Public Square, Suite 308, Nashville, TN 37201.

Who Do We Remember?

In my last newsletter, County Clerk Brenda Wynn and I featured a brief quiz on Nashville’s civil rights leaders.

^{Left to right: James Napier, Z. Alexander Looby, John Lewis, Diane Nash, Rev. James Lawson, Rev. Kelly Miller Smith}

I’m proud to see our constituents recognize these local leaders. While some respondents identified Rev. James Lawson and Rev. Kelly Miller Smith, more were familiar with Z. Alexander Looby and James Napier. Diane Nash and John Lewis were the most widely recognized.

It’s Nashville, 1960—and Jim Crow’s Shadow Stretches Across the City

The year is 1960. Across the South, including Nashville, daily life is divided along the color of one’s skin. In classrooms and campuses across the city, young leaders are beginning to push back. Among them is Fisk University student named Diane Nash. After training in nonviolent protest workshops led by Reverend James Lawson, Diane Nash and fellow students formed the Nashville Student Movement.

Change Is on Nashville's Horizon

They organized sit-ins at downtown lunch counters and expanded their efforts through coordinated boycotts.

These peaceful protest were met with verbal and physical harassment, but no amount of hatred could deter them from their efforts.

Over 150 students were eventually arrested for refusing to vacate store lunch counters when ordered to do so by police. At trial, the students were represented by a group of 13 lawyers, headed by Z. Alexander Looby. In retaliation, the North Nashville home of Z. Alexander Looby and his wife, Grafta Moseby, was bombed at 5:30 a.m. on April 19, 1960.

Within hours, news of the bombing had spread throughout the community, and the city shifted into action.

^{Diane Nash and Kelly Miller Smith review a prepared statement in response to the Biracial Committee's recommendation to partially integrate store lunch counters.}

By midday, nearly 4000 people, including fellow students from Fisk University, Tennessee State University, American Baptist Theological Seminary, and Meharry Medical College, marched in silence toward City Hall.

It was there, on the steps of the courthouse, that Diane Nash confronted Mayor Ben West, asking whether he believed it was right to discriminate based on race.

When the mayor publicly acknowledged that segregation was immoral and that Nashville's lunch counters should not be divided by race, Nashville became the first major city in the southern United States to begin desegregating its public facilities.

4th Annual Diane Nash Commemorative March

66 years later, we are still carrying forward the legacy of Diane Nash and the civil rights leaders who changed Nashville.

^{Trustee Erica S. Gilmore 3rd Annual Diane Nash Commemorative March, Courtesy: Metro Nashville}

For the fourth year, I am hosting our community-wide Diane Nash Commemorative March.

Sunday, April 19th, at 5:30 a.m., we will ring a bell at the home of Z. Alexander Looby and his wife, Grafta Moseby Looby, marking the exact time of the 1960 bombing.

In the afternoon, we will kick off our Celebration of Courage in Diane Nash's honor at First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill, beginning at 2:30 p.m. From there, we'll take off together on our own Silent March to the same steps where Nash challenged Mayor West at the Metro Courthouse, (now called the Diane Nash Plaza).

I invite residents to join us that Sunday as we come together to uplift Diane Nash’s legacy. Click the button below to RSVP.

^{Trustee Gilmore and Mayor O'Connell lead 3rd Annual Diane Nash Commemorative March, Courtesy, Metro Nashville}

As we march this year, we carry forward the legacy of Walks With Shawn, holding a special place in our hearts for our late friend and partner, Shawn Dromgoole.

Diane Nash Creative Competition: Awards Up To $1000

We are pleased to announce an extended deadline for our Diane Nash Creative Competition. Through next Monday, April 13, students in grades 1–12 may submit entries in speech, song, visual art, or digital art honoring Diane Nash. Awards are available up to $1,000. Click the button below for more details.

Recently, I joined What’s the 411 with Sharon Kay on WFSK 88.1 FM along with Davidson County’s first Black historian and a Tennessee State University professor, Dr. Learotha Williams Jr., to discuss the upcoming Commemorative March.

WFSK radio host Ms. Sharon Kay is a leading voice for North Nashville and our city’s African American community, as well as a pioneering presence in HBCU radio.

^{Left to right: Trustee Erica S. Gilmore, Sharon Kay, Dr. Learotha Williams Jr.}

^{Left to right: Xuam Lawson, Trustee Erica S. Gilmore, Sharon Kay}

Congratulations Ms. Kay, Nashville's Outstanding HBCU Radio Partner

Through her role as an HBCU radio host and her partnership with the HBCU Radio Preservation Project, Sharon Kay is helping preserve the legacy, history, and influence of HBCU radio for future generations.

Congratulations to Ms. Kay and Fisk University Radio! I know this station will go on to continue ensuring HBCU radio remains a powerful platform for culture, storytelling, and community connection.

Circuit Court Clerk Warns Public About Outstanding Ticket Scam

The Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office is warning residents about ongoing scams related to outstanding parking and toll violations.

Scammers are sending phishing texts and emails posing as final notices. These messages urge recipients to pay alleged parking or toll fines or risk penalties to their driving record or loss of driving privileges.

Metro government offices will not ask for payment through unsolicited texts or emails. Do not click links or provide personal information.

Official government emails typically come from “.gov” email addresses. Messages from Gmail, Hotmail, iCloud, or other public email providers should be treated with caution, especially if they request payment or personal information.

If there is uncertainty about whether a message is legitimate, contact the appropriate office directly:

• General Sessions–Civil: (615) 862-5195
• Traffic Violation Bureau: (615) 862-5222

Out With The Old

An Easy Way to Recycle Hard-to-Dispose Items

Everyone wants to keep Nashville clean and looking its best, but it’s not always clear where to take items that don’t belong in regular trash collection.

This weekend, residents have an easy way to responsibly dispose of those harder-to-recycle items like mattresses, electronics, and other bulky materials.

The Tennessee Environmental Council and Nissan North America are hosting a free drive-through Recycling Roundup on Saturday, April 11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Nissan’s Franklin Headquarters (1 Nissan Way, Franklin, TN 37067), in honor of Earth Month.

Accepted materials include electronics, tires, scrap metal, textiles, mattresses, glass, Styrofoam blocks, paper for shredding, pet supplies, and more.

By limiting our reliance on landfills, we are keeping Nashville’s neighborhoods clean and well cared for.

View the full list of accepted materials and sign up to volunteer using the link below.

Clear Your Record: Expungement Clinic This Saturday

Also going on this Saturday, residents with a criminal record have the opportunity to move towards clearing those charges.

In partnership with the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk’s Office, the Urban League of Middle Tennessee will host an expungement clinic on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at St. Luke’s Primitive Baptist Church, 135 Lewis St., Nashville, TN 37210.

At this clinic, individuals with a Davidson County criminal record can learn about eligibility, receive guidance on the expungement process, and take steps to begin clearing their record.

By removing barriers that can limit access to employment, housing, and full civic participation, expungement helps open the door to greater financial stability and opportunity.

Residents can also begin the expungement process during regular business hours at the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk’s office, located at 408 2nd Avenue North, Suite 2120, Nashville, TN 37201.

For additional information, contact Harold Simpson, Director of Workforce Development and Programming, at (615) 254-0525 or hsimpson@ulmt.org.

Using Fun to Fight Childhood Obesity and Diabetes

Looking ahead to next month, families can enjoy a safe and fun day outside while promoting healthy movement in the fight against childhood obesity and diabetes.

My mother, former State Senator Brenda Gilmore, is hosting her 17th Annual Kids & Kites Day.

This is always a fun day for kids to come out, stay active, and enjoy a safe environment.

Join in on the fun on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at East Park Community Center, 600 Woodland St., Nashville, TN 37210.

Preserve Your Memories Digitally

Rescue family memories from the attic! A new, free community resource in Donelson is making it easier to turn photos, slides, negatives, and VHS tapes into digital files.

With the Donelson Public Library’s Memory Lab, constituents are preserving their prescious memories into high-resolution formats.

Click the button below to learn more or reserve a time to use the Memory Lab.

Find the Support to Stay in Your Home

Rising costs are continuously putting pressure on Nashville homeowners. That’s why, for the third year, I created a free Community Resource Guide. 

This one-stop guide clearly directs Nashville residents to money-saving programs designed to keep homeownership affordable. The programs listed in this guidebook have been the difference for some of our constituents between affording next year’s property taxes or facing displacement.

Residents who have used this resource have shared how much easier of an experience they've had in identifying the money-saving opportunities at their disposal. By utilizing the programs that our community partners and government organizations offer in this guide, residents have obtained new windows, replaced HVAC units, and filed income taxes for free. 

Click the button below to access my resource guidebook online in English, Spanish, and Arabic. 

Empowering Nashville's Business Owners and Economy Through Long Term, Low-Interest Financing

A Civics Moment With the Trustee

Civics 101: What Happens to Property Tax Dollars After Collection?

Property taxes are one of the primary sources of local funding for Metro services. Once collected, these funds enter a structured process of safeguarding and distribution to support government operations.

The Metropolitan Trustee serves as the custodian of these public funds. The office is responsible for collecting property tax payments, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring funds are properly accounted for.

After collection, property tax revenue is not retained by the Trustee’s Office. Funds are disbursed to support essential services across Nashville and Davidson County, including public education, public safety, infrastructure, and neighborhood services.

This process ensures that taxpayer dollars are managed responsibly and directed to the services residents rely on every day.

Women's History Month

I’m proud to lead this office alongside so many incredible women who make up the backbone of Nashville government. In celebration of Women’s History Month, I put together a short video that shows who really— in the words of Beyoncé—“run the world.”

Preparing for the May 2026 Primary Election

Davidson County’s next opportunity to vote on key local offices is just weeks away.

Tennessee’s state and county primary election will take place on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. In Davidson County, voters will cast ballots for the following offices:

• Circuit Court Clerk
• Circuit Court Judge (Division III – Unexpired Term)
• County Clerk
• County Trustee
• Criminal Court Clerk
• Criminal Court Judge (Division III – Unexpired Term)
• Democratic Executive Committee (Council Districts 1–35)
• General Sessions Judge (Division VI – Unexpired Term)
• Juvenile Court Clerk
• Public Defender
• Register of Deeds
• School Board Representative (Districts 2, 4, 6, 8)
• Sheriff

These roles directly shape how services are delivered across Davidson County and influence decisions that affect daily life.

To participate in this election, residents must have been registered to vote by April 6, 2026.

Key Dates:

• Voter Registration Deadline: April 6, 2026 *deadline passed
• Early Voting: April 15 – April 30, 2026
• Absentee Ballot Request Deadline: April 25, 2026
• Election Day: May 5, 2026

Stay Informed

Get real-time updates on legislation, deadlines, and community changes that impact Davidson County households. Follow @NashvilleTrustee for clear, reliable information across all platforms.

In Conclusion...

It has been a pleasure to serve our residents with accountability, transparency, and efficiency during the peak of the 2025 property tax season.

With warmer weather ahead and more community-centered events across Nashville, I look forward to seeing residents out in the community, especially at our upcoming Diane Nash Commemorative March.

Kind regards,

Metropolitan Trustee Erica S. Gilmore