1. This won’t be a “blog” per se. It isn’t meant to be a place to post all commentary or opinions. Everyone is invited to send in a note, but don’t be offended if it isn’t posted. There’s other sites that are perfectly content to drag through what they believe to be wrong with every issue at every turn. This is about what was done, why and where do we go from here. We won’t talk about two and three year old issues. If the desire is to engage in those discussions then look somewhere else.

2. This isn’t the Board of Commissioner forum. MJ has a City Manager form of government. The Board makes policy; the staff implements. I’ll be happy to pass your comments along to the Board, either good or bad, but the intent of this medium is to address how we could better enact policy and improve city services.

3. The narratives will be directly from me, your city manager. I won’t hide under some pseudonym or other persona. My name is Randy Robertson. My phone number is 754-2552. I am your City Manager. If your issue or concerns involves another department of the city (Public Works, Police, Animal Control, etc.) I will invite the appropriate team member to provide some comments, but it will still be done under the auspices of the City Manager.

4. I will try and be as timely as possible, but this is another one of the “additional duties” for which civil service is renown.

5. The City Staff is here for you. The desired outcome is for us to have a positive relationship with the citizens we serve, but we all know that always won’t happen. Everyone has an opinion. It is the staff’s responsibility to work through the opinions and emotion, meet the requirements of the laws and rules under which we operate, and hopefully serve the greatest number in that process. It is not an exact science. The more we have a relationship with you, the better we can meet your expectations.

6. Finally, this is about telling our story. Hopefully you will be able to sort the myth from reality or see the issue through a different set of lens. I hope you will find this of value and participate.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Update: 6/21/09

Good Afternoon Mt. Juliet and Happy Father’s Day!

Today I have just a few short notes to share with you. Before I begin, many thanks to those of you who wrote or called me to express your condolences about the passing of our best friend, Blaze. It is absolutely amazing how much a pet can find its way into your heart, but hearing from so many of you let me know how common, yet special that can be. Darlene and I appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

Work progresses well on both the North Mt. Juliet Road widening project and the “Reverse L“ portion of the Eastern Connector. Chief Garrett tells me that he and the members of the MJPD are very pleased that despite the blasting that is taking place and the construction equipment along N MJ Road, drivers seems to be handling things well. Remember, this is likely to be a two year endeavor, so patience is a key. On that note we are looking for a late July or early August time to conduct another “Town Hall” meeting about the widening project. Watch Channel 3, the city web page, or our own local papers for specifics.

A special “tip of the hat” goes out to Reverend Jon Gray who recently took on the role of Volunteer Coordinator for the MJ Animal Shelter. If you haven’t visited the Animal Shelter you owe it to yourself to take a look. This is one of the newest facilities of its type in the region and is truly a professionally run operation under the leadership of Sergeant Keith Youmans and his dedicated staff. But it takes a lot more than a handful of paid staff to keep the Shelter open evenings and weekends and take care of the animals correctly; it takes lots and lots of volunteers. Jon plans to have the volunteers bring some of the pets to Providence Marketplace during the afternoon of 4 July; he and his folks are hoping for the state’s largest “adopt-a-thon” that day. Interested in helping? Call the Animal Shelter at 773-5533. Thanks Jon and all our Volunteers!

Speaking of the Fourth of July, a special thanks to another group of volunteers who have been working since 5 July 2008 to make the 2009 version a capstone event. If the weather holds I’ve heard forecasts of 30k to 35k participants and spectators around Providence Marketplace on the Fourth. On behalf of the Board of Commissioners and the staff I want to thank all of the volunteers who have spent hundreds of hours since last year preparing for our fireworks show. There are far too many to mention by name, and I might miss some, so I’ll simply say we truly appreciate all you have done. There is still plenty of time though it you would like to help. It take thousands and thousands of dollars to make Mt. Juliet’s largest event a success. I want to thank many of the merchants and private donors who have stepped up, but the Fourth of July Committee is still in dire need of additional contributions. If you are interested please contact Mr. Dennis Buchanan or Mr. Taylor Bates, at the Mt. Juliet Recreation and Parks Department, 758-6522.

This is a call to all clergy and church leaders in Mt. Juliet. On Thursday, 2 July, at 10:00, in the courtroom of the Mt. Juliet City Hall, we will be holding a special city update brief for leaders of all Mt. Juliet churches. These men and women touch and influence the fabric of our city. As community leaders they need to know what is going on inside the city . . . parks and recreation events, crime statistics, police activities, roads and infrastructure work, finances and economic development. This will be our first effort to bring this body together so if you are a minister, reverend, pastor, associate, lay leader, choir director, priest, etc., please make plans to join us. The point of contact is Ms. Sharon Bachelier at 754-2552. If you know someone who should be there bring them along as well. Sharon’s email address is: sbachelier@cityofmtjuliet.org

On a final note, I want to wish my alma mater a happy birthday. Last week was the 234th birthday of the United States Army . Every post, fort, forward operating base and patrol base containing America’s finest stopped for a few minutes on 14 June to commemorate this historic occasion. The tradition of service and professionalism of our great Army goes back to the inception of the Continental Army. Today’s soldiers . . . sons, daughters, husbands, and wife’s, from teens to their 60’s are among the best of their respective generations. They set the standard for valor, professionalism and integrity. No matter what the mission, our Army has always answered its county’s call. Darlene and I are proud to have been and will always be soldiers. Thanks and a hearty salute to the millions of others who have and continue to serve.

Take care and talk with you later.

R. Robertson
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1 comment:

  1. CHBJune 21, 2009 at 7:57 PM

    The updates are grand. Thanks. I applaud the efforts of the city leadership to bring together various groups that can impact this city and make a difference in the lives of those who live here. I trust the clergy gathering will yield such results.

    I as well celebrate with you the Army Birthday. Our country is deep indebted to those who server and have served.

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