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.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Season's Greetings Mt. Juliet - 12/4/09

Greetings MJ: Since we can’t send everyone in the city a Christmas Card, we thought we would use the power of Nixle to send you our best.

Don’t forget tomorrow’s First Annual Birthday Bash at the Mt. Juliet Animal Shelter, starting at 11:00. Bring your pet in for time with Santa, reduced micro chipping costs, a blessing from Father Kibby of St. Stephens, and lots of holiday festivities and gifts. Also, don’t forget the Parks and Rec first ever Holiday Arts and Crafts Bazaar at the Charlie Daniels Rec Center. Open both Saturday and Sunday afternoon, the Bazaar has over 30 vendors with lots of specialty crafts just ready for you Christmas shopping.

Take care.

R. Robertson
Season’s Greetings Mt. Juliet

Unlike other “organizational” cards you receive at this time of year, we thought this would be a great opportunity to share a little about where we’ve been and where we’re headed.

Wow, what a year! In the midst of what has been the worst recession in over seven decades, Mt. Juliet continues to thrive and prosper. Let’s review a little: The Mt. Juliet Village complex on Lebanon Road opened its doors late last year, and a second Publix store, at Providence Commons, just south of Providence Market Place, is scheduled to come on line in January. “The Paddocks” opened with anchor stores Wall Mart and Lowe’s doing brisk holiday business. Providence is operating at near maximum capacity, with several new stores opening around that area. On the north end of town Cool View and Mt. Juliet Commons brought over 20 new businesses to Lebanon Road. All told, Mr. Kenny Martin, the City’s Economic Development Director, indicates that 181 new businesses opened their doors in 2009; most of them mom-and-pop sized demonstrating the strength, vitality and confidence our citizens have in this community.

But growth wasn’t limited to businesses. From our Public Works Department, Mr. Marlin Keel and Mr. Shannon (aka: Cajun) Joyner report that after years ground was finally broken on the North Mt. Juliet Road (NMJR) widening and improvement project. With work done on the water, sewer, electric, gas and communication networks serving the city, the NMJR project is reportedly the most expensive public works initiative ever done in Mt. Juliet. Not to be outdone, improvements were completed at the Bender’s Ferry intersection; traffic lights installed at the Charlie Daniels Parkway; and the “Reverse L” portion of the Eastern Connector was opened for traffic in December. Improvements to the Mt. Juliet Road/I-40 Interchange were completed on time and under budget; the city renovated created a centralized Finance Center while also doing a complete make-over inside City Hall. We upped-sized and renovated sanitary sewer lines along Old Lebanon Dirt Road and repaved over 10 miles of existing roads.

Some of the more notable achievements weren’t just about buildings, roads and bricks. In November six needy and elderly area home owners received city-secured state grants for renovation and improvements to their residences. The doors of Mt. Juliet’s first Animal Shelter opened just one year ago, and what a year it was. Overseen by MJPD Chief Andy Garrett and Sgt Keith Youmans, the Shelter is a true “public service” facility that delivers as promised and on budget! With the assistance of Volunteer Coordinator Jon Gray, and an army of 300 registered volunteers, Mt. Juliet has one of the best animal shelters in Tennessee. Speaking of the Police, the crime rate continues to decline in the city. Though the MJPD is one of the smallest per-capita staffed departments in the region, this group of dedicated professionals go above and beyond the call of duty each day.

Not to be outdone the men and women of your Parks and Recreation staff have certainly had a banner year. In August they opened Mt. Juliet’s and Wilson County’s first pet “Bark Park”, and then, a month later, they opened the areas first skate-board board at Charlie Daniels Park. Following that, in October, working with Charlie Daniels and Panattoni Corporation leaders they unveiled the city’s new $400k donated expansion facility. Again, for the Parks and Rec crew 2009 wasn’t just about bricks and mortar; they brought the community new programs from Yoga and Senior Bingo to the City Wide Flea Markets, Competition Volleyball and our recent Holiday Arts and Crafts Bazaar. Make a New Year’s vow to stop in the Charlie Daniels Rec Center or check out the city web page and see what your Parks and Recreation Department has to offer.

Closer to City Hall, Mr. John Rossmaier and his Finance team, assisted by Mr. Jason Holleman, City Attorney, quietly but aggressively took on the mission of tackling some old variable debt issues. As a result they successfully saved the city hundreds-of-thousands of dollars through timely refinancing of several bonds. Mrs. Sheila Luckett made it her goal to codify the city’s ordinances, going back our 1972 inception as a city. Today, through a lot of hard work and the power of the internet, at Mt. Juliet’s home page, you can get real-time up-dates on the city’s statutes and laws from anywhere in the world. Finally, kudos to Mr. Travis Taylor for all his contributions as the City’s IT Director. Travis led in transitioning our own Channel 3 television to a video-based capability. He developed and installed our current web-page, which had nearly 150,000 hits this year, and is the originator of the highly popular “Nixle” messaging system used across Mt. Juliet for those desiring to stay abreast of city activities.

There’s much more that could be said, but we’ll close as we opened . . . Wow, what a year! Please join us and Captain (U.S. Navy) Barry Wilmore, Commander of the Space Shuttle Atlantis and Grand Marshall for the Mt. Juliet Christmas Parade on Saturday, 12 December, at 11:00. To all, best wishes for a blessed Christmas and a safe, successful and happy 2010.

Team Mt. Juliet
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1 comment:

  1. UnknownJanuary 1, 2010 at 1:59 PM

    There has been so much growth in Mt. Juliet, it has lost the feel of what it use to be. When I moved here there were 2 stop lights,and a group a playing Bluegrass at the Hardee's on Saturday night.(lol) I loved it! There was no Walmart, a point of personal pride.
    I am not againt progress, nor the tax revenues produced by it, I just wish it had been done a bit differently. We have new builings going up everywhere, while the old one's sit vacant and declining. Why no incentive to make these older buildings more desirable? I watch small independent business come and go in these stirp malls, they don't last long. This is progress? Our little town has no sqaure, no heart. There is no town center. A town square would have made a nice difference here. I like to spend my money in Mt Juliet, but quite frankly the traffic to Providence is just too much for this ole gal,not to mention the camera's taking my picture everyday. Providence mall do not offer any shelter from the elements, in the summer heat,and the winter rain and cold, one more trip to your car to drive 1/2 mile to the next store often becomes a drive back home instead. I realize the mall does not wish to pay for heat and air for the convienece of their customers. Isn't it unfortunate we do not have California weather! And with all this revenue coming into the city, My taxes have tripled. I'd love to sell my property for what it has been accessed for. Any takers???? I'd be OK if that went to teachers salary's or a city square, but being just outside city limits, I get little for my tax dollar. In Fact, no city services,and no right to vote on the happenings in my own town. If Mt. Juliet wants to be the next Franklin, they have a long way to go. They might want to take a page from Gallitan's book. The town square there(just redone) offers more feeling of comunity than I can find at Walmart.

    Now just to be fair, the are some things about this town that I am proud of. The people here are wonderful and kind. The new Mt Juliet Animal Shelter provides a desparetly needed service. And although mostly a volunteer staff, they provide a wonderful benifit to the town. If I find a dog where I live I can't bring it there for help, because of that "city limit" rule. But I still support the work they so.
    I want to wish you all a happy 2010, but please, before MJ is just another strip town in Tennesse, lets thinks about making a Town with a heart, with services for all, and taxation that is fair to all. JC in MJ

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