Good Afternoon MJ:
Wow, check out the progress on North Mt. Juliet Road this week! Work crews are entering one of the more difficult sections of the project, the intersection with the train tracks and West Division, but things are going really well right now. There’s lot of things going on all along the road, so remember, take it easy on the speed and drive with care.
As a reminder, Wilson County Mayor Hutto and County Veteran Affairs Officer J.C. Satterfield hold office hours once a month (the last Wednesday of the month) at MJ’s City Hall, starting at 8:30. You can make an appointment with the Mayor’s assistant at 443-1383 or drop in. The next visit will be this coming Wednesday, 31 August.
The MJ Animal Shelter is running a special for these “dog days” of August. All dogs are $55.00, and that includes all required shots and spaying or neutering. You can check out the animal inventory on-line at the city’s web page (www.cityofmtjuliet.org) Speaking of deals. This Saturday, starting at 8:00 a.m., is MJ’s “World Famous” Flea Market/Yard Sale. This promises to be a good one, because as of this writing we’ve got nearly 40 vendors. There’s still a couple booths left and time to purchase them. Call 758-6522 for details. Vendor or buyer, this Saturday morning (from 8:00 till 1200) the place for your early holiday shopping is right here in MJ at the Charlie Daniels Rec Center.
Movies in the Park: Our next and final film feature of the summer will be Friday, 2 September, at the amphitheater at Charlie Daniels Park. Bring your family and friends out at dusk for an evening under the stars with that “Better than the Average Bear” Yogi, and his trusty sidekick, Boo Boo.
Cook’s United Methodist Church will be selling barbecue and ribs on Saturday, September 3. Pulled pork sells for $7.50/lb. and a slab of ribs (approximately 4 lbs.) sells for $25. Sounds like a mouth watering deal doesn’t it! The meat will be available for pick-up at the church from 12-3 pm on Saturday. Proceeds will be used to support the needy in our community. Orders may be placed by contacting Joyce Gaines at kwgain@yahoo.com. Or call Joyce at 513-4318.
Since 1971, 26 August, has been declared “Women’s Equality Day” in the U.S. The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention, in Seneca Falls, New York. Observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality. Well done Ladies.
There’s a couple of church affiliated organizations conducting African mission trips in the near future that I’d like to mention as we close out this week’s update. The first EMI, Engineering Ministries International, will be taking on upgrading three hospitals in Freetown, Sierra Leone. EMI partners professional, Christian engineers together for construction or restitution efforts in third world countries. This year, 10 engineers will travel to Freetown to work on the infrastructure of several hospitals in one of the poorest nations on the globe. Spearheading the Nashville-based contingent is Mt. Juliet’s own Mr. Marlin Keel, BS, MS, Vanderbilt University. The team departs in a couple weeks.
Another mission with a sizeable Mt. Juliet team will head for Zimbabwe in early October. Operating under the auspices of the United Methodist Church, the “Project Tariro Awareness Tour” travels to the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, focusing their work on HIV and AIDS prevention and control while also establishing a sewing ministry for residents. At one time nearly a third of Zimbabwe’s population had AIDS or HIV, and even today close to 15% do. The average life span in this nation under 40. As part of their program, the Project Tariro group will be purchasing manual sewing machine ($90.00 each) once they’re in country; taking them to the city of Mutare, where they’ll provide classes and instruction on sewing infant diapers and other essential clothing items.
Want to help? For EMI’s Sierra Leone mission, call Mr. Keel at 758-2560. POC for Project Tariro is Dr. Paul Van Buren, a Mt. Juliet resident, who can be reach at 758-4635. Remember, Tennessee is the Volunteer State. For so very little you can make a huge impact in the lives of those who need so much.
Remember, share this note, and how to sign up on Nixle with your family and friends. Take care, God Bless and talk with you later.
R. Robertson
Showing posts with label Movie in the Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movie in the Park. Show all posts
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Update: August 3, 2011
Good Morning MJ:
There’s a special event that just popped up today that I wanted to pass along to readers. At 3:30, in Charlie Daniels Park, a ribbon cutting ceremony will open “Squirrel’s Run” Tot Park to the rear of the Rec Center by Planet Playground. What make “Squirrel’s Run” special is its namesake, Sam Clark, AKA: “Squirrel”. Sam was the infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Herby Clark, who passed away with SIDS not too long ago. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have lead the charge to capture donations that helped build “Squirrel’s Run”. At last count, through their efforts, over $12k was dedicated in Sam’s memory. It’s a hot day, and there’s lots of things going on, but if you have a chance, stop by and show the Clark’s how much you appreciate their efforts.
Thanks to the hundreds of volunteers and members of the MJPD who turned out last night for National Night Out. Also, a special thanks to Providence Market Place for serving as our host and to Corporal Tyler Chandler of the MJPD for some great planning and coordination. Most people have no idea how much time and effort goes into pulling off a program like this, but it’s this kind of event that speaks to the tremendous close knit fabric that makes up our community.
Movie in the Park. Friday, 5 August, Charlie Daniels Park, Starts at Dusk. Great Family classic film, Aladdin. See you there.
This note goes out to the thousands of you on Nixle or who use the city’s web page. Mr. Taylor, our IT Director, recently shared some data from January to EOM July of this year that you may find fascinating:
We had over 118k hits from 86 countries . . . Wow!
Of the 118k hits, over 50k of them were absolute unique visitors . . . Bigger Wow!
The average time spent on site was 2 minutes and 39 seconds; viewers are not just flipping through.
Other than here in the U.S., in order of use our international visitors come from Canada; India; the United Kingdom; and our friends in Germany.
The top page visited is our “Online Services” followed by Parks.
Nearly 2k visits were made to the CM blog with over 1200 unique visitors.
There’s over 2k Nixle users.
Pretty powerful stuff. Thanks to all of you who follow MJ.
Good start to the school year. The MJPD reports no serious issues or major traffic concerns as school opened up on Monday. We do ask those of you who frequent Charlie Daniels Park most weekdays for football or cheerleading to please use caution and take it slow; the parking lot is full and there’s lots of children running around. Consider joining the Rec Center and come in out of the heat while you are waiting. We have a great exercise room!
On a final note, Mrs. Shirley Benjamin, one of the city’s followers, asked me to forward this timely advise about how to rescue pets locked in cars during these steamy days of summer. Thanks for the reminder Mrs. Benjamin.
Step 1: Try to Locate the Pet Parent
(You can ask most stores to do this.)
Step 2: Educate
Explain the dangers of leaving a pet in a hot car. Make sure the pet gets out of the car as soon as possible.
Step 3: Call 911
Fourteen states have enacted specific laws that protect dogs in hot cars, as have many municipalities—but even in places lacking such a law, leaving an animal in a hot car may constitute cruelty.
Step 4: Pat Yourself on the Back
Pets are counting on people like you to save their lives.
Until next time take care and God Bless.
R. Robertson
There’s a special event that just popped up today that I wanted to pass along to readers. At 3:30, in Charlie Daniels Park, a ribbon cutting ceremony will open “Squirrel’s Run” Tot Park to the rear of the Rec Center by Planet Playground. What make “Squirrel’s Run” special is its namesake, Sam Clark, AKA: “Squirrel”. Sam was the infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Herby Clark, who passed away with SIDS not too long ago. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have lead the charge to capture donations that helped build “Squirrel’s Run”. At last count, through their efforts, over $12k was dedicated in Sam’s memory. It’s a hot day, and there’s lots of things going on, but if you have a chance, stop by and show the Clark’s how much you appreciate their efforts.
Thanks to the hundreds of volunteers and members of the MJPD who turned out last night for National Night Out. Also, a special thanks to Providence Market Place for serving as our host and to Corporal Tyler Chandler of the MJPD for some great planning and coordination. Most people have no idea how much time and effort goes into pulling off a program like this, but it’s this kind of event that speaks to the tremendous close knit fabric that makes up our community.
Movie in the Park. Friday, 5 August, Charlie Daniels Park, Starts at Dusk. Great Family classic film, Aladdin. See you there.
This note goes out to the thousands of you on Nixle or who use the city’s web page. Mr. Taylor, our IT Director, recently shared some data from January to EOM July of this year that you may find fascinating:
We had over 118k hits from 86 countries . . . Wow!
Of the 118k hits, over 50k of them were absolute unique visitors . . . Bigger Wow!
The average time spent on site was 2 minutes and 39 seconds; viewers are not just flipping through.
Other than here in the U.S., in order of use our international visitors come from Canada; India; the United Kingdom; and our friends in Germany.
The top page visited is our “Online Services” followed by Parks.
Nearly 2k visits were made to the CM blog with over 1200 unique visitors.
There’s over 2k Nixle users.
Pretty powerful stuff. Thanks to all of you who follow MJ.
Good start to the school year. The MJPD reports no serious issues or major traffic concerns as school opened up on Monday. We do ask those of you who frequent Charlie Daniels Park most weekdays for football or cheerleading to please use caution and take it slow; the parking lot is full and there’s lots of children running around. Consider joining the Rec Center and come in out of the heat while you are waiting. We have a great exercise room!
On a final note, Mrs. Shirley Benjamin, one of the city’s followers, asked me to forward this timely advise about how to rescue pets locked in cars during these steamy days of summer. Thanks for the reminder Mrs. Benjamin.
Step 1: Try to Locate the Pet Parent
(You can ask most stores to do this.)
Step 2: Educate
Explain the dangers of leaving a pet in a hot car. Make sure the pet gets out of the car as soon as possible.
Step 3: Call 911
Fourteen states have enacted specific laws that protect dogs in hot cars, as have many municipalities—but even in places lacking such a law, leaving an animal in a hot car may constitute cruelty.
Step 4: Pat Yourself on the Back
Pets are counting on people like you to save their lives.
Until next time take care and God Bless.
R. Robertson
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Update: July 30, 2011
Good Morning MJ:
Here's a few items of interest and FYI's:
1. Parents: if you haven't checked out the new Tot Park inside Charlie Daniels Park then take the kids out this weekend for a real treat. Thanks to the work of many and the kind donation by the Clark Family in honor of their son better known as "Squirrel", MJ's Charlie Daniels Park has added a whole new state-of-the-art play area for our youngest citizens. We hope to dedicate the play area to "Squirrel" next week, but from all indications the concrete will be dry on the area walkway this weekend, so check it out.
2. Movie in the Park, next Friday, starting at dusk. We're between 150 to 200 film buffs each month at our family oriented films. This one should be particularly fun to the young and young at heart . . . so says Yogi and Boo Boo! It all takes place at the amphitheater in Charlie Daniels Park, Friday, 5 August.
3. Calling all Volunteers: Your Animal Shelter needs you. It's summer and the numbers are up; adoptions are down. Right now there's a wide variety of dogs, and even more cats to choose from. Want to do more; consider being a Shelter volunteer or give to the Shelter's non-profit. It's tax deductible! For more info just call or stop by the MJ Animal Shelter on Industrial Drive. Speaking of Animals, between 12:00 and 3:00 pay a visit to the MJ Dairy Queen on Lebanon Road today. $1 of every "Blizzard" sold goes to the Shelter's non-profit, and there'll be dogs ready for adoption. It promises to be a great day for a cool treat.
4. School is back in session this Monday so commuters should plan accordingly. Remember to give yourself a little extra time, particularly if your trip involves travel on North Mt. Juliet Road (NMJR). Speaking of NMJR, things are really starting to take shape there; curbing, sidewalks, sod, and even asphalt is starting to go down. The end is in sight.
5. With the help of the MJPD, MJ will celebrate National Night Out on Tuesday, 2 August. National Night Out is a family oriented event that couples various businesses around the city, the MJ community and the MJPD together for an evening of fun. Be at Providence Market Place this coming Tuesday, starting at 5:00 p.m. There'll be tons of freebies.
6. Lookin' for something different to do? Bring your four legged best friend to MJ South Park (off Belinda Parkway) and check out the MJ Bark Park. Usually Fido will see lots of others friends playing at this hidden city jewel. Not into dogs? Try a round of Frisbee Golf at Mundy Park. It's free! Don't have just the right disc? You can even rent them at Charlie Daniels Park and drop em' right there at Mundy.
7. Wondering what's all the construction on Lebanon Road? TDOT is repaving Lebanon Road from the Davidson County line to Park Glen Road. This $1.2m project is expected to take 45 to 60 days, but all work is scheduled to be done between 8:00 p.m. at night and 5:00 a.m. in the morning. As an added benefit look for new bike lanes and associated signage when the project is done. Thanks TDOT!
8. Can you say "Community Resilience?" There'll be much more on this over the next few months, but MJ has the unique opportunity to be one of 10 cities in the United States selected to participate in a federal pilot program examining how a community prepares and recovers from a terrorist attack, man-made or natural disaster, and even an economic catastrophe. Pretty timely stuff considering what recently happened in Joplin, Missouri; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and last week, Oslo, Norway. Keep tuned.
8. On a final note, a personal thanks to the men who make up the MJ contingent of volunteer firefighters at Station 3 of WEMA. These trained and ready professionals have done an exceptional job supplementing the full timers at Station 3 for now going on 2 years. With all the recent media and talk about fire and emergency services the last few months, we don't hear much about these outstanding fellows who volunteer on their own time. Thanks for all you do Gentlemen.
Take care and talk with you later.
R. Robertson
Here's a few items of interest and FYI's:
1. Parents: if you haven't checked out the new Tot Park inside Charlie Daniels Park then take the kids out this weekend for a real treat. Thanks to the work of many and the kind donation by the Clark Family in honor of their son better known as "Squirrel", MJ's Charlie Daniels Park has added a whole new state-of-the-art play area for our youngest citizens. We hope to dedicate the play area to "Squirrel" next week, but from all indications the concrete will be dry on the area walkway this weekend, so check it out.
2. Movie in the Park, next Friday, starting at dusk. We're between 150 to 200 film buffs each month at our family oriented films. This one should be particularly fun to the young and young at heart . . . so says Yogi and Boo Boo! It all takes place at the amphitheater in Charlie Daniels Park, Friday, 5 August.
3. Calling all Volunteers: Your Animal Shelter needs you. It's summer and the numbers are up; adoptions are down. Right now there's a wide variety of dogs, and even more cats to choose from. Want to do more; consider being a Shelter volunteer or give to the Shelter's non-profit. It's tax deductible! For more info just call or stop by the MJ Animal Shelter on Industrial Drive. Speaking of Animals, between 12:00 and 3:00 pay a visit to the MJ Dairy Queen on Lebanon Road today. $1 of every "Blizzard" sold goes to the Shelter's non-profit, and there'll be dogs ready for adoption. It promises to be a great day for a cool treat.
4. School is back in session this Monday so commuters should plan accordingly. Remember to give yourself a little extra time, particularly if your trip involves travel on North Mt. Juliet Road (NMJR). Speaking of NMJR, things are really starting to take shape there; curbing, sidewalks, sod, and even asphalt is starting to go down. The end is in sight.
5. With the help of the MJPD, MJ will celebrate National Night Out on Tuesday, 2 August. National Night Out is a family oriented event that couples various businesses around the city, the MJ community and the MJPD together for an evening of fun. Be at Providence Market Place this coming Tuesday, starting at 5:00 p.m. There'll be tons of freebies.
6. Lookin' for something different to do? Bring your four legged best friend to MJ South Park (off Belinda Parkway) and check out the MJ Bark Park. Usually Fido will see lots of others friends playing at this hidden city jewel. Not into dogs? Try a round of Frisbee Golf at Mundy Park. It's free! Don't have just the right disc? You can even rent them at Charlie Daniels Park and drop em' right there at Mundy.
7. Wondering what's all the construction on Lebanon Road? TDOT is repaving Lebanon Road from the Davidson County line to Park Glen Road. This $1.2m project is expected to take 45 to 60 days, but all work is scheduled to be done between 8:00 p.m. at night and 5:00 a.m. in the morning. As an added benefit look for new bike lanes and associated signage when the project is done. Thanks TDOT!
8. Can you say "Community Resilience?" There'll be much more on this over the next few months, but MJ has the unique opportunity to be one of 10 cities in the United States selected to participate in a federal pilot program examining how a community prepares and recovers from a terrorist attack, man-made or natural disaster, and even an economic catastrophe. Pretty timely stuff considering what recently happened in Joplin, Missouri; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and last week, Oslo, Norway. Keep tuned.
8. On a final note, a personal thanks to the men who make up the MJ contingent of volunteer firefighters at Station 3 of WEMA. These trained and ready professionals have done an exceptional job supplementing the full timers at Station 3 for now going on 2 years. With all the recent media and talk about fire and emergency services the last few months, we don't hear much about these outstanding fellows who volunteer on their own time. Thanks for all you do Gentlemen.
Take care and talk with you later.
R. Robertson
Friday, July 1, 2011
Update: July 1, 2011
Good Afternoon MJ:
Welcome to your 4 July edition of the City Manager Blog. Here's a few items of interest:
1. Movie in the Park. Tonight (Friday, 1 July). "The Goonies", an 80's something family film (some mild language). Starts at dusk at Charlie Daniels Park. Free popcorn. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy this warm summer evening with a classic.
2. MJ's 4 July Firework Fest. Did you read The Tennessean the other day where a news writer noted MJ has one of the largest 4 July firework displays in Middle Tennessee? Much of the credit goes to Mr. Tom Needham, of Needham's Nursery, who foots a large part of the bill. Join MJ'ers and thousands of others Monday night at Providence Mall. Fireworks are scheduled to start at 9:00 p.m. By the way, if you would like to help Tom out with the expenses, just drop by Needham's Nursery on Lebanon Road.
3. Thanks to LoJac, WWUD, Piedmont, MTEMC, TDS, TDOT and others for some great work the last few weeks on the North Mt. Juliet Road widening project. Despite the region being about 4" above normal rainfall for the year, the project is coming along well. There will be a monthly project update next week, so more details will be available then, but suffice to say, we're looking forward to the road being "driveable" late this Fall.
4. New Businesses: Kassie Wiley has opened a law office at 541 North Mt. Juliet Road; the grand "reopening" of ACE Hardware on North Mt. Juliet Road (NMJR) under new management has occured; Roadhouse Subs will be located in Providence Commons (by Publix #2); and Las Compadres Mexican Restaurant on Lebanon Rd. will soon open their doors. Some others to report on include an expanded MAPCO Station at the intersection of NMJR and Lebanon Road has gotten underway. The current station will close down on/about 18 July, with the new one opening 60 to 90 days later. Firestone Tires will open a new store at the Paddocks (behind Cheddars) in the next month or so; and work is underway for Lexcon Insurance (on Lebanon Rd), which, when done will be about a 40k square foot facility employing up to 150. MJ is on the move!
5. Several weeks ago I reported about donations to the City, and marveled at over $850k worth of materials or time had been given by businesses, churches, groups and individuals over the last couple years. Just a quick update shows that number continues to grow with more than $2k in items donated for the "Community Conversation", a reconditioned pick up truck from Two Rivers Ford valued at more $4k; $1k in tires and wheels from Goodyear; a new lawn mower from 2 Rivers Church and $500 for outdoor equipment from Life Assembly Church. Right now our roster is bumping up around $900k, and that's not including the time of our volunteers at the MJ Animal Shelter or today's $500 donation to the Shelter's non profit. Mayor Hagerty stated it best at the Community Conversation when he said we are blessed to live in such a unique city. I'll have another big announcement regarding "donations" to the city the next time I write.
That's all for this time. Take care and God Bless. Have a happy and safe 4th.
R. Robertson
Welcome to your 4 July edition of the City Manager Blog. Here's a few items of interest:
1. Movie in the Park. Tonight (Friday, 1 July). "The Goonies", an 80's something family film (some mild language). Starts at dusk at Charlie Daniels Park. Free popcorn. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy this warm summer evening with a classic.
2. MJ's 4 July Firework Fest. Did you read The Tennessean the other day where a news writer noted MJ has one of the largest 4 July firework displays in Middle Tennessee? Much of the credit goes to Mr. Tom Needham, of Needham's Nursery, who foots a large part of the bill. Join MJ'ers and thousands of others Monday night at Providence Mall. Fireworks are scheduled to start at 9:00 p.m. By the way, if you would like to help Tom out with the expenses, just drop by Needham's Nursery on Lebanon Road.
3. Thanks to LoJac, WWUD, Piedmont, MTEMC, TDS, TDOT and others for some great work the last few weeks on the North Mt. Juliet Road widening project. Despite the region being about 4" above normal rainfall for the year, the project is coming along well. There will be a monthly project update next week, so more details will be available then, but suffice to say, we're looking forward to the road being "driveable" late this Fall.
4. New Businesses: Kassie Wiley has opened a law office at 541 North Mt. Juliet Road; the grand "reopening" of ACE Hardware on North Mt. Juliet Road (NMJR) under new management has occured; Roadhouse Subs will be located in Providence Commons (by Publix #2); and Las Compadres Mexican Restaurant on Lebanon Rd. will soon open their doors. Some others to report on include an expanded MAPCO Station at the intersection of NMJR and Lebanon Road has gotten underway. The current station will close down on/about 18 July, with the new one opening 60 to 90 days later. Firestone Tires will open a new store at the Paddocks (behind Cheddars) in the next month or so; and work is underway for Lexcon Insurance (on Lebanon Rd), which, when done will be about a 40k square foot facility employing up to 150. MJ is on the move!
5. Several weeks ago I reported about donations to the City, and marveled at over $850k worth of materials or time had been given by businesses, churches, groups and individuals over the last couple years. Just a quick update shows that number continues to grow with more than $2k in items donated for the "Community Conversation", a reconditioned pick up truck from Two Rivers Ford valued at more $4k; $1k in tires and wheels from Goodyear; a new lawn mower from 2 Rivers Church and $500 for outdoor equipment from Life Assembly Church. Right now our roster is bumping up around $900k, and that's not including the time of our volunteers at the MJ Animal Shelter or today's $500 donation to the Shelter's non profit. Mayor Hagerty stated it best at the Community Conversation when he said we are blessed to live in such a unique city. I'll have another big announcement regarding "donations" to the city the next time I write.
That's all for this time. Take care and God Bless. Have a happy and safe 4th.
R. Robertson
Friday, June 24, 2011
Update: June 24, 2011
Good Evening MJ:
First thanks to the more than 500 individuals who attended last night’s “Community Conversation” at MJ High School. The crowd was larger than expected, particularly for a warm weeknight evening. This possibly accentuates the interest in the information shared between the Board of Commissioners and those that were there. One interesting note was the number of clickers issued and statistics collected on the questions towards the middle and end of the night indicated the crowd continued to grow as the session progressed. And unlike a usual public hearing no one left early. Over the next few weeks we’ll be talking more about the Conversation, but for now, again, thanks to all those who came out and made your opinions known last night.
We also want to extend a special thanks to those who helped sponsor last night’s event: D.T. McCalls & Sons; H@H Supply; Mayer Electric; the Del Webb Women’s Club & Lowe’s; Corner Pub Between the Lakes; the Wilson County Joint Economic Development Board; Publix’s; Marita Wolf’s Quilter’s Path and the MJ Chamber of Commerce. Your contributions made the night even more memorable.
Our next “Movie in the Park” will be at Charlie Daniels Park on Friday, 1 July, starting about 8:30. It’s the 80’s classic, The Goonies.
Cook’s United Methodist Church will be presenting a musical Independence Day celebration featuring performances from several local musicians. The event will also honor Tyler Cates and Michael Stansbery, who were MJ natives and killed during military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The event starts at 4 pm, on Sunday, 3 July. Cook’s is at 7919 Lebanon Rd.
The City of MJ and Tom Needham, of Needham’s Nursery, are gearing up for this year’s 4 July Fireworks Festival. Those of you who’ve been around MJ for a while know our 4 July fireworks display is one of the best in Middle Tennessee, thanks in most part to Tom’s personal donations and his expertise his shooting large firework shells. Providence Mall will be hosting various musical events throughout the late afternoon of the 4th with the main show scheduled to kick off at dusk (around 9:00 pm.). Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and come out for an evening of great family fun and visual delights. Anyway, if you were planning to take the Music City Star to the Nashville fireworks, the train is sold out.
The Animals of MJ want to extend a special thanks to Karen Lowe and the crew of the Eastern Middle TN Assn. REALTORS for the much needed supplies they donated today (over $400 worth). Remember, there’s lots of cats to choose from at your Shelter and specials on them through the end of the month. Now is the time to get the pick of the litter and a “forever friend.” When you visit, take time to consider possibly joining the “Greenshirters” as a Shelter volunteer. It could be the experience of a lifetime.
A final “thank you” this week goes out to 2 Rivers Ford, Goodyear and Life Assembly Church for their kind donations to field and equip our first ever “Community Enhancement Vehicle.” Now you’re probably asking what is a Community Enhancement Vehicle (CEV)? The CEV is the brainchild of Mr. Kenny Martin. His goal was to fully equip a pickup truck to conduct maintenance work around the city by volunteers. We often have city employees who volunteer to pick up trash, or clean the curbs of the city. Kenny’s goal was to provide them with a vehicle and the tools to do that; thus increasing interest, while at the same time providing any volunteer groups with the same capabilities. For example, this weekend a couple of local churches plan to clean up around the I-40/MJ Road intersection. The thanks goes to 2 Rivers for donating a reliable utility vehicle and identifying it with the city’s logo, Goodyear, who donated over $1k of wheels and tires, and Life Assembly Church for their $500.00 donation of materials to use in this effort. This just speaks to the uniqueness and generosity of our community. A salute for a well done goes to Mr. Martin.
That’s all for this edition. Take care and have a great weekend.
R. Robertson
First thanks to the more than 500 individuals who attended last night’s “Community Conversation” at MJ High School. The crowd was larger than expected, particularly for a warm weeknight evening. This possibly accentuates the interest in the information shared between the Board of Commissioners and those that were there. One interesting note was the number of clickers issued and statistics collected on the questions towards the middle and end of the night indicated the crowd continued to grow as the session progressed. And unlike a usual public hearing no one left early. Over the next few weeks we’ll be talking more about the Conversation, but for now, again, thanks to all those who came out and made your opinions known last night.
We also want to extend a special thanks to those who helped sponsor last night’s event: D.T. McCalls & Sons; H@H Supply; Mayer Electric; the Del Webb Women’s Club & Lowe’s; Corner Pub Between the Lakes; the Wilson County Joint Economic Development Board; Publix’s; Marita Wolf’s Quilter’s Path and the MJ Chamber of Commerce. Your contributions made the night even more memorable.
Our next “Movie in the Park” will be at Charlie Daniels Park on Friday, 1 July, starting about 8:30. It’s the 80’s classic, The Goonies.
Cook’s United Methodist Church will be presenting a musical Independence Day celebration featuring performances from several local musicians. The event will also honor Tyler Cates and Michael Stansbery, who were MJ natives and killed during military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The event starts at 4 pm, on Sunday, 3 July. Cook’s is at 7919 Lebanon Rd.
The City of MJ and Tom Needham, of Needham’s Nursery, are gearing up for this year’s 4 July Fireworks Festival. Those of you who’ve been around MJ for a while know our 4 July fireworks display is one of the best in Middle Tennessee, thanks in most part to Tom’s personal donations and his expertise his shooting large firework shells. Providence Mall will be hosting various musical events throughout the late afternoon of the 4th with the main show scheduled to kick off at dusk (around 9:00 pm.). Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and come out for an evening of great family fun and visual delights. Anyway, if you were planning to take the Music City Star to the Nashville fireworks, the train is sold out.
The Animals of MJ want to extend a special thanks to Karen Lowe and the crew of the Eastern Middle TN Assn. REALTORS for the much needed supplies they donated today (over $400 worth). Remember, there’s lots of cats to choose from at your Shelter and specials on them through the end of the month. Now is the time to get the pick of the litter and a “forever friend.” When you visit, take time to consider possibly joining the “Greenshirters” as a Shelter volunteer. It could be the experience of a lifetime.
A final “thank you” this week goes out to 2 Rivers Ford, Goodyear and Life Assembly Church for their kind donations to field and equip our first ever “Community Enhancement Vehicle.” Now you’re probably asking what is a Community Enhancement Vehicle (CEV)? The CEV is the brainchild of Mr. Kenny Martin. His goal was to fully equip a pickup truck to conduct maintenance work around the city by volunteers. We often have city employees who volunteer to pick up trash, or clean the curbs of the city. Kenny’s goal was to provide them with a vehicle and the tools to do that; thus increasing interest, while at the same time providing any volunteer groups with the same capabilities. For example, this weekend a couple of local churches plan to clean up around the I-40/MJ Road intersection. The thanks goes to 2 Rivers for donating a reliable utility vehicle and identifying it with the city’s logo, Goodyear, who donated over $1k of wheels and tires, and Life Assembly Church for their $500.00 donation of materials to use in this effort. This just speaks to the uniqueness and generosity of our community. A salute for a well done goes to Mr. Martin.
That’s all for this edition. Take care and have a great weekend.
R. Robertson
Friday, May 27, 2011
Update: May 27, 2011
Good Afternoon MJ:
Happy Memorial Day Weekend. Memorial Day was first known as Decoration Day, a day to commemorate U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. Enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars. President Abraham Lincoln said, "Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure." This Memorial Day, may we remember our American heroes. May we honor their sacrifice. And as we remember them, may we be inspired to follow their leadership and continue their legacy of patriotic service. The City of Mt Juliet, the Taylor Cates Chapter of the American Legion, and Bond Memorial Chapel will host their annual Memorial Day service on Monday, 30 May, at 10:00a.m., at the Bond Memorial Chapel on Mt. Juliet Road. Please come and honor those who gave all for their county.
Our first “Movie in the Park” for the summer is “Grease." Showtime is dusk, on Friday, 3 June. Bring the family (. . . or a date), a picnic and a blanket or chairs.
We’re fast approaching a unique event in the life of our community, MJ’s first Free Health and Wellness Day, scheduled for Charlie Daniels Park, Saturday, 4 June, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Over 30 stations will set up in the gym, providing services or advice on all aspects personal and family health. Co-sponsored by University Medical Center, the Mt Juliet Parks and Recreation Department and Precision Eye Care, our health care professionals include physicians, several dentists, psychologists, audiologists, podiatrists, nursing specialists, optometrists, massage therapist, and chiropractors. Services include cholesterol and glucose screening, blood pressure reviews, hearing and vision exams, mental counseling, dental review including “tooth printing” for children (. . . for identification), and much more. And it is all FREE! A large crowd is expected, so for the best service we suggest coming after 11:00. Again, 4 June, Charlie Daniels Rec Center, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. There will even be inflatables outside for the kids and a face painting area. See you there.
Another upcoming event you’ll certainly want to be a part of is our “MJ Community Conversation” tentatively scheduled for Thursday evening, 23 June, at the Mt. Juliet High School. Here’s the chance to hear from and talk to City Commissioners and leaders as well engage with citizens from across the community about issues and concerns ranging from fire and emergency services to police, parks and roads. For this to truly to be effective, lots of citizens from all age groups need to be there. Through presentations, a series of questions to the audience and technology that provides real time feedback, we plan to provide the audience with information about community expectations, capabilities, resources and potentials. To top it all off, there’ll be some great prizes. Here a chance to share your vision for Mt. Juliet. Be a part of it. More to follow later.
On a final note, our community has been bombarded by one of the wettest and windiest Spring’s in recent history, and as a result the MJ Public Works crews have valiantly struggled to keep up with chipping services. The challenge . . . when clean up of one area is nearly done, another storm and a whole new set of damaged trees and debris is added to the mix. Moreland Farms, Clearview, and other residential clusters along Old Lebanon Dirt road were the first struck, but before the cleanup was done another round of storms damaged areas in Oakmont, Curd Rd, and portions of Park Glen; and again last week when a line of storms battered the Villages of Belinda City. While MJ is one of the most economical communities in Tennessee, there are some trade-offs, one of which are the resources available for chipping services. Several weeks ago the City leased a second chipper and reassigned manpower from other missions to assist with chipping. After last week’s storms rolled through another chipper has been rented and scheduled to start work next week. Public Works crews continue to make their normal rounds but it will be a long slog as we struggle to catch up. Please be patient. For information on the chipper service, or to keep posted where the chipping crews stands, visit the City of Mt. Juliet web site (www.cityofmtjuliet.org) and click on “New Chipper Service Notification” on the right side of the menu.
Take care MJ.
R. Robertson
Happy Memorial Day Weekend. Memorial Day was first known as Decoration Day, a day to commemorate U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. Enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars. President Abraham Lincoln said, "Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure." This Memorial Day, may we remember our American heroes. May we honor their sacrifice. And as we remember them, may we be inspired to follow their leadership and continue their legacy of patriotic service. The City of Mt Juliet, the Taylor Cates Chapter of the American Legion, and Bond Memorial Chapel will host their annual Memorial Day service on Monday, 30 May, at 10:00a.m., at the Bond Memorial Chapel on Mt. Juliet Road. Please come and honor those who gave all for their county.
Our first “Movie in the Park” for the summer is “Grease." Showtime is dusk, on Friday, 3 June. Bring the family (. . . or a date), a picnic and a blanket or chairs.
We’re fast approaching a unique event in the life of our community, MJ’s first Free Health and Wellness Day, scheduled for Charlie Daniels Park, Saturday, 4 June, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Over 30 stations will set up in the gym, providing services or advice on all aspects personal and family health. Co-sponsored by University Medical Center, the Mt Juliet Parks and Recreation Department and Precision Eye Care, our health care professionals include physicians, several dentists, psychologists, audiologists, podiatrists, nursing specialists, optometrists, massage therapist, and chiropractors. Services include cholesterol and glucose screening, blood pressure reviews, hearing and vision exams, mental counseling, dental review including “tooth printing” for children (. . . for identification), and much more. And it is all FREE! A large crowd is expected, so for the best service we suggest coming after 11:00. Again, 4 June, Charlie Daniels Rec Center, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. There will even be inflatables outside for the kids and a face painting area. See you there.
Another upcoming event you’ll certainly want to be a part of is our “MJ Community Conversation” tentatively scheduled for Thursday evening, 23 June, at the Mt. Juliet High School. Here’s the chance to hear from and talk to City Commissioners and leaders as well engage with citizens from across the community about issues and concerns ranging from fire and emergency services to police, parks and roads. For this to truly to be effective, lots of citizens from all age groups need to be there. Through presentations, a series of questions to the audience and technology that provides real time feedback, we plan to provide the audience with information about community expectations, capabilities, resources and potentials. To top it all off, there’ll be some great prizes. Here a chance to share your vision for Mt. Juliet. Be a part of it. More to follow later.
On a final note, our community has been bombarded by one of the wettest and windiest Spring’s in recent history, and as a result the MJ Public Works crews have valiantly struggled to keep up with chipping services. The challenge . . . when clean up of one area is nearly done, another storm and a whole new set of damaged trees and debris is added to the mix. Moreland Farms, Clearview, and other residential clusters along Old Lebanon Dirt road were the first struck, but before the cleanup was done another round of storms damaged areas in Oakmont, Curd Rd, and portions of Park Glen; and again last week when a line of storms battered the Villages of Belinda City. While MJ is one of the most economical communities in Tennessee, there are some trade-offs, one of which are the resources available for chipping services. Several weeks ago the City leased a second chipper and reassigned manpower from other missions to assist with chipping. After last week’s storms rolled through another chipper has been rented and scheduled to start work next week. Public Works crews continue to make their normal rounds but it will be a long slog as we struggle to catch up. Please be patient. For information on the chipper service, or to keep posted where the chipping crews stands, visit the City of Mt. Juliet web site (www.cityofmtjuliet.org) and click on “New Chipper Service Notification” on the right side of the menu.
Take care MJ.
R. Robertson
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Update: May 11, 2011
Good morning:
Here’s a quick update on upcoming Mt. Juliet community events. We hope you will join us and invite your friends. Please pass this email on to others.
20-21 May: Relay for Life: Friday, 6:00 p.m. to Saturday morning, 6:00 a.m. Charlie Daniels Park. This is the largest fund raising activity conducted by American Cancer Society. The goal is to raise over $30K to help fight one of America’s greatest killing diseases. Teams are still forming. For more info or to sign up, call Cassy Thompson at 308-3557, or anyone at Charlie Daniels Park, 758-6522.
21 May: Wounded Warrior 5k Run/Walk: Starts at 9:00 a.m. Charlie Daniels Park. Proceeds go to America’s Wounded Warrior Project. For more info or to sign up, call Ryan Armstrong at 289-9181 or anyone at Charlie Daniels Park, 758-6522.
21 May: Armed Forces Day Celebration: Starts at 11:00 a.m. Charlie Daniels Park. Short presentations by MG Max Haston, The Adjutant General, Tennessee, Representative Jim Cooper, with recognition of Mr. Acie McFarland, WWII vet and vets/wounded from other wars. Static military displays and equipment including a Blackhawk helicopter. Info is available at the Charlie Daniels front desk, 758-6522.
22 May: Flagpole Ribbon Cutting: Starts at 12:30 p.m. at the Life Assembly Church, Pleasant Grove Church, across from Wal-Mart. Come join LTG (ret) John Pickler, Vietnam Vet, former Director of the Army Staff and a survivor of the Pentagon 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the congregation of Life Assembly as it unveils the new 180’ flagpole that will be a poignant addition to the city’s southern skyline. The ceremony should last no more than 45 minutes.
30 May: Memorial Day Ceremony: Starts at 10:00 a.m., at the Veterans Memorial at Bond Funeral Home on Mt. Juliet Road/Weston Dr. Join vets, families & friends and members of the MJPD Color Guard as they pay tribute to our fallen heroes. For info call Mr. Stephen DeBord, at (276) 706-1919.
3 June: MJ’s Movie in the Park: Starts at dusk, at Charlie Daniels Park. Bring your blankets and chairs for a night of family fun. Watch the city’s web page for the title of the inaugural edition of this classic summertime event.
4 June: Community Health Day: Starts at 9:00 a.m. and runs to 1:00 p.m., Mt. Juliet Community Center at Charlie Daniels Park. University Medical Center brings together over 30 health related stations, several physicians along with medical professionals to provide absolutely free health assessments and medical info at the city’s first Health Day. For more info call reps at the Charlie Daniels Park, 758-6522.
Finally: Want to make a positive difference in our community? Take the Pepsi Refresh Project Challenge and place an on-line vote for Ava's Splash Pad at Charlie Daniels Park. You may recall just a few weeks ago MJ celebrated Ava's parents’ efforts to build a splash park at Charlie Daniels by holding "Ava's Run for a Reason", with thousands of runners and walkers raising nearly $50k towards this magnificent initiative. Just being selected to participate in the "Pepsi Refresh Project" is a tremendous honor, since only a handful of projects across the country are chosen. Here's how you can help . . . Vote now, Vote every day. Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/build-avas-splashpad or Text: 106253 to Pepsi (73774). By the way, if we win one of the $50k grand prizes, a private donor has agreed to do an equal match!
Take care MJ and talk with you later.
R. Robertson
Here’s a quick update on upcoming Mt. Juliet community events. We hope you will join us and invite your friends. Please pass this email on to others.
20-21 May: Relay for Life: Friday, 6:00 p.m. to Saturday morning, 6:00 a.m. Charlie Daniels Park. This is the largest fund raising activity conducted by American Cancer Society. The goal is to raise over $30K to help fight one of America’s greatest killing diseases. Teams are still forming. For more info or to sign up, call Cassy Thompson at 308-3557, or anyone at Charlie Daniels Park, 758-6522.
21 May: Wounded Warrior 5k Run/Walk: Starts at 9:00 a.m. Charlie Daniels Park. Proceeds go to America’s Wounded Warrior Project. For more info or to sign up, call Ryan Armstrong at 289-9181 or anyone at Charlie Daniels Park, 758-6522.
21 May: Armed Forces Day Celebration: Starts at 11:00 a.m. Charlie Daniels Park. Short presentations by MG Max Haston, The Adjutant General, Tennessee, Representative Jim Cooper, with recognition of Mr. Acie McFarland, WWII vet and vets/wounded from other wars. Static military displays and equipment including a Blackhawk helicopter. Info is available at the Charlie Daniels front desk, 758-6522.
22 May: Flagpole Ribbon Cutting: Starts at 12:30 p.m. at the Life Assembly Church, Pleasant Grove Church, across from Wal-Mart. Come join LTG (ret) John Pickler, Vietnam Vet, former Director of the Army Staff and a survivor of the Pentagon 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the congregation of Life Assembly as it unveils the new 180’ flagpole that will be a poignant addition to the city’s southern skyline. The ceremony should last no more than 45 minutes.
30 May: Memorial Day Ceremony: Starts at 10:00 a.m., at the Veterans Memorial at Bond Funeral Home on Mt. Juliet Road/Weston Dr. Join vets, families & friends and members of the MJPD Color Guard as they pay tribute to our fallen heroes. For info call Mr. Stephen DeBord, at (276) 706-1919.
3 June: MJ’s Movie in the Park: Starts at dusk, at Charlie Daniels Park. Bring your blankets and chairs for a night of family fun. Watch the city’s web page for the title of the inaugural edition of this classic summertime event.
4 June: Community Health Day: Starts at 9:00 a.m. and runs to 1:00 p.m., Mt. Juliet Community Center at Charlie Daniels Park. University Medical Center brings together over 30 health related stations, several physicians along with medical professionals to provide absolutely free health assessments and medical info at the city’s first Health Day. For more info call reps at the Charlie Daniels Park, 758-6522.
Finally: Want to make a positive difference in our community? Take the Pepsi Refresh Project Challenge and place an on-line vote for Ava's Splash Pad at Charlie Daniels Park. You may recall just a few weeks ago MJ celebrated Ava's parents’ efforts to build a splash park at Charlie Daniels by holding "Ava's Run for a Reason", with thousands of runners and walkers raising nearly $50k towards this magnificent initiative. Just being selected to participate in the "Pepsi Refresh Project" is a tremendous honor, since only a handful of projects across the country are chosen. Here's how you can help . . . Vote now, Vote every day. Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/build-avas-splashpad or Text: 106253 to Pepsi (73774). By the way, if we win one of the $50k grand prizes, a private donor has agreed to do an equal match!
Take care MJ and talk with you later.
R. Robertson
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Update: 08/22/10
Hello MJ, A few notes for your info:
Portions of MJ were hit by flooding again on 18-19 August. To a large extent, earlier efforts at Charlie Daniels Park, the MJ Little League Fields on Lebanon Road, and several businesses in the Valley Center after the May floods will have to be redone in the wake of last week’s heavy rainfall. Depending on where you were in MJ, there was nearly 7 to 11 inches of rain that fell on top of an already saturated ground between Tuesday evening and Thursday morning. Most businesses in the Valley Center had water inside them on Thursday, the Little League Park fields were flooded yet again along with fences that were toppled and the special soil used on the infields washed away. The fences at Charlie Daniels Park and around the MJ Youth Football fields were torn down by flood waters. By Saturday afternoon several businesses in the Valley center were open again, but it may take a while for all of them to open. Thursday evening volunteers turned out to start the rebuilding the Little League Park, and insurance adjustors had reviewed the scene at CD Park. We also know of a handful of homes that had water in them. If this happened to you or someone you know, please ensure you call Sharon or Tina at City Hall and let them know. While the city has no direct actions to take from the flood, we can make sure the proper authorities at WEMA are notified so that they can include your residence in their reports. From the data collected, a decision will be made by state and federal authorities if the damage justifies another disaster declaration. The phone number at City Hall is 754-2552. If you would like to help in either the baseball or football repair efforts, call Jay Cameli, Director of Parks and Recreation, or anyone at the MJ Parks Department, at 758-6522. They’ll get you hooked up with leaders of those respective organizations.
Don’t forget our final Movie in the Park for the summer will be this coming Friday (27 August), at the Charlie Daniels Park, starting at dusk. A special guest will be on hand to sign autographs. Come out and see how he is connected with the movie. Bring your friends. Concessions will be available. The next day, Saturday, 28 August, will be MJ Play Day at CD Park. Join us in doing battle with water guns against MJ’s finest. Lots of other events will be there for the entire family. MJ Pay Day starts at 2:00 and runs to 6:00, again at Charlie Daniels Park. It should be a great day of family fun. Please let your neighbors know.
Remember to share Nixle with a friend. Between flood and weather info, along with an oil leak early in the week, MJ residents got first hand info on a real time basis through Nixle. Join the nearly 1500 who know the value of this message medium. For info on how to sign up, just refer your friends or family to the city’s home page and click on the “Nixle” logo (bottom left corner).
We had a great weekend at the MJ Animal Shelter, with lots of new homes made possible thanks to the efforts of our city team and volunteers at a Adoption Fair. If you would like to be part of this great group, call Sgt Keith Youmans at 773-5533.
Calling all Ministers, Reverends, Pastors, lay leaders, church admin assistants, youth organizers and anyone connected to a local church for our second City Update for MJ Churches. The place to be is at City Hall, Tuesday, 24 August, at 10:00. In about an hour we’ll share what’s happening across the city; Parks and Rec, North Mt. Juliet Road construction efforts, city finances, police activities, and economic development. It’s a fantastic way to get to know what make MJ so unique; so you can share it with your parishioners and friends. Please pass this along to your church leaders and encourage them to be here.
On a final note, we’ve done a lot of work on Channel 3. If there’s a community message you want to get out, call Tina at City Hall, 754-2552. It’s free, and it touches thousands of homes 24/7.
God Bless, take care and talk with you later.
R. Robertson
Portions of MJ were hit by flooding again on 18-19 August. To a large extent, earlier efforts at Charlie Daniels Park, the MJ Little League Fields on Lebanon Road, and several businesses in the Valley Center after the May floods will have to be redone in the wake of last week’s heavy rainfall. Depending on where you were in MJ, there was nearly 7 to 11 inches of rain that fell on top of an already saturated ground between Tuesday evening and Thursday morning. Most businesses in the Valley Center had water inside them on Thursday, the Little League Park fields were flooded yet again along with fences that were toppled and the special soil used on the infields washed away. The fences at Charlie Daniels Park and around the MJ Youth Football fields were torn down by flood waters. By Saturday afternoon several businesses in the Valley center were open again, but it may take a while for all of them to open. Thursday evening volunteers turned out to start the rebuilding the Little League Park, and insurance adjustors had reviewed the scene at CD Park. We also know of a handful of homes that had water in them. If this happened to you or someone you know, please ensure you call Sharon or Tina at City Hall and let them know. While the city has no direct actions to take from the flood, we can make sure the proper authorities at WEMA are notified so that they can include your residence in their reports. From the data collected, a decision will be made by state and federal authorities if the damage justifies another disaster declaration. The phone number at City Hall is 754-2552. If you would like to help in either the baseball or football repair efforts, call Jay Cameli, Director of Parks and Recreation, or anyone at the MJ Parks Department, at 758-6522. They’ll get you hooked up with leaders of those respective organizations.
Don’t forget our final Movie in the Park for the summer will be this coming Friday (27 August), at the Charlie Daniels Park, starting at dusk. A special guest will be on hand to sign autographs. Come out and see how he is connected with the movie. Bring your friends. Concessions will be available. The next day, Saturday, 28 August, will be MJ Play Day at CD Park. Join us in doing battle with water guns against MJ’s finest. Lots of other events will be there for the entire family. MJ Pay Day starts at 2:00 and runs to 6:00, again at Charlie Daniels Park. It should be a great day of family fun. Please let your neighbors know.
Remember to share Nixle with a friend. Between flood and weather info, along with an oil leak early in the week, MJ residents got first hand info on a real time basis through Nixle. Join the nearly 1500 who know the value of this message medium. For info on how to sign up, just refer your friends or family to the city’s home page and click on the “Nixle” logo (bottom left corner).
We had a great weekend at the MJ Animal Shelter, with lots of new homes made possible thanks to the efforts of our city team and volunteers at a Adoption Fair. If you would like to be part of this great group, call Sgt Keith Youmans at 773-5533.
Calling all Ministers, Reverends, Pastors, lay leaders, church admin assistants, youth organizers and anyone connected to a local church for our second City Update for MJ Churches. The place to be is at City Hall, Tuesday, 24 August, at 10:00. In about an hour we’ll share what’s happening across the city; Parks and Rec, North Mt. Juliet Road construction efforts, city finances, police activities, and economic development. It’s a fantastic way to get to know what make MJ so unique; so you can share it with your parishioners and friends. Please pass this along to your church leaders and encourage them to be here.
On a final note, we’ve done a lot of work on Channel 3. If there’s a community message you want to get out, call Tina at City Hall, 754-2552. It’s free, and it touches thousands of homes 24/7.
God Bless, take care and talk with you later.
R. Robertson
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Update: August 11, 2010
Good Afternoon MJ:
Welcome to this first posting for August. City Hall has been pretty busy the last few weeks, so this update will cover quite a few topics.
I’ll begin with relaying how proud I was of MJ last week when the remains of Specialist Michael Stansbery came home last week. We received notice late Tuesday night, but with the help the City’s IT Director and members of the MJPD, several Nixle notices were posted and a continuous loop message went out on Channel 3. Deputy Chief Hambrick and I spoke with Michael’s parents on Saturday and they asked me to pass along to everyone how truly wonderful it was to see the crowd lining South Mt. Juliet Road. Bringing just a little gladness in the midst of this tragedy was an exceptional thing. Thanks to all who were there in person or spirit.
Mt. Juliet was just named a “Playful City” by Kaboom Corporation, the nation’s largest manufacturer of outdoor playground equipment. For the last four years, Kaboom has surveyed thousands of cities across the county to recognize and reward municipalities that appreciate and take steps to improve exercise and recreational activities. This year Mt. Juliet was just one of 134 cities in the U.S. recognized by Kaboom as a “Playful City” and the only city in Tennessee so designated. Since 2008, nearly $4m has been earmarked in grants to “Playful” communities, so MJ has a conduit to some of those funds. Many thanks to Mr. Rocky Lee, Assistant Parks & Rec Director, and Team member Kat Cook for making this effort a reality. Well done. While on Parks and Rec, there are a couple upcoming events for your calendar. First is our end of summer “Movie in the Park” which takes place at the Charlie Daniels Park Amphitheater, on Friday, 27 August, starting at dusk. The film “Rudy” will be shown, with an added feature, Special Guest Defensive End Ross Browner, former Notre Dame Player and 2 time All American Trophy winner will be there for autographs. There will be prizes and concessions available. The next day, Saturday, 28 August, has been proclaimed as “MJ Play Day”. From 2:00 to 6:00 come join us at Charlie Daniels for a variety of athletic and recreational events, including water pistol fights with some of MJ finest. This free event promises to be a great time for the entire family. I hope to see you there.
Some financial news for MJ: New Housing permits took a nose dive in July with less than half the number of permits issued compared to June. So far, August seems to be improved with 14 permits as of last Friday. On the sales tax side we received some good news with July’s data showing the city’s share was slightly more than $557k, over $100k up from July 09. This reflects the same positive results seen throughout Tennessee with this July being the first month in over two years to exceed sales tax projected revenue. Remember: Shop Mt. Juliet.
Remember, LOCK YOUR CAR!. Last Monday, an MJ neighborhood was hit with a string of car burglaries. I don’t want to compromise an on-going investigation, but suffice to say every one of the multiple cars broken into were unlocked.
Check out a couple of the newest features on the city’s home page. The first addition is our new chipper truck notification menu located at the top right corner of the homepage. This item will allow customers to keep track of chipper services and know when the Chipper Truck will be in your area. The attached map outlines the various zones of the city, while the other icon allows the user to sign up for automatic weekly alert messages notifying the recipient where the truck is located. We’ve had several positive comments about this initiative and encourage customers to register. The second addition is oriented towards the our business development and real estate community. Under the city’s “Economic Development” menu item on the left, there’s now an “Available Properties” section which allows individuals to peruse commercial properties available throughout the city. Mr. Kenny Martin, the city’s Economic Development Director, will be regularly updating the information, so if you’d like to get something posted, give Kenny a call at 754-2552.
While our Nixle subscriber’s roster continues to grow, we know there are still many out there who would like to receive these messages. If you know of anyone interested in community, weather or police updates that are automatically pushed to their email or smartphone, refer them to the instructions on the city homepage. Click on the “Nixle” icon at the bottom left of the page.
BTW: The metal framework going up just north of the McDonald’s on SMJR is a Cheddars Restaurant. Cheddars is one of the fastest growing dining establishments in the county. The MJ Cheddars is looking for a late October/early November opening.
If you haven’t checked out the summer edition of MJ’s Citizen Update, you can easily do that by going to:
http://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/mtjuliet/published_documents/Administration/Quarterly%20Newsletter/SUMMER%202010.pdf
There’s some timely and informative articles in this edition. Please let your family and friend know.
Thanks to the Chamber, Wal Mart and many NMJR-based businesses for the support and positive comments on the recent installation of “NMJR is Open for Business” signs place at the intersection of Division and NMJR, and further north on NMJR. The signs, paid for by Wal Mart, look fabulous and speak loudly that despite the construction noise and dust, nearly 100 store and business owners along NMJR are there to serve you. Think about them the next time you’re shopping.
Take care and God Bless MJ. Stay out of the heat.
R. Robertson
Welcome to this first posting for August. City Hall has been pretty busy the last few weeks, so this update will cover quite a few topics.
I’ll begin with relaying how proud I was of MJ last week when the remains of Specialist Michael Stansbery came home last week. We received notice late Tuesday night, but with the help the City’s IT Director and members of the MJPD, several Nixle notices were posted and a continuous loop message went out on Channel 3. Deputy Chief Hambrick and I spoke with Michael’s parents on Saturday and they asked me to pass along to everyone how truly wonderful it was to see the crowd lining South Mt. Juliet Road. Bringing just a little gladness in the midst of this tragedy was an exceptional thing. Thanks to all who were there in person or spirit.
Mt. Juliet was just named a “Playful City” by Kaboom Corporation, the nation’s largest manufacturer of outdoor playground equipment. For the last four years, Kaboom has surveyed thousands of cities across the county to recognize and reward municipalities that appreciate and take steps to improve exercise and recreational activities. This year Mt. Juliet was just one of 134 cities in the U.S. recognized by Kaboom as a “Playful City” and the only city in Tennessee so designated. Since 2008, nearly $4m has been earmarked in grants to “Playful” communities, so MJ has a conduit to some of those funds. Many thanks to Mr. Rocky Lee, Assistant Parks & Rec Director, and Team member Kat Cook for making this effort a reality. Well done. While on Parks and Rec, there are a couple upcoming events for your calendar. First is our end of summer “Movie in the Park” which takes place at the Charlie Daniels Park Amphitheater, on Friday, 27 August, starting at dusk. The film “Rudy” will be shown, with an added feature, Special Guest Defensive End Ross Browner, former Notre Dame Player and 2 time All American Trophy winner will be there for autographs. There will be prizes and concessions available. The next day, Saturday, 28 August, has been proclaimed as “MJ Play Day”. From 2:00 to 6:00 come join us at Charlie Daniels for a variety of athletic and recreational events, including water pistol fights with some of MJ finest. This free event promises to be a great time for the entire family. I hope to see you there.
Some financial news for MJ: New Housing permits took a nose dive in July with less than half the number of permits issued compared to June. So far, August seems to be improved with 14 permits as of last Friday. On the sales tax side we received some good news with July’s data showing the city’s share was slightly more than $557k, over $100k up from July 09. This reflects the same positive results seen throughout Tennessee with this July being the first month in over two years to exceed sales tax projected revenue. Remember: Shop Mt. Juliet.
Remember, LOCK YOUR CAR!. Last Monday, an MJ neighborhood was hit with a string of car burglaries. I don’t want to compromise an on-going investigation, but suffice to say every one of the multiple cars broken into were unlocked.
Check out a couple of the newest features on the city’s home page. The first addition is our new chipper truck notification menu located at the top right corner of the homepage. This item will allow customers to keep track of chipper services and know when the Chipper Truck will be in your area. The attached map outlines the various zones of the city, while the other icon allows the user to sign up for automatic weekly alert messages notifying the recipient where the truck is located. We’ve had several positive comments about this initiative and encourage customers to register. The second addition is oriented towards the our business development and real estate community. Under the city’s “Economic Development” menu item on the left, there’s now an “Available Properties” section which allows individuals to peruse commercial properties available throughout the city. Mr. Kenny Martin, the city’s Economic Development Director, will be regularly updating the information, so if you’d like to get something posted, give Kenny a call at 754-2552.
While our Nixle subscriber’s roster continues to grow, we know there are still many out there who would like to receive these messages. If you know of anyone interested in community, weather or police updates that are automatically pushed to their email or smartphone, refer them to the instructions on the city homepage. Click on the “Nixle” icon at the bottom left of the page.
BTW: The metal framework going up just north of the McDonald’s on SMJR is a Cheddars Restaurant. Cheddars is one of the fastest growing dining establishments in the county. The MJ Cheddars is looking for a late October/early November opening.
If you haven’t checked out the summer edition of MJ’s Citizen Update, you can easily do that by going to:
http://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/mtjuliet/published_documents/Administration/Quarterly%20Newsletter/SUMMER%202010.pdf
There’s some timely and informative articles in this edition. Please let your family and friend know.
Thanks to the Chamber, Wal Mart and many NMJR-based businesses for the support and positive comments on the recent installation of “NMJR is Open for Business” signs place at the intersection of Division and NMJR, and further north on NMJR. The signs, paid for by Wal Mart, look fabulous and speak loudly that despite the construction noise and dust, nearly 100 store and business owners along NMJR are there to serve you. Think about them the next time you’re shopping.
Take care and God Bless MJ. Stay out of the heat.
R. Robertson
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Update: 08/27/09
Good Afternoon MJ:
The Parks and Recreation Department hosted their first Mt. Juliet Community Flea Market last Saturday and boy was it a great success. Bargain hunters and gawkers were lined up to get into Charlie Daniels Park well before the 0700 opening, and the crowd was steady until the event closed at 1200. Mr. Rocky Lee, Assistant Director of Parks told the MJ Board of Commissioners last Monday that by their estimates more than a 1,000 customers visited the 32 vendors with booth space. The Market was so well attended that the Parks crew are looking to another event in late October, just in time to give those with Christmas gift lists on their minds an opportunity to find just the right present. Stay tuned to the city web page and this blog for more on that. Mr. Lee also noted that even though it rained just before starting our first “Movie in the Parks” a couple weeks ago, there were still more than one hundred participants who stayed the course and enjoyed a great night of video under the stars. Rocky and his staff are looking to see when they might be able to do another movie. If you have any thoughts let them know.
We want to welcome Mr. Bruce Abbott, the newly named General Manager for Wal-Mart to our community. I know the community is excited to have you as part of the Mt. Juliet fabric. Speaking of new comers, we welcomed Mr. Steve Foote, the city’s new Director of Planning to the team last week. Steve comes from the City of Gulf Shores, Alabama, where he held the same position as he does here. There is an awful lot on Steve’s plate, but he’ll be out in the community asap.
The city’s Sewer Billing Division has been combined with the Mt. Juliet Finance Department at its new location on 2365 North Mt. Juliet Road. With this initiative the city now has a single site responsive to all financial issues (except traffic tickets) under one roof. Mr. John Rossmaier, the City Finance Director will assume oversight with Mr. Wayne Griffin heading up day-to-day operations of the Sewer Billing Division to create a more robust and responsive customer-focused shop for those we serve. On this note, I want to encourage readers to use our automated on-line sewer billing system. As road, water, electric and sewer construction continues on North Mt. Juliet Road getting access to City Hall and to the Finance Department will be a little more challenging. Our customers will undoubtedly find it much easier and convenient to use the on-line payment system. For more details check out the on-line payment option found under the “Public Works Department: Sewer Billing” (soon to be moved to the “Finance Department”) of the city’s webpage.
Finally, a special thanks to TDOT Commissioner Nicely and his staff for their efforts to extend our “Local Interstate Connector” (LIC) grant on the Reverse L to include 50% payment for the grading of 5 lanes as opposed to our original plans to grade 3. This effort will save the citizens of Mt. Juliet approximately $250k in immediate expenditures, but more importantly it provides us a ready-made platform to cheaply and quickly expand that section of road to 5 lanes once demand catches up.
That’s about all for this edition. I’ll end by encouraging you to stop by the Mt. Juliet Animal Shelter and take a look at the selection. This is a first class operation, but we rely on your support. Take a look at the WTVF - Channel 5 News story on the shelter by clicking this link: http://www.newschannel5.com/global/story.asp?s=10998488 I think you will like it. Take care MJ and talk with you later.
R. Robertson
The Parks and Recreation Department hosted their first Mt. Juliet Community Flea Market last Saturday and boy was it a great success. Bargain hunters and gawkers were lined up to get into Charlie Daniels Park well before the 0700 opening, and the crowd was steady until the event closed at 1200. Mr. Rocky Lee, Assistant Director of Parks told the MJ Board of Commissioners last Monday that by their estimates more than a 1,000 customers visited the 32 vendors with booth space. The Market was so well attended that the Parks crew are looking to another event in late October, just in time to give those with Christmas gift lists on their minds an opportunity to find just the right present. Stay tuned to the city web page and this blog for more on that. Mr. Lee also noted that even though it rained just before starting our first “Movie in the Parks” a couple weeks ago, there were still more than one hundred participants who stayed the course and enjoyed a great night of video under the stars. Rocky and his staff are looking to see when they might be able to do another movie. If you have any thoughts let them know.
We want to welcome Mr. Bruce Abbott, the newly named General Manager for Wal-Mart to our community. I know the community is excited to have you as part of the Mt. Juliet fabric. Speaking of new comers, we welcomed Mr. Steve Foote, the city’s new Director of Planning to the team last week. Steve comes from the City of Gulf Shores, Alabama, where he held the same position as he does here. There is an awful lot on Steve’s plate, but he’ll be out in the community asap.
The city’s Sewer Billing Division has been combined with the Mt. Juliet Finance Department at its new location on 2365 North Mt. Juliet Road. With this initiative the city now has a single site responsive to all financial issues (except traffic tickets) under one roof. Mr. John Rossmaier, the City Finance Director will assume oversight with Mr. Wayne Griffin heading up day-to-day operations of the Sewer Billing Division to create a more robust and responsive customer-focused shop for those we serve. On this note, I want to encourage readers to use our automated on-line sewer billing system. As road, water, electric and sewer construction continues on North Mt. Juliet Road getting access to City Hall and to the Finance Department will be a little more challenging. Our customers will undoubtedly find it much easier and convenient to use the on-line payment system. For more details check out the on-line payment option found under the “Public Works Department: Sewer Billing” (soon to be moved to the “Finance Department”) of the city’s webpage.
Finally, a special thanks to TDOT Commissioner Nicely and his staff for their efforts to extend our “Local Interstate Connector” (LIC) grant on the Reverse L to include 50% payment for the grading of 5 lanes as opposed to our original plans to grade 3. This effort will save the citizens of Mt. Juliet approximately $250k in immediate expenditures, but more importantly it provides us a ready-made platform to cheaply and quickly expand that section of road to 5 lanes once demand catches up.
That’s about all for this edition. I’ll end by encouraging you to stop by the Mt. Juliet Animal Shelter and take a look at the selection. This is a first class operation, but we rely on your support. Take a look at the WTVF - Channel 5 News story on the shelter by clicking this link: http://www.newschannel5.com/global/story.asp?s=10998488 I think you will like it. Take care MJ and talk with you later.
R. Robertson
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