Dear Governor Lee,
As a coalition of elected officials and community leaders in Williamson County, we are calling on you to reconsider the Special Session currently scheduled for August 21, 2023, and resume discussions about future legislation to create safer schools and communities during the regularly scheduled General Session in January 2024.
Among our main concerns:
- Regarding the tragedy at Covenant School this past March, there is still an ongoing investigation that has unanswered questions. Consequently, we request you allow the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department to complete its work so the public may have a better understanding of the root cause of this tragic event. Tennessee has always been a state at the forefront of embracing the values of Faith, Family, and Freedom. Let us allow for the facts to come forth, so we can ensure we are protecting these values and not inadvertently violating the constitutional rights so many have fought and sacrificed for to make this country and state what it is today.
- Regarding the current timing of the session, most, if not all, of our local public and private school students will have already been back in session for a couple of weeks. At this same time, university students will be preparing to start their fall semesters. After what we witnessed at the State Capitol this past March when activists sought disruption over productive conversations, we believe it would be in the best interest of our students and citizens to avoid what could potentially become a dangerous public safety situation. This is of even greater concern given the recent reports of activists training and preparing to travel to the area to create chaos and intimidate our state legislators.
- Regarding funding needed for the Special Session, do we know how much this will cost Tennessee taxpayers? As a fiscally conservative state government, any additional costs or resources required should be a consideration. This would include additional security, which to our understanding may include bringing back the TN National Guard from the current crisis at our US border.
- Finally, please consider the impact this may have on local law enforcement outside of the metro Nashville area. This would include the Williamson County hotel and hospitality district, as there is sure to be an overflow of individuals traveling from other parts of the state and country. Our law enforcement agencies work hard to keep our communities safe, so let us avoid placing additional stress on their already significant workload.
We encourage you to take time to fully consider the concerns we have presented, and additional time given to our legislators for all the facts of the Covenant tragedy to become known and considered before the next regularly scheduled General Session. This will allow them more time with constituents to discuss how together we can create safer communities. We should not allow agitators to control the narrative and promote an agenda that does not align with the will of the People of Tennessee.
Most Respectfully,
Mary Smith
Williamson County Commissioner, 5th District
Greg Sanford
Williamson County Commissioner, 5th District
Gregg Lawrence
Williamson County Commissioner, 4th District
Christopher Richards
Williamson County Commission, 7th District
Cyndi Miller
State Executive Committeewoman, D-27 TNGOP
Dr. Tracy Miller
Williamson County Republican Party Chair
Elliott Franklin
Williamson County Republican Party 2nd Vice Chair
Courtney Laginess
Williamson County Republican Party Treasurer
Diane Chenard
Williamson County Republican Party Secretary
Kathy Danner
Williamson County Commissioner, 4th District (2010 – 2018)
Dusty Rhoades
Williamson County Sheriff
Lisa Hayes Lenox
Williamson County Commissioner, 1st District
Pete Stresser
Williamson County Commissioner, 4th District
Barb Sturgeon
Williamson County Commissioner, 8th District
Romonte Hamer
Williamson County Young Republicans Chair
Hannah Tiblier
Williamson County Republican Party 1st Vice Chair
Brandon Bell
Williamson County Republican Party 3rd Vice Chair
Tim Raynaud
Williamson County Republican Asst. Treasurer
Christine Deekens
Williamson County Republican Party Asst Secretary
Debbie Deaver
Williamson County Republican Party Chair (2017 – 2019)
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Photo “Bill Lee” by Bill Lee.
Dear Governor Lee:
As a taxpayer & Voter born & bred in Tennessee, & the Widow of State Represenative Ben West, Jr., who served 26 years, & was a major 2nd Amendment champion, I am calling on all State & Local Elected Officials, including those who aspire to be elected Mayor of Nashville, to have the courage to step up & join the Williamson County officials in their request. Putting on a Big Show that will do nothing but waste money & invite fools to our community & who are paid professional anarchists to invade this beautiful State will cause a lot of unnecessary violence & make you, Governor, look like an idiot. There are numerous studies & Security Experts who have already developed successful plans to prevent crazy Shooters who always select “soft” targets to carry out their sick fantasies. The best answer (& there is no perfect solution) is to “harden” the schools.
Take the CRT & DEI money being wasted in our classrooms & HARDEN the schools. Entrances, cameras, armed staff, & police patrols will be the deterrent that works. There Problem Solved. And it doesn’t create a violent situation & the money is already in the budgets. It’s not a complicated solution. Its just a matter of Priorities, & a touch of humility.
I voted for you, don’t make me regret it.
But look on the bright side; all of these dirtbags who come from out of state to cause problems will be such a boost to the local economy.
Seriously, law enforcement should be out in overwhelming numbers and not hesitate for one second to kick some a$$. These “protesters” might be welcome in crime infested liberal cities, but this is Tennessee, and we better start making a stand for what’s right.
On the ERPO side, there are already laws that allow violent people to be removed from the community. They cannot hurt someone when they are incarcerated. If the governor thinks he’s going to be protecting anyone by removing firearms from the house, you better also take all the knives, baseball bats, hammers, crow bars, and any other object that can inflict blunt force trauma.
In the final analysis, the goal of the globalist/socialists is the complete disarmament of law abiding Americans.