Williamson County Association of REALTORS®
Brentwood Municipal Elections
May 3, 2011
Candidate Name: Brenda Lehman
1. What is your motivation in seeking public office? How will your background and/or experiences qualify you to hold this position?
My motivation has always been simply to serve the people and keep Brentwood a strong, viable, and desirable city in which to live and raise our families. I desire to take my knowledge as a small business owner and the training and skill sets I have acquired as a successful business owner / attorney in Brentwood to effectively serve the City of Brentwood and its Residents. I also want to begin new projects and endeavors that will add to our quality of life and our financial stability as a city. I also have a wide variety of work and volunteer service that I bring to the table; and when you are serving citizens of a city and working on a broad spectrum of projects, a broad and diversified background is very helpful.
2. What should be the top priorities of Brentwood over the next several years? How would you address and/or fund these priorities?
All issues set forth below are important, intertwined and affect one another in some way.
I. Implement the revised 20/20 Plan along with the Integration of the Updated Capital Improvement Plan
This plan ties our financial resources to our CIP and growth management as outlined in the revised 20/20 plan. This encompasses our infrastructure needs throughout the city and will help us to establish a reasonable and workable timetable for accomplishing these tasks.
II. Business Growth
One of our major concerns is to find ways to diversify and increase revenues to the city. As a small business owner, I am keenly aware of what businesses can do for a city’s revenues, employment rates and overall financial health. I believe it should be a priority to find ways to create an even more inviting atmosphere for business retention and new business growth. As a commissioner I plan to be instrumental in bringing together the various players in the business and economic development arena here in Brentwood and Williamson County that will assist in designing workable economic plans for our city. I not only wish to find a common ground, but establish a vehicle in which all entities (our Chambers, the Williamson County Economic Development Office and Convention and Visitor Bureau, the State Dept. of Tourism, our Mayors) can explore and communicate more effectively and efficiently in promoting economic development within Brentwood, our other neighboring Cities and the County. We must not only foster new business growth, but we must not take our attention off of improving business retention.
III Housing options. I believe there is an importance to maintain the family unit so I will encourage viable options for our senior citizens and our young adults (smaller home in a sustainable development) located within Brentwood. Too often older residents are forced to relocate because they are unable to afford or maintain the large single-family home/lot. Also when our elder residents move out of Brentwood we lose a viable aspect of our tax base and valuable access to their expertise as involved citizens in our community. Thus, Brentwood will cease to be a family oriented City. The same is true for our college graduates who desire to move back to their community. If we do not address these needs of our seniors and young adults then what type of community are we designing for Brentwood’s future?
It is important to maintain existing zoning and find ways to work within those codes to address our older and younger resident’s needs.
3. Over the past several years, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development has successfully partnered with local governments to recruit businesses and create job opportunities within Middle Tennessee. How important are these programs to Brentwood and how could city leaders enhance these efforts?
These programs are extremely important to the economic health of Brentwood and as a Brentwood City Commissioner I will work hard and smart along with my fellow colleagues to enhance and diversify these efforts.
1. The city needs to encourage and work with those that will bring us good plans for re-development of residential and commercial areas. We must capitalize on our strengths as a community in order to make our economy stronger and create the right environment for job growth.
2. The City should be a catalyst in setting the stage for re-development and encourage new growth by identifying and completing infrastructure needs throughout the city, including the long-term programs. In addition, seek government Grants geared to cities for re-development and economic development efforts.
3. Work closely with the County, State and Economic Development entities to identify the best opportunities and then focus our efforts to assist in bringing those opportunities to reality.
4. Establish a Business Communication’s Arena where players in the business /economic development arena come together to share visions, plans and new and practical ways to retain and increase business / development.
4. What is your vision of commercial and residential development within Brentwood over the next decade?
While the recession has certainly tapped the brakes of the building industry, at some point it will rebound. This slow time will allow the City to hold meetings with the representatives of the building industry, review zoning ordinances, work within the expanded C-4 zoning and develop a more comprehensive game plan for handling expected growth for both commercial and residential. It is my desire that the city work “hand in hand” with all development interest to insure a smoother transition, thus streamlining the process for both the public and private sector. When we use both our time and resources wisely, our efforts will pay off in less wasted time, lower costs, fewer wasted resources and a more efficient process for all. In addition, when the city sets high standards for development practices, engages in infrastructure projects, participates in the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and the Chambers of Commerce, we provide incentives for the private sector to move towards investing in Brentwood.
It is necessary to promote contiguous development patterns that can be serviced by City services while at the same time preserve open space, agricultural land, and environmentally sensitive areas. In addition I see better use of our current C-4 zoning. I see a strong, thriving economic Town Center area with shops, sidewalk cafés, culture venues, condominiums, commerce, office space, and other amenities.
There is a practical and common sense side to balancing need for good solid planning that appreciates growth and stimulates jobs and the growth of the economy. We must continue to use good planning so that we can manage expenditures for services, including road maintenance, sewer, and police and fire protection. This planning will be critical to maintaining growth management and the economic viability of Brentwood.
5. How would you improve and/or promote communication and cooperation between elected and government officials in Williamson County?
I would like to see us establish some type of Business Communications vehicle where players in the business /economic development and Governmental arena come together to share visions, plans and practical ways to sustain and increase business / economic development.
6. Do local governments in Tennessee need broader taxing authority from the state legislature? Does Brentwood? If so, what specific revenue-generating options would you support?
No. It is well known that lower taxes provide greater incentives for growth and economic growth in turn produces more jobs and expands government revenues. More taxing authority would just inflate the prices of housing and goods and place more burdens on the homebuyer, property owners and our businesses.
7. Under what circumstances should local governments exercise the power of eminent domain? Is there a need to limit or expand this power on the federal or state level?
Eminent Domain should be used with great caution and used only where the common / public good is the result (i.e. roads, infrastructure). I do not support the use of Eminent Domain for any other reason.
8. How important is the development and preservation of diverse housing options within Brentwood? What role, if any, should the City play in this effort?
The city must seek out more diverse housing options than we have in the past and I think we are heading in the right direction especially with the expanded C-4 zoning now in place. It is also my hope that the private sector will bring forth ideas and plans that would allow our seniors and young work force adults options for housing in Brentwood while at the same time not lose sight of the culture and uniqueness of our City. I believe we are moving ahead on some workable solutions.
9. Do you have issues or concerns regarding the City’s current sign ordinance? Please explain.
Brentwood has established itself as a city that desires to control the way it appears by setting down solid zoning laws. These zoning ordinances must be evaluated from time to time. We must allow our businesses to be able to conduct sales and special events through temporary signs, but we must not compromise to the point where we allow this to get out of hand. I think we need to be seeking ways to assist the real estate agents and businesses, yet make sure that we retain our high standards and uphold our ordinances.
10. How should the city of Brentwood balance the need between economic development and the protection of our natural resources and the environment?
We must be very careful and we must be intelligent when addressing the balance between these two needs. We have all types of opportunities and challenges and there will always be some priorities in Brentwood that will remain priorities: our historic land, historic structures and architecture, rolling countryside hills, our watersheds and pristine environments. The benefits of maintaining these treasures multiply for our residents and tourists alike. We want to make Brentwood a destination location not a corridor where people pass through to get to their destination. We want Brentwood to be the place where people want to come to work, play, shop and live. I will be supportive of the balance between economic development and protection of our natural resources in future years.
11. What should or should not be done to make the city of Brentwood more attractive to businesses?
The creation of an advisory council comprised of business and community leaders that will help determine ways to make the city more attractive to CEOs and entrepreneurs. Together they can determine which economic tools are appropriate for our city – which tools will help local businesses expand, how to leverage key investments, like infrastructure, for economic development to meet the needs of tomorrow’s growth industries. The creation of an advisory council comprised not only of local business owners, and city officials but also including County Officials and other neighboring City Leaders and Business owners fosters cooperation and elicits old fashioned sentiments of small town neighborliness. Most importantly, cooperation builds strength and fosters innovation. This new era of regional collaboration borrows from traditional neighborhood sentiments, help your neighbor and you also help yourself, yet it primes cities to become part of powerful and successful regions in the future. When it comes down to it, simply being able to assess what Brentwood has in order to develop a vision, mission and strategy is the first step in effective economic development and will lead to increased investment in our city.
In addition, City Officials must do everything they can to support [the] local business community, while maintaining safeguards from detrimental development.
12. Should the city of Brentwood initiate or endorse programs promoting energy efficiency and environmental sustainability? If so, where would you focus these efforts?
Absolutely. I particularly support efforts that we as a City can institute for little or no cost to our community and the citizens of Brentwood. If we can find ways to save on maintenance, fuel costs, utilities, then we save tax dollars and can put that money elsewhere to build infrastructure (roads, sewer, better piping systems for water re-reuse, etc.).
Contact Information:
Name: Brenda Lehman
Address: 9659 Radiant Jewel Court
Phone: (615) 309-1306
Email: Brenda@BrendaLehman.com
Website: www.BrendaLehman.com