WILLIAMSON HERALD CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

Name:  Brenda R. Lehman

Address: 9659 Radiant Jewel Court, Brentwood, TN 37027 (Brookfield Subdivision)

Occupation:  Attorney and Brentwood Business Owner

Family:  I have three children: a son, 15 and son and daughter twins age 12, all whom attend Brentwood/Williamson County public schools.  My mother, two brothers, their wives and children also make Brentwood their home.  My brother, Trent and I run a second-generation family owned business in Brentwood that was founded by my mother, Judy Lehman, in 1987.  I count it a privilege that I have family of multi generations living in Brentwood.

Years in Brentwood:  27

Favorite thing about living here:  Family environment, a progressive city with a proud history and all the opportunities that living in the Brentwood community provides for the residents and non-residents.

Why did you decide to seek this office? 

I desire to offer a new voice on the commission and dedicate my time and talent to the city and its residents. I want to use 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 benefit our community. I believe it is essential to get “all the facts” and weigh all of the options in order to make the best choice despite how difficult the process and decisions and I can do that for our community.

What special qualifications do you have which qualify you for this position?

For the past 18 years I have worked as an attorney in Brentwood focusing my practice on Real Estate Law, dealing with land use and zoning issues, reviewing/drafting contracts, reviewing plats and surveys, requesting variances, drafting restrictions, researching and examining titles for residential and commercial properties.  I bring the practical knowledge and high level of understanding to this position.  I have the skills to handle conflicting interests to obtain a resolution. 

As a Brentwood Business Owner, I know how to plan for the future growth of the business to best serve the needs of its clients, create and work within a budget, have experience dealing with varied personalities and have experienced hiring and firing.

As the Treasurer of the Republican Women of Williamson County, I have had to create budgets and have others work within them. 

Working as a volunteer on the Foster Care Review Board I had to make some very difficult decisions but they were in the best interest of those involved.  I know I will be able to make the difficult (best) decisions for Brentwood and its residents when called upon to do so.

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 need to consider and plan for the economic challenges that are facing us today and those that we will face in the future!  We need to have creative, forward thinking individuals to represent the City and its residents.  I am the right person for the job!  I am creative, detailed and solution oriented.

Name three issues in your race and tell us what plans you have to have a positive impact on those issues?

* All issues set forth below are important, intertwined and affect one another in some way. 

*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 moving 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.  I intend to work with our city officials, residents, developers and builders to create a viable plan in Brentwood that will accommodate these needs. To create a neighborhood where the residents are able to live, work, shop and play.

* Traffic is always an issue in any active healthy city.  We have two routes from the East into Brentwood, Concord Road corridor and Old Hickory Blvd corridor.  Both roads are maxed out morning and night.  We must take a proactive approach, think outside the box” and seek viable alternatives to help alleviate the one person per car commuter and work with our State Government and surrounding City governments to seriously address public transportation/mass transit in the very near future. I am committed to bringing solutions to the table.

* We must keep a low tax rate, attract and encourage revenue through cutting edge economic development ideas and utilization of our commercially zoned spaces to their fullest extent.

What is the main message of your campaign?

We need to consider and plan for the economic challenges that are facing us today and those we will face in the future! We need to have creative forward thinking individuals to represent Brentwood and its residents.  I am creative, detailed and solution oriented.  I am the right person for the job.  I ask for your vote!

Campaign website address:  www.BrendaLehman.com