Goals Re-visited

Now is a great time to reflect on a post from the past.

Being the Mayor of Spring Hill seems to be a pretty thankless job sometimes (especially in the Columbia nursing community!) Today is the day to give a nice big pat on the back to our current mayor and reflect on a letter he sent back in December to this site. I have personally had several disagreements with Mr. Leverette in the past, but they seem to be becoming far less frequent lately. There are very few people that could have accomplished this much at this point in their first term, and for that you deserve a HUGE pat on the back!

Let's go to the letter and look at the progress made in this city...

(Mr. Leverette in blue, added comments in red)

Thank you for sending it to me. I am not a fan of anonymous websites. It is easy for individuals to jab and run.

I encourage citizens to attend all meetings of their local government. It is easy for individuals to criticize a leader. After all we make ourselves an easy target by stepping up to the plate. It is hard to respond without giving the impression of defending myself by I will attempt. I have been in office approx. 9 months. I follow an administration of six years. The landslide victory the citizens gave me clearly indicates their belief of and share in the direction I feel we need to take this great city. Change does not happen over night. Yes, I could draw lines in the sand and take the approach of all out war. But what does that accomplish? A leader pulls all together. In fact, while some say I am not accomplishing the items on ran on, would they also say he has created division and therefore another item (Create a sense of Community for All of Spring Hill) of my goals has not been accomplished. You get the picture.

The below is what I stood for during my election and a slice of what has been accomplished since.

Recreation/Parks for all Citizens
1. Hired a parks and recreation director.
2. Partnered with Williamson County to build a Recreation Facility.
3. Requiring developer to set aside easements in their developments along creek banks for walking trails (many developers have since included walking trails within their developments).
4. Park on Hwy 31 will soon be under construction
5. Skate park will be going out for bid soon.
6. Developers are offering up more land for parks within their communities and/or for public use.
* Add to that possible new schools and a YMCA on the southeast side of town!
* Another new 22 acre park on Port Royal Rd. Should include soccer filds, baseball, etc.

Improve City Infrastructure
1. Wastewater plant expansion to 5 million gallons is at the state.
2. A signed contract with TDOT for the re-construction of Duplex road has been sent to TDOT.
* Duplex Rd. has now been added to the TIP Sheet and is now possible in the near future.
3. A new wastewater trunk line is in the planning stages for serving the eastside of I-65.
4. Many other infrastructure improvements are being made.
* Adding HCA and increased commercial development gives the city more leverage to push the state to improve more roads and possibly widen interstates.
* There are 2 new sewer trunk lines already appropriated by the city to continue responsibly epanding the city. Should be under construction fairly soon.

Increase Community/Government Interaction
1. More citizens are attending meetings as the blog indicates.
* I think this community has come together more in the past 6 mo. than in any other time in our history. This is a great start!
* Re-apportionment gives another great opportunity for a greater percentage of the community to become involved.
* Has anyone noticed that a petition drive now comes up for just about every happening in the city? This shows that people are being stirred to get involved.

Define a Master Land Use Plan
1. Currently in the investigation/development stages. A solid plan takes months to implement.
* City assessment is starting to come to a conclusion.
* Planning Commission joins the same page more and more every day (compliments to all commissioners, esp. Chairman Bruce Hull)
* Overall a very good direction has been taken on this issue in the past few months, and I see great progress being made!

Increased Business Growth
1. Locally owned businesses, Home Depot, Lowes, Publix, etc. speak for itself.
2. Many other great announcements to come in the very near future.
* Hospital
* Many Many more to follow!

Create a sense of Community for All of Spring Hill
1. The toughest obstacle to overcome. However, I’m remain optimistic.
2. City Flag, Seal, & Emblem have been adopted.
* Hospital has done more to bring this city together than any other issue.
* Re-apportionment has added greatly to the future of this city coming together.
* Negotiated improved ambulance service regardless of the provider (which will be decided this month)

Conservative and Wise use of Citizens Tax Dollars
1. Tax Payer Bill of Rights
* Increase Impact fees to allow for development to help with city improvements, keeping taxes low.
* Improved communication on the planning commission causing new developments to improve roads and services as we go, keeping taxes low.
* Allowing HCA to provide hospital sersubsidized subsidise ambulance service. (Keeping taxes low and vastly improving service to the citizens)
* Bringing in businesses with HUGE "coat tails" to further develop and stabalize growth.

Continued "Common Sense Decision Making"
1. I stand on that statement weeky!
* This is the area that Mr. Leverette has most improved...Making Decisions for himself and leading. I was most worried 9 months ago that maybe the Mayor was not the one driving the ship. I am now convinced that the mayor is taking more control of the "ship" by the day! I am most pleased with this development.

Other items:
The sign ordinance has been and continues to be modified for the aesthetics of our community (something I believe in strongly).
We have limited the density of subdivisions.
The planning commission no longer gives rubber stamps.
Commercial developments are being required to increase their aesthetics (brick, landscaping etc.)
We are requiring more data be presented to the planning commission for better informed decisions.
* Much more to come hopefully


There are others I will not take your time with. The City of Spring Hill is changing and that is what I wanted. I am, as I knew I would be, in office at this very critical time of our history. I am up to the task and will continue pointing that ship into the wind, with or without the blogs.

I do appreciate your sending me this e-mail.

Please continue to let me know your concerns and thoughts. As I said during my campaign, I believe in team work.

Respectfully,

Danny M. Leverette
Mayor Spring Hill