Brenda Gilmore Will Moderate Forum

Michael Cass spreads the word that State Rep. Brenda Gilmore will be the moderator at Sunday's District 18 runoff candidate forum.

Stephenie Dodson: Yes on Permit Parking and Green Construction

From an email Stephenie Dodson sent out last night:

To the good folks of District 18,
There are about two weeks to go in our Metro Council District 18 Run-Off campaign. Our support continues to build and your efforts are the reason!

There are some important events coming up this week to remind you about. I need you out in force as we move forward to April 30. But first I want to briefly talk about two of the issues you’ve been talking to me about as I’ve gone through the district during this campaign.

PERMIT PARKING
I wholeheartedly support Residential Permit Parking. It’s quite simple – we should be able to park in front of our own homes. There is already a law that enables residents of any Metro district to enact permit parking. As your council member I will do all I can to make that law work for you. I’ll hold various district institutions’ feet to the fire on their use of employee & student parking so that residents don’t feel crowded out of their own streets.

GREEN LEADERSHIP
We can be proud of the fact that Vanderbilt University has been Nashville’s leader in green construction. As your council member I will continue to encourage renovators and developers to use green construction within the context of our conservation overlays. Sustainable building matters in our neighborhoods. Let’s continue to set the trend for our progressive city.

RUN-OFF CANDIDATE FORUM
The 18th District Special Election Run-Off Candidates’ Forum will be held on Sunday from 3 to 4 PM in the Eakin Elementary School Auditorium (2500 Fairfax Ave.). It’s sponsored by the Hillsboro-West End Neighborhood Association; Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors; Hillsboro Village Merchants; Belmont University; and Vanderbilt University.

You can submit questions in advance at 18thdistrictforum@vanderbilt.edu through Thursday. You can also submit questions in writing at the forum until 2:55 p.m., which is five minutes before opening statements.

I need you to submit strong questions and attend this important event. It will be the last time the candidates come together to answer your questions before we decide who our next council member will be.

BELMONT-HILLSBORO CLEANUP DAY
Belmont-Hillsboro Neighborhood Spring Cleanup Day is this Saturday from 8 AM to 12 PM. I’m going to pitch in and I hope you will too.

The event involves a bulk cleanup as well as e-waste and household waste collection areas. The location is behind Helios Artglassworks rear parking lot (3108 Belmont Blvd.) For more details visit the Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors, Inc. website at www.belmont-hillsboro.org.

EARLY VOTING CONTINUES
Early Voting continues at the Davidson County Election Commission offices (Metro Office Building, First Floor, 800 Second Ave. South) Friday through April 25:

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

THURSDAY, APRIL 16: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

FRIDAY, APRIL 17: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

SATURDAY, APRIL 18: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

MONDAY, APRIL 20: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

TUESDAY, APRIL 21: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

THURSDAY, APRIL 23: 8:00 AM – 4:30 P.M.

FRIDAY, APRIL 24: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

SATURDAY, APRIL 25: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

SIGN UP AND CONTRIBUTE TODAY!
We need your help as a volunteer and your contributions now more than ever. Getting our voter out to the polls is the key to victory on April 30. You can email me to volunteer at stephenie@stepheniedodson.com or visit my website (www.stepheniedodson.com) and click the “Volunteer” link at the top of the page to enter your information.

To contribute, click the “Donate” link on my home page or enter the following into your web browser:

http://www.campaignwindow.com/stepheniedodson/contribute/index.cfm?Fuseaction=contribute

Thanks for all you’ve done and all you’re doing! Just two more weeks until we take our collective voice to Metro Council!

Warmest regards,
Stephenie Dodson
Working For You
www.stepheniedodson.com

Run-Off Forum in District 18!

From the Hillsboro-West End Neighborhood Association email list:

Please save the date
18th District Special Election Run-off
Candidates’ Forum
Sunday, April 19th at 3 p.m.
Eakin School Auditorium

Please attend the 18th District Council run-off election forum on
Sunday, April 19th at 3 p.m. at the Eakin School auditorium. This
event is sponsored by Hillsboro West End Neighborhood; Belmont
Hillsboro Neighbors; Hillsboro Village Merchants; Belmont University;
and Vanderbilt University.

Candidates Stephenie Dodson and Kristine LaLonde will discuss issues
of concern to the 18th district and Nashville. To submit a question,
please e-mail it to 18thdistrictforum@vanderbilt.edu by Thursday,
April 16th or you may submit questions at the forum up until to 2:55
p.m.

For additional information, please contact Mary Pat Teague at 322-8337
or marypat.teague@vanderbilt.edu.

UPDATE: A press release put out by Vandy today (April 8) says my former boss Howard Gentry will moderate the forum. I'll take that as a good omen, though I know he'll be fair and impartial as a moderator should!

A Run-off Forum For District 18

That's what Stephenie Dodson and others want. Even if I wasn't one of her supporters I'd agree. She notes the "unfiltered" nature of such live encounters in a statement today. As someone who witnessed many such events during the last mayoral campaign, I concur that it's a good chance to size up the candidates without the filters that polished campaign materials and messages possess.

Here's the text of the email she sent out this afternoon:

To the good folks of District 18,

As I’ve gone through our neighborhoods talking with residents one thing is clear – the people here care deeply about the direction in which we take District 18 and Nashville. They’ve got needs and concerns they want government leaders to know about. They have questions they want answered.

There were two terrific candidate forums with the four people on last week’s Metro Council District 18 special election ballot. In those forums residents got to hear from each of us and ask questions. They also got to talk to us one-on-one before and after each forum.

Now Kristine LaLonde and I are in the April 30 run-off to decide who will represent you as we deal with budget, safety, education and other important matters in the challenging years ahead. I’ve already heard from many people across District 18 that want the chance to see us both in another forum now that the final candidate slate has been decided.

I think that’s an excellent idea. I’m ready to meet Kristine anytime, anywhere to discuss and debate the issues that matter to you. I’m ready to answer the questions you want to ask in a public, unfiltered setting where you can see us “in action” and decide for yourself who will best serve your needs in Metro Council.

Let’s get this done to give all residents the chance to assess the two of us before casting their final ballots. Early voting begins April 10, so we should have our forum as soon as possible.

Together we’re going to make our wonderful district and city the best it can be!

Warmest regards,
Stephenie Dodson
Working For You
www.stepheniedodson.com

District 18 Candidate Forums This Weekend

Voters in Metro Nashville's District 18 get the chance to size up the four candidates seeking to replace Keith Durbin on Metro Council not once but twice this weekend:

Nashville Neighborhood Defense Fund
District 18 Candidate Forum

Saturday, Feb. 21
9 AM - 11 AM
Belmont Mansion, 1900 Belmont Boulevard

Metro Council District 18 Candidates Forum
This forum is sponsored by Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors, Hillsboro-West End Neighbors, Hillsboro Village Merchants Association, West End Business, Belmont University and Vanderbilt University. Email questions in advance for consideration to 18thdistrictforum@vanderbilt.edu.

Sunday, Feb. 22
3 PM - 5 PM
Belmont United Methodist Church, 2007 Acklen Avenue,
Community Room (Upstairs)