NASHVILLE – Senator Tim Barnes has released the list of grant award recipients from the Tennessee Arts Commission for Fiscal Year 2010 (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010) in the 22nd district, which includes Cheatham, Houston and Montgomery Counties.

• The Clarksville Arts and Heritage Development Council received  $7,400.
• City of Clarksville Department of Parks and Recreation received $4,600.
• Roxy Productions, Inc. received $25,000
• The Houston County Arts Council received $6,650

“The arts are important; they improve education when integrated into curriculum, contribute to our economy, and make our communities exciting,” stated Sen. Barnes. “The organizations that will benefit from these grants this year will be able to continue to provide Montgomery County with invaluable services that enhance our daily lives.”

“This state is indeed fortunate to have elected leaders who support the work of the Tennessee Arts Commission in building better communities through the arts,” said Kim McClamroch, incoming chair of the Tennessee Arts Commission.

According to McClamroch, the Commission will award over 850 grants during Fiscal Year 2010, totaling more than $7.6 million dollars. These funds have a direct impact on communities across Tennessee, in both urban and rural areas. Grant categories include: Arts Build Communities, Arts Access, Arts Education, Arts Project Support, Funds For At-Risk Youth, General Operating Support, Individual Artist Fellowship, Major Cultural Institution, Rural Arts Project Support, Student Ticket Subsidy, Technical Assistance, Touring, Special Opportunities, and Professional Development Support.

The Commission’s allocation process involves a review by citizen advisory panels made up of Tennesseans with expertise in appropriate arts disciplines and a review and final approval by the full 15-member Tennessee Arts Commission.

The Tennessee Arts Commission’s matching grants are made possible through an appropriation of state funds by the General Assembly, Federal dollars from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by Tennesseans who purchased specialty and collegiate license plates. The sale of specialty and collegiate license plates, which are voluntarily purchased by Tennesseans each year, make up $5.5 million of the Commission’s grant funding.

The Tennessee Arts Commission is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences that add value to the lives of every citizen, and enhances the quality of life in Tennessee communities.

Additional information on grant programs offered by the Tennessee Arts Commission is available at: www.arts.state.tn.us

About Senator Tim Barnes

Sen. Tim Barnes represents Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery Counties. You can contact his office at sen.tim..gov or 1-800-449-8366, extension 1-2374 or 305 War Memorial Building, Nashville, TN 37243-0222.

The Senate Chambers

‘A Week’s Worth’ is a feature that gives Tennesseans an in-depth look at what State Senator Tim Barnes has been working on this past week, and a preview for the coming week in the Senate.

This week:

• Summer
• Protecting hometown car dealers
• Local Water improvments
  

The kids may be out of school, but summer only seems to be coming in fits and starts.

At our house, we’re enjoying the mild temperatures while we’ve got them, though. It won’t be long before we are sweating our way through another humid Middle Tennessee summer.

Protecting hometown car dealers and the jobs they fill

Senator Jim Kyle passed a bill this week that protects local auto dealers as well as consumers amid all the turmoil in the auto industry.

The bill ensures that Main Street dealerships – which employ a number of people in our local communities – are not left holding the bag financially for warranties and other guarantees. It requires that money to cover such guarantees be held in trust.

It also establishes that funds will be held in trust to pay off loans and taxes on vehicles that have been traded in.

Local water improvements are on tap

I co-sponsored a bill this week that will open the way for Tennessee communities to improve their drinking water and wastewater facilities. The bill passed Thursday on a unanimous vote in the Senate.

It allows $70 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to be used for low-cost loans to local Tennessee governments for improving their water systems.

That not only is good for the health of our families, but any improvement to our infrastructure is a plus in attracting businesses that bring good jobs in.

Those of us supporting the water improvement bill overcame an amendment that would have disqualified Tennessee from receiving the money at all. The amendment would only have allowed the loans to go to programs that create jobs.

But the Environmental Protection Agency made it clear that any state attaching such strings to the loans would have automatically become ineligible for the money.

State Senator Tim Barnes (D)

Senator Tim Barnes said that a grant for Houston County’s airport is the kind of investment that helps the area compete for companies with good-paying jobs.

“Our rural airports, like the one in Houston County, are important to their communities, Senator Barnes said. “They need to have their facilities  in top shape because they are part of the total package when a company is looking for a place to locate.”

Governor Phil Bredesen and the state Department of Transportation announced last week that the Houston County Airport would receive $3,150 as part of an aeronautics grant. The funding will be used for tree trimming. Senator Barnes added that this facility needs to be a competitive part of the statewide transportation network. “When a major company requires this kind of facility for its executives, we want to be in the game to compete for jobs.”

Senator Barnes represents Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery Counties. You may contact his office by email at: <sen.tim..gov> or 1-800-449-8366, extension 1-2374 or via postal mail at 305 War Memorial Bldg, Nashville, TN 37 243-0222.

]]> http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/05/28/houston-county-airport-to-benefit-from-state-aeronautics-grant/feed/ 1 http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/01/14/local-attorney-takes-oath-of-office-now-its-senator-barnes/ http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2009/01/14/local-attorney-takes-oath-of-office-now-its-senator-barnes/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:00:44 +0000 Turner McCullough Jr. http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/?p=14403 The Montgomery County Legislative Delegation gained a new member Tuesday morning. The State Senate held swearing-in ceremony for the new members amid pomp and circumstance.

Tuesday morning marked a change in Tennessee political and legislative history. For Montgomery County, it marked a new name joining our legislative delegation. As the State Senate was called to order, the new members of Senate stood and took their oath of office. With his family watching, Clarksville Attorney Tim Barnes raised his hand and swore his commitment to the people of this state, its laws and governance.

Attending the swearing-in ceremony, the Barnes Family looked on as Attorney Tim Barnes became Tennessee State Senator Tim Barnes, District 22. The chamber was filled with family, friends, supporters and colleagues. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation and drama at what the moments to come would herald.

“There are not any words to express how honored I am to be serving the citizens of Cheatham, Houston and Montgomery county,” Barnes said, “I ran for this office to help the working families of the 22nd District, and I intend to get to work immediately doing just that.”

Following the swearing-in, the Senate was in recess while a committee that included Barnes reported to the House and the Governor that the Senate was formed  and ready to conduct business.

Having  reporting to the Governor, the Speaker returned to gavel and called the Chamber to order. The first order of business was approval of a Senate Joint Resolution of a Motion to Adopt, followed by approval of Introduction of Senate Bills One to Fourteen and Senate Resolutions One to Nine. Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey  appointed Senators Norris, Kyle and McNally to the Senate Select Committee to review the annual state audit of the Comptroller of the Treasury. The senate then adjourned to reconvene tomorrow morning at 9 AM.

Senator Barnes, seated center with red tie, studies a listing of pending bills

Barnes, who already has a legislative office fully staffed in Nashville, asks any constituents who have concerns on any issue to contact him immediately at 615-741-2374 or email at sen.tim..gov.

Items of Interest

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey calls Senate to order

Items of interest in the introduced bills and resolution include a bill pertaining to election laws which would require voters to present qualified photographic identification before voting (voters without proper identification shall be allowed to cast provisional ballots), and a second bill requiring identification and proof of citizenship for voter registration along with photographic identification to vote. Provisional ballots would be provided to voters without proper identification. A third bill eliminates the residency requirement to be a police officer in a law enforcement agency employing 2,000 officers and any violation results in the agency’s loss of revenue derived from forfeitures, confiscation, and seizures.

View a video of the Tennessee Senate session

The Clarksville-Montgomery County Voters Council has thrown its support to Senator Rosalind Kurita (D-Clarksville) in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 22. The endorsement was made at a rally held at New Providence Outreach Center. The council is a voter advocacy group focused on minority issues.

“I am honored to receive the endorsement of the Voters Council,” Kurita said. “I am and will continue to be a staunch advocate for women, minorities, children and seniors in the state legislature.” Senator Kurita is speaker pro tempore of the Senate.

On the heels of that endorsement, the National Federation of Independent Business, Tennessee’s leading small business advocacy association, also announced its endorsement of incumbent Rosalind Kurita in Senate District 22. Sen. Kurita has been a strong supporter of the needs of her small business constituents, NFIB/Tennessee State Director Jim Brown said.

“I am honored to have the support of the National Federation of Independent Business. I will do everything I can to pass legislation that encourages small businesses to grow and continue creating jobs.” — Sen. Rosalind Kurita

Brown noted Sen. Kurita’s co-sponsorship of an important healthcare reform bill, SB 4014, as an example of her outstanding leadership. The legislation, which passed this year, will enable certain small businesses and their employees to join small group health cooperatives to spread risk and obtain better predictability of health insurance rates. Sen. Kurita also voted for regulatory flexibility for small business in 2006, the comprehensive workers’ compensation reforms of 2004, and the CoverTN health insurance program that offers an affordable and portable option for certain small businesses.

Kurita is speaker pro tempore of the Senate. She is vice chair of the Senate General Welfare, Health & Human Resources Committee and a member of the following committees: Transportation, Rules, Finance, Ways & Means, Joint Veterans Affairs, Joint Workers’ Compensation and Joint Select Oversight Committee on Education. She is a registered nurse.

House District 22 encompasses Cheatham, Houston and Montgomery counties. The primary will be held Thursday, Aug. 7. The general election will be held Nov. 4.

NFIB’s endorsement is important for Kurita. Small-business owners and their employees vote in high numbers and are known for actively recruiting friends, family members and acquaintances to go to the polls. NFIB has pledged it will activate its grassroots network on Sen. Kurita’s behalf. NFIB’s political support is based on the candidate’s position and record on small-business issues. Rosalind Kurita’s endorsement comes from NFIB/Tennessee SAFE (Save America’s Free Enterprise) Trust, the political action committee for NFIB/Tennessee’s membership. The endorsement brings the considerable grassroots support of Tennessee’s small-business owners to Rosalind Kurita’s campaign.

Senator Kurita and Tim Barnes presented opening and closing statements before fielding questions from panel members Frazier Allen, Britney Campbell and Jay Abertia.

In the opening statements, Kurita, who has a nursing background, said that she has worked to bring services to seniors in their homes. She has worked for expansion of the HOPE lottery scholarship to include older ages, has supported tax relief for disabled vets and a freeze on taxes for low income seniors.

Barnes said that he has been led to this challenge in order to serve the public. He doesn’t believe in cutting ‘back room’ deals to serve his own needs, implying that Kurita was working toward a bid to become governor. He’s mindful of not losing the confidence of friends and cited his loyalty, caring attitude and responsiveness to people.

In wrapping up their statements, Kurita said that she “helps people.” Barnes said he’s “a work horse rather than a show horse.”

To the question of what should the State of Tennessee provide during both good and bad economic times, Kurita answered with ‘health care, education, jobs, balanced budget and no new taxes.’ Barnes said that we must maintain our roads as well as health care, insuring those who are uninsurable, and education.

Barnes cut into Kurita, saying that she did not vote for a #9 lottery scholarship bill which would have helped more people get scholarships. Kurita stomped on that comment, charging that Barnes was deliberately misinforming people. She said a bipartisan bill was passed that gave more to scholarships and if he “had done his homework” he would know that.

They both said they stand for health care and education. Barnes cited Kurita as taking money from the Lottery to build energy efficient schools. She said yes, she did and added that the payoff will come back to the city from that. She also favored extending the lottery to include older people returning to school.

How to deal with illegal aliens? Barnes: Get the Feds to do their job. Kurita: I have a serious problem with just wishing it on the Feds. Stiffen fines on people who hire them. Documentation and tax paying should be required of all working peoples.

Kurita said she has a bipartisan track record. Gridlock stops us whereas civil conversations that is open to all solutions help us solve problems. Barnes said there’s a time and place for compromise; one needs to look for solutions. Some things shouldn’t be compromised, but relationships should be maintained.

Stance on income tax?

Barnes: On the record for opposing a State Income tax. It does not draw businesses here. Kurita: On the record as opposing a State Income tax. She has been under a lot of pressure to vote for one but her district made it very clear that they did not want one. She said she is a strong enough fighter and can resist it.

Energy resource question. Barnes: invest in ethanol; it will boom our economy 10-15 years down the road.

Kurita: (deep breath) Energy resources are a most important issue. She is the only Senator chosen to serve on the Governor’s energy resources task force. Get off of fossil fuels, use the Manhattan project. Use switch grass and woodchips here in TN. Why buy from foreign countries who hate us? There is a UT lab and another lab that is almost there with technology for us to use.

Kurita values energy resources, health care and education.

Barnes values education. And expanding the police force, which Kurita voted against.

Barnes: Work closely with local officials and market this area. Businesses need to know about our great schools and transportation. Change the limit of what we can pay on marketing.

Kurita: I changed that law this year; if you would have researched, you would have known. Develop the school system, get energy initiatives. We need to shine.

Energy incentives

Kurita. Tax rebate for purchasing programmable thermostats. Achieve independence in energy conservation. Barnes. At $4.00 a gallon for gas people are at the end degree that they can be squeezed. People will have to carpool. The State government cannot impact the cost of oil and gas. Take personal steps to conserve.

How will you stay in touch with your district?

Barnes: That’s the biggest complaint I hear about Kurita. My cell phone number is 931-801-3298. I will talk to you.

Kurita: That is an outrageous implication. We have helped 12,000 people. I call people personally. I hold town hall meetings; I run surveys in the paper. The things I have done are things that people tell me they want done.

For the state of TN Kurita has worked on disease awareness, greenways and hiking trails. For schools that have no recess she wants to increase physical activity to 45 minutes a day in elementary and middle schools. She’s behind public service ads about obesity and the danger of smoking and non-seatbelt use.

Barnes: Public schools have no recess? That’s news to me. Agrees that we need physical activities. He is in triathlons. He wants grants for more athletics.

A priority for Barnes is more money for APSU. He lives and sleeps with a lobbyist for APSU (his wife who teaches there).

Kurita: She goes to APSU and works in classes with students. Good jobs are increased by good education. She got the non-traditional scholarships for more students.

Kurita said the economy is weighing on people. We get good jobs through education. Takes a team to fix health care and she is involved civically in the community.

Barnes said people are worried about paying $4.00 a gallon for gas. The government can’t fix this problem. Say yes to college, it is the hope for better jobs.

How to keep seniors in their homes?

Barnes: In home health care, he pushed it 2 years ago.

Kurita: That’s a step we’ve already taken. Have to have good bookwork for these things. Real health care also involves helping with things like house cleaning. We have done it. This was the year it happened.

Do you vote? Kurita: Yes, consistently. Barnes did not vote for President in 2000. Why not?

Barnes: I don’t recall that. I’m interested in politics; if I missed that year I don’t recall and defer to Rosalind. Kurita was stopped mid saying, you don’t remember if you voted for President of the US?

Should the school lottery be used for anything else?

Barnes: Kurita used lottery money to build energy efficient schools. Should have put that money into students.

Kurita: I voted to use Lottery money to build geothermal schools. The long term savings is that utility bills will stay low and we have efficient schools. We are building one school a year.

Closing:

Barnes: I see the sunrise from my porch. I can’t take credit for making the sunrise. I see that kind of credit taking from my opponent. Voting for something is not the same as making it happen. I think she is ostracized by her own party. I think you should represent your own democratic constituency.

Kurita: I went to a town hall meeting in Erin where a Grandmother pleaded with me to help her injured army grandson to be sent here to Ft. Campbell. They were not able to help him where he was. My office did that for them. I work hard for people. My opponent throws hideous accusations about me, yet as an attorney he gets drunk drivers out of court and back on the road. He helps wife beaters get off scot free. Reevaluate this as you judge us. I have done my job; I take care of people. I am bipartisan. I listen to you.

Early voting is from July 18 through August 2

Before leaving the building I said hello to Senator Kurita. From first hand experience, I witnessed her handing over checks to Port Royal to help its Trail of Tears site, Dunbar Cave for interpretation and Wounded Warriors, a scuba diving group that helps wounded soldiers. She is pushing for the state to have more fuel efficient automobiles. She is high on the conservation evaluation of her.

I also said hello to Tim Barnes and his wife. Mrs. Barnes said that she works in the English Department at APSU. I was shocked that I have never met her before, but realized it is because I have never run into her at events run by the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts. This center brings in authors and artists as speakers to APSU.  *see my comments below.

Going to my car I met Maria and Charlie Butler who said they are totally against Kurita because she passed the no smoking bill in TN. Since then Maria has lost a lot of customers in her 12-year-old business, Maria’s Wagonwheel.