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City of Clarksville, Montgomery County to present joint Legislative Agenda

Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts appoints committee to identify Statehouse priorities

City of Clarksville - Clarksville, TNClarksville, TN – Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts has formed an ad-hoc committee of City Council members to work on a joint City-County legislative agenda to present to state lawmakers who represent Clarksville and Montgomery County.

Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts names (L to R) Jeff Burkhart, Ron Erb and Stacey Streetman to ad-hoc committee.
Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts names (L to R) Jeff Burkhart, Ron Erb and Stacey Streetman to ad-hoc committee.

Ward 12 Councilman Jeff Burkhart will chair the committee, which will include Ward 3 Councilman Ron Erb and Ward 10 Councilwoman Stacey Streetman.

The committee will seek input from City Council members, Department Heads and the public on the issues and priorities the City and County should recommend for action by local members of the Tennessee General Assembly.

Citizens who wish to comment can find contact information for the City Council committee members online at www.cityofclarksville.com/index.aspx?page=50

The City ad-hoc committee is modeled on the structure Montgomery County government has used successfully for several years to identify topics the County Commission wants local legislators to carry forward at the Statehouse.

“Mayor Durrett and I have agreed we should be collaborating on a joint City-County legislative agenda and presentation process,” Mayor Pitts said. “This City committee will gather input and suggestions, bring its finished product to the Council for approval, then work with the County committee to develop a joint agenda from both local governments that we can present to our lawmakers.”

For example, last fall the County Commission’s Legislative Liaison Committee — John Gannon, Charlie Keene, David Harper, Jerry Allbert and Larry Rocconi — developed a list of priorities, approved by the full Commission, that urged state lawmakers to support:

  • An anti-panhandling law for the state of Tennessee.
  • Legislation to revive the north loop of Interstate 840.
  • A new Interstate 24 interchange between Exits 4 and 8, and several other major improvements to local state highways.
  • Amendments to provide broadband and Internet services to rural county areas by municipal service providers.
  • A juvenile detention center in Montgomery County.

As for timing, the City and County committees will do their research and deliberation in the summer and the local governments will present their priorities to the state delegation in the fall before the start of the Tennessee General Assembly in January 2020.

The state delegation that represents all or part of Clarksville-Montgomery County includes District 68 Rep. Curtis Johnson; District 68 Rep. Jason Hodges; District 74 Rep. Jay Reedy; and District 22 Sen. Rosalind Kurita, who was appointed to serve until a election to fill the seat is conducted April 23rd.

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