Written by Brian Zacharias
Clarksville City Council – Ward 1
Clarksville, TN – I hope this newsletter finds everyone well. Please read below for some information about the recent executive session of the Clarksville City Council and upcoming events.
For the second straight month, our agenda items for our regular voting session had to be rescheduled due to the inclement weather. Currently, the council is planning to meet to take up these items on February 15th and 22nd. Notice of these meetings and their respective agendas will be published in the Leaf-Chronicle, the City of Clarksville’s website, and on its social media feeds.
Ward 11 Vacancy
I would like to publically thank Ashlee Evans for the hard work and dedication she put into representing the residents of Ward 11 during her tenure on the Clarksville City Council, and wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors. In particular, her steadfast commitment to ensure Clarksville moves in the right direction toward inclusivity will be missed.
Although this newsletter is primarily for residents of Ward 1, I know there are many people who live outside the ward who subscribe. On March 3rd, residents of Ward 11 who wish to apply may appear before the City Council to apply for the Ward 11 vacancy. The mayor will then call a special meeting for the council to appoint Ashlee’s replacement.
Only those applicants who appear at the March 3rd meeting and make known their intention to apply to fill the vacancy will be considered at the special called meeting. I highly encourage anyone who meets the criteria and is interested in taking a larger role in local government to apply.
Voter Registration
The Ward 1 election cycle falls during mid-term elections, which historically sees lower voter turn-out than elections where people have the opportunity to vote for the president. The last time the residents of Ward 1 voted for their city council representative, 956 voters chose the representative for a ward of almost 12,000 residents.
Getting to the polls on Election Day is the only way to guarantee you have a voice in choosing your representative. Since our last election, the nation has conducted its 10-year census and our city’s wards boundries have been redrawn to account for shifts in population. As a result, many residents may find themselves in a different city ward, or school board, county, or state district. It is important that everyone who intends to vote in primary or general elections ensures they are registered to vote.
The State of Tennessee has made it very easy to register to vote online, either through its GoVoteTN website or through the GoVoteTN app on your smartphone. Click the button below to visit the GoVoteTN website, or search Apple’s App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android) for the GoVoteTN app. The process takes less than 10 minutes and guarantees your voice is heard in upcoming elections!
Schedule an Appointment
I want to hear from you. My phone number and email address are public, but I am learning that there are times when a face-to-face meeting would be more appropriate, depending on the issue. If you would like to discuss an issue facing Ward 1 or Clarksville in general, please use the form linked below and we can schedule a meeting. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible!
Local Tax Rebates for Eligible Residents
At this month’s executive meeting, Montgomery County Trustee Kimberly Wiggins explained several tax relief programs for residents of Clarksville and Montgomery County. Seniors, disabled veterans, and those receiving SSA or SSI benefits may be eligible for tax relief or rebates from real estate and wheel taxes. Please click the buttons below for more information!
Tax Relief for Disabled Veterans and Widow(er)s of Disabled Veteran Homeowners
Tax Relief for Elderly or Disabled Homeowners
Income-based Wheel Tax Rebate for Seniors
Past and Future Votes
Transparency in government, especially local government, is extremely important to me. At any time, anyone can click the ‘Votes’ button to see my complete voting history as well as ordinances and resolutions on the City Council’s agenda for consideration in upcoming meetings.
What Has Your Councilman Been Doing?
February 3rd, 2022 – City Council Regular Session (Canceled – Inclement Weather)
February 7th, 2022 – Neighborhood & Community Services Committee Meeting
What Is Your Councilman Going To Be Doing?
February 15th, 2022 – City Council Special Session
February 22nd, 2022 – City Council Special Session
February 22nd, 2022 – Finance Committee Meeting
February 24th, 2022 – City Council Executive Session
March 3rd, 2022 – City Council Regular Session
