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Clarksville City Council Outlines Key Issues in Proposed State Legislative Agenda

City of ClarksvilleClarksville, TN – The Clarksville City Council has forwarded a Legislative Agenda of proposed items for the Tennessee General Assembly to consider in its next session, on behalf of the City of Clarksville.

The Clarksville-Montgomery County State Legislative Delegation to the General Assembly formally received this year’s Legislative Agenda during a presentation on the afternoon of Thursday, October 23rd, 2025.

The Legislators include:

  • Senator Bill Powers, Senate District 22
  • Senator Kerry Roberts, Senate District 23
  • Representative Ronnie Glynn, House District 67
  • Representative Aron Maberry, House District 68
  • Representative Jeff Burkhart, House District 75

It’s become an annual practice for both the Clarksville City Council and Montgomery County Commission to create a community-focused agenda – essentially a wish list – for the Tennessee General Assembly to consider.

Typically, some agenda items on both local governments’ lists mirror each other, while others are exclusive to one government or the other.

The City Council’s Legislative Liaison Committee, appointed by Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts, included:

  • Councilman Stacey Streetman, Chairman
  • Councilman Keri Lovato
  • Councilman Deanna McLaughlin
  • Councilman Carlos Peters
  • Councilman Brian Zacharias

“I was excited for us to present our Legislative Agenda to our State Legislators,” said Councilman Streetman.

“This committee has worked hard over the past several weeks, in conjunction with City Department Heads and our City Clerk, to bring forward a focused list of items that would be directly beneficial to the citizens of Clarksville.

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“I greatly appreciate Michelle Austin, Director of Clarksville Neighborhood & Community Services; Clarksville Fire Rescue Chief Freddie Montgomery, and City Clerk Lisa Canfield, for all of their help through this process. 

“Last, but not least, I’m also grateful to our State Legislators for their willingness to sit down at the table and discuss these items in detail. We’re very hopeful to see these items carried forward, and come to fruition,” Councilman Streetman said.

The City Council’s support of this year’s final Legislative Agenda was unanimous. Here is a breakdown of the Agenda for the upcoming session of the Tennessee General Assembly:

1. ROAD PROJECTS / INFRASTRUCTURE

Request: The City requests the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) obligate funding for the following projects critical to regional mobility and safety:

  • Interstate 24 (I-24) – Added capacity/widening from the Kentucky State Line to Interstate 65 (Nashville, Davidson County).

  • Ashland City Road (U.S. Highway 41A Bypass / State Highway 12) – Widen from the intersection of Madison Street / Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy (US 41 ALT / SR 76) to the intersection of S. Riverside Drive / Cumberland Drive (US 41A Bypass / SR 12 / SR 13 / SR 48).

  • State Route 374 (Warfield Boulevard / Richview Road) – Widen from Dunbar Cave Road to Madison Street (US 41 ALT / SR 76 / SR 112).

  • SR 374 Extension (U.S. Highway 79 / State Highway 76 / Dover Road to State Highway 149 west of River Road) – Encourage TDOT to complete the environmental and design phases as scheduled, allowing the Right-of-Way phase to proceed as outlined in the FY2020–2023 Transportation Improvement Program.

  • SR 237 / Rossview Road – Widen from west of Keysburg Road to State Highway 374 / Warfield Boulevard. The Clarksville Urbanized Area Metropolitan Planning Organization will produce the Technical Report; next is the environmental phase.

2. ENHANCED CODE VIOLATION FEES

Request:  Amend Tennessee Code Annotated to allow municipalities to:

  • Define “repeat violation” within local ordinances.

  • Establish a tiered structure of increasing fines for successive offenses.

Purpose: This amendment provides municipalities with clear, effective tools to combat recidivism and promote compliance, ensuring local governments can protect community standards efficiently and equitably.

3. FIRE STATION SAFETY IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM

Request: Create a state-level grant program to fund construction, renovation, or replacement of fire stations.

Background: According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),

  • 43% of U.S. fire stations are more than 40 years old, an 11% increase in aging infrastructure over the past 15 years.

  • Estimated $70–$100 billion in national renovation or replacement needs.

  • Many facilities lack exhaust emission control, backup power, and separate facilities for female firefighters, and require mold remediation.

Why It Matters: Older stations often fail to meet modern safety and health standards, including NFPA cancer prevention guidelines. 

FEMA’s 2009 Fire Station Construction Grants funded 120 departments nationwide but have not been renewed. A Tennessee grant initiative would directly improve public safety and firefighter well-being.

4. HOSPITAL TRANSPARENCY

Request: Enact legislation requiring hospitals and covered entities to publicly report the use of 340B drug pricing savings, including:

  • The percentage of savings applied to reduce patient costs.

  • Assurance that uninsured and underinsured patients benefit from drug price reductions.

Background: The federal 340B program was created to help healthcare providers stretch scarce resources. However, transparency gaps make it unclear how much savings reach patients.

Public reporting would promote accountability and ensure fair access to affordable care.

5. LAND BANK LEGISLATION

Request: Authorize the City of Clarksville to create and operate a land bank to strategically manage underutilized, tax-delinquent, and abandoned properties.

Purpose: A land bank would:

  • Support the Restore Clarksville Initiative and Clarksville Neighborhood & Community Services Affordable Housing Strategies.

  • Stimulate neighborhood revitalization.

  • Facilitate affordable housing development.

  • Strengthen community investment and economic opportunity.

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