Time for Spring Clean Up

<a href=”http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/top-spot-logo.jpg”><img title=”top-spot-logo” src=”http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/top-spot-logo-200×68.jpg” alt=”" width=”200″ height=”68″ /></a>Beginning on March 22, 2010, the Clarksville Street Department will begin picking up yard debris, leaves and limbs. This service will continue through April 16, 2010. Yard debris, such as leaves <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>must be placed in biodegradable paper bags</span> and placed near the street.

Tree limbs must be 4’ or less in length. The Street Department will not pick up limbs where a commercial company has pruned trees.

In order to have your yard debris picked up, you must contact the Clarksville Street Department at (931) 645-7464 between 7:00 A.M. and 3:30 P.M. Monday through Friday.

Tennessee Arts Commission issues grants to local organizations

Clarksville Arts & Heritage Development Council, City of Clarksville Parks & Recreation and Roxy Productions, Inc. awarded matching grants.

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.” [Read more]

Governor Identifies 450 Transportation Projects for Funding

Projects to be funded through Recovery Act, Bridge Bonding and Traditional Funds

NASHVILLE- Governor Phil Bredesen yesterday released a final list of projects to be funded with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds (Recovery Act), proposed bridge bonds and TDOT’s regular funding mechanisms. The three-tiered program represents more than 450 projects statewide touching every county in Tennessee.

“The Recovery Act is fundamentally about creating and retaining jobs during one of the toughest economic times our nation and state have faced since the Great Depression,” said Governor Bredesen. “This three-tiered program represents a record investment in Tennessee’s transportation system. The Recovery Act, along with the bridge bonding and TDOT’s regular program, will put thousands of Tennesseans to work rebuilding and strengthening one of Tennessee’s largest economic drivers, our transportation system.” [Read more]

Construction Ahead: TDOT “road repair” season underway

This monthly column is prepared by TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely.

Last month, the Tennessee Department of Transportation let the first projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to contract. In May and June, more than a hundred other projects will move into the construction phase, bringing valuable transportation improvements and jobs to communities across the state. This means that a large majority of Tennesseans, no matter where they live, will find themselves traveling through a work zone in the near future. [Read more]

Democratic Caucus: Words of hope in Governor’s budget address

House budget hearings scheduled to continue throughout next several weeks

“Governor Bredesen offered the House a good starting point for this year’s budget discussion,” said State Representative Joe Pitts (D-Clarksville).

During a joint session of the Tennessee House and Senate on Monday, Governor Phil Bredesen delivered his draft of the state’s budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year, including budget projections for the next four years.
“This governor has shown a commitment to being fiscally responsible and this budget looks to be in line with that commitment,” Pitts said. “What we have to do now, as legislators, is make sure we’re spending the resources we have wisely and not causing ourselves greater harm by cutting in the wrong places.” [Read more]

House Republican Caucus Weekly Wrap

Week of March 23-27,2009

• Budget proposal presented to lawmakers
• Stimulus funds will foot much of the TennCare bill
• Higher Education may dodge a bullet
• Unemployment Insurance
• Testimony on “wine in grocery stores”
• Is the Tennessee Plan constitutional?

After months of uncertainty while the United States Congress wrangled over details of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Governor presented his initial budget proposal Monday night to a Joint Convention of the House and Senate. Because of the unprecedented economic situation facing Tennessee, the Governor is proposing a multi- year approach, and laying out possibilities for the next four years. He explained that much of the ARRA money, which totals approximately $5 billion over two years for Tennessee, comes with strings attached and has essentially already been earmarked by Congress.

According the Administration, about “two-fifths” of the money are “Tennessee” funds—monies that will allow the state some leniency regarding where to use them—while the remainder are “Congressional” funds that have multiple strings attached. [Read more]

River District Commission to meet

The River District Commission will meet on march 25 at the Mayor’s Conference room in City Hall at 4 p.m. to hear the following agenda:

I. CALL TO ORDER

II. ANNOUNCE MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE (VERIFY QUORUM)

III. ADOPTION OF MINUTES: January 28th, February 4th, February 25th
IV. COMMISSION UPDATES

1. River District Guidelines
2. Phase II Master Plan Design [Read more]

City Council special session called to submit revised charter to the state

The Clarksville City Council will meet in special session March 23 at 4 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 108 Public Square, to request the Tennessee legislature to approve changes to the  Clarksville City Charter. This is the sole item on the agenda.

Local councilors and state legislators representing Clarksville have received communications from residents irked with the idea that the revisions were not openly presented to the public prior to the vote seeking state approval.

Monday night’s agenda is as follows:

1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. SPECIAL SESSION AGENDA: RESOLUTION 57-2008-09 Requesting the Tennessee General Assembly to enact legislation to amend the Official Charter of the City of Clarksville
5. ADJOURNMENT

HUD neigborhood stabilization funds coming to Tennessee

HUD has approved $731Million for neighborhood stabilization programs for 48 states and local communities. Funding targets neighborhoods hard-hit by foreclosure

WASHINGTON – U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today approved nearly $731 million in funding for 48 States and local communities seeking to recover from the effects of high foreclosures and declining home values. Funded under HUD’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), these plans will target emergency assistance to particular neighborhoods by acquiring and redeveloping foreclosed properties that might otherwise become sources of abandonment and blight (see attached chart).

The neighborhood stabilization plans approved today include a $145 million plan submitted by the State of California, a program President Barack Obama recognized during a town hall meeting today in Los Angeles.

These are Tennessee’s allocations:

Tennessee	Knoxville		$ 2,735,980
	Tennessee State Program		$ 49,360,421

State and local governments can use their neighborhood stabilization grants to acquire land and property; to demolish or rehabilitate abandoned properties; and/or to offer downpayment and closing cost assistance to low- to moderate-income homebuyers (household incomes not exceed 120 percent of area median income). In addition, these grantees can create “land banks” to assemble, temporarily manage, and dispose of vacant land for the purpose of stabilizing neighborhoods and encouraging re-use or redevelopment of urban property.

HUD’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program was created under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 and provides nearly $4 billion to every State and certain local communities experiencing particularly high foreclosure problems and risk of property abandonment. The program permits these State and local governments to purchase foreclosed homes at a discount and to rehabilitate or redevelop them in order to respond to rising foreclosures and falling home values.

In addition, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 makes available another $2 billion of NSP funding to State, local governments, non-profit entities, or consortia of non-profit entities for similar anti-blight and stabilization efforts. HUD will issue a funding notice with application requirements no later than May 3, 2009. Applicants will prepare an application and, for programmatic funding, complete citizen participation before submitting to HUD. HUD will review applications and make awards shortly thereafter.

The NSP Program also seeks to prevent future foreclosures by requiring housing counseling for families receiving homebuyer assistance. In addition, the Agency seeks to protect future homebuyers by requiring States and local grantees to ensure that new homebuyers under this program obtain a mortgage loan from a lender who agrees to comply with sound lending practices.

About HUD: HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation’s fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

House of Representatives Republican Caucus

• Firearm legislation close to a floor vote
• Legislation to prohibit firearm “roster” passes House floor
• House Republicans pursue conservative measures

The House Judiciary Committee once again discussed several pieces of gun legislation, but only one bill was approved by the committee and advanced through the Calendar and Rules Committee to be scheduled for a floor vote. House Bill 959 will exempt the handgun carry permit list from the Open Records Act, but a proposed $2,500 penalty for publishing the list was removed by an amendment. The legislation is expected to be up for a floor vote, possibly next week. [Read more]

Next Page »