Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 4-23-25

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for April 23, 2025

All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.

We start with local news…

County Commission Supports Dam (CDH)

The Maury County Commission has voted unanimously in support of the recent push to revitalize the Columbia Dam project as a potential long-term solution to the county's increasing water needs.

On Monday, several members of Columbia Dam Now, a grassroots group spearheading the effort, shared arguments with commissioners as to why Maury County could benefit from the defunct project, which ceased construction in 1983.

"It is very exciting to be a part of it, and there are other options being discussed that can all work together, but this is, in my opinion, the 100-year solution that will provide water to this county and the surrounding counties for years to come," District 9 Commissioner Jerry Bridenbaugh, one of the group's founders, said. "We can make this happen."

Jason Gilliam, another of the group's leaders, shared facts and data collected from the Maury County Archives, such as the size of the lake if constructed being 12,600 acres and about 50 miles long extending into Marshall County.

The Columbia Dam would create a reservoir that would have a volume of 294,000-acre feet of water, enough water to sustain the region for the next 100 years, Gilliam said.

"The benefits of this lake would far extend [out of] Columbia. It would help Marshall County, Lawrence County, Giles County, all of those areas would be able to get water from our reservoir," he said.

Gilliam added that certain misconceptions have been discussed, such as the lake being too shallow or too hot for aquatic life. He said this would not be the case based on research data.

"Less than 5% of the lake would actually be considered shallow, three feet or less," Gilliam said. "In the studies I have found from the [Tennessee Valley Authority], this lake would actually improve water quality of the Duck River. It would also sustain over .5 parts per million of oxygen in the water, which is necessary for aquatic life."

Flood control is another issue, which the lake could provide potential benefits not just in preventing flooding but also saving on expenses due to damage and flood recovery. It could also generate an estimated $38 million per year in revenue, Gilliam said.

"The TVA has said that the area between the dam and Hickman County, and this is 1972 numbers, that the annual cost savings from flood damage ... was $35,000 annually," Gilliam said. "Today, that would equate to approximately $268,000 just in flood damage savings for agriculture."

When discussion was brought back to commissioners, Bridenbaugh shared that while the project is gaining support, there have been concerns whether the dam could suffer the same pitfalls as it did in 1983.

"We have heard cynicism and pessimism, and I don't say that in a negative sense," Bridenbaugh said. "People should come to us with questions. They should say 'How about this or how about that?' because that's how things get done. You solve problems, and we believe we have people in Congress now, in the Senate and the White House that can help us get through this."

Many commissioners shared their support of the potential benefits presented Monday.

District 8 Commissioner Gabe Howard commented on the long-term impact the project could have.

"This, to me, is an opportunity for us to really make a generational impact," Howard said. "Some of us might not get to experience it, but this is something that truly puts us on the map for our long-term water strategy. It needs to be talked about."

The commission ultimately voted 21-0 unanimously to approve the resolution showing its support for the project to move forward.

"It is starting to be talked about, and in my opinion, let's keep the momentum going," Commission Chairman Kevin Markham said.

Mayor Fitterer and BOMA Sworn In (CDH)

A new era for the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen began Monday as newly elected Mayor Matt Fittterer, along with four new aldermen, were officially sworn into office.

Fitterer, who defeated incumbent Mayor Jim Hagaman in the April 10 election, joined Alex Jiminez (Ward 1), Jaimee Davis (Ward 2), Erin Hartwell (Ward 3) and Trent Linville (Ward 4).

"I am so excited I might cry," Hartwell said before being sworn in. "We need so much change in our community. It's a thing, and to be able to be here, to represent and be a voice for you all, it's going to be great."

Linville, who was re-elected to his second term, was also appointed by the BOMA to serve as Spring Hill's new vice mayor.

Scott Wernert, who ran for office in the April election, was also appointed to fill a vacancy representing Ward 2.

After officially taking his seat Monday as the new mayor, Fitterer shared a few words of encouragement, and that the new board is determined to address Spring Hill's growth issues.

"Tonight, I want to express my sincere gratitude for the people of Spring Hill for trusting me with this responsibility," Fitterer said. "I am honored to serve and am committed to working tirelessly to benefit our entire community.

"We all have extraordinary opportunities ahead of us, and many challenges as well and how we address these challenges and seize these opportunities will define our collective work."

Fitterer added that he believes there are three key components to the city's future success in addressing the challenges, the first being a strong sense of collaboration.

"The challenges facing Spring Hill cannot be solved alone, but require a collective wisdom, effort and commitment of everyone on this board, our city staff, regional state partners and most importantly the citizens we serve as well," Fitterer said. "Second, we must be action oriented. Thoughtful deliberation is essential, but our citizens also expect and deserve a government that moves decisively to address the community's needs.

The third component, Fitterer continued, is being a board that is "solution focused."

"It's easy to identify problems, but it's hard to craft practical solutions. We will be a board that spends less time dwelling on obstacles and more time developing creative, pragmatic approaches to overcome."

Fitterer concluded his comments by assuring citizens that the new board's intent should be to "leave our offices in better shape than we found it."

"We were each elected to lead," Fitterer said. "Whether it is infrastructure improvements or growth management, enhancing public safety and elevating our quality of life, we will deliver meaningful results to the citizens of Spring Hill. So, let's get to work."

First Farmers Recap (WKOM Audio 1:35)

Yesterday, First Farmers Bank in Columbia held their annual stockholders meeting. Front Porch Radio’s Delk Kennedy was on hand to speak to Bank President Brian Williams to learn more about First Farmers’ relevance to the community and the state of the economy in Middle Tennessee.

Special Census Returns are In (Press Release)

The City of Columbia announced yesterday the official results of a special census conducted within the city limits. As of September 16, 2024, the population of the city of Columbia was 48,885 and the housing unit count was 21,492, showing a population increase of 17.26 percent since the 2020 decennial census. This data provides a more current and detailed snapshot of the city’s population and housing landscape than previous estimates. The numbers represent “Official Census Statistics” according to Title 13 United States Code Section 196.

Many federal and state funding programs allocate money to cities based on their population. This includes funding for infrastructure projects (roads, bridges), healthcare, housing assistance, community development, and public safety. An accurate census count ensures Columbia receives its fair share of these crucial funds.

“This special census provides us with more funding and invaluable data that will be instrumental in shaping the future of Columbia,” remarked Mayor Chaz Molder. “Having these official figures allows us to better understand the growth and needs of our community, enabling us to make informed decisions about infrastructure, services, and future development. We are grateful for the participation of our residents in this important undertaking.”

City Manager Tony Massey noted, “Contracting with the U.S. Census Bureau to conduct this special census was a calculated risk. We were the only Tennessee municipality to do this. We saw the $928,000 that City Council authorized to fund the special census as an investment. The new population number represents a projected $6.4 million increase in state shared revenue to Columbia over the next five years. That’s a pretty good return on the public’s money. It’s good government”

Special census data includes total population and total housing unit counts by block for the special census area as well as a demographic profile that contains similar content as the 2020 Census demographic profiles.

This data will be made available to the public on the city’s website at www.ColumbiaTn.gov by May 1st.

Governor’s Duck River Money Cut (TNLookout)

The Tennessee General Assembly’s 2026 budget trimmed $35 million from a funding bucket intended to support ongoing efforts to preserve North America’s most ecologically diverse freshwater river while serving the growing Middle Tennessee population’s water needs.

The Duck River, a “scenic treasure” according to Gov. Bill Lee, provides water to an estimated 250,000 Middle Tennessee residents. Its water levels reached concerning lows in 2025, and an increase in dead mussels signaled the river’s health is in peril, scientists say.

Lee’s budget proposal originally earmarked $100 million “to create a regional water supply strategy that will solve this problem once and for all,” he said in his 2025 State of the State Address.

The $59.8 billion budget approved by the Tennessee General Assembly on Wednesday allocated $65 million to projects involving the river. House Majority Leader William Lamberth, a Sumner County Republican, said in a Thursday news conference that when viewed “as a whole, 98% plus of the budget was almost exactly what the governor proposed.”

Rep. Jody Barrett, a Dickson Republican, represents Hickman County, which is bisected by the Duck River. While his constituents’ concerns about the river are mostly environmental for now, residents of neighboring Maury County are looking toward the Duck as a “saving grace” for water shortages, he said.

“Certainly $35 million is going to have some practical impact. As far as how that money was going to be used, I’m not exactly sure, so I don’t know that it will be a considerable immediate impact,” Barrett said. “But obviously it’s an emergency situation, depending upon where you are along the river.”

Barrett said he understands part of the reasoning behind the funding redirect was a lack of specificity on how the funding will be used.

Lee’s November executive order to conserve the Duck River tasks the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to “evaluate large-scale engineering projects” for cost and feasibility.

TDEC Commissioner David Salyers in March referred to the proposed $100 million as “incentive money” to encourage partnerships among regional utilities. 

Salyers chairs the 19-member advisory group created by Lee to make recommendations to the governor and state lawmakers. He told lawmakers last month that the funding could be put toward a potential pipeline from the Cumberland or Tennessee rivers to “really solve the problem” of drinking water access. 

But Salyers also acknowledged that a full solution will likely require hundreds of millions of dollars over the course of several years.

“While we are disappointed by the reduction in funding by $35 million for the Duck River projects, we recognize that conservation requires sustained commitment over time, not just in moments of opportunity,” Harpeth Conservancy CEO Grace Stranch, also a member of the governor’s advisory group, wrote in an email. “I am honored to serve on the Duck River Planning Partnership and look forward to working with partners across the region to identify sustainable, collaborative solutions for protecting one of Tennessee’s most vital natural resources.”

One of the proposed alternative solutions is the rebuilding of the Columbia Dam. The original dam was nearing completion in the early 1980’s, when the project was scrapped and torn down. Now, a grass-roots effort led by non-profit Columbia Dam Now are opening the conversation once again to build a dam that, according to the group, would be a long-term fix for the water shortage problem and bring recreation and tourism to the area.

Maury County Commissioner Jerry Bridenbaugh, who also heads-up the Columbia Dam Now project brought a resolution to the county commission last night asking for that governing body’s support. A large crowd gathered in the commission room in downtown Columbia. A few members of the public spoke in favor of the project, as did a handful of commissioners. The resolution in favor of supporting a new dam project passed the commission unanimously.

CSCC Professor Speaks in Puerto Rico (Press Release)

Recently, Dr. Barry Gidcomb, Columbia State Community College’s dean of the Humanities and Social Sciences Division and professor of history, represented the college in Puerto Rico at the American Association of Colleges and Universities Conference.

Gidcomb, who was the lone representative for Columbia State, participated in the conference as a co-speaker during a discussion session called “Riding the Elephant: The TBR General Education Safari.”

The session featured speakers including Dr. Robert Denn, TBR associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, as well as current and former faculty members from Tennessee colleges discussing how the College System of Tennessee (Tennessee Board of Regents) general education model was redesigned with cohesion and institutional autonomy for its 13 colleges and 3,000 faculty members.

“We upgraded our General Education Core model to reflect Core Competencies valued by universities and employers alike,” Gidcomb explained. “In addition, we were inspired by a line from a committee member following a brainstorming session to compose a new purpose statement for General Education: 'Give students tools to create the kind of life + world they want.”

Gidcomb’s work on the General Education Core first began in 2019 when he became part of a five-member TBR team that attended the AAC&U annual General Education Conference in Vermont, where teams learned about how to make general education more relevant in today's world and created five-year plans to reform their general education models.

After the conference, the TBR team asked each of the 13 community colleges to create a team of 10 that included a team leader to carry out this work.  

“With the delivery of our presentation at the recent AAC&U Conference on Learning and Student Success in San Juan, I felt like we had come full circle from our origins in Vermont where we began our journey to giving back to other college and university faculty and administrators who are now embarking on their own mission to reform their General Education models.”

The AAC&U is an international organization committed to furthering the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation and excellence in liberal education. AAC&U serves as a catalyst and facilitator for innovations that improve educational quality and equity and that support the success of all students.

Columbia State is one of 13 community colleges in the College System of Tennessee. The College System of Tennessee is the state’s largest public higher education system, with 13 community colleges, 24 colleges of applied technology and the online TN eCampus serving approximately 140,000 students. The system is governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents.

And now, Your Hometown Memorials, Sponsored by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home…

Michael Lee Dale “Big Daddy”, 60, Truck Driver for Marlene’s Express, and resident of Williamsport, died Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at Maury Regional Medical Center.

A visitation will be held Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. The family will have a celebration of life at a later date. 

Angela Sue Emerson Bryant, 61, resident of Athens, AL, died Sunday, April 20, 2025 at her residence.

Funeral services will be conducted Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Thursday, April 24, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

Regina Lynn Bain Cheek, 71, retired bookkeeper, and resident of Columbia, died Saturday, April 19, 2025 at The Reserve at Spring Hill.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Morton Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Friday, April 25, 2025 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and on Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

And now, news from around the state…

Work Zone Week (Press Release)

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is joining states nationwide to ask motorists to Work with Us – move over and slow down for highway workers. TDOT will spread that message statewide during National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 21-25) to improve safety in Tennessee’s interstate and highway construction and maintenance work zones. This year’s theme is “Respect the Zone, So We All Get Home.”

  “Work zone safety is a shared responsibility, whether behind the wheel or working on the side of the road,” said Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “We engineer our roads to be as safe as possible, but no amount of engineering can change driver behavior. 113 TDOT workers have been killed in work zones. Let’s work together to ensure everyone makes it home safely.”

The spring and summer months provide perfect weather for highway work. Work zones include major interstate widening projects, repaving, and litter pickup. Motorists will encounter work zones across the state.

Last year in Tennessee, 16 people died in work zone crashes. So far this year, there have been 35 incidents in which drivers crashed into TDOT equipment and vehicles, including HELP Trucks. These are secondary work zones where our HELP patrols and other first responders assist motorists.

 TDOT launched the Work with Us—Move Over, Slow Down safety campaign in 2017 to raise awareness of the importance of safety in work zones throughout the year. To learn more about the campaign, see answers to frequently asked questions about work zones, and take the Work with Us pledge, click on www.tn.gov/tdot/work-with-us

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Columbia Parks and Rec are hosting their annual Touch-a-Truck event at Riverwalk Park (102 Riverside Dr., Columbia, TN) on Saturday, May 3rd, 2025 from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM!

Get up close and personal with all kinds of big rigs, emergency vehicles, construction trucks, and more at Touch-a-Truck! Kids (and kids at heart) can climb inside, honk horns, take photos, and explore the vehicles that keep our city moving.

PLUS: Face painting, balloon art, and free popcorn provided by Columbia Parks & Recreation!

Don’t miss this FREE family-friendly event!

More information at the Columbia Parks and Recreation Facebook Page.