League Launches Advocacy Initiative by CAROLE GRAVES TML Communications Director
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1-TENNESSEE TOWN & CITY/JANUARY 29, 2007 www.TML1.org 6,250 subscribers www.TML1.org Volume 58, Number 2 January 29, 2007 League launches advocacy initiative BY CAROLE GRAVES TML Communications Director The Tennessee Municipal League has launched a new advo- cacy program called “Hometown Connection.” The mission of the program is to foster better relation- ships between city officials and their legislators and enhance the League’s advocacy efforts on Capi- tol Hill. TML’s Hometown Connection will provide many resources to help city officials stay up-to-date on leg- islative activities, as well as offer more opportunities for the League’s members to become more involved in issues affecting municipalities Among the many resources at their disposal are: • Legislative Bulletins • Action Alerts • Special Committee Lists Photo by Victoria South • TML Web Site and the Home- town Connection Ceremony marks Governor Bredesen’s second term • District Directors’ Program With First Lady Andrea Conte by his side, Gov. Phil Bredesen took the oath of office for his second term as the 48th Govornor of Tennessee • Hometown Champions before members of the Tennessee General Assembly, justices of the Tennessee Supreme Court, cabinet staff, friends, family and close to 3,000 • Hometown Heroes Tennesseans. The inauguration ceremony took place on War Memorial Plaza in front of the Tennessee State Capitol. After being sworn in, • Legislative Contact Forms Bredesen delivered an uplifting 12-minute address focusing on education in Tennessee as his number one priority along with strengthening • Access to Legislators’ voting Tennessee’s families. Bredesen praised Conte as an “amazing” first lady highlighting her efforts to help abused children by treking 600 miles record on key municipal issues across Tennessee and thanked her for “32 years of love and friendship.” Entertaining performances included the Tennessee National Guard • Tennessee Town and City Band and the Tennessee School for the Blind’s choral ensemble. The ceremony was attended by all four previous governors, Winfield Dunn • Legislative Conference (1971-75), U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (1979-87), Ned McWherter (1987-95), and Don Sundquist (1995-2003) along with Nashville Mayor Bill • Annual Conference Purcell, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker and former U.S. Sen. Dr. Bill Frist. Bredesen will specify his agenda for his second term during his upcoming Legislative Bulletin State of the State address Feb. 5. The governor is pictured above alongside his wife First Lady Andrea Conte, his uncle, Milton Walburn, and During the legislative session, newlywed son, Ben Bredesen, accompanied by his wife Dru. See INAUGURAL PHOTOS on Page 9 See HOMETOWN on Page 4 State Emergency Board prepares Statewide franchising to launch 911 modernization project legislation shortchanges BY VICTORIA SOUTH TML Communications Coordinator local governments The Tennessee Cable Tele- local governments, new compa- In the near future, current tech- communications Association nies entering the market can nology that consumers enjoy in lei- (TCTA) will fight against an an- cherry-pick neighborhoods for ser- sure will vastly improve the capa- ticipated proposal by BellSouth/ vices and effectively discriminate bilities of emergency 911 call sys- AT&T to strip local governments against lower income and rural ar- tems across the state. of approval and oversight of cable eas. “Next Generation 911” is a and video franchising. TCTA in- “Companies offering new ser- statewide modernization project ini- stead urges that competitors go vices should go through competi- tiated by the Tennessee Emergency through the current process that tive channels already open to Communications Board (TECB) has worked extremely well for lo- them,” Briggs said. “BellSouth/ linking all of Tennessee’s 911 call cal governments, consumers, and AT&T has had the ability to enter centers with an Internet protocol (IP) cable companies. this business for 10 years through network. “Stripping power from local the existing local application pro- Speedier and more reliable than governments by creating a shortcut cess and have chosen not to, and old fashioned copper telephone for new franchise approvals at the now they want a shortcut.” wires, 911 calls will be transmitted state level is unfair. It gives “Competition is good for con- through fiber optic cables and other BellSouth/AT&T a competitive sumers and the marketplace,” high speed circuitry. business advantage at the Briggs said. “But all telecommuni- With the click of a button, call consumer’s expense. BellSouth/ cations companies should play by centers across the state will be able The Putnam County 911 Emergency call center services the cities of Cookeville, Algood, Baxter, and Monterey. AT&T will get to choose who they the same rules with like services to transfer emergency calls to the want to serve,” said Stacey Briggs, treated alike. BellSouth/AT&T correct districts or send instructional the call center where it will be for- cal services. “All the phone compa- TCTA executive director. has new products and they should items such as maps, weather infor- warded to the responding police of- nies and call centers, and other infor- TCTA has launched a new bring those to consumers through a mation, or first aid directions to call- ficers equipped with squad car com- mational sources and the Internet Web site, www.CableConnects front door that is already wide open ers via the Internet. puter terminals. world are connected to the big cloud Tennessee.com, to inform the pub- to them through local franchise ap- Likewise, callers could forward “Think of NG911 like a big where information flows freely and lic about a legislative effort the plications and contracts.” cell phone photos of accident cloud in the sky,” said Rex steadily.” organization believes would be “These local agreements exist scenes, crime suspects or vehicles to Holloway, TECB director of techni- See NEXT GEN 911 on Page 4 bad policy for consumers. to protect consumers, local gov- Without the strong agree- ernments and the public rights-of- ments that exist between current way. The fact of the matter is Microsoft settlement garners $3.5 cable providers and Tennessee’s See TELECOM on Page 7 million for state’s schools systems BY VICTORIA SOUTH Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Of- Governors lose in power TML Communications Coordinator fice applications and encyclopedia software as well as certain non- struggle over National Guard School administrators across Microsoft software. the state will be scurrying to take In order to be reimbursed BY KAVAN PETERSON guardsmen in Louisiana in the chaos advantage of more than $3.5 million through the voucher system, school Stateline. org after the hurricane, but Gov. in software vouchers to be distrib- personnel must submit appropriate Kathleen Blanco refused to relin- uted by the Tennessee Department paperwork verifying proof of pur- A little-noticed change in fed- quish command. of Education, the result of a class chase of select software items to the eral law packs an important change Over objections from all 50 gov- action settlement with Microsoft Tennessee Department of Education in who is in charge the next time a ernors, Congress in October Corporation. by April 30, 2007. state is devastated by a disaster such tweaked the 200-year-old Insurrec- The suit alleges that Microsoft “We are pleased that the out- as Hurricane Katrina.To the dismay tion Act to empower the hand of the maintained a monopoly by using come will allow Tennessee school of the nation’s governors, the White president in future stateside emer- unlawful trade practices and over- systems to upgrade technology for House now will be empowered to go gencies. In a letter to Congress, the charged Tennessee consumers. the benefit of their students and al- over a governor’s head and call up governors called the change “a dra- The state’s suit, handled by low additional resources to be di- National Guard troops to aid a state matic expansion of federal authority Tennessee attorneys James Stranch rected toward improving teaching in time of natural disasters or other during natural disasters that could of Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings, and learning,” said Education Com- public emergencies. cause confusion in the command- PLLC and Ted Carey of Barrett, missioner Lana Seivers. Lana Seivers Up to now, governors were the and-control of the National Guard Johnston & Parsley resulted in one “Schools may also submit re- sole commanders in chief of citizen and interfere with states’ ability to of the strongest settlements in the ceipts for items previously pur- should be completed. The free soldiers in local guard units during respond to natural disasters within nation garnering $15.3 million. chased,” added department spokes- money is for software falling under emergencies within the state. A con- their borders.” Each school district will receive person Rachel Woods. “We’ve had specific grievances.” flict over who should control Guard The change adds to tensions be- approximately $16.40 per student no complaints, just phone calls from “We definitely can’t let this op- units arose in the days after Hurri- tween governors and the White toward current or future Microsoft school personnel asking what types portunity slide by,” said Andy cane Katrina in 2005. President House after more than four years of operating system software such as of software qualified and what forms See MICROSOFT on Page 8 Bush sought to federalize control of See GOVERNORS on Page 8 www.TML1.org 2-TENNESSEE TOWN & CITY/JANUARY 29, 2007 African-American residents made BY TISH WOMACK close was made in an effort to be up 45.1 percent of the residents in TML Research Analyst more competitive globally. the area and that if current birth- BRISTOL JONESBOROUGH death and migration trends continue, The city council meetings will soon Mountain Homes magazine named that group will comprise more than be streaming on the Web and plans Jonesborough to the 2007 Best of 50 percent of the population in the are in the works for live broadcasting Mountains list in its Winter 2007 near future.