Renard Francois
On August 4th, Davidson County voters will go to the polls and decide who will lead our city for the next four years. When I decided to run for Metro Council-At-Large several political observers asked, “why are you getting in this race?” Some folks pointed out that no incumbent At-Large candidates have ever been unseated and that history would tell me to wait another 4 years before running.
My response is that Nashville can’t wait another 4 years to address the issues facing our city, our families and our children. A good friend told me, “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” There are numerous challenges facing our city, from improving our schools to promoting sound economic development and job growth in every community. While I believe that Nashville is a city on the move, I believe there is much more to be done.
The vast majority of decisions made by the Metro Council deal with land-use planning and zoning issues. While some of the debates garner more headlines than others, the Metro Council must focus on how these issues will impact future decisions. How will a land-use decision in Bellevue today affect future transit plans 20 years from now or how will a new interchange in North Nashville promote future economic development opportunities?
The role of an At-Large Councilman is to look at how the decisions made today will impact the entire county for years to come. As a candidate, I have talked to voters about a number of issues facing our community and consistently talked about how I will approach each issue based on three guiding principles – Accountability, Common Sense and Transparency.
When faced with a difficult decision, I will first ask myself what does common sense tell me to do – not what are special interests asking me to do. Second, I pledge to the voters that I will be transparent in the way I approach each issue – from public meetings to consistent communications with constituents. Finally, once decisions are made I will stand accountable to those on both sides of any given issue.
Thomas Jefferson once said “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” With your support and vote on August 4th, we can set Nashville on a new course. A course that provides a quality education for every child, creates economic development in every community and positions our city for future growth.
With your help, we can make Nashville the city we hope and know it can be.