KEVIN BURNS
TSWA All-STATE ATHLETES
JULY 13, 2023 | VOLUME 35 | NUMBER 27
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Control of airport in limbo as legal action continues STEVE CAVENDISH AND CONNOR DARYANI, NASHVILLE BANNER
Heidi Campbell
Jim Gingrich
Freddie O’Connell
Matt Wiltshire
Alice Rolli
Sharon Hurt
Vivian Wilhoite
Jeff Yarbro
PHOTOS BY ERIC ENGLAND
Exploring four key issues that will face Nashville’s next mayor BY D. PATRICK RODGERS
In a matter of weeks, Nashville will elect its fourth mayor in five years. Following the 2018 resignation of Mayor Megan Barry in the wake of political scandal, the mayor’s office has been besieged with instability. After being elected to serve for the remainder of Barry’s term, David Briley was defeated by fellow former At-Large Councilmember John Cooper in 2019. And after a term plagued by everything from natural disasters and a Christmas Day bombing to a global pandemic, Cooper announced in January that he would not seek reelection. Then came something of a land rush, with a dozen candidates ultimately qualifying to run for mayor by the May 18 deadline. Since then, the established candidates have participated in an inordinate number of forums, pleading their case to a city that
— according to a poll conducted by Public Policy Polling less than one month ago — is roughly 45 percent undecided. In terms of what we’ll call plausible, or viable, candidates — that is, folks who have significant campaign funding — we’re looking at eight contenders. State Sen. Heidi Campbell has the support of three fellow Nashville Democratic legislators — Reps. Bob Freeman, John Ray Clemmons and Bo Mitchell — and name ID thanks to her recent race against Andy Ogles for the state’s gerrymandered 5th Congressional District. With experience as mayor of Nashville satellite city Oak Hill, Campbell prioritizes investment in public education, transportation infrastructure and equity and inclusion. Kansas City-area native Jim Gingrich is the former COO of Wall Street firm
AllianceBernstein and, having moved to Nashville a half-decade ago, is pitching himself as an outsider. Gingrich loaned his campaign $2 million early on, and has gone on record as opposing the city’s deal to partially fund a new multibillion-dollar Titans stadium. At-Large Metro Councilmember Sharon Hurt has served as the executive director of nonprofit Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership as well as HIV/AIDS outreach organization Street Works. Having been elected to countywide office twice, Hurt has name recognition and a track record of public service. District 19 Metro Councilmember Freddie O’Connell entered the race early — in April 2022 — and has a record as one of the most progressive members of the council. O’Connell voted against the >> PAGE 2
This story is a partnership between the Nashville Banner and The News. The Banner is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news. For more information, visit NashvilleBanner.com. It was business as usual at Nashville International Airport Monday during a busy and long holiday weekend. But a few miles away at the Metro Courthouse, a fight was gearing up both in the courtroom and at the Metro Council over the facility’s future. On one side, you have a slate of Metro Nashville Airport Authority board members newly appointed by Gov. Bill Lee and other state Republican leaders. In April, the General Assembly passed a law that effectively took the airport from Metro, with bill sponsor Sen. Paul Bailey (R-Sparta) saying that because 70 percent of the passengers came from outside of Davidson County, BNA is essentially a regional asset and the state should control its future. On the other side is the former board, appointed by Mayor John Cooper and still claiming to be the rightful authority. Metro Legal filed suit in Chancery Court in June, saying that the law, which only affects Nashville, is an unconstitutional exercise of state power and should be struck down. In the middle of these opposing boards is the Federal Aviation Authority, which has regulatory power over the airport and has refused to recognize the authority of the state’s board until the courts settle the dispute. In a June 27 letter, the FAA said it will wait for a court ruling and instead deal with the old board. Metro Legal filed a 50-page memorandum late on Friday asking for a temporary injunction against the state. Included in the exhibits with the request were declarations from experts who said that the lack of clarity over who’s actually in control of the airport has both >> PAGE 2
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