On Wednesday night, Lipscomb became a part of the Metro@50 celebration by holding a panel discussion entitled “A Look at Nashville’s Neighborhood Associations…Then & Now” that took a look at the history of neighborhood associations in Music City.
The celebration marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Metro Charter that featured the citizens of Davidson County teaming up with the City of Nashville to create the nation’s first unified government. The historic charter was passed in 1962.
The event, hosted by the Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership, drew a large crowd and featured esteemed panelists from across the city, including former Mayor Bill Purcell, Ben Freeland of Freeland Chevrolet and current Davidson County Clerk Brenda Wynn. Mayor Karl Dean offered the evening’s closing thoughts.
Chairman emeritus of The Tennessean and founder of the First Amendment Center John Seigenthaler served as the evening’s moderator.
The first panel discussed the history of Nashville’s neighborhood associations.
Reverend William Barnes, founding pastor of the Edgehill United Methodist Church, interim director of the Transportation Licensing Commission for Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Billy Fields, former Metro councilwoman Betty Nixon, former Mayor Purcell and Mrs. Wynn all gave their insight into the history of neighborhood associations over the past 50 years and their individual work to help pioneer the way for Nashville to have the strong neighborhood system.
“These were the pioneers that made this community,” Seigenthaler said about those involved in neighborhood development in Nashville.
Former Mayor Purcell actually created the first Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods in 1999. Wynn held the title of the office’s first director.
The second panel took a look at the future of neighborhood associations in the city.
Sharon Hurt of the Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership (JUMP), Colby Sledge, an account executive for McNeely Pigott and & Fox Public Relations (where he leads outreach for NashvilleNext), interim executive director of the Neighborhoods Resource Center Yolanda Vaughn, president and founder of Green Lab Dan Heller, Metro councilman Fabian Bedne and Freeland led this discussion on the future of the development of neighborhoods in the Nashville area.
After the panels concluded, a Q-&-A was held with members of the audience.
Mayor Dean led the evening’s closing remarks, commending the work done by the panelists to better the city through their work with the neighborhoods.
“Your hard work builds the foundation for neighborhood organizations and gave neighbors a voice and a vehicle to better communicate with the city,” Dean said.
At the 50th anniversary of Music City, Dean said he believes that the city has a great future.
“Nashville’s best days are still ahead of us,” Dean said.