Is Councilmember Eric Crafton following in former Nashville Mayor Bill Boner’s notorious footsteps?

That question is admittedly somewhat unfair to Crafton, who hasn’t humiliated local residents with his harmonica playing, extramarital affairs or tales of “seven-hour-long passion” on national television. By accounts I’ve read, Crafton’s personal life is free of the level of nonsense that Boner seemed to champion. Nonetheless, last year Crafton revelled in the opportunity to discuss his English First ballot initiative on Fox News for viewers across the U.S. to see. For anyone who’s proud of the great city Nashville has become in the past 20 years, it wasn’t pretty.

The news that Nashville’s Metro Council had passed an English-first bill generated media attention, much of it casting the city in an unwelcome light, in cities nationwide. Only then-Mayor Bill Purcell’s subsequent veto helped to balance the coverage with a more positive view of Nashville.

For a city that’s a lot closer to being progressive and cosmopolitan than it was when Boner served as last lead executive in 1991, it’s unfortunate, in my opinion, to have a local elected official drawing attention to a measure that will accomplish very little–other than casting our city as an intolerant and unwelcoming place and possibly resulting in costly legal expenses down the line.

The good news this time around is that Crafton’s posturing and shortsighted initiative is focused squarely on his work as a Council member (and not on any Boneresque antics that involve infidelity or musical instruments). No, Crafton isn’t Boner (at least not yet), but in my opinion he’s doing much more harm than good when it comes to Nashville’s image and identity.

Mike Byrd is right that Councilmember Eric Crafton’s plans for an English-Only ballot initiative are a waste of time and resources:

When immigrants are already learning proper English at faster rates than native born Americans are, Crafton’s ballot initiative is grand-standing designed to further his own political ambitions and ultimately destroy progress in our community.

Crafton, naturally, is claiming different motives:

“The reason it’s so important is because any logical, intellectually honest person would have to admit that English is the success language in the United States,” Crafton said. “If you don’t know English, you’re going to be trapped in a lower strata of society, not having a voice, having menial jobs and no education.”

I agree that fluency in English is a major stepping stone toward success in American society, but I don’t think trying to force people to learn our language will carry them any closer to that goal.

I wish Councilmember Crafton would spend his time tutoring non-English speakers rather than wasting our time on what is, in my opinion, a silly measure likely to embarrass the city (again) and accomplish little else. We need leaders who are looking for ways to create meaningful and positive change in our community, not ones who are consumed with scoring political points.

Averaging 12,618 in paid attendance so far this season, the Preds are in danger of missing out on much needed revenue sharing dollars from the NHL and well below the 14,000 threshold required to maintain the terms of the team’s current lease at the Sommet Center.

The questions no one seems to be asking are: 1) Why aren’t things moving faster with the Nashville Sports Authority and the Metro Council, so the revised lease agreement (the one that requires the team to stay in Nashville for a minimum of three years) can take effect? 2) Will David Freeman and company, the new ownership group, consider exercising the team’s out clause if the new lease isn’t enacted by season’s end?

• The Scene’s Bruce Barry makes a sound argument that statistics and data alone do not make the case for efforts to keep the Preds in town. I am in favor or amending the lease to secure the team’s future in Nashville because there are intangible benefits to having–and keeping–a major-league professional franchise.
• I agree with Metro Council Emily Evans that the decision to use public resources to lure–and retain–sports franchises has already been made (in the mid-1990s). I respect and understand the objections of those who oppose subsidizing franchises under any circumstances, but I believe Nashville answered that question long ago. We’re not at a point, in my opinion, where abandoning that choice makes sense.
• Same sex adoption opponents: Would you really rather have Rob Briley care for your children than Keith Durbin?
• You are now free to not wait in line as long: Southwest is modifying its open-seating policy. This looks like a good idea and a nice balance between open and assigned seating. No more standing in line because one person with an “A” boarding pass starts the queue 90 minutes before departure. Ding.

… the more they stay the same? That’s a familiar axiom, but I hope it doesn’t ring true this time around. Nashville’s two most prominent elected officials, Mayor Karl Dean and Vice-Mayor Diane Neighbors, have ushered in new (and welcome) approaches regarding the Metro Council. Dean’s promise is to have a better working relationship with the city’s legislative body, and Neighbors’ is for shorter council meetings.

The Scene’s Jeff Woods labeled Neighbors’ early approach to running council meetings the “Best New Political Idea” in this week’s Best of Nashville issue:

“You don’t need to be sitting there for an hour-and-a-half of presentations on a public hearing night and not have yours to come up until 11:30,” says our new vice mayor, Diane Neighbors. She figures she can save time by asking council committees to tackle more of the vetting of proposed ordinances. And all those pointless memorializing resolutions? No need to take up time with those on Tuesday nights, Neighbors says.

Michael Cass reported on Dean’s initial efforts to reach out to the council last week:

Mayor Karl Dean went to the Metro Council chamber Tuesday to set a tone of cooperation with a group his predecessor was sometimes accused of neglecting. Speaking at the council’s first meeting of the new term, Dean said he would “look to you for guidance” as he tries to understand the needs of Nashville’s neighborhoods and build on the city’s recent momentum. I commit to working closely with each of you from the beginning,” the new mayor said in a brief speech. “My goal is to be accessible. While we may not agree on everything — and we shouldn’t — we should be able to sit down and talk about anything.”

I think both of these moves are welcome approaches that will promote responsible government, and I hope they continue. I think there’s a decent chance they will, but I’ll also be curious to see if they still pass muster six months from now. Here’s hoping they do.

New District 24 Metro Council Member Jason Holleman participated in a small swearing-in ceremony yesterday prior to today’s inauguration ceremony. As usual, Jason and Margaret’s daughter Cecilia (above) stole the show.

I had to figure that on the beach, I was either going to get good news on election night, or at least I was still on the beach. It”s definitely better to get good news, and I”m definitely pleased with last night”s election results. It”s amazing how far technology has come that I can know the results of an election taking place more than 1,000 miles away within an hour of the polls closing by merely checking e-mail from a cell phone. Here are my thoughts about the election:

• I sincerely believe that Nashville will be better off four years from now with Karl Dean as mayor as opposed to Bob Clement.
• It”s apparent to me that despite Bill Purcell”s solid performance in office, he”s made some significant bridges the past two years, enough to generate legitimate voter concern that Dean is too similar and too closely connected to Purcell.I hope Dean will look to build stronger and more equitable relationships with the new Metro Council. We need leadership that is eager and willing to collaborate with others, even those whohold diverging points of view.
• Clement conceded awfully quickly last night, and despite his “I couldn”t be negative if I tried” nonsense, he was remarkably civil in defeat. I appreciate his willingness to respond that way to results that were surely a painful development for him.
• The At-Large ruoff results largely swung in favor of progressive newcomers, with Megan Barry and Jerry Maynard earning seats.  I”m concerned to see Charlie Tygard return to the council, but I”m pleased that J.B. Loring and Ronnie Greer did not make the cut.

After more than a year of following the mayoral race more closely than I ever have before, I”m relieved that the election is finally over. A new administration affords Nashville the opportunity to continue the successes that took place under Purcell”s leadership and to hopefully mend many of the fences that he may have left in disrepair the past couple of years. I hope Nashville and its freshly elected leaders can banish the rhetoric and can get on with making this city an even better place to live for everyone.

Plenty of lip service is paid to the importance of relationships, particularly in the business world. Nonetheless, Gail Kerr demonstrates in her column today that getting to know people and taking a genuine interest in their lives has a tremendous impact in local politics, too, and I think this truth extends well beyond the campaign trail.

My friend Jason Holleman, a candidate for the District 24 Metro Council seat, has embraced this kind of approach this spring:

“The first thing I did was look at people who voted in all seven of the last seven Metro elections,” said attorney Jason Holleman, a candidate in the Sylvan Park/Richland areas. “That is less than 200 people. I figured these are people who really care about the district, and care about the city, and would definitely participate. I called those people and made appointments to come and see them.”

Then, he’s used a broader list of somewhat frequent voters, knocking on about 3,000 doors. Holleman’s approach may be more intense than most, but Barrett said it’s a trend all over town. In Bellevue, doorbells are ringing — including mine.

I’ve known Jason for about 12 years, and he’s been talking about running for Metro Council the entire time. Mutual friends of ours confirm his interest in the council at least as far back as fifth grade. Though I haven’t specificaly asked his father, I have a feeling that Mr. Holleman can track his son’s ambitions for public service even farther back. During the time I’ve known him, Jason has invested his time constantly in learning how the council and how the city government operates. He’s developed a solid understanding of what it takes to represent local residents, and he’s spent a lot of time volunteering in community organizations contributing ideas and hard work toward good causes such as the Sylvan Park Neighborhood Association, Nashville’s Table, Middle Tennessee Boy Scouts of America and the Nashville City Cemetery Association.

In my opinion, you can’t fake connecting with people. Either your intentions are sincere and honest, or you do more harm than good in making the attempt. I notice this frequently when I receive junk mail that is personalized, but my name is misspelled or another detail is incorrect. Some direct mail marketers have even resorted to printing address labels that look like they are handwritten (until you look closely). Whenever I notice these false efforts to personalize an impersonal correspondence, I’m even less likely to respond than usual. Regardless of the exciting and innovative ways that technology allows us to connect with each other, exchanging thoughts, opinions, hopes and dreams face-to-face is still what influences hearts and minds most of all. I think that is a good, good thing.

Another point of discussion at last night’s public safety meeting was how a $250,000 grant that the Metro Council will soon allocate to the police department for increased enforcement will be used. Several residents in attendance argued that local residents had approached the council to have this money granted in order to address recurring drug-related crime in the neighborhood near 28th Avenue and Clifton Avenue in West Nashville. These residents expressed frustration that the problems plaguing this neighborhood are longstanding and that despite hard work by the police to address the activity, nothing seems to be changing.

Councilwoman Ginger Hausser sympathized with this frustration but noted that the council had decided to host the public safety forum and three similar meetings across the city in order to hear from constituents about how the grant should be spent. “These problems didn’t start overnight,” she said. “and they won’t be solved overnight, either, but this is a start.”

Councilman Eric Crafton observed that criminal behavior by repeat offenders is not confined to West Nashville. He noted that he frequently visits East Nashville on business and sees similar patterns. “I’d like to see criminal penalties increased because, 24 hours later, I see these same guys right back on the street doing the same stuff,” he said.

A quick-witted audience member chimed in, “Well then, Eric, stop doing deals with them!”

To his credit, Crafton shrugged the comment off by laughing and replying, “Good idea.”

Regarding the 28th and Clifton area, which was mentioned repeatedly during the meeting, Commander Mickey Miller replied, “One thing that will help is for neighbors to start using their neighborhoods again and reporting crime when they see it. [With limited police resources,] the squeaky wheel gets all the oil.” He also noted that this area is one of many “hot spots” in West Nashville that police officers regularly target for enforcement. Those in attendance applauded the police and their efforts at the end of the meeting and complimented on their hard work to make the city a safer place to live.

Along with several members of the Metro Council, Commander Mickey Miller and Sergeant Connie Tripp hosted a community forum on public safety last night at the West Precinct headquarters on Charlotte Pike. Council members Ginger Hausser, Eric Crafton, Jim Schulman, Billy Joe Walls and Carolyn Baldwin Tucker attended the meeting along with 20 to 25 local residents.

Juvenile crime was a major topic of discussion throughout the evening. As mayoral candidate David Briley observed back in February, approximately 10,000 young adults ages 16 to 24 are responsible for 80 percent of the crime in Nashville. Miller, Tripp and others reiterated the point repeatedly yesterday evening that recidivism rates are very high and that a small percentage of local residents, many of them juveniles, are responsible for the large majority of criminal behavior in the area. Miller remarked that many drug dealers have resorted to having juveniles conduct their drug transactions because the dealers know that juveniles are less likely to be held in jail prior to convinction and likely to be released upon serving short sentences. Youth and adults alike who perpetrate crimes are frequently released from jail only to return to criminal activity within days if not hours, according to Miller and several others in attendance.

Councilman Crafton argued for increased penalties for crime, especially for repeat offenders, and asked why parents are not legally held responsible for  paying restitution or other expenses for the juveniles in their care. When it was pointed out that many parents of juvenile offenders have lost control of the adolescents in their care, Crafton replied, “If they start having to pay up, they’ll get control back.” He went on to say adamantly that increasing penalties and parental liability were high priorities for him, noting that he “would start working on that Monday.”

Councilwoman Tucker concurred that tougher sanctions were a good idea. “Offenders need to know: You do the crime, you do the time,” she said.

Sylvan Park Neighborhood Watch Captain Doug Eckert wondered whether increased penalties would ultimately result in long-term change. “What turns someone around is having someone care about them and giving them control over something positive in their lives,” he said, indicating that encouraging responsible adults to build relationships with troubled teenagers may help reduce overall crime and recidivism.

Already fired up about stiffening penalties, Crafton quickly replied, “With all due respect, these parents need to grab their kids by the neck and make them start paying attention!” He went on to point out that when he misbehaved as a child, his father responded with discipline, specifically “taking off his belt,” and that discipline is what made Crafton stay in line as a young adult.

Crafton clearly makes a fair point that parental involvement and discipline are essential in the development of responsible adults. I don’t necessarily object to increasing penalties for offenders and to making parents more responsible for crimes committed by juveniles in their care, but I agree with Eckert that more needs to be done than just piling on punishment. In my opinion, Crafton’s example of his own childhood doesn’t address the fact that many juvenile offenders have not had the same level of parental involvement in their lives. For those that have had strong parents in their lives, some of those parents have focused solely on harsh discipline and not on building and maintaining close relationships with their children, the kind of relationships that give young people incentive to care about and participate positively in their families and their communities.

Is it a terrible thing that some parents do not take appropriate responsibility for preparing their children to be contributing members of society? Yes. Will increasing penalties and parental legal responsibility alone help those children head back in the right direction for their lives? In my opinion, no.

… is still Dickerson Road. That isn’t stopping the Metro Council from considering changing its name to Skyline Boulevard. As I’ve mentioned before, I think this is ill-advised because it only puts a band-aid on a severe wound in our city. Let’s look for tangible, substantial activities and programs that will restore Dickerson Road and reduce the crime that is common there before we pretend a new name will mean the street is safer, cleaner and more vibrant. Wishing, no matter how hard, doesn’t make it so.

I regularly receive email news releases from the police department about the good work they do to address crime in the city. MNPD communications officer Kristin Mumford has reported the following activity via email within the past month:

• March 16: “East Precinct detectives charged 20 persons as the result of investigations on Dew Street, Crescent Hill Road, Avalon Drive, Rosebank Avenue, Dickerson Pike, Lucile Street, Straightway Avenue and North 14^th Street, Meridian Street, South 7^th Street and Main Street, Fern Avenue, Petway Street, Grace Street, Trinity Lane, Shelby Avenue, Boscobel Street, and 4^th Avenue North.  Seized were 8.2 grams of cocaine, one gram of marijuana, four Dilaudid pills, one weapon, one vehicle, and $1,570 cash.”

• March 9: “East Precinct detectives charged ten persons as the result of investigations in the 800 and 1800 blocks of Dickerson Pike, in the 100 block of Lucile Street, in the 800 and 900 blocks of Shelby Avenue, in the 1000 block of Joyce Street, in the 1400 block of McKennie Avenue, in the 1500 block of Rosedale Avenue, in the 1500 block of Jones Avenue, in the 2500 block of Flamingo Drive, in the 1800 block of Jefferson Street, in the 1900 block of Avalon Drive, at Dickerson Pike and Trinity Lane, at Dickerson Pike and Cleveland Street, at South 10th Street and Shelby Avenue, at South 9th Street and Shelby Avenue, at South 7th Street and Sylvan Street, at South 7th Street and Dew Street, and on North 2nd Street.  Seized were 7.9 grams of cocaine, two pounds of marijuana, and $1,475.00 cash.”

• March 1: In ongoing efforts to respond to neighborhood and business quality of life and safety concerns,  East Precinct Crime Suppression Unit detectives arrested a clerk at the Last Chance Market at 839 Dickerson Pike today at 2 p.m. for selling drug paraphernalia to an undercover officer.

  Representatives from three Dickerson Pike area neighborhood associations and the Dickerson Road Merchants Association were on hand as Muna A. Abubeker, 33, of Bell Road, was charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to deliver.  She told arresting officers she was the sister of the market owner, who is registered with the Beer Board as Yasmin Abuker.  The market has been cited for violating local beer laws due to the illegal activity, and a Beer Board inspector will follow up on that citation.

  Undercover officers made three separate paraphernalia buys at the Last Chance Market.  Seven markets on Dickerson Pike sold undercover officers some form of drug paraphernalia, but the Last Chance Market was the most brazen.  The pipes were sold from behind the counter in packages containing a steel wool filter or “Chore Boy”, a glass pipe, and a lighter for $3.75.

  The seven markets that sold drug paraphernalia will receive letters of warning from the Metro Police department that they are not in compliance with beer laws and face possible revocation of their beer licenses should they continue to sell drug paraphernalia.  The nine markets that did not sell paraphernalia will receive letters of commendation.

  East Precinct Commander Bob Nash says “officers will continue to assist the community in taking back their neighborhoods.”

• February 26: “Last weekend’s Operation Safer Streets gang enforcement initiative, which took place Friday and Saturday resulted in 47 arrests involving six felonies, 58 misdemeanors, and eight outstanding warrants.   Seizures included 27.9 grams of marijuana, 5.3 grams of cocaine, one weapon, and $95.00 cash.

  At least once a week, officers and supervisors representing each of the six precincts and the Specialized Investigations Division (SID) partner together to implement strategies to combat gang crimes and activities in various areas of Nashville.

  Friday’s enforcement consisted of 12 SID detectives and seven patrol officers.  Areas targeted were North 2nd Street and Hancock Street, the 1500 block of Porter Road, the Dickerson Pike area, the Cleveland Street area, 16th Avenue North and Jo Johnston Avenue, the Edgehill area, the Andrew Jackson Parkway area, University Court, the J.C. Napier public housing development, Trimble Bottoms, Paragon Mills, Harding Place, Tampa Drive, the Woodbine area, and the 600 block of South 15th Street.”

• February 23: “East Precinct detectives charged 13 persons as the result of investigations on North 2nd Street, the James Casey public housing development, the 100 block of Lucille Street, Dickerson Pike and Lucille Street, the 800 block of Dickerson Pike, the 1400 block of Dickerson Pike, South 6th Street and Shelby Avenue, Lischey Avenue and Grace Street, and the Litton Park Apartments on Litton Avenue.  Seized were ten grams of cocaine, 6.5 grams of marijuana, 90 assorted pills, and $685.00 cash.”

Dickerson Road does not need a mere name change; it needs an overhaul. I want to see this part of the city become safer and more conducive to residential and commercial development, but I don’t think renaming the street will solve the problem.

Tennessean reporter Kate Howard is correct that this is what I think of when I hear the words “Dickerson Pike:”

Let’s do some word association. First thing you think of when I say… Dickerson Pike. Was it crime? Prostitutes? Drug dealers, or spray painting graffiti artists? If it was, you might understand why Metro City Council members want to give it a new moniker.

The city is considering a resolution telling the world they to be on “Skyline Boulevard” next time they’re riding down between Spring Street and Trinity Lane. The General Assembly would have to approve the change for the state route.

In my opinion, this is a shortsighted mistake that will only serve as a quick fix to a major issue. How long do you really think it will take until people realize that Skyline Boulevard equals Dickerson Pike?

The name isn’t the problem: The activity on that street is. I hope the council will stop spending time on another resolution that has no practical value and look for real solutions that will help permanently revitalize a blighted and dangerous part of our city. How about expanding the East Police Precinct and hiring more officers to work there? How about adding better and more streetlights? How about dedicating funds toward building future city agency locations there? How about providing incentives for businesses to relocate there?

Maybe none of these ideas make sense for Dickerson Pike. Maybe some of them do. Unless we keep thinking about how to improve the reality of Dickerson Pike and stop worrying about what to call it, though, it won’t be long until we read about the next prostitution sting or drug bust on Skyline Boulevard.