Clarksville swears in six council members, elects mayor pro tem; council advances several zoning items and adopts Swan Lake resolution

Six members of the Clarksville City Council were sworn into office and given an opportunity to address the council before business resumed, and the body later elected Ward 1 Councilmember Brian Zacharias as mayor pro tem.

The meeting included a public hearing on multiple zoning cases, votes on first readings of ordinances and one abandonment resolution, committee reports including a Gas & Water update on voluntary PFAS sampling, and new-business action on a city resolution backing preservation of Swan Lake at Dunbar Cave State Park. The council also rejected a budget amendment that would have shifted $120,000 to begin a municipal “seed bank” project.

Council members and mayor pro tem sworn in Carlos Peters (Ward 3), Tim Chandler (Ward 4), Amber Marquis (Ward 5), Jerry Haywood (Ward 8), Jimmy Brown (Ward 9) and Carrie Lovato (Ward 12) each took the oath of office and delivered brief remarks thanking family, voters and colleagues. Peters said, “give me a chance. I'll earn your trust and your respect. I will uphold this office faithfully and honestly.” Several new and returning members emphasized plans to work across wards.

The council nominated and, by voice vote, selected Ward 1 Councilmember Brian Zacharias as mayor pro tem for the next two years. Zacharias was sworn in and said he was honored to serve in the role and thanked his family.

Zoning and land-use: public hearings and mixed outcomes The council held a public hearing on a series of zoning applications and took votes on first readings. Several applicants and nearby residents spoke during the hearing. Developers described proposed sidewalk or road improvements and plans for affordable housing; neighbors at multiple sites raised concerns about traffic, road widths and compatibility with existing single-family lots.

Developer Terrence Burney said his proposals for sites on Kelly Lane and North Ford…