Brentwood commission reviews venue rate increases, equipment contracts and narrows veterans monument sites

Brentwood City Commission members discussed a package of staff recommendations and briefings covering facility rental policy changes, equipment contracts, an interlocal policing agreement and early site scoping for a veterans monument.

City staff told the commission they plan to donate 22 coats and seven pairs of out‑of‑service turnout pants (items that exceed the 10‑year service life established by the National Fire Protection Association) to a contact at the Santo Domingo Fire Department in the Dominican Republic. Staff said shipping costs are covered through a contact arrangement and that the receiving department is aware the gear does not meet U.S. NFPA service‑life standards. No formal vote outcome on the surplus‑property resolution is recorded in the transcript.

Commissioners reviewed proposed updates to rental guidelines and fees for two city event venues. For Cool Springs House staff described increases intended to align rates with the market and to reduce overuse: weekday rates would rise by $200 and weekend rates by $1,000 (both peak and off‑peak). Seasonal pricing and bundled‑booking discounts were also revised; the previously fixed $6.50 bundled discount was changed to a 50% off the normal rate. Ravenwood Mansion at Smith Park carries a separate proposed schedule: weekday increases of $100, weekend increases of $500, and an increase in the winter indoor event rate from $1,500 to $2,000. Staff said the off‑peak months for both venues were adjusted (expanded to include additional months) and that minor event rules (for example, banning real flower petals at Ravenwood) were added. Staff said they typically review venue pricing roughly every two years and will monitor bookings and revenue after the new rates take effect.

Related to Ravenwood, staff asked permission to use a competitive sealed‑proposal process to contract for up to 10 seasonal tent/rental services so the city could offer a managed, consistent rental option for high‑season events and reduce repeated site stakes and ground impacts. The sealed‑proposal framework would allow evaluation of quality and price together; staff said final selections would return to the commission for formal approval if they proceed.

On public safety procurement, staff presented a proposed five‑year agreement with Axon Enterprise for a new generation of conducted energy weapons (taser 10 series), training, cartridges (live and inert) and a virtual reality training simulator. The total five‑year cost cited in the briefing was $360,000, or $72,000 per year; the contract as described would include device warranties and automatic activation integration between the devices, vehicle fleet cameras and officers’ body‑worn cameras. Staff said the devices allow individual probe deployment and an advanced logic that chooses the most effective probe pair, and that the new devices increase effective engagement range (from about 25 feet to about 45 feet). Commissioners asked about energy delivered, potential medical risk, and the stated practical benefits for training and evidence‑capture; staff said the department had tested the equipment. The transcript does not record a final vote outcome on the Axon contract.

The commission also heard a routine interlocal agreement update for the 21st Judicial District Drug Task Force. Staff said the city’s contribution in lieu of assigned personnel would be $5,000 (the packet cites prior agreements in 2016 and 2024). The transcript records that Chief Colvin serves on the task force board; no formal vote outcome was recorded in the transcript excerpt.

On government relations, staff recommended continuing the city’s contract with Windrow Phillips Group for legislative and executive‑branch monitoring and advocacy at the state level. The proposed annual fee in the packet was $51,000, an increase of $6,000 from the prior year’s fee; staff also noted the city traditionally pays registration for up to three designated lobbyists (about $450). Commissioners discussed an episode in which a state bill (referred to in the transcript as House Bill 65 and a later sports/charter bill) passed with a provision affecting Brentwood’s charter that some commissioners said had not been widely noticed in advance. Commissioners directed staff to plan how the city will handle legislative proposals coming from or for Brentwood going forward.

Library staff presented a substantial rewrite of the library policy manual with clarified code‑of‑conduct language (drafted with city attorney and police input), more specific meeting‑room rules and clarified program attendance policies. The draft changes would keep meeting rooms available for community uses but would require certain approvals for dual‑room bookings; staff and commissioners discussed practical options for last‑minute expansions of a scheduled booking (staff suggested an oversight role for a senior staff member or a short‑notice library‑board response). The packet includes revised meeting‑room fees ($60 for one space for a for‑profit group, doubled for two spaces; $20 for one space for a nonprofit, doubled for two spaces). Commissioners asked staff to return with minor language adjustments and said the code‑of‑conduct changes should be highlighted publicly.

The commission received a staff briefing on a certificate of compliance required by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a local transfer of a retail liquor license for Maryland Farms Wine & Spirits at 101 Creekside Crossing. Staff confirmed zoning, criminal‑record screening and the city ordinance governing liquor store counts (the local ordinance references a limit of one liquor store per 6,000 residents and further distribution limits by commercial district) were reviewed; staff reported five existing licensed outlets and said the proposed transfer would remain compliant with the local limit. The transcript does not record a final vote outcome for the certificate of compliance.

A standing agenda briefing covered Old Smyrna Road design and public outreach schedule and a multi‑site review for a proposed Brentwood Veterans Monument. Staff presented three primary candidate locations: two small sites within Crockett Park (near the pavilion/parking areas), and a site at the police headquarters grounds with a pond backdrop. Commissioners and the ad hoc committee discussed tradeoffs: Crockett Park locations offer higher pass‑by visibility but are closer to active recreation and were described as less secure and more vandalism‑prone; the police‑headquarters site is more sheltered, flat, and has nearby power and restroom access but is less visible to park visitors. Commissioners asked staff to distribute the list of sites reviewed, gather ad hoc committee feedback and return with a recommendation in the coming weeks; staff said design scope and fundraising will inform final size and amenities.

Several other routine consent items and planning matters were discussed in the meeting packet or briefing (a proposed rename of the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Ad Hoc Committee to the Brentwood Veterans Monument Ad Hoc Committee; a review request from the Planning Commission related to Maryland Farms design standards and a planning question about lot counts in Governor’s Club). The transcript contains staff recommendations and commissioner discussion but does not record final roll‑call vote outcomes for the items in the provided excerpt.

Next steps: staff said items that require formal action will be placed on the upcoming commission agenda with full resolutions or contracts for a recorded vote; staff also said they will circulate site maps, the revision redlines for venue and library policies, and a schedule of public meetings for the Old Smyrna Road project.