Public Safety & Responsible Growth with Jeff Goodspeed, District 4 Candidate
Today, our Grassroots Spotlight features Jeff Goodspeed, running for election as a County Commissioner in District 4.
“Responsible growth is development that adds a livability to the community & not just more homes or businesses to gain more tax revenue.”
Q: Can you quickly give us some background and what you love most about Williamson County?
Tracy and I met in Orange County, California. We married and settled in Huntington Beach. We moved to Franklin after Tracy and I retired. Tracy as an assistant school superintendent and myself after 25 years in law enforcement.
I retired as a police sergeant with the Huntington Beach Police Department. I was a training officer. I was a detective where I specialized in property crimes, child sex crimes, robberies and homicide. I was on the S.W.A.T. team and I finished my career as the sergeant in charge of the aero unit.
My family loves being Tennesseans. We love the people. I call it “Tennessee nice” where neighbors and even strangers will go out of their way to help each other out. We are blessed to have found it again in our church and community.
Q: With 25 years in law enforcement, including roles as a helicopter pilot and sergeant, how does that public safety background prepare you to serve as a County Commissioner?
Law enforcement demands split second life altering decisions. As a patrol officer and S.W.A.T. team member you must learn how to quickly evaluate a problem and come up with the best solution.
As a detective you learn to analyze problems, do deductive reasoning and research. A police officer’s strongest asset is his ability to communicate. Not just talking but listening and engaging.
I was directly in charge of the largest single police budget and assets. I had to balance the allocation of resources and maintain efficiency. I was able to purchase three helicopters for 7 million dollars which was a savings of 7 million dollars, all while maintaining our mission and increasing our abilities.
I am a problem solver. I understand how to make hard decisions when there are life changing stakes on the line. I know how valuable good communication is. I love doing research and not stopping until I have the answers.
I understand the importance of every single tax dollar. I will be fiscally responsible, frugal, and be shrewd in doling out our tax dollars.
I have spent most of my adult life serving the community, which is a calling I will continue here in Williamson County.
Q: You were already active in the local grassroots movements before deciding to run but was there a specific moment or issue that made you feel you couldn't "sit on the sidelines" anymore?
I think it was a building of tides moving toward a path that could lead to negative consequences. This is based on what I’ve experienced while living in other communities.
We have all experienced the pains of rapid urban growth; infrastructure falling apart, farmland and woods being razed, and quiet neighborhoods being turned into major thoroughfares. These are systemic issues of improper planning.
I decided county commissioner was my next step in helping ensure the Williamson County lifestyle continues for our generation and the next generation.
Q: What's your plan for achieving responsible growth that protects historic rural areas while also supporting population growth and incoming businesses?
We need to prioritize how we are growing. Responsible growth is using infrastructure to dictate where our new neighborhoods and residential communities are being built. Build where the infrastructure is at with lower costs and lower community impact.
Responsible growth is development that adds a livability to the community and not just more homes or businesses to gain more tax revenue. We need to ask the surrounding community for input on developments. It might be good business, but it is not good community development.
One of the most overlooked historical areas in the state are our rural communities. Every tourist ad you see for Williamson County is rural farmland, woodlands, streams, and historical downtowns.
Yet, these are what we are quickly getting rid of. That’s the type of idea that makes me worried about our rural future.
Q: Looking specifically at District 4, what do you feel are the most urgent infrastructure-related priorities to address before further growth occurs?
Our roads are overtaxed and falling apart. With the increase in traffic, they are not lasting as long, and money set aside for maintenance is used up quicker than planned.
Highway 96 became a thoroughfare for people instead of taking Interstate 840. Now we have quiet county communities being used as major transportation corridors.
The 55 MPH traffic makes it dangerous to cross from roads like Chapel, Trinity, and Oxford Glen. The state Department of Transportation has no plans for traffic lights.
I would propose dropping the speed limit on Highway 96 to 45 MPH. This could help divert traffic back onto Highway 840. This would take county representatives talking with the state.
Q: How will your personal appreciation for the Tennessee lifestyle influence your vote on issues that threaten to change our county's character?
Character counts in the communities where you live and work. Every tourism ad that talks about Williamson County has farms, woodlands, and historic downtowns. That is what people love about living here. The feeling of freedom you get seeing open land and wooded streams.
Tennessee’s state motto is “Agriculture and Commerce.” Tennesseans have been trying to set aside these rural spaces because we know how important they are. Williamson County has a rich history of farming and ranching.
We should be helping to preserve that resource because once it is gone you cannot get it back.
Even if we all can’t live the rural lifestyle, we can respect those who want to. I will fight to make sure those voices are heard.
Q: In a growing economy, how will you ensure the county spends tax dollars wisely enough to fund essential services without increasing the financial burden on families?
The last thing our community members feel they can afford is higher taxes. I will fight to make sure we pinch every penny of savings.
Our current budget is at a $1.12 billion dollar deficit. That translated into nearly $28 million dollars in interest payments. Each dollar of debt we reduce goes back into the coffers to spend on essential services.
Our highest county tax expense is on our schools. Last year our county had to pay for 68% of that bill. This is due to a formula used by the state. We need advocates to work with our state legislature and reallocated some of those funds towards Williamson County.
Another source of revenue was from the Transfer Tax, paid during the sale of each home. It is time it comes back to the county. I will work with any state representative to help get this money back into the county coffers.
Q: How will your belief that government is meant to "steward the needs and wants of the community" guide you when you have to make a tough vote where the community's desires might conflict with the current political trend?
I am a representative of the people. As a police officer and sergeant, I was tasked with making tough decisions. I will take all the facts and weigh them for the good of all involved.
A 5G tower was erected next to Trinity Elementary School. I was aware that the tower was a health risk to the students and staff. I helped with talking to the county commissioners.
Eventually, the group of us brought enough information to get the County Commission to pass an ordinance that 5G towers are no longer allowed in or around any county schools.
If I was a county commissioner, I would’ve voted for the ban of 5G towers around the schools. I don’t mind making tough decisions because I am fighting for what is best for all our community members.
Q: How do you best balance supporting our public school system with your commitment to fiscal responsibility?
Spending more on schools is the best investment we can make in our future. A strong school system can be the determining factor for a family choosing our community.
We need to support our teachers and school staff with well-maintained facilities, cutting edge curriculum, and highly competitive pay. The funding is there, it just needs to be properly maintained. If new schools are needed, this decision needs to be made sooner than later.
Williamson County is providing the largest amount of property taxes in the state. We should be justly compensated for our contributions.
I am willing to do whatever it takes to continue to provide every penny we can for the best schools and faculty.
Q: From the seat of a County Commissioner, what are the most practical ways you can support and strengthen the families living in District 4?
As commissioners we provide the foundation for supporting and attracting jobs and businesses by having fair and reasonable taxes.
We can help make the livability of our community the key to development. To me livability means; housing that fits the local neighborhood, population increases that consider the traffic influences, open spaces and wooded areas, and involvement in the development by the surrounding community members.
We need to speak to the community members. We are representatives. We need to be available and proactive with answering questions and responding to our community members. It is also the most underutilized means of supporting who elected us to office.
Q: Beyond recordings, how will you ensure that the citizens are truly aware of and invited into the decision-making process?
I am a strong advocate for getting the community involved in the decision-making process. If our community members are not aware of what’s going on in their neighborhood then we are failing as representatives.
I plan on putting out a newsletter once a month to update my constituents. I will answer all of the emails and calls I receive to make sure I hear the voices of everyone. It is a government representatives’ job to notify his/her constituents.
If a new development is planned or a 5G tower going up, I want to be sending out emails and getting feedback. Nothing we do as government officials should be a surprise to anyone.
Currently there is legislation asking for any new development to either (i) approve the development application, or (ii) provide the developer with a written report of deficiencies within 30 business days.
This is why it is so important for our local community members to be notified in an efficient and expeditious manner. We need to find a way to make this type of information almost instantly available for review by the local community.
Q: What specific, tangible changes in District 4 would you point to in four years as proof that your first term was a success?
My first goal is to get more community engagement in the decision-making process of how our county is evolving.
That could mean more emails, more questions to commissioners, more people showing up to voice their opinions in city and county meetings, or even more views on local meetings. We are a government for the people by the people and the more input we get, the better chance we as your representatives have at making the decisions that are best for all of us.
Next, I would like to see a decrease in the county budget deficit. With each dollar that comes off the debt we owe means money put back into help fund our schools, first responders, county roads, and the services all community members need and want.
I would also like to see a better system in place for notifying all county residents about upcoming projects that immediately affect the communities. Additionally, we should be recording all our meetings and publishing them for the public to view.
Good communication and transparency are the key to building a well informed and involved community. That should start with the local government.
To learn more about Jeff’s campaign and his stance on different issues in Williamson County, you can view his campaign website here: Vote4JeffGoodspeed.com
You can also view all the information on the upcoming Elections here.
If you’re not sure if which district you reside in, Locate Your District here.
