RNA

Timeline of RNA Activities

March​ 1999 — First stirrings that citizen involvement was necessary in Rutherford County

2002 — RNA charter approved by the Tennessee Secretary of State

​​UGB – sewer extension; Christiana –Farrer Brothers; Salem Pike development

2005 June — Referendum NOW! – Opposed the city funding the building of a conference center; Resolved when Hammond took it on as a private enterprise (Embassy Suites & Conference Center)

2005 — The RNA collects 1,500 signatures petitioning the state legislature to allow Rutherford County to adopt an adequate facilities tax to fund the cost of growth. All Rutherford County Commissioners voted for this tax.

2005 — RNA president Steve Schroeder brings the debate about responsible development and the cost of growth to the forefront.
BERC Study – County fiscal problems (growth not paying for itself)

  • RNA studied and advocated for Impact fees on new development
  • Steve Schroeder serves on the County Alternative Revenue Task Force which settled on an Adequate Facilities Tax; county commission agreed unanimously (2X) to request a Private Act to implement; local state representatives (Ketron, Tracey, Rowland (now Barrett), etc.) did not support the county in introducing this legislation

2005 — RNA president Steve Schroeder is the only private citizen in the state to present testimony before TACIR (Tennessee Advisory Committee on Intergovernmental Relations) regarding growth tax legislation being considered by the state legislature. TACIR recommended the legislature allow local governments to adopt growth taxes without having to seek legislative approval. State Representative John Hood was in favor of the recommendation, but ultimately it was ignored by the State General Assembly.

2006 — the RNA partners with the local chapter of AARP to host a public meeting in the Historic County Courthouse with representatives of ATMOS and the Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA). The meeting resulted in the TRA calling for a full rate review and a $6 million reduction in Atmos rates.

2007 September — RNA public meeting: commissioner Rhonda Allen to speak about the proposed changes to the county’s subdivision regulations and adding conservation design to the regulations.

2008 February — RNA hosts Murfreesboro City Council candidate forum

2008 September — RNA public meeting on County Comprehensive Plan: planning Director Doug Demosi speaker

2009 to 2011 — RNA president Susan Allen serves on the County Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee. In the end, she is the only member who votes for the infill scenario of growth, hoping to prevent urban sprawl; attended Planning Commission meetings developing zoning and subdivision regulations.

2009 March — RNA Public Meeting: Tennesseans for Fair Taxation presentation on closing state tax loopholes.

​2008 to present — County Legal Department

  • RNA advocates for an in house Legal Department with an attorney whose only client is the county.
  • 2009 — Legal Services Agreement (LSA): RNA studied the contract and gave commission enough information for them to rescind their approval until after a new Private Act for County Attorney could be written and approved by the State Legislature which would then make the LSA legal.
  • RNA provided input to the commission on the writing of both the Private Act and the LSA

2010 August — RNA Ethics Committee complaint against County Mayor Burgess for mis-reading the open records act to miss lead the County commission and stop discussion

2014 May — RNA President Susan Allen work session with County IT Department on improvements for county website design and function

2014 to 2017 — RNA president Susan Allen serves on the Murfreesboro 2035 Comprehensive Plan Task Force; wrote the Murfreesboro Vision Statement and attended follow-up meetings with the consultant and city officials.

2017 July — RNA Ethics Committee complaint against County law firm for over-billing

2018 March — County Trustee

  • Informed Commission and Trustee that State Law (TN Code Annotated) was not being followed re: Delinquent tax collection
  • RNA asks DA to investigate Trustee/delinquent tax collections
  • Trustee responds that he will comply with Tennessee Code Annotated and report to the Commission starting June 2019 (no explanation why this was not done in 2018)

2018 May — RNA files ethics complaint with State Supreme Court Board of Professional Responsibility regarding possible violation of Formal Ethics Opinion 81-F-4 by county law firm

2018 June — RNA asks DA to investigate Trustee/delinquent tax collections

2018 November — RNA delegation meet with Mayor Ketron to explain advantages of in-house counsel and comparison information of other government in-house structure

2018 November — RNA public comments at County Commission Meeting advocating in-house attorney

2018 December — RNA president Mike Linton presentation to County Steering Committee recommending an ad hoc Committee to study the Legal Services Agreement and transition to an in-house legal department

2018 December — RNA public comments at County Commission Meeting advocating for formation of an ad hoc committee to study the legal services agreement

2018 to present — Ongoing study concerning how solid waste will be handled in the near future