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Mayor Cooper pitches $478M capital spending plan





Mayor John Cooper announced he will not seek a second term in office on Jan. 31, 2023. Vivian Jones / Main Street Nashville

Mayor John Cooper announced he will not seek a second term in office on Jan. 31, 2023. Vivian Jones / Main Street Nashville

Mayor John Cooper on Thursday unveiled a $478 million capital spending plan — the mayor’s annual wish list of new building and infrastructure projects across the city — including funding for a new Juvenile Justice Center campus, two new schools and a new headquarters for the Nashville Fire Department.

“The room we are in today will look different in the not so distant future — and not because it’s just going to get a nice coat of paint. It’s going to get a totally new school from the ground up,” Cooper said Thursday during a news conference at Lakeview Elementary School — one of the two schools slated for total rebuild.

More than half the funding in the mayor’s proposal, $295 million in all, would go toward building and maintenance projects at Metro Nashville Public Schools and public safety projects, like a new Fire Department Headquarters.

The proposed juvenile justice center is the biggest-ticket item in the plan, with a $91 million price tag for the first phase of the project. Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway said the new facility would be a “game changer” for the way the city handles youth justice cases.

Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway speaks during a news conference with Mayor John Cooper on Jan. 26, 2023. Vivian Jones / Main Street Nashville

Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway speaks during a news conference with Mayor John Cooper on Jan. 26, 2023. Vivian Jones / Main Street Nashville

This is Cooper’s fourth capital spending plan and his first in more than a year. Metro Council members approved his last $564 million proposal in December 2021, after approving a $474.6 million plan in March 2021 and Cooper’s first $180.7 million plan in March 2020.

In addition to the mayor’s capital spending proposal, he’s pitching a further $84.4 million “supplemental capital replacement fund” to be spent toward deferred maintenance projects across Metro departments. That would be paid for from revenue collected in excess of last year’s budgeted projections. Funds would go to items like fire truck and patrol car replacements, building and roof maintenance and removal of trees infested by invasive emerald ash borers in Metro Parks.

Cooper’s spending proposals now go to the Metro Council. Here are more highlights:

Dr. Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools speaks at a news conference with Mayor John Cooper on Jan. 26, 2023. Vivian Jones / Main Street Nashville

Dr. Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools speaks at a news conference with Mayor John Cooper on Jan. 26, 2023. Vivian Jones / Main Street Nashville

$91M toward new Juvenile Justice Center

Cooper is proposing a $91 million spend toward the first phase of construction of a new Juvenile Justice Center on Brick Church Pike. If approved and completed, the facility would replace the aging building on the East Bank near Nissan Stadium, built in 1994.

The proposed 14-acre campus would offer a 24-hour assessment center to support youth in crisis, meeting rooms for court staff and space for community partners like CASA to meet on-site with youth and their families. If Phase 1 is approved, a further $230 million would be needed for the project.

On Thursday, Calloway said the current court — made up of one judge, 10 magistrates and 125 staff members — is constrained by the current facility.

“We have gaps in our system. We have those gaps sometimes because we cannot provide those services in the building,” Calloway said. “This is going to be a game changer for all of our youth and all the families that we serve.”

 

 

$139M for Metro Nashville Public School buildings and maintenance

The plan includes a total of $139 million for new buildings, renovations and deferred maintenance projects at MNPS facilities. A total of $112 million would go toward design and construction of three schools: a new Lakeview Elementary School, a new Percy Priest Elementary School and a renovation of Paragon Mills Elementary School. Cooper’s plan also includes funding for field replacements at all 15 MNPS high schools.

Another $27 million would go toward deferred maintenance of district-wide projects.

“Today’s announcement will allow us to replace aging facilities while also achieving the goal of fifth grade and all of our elementary schools in such a way that reduces problems with overcrowding and ensures a comfortable and successful teaching and learning environment,” MNPS Director of Schools Dr. Adrienne Battle said Thursday.

$41.1M for parks and recreation

Cooper is proposing nearly $41.2 million for metro parks, including $17.5 million for stonework and construction at Fort Negley and $8.7 million for construction of the new Mill Ridge Park in Antioch. The proposal includes $500,000 for conceptual design of the proposed Wharf Park — part of the East Bank redevelopment.

$78.9M for NDOT

Cooper’s plan includes $78.9 million for the Nashville Department of Transportation, including $38 million for infrastructure repairs and upgrades. Funding would also go toward new traffic management systems and signal upgrades, bikeways and safety initiatives. Cooper is proposing $13.8 million for new sidewalks.

$16.2M for fire and police projects

The plan includes $11 million for a new Fire Station No. 2, which would also become headquarters for the Nashville Fire Department. Cooper is proposing $5 million for Metro Nashville Police Department, most of which would go toward a new barn for mounted police patrol.

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