Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 1-8-26

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for January 8, 2026

All news stories are aggregated from various sources and modified for time and content. Original sources are cited.

We start with local news…

City’s Popular Annual Report Available (MauryCountySource)

The City of Columbia’s 2025 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) is now available!

The PAFR highlights the City’s annual financial information in an easy-to-read, informative format, reinforcing the city’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

The City of Columbia Finance Department takes its role as a steward of public funds seriously and remains dedicated to delivering effective, efficient, and stakeholder focused services through sound financial management.

The City of Columbia’s Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) has earned the Government Finance Officers Association’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting for seven consecutive years (2018-2024), highlighting the City’s commitment to clear and accessible financial reporting.

Read or download the full report here: https://www.columbiatn.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/326

Leaders Look Ahead (MSM)

Main Street Maury asked local leaders what issues they believed would be the most important in the year 2026. Several local leaders responded including:

Maury County Mayor Sheila Butt

The four most important issues in Maury County right now are water supply, land, roads and solid waste. All have become priorities because of fast, uncontrolled growth. I could elaborate on the reasons why, but looking back or placing blame will not solve the current issues or create the Maury County that we want in the future, and these are my real goals.

First, on water, we need to recognize right now that issues of shared resources that don’t stop at county lines. It is imperative that we begin working, planning and communicating regionally with our neighbors. That is ultimately the only way that the resource will be protected and shared, when no one provider has a monopoly to the detriment of everyone else in the region.

In forming a Regional Water Commission, the state government has no more direct authority over the water than they do now. Such a commission can be created and its responsibilities set by either an act of the General Assembly or an agreement among the providers; either way, the providers work together within the new commission to set policy. The Duck River Utility Commission and the Dickson Water Authority are examples of providers working together in that manner.

Another model is provided by the GNRC (Greater Nashville Regional Council), whose mission is to work with members in the region to guide their growth and development. The GNRC facilitates policy making to prioritize state and federal investments, especially infrastructure needs. There is power in numbers.

A water commission would be composed of members of every utility involved and give every provider a voice and a share of any debt the commission assumes. No one provider monopolizes. On economies of scale, the rate payers win.

I have been in meetings recently with several neighboring water providers who are very interested in forming a commission. Some are concerned with the integrity of the Duck River, and others are currently studying many options for connectivity and cost sharing.

There is only one provider who is telling Maury County that they have the only option and are willing to put all of Maury County on the hook for over $500 million in loans before exploring any other options currently being considered.

As most of you know, I am a Team Maury proponent and I appreciate those who serve our municipalities. However, in this instance, it appears that the Columbia City Council and CPWS want to be the only players on a team that is making huge commitments for every one of us.

As I mentioned earlier, land use, roads, and solid waste are three other issues we must be dedicated to planning now for the future. At a recent regional summit, a county mayor pointed out the following: “No single community can address growth challenges alone. We must collaborate and communicate, help one another, and share resources.”

In sum, many critical issues do not stop at the county line. Working together when at all possible is the most efficient, cost effective, common sense way to address these needs for our future. Communities who do not see the value of working together on common problems are going to be left in the dust and holding the bag!

County Commission Chairman Danny Grooms

Growth, Water and Representation:

A Defining Year for County Leadership

Water is not optional. It is a basic necessity for families, businesses and the future growth of our county. Yet today, many county residents who rely on Columbia water service face rising water rates without meaningful representation in the decisions that set them.

That authority rests solely with the Columbia City Council. County residents — who neither vote for city council members nor have a formal seat at the table — are directly impacted by rate increases they have no power to influence. As water costs climb, this disconnect raises a fundamental question of fairness and governance — how do we ensure accountability when decisions affecting thousands are made by officials elected by only a portion of those affected?

This issue arrives at a particularly consequential moment. We are entering a new property reappraisal year, which historically brings increased property tax assessments for many homeowners. Even when tax rates remain unchanged, higher appraisals often result in higher tax bills. For families already stretched by inflation, insurance increases, and rising utility costs, this combination can be destabilizing.

Water rate increases layered on top of higher property taxes create a compounding effect, especially for fixed-income residents, young families and small businesses. These pressures don’t exist in isolation, and their cumulative impact must be considered holistically by those tasked with governing.

This is also an election year in which all 22 county commission seats, as well as the County Mayorship, will be up for re-election. Elections are not just about personalities or party labels; they are about priorities. Voters deserve to know whether their commissioners are focused on the real, immediate challenges facing the county, or distracted by issues that fall outside their scope while foundational concerns go unresolved.

Now more than ever, the county commission must remain laser focused on the issues directly before it — infrastructure capacity, affordability, representation and sustainable growth.

Growth is not new to our county, but how we manage it remains one of our most urgent challenges. Residential development continues to expand, commercial projects are on the horizon, and demand for water, roads, schools, and emergency services grows alongside them.

Yet growth cannot be managed effectively by any single entity operating in isolation. It is vital for the county and its three municipalities to work together — intentionally, transparently, and consistently — to find a path forward. Water infrastructure planning, rate structures, development approvals, and long-term capacity decisions must be aligned, not fragmented.

When coordination breaks down, residents pay the price: through higher costs, strained infrastructure and decisions that feel disconnected from those most affected. Collaboration is not about surrendering authority; it’s about recognizing shared responsibility.

In short, the coming year will test our local leadership. Decisions made now will shape affordability, livability, and trust in government for years to come.

County residents deserve:

• A voice in decisions that directly affect their household costs

• Transparent communication about water rates and infrastructure planning

• Careful consideration of how tax reappraisals and utility costs intersect

• Leaders who prioritize problem-solving over politics

This is not the time for distractions or division. It is a time for focus, cooperation and accountability. As voters prepare to evaluate every commission seat on the ballot, the message should be clear: managing growth responsibly, protecting residents from compounding financial pressures, and working collaboratively across jurisdictions are essential.

The decisions ahead are complex, but the responsibility is simple — serve the people, plan for the future and work together to get it right.

Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder

As I look to my final year of my two terms in office, I am determined to race to the finish line of the best job I’ve ever had, a dream come true. There is much that has been accomplished, but still more to do. We’ve made historic investments in infrastructure, brought in and developed a variety of small, medium, and large businesses, invested in our people to equip them to keep our community safe and government operating day-to-day, and worked each day to make Columbia, Tenn., the best place in America to live, work and raise a family. There’s a reason Columbia is a place folks want to visit and live, and I take great pride in knowing Columbia’s reputation at home and beyond is the best it’s ever been. 

Over the last year, we saw a historic investment in street paving, and we look to continue to the huge strides we’ve made at improving city streets. We are hopeful that our state roads and highways will also continue to get attention from our partners at TDOT.  We particularly hope to continue to advocate for and encourage the state to expand I-65 to four lanes from June Lake Blvd. to the Bear Creek Pike Exit in Columbia. This expansion would meet a huge need, solve a problem, and allow for expedited access to and from Nashville.

The expansion and renovation of our Wastewater Treatment Plant, the largest capital improvement project in city history, which will provide and ensure adequate wastewater services for the next generation, continues on schedule and under-budget. The project is approximately 25 percent complete and we look forward to that facility coming on-line in early 2027.

The city’s acquisition of the Aquatics and Recreation Center has proven to have been a wise investment, most of all, for our efforts to be a healthy and welcoming community. The center had more than 31,000 visits in our first 12 months of ownership, and that’s because our team has made a commitment to the facility and what it can provide to our community. There will be continued investments in this facility, including expansion of the facility and improvements upon the grounds that will continue to make our community proud. 

We look forward to construction beginning on our championship pickleball facility at Ridley Park that will make Columbia a destination for pickleball players across the region but, best of all, offer a first class facility to Columbia pickleball players of all age and skill. 

Spring Hill Mayor Matt Fitterer

The most important issue in Spring Hill for 2026 will continue to be the TDEC Consent Order and the related challenges that come with it. Spring Hill’s focus will remain on Project SWIFT and the Advanced Water Purification project as it provides the pathway for exiting the consent order and providing a generational solution to Spring Hill’s wet utility capacity needs.

Gibson Added to Mid-South Gastro (MauryCountySource)

Maury Regional Medical Group Mid-South Gastroenterology is pleased to announce the addition of Family Nurse Practitioner Sharon Gibson, FNP-BC, who joins providers Lucas Buchanan, DO, Amit A. Choksi, MD; Dayaker R. Mallipeddi, MD; Robert W. McClure, MD; Srikar S. Reddy, MD; Michael Blanco, MD, Timothy Dickey FNP and Kelly H. Taylor, FNP-C.

Gibson received her undergraduate degree in nursing from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. She received her master’s degree in nursing from the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama. Gibson brings several years of diverse experience in delivering quality patient care and has a strong background working within the Maury Regional Health system.

MRMG Mid-South Gastroenterology’s Columbia office is in the Maury Regional Medical Office Building, Suite 501, at 1222 Trotwood Avenue in Columbia. The Spring Hill office will be located at 1003 Reserve Boulevard, Suite 220, in Spring Hill. Office hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. A physician’s order is required to make an appointment.

Shop With A Cop (MSM)

County and city law enforcement officers took local kids on the annual “Shop with a Cop” trip Friday, Dec. 19.

After watching a movie, the officers went shopping for Christmas gifts at Wal-Mart with several dozen youth, who later took pictures with Santa.

The Maury County Sheriff’s Department Shop with a Cop is mostly funded by the Maury County Sheriff’s Rodeo held in July. Several thousand people also donated to the event. They take 40-50 children shopping and give out gift cards or purchased gifts to the rest, paying special attention to the children of the families whose houses burned down the previous weekend.

“Before it’s all said and done, we’ll probably buy for 130 kids, even though we only take 45 shopping,” said Kyle Cheek, the sheriff’s lieutenant over school resource officers.

The Columbia Police Department funded their Shop with a Cop with a pancake breakfast in November.

“Yesterday was truly the most wonderful day of the year… We had 23 little blessings that we had the privilege of spending the day with. The joy of this day is truly indescribable. There was an abundance of smiles, happiness, and yes, some craziness too,” the Columbia Police Department posted on Dec. 20. “Shop with a Cop was a huge success this year and we want to say thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. God Bless you all.”

Spring Hill BOMA Approves Sewer Moratorium (CDH)

The Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 25-29 to establish a citywide sewer moratorium in its second and final reading Monday, Jan. 5.

The vote also included finalizing any remaining sewer capacity allocated to developers, while also lifting a prior suspension of development applications enacted in October of last year.

"This was a serious and necessary action to protect the long-term health of our water reclamation system and ensure we remain in full compliance with our obligations to the State,” said Mayor Matt Fitterer in a press release following the vote.

“BOMA is fully committed to addressing this challenge responsibly, and we recognize that our private-sector partners are essential participants in the solution. I want to thank the development community for working constructively with the city as we prioritize reliable water reclamation service for current residents while establishing a fair, transparent path forward for remaining capacity.

"BOMA is committed to providing near term additional water reclamation capacity through public delivery of decentralized systems, interlocal agreements, or both. We recognize that this action will have negative local economic implications and are focused on minimizing the impact.”

During the Jan. 5 meeting, Spring Hill Development Director Dara Sanders later explained how the moratorium will take shape over the next week in regard to developers submitting applications.

"We will be asking anyone submitting a planning commission application, construction plan review application or building permit application [to include] the property owner's consent to drawing down from their allocation," Sanders said. "That is so we can preserve the integrity of the assignment you are granting to each project, and also to ensure we are effectively tracking the allocation and the individual draws for each allocation you are assigning."

In addition, all projects, buildings or tenant spaces receiving sewer allocation under Ordinance 25-29 are required to install flow meters to monitor sewer flows.

The city will host a public developer community stakeholder meeting from 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28 at City Hall, 199 Town Center Parkway.

"If you are in the development community and you are looking for an opportunity to interact with our professional staff and get an understanding of how this will functionally work, that is an opportunity for you that you might want to put on your calendar," Fitterer said.

On Aug. 5 of 2025, the BOMA approved terms to a Consent Order issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).

The issuance was made after 29 violations had been found at Spring Hill's Water Treatment Plant, tracked between 2023-2025 and resulting in a total civil penalty of $65,700.

Per TDEC's Consent Order, the city agreed it would enact a sewer connection moratorium for all projects which do not have vested sewer rights under applicable Tennessee law. The moratorium, according to the Aug. 8, 2025 release, would be lifted only after Spring Hill is found to be in compliance with the Consent Order for a period of 12 consecutive months.

"Spring Hill takes full responsibility for these violations and have been transparent with TDEC throughout this process by self-reporting these issues. We are committed to bringing our sewer treatment plant into full compliance with state standards,” Fitterer said in the Aug. 8 release. “Ensuring the safety and health of our community is our top priority. Our focus is on implementing lasting solutions to prevent future violations and deliver safe and reliable utility systems."

CSCC Reconnect (Press Release)

Columbia State Community College will host virtual Tennessee Reconnect information sessions during January.

Tennessee Reconnect is a last-dollar scholarship that provides free tuition for adults to attend a community college. The initiative is designed to help adults enter college to gain new skills, advance in the workplace and fulfill lifelong dreams of completing a degree or credential.

“Tennessee Reconnect provides a wonderful opportunity for eligible adult learners to attend Columbia State tuition-free,” said Joni Allison, Columbia State coordinator of Adult Student Services. “We offer multiple information session dates each month to allow easy access for prospective students who would like to begin or return to college.”

To be eligible for Tennessee Reconnect, students must meet the following requirements:

• Haven’t earned an associate or bachelor’s degree.

• Have been a Tennessee resident for at least one year.

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and be determined as an independent student.

• Be admitted to Columbia State and enroll in a degree or certificate program.

• Must attend at least part-time (6 credit hours).

To view the full list of steps to apply or to sign up for an information session, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Reconnect.

And now, Your Hometown Memorials, Sponsored by Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home…

Eleanor Beauchamp Morgan, age 96, passed away Friday, January 2, 2026.

A Graveside service will be held January 31, 2026 at 4:30 PM at Rose Hill Cemetery in Columbia, TN with Rev. Chris Bowhay officiating. Online condolences may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com.

Glenda South Lunn, 82, died Saturday, January 3, 2026 at Country Cottages in Lawrenceburg, TN.

A graveside memorial service will be conducted Monday, January 12, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Kinnard Cemetery on Clara Mathis Road in Spring Hill, TN. The family will visit with friends at the cemetery. 

Joseph Perko, 90, passed away Monday, January 6, 2026 at his residence.

A funeral mass will be conducted Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 11:30 AM at St. Catherine Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by the Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Tuesday from 10:00 AM until time of the services at St. Catherine Catholic Church.

Madeline Kenned Longo, 12, passed away January 1st.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 10th, 2026, at 4:00 PM in the Auditorium at West Seventh Church of Christ in Columbia, TN. The family will visit with family, friends and their community on Saturday from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM in the Family Center at West Seventh. 

Now, news from around the state…

Franklin Plans for Affordable Housing (Tennessean)

The city of Franklin is focusing on securing and creating more affordable housing as part of its ever-evolving five year plan.

First created in 2017 and titled "Envision Franklin," the plan serves as a blueprint for how city leaders want the city to progress and touches on a variety industries and structural changes needed to ensure the city continues to accommodate a growing population.

When the plan was first created, a special census listed Franklin's population at about 71,374. The US Census has now listed the 2024 population at 89,142.

Some factors contributing to the growth include Mitsubishi Motors North America relocating to the area in 2019 and In-N-Out's ongoing construction on a new headquarters in 2025. Because of the continuing growth, the city approved an amendment to the plan in 2024 to solely focus on finding new housing solutions.

In late 2025, a housing report released by the Williamson County Association of Realtors further bolstered the need for more housing, noting the population of Franklin is expected to increase across all ages between 2025 and 2030.

To make sure the city has enough housing, Franklin officials have turned to expanding the city limits.

In December 2025, the Williamson County Urban Growth Plan posted proposed plans to annex land that didn’t fall under any city jurisdiction. City leaders are expected to examine and make decisions on how to proceed with those plans as 2026 continues.

There has also been a steady trend across Williamson County with new communities being built or expanding. 

Franklin's Westhaven community has proposed to add 700-plus additional units while Nolensville has seen two new housing communities enter construction during the past year.

According to the association’s data, “in the last decade, new development has contributed roughly $152 million in impact fees to expand infrastructure in Franklin.” 

One of the focal points they highlight that needs to be addressed is rental housing that is affordable for all levels of income. 

While Data USA has the average salary of Franklin listed at $115,000, nearly one-third of renters’ households will continue to earn less than $75,000. 

In recent years, the Franklin Housing Authority (FHA) has continued to expand its efforts in response to what it sees as a growing need.

Last month, the agency opened applications for a 4-bedroom project based voucher units with an emphasis on homeless families.

Additionally, the FHA has used a $600,000 TN Housing Trust Fund grant from THDA to rehabilitate 16 affordable housing units at Natchez Street Apartments. 

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

MULTI-PLATINUM entertainer Trace Adkins will soon embark on the Trace Adkins 30th Anniversary Tour — a full-throttle U.S. headline run kicking off on January 16 at Oxford Performing Arts Center in Oxford, AL. The 24-date trek will celebrate three decades of towering success since the Country icon delivered his PLATINUM-certified debut album Dreamin’ Out Loud.

With dates currently scheduled through September 19, the Trace Adkins 30th Anniversary Tour will include two nights at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium (May 22 and 23). 

Tickets for the Trace Adkins 30th Anniversary Tour are available at traceadkins.com.