Southern Middle TN Today News with Tom Price 6-10-26

WKOM/WKRM Radio

Southern Middle Tennessee Today

News Copy for June 10, 2026

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

County Restarts Ethics Committee (MSM)

The Maury County Ethics Committee elected its officers on May 27 and, for the first time since 2015, is now open for business.

The committee will hold its first meeting to judge outstanding ethical complaints at 4:30 p.m. on June 16.

The current committee was unable to take official action until County Commission Chairman Danny Grooms led a meeting, allowing them to finally appoint officials. Complainants who want their charges reviewed this month must have submitted one week in advance of a meeting.

District 4 County Commissioner Mike Kuzawinski was elected the new chairman of the Ethics Committee, and District 6 Commissioner Cindy Hestla was elected as both vice-chair and meeting secretary. The other members of the committee are County Sheriff Bucky Rowland, District 4 Commissioner Connie Green, and District 1 Commissioner Pam Huffman.

Kuzawinski thanked his colleagues for electing him and pledged to investigate ethical complaints fully and fairly.

“I do not take this lightly. Rules… and ethics are very important… and I want the people’s voices to be heard,” he said. “This is not a secret committee… about power. This is about trying to be transparent and earn the trust of the people.”

The task of the Ethics Committee is to look into ethical complaints brought against officials and employees of the county government. The chairman reviews complaints for relevance and actionability before forwarding them to the Ethics Committee, who then investigate the complaints in public meetings.

If the committee finds that the defendant committed an actionable offense, they can refer it to County Attorney Mark Dobies for advice and legal opinions. For censure or discipline, the Ethics Committee can forward the vindicated complaint to the supervisor of an offending county employee, or to the full Maury County Commission if the offender is a county official. Criminal conduct would be forwarded to the 22nd Judicial District Attorney for prosecution.

The County Technical Advisory Service empowers the commission to investigate allegations of various kinds of misconduct. The CTAS short sheet on ethics mostly deals with various kinds of conflicts of interest — voting in one’s personal or household interest, accepting or not disclosing gifts or fees, privately use or self-dealing of county property — but it also highlights “abuse” or “unauthorized exercise of official power” as ethical offenses.

CTAS recommends that officials get familiar and comply with the original ethical laws on the books, so that they can entirely avoid committing violations and getting investigated. During public comment, Teresa Sparks recommended that the Ethics Committee take the lead on this by “educating the commission” about their ethical and fiduciary responsibilities, and by making regular reports on pending ethics complaints to the County Commission, as other subcommittees do.

Spring Hill Advances Budget (MSM)

The City of Spring Hill’s $151.7 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget moved one step closer to adoption last week, as the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved its first reading following months of preparation, review and financial planning. 

City Administrator J. Carter Napier, department heads and city staff have been developing and refining the city’s financial and operational plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1, since January. 

With the budget process now entering its final stage, several major funds show varying levels of stability, growth and planned investment heading into FY2027. 

The city’s General Fund is projected to rebound following significant reserve use in FY2026. It will open the fiscal year with $27.4 million and is expected to close at $28.3 million, representing 42.9 percent of annual expenditures. Revenues are projected at $66.9 million against $60 million in appropriations, resulting in an estimated surplus of approximately $918,000. 

The Water and Sewer Fund is expected to generate approximately $36.2 million in operating revenues. While operations are projected to produce an income of roughly $11.3 million, the fund’s net position is expected to decline by about $4.8 million due to more than $16 million in capital investments and ongoing debt service obligations. The fund will begin the year with $160 million and is projected to end at $156 million. 

Capital project funds, which support major infrastructure and construction initiatives, are projected to begin with $48.7 million and end with $47.7 million. Staff anticipates expenditures will overtake revenues by $960,247. 

Key projects funded in this cycle include $6.6 million in capital financing, $3 million for the Community Service Annex (CSA) Project and $1.5 million for the new library project. Additional planned work includes improvements to Buckner Lane and Port Royal intersection, the Harvey Greenway, City Hall basement renovations and Jim Warren Road. 

The State Street Aid Fund is projected to begin with $1.5 million and finish the fiscal year in a stronger position, with revenues expected to exceed expenditures by $338,533. The fund balance could rise to approximately $1.85 million, representing about 92 percent of one year’s expenditure. 

During the meeting, the board also approved a resolution acknowledging the certified tax rate required under Tennessee law following property reappraisal. The certified rate is intended to keep property tax revenue from existing properties roughly level with the year prior.

A two-step process will follow, including introduction of an ordinance to be incorporated into the FY2027 budget establishing a property tax rate of $0.739 per $100 of assessed value. The adjustment is expected to generate an additional $2 million for the General Fund and $1.2 million for the capital projects funds. 

With minor adjustments across several funds and final discussions, the second reading of the budget ordinance is scheduled for June 15.

MCWS Seeks Intake Permit (MSM)

At the June meeting of the Maury County Health and Environment Committee, the Maury County Water System unveiled their draft permit for a water intake capable of drawing three million gallons of water per day (MGD) from the Duck River. Water Board Chair Todd Shultz answered the committee’s questions about the proposal, which will come before the next session of the County Commission.

The intake would be located upstream from the site of the first, demolished Columbia Dam, and could draw water for the eastern half of the county whether or not another dam ever gets built. With extra treatment and pumping infrastructure, the intake could draw up to six MGD, but Shultz predicted from studies that the intended three MGD ought to cover the county’s water demands up to the year 2045. Even though MCWS expects to need another one MGD by late 2027, he told the committee that they shouldn’t hurt for water even if it takes another three to five years to get the project permitted and built.

Shultz also argued that it would help MCWS’s finances to get an independent water source. The utility now spends 32 percent of its budget on purchasing water, which to his knowledge is the highest percentage in its history.

All of its current suppliers, including Columbia Power & Water Systems, Hillsboro Burwood & Thompson’s Station Utility District, and Spring Hill Water, also charge MCWS $4.50 per thousand gallons. Shultz told the committee that a feasibility study found their water charges rose $2.50 per thousand gallons between 2021 and 2025; two CPWS rate increases, one of 67 cents in August 2025 and one of 75 cents in March 2026, account for almost all of the $1.51 rate increase that MCWS will have to institute on July 1.

“You always have your initial investment, but normally, as a rule, it is cheaper to treat your own water than it is to continue to purchase,” the board chair said.

Shultz said MCWS filed for a permit at about the same time that CPWS did, in 2021, and received a draft permit back from TDEC in December 2023, but since then has received no further approval or denial.

“Columbia’s been issued a new intake, and every system between Normandy and Columbia has [been given] an increase in their intakes,” the chairman said. He relayed that in their “last correspondence,” TDEC said they were “afraid of getting sued” for giving MCWS a 3MGD permit against the 13MGD in remaining river capacity. Even so, the agency judged in the draft permit that “the authorized activities represent the least impactful practicable alternative to [get adequate water supply]” and “will not result in an appreciable permanent loss of resource values.”

Hatcher 5th District Campaign (MSM)

Charlie Hatcher, the former state Commissioner of Agriculture, gave Main Street Maury an interview about his campaign to represent District 5 in the U.S. Congress.

Hatcher grew up on his family farm on Arno Road in Williamson County, where his ancestors have lived since 1819, and where his mother-in-law, three of his four siblings, his two children and his grandchildren now live with him and his wife Sharon. He graduated from MTSU in 1980 and from the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984. He worked first in Manchester and then for 10 years in Russellville, Kentucky, under Dr. Jenks Britt, whom he considered “the best veterinarian in the country at the time.” He moved back to his family farm and in 1992 opened his own practice there, Rock-N-Country Veterinary Services, which was taken over in 2005 by his daughter Jennifer.

With backing from MTSU, the Hatcher family debuted their branded dairy products in 2007, which, Hatcher said, “saved the farm and kept us in business.” They started out by selling at venues like College Grove Grocery and the Franklin Farmer’s Market, and Hatcher’s son Charles now runs the on-premises Hatcher Family Dairy Store. The success of the dairy brand allowed the Hatchers to buy the nearby Battle Mountain Farm in 2014, where they now host about 80 events per year.

Hatcher has helped lead several national agricultural associations. He’s been president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials, the United States Animal Health Association, and the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and chaired the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture’s Animal Agriculture Committee.

Hatcher has also worked for 10 years as the official State Veterinarian. In this role he was responsible for all animal-related welfare issues in the state, from the health of domestic and imported animals to the safety of the consumers of animal products. His service to the state of Tennessee also includes terms on the UT Board of Trustees and the state Board of Regents.

In 2019 Gov. Bill Lee crowned Hatcher’s work by naming him the state’s sole Commissioner of Agriculture.

“The greatest honor of my life was to serve as Commissioner of Agriculture, to serve the industry that I’m part of,” Hatcher told Main Street Maury. “Governor Lee had great trust in me and allowed me to follow his lead, and during the Lee administration there’s been record investment in rural communities, [which depend on] ag and forestry. He ran on rural matters and he delivered on that, and I helped him on the ag and forestry side.”

Hatcher and his Department of Agriculture set to work governing agriculture and forestry, which together comprise the largest industry in the state of Tennessee and contribute significantly to the world supply of certain goods. Their responsibilities are extensive: certifying the quality of gasoline, making sure dairy products live up to their tight regulations, overseeing forestry in the state which consistently exports the second- or third-most hardwood in the country, and vetting the quality of instantly recognizable Tennessee products like Jack Daniels liquor.

All of this combined experience — doctor, farmer, store owner, state official — gives Hatcher the confidence to run for federal office.

“[I have] a unique combination of state-level executive experience at the highest level, small business owner [experience]… and the problem-solving abilities of a farmer, veterinarian,” Hatcher said. “People are hungry for effective, honest congressional representation. And with me, what you see is what you get.”

He believes that first and foremost, voters want to see political results in their daily lives, and he plans to work on those issues: living expenses and inflation, infrastructure and traffic, and the availability of food, potable water and energy. He hopes to improve these for Middle Tennessee specifically, by coordinating the work among local, state and federal governments.

He also wants to reduce federal regulatory burdens, investigate and cut wasteful spending, to help make the long-term plan to balance the national budget, and to make the United States more materially independent from other countries, and secure against attacks.

“Food security is national security. Our enemies could take us down without firing a shot if they disrupted the food supply… We saw what that looked like during COVID, where the grocery store [shelves] were almost bare. Imagine if they were actually bare,” he said. “And the huge gorilla in the room is national debt. It’s not sustainable and it’s not fair for our kids and our grandkids… to be hung with that debt.”

(Mayoral Forum (Press Release)

Join Maury Alliance on July 9th at 5:30pm to hear from the two Maury County Mayoral candidates: Sheila Butt and Gabe Howard. This moderated Q&A session with the candidates will give attendees an opportunity to learn more about each candidate and their vision for the future of Maury County. If you would like to submit a question for consideration, please send them to Alyssa at atate@mauryalliance.com. This event is open to the public and free to attend!

Doors open at 5pm, and the program will begin promptly at 5:30pm.

Down the Duck Documentary (Press Release)

A special community screening of the Nashville PBS’ documentary Down the Duck with John Guider will take place on Friday, June 12, at 6:00 p.m. at The Mulehouse, in downtown Columbia. Tickets are free by visiting: https://weblink.donorperfect.com/dtd-columbia.

Co-hosted by Friends of the Duck and Harpeth Conservancy, the event aims to bring together community members, conservation advocates, outdoor enthusiasts, and supporters of the Duck River for an evening centered around storytelling, environmental awareness, and connection. Food trucks will be on-site ahead of the screening, creating a casual community atmosphere for attendees to gather and enjoy the evening together.

The documentary, a film by Archaea Productions, follows acclaimed photographer, conservationist, and adventurer John Guider, as he canoes 270 miles of Tennessee’s Duck River, documenting its ecological significance, natural beauty, and the communities connected to it along the way.

Recognized as the most biodiverse river in North America, the Duck River provides drinking water to communities across Middle Tennessee while supporting hundreds of species of fish, mussels, birds, and wildlife.

“This film captures the wonder of the Duck River and the communities it sustains at a critical time when planning is underway to ensure long-term sustainability,” said Grace Stranch, CEO of Harpeth Conservancy.

As conversations continue across the watershed about the river’s future, the film offers both a celebration of the Duck River’s extraordinary significance and an invitation for communities to engage more deeply in its protection.

This will be the first in-person showing of the film in the Duck River Watershed. “This documentary offers a powerful reminder of how deeply connected we are to the Duck River,” said Sarah B. Gilliam, a member of Friends of the Duck River and who is featured in the film. “The screening is an opportunity for the community to come together, celebrate this incredible resource, and continue conversations about protecting it for future generations.”

The celebrations will continue with additional screenings throughout the Duck River Watershed this summer. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and guests are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy food trucks and conversation before the film begins.

Maury County Clerk Satellite Office (Press Release)

The Maury County Clerk’s office can now help residents with renewals of license plates or placards each Wednesday from 8am to 3:30pm at the Maury County Senior Center located at 1020 Maury County Park Dr.

Please drive around to the back of the building and look for the car tag renewal sign near the back door.

Forms of payment include credit/debit card or check – no cash.

Any Maury County Resident can use this office.

All other transactions will still need to be done through the main office located at 10 Public Square.

Also, you can renew online at TNCountyClerk.com or at kiosks in Spring Hill City Hall or Mt. Pleasant Courthouse.

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

Betty Carolyn Cheek, 84, a long-time resident of Culleoka, Tennessee, passed away on June 7th.

A visitation will be held Wednesday, June 10, 2026 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Wilkes Campground Cemetery in Culleoka, Tennessee.

Charles Matthew "Matt" Phillips, 49, of Hickman County, TN, passed away on June 4, 2026.

Graveside services will be conducted at a later date at Old Well Cemetery in Hickman County.

Online condolences may be extended to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com.

Monnette Fulcher Bruner, 62, passed away Thursday, June 4, 2026, at Camden General Hospital.

No services are scheduled at this time. Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

And now, news from around the state…

TN Legislature May Redistrict (Tennessean)

Republican lawmakers, who already hold a supermajority in Tennessee’s General Assembly, may redraw the state legislature's district maps next year to win even more seats.

A spokesperson for Tennessee Senate Republicans said lawmakers are likely to "consider legislation related to" redrawing Tennessee House of Representatives and Tennessee Senate districts next legislative session. This comes after Republican legislators redrew Tennessee's federal congressional districts in May.

"Given the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, I would expect the next General Assembly to consider legislation related to continued redistricting efforts for Tennessee's State Senate and House district maps,” Tennessee Senate Republican Caucus press secretary Molly Crawford said in an emailed statement.

Crawford said she expects legislation to be filed. She added that the legislation "would have to go through the committee process, so it's too soon to know what the outcome would be."

Tennessee Sen. Charlane Oliver, a Nashville Democrat whose constituents are mostly racial minorities, questioned why Republicans need even more seats when they already hold a supermajority in both houses of the General Assembly.

"What more do they want?" Oliver, whose protest against congressional redistricting is one of the most enduring images of the recent legislative session, said.

Lawmakers in Tennessee and around the country redrew U.S. congressional maps as they were emboldened by the April 29 high court decision that limits the ability to protect the voting power of minority groups.

All of Tennessee’s nine congressional districts now favor Republicans. Memphis, long a Democratic stronghold bolstered by the city’s large Black population, was split into three different districts, which stretch as far east as Franklin.

It is not clear which seats in the Tennessee General Assembly may be on the chopping block if Republicans follow through on their plans. House District 80, a West Tennessee seat occupied by Rep. Johnny Shaw, is a majority-minority district created in response to a lawsuit brought under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the statute that was kneecapped by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais.

Senate District 19 in Nashville, held by Oliver, is also a majority-minority district. While not created by a lawsuit, Oliver's district may also be at risk.

Republicans currently hold 75 of 99 seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives, or 76%. The GOP holds 27 of 33 seats in the Tennessee Senate, or 82%.

Last presidential election, 64% of Tennesseans voted for Republican President Donald Trump and 35% voted for Democrat Kamala Harris.

Among other changes to how courts will view redistricting under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, challengers now have to prove legislators had a racially discriminatory intent when redrawing district maps, not just that the maps have a racially discriminatory result, according to many legal scholars.

Final Story of the Day (Maury County Source)

Families in Spring Hill are invited to enjoy an outdoor movie night as Parks & Recreation prepares for its next community event on Friday, June 26th.

Spring Hill Parks & Recreation announced its upcoming Movie in the Park event featuring the animated film *Cars*. The movie will begin at dark, with activities starting at 8 p.m. at Evans Park, located at 563 Maury Hill Street.

Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and their favorite movie snacks for an evening under the stars with family and friends.

The Spring Hill Lions Club will also have concessions available for purchase during the event.