Editor’s Note: The Tennessee Tribune recently sat down with Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell to discuss several issues of importance to the Black community. Among the topics covered were business development, transportation, Jefferson Street, affordable housing and education. This interview is presented in two parts with Part 1 focusing on Black businesses, Jefferson Street and the Mayor’s Transportation Improvement Plan, currently up for referendum vote this election cycle.
TRIBUNE: What are the plans to include Black businesses in the new Tennessee Titans stadium being built? Is there a quota? What are the qualifications? What department will oversee minority business development?
MAYOR: We have a business assistance office that works with minority-owned businesses within Metro. For the Titans stadium, there is at least a 25% threshold for stadium participation, similar to what the airport has been doing to ensure a good mix of minority business participation. For the East Bank, we are striving for a 30% MWBE (minority-women business enterprise) redevelopment goal.
Editor’s Note: The Tennessee Tribune looked at how well Metro Nashville government is doing relative to minority business support, specifically with African American-led businesses. According to the Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance’s Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Reports, the third quarter of this year from January to March, saw a total of 313 African American firms certified with a slightly more than $10 million spent with these firms. This represented a combination of African American male and female businesses. In comparison, a total of 359 Caucasian female led firms were certified with a total of $16.5 million spent with these firms. In the fourth quarter report, a total of 287 African American businesses – male and female combined – were certified compared to 322 Caucasian female-led businesses. This quarterly report also showed $18.8 million was spent with Caucasian female businesses, still more than the combined total spent during the quarter among African American, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, Service-Disabled Veterans, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises and LGBT businesses, in which $18.1 million in total was spent among these businesses combined.
TRIBUNE: What role are you playing on Jefferson Street? What’s happening and what input do you have?
MAYOR: There is a new era, but we are very mindful of the rich history of Jefferson Street. I had an office there during my campaign, the local NAACP branch is there, long-time businesses like Woodcuts and other historic institutions like Fisk University, are proud landmarks there. I am engaged in encouraging conversations about the historic area. The Jefferson Street Historical Society is working to preserve the history and culture of the area, and we also have Jamari Brown, senior director, Economic and Community Development, and Brittany Irby, senior director, Civic and Community Engagement, in the Mayor’s Office who are focused on what is happening on Jefferson Street as well as in other communities across our city. My goal is to ensure from Rosa Parks to Tennessee State that we not only create a Renaissance era for Black-owned businesses but restore regular live music opportunities on Jefferson Street.
TRIBUNE: Your transportation plan is up for vote in this election cycle. How will what you are proposing benefit the Black community who often use the city’s public transit services more than other residents?
MAYOR: We know this is a big benefit. It is important for a city like Nashville to have reliable, frequent and safe transportation. There has been a lot of time put into this important issue and now we are starting to see some results. The American Rescue Plan money we received helped to enable students attending
Historically Black Colleges and Universities in our city participate in WeGo rides. In fact, Meharry Medical College has surpassed expectation making 100,000 trips during the last year. This transportation plan will serve communities of color and parts of North Nashville, and it calls for improvements to sidewalks, corridors, sheltered bus stops and better access. We have looked closely at costs, program rates and the countywide impact this will have. We also know this transportation plan is better for small business district and will create safer access to schools, parks and libraries – no matter where you live, no matter your background, no matter your profession – we have a plan that meets diverse needs and it’s the most important discussion our city is having this year.
Editor’s Note: Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s “Choose How Your Move,” is a $3.1 billion initiative designed to improve the transportation system in Nashville around four key areas: sidewalks, signals, service and safety. The mayor has said Nashville’s unprecedented growth calls for major transit upgrades to keep up. He also explained that it will allow the city to tap into $1.4 billion of federal funding going to other cities that support their transportation investments. The mayor’s plan is currently on the ballot for voters to decide if the proposal, which focuses on reducing traffic, expanding bus service and creating community investments to upgrade heavily traveled roads and improve safety, makes financial sense. His hope is that Nashvillians will vote on the increase to fund the plan which calls for a 0.5% sales tax increase. In August, Mayor O’Connell joined community leaders to launch the North Nashville Transit Center, the first of 12 regional transit centers the city hopes to build as part of the transportation plan improvements. The last time Nashville voters considered funding for a new public transit system was the “Let’s Move Nashville,” a $8.9 billion plan in 2018 under former Mayor Megan Barry. Her then-proposal would have included light rail and bus rapid transit lines along major corridors but failed to gain support with 64% of Nashville voting against the referendum, and 36% voting for it.