THE DANEIL HAYES TEAM

It was another victory for the three incumbents in Tuesday's Murfreesboro City Council election, though one challenger made things close.

Vice Mayor Chris Bratcher, Toby Gilley and Ron Washington defeated challengers Dave Beardsley, Eddie Smotherman and Jeff Weems to retain their seats on the council for another four years.

"I like to think that people trust us," said Washington, who led all vote-getters. "If they don't trust us, we have a problem."

The 49-year-old district manager at Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corp. said he hoped to continue the successes of the council in the coming term. Washington received 2,469 votes or 20 percent of the vote.

Only 4,679 residents cast their votes in the election, the lowest number in at least the past 10 years.

Washington, who has served on the council for 10 years, said the low voter turnout -about 8.7 percent of the 53,000 registered voters in the city - was troubling.

"We need to do better," he said.

He said the challengers campaigned on a message of change, but didn't have the substance to back up that mantra.

"Change what?" he said. "Tell me what to change, and I'll listen."

Bratcher, a 49-year-old commercial real estate broker and current vice mayor, narrowly won his sixth term over the lead challenger, Smotherman by 81 votes.

Bratcher - who received 2,237 votes, or 18.1 percent - said Smotherman, a 49-year-old jewelry store owner, like all the challengers, ran a good race. He said Smotherman had a lot of appeal because he is a Murfreesboro native and brought a lot of good issues to the table.

"I think he proved you don't have to have a lot of money to get a lot of votes," Bratcher said.

Smotherman's campaign reported $900 in donations, $500 of which came from Smotherman himself.

Bratcher, who has served on the council for 20 years, said he would work during the coming term to improve the situation for Murfreesboro city employees, particularly police and firefighters.

He said he would also work to insure Murfreesboro experiences its 14th straight year without a property tax increase.

Bratcher attributed the low voter turnout to high satisfaction around the city with the way things are being run.

"A lot of times people vote against a candidate rather than for one," he said.

Gilley, a 37-year-old attorney who won a third term on the council with 2,286 votes, or 18.5 percent, agreed that people are generally pleased. He said the new developments like Medical Center Parkway, The Avenue Murfreesboro and the hotel and conference center make Murfreesboro the envy of those in other communities.

"We are little middle no more," he said.

Gilley said he hoped to work to implement new design guidelines for commercial development in the coming term, and help the city continue to grow positively.

"We are becoming a model city," he said.

Beardsley, a 35-year-old analyst for Verizon Wireless, received 15 percent of the vote with 1,927 votes and 37-year-old Jeff Weems, a former copy editor with The Daily News Journal, received 1,356 votes, or 11 percent.

Turnout at the polls appears to be slow in Murfreesboro today.

City voters have the opportunity to choose three members of the city council and four city school board members.

"The general consensus is it's very slow," said Hooper Penuel, administrator of elections just before noon Tuesday. "But that could pick up later in the afternoon."

As of noon today, 687 voters had cast votes today, Penuel said.

No major problems were reported at any of the polls, which opened at 7 a.m.

Penuel said 4,819 city voters who normally vote at a county precinct were notified in advance of the today's election which nearby city precinct to vote at.

For voters who have moved or had a name change which may not have been updated at the election commission office are being referred to the annex at 426 E. Vine St. to vote. But that location had only seen two voters by 10:30 a.m. this morning.

Voters were trickling into to the Kingwood Heights Church of Christ precinct, roughly five at a time, around 9:30 a.m. There were 15 poll workers and numerous machines available.

Approximately 53,000 voters are registered to vote in today's election. Early voting turnout, including absentee ballots, totaled 2,334.

Asked why turnout was low today, Penuel answered: "I don't think there are any issues. I think people may be satisfied with how things are going."

But he reminded voters that the weather was good. There are 115 poll workers and 109 voting machines at 14 precincts today, and there should be little or no wait to vote.

La Vergne, Smyrna and Eaglevile have changed their charters to move their elections to the general election date in November, but City of Murfreesboro officials elected to keep their election independent of other elections.

"We will hold the elections when the city asks us to," said Penuel. "That is our responsibility and that is our mission."

The cost of the 2006 City of Murfreesboro election was $31,908.19 and the turnout was 6,267 which was about 12.88 percent. (There were 48,672 registered voters at the time.)

The Rutherford County Planning Commission voted 8-7 to deny a rezoning request to allow the development of Bible Park USA.

Steve Sandlin, Robert Stroop, Bob Farris, Will Jordan, Lou Ann Zelenik, Rhonda Allen, Craig Lynch and Steven Barnes voted to deny the zoning.

Richie Bolin, Mike Vaught, Gary Farley, Jeff Phillips, Allen Swader, Mike Kusch and Talmadge Gilley voted in favor of the zoning for the development.

Phillips said he voted for the zoning because the developer had adequately addressed all the land use issues with the development.

Sandlin, who is a Rutherford County commissioner representing Blackman, said he voted against the development for many reason, including the negative impact it would have on the neighbors and traffic

The vote followed a five-hour public hearing before the Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission on a rezoning of 282 acres in the Blackman community near Murfreesboro to allow the $175 million to $200 million Bible theme park.

Developer Armon Bar-Tur said after the vote he was excited to take the project to the Rutherford County Commission and to move forward with the project.

The zoning plan will go before the Rutherford County Commission, which has final say in the zoning, on May 15.

Most of those speaking against the park were residents of Blackman, while many people spoke in favor of the development.

Brandon Whitt, who lives in Blackman, said the park doesn't fit in at the proposed location.

"It is simply the wrong location; it's in the wrong community at the wrong time," he said.

Whitt said the park doesn't conform to the Blackman Land-use Plan for the area, fails to fit in with the existing area and would have a negative impact on the community. He said the park and its visitors would cause undesirable secondary effects from traffic congestion to increased crime.

Sandra Miller, chair of the Rutherford County Convention and Visitor Bureau, said that organization supports the park for its economic benefit.

"Anything that is going to bring tourism to Rutherford County is going to bring tax dollars," she said.

Projections based on developers' numbers have predicted the park will bring $122 million in new tax revenue to the county over the next 22 years.

Community concerns

Bar-Tur, the managing director of SafeHarbor Holding, said the development team had spoken with more than 1,200 Rutherford County residents about the project, listened to their feedback and tried to address their concerns so it would have a minimal negative impact on neighbors. He said they have worked to address traffic, lighting and sound.

"After much hard work and a lot of expense on our part, we've alleviated those concerns," he said.

Warren Johnson, a Blackman High School teacher, spoke out against the rezoning request, saying that the park would have a negative impact on the lives of the children he teaches daily.

"Just like Gatlinburg, the Bible Park may be a great place to visit," he said. "I would not want to raise my children or have my children go to school in the area."

He said that while he didn't live in Blackman, the opposition of the residents of Blackman should be heard and the development stopped.

Greg Eidam, who helped conduct engineering studies for SafeHarbor Holding, said the development would have far less impact on the community and local infrastructure than the uses proposed in the Blackman Land-use Plan, conducted in 2000.

That plan called for the land where the park would be located to be developed as medium-density and office and distribution.

He said residential development would mean 7,000 additional car trips daily, and the office and distribution could mean large warehouse and trucking outfits, which could mean 250,000 additional truck trips per day.

Commissioner Jordan, who sits on the Planning Commission and County Commission, said those numbers seemed inflated because the area wasn't approved for large trucking and warehouse outfits and he didn't think the commission would approve such developments.

"I think that's a pretty good stretch sitting up there and talking about millions of square feet of warehouses," Jordan said.

Eidam said alleviating the concerns of the neighbors about traffic, light and noise associated with the park lined up well with improving the visitor experience.

Planning Commissioner Kusch said it was laudable that the park's plans call for 118 acres of open green space, that developers are going beyond the minimum requirement for water detention and that they are planning to use porous parking surfaces, including grass parking surfaces.

"They're trying to go green; I think we need to applaud them for that," Kusch said.

He said that the lack of truck traffic and other traffic would be a benefit to the community.

Bob Murphy of Transportation Consultants, which conducted the traffic study for the park, said the traffic plan incorporates not only the impact of the Bible Park but also additional traffic from other developments in the area.

He said the park might see 10,600 car trips in a day, which is considerably less than other possible uses.

Public money

In a separate process, the park's developers are seeking $27.9 million in property tax revenues in tax-increment financing (TIF) from an area around the park.

Under the TIF, the local government would authorize the sale of bonds to help pay for the park. The increased property tax revenues generated because of the value of the land of the Bible Park USA and inside an impact zone around the park would go toward the park's debt.

That financing plan is set to go before the Rutherford County Budget Committee on May 8, and will likely be considered by the Rutherford County Commission on May 15.

The developers are also likely to seek a second TIF, which would capture some sales tax from the area as well as a luxury tax on sales in the park to help pay for the development. No proposal on that TIF has been submitted to the county yet.

A public hearing and vote on the proposed Bible Park USA in the Blackman community will be held tonight.

The Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission will consider the rezoning request for 282 acres to allow the $175 million to $200 million park at 5 p.m. at the County Courthouse.

The public hearing will be held after other business on the commission's agenda.

The county's Future Development Committee passed the zoning on to the Planning Commission without a positive or negative recommendation two weeks ago.

The Rutherford County Commission, which has the final say on the issue, is set to consider the issue May 15.

Many Blackman residents and others have organized to oppose the park, while the developers and business leaders have touted the economic benefit the park will bring.

Developers have also said they have made huge efforts to address the concerns of neighbors, including changing lighting, sound and traffic plans.

In a separate process, the county's Industrial Development Board passed a plan on to the County Commission to forgo $27.9 million in property taxes to help fund the proposed park. That plan is also set to be heard by the County Commission May 15.

An IDB-commissioned report projected that the county would receive $122 million in sales and property tax revenue during the tax-increment financing agreement.

That report was based on the developers' projection of park attendance of 1.5 million after five years.

SafeHarbor Holding LLC, the park's developer, hopes to open the park by 2010.

March 15-April 16, 2008: Hoofbeats in the Heartland: The Tennessee State Museum's Traveling Exhibit about civil war cavalry in Tennessee will be at the Oaklands Historic House Museum in Murfreesboro from March 15 until April 16. The traveling exhibit explores the impact of mounted warfare on the state through the use of graphics, maps, photographs and original reproduction artifacts. Contact: Oaklands Historic House Museum, (615)893-0022

April 4-6, 11-13, 2008: Agatha Christie's Mousetrap will play at the Lamplighter's Theatre from April 4 to 6 and April 11-13. This mystery show opened on London's West End November 25, 1952. It's still running over 50 years later. The Lamplighter's Theatre is located at 14119 Old Nashville Highway at the corner of Rock Springs Road in Smyrna, TN. Contact: Lamplighter's Theatre at (615) 534-0148

April 12-13, 2008: The Great Tennessee Air Show will be held at the Smyrna Airport. The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels will entertain crowds at exciting Great Tennessee Air Show. Also featured are skywriters, the Red Eagle Air Sports Team and Shockwave, a semi truck powered by three jet engines that can reach speeds of 300 miles per hour. Gate's open at 8 a.m. and flying will begin at 11 a.m. The Smyrna Airport is located at 278 Doug Warpoole Road, Smyrna, TN. Tickets available by calling the Smyrna Airport at 615-459-265.

April 12, 2008: Enjoy Dinner and Movie Night at the Sam Davis Home in Smyrna. The Sam Davis Home will serve a delicious meal and show a classic Southern film. The Sam Davis Home is located at 1399 Sam Davis Road, Smyrna, Tennessee. Please call for details about movie and evening events. Admission will be charged. Contact: Sam Davis Home, (615) 459-2341.

April 19, 2008: The 32nd Cannonsburgh Pioneer Day will be held at Cannonsburgh Village, 312 South Front Street, Murfreesboro. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Food, crafts and demonstrations of life in pioneer times. Free! Contact: Cannonsburgh Village, (615) 890-0355.

April 19, 2008: Earth Day 2008 will be celebrated on the Murfreesboro Civic Plaza, West Vine Street, Murfreesboro. 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Free and open to the public. The annual event offers a wide variety of activities for young and old. Free hot dogs, nachos and drinks will be available. Contact: Murfreesboro Electric Department, (615) 893-5514.

April 24, 2008: Oaklands Historic House Museum is "Cooking up History" by offering an individual cooking demonstration and tasting where the attendees will receive first-hand instruction by Murfreesboro's favorite chefs. This evening will feature the recipes of Mike and Debbie Zelanek of the Maple Street Grill. The cost for the night is $25 per person, with the receipts to be used for educational programs at Oaklands. Reservations are required.

April 26, 2008: The Oaklands Historic House Museum Bridal Fair will take place on April 26. Join other future brides, families, and friends as they see the newest and latest information on weddings and receptions. Vendors include caterers, photographers, cake makers, transportation, bridal registry, and beautiful bridal dresses. The event, presented by Murfreesboro Magazine and The Write Impression, will be held from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the Maney Reception Hall at Oaklands Historic House Museum. For information call Oaklands at 893-0022.

April 30-May 3, 2008: Days on the Farm will be held at the Sam Davis Home, 1399 Sam Davis Road, Smyrna. This historic site will come alive with living history celebration featuring 25 demonstrations such as spinning, weaving, lye soap making, etc. Hours are 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Admission is $5.00 per person Contact: Sam Davis Home, (615) 459-234