Former Nolensville mayor satisfied he did all that he could do???
REBUTTAL TO: Letter to the Editor of
Tennessean from Mr. Knapper, former
Mayor of Nolensville. 3/9/06
Former Nolensville mayor satisfied he did
all that he could do. (Not so he deliberately
ignored the will of the people and increased
crowded home subdivisions at an alarming
rate without any kind of support services.)
"We have been successful in many endeavors
and have tried to coordinate infrastructure
improvements with the rapid growth. Such
evidence is and will be obvious in years to
come with improvements in electricity, water,
sewer and even roads."
(Absolutely NOT SO! Knapper had nothing
to do with the sewer extension from Nashville,
and the roads are a joke. There is no evidence
of anything he could claim credit for...but there
is the proof that taxes and other impact fees
will increase thanks to his lack of vision.)
"He blames the federal, state and local govern-
ment "red tape" for moving too slow." ( Why
not blame everybody but himself for the lack
of progress. Actual fact...Knapper couldn't
even get traffic lights for town even though he
fibbed to people and said he had approval for
lights sure to come very soon. Actual fact was
TDOT said town had to come up with the money
and certain re-routing of roads before any lights
would be put up. Town has no money for lights
and re-routing of roads.)
"In the past when we disagreed on an issue
we would discuss our differences, maintain our
civility and agree to disagree, but we remained
respectful of each other and moved on."
( The Mayor has a convenient lack of memory...
in town meetings he allowed citizens to speak for
3 short minutes without any kind of an answer...
that was to come later...never happened.
Anybody that disagreed with the Mayor in open
meeting was "gaveled" down and warned that
he (the Mayor) was the authority. He had little
civility and no respect of fellow board members
and/or citizens.)
"The dignity that had long been our forte was
destroyed by those seeking recognition disguis-
ed as "helping the people."
(Sorry mayor that dignity was more like "fear"
of going up against a "stacked deck"a guaran-
teed majority vote...why bother. Sure why not
drag out the old tired "conspiracy theory" that
those "unknown" people are out to get me?
Sorry, citizens are full up with theories.)
Personal attacks by citizens and elected officials
on board members and members of planning
commission led to a deterioration of that civility.
(Sorry, mayor...as an elected official you have to
be able to accept criticism, if not get out of the
kitchen. Civility..you need to practise since your
frequent "put-downs" of citizens in town meet-
ings was a bad habit of yours.)
"Charges of favoring developers are untrue as
evidenced by our adequate facilities tax, and
hopefully a soon-to-be-enacted road impact fee,
which places the burden of growth on the deve-
lopers and not on the taxpayers."
(UNTRUE this mayor had a "inadequate
facilities tax", no road impact fee and a total
inability by Mayor to demand impact fees from
any developer thereby placing NO burden on
developers and all the burden on taxpayers.)
"Evidence this truth by noting that Nolensville
has never had a property tax. We are financially
secure, according to independent and state
audits."
(No property tax means nothing...the town is
not financially secure and not ready to service
all the thousands of homes being built thanks
to Mayor's total ignorance.)
"Despite what my opposition said, there will
be millions of non-taxpayer dollars (paid by
developers) to provide for intrastructure."
(Mr.mayor show us the money...it doesn't exist...
contrary to your dreamy/vision spinning out of
control.)
"Despite what those who choose to be blind to
reality say, NO town ever builds roads and such
ahead of development, but attempts to coordi-
nate these efforts with the growth. That was
OUR VISION and not my critics'. That vision
will happen if YOU stay on course."
(Surprise mayor...state law requires that a
town prepare a plan of services with accurate
costs approved by town for new growth and
approved by state. You the mayor had NO SER-
VICE PLANS.And your so-called VISION WAS
NOT SUPPORTED BY CITIZENS. Therefore...
thanks to you mayor there is no plan to follow or
stay on course. If we continued to do as you
were doing we would end up totally bankrupt.)
"Charges of keeping information from the
public by town hall are and will always be
baseless due to open records and sushine laws."
( Minutes from meetings not available for 90
days after meeting and often records sought by
citizens were said to be not available for public
and your habit of meeting with developers, etc
privately is well known...so much for open
records and sushine laws.)
"The public must, as they do in all other cities,
assume some responsibility in educating them-
selves as to the issues by seeking information,
asking questions in a civil and orderly manner,
while avoiding mob mentality when waiting for
appropriate responses, in the proper forum,
this is how civil proceedings work."
( Thank mayor for your lecture on how civilized
people conduct themselves. The good news is
that the citizens did exactly what you suggested
and they educated themselves about the issues
and filled out your survey which overwhelming
stated NO PUDS, but you ignored the survey
and without asking the people did your own
thing...and yes this is how civil proceedings
work...all the citizens got together to ask you
some questions about your plan and you
"cut and run" not having the courage to face
your own citizens. Enough said.)
"Most of the people of Nolensville are
wonderful, but there is a contingent of
mean-spirited, power-hungry people with
personal gain intentions who, if not checked,
will lead to the demise of this great com-
munity. PLEASE DON'T LET THAT
HAPPEN. Those individuals who cheered
when I resigned, or took credit for
"running him off", lack dignity and class.
Remember I left on my own accord with the
satisfaction that I did all I could do."
(Correction mayor, all of the people of Nolen-
sville are wonderful and patient way beyond
what one might expect and especially since
they put up with your total lack of communi-
cations as to where you were leading the town
and how. Yes, I am afraid you'll have to accept
the fact that mean-spirited, power-hungry with
personal gain applies directly to you and your
witnessed performance over recent years. It
has already happened and you'll have to pay
the price for it. You talk about dignity and class,
too bad you don't have it, since you didn't attend
the town meeting and read your own letter of
resignation, but choose not to face citizens' ques-
tions and instead "slipped out of town at night"
so much for your dignity and class admonition.)
"Godspeed, Nolensville. Please help the new
leaders to restore the class and dignity to our
town that has been taken from us."
(Mayor, your last statement has already taken
place...the class and dignity of our town has
been restored thanks to your resignation
and open admission of your letter to the editor
of what was wrong. IT WAS YOU...PERIOD.
Now we can begin to build a bright future
based on open and trusted communications
between our leaders and citizens. Yes, we still
have some board members and others who
probably still support you, mayor, but they
will have to change their ways and support the
citizens or else they can follow your example
and resign.)
Click here for mayor's letter to editor.
Send in your comments & emails.
Tennessean from Mr. Knapper, former
Mayor of Nolensville. 3/9/06
Former Nolensville mayor satisfied he did
all that he could do. (Not so he deliberately
ignored the will of the people and increased
crowded home subdivisions at an alarming
rate without any kind of support services.)
"We have been successful in many endeavors
and have tried to coordinate infrastructure
improvements with the rapid growth. Such
evidence is and will be obvious in years to
come with improvements in electricity, water,
sewer and even roads."
(Absolutely NOT SO! Knapper had nothing
to do with the sewer extension from Nashville,
and the roads are a joke. There is no evidence
of anything he could claim credit for...but there
is the proof that taxes and other impact fees
will increase thanks to his lack of vision.)
"He blames the federal, state and local govern-
ment "red tape" for moving too slow." ( Why
not blame everybody but himself for the lack
of progress. Actual fact...Knapper couldn't
even get traffic lights for town even though he
fibbed to people and said he had approval for
lights sure to come very soon. Actual fact was
TDOT said town had to come up with the money
and certain re-routing of roads before any lights
would be put up. Town has no money for lights
and re-routing of roads.)
"In the past when we disagreed on an issue
we would discuss our differences, maintain our
civility and agree to disagree, but we remained
respectful of each other and moved on."
( The Mayor has a convenient lack of memory...
in town meetings he allowed citizens to speak for
3 short minutes without any kind of an answer...
that was to come later...never happened.
Anybody that disagreed with the Mayor in open
meeting was "gaveled" down and warned that
he (the Mayor) was the authority. He had little
civility and no respect of fellow board members
and/or citizens.)
"The dignity that had long been our forte was
destroyed by those seeking recognition disguis-
ed as "helping the people."
(Sorry mayor that dignity was more like "fear"
of going up against a "stacked deck"a guaran-
teed majority vote...why bother. Sure why not
drag out the old tired "conspiracy theory" that
those "unknown" people are out to get me?
Sorry, citizens are full up with theories.)
Personal attacks by citizens and elected officials
on board members and members of planning
commission led to a deterioration of that civility.
(Sorry, mayor...as an elected official you have to
be able to accept criticism, if not get out of the
kitchen. Civility..you need to practise since your
frequent "put-downs" of citizens in town meet-
ings was a bad habit of yours.)
"Charges of favoring developers are untrue as
evidenced by our adequate facilities tax, and
hopefully a soon-to-be-enacted road impact fee,
which places the burden of growth on the deve-
lopers and not on the taxpayers."
(UNTRUE this mayor had a "inadequate
facilities tax", no road impact fee and a total
inability by Mayor to demand impact fees from
any developer thereby placing NO burden on
developers and all the burden on taxpayers.)
"Evidence this truth by noting that Nolensville
has never had a property tax. We are financially
secure, according to independent and state
audits."
(No property tax means nothing...the town is
not financially secure and not ready to service
all the thousands of homes being built thanks
to Mayor's total ignorance.)
"Despite what my opposition said, there will
be millions of non-taxpayer dollars (paid by
developers) to provide for intrastructure."
(Mr.mayor show us the money...it doesn't exist...
contrary to your dreamy/vision spinning out of
control.)
"Despite what those who choose to be blind to
reality say, NO town ever builds roads and such
ahead of development, but attempts to coordi-
nate these efforts with the growth. That was
OUR VISION and not my critics'. That vision
will happen if YOU stay on course."
(Surprise mayor...state law requires that a
town prepare a plan of services with accurate
costs approved by town for new growth and
approved by state. You the mayor had NO SER-
VICE PLANS.And your so-called VISION WAS
NOT SUPPORTED BY CITIZENS. Therefore...
thanks to you mayor there is no plan to follow or
stay on course. If we continued to do as you
were doing we would end up totally bankrupt.)
"Charges of keeping information from the
public by town hall are and will always be
baseless due to open records and sushine laws."
( Minutes from meetings not available for 90
days after meeting and often records sought by
citizens were said to be not available for public
and your habit of meeting with developers, etc
privately is well known...so much for open
records and sushine laws.)
"The public must, as they do in all other cities,
assume some responsibility in educating them-
selves as to the issues by seeking information,
asking questions in a civil and orderly manner,
while avoiding mob mentality when waiting for
appropriate responses, in the proper forum,
this is how civil proceedings work."
( Thank mayor for your lecture on how civilized
people conduct themselves. The good news is
that the citizens did exactly what you suggested
and they educated themselves about the issues
and filled out your survey which overwhelming
stated NO PUDS, but you ignored the survey
and without asking the people did your own
thing...and yes this is how civil proceedings
work...all the citizens got together to ask you
some questions about your plan and you
"cut and run" not having the courage to face
your own citizens. Enough said.)
"Most of the people of Nolensville are
wonderful, but there is a contingent of
mean-spirited, power-hungry people with
personal gain intentions who, if not checked,
will lead to the demise of this great com-
munity. PLEASE DON'T LET THAT
HAPPEN. Those individuals who cheered
when I resigned, or took credit for
"running him off", lack dignity and class.
Remember I left on my own accord with the
satisfaction that I did all I could do."
(Correction mayor, all of the people of Nolen-
sville are wonderful and patient way beyond
what one might expect and especially since
they put up with your total lack of communi-
cations as to where you were leading the town
and how. Yes, I am afraid you'll have to accept
the fact that mean-spirited, power-hungry with
personal gain applies directly to you and your
witnessed performance over recent years. It
has already happened and you'll have to pay
the price for it. You talk about dignity and class,
too bad you don't have it, since you didn't attend
the town meeting and read your own letter of
resignation, but choose not to face citizens' ques-
tions and instead "slipped out of town at night"
so much for your dignity and class admonition.)
"Godspeed, Nolensville. Please help the new
leaders to restore the class and dignity to our
town that has been taken from us."
(Mayor, your last statement has already taken
place...the class and dignity of our town has
been restored thanks to your resignation
and open admission of your letter to the editor
of what was wrong. IT WAS YOU...PERIOD.
Now we can begin to build a bright future
based on open and trusted communications
between our leaders and citizens. Yes, we still
have some board members and others who
probably still support you, mayor, but they
will have to change their ways and support the
citizens or else they can follow your example
and resign.)
Click here for mayor's letter to editor.
Send in your comments & emails.
posted by Guest Writer at 8:41 PM
10 Comments:
Talk about dignity and class this rebuttal to "sour grapes" letter by former mayor is top drawer all the way. The former mayor really did himself "in" with this letter.
Here in Franklin we have the same kind of power/greedy mayor who ran on "slow growth" campaign and has
done the exact opposite. Sad to say he is still in office. Nolensville is far better off without your former mayor. Best advice now to you folks in Nolensville is to watch your "interim" team all the way down to November 2006. Good luck we will read about your progress via your outstanding blog.
CK DEVELOPMENT KNAPPER
1996-2996
RIP
WHO WILL SHOW US THE LIGHT?
By their fruits you will know them, and we will dig deep to see beyond the talk and the walk.
We have learned the hard way, so we are working on not let it happen again.
OK.....HE'S GONE
LET'S MOVE ON.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THE PUDS?
Great Question. Will we have to wait till this fall for a change?
I hope this new BOMA will listen to people and not vilify people for their concerns or opinions. I went to the Mayor re: a concern I kept hearing my neighbors express shortly after moving to Nolensville 7 years ago. I decided to be the one to take the complaint to the Mayor in hopes the town would do something about it. I never felt taken seriously because I was a newcomer. I had hoped that would change after the last election... I don't want to be guilty of the same. It was so devastating to feel like I was being bad-mouthed by Town Hall just for bringing a concern (shared by my neighbors) to their attention and asking for action. I was always polite and respectful. It took 7 years, but the town has seen what I saw many years ago.
I did not agree with Mayor Knapper and did not respect him after being lied to and misled, but I hope that we can now have a civil relationship with the remaining leaders. I, personally, will continue to take the "high road" and hope they will as well. I will not vilify someone for being for PUDS, but I will disagree with them.
That said, we need to be careful of developers going to the county instead of through town rules. I am against PUDS, but land not annexed is free game for developers to follow the county's rules for density. There's a little give and take that has to happen to keep developers from bypassing the town's wishes. I'm not sure what the solution is, but I would love to see Nolensville have more control over what is being built around us. BUT, if it's not part of the city limits, there's not much we can do without the developer's cooperation.
Development can be kept in character with the existing community, and that should include preserving the rural community and larger lot homes. That is still a important part of who we are.
I sent the following response to both the Tennessean and Nolensville Dispatch... I know that neither will publish it...
----------------------------
The letter written by Mayor Knapper in the 3/9 edition of the Tennessean is a microcosm of what the citizens of Nolensville have been dealing with over the past few years. Dissent is not allowed, only blind loyalty.
I am a proud citizen of Nolensville, I truly love my community. I love it enough to risk ridicule from elected officials that are elected to serve us, the citizens. Mr. Knapper, you forgot that you serve the citizens, not the developers. The reason that "rumors, half-truths and the creation of turmoil" happened is that you and the other elected officials refused to listen to the voice of your constituents. Closed door meetings with no minutes published, delays in planning commission information sharing, citizens being lectured and treated rudely in planning commission meetings when they dared to present an opposing point of view? Unfortunately Mr. Knapper, you did nothing to foster an environment where citizen input was allowed, let alone appreciated… and you have the nerve to accuse the good citizens of Nolensville of destroying civility?
The folks that work so hard for the city in town hall deserved better leadership from you. They have the right to expect a leader to take accountability. Your letter seems to show that you don't have that ability.
The page has turned, I wish you luck in your future endeavors, Mr. Knapper and peace in your life. A new administration now takes office. There are many lessons to be learned from this whole sad affair. The citizens of Nolensville wish Interim Mayor Dugger all the luck in the world in cleaning up the mess left by our former mayor.
--------------------
Thanks for this blog... I'm glad that you have open this vital communication channel.
Those who live in the County have a voice in what happens to them. Use it and go to County web site and stay informed.
That being said, it is a pain that we have to keep a eye out on all this development. Folks work hard and want to go home to enjoy their homes and family. Instead they have to go to meetings in Brentwood, County ,Town Hall, Nashville and Rutherford.
There are times I feel like we are overwhelmed by one common element...
GROWTH
What a wonderful breakdown of another and final piece of propaganda from him. A person of no class is the first to notice those with class and tries to make fun of those that have what he can't have. The gavel was this man's tool of domestic terrorism........place fear in them rather than respect. Dugger and Felts talked of how great this nab was, as they knew their champion had cut and run leaving them holding the bag. Come on Mr. Felts and keep being ashamed of us! And while you are preaching at us what great things are you going to accomplish.....you and your code of ethics. Get out.
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