In a decade marked by half as many mayoral administrations as there have been years, Nashville has elected a mayor who is hitting the ground running to make a positive difference for all residents. Mayor-Elect Freddie O’Connell is the right man for the job. His emphasis on correcting the inequalities in public education, public transit and affordable housing is both practical and noble.
After a decisive victory in last week’s runoff election, O’Connell has also begun to select key figures in his transition team and in his administration. There are always small indicators of success or failure woven throughout the early decisions in any administration when observed in retrospect, and O’Connell’s early decisions are sound. As the Nashville Banner’s Steve Cavendish reports: “The wheels of the formal transition kicked in hours after O’Connell’s victory party left Eastside Bowl as he named three transition co-chairs: Alex Jahangir, the Vanderbilt surgeon and former Board of Health chair who led the city’s COVID-19 response for Cooper; Christy Pruitt-Haynes, a corporate human resources leader and consultant; and David Esquivel, a partner at Bass, Berry & Sims who has led the firm’s pro bono efforts.”
Watching O’Connell’s campaign messaging transform into administration goals is important. As Cavendish writes, O’Connell’s transition team is “meant to lead the transition on what the campaign outlined as three areas: How Nashville grows, how Nashville moves (transit) and how Nashville works (making government more responsive). The reports each of these committees are producing will be ready at the end of October.”
These early steps toward productivity and efficiency are clear indicators that O’Connell means business. As a former Metro councilmember, O’Connell has watched Nashville endure far too many mayoral administrations and abrupt changes in leadership. As soon as one administration got its sea legs, it was gone — with more and more elections still to come. Nashville deserves to have greater continuity in its leadership, and I think we have the right man to stay the course. O’Connell has demonstrated strong commitment to Nashville in his years on the Metro Council and in his work on affordable housing and public transit.
One of the greatest signs of hope for Nashville is O’Connell’s emphasis on supporting everyday Nashvillians. As the Associated Press reports, O’Connell is continuing his emphasis on supporting Nashvillians over big business and tourists. He stated in his victory speech on Sept. 14: “Every part of this city deserves the public resources that bind neighborhoods and neighbors together — schools, parks and libraries. And when we do that, our interactions with our local government should leave us feeling satisfied that a real person worked to solve our issue.”
Nashville Scene editor D. Patrick Rodgers may have said it best: “A two-term representative of Nashville’s District 19, O’Connell built his campaign — which he launched nearly 17 months ago — on prioritizing the needs of residents over business interests. His message and de facto campaign slogan, ‘I want you to stay,’ worked.”
Time will tell, but his campaign message certainly did work in propelling O’Connell to the mayor’s office. Nashville also has reason to trust that the message of improving functional city needs will transition into effective and productive improvements in our daily lives as residents of this fine city.
Congratulations, Mayor-Elect O’Connell. We have selected a fine man to lead Nashville.
Bill Freeman
Bill Freeman is the owner of FW Publishing, the publishing company that produces the Nashville Scene, Nfocus, the Nashville Post, and The News.
