A Metro participatory budgeting meeting in December
An unprecedented, resident-operated funding initiative for North Nashville and Bordeaux aims to contribute to eight city projects as part of Metro’s participatory budgeting program.
The eight projects that made the cut for participatory budgeting were selected via online ballot, mail-in or in-person votes from area residents ages 14 and up from an index of 24 choices. Residents cast almost 500 votes in 11 days. Seventeen residents of Bordeaux and North Nashville led their neighbors through a three-month process last year to work on full proposals on the best community investment allocations for the $2 million.
The steering committee reviewed and adopted final results Monday.
One such neighbor, Ruby Baker, serves as president of the Bordeaux Hills residential association, and she’s a proponent of outfitting Hinkle Drive with speed bumps. The aim is to keep speeds on the thoroughfare under 20 miles per hour.
“This participatory budgeting process created the perfect opportunity for community engagement," Baker says in a release. “It caused neighbors to come together and prioritize their concerns and then put forth a concerted effort during the process that resulted in a resolution to a major concern coming to fruition.”
The future pavilion in Bordeaux Gardens Park at 1490 Snell Boulevard is also slated for fencing, a pathway and picnic tables. It is expected to come with playground upgrades including rubber surfacing.
A popular financing method in comparable cities nationwide including several New York City boroughs, participatory budgeting was introduced to Nashville as a $2 million investment in Cooper’s FY2021 capital spending plan and is already set to return in this year’s plan. The mayor is seeking the next group of resident volunteers in the 2022 process.
“Participatory budgeting is an awesome tool for community advocates to use for effective community engagement," Baker adds. “It was a very effective tool that brought a resolution to a major concern for our Bordeaux Hills neighborhood.”
Between last year’s initiative and the one to come, participatory budgeting accounts for about $4 million to date for city projects throughout Metro Council districts 1, 2, 3, 19 and 21. All these funds are legally obligated to be allocated to infrastructure due to being part of the capital budget.
The initiative is spearheaded by a volunteer-led steering committee that will cooperate with Mayor John Cooper and Metro Council on the eight proposed investments: a pavilion to be constructed at Bordeaux Gardens Park, a playground upgrade at Hartman Park, an air conditioning system for the Looby Community Center gymnasium, signage for the Buchanan Arts District, six sets of speed bumps in the Bordeaux Hills neighborhood, better outdoor restrooms and landscaping at Hartman Park and additional bus shelters.
“I’m excited about the projects selected for funding in the first round of participatory budgeting for Bordeaux and North Nashville," District 3 Metro Councilmember Jennifer Gamble says. “The park center and bus shelter improvements are a great first step toward improving quality of life in the community. I appreciate the Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee and volunteers for their great work in the process.”
Outstanding investments sought for Bordeaux and North Nashville include new Fire Station No. 2; maintenance and upgrades at 12 schools, including a track upgrade for Hunters Lane High School; new bus stops, shelters and road paving projects; accessibility to 53 acres of park space in Trinity Hills and stormwater mitigation projects.
“Making Nashville a city that works for everyone starts with our neighborhoods,” Cooper says. “Nashville's participatory budgeting initiative is one step we can take to invest in Bordeaux and North Nashville, and it’s made even more meaningful by the neighbors who brought their ideas, their voices and their inspiration to this community-driven process.”
Residents interested in volunteering for the current or subsequent processes can do so on the designated sign-up page.
This article first ran via our sister site, the Nashville Post.
