CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Legislative Liaison Committees of Montgomery County and the City of Clarksville presented their wish lists of items to state lawmakers Tuesday evening, which included grants for infrastructure, road projects, a juvenile resource center and more.

State Sen. Bill Powers and state Rep./Deputy Speaker Curtis Johnson were both in attendance.

Montgomery County

The top item presented was a request from the county for state funding to create a Regional Juvenile Resource and Justice Center. Commissioners Rashidah Leverett and Lisa Pritchard are leading the effort to bring a resource center to Montgomery County in order to combat long travel times for families, in addition to cutting down on county resources, such as officers needed to transport juveniles to out-of-county facilities.

On Oct. 25, 2022, Montgomery County officials presented the county’s wish list of items to state lawmakers at the Legislative Agenda Reception. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
On Oct. 25, 2022, Montgomery County Commissioner and Chair of the Montgomery County Legislative Liaison Committee, David Harper, presents the county’s wish list of items at the Legislative Agenda Reception. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Senator Bill Powers speaks at the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Montgomery County Commissioner Walker Woodruff speaks at the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Attendees say the Pledge of Allegiance at the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Montgomery County Commissioner Walker Woodruff speaks at the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Senator Bill Powers speaks at the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Senator Bill Powers, State Representative/Deputy Speaker Curtis Johnson, and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Senator Bill Powers, State Representative/Deputy Speaker Curtis Johnson, and Clarksville City officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
On Oct. 25, 2022, City Councilperson and Chair of the Clarksville Legislative Liaison Committee, Stacey Streetman, presented the city’s wish list of items at the Legislative Agenda Reception. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville City Councilperson Vondell Richmond, State Representative Candidate Tommy Vallejos, and State Representative/Deputy Speaker Curtis Johnson attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
State lawmakers join Clarksville and Montgomery County officials in attendance at the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Montgomery County Commissioner Rashidah Leverett at the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).
Clarksville and Montgomery County officials attend the Legislative Agenda Reception on Oct. 25, 2022. (Jake Foster).

Another item on the County Commission’s agenda included a request for a private act to authorize the sale of wine in grocery stores outside the Clarksville city limits. Officials said the item was added because of requests from several business owners, and because of the significant growth in Montgomery County over the last decade.

Some of the other items include a request to exclude the value of federal affordable housing tax credits from local property assessments; an annual training stipend for EMS personnel; increasing funding for more pre-K classrooms; along with items dealing with fire station staffing and veterans’ dental assistance.

City of Clarksville

Some of the items on the City of Clarksville priority list included funding for multiple road projects and a request for grant funding to bring fire departments up to current standards. Another item on that list was a request to raise the limit for hiring a state contractor to manage city projects from $25,000 to $50,000.

The city’s list also included a few “items of interest.” The first item was a request to legalize medical cannabis, and the second item was a repeal of SB 1257, cited as the Human Life Protection Act, and House Bill 2263, known as the Heartbeat Bill. City Council members discussed this item in detail at a meeting in early September. There was discussion on both sides before council members moved to amend the agenda in favor of supporting abortion rights in a 7-4 vote.

The 2023 legislative agenda can be viewed online in its entirety.