At-Large Council Candidates Air Big Ideas: Summer Jobs For Kids, Repurposing Vacant Buildings

The 10 candidates still in the race for at-large Metro Council seats are floating some big ideas as part of the race for countywide office.

Erica Gilmore is a term-limited district council member who grew up in Nashville, life guarding at city-owned pools. It was more common a few decades ago to get a government job for the summer, and she hopes to lead a revival.

“I want to see young people working for us in the summertime,” Gilmore said at a recent candidate forum. “Whether it’s working in any department, I think this will cut back on crime and give kids the responsibilities that they need.”

There’s been a vague proposal to turn vacant Metro buildings into affordable housing. Candidate Jim Shulman, a former councilman, says he’d like to run with that idea.

Candidate John Cooper, brother of Congressman Jim Cooper, says he’ll focus on further revitalizing corridors like Nolensville, Gallatin and Charlotte pikes. He says the old pike system could anchor a larger plan.

“The future of Nashville is really going to be in our past, in these great neighborhoods that have come alive and gotten investment for the first time in 20 or even 50 years,” Cooper said.

Community activist Sharon Hurt proposed diverting money meant for development to instead pay for job training. And term-limited councilman Lonnell Matthews wants to make a way for neighborhood planning documents to carry the force of law.