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To get things started with Monday morning’s FrankTalks session, Franklin Mayor Ken Moore again stressed the importance of wearing masks to help stabilize the number of coronavirus cases in the city and throughout Williamson County.

And not surprisingly, he also addressed a certain number of party buses that came cruising through Franklin and Brentwood Saturday, mostly in the Cool Springs area. The “transpotainment” vehicles that are frequently seen in downtown Nashville have been banned by Mayor John Cooper for violating restrictions having to do with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Moore steadfastly said they are not welcome in Franklin.  

“Not only were they not welcome, but some of them got citations for open containers on our streets and also for the noise ordinance,” Moore said at the opening of the virtual FrankTalks lecture hosted by Franklin Tomorrow. 

“We have some bad actors in our community right now, and I would urge people to avoid those establishments that are not following the Tennessee Pledge,” Moore added. “We can stop the spread of COVID and get back to a more normal life quicker if we’ll just be compliant.”

The theme of this month’s FrankTalks was “People to Know NOW,” and it featured Williamson County community members and leadership who are enhancing Franklin’s future through their work and outreach. On the panel were Williamson County Health Department Director Cathy Montgomery, Williamson County Election Commission Election Administrator Chad Gray, and Strong Tower Bible Church Pastor and the Fuller Story co-founder Chris Williamson.

Below are excerpts from what each guest had to say. Click here to view the whole FrankTalks program.

Cathy Montgomery

On the coronavirus testing center at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center:

“We are currently operating the busiest testing site in the state, excluding the metropolitan cities. It’s a well-oiled machine out there. Anyone can get a test, regardless of their symptoms. On average, we’ve been testing about 600-800 people a day. The last two weeks, our testing has really kind of reduced, and we’re down to about 200 a day. We’ve been trying to develop some theories [for the fewer tests], that maybe it’s people not wanting to test because they don’t want positives to start increasing so kids can go back to school.

(Editor's note: The county doesn't have a survey or data to prove that people are testing less for any one reason. In a follow up email, Montgomery said should could not validate that anyone was avoiding a test because of school reopening.)

“If you test negative for COVID, the state … is calling every one of those patients to let them know they are negative, and they will mail a letter. If they test positive, they are going to be contacted by the local health department. We’re going to advise those individuals to isolate up to 10 days, and they must be symptom-free for at least 24 hours before they can go back to normal activity. Positive cases are also interviewed to determine, first of all, when they became symptomatic, and then we’re trying to identify who their household contacts are, who they go to school with or work with to see who they might have had close contact with, and others who might be considered close contacts. 

“We have contact tracers on staff that will begin calling individuals that are considered close contacts and will ask them to quarantine for up to 14 days.”

Chris Williamson

Pastor Williamson started Strong Tower Bible Church 25 year ago with a desire to make it a multiracial church. Franklin Tomorrow Executive Director Mindy Tate asked him why that was so important.

“We have to always go back to what was and what is the heart of God. Segregation was never the heart of God. Those were the kinds of sins men put on God, going back to when slavery began. It was really the love of money which created the roots of all kinds of evil, including enslaving men and women from Africa. So there were people who put into their theology a form of racism, as though God had authorized this kind of ill-treatment toward a certain segment of people. But that’s why Jesus said the truth shall set you free. Once you know the truth, the truth shall set you free.

So we’ve been spending time telling the truth, whether it’s about the Battle of Franklin, the Civil War, or even what the Bible teaches in terms of loving your neighbor, and how Jesus would be very specific on loving people outside of your own ethnic group. …

“[Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.] said that truth crushed to earth will rise again. … Heaven will not be segregated and, therefore, Earth does not need to be segregated. And when you get a taste of heaven on Earth, it’s a beautiful thing.”

Chad Gray

Gray has been with the Williamson County Election Commission for 20 years and in his current position since 2015. In the primary and general county election held last Thursday, Gray said about 25% of voters mailed in ballots while in most elections it had been around 2%.

“We have really strived to adapt to the changes [in election procedures]. Back earlier in the year, our county went to the 25 convenient vote center model, which allows any voter to vote at any location on election day regardless of where they actually reside in the county.

"That’s been a tremendous success so far, giving voters that opportunity. So many voters leave very early to make their commutes to other parts of the Middle Tennessee area, and if someone in Thompson’s Station or Spring Hill can stop at the Brentwood Library on their way to Nashville, we think that’s very important. 

“In the last presidential election, out of the total number of ballots cast, about 70% were cast during the 15-day early voting period. That makes it hard on our office and our poll officials, but it makes it a lot smoother on election day, just to have 30% of the voters casting ballots.”