Brentwood Commission Candidates: Janet Donahue

The Williamson Scene interviewed Brentwood’s five candidates for the three open seats for the Board of Commissioners in the May 2025 election. Voters can cast their ballot early at either the John P. Holt Brentwood Library or the Williamson County Election Commission through May 1. Election day will be Tuesday, May 6 and voters can cast their ballot at either the library or Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church. These interviews have been edited for brevity. 

First-time Brentwood City Commission candidate Janet Donahue has served on the city’s planning commission since 2014 and is seeking another opportunity to “be on the decision-making side of the city.”

In April, Donahue took part in a candidate forum hosted by League of Women Voters of Williamson County and Bike Walk Brentwood, which can be viewed in full online here. She also took part in a candidate interview with Williamson, Inc. 

Donahue recently sat down with the Williamson Scene to detail her positions and priorities if elected on topics such as the hotly-debated proposed racquetball facility and the politics around city zoning issues.

TOP PRIORITIES

“I want to be on the decision-making side of the city,” Donahue told the Williamson Scene. “I want to be involved more in shaping which way the city is going or which way the city's staying, and keep following the 2020, 2030 plans, keep it in line.

“Seeing some of the dissension and contentiousness in the city commission recently, that's not my Brentwood. I want to get on the Board of Commissioners and get us back on the civil pathways and have a way for everybody to feel comfortable being up there – the citizens to be respected – I think there's been a lot of disrespect back and forth, and commissioners to respect each other.”

Donahue said she wants to “defend low-density zoning” by “preserving Brentwood’s one-acre density standard” and invest in roads, bike and walk paths, as well as preserve green space.

“What I'm looking forward to as a city commissioner is to try to increase the amount of communication between the city commissioners and the citizens,” especially with large projects,” Donahue said.

PROPOSED RACQUET FACILITY

“The way it's currently proposed, I'm against it,” Donahue said. “Part of it is, I think it's too big and has too many purposes, and also because they didn't support citizen input in any way. Where it could have been, obviously not a real vote for or against [the] tennis court, but by having a bond referendum as a proxy, for citizens' feelings about building the whole facility. That's what the referendum would have done. I don't disagree that we need some pickleball courts and we need more tennis courts. I don't think we need one that's going to function as a tournament facility. I don't think that Brentwood needs to be a destination like that.”

She said a smaller scale facility could earn her support.

“Just playing courts where people come in, they play; they leave; they reserve time, or they drop in time. I would prefer [for the city] to have a partner. I would not be adverse to going back to the county and trying to see if there is a chance that we can negotiate again with them. Because I think, personally, I don't see Brentwood as having the responsibility for managing a facility like that. I don't really think we should bring in an outside investor or a third third party, because that's going to be very expensive. The county just has a history of doing really well with the facilities they manage.”

ON POLITICS

Donahue said that the divisiveness on the commission and in the election has pushed her to run to “get us back on civil pathways.”

“I think everybody needs to be independently minded. I don't think [commissioners] should be forming voting blocs. I don't think they should have outside influence from a group, whether it's Preserve Brentwood or Williamson, Inc. I think everybody needs to make an independent decision about what they see in front of them. You're all looking at the same data, but you see it in front of you, and how do you interpret that? And how do you think it works best for the citizens? I think everybody [on the commission] should just vote their own mind.”

Preserve Brentwood hosted a forum the night before the League of Women Voters forum, but only candidates Mark Gorman and Allison Spears attended. The group made clear in that setting and in follow up emails that it supports those two candidates while stating it does not believe Donahue or fellow political newcomer Kim Smithson Gawrys aligns with its values – though both have clearly stated they do not have a desire to change the zoning policies.

The group says it is made up of grassroots volunteers but has no official organizers. It has made false statements that Williamson, Inc. has a “strategy” to “control” elected officials to make zoning changes. Williamson, Inc. CEO Matt Largen told the Williamson Scene its “agenda is focused on supporting the businesses that create career opportunities” adding “we understand and value the importance of Brentwood’s current zoning policies and recognize how integral they are to the fabric of the community.” He also said the organization helps to host a Candidate Training Academy because learning how to run a campaign “should be accessible to anyone with a desire to serve their community.”