Ronnie Greer

Ronnie Greer (born July 25, 1951 in Nashville, Tennessee) was a member of the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County from 1999 to 2007, representing the 17th district. Councilman Greer graduated from Cameron High School in 1969, attended Tennessee State University from 1969 to 1971, and went to Fisk University for three years.[1] He ran for councilman-at-large, but failed to gain a seat, having placed sixth in the run-off election.[2]

For other people with the same name, see Ronald Greer (disambiguation).

Political views

At a forum for at-large candidates on August 28, 2007, Ronnie Greer said he would improve the Metro school system by increasing vocational course offerings.[3] After a window was added to the Metro Council's "back room" in November 2003, Councilman Greer started a petition to put the wood doors back in place, on the grounds that council members should have "some degree of separation from the public as we go back and forth to the restrooms, to get a beverage, etc." [4] Ronnie Greer proposed a dog excrement bill that would prohibit dog excrement from public and private property, which would fine $50 those that fail to clean up after their dogs.[5] The bill later became law.[6]

Ronnie Greer voted for Sylvan Park historic zoning, for a Westin Hotel on Lower Broadway, for Lower Broadway historic zoning, and for rezoning Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.[7] Ronnie Greer voted to increase Metro Council members' salary from $6,900 to $15,000, to increase the vice mayor's salary from $8,900 to $17,000, and to increase the mayor's salary from $75,000 to $136,500.[8] Ronnie Greer proposed a donation of $5,000 in city monies to the Nashville Inner City Ministry, a nonprofit organization that teaches life skills classes to inner-city children aged 4–18, but the Metro Law Department stated that his proposal could violate the separation of church and state Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.[9]

Controversies

Ronnie Greer was cited for violating property standards laws by keeping two non-working automobiles in his driveway for years, and he was ordered to appear in court because he hadn't addressed the problem 30 days after the citation. Councilman Greer believed that the incident was a retaliation by 17th district residents, unhappy that he didn't support a conservation overlay that would have protected Community Baptist Church.[10]

References
  1. ""Nashville.gov - Metro Council - District 17 Representative Ronnie Greer"". Archived from the original on August 7, 2007. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
  2. Sledge, Colby (September 11, 2007). "Barry leads group of four pulling away". The Tennessean.
  3. DeVille, Nancy (August 28, 2007). "At-large candidates address issues". The Tennessean.
  4. Schrade, Brad (November 20, 2003). "End to council's 'back room' upsets some". The Tennessean.
  5. Schrade, Brad (July 16, 2004). "The hounds set to rule at council debate again". The Tennessean.
  6. Schrade, Brad (October 6, 2004). "Dog cleanup bill becomes law, unleashing $50 fine". The Tennessean.
  7. "City council votes". The Tennessean. June 5, 2007.
  8. Schrade, Brad (July 16, 2003). "Council approves pay raises". The Tennessean.
  9. Harless, Bill (December 19, 2006). "Metro Legal cautions councilman that donation could be a violation". Nashville City Post.
  10. Schrade, Brad (May 15, 2004). "Councilman Greer cited for codes violation". The Tennessean.
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