Coopertown Mayor Addresses Rumors On Farm Animals, Barrel Festival & Egg Hunt
COOPERTOWN, TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – Coopertown Mayor Becca Werner is addressing community concerns this week following the discovery of a revisited DRAFT ordinance aimed at establishing regulations for farm animals within city limits. Residents reached out to Smokey Barn News and expressed apprehensions that the city may be moving to impose restrictions on farming-related activities. Additionally, there has been a significant reaction to reports of potential cancellations for both the Coopertown Barrel Festival and the Coopertown Easter Egg Hunt due to insufficient volunteer support.
Smokey Barn News reached out to the Mayor’s Office and spoke to Coopertown Mayor Mayor Becca Werner who addressed these issues one by one. Concerning ordinance No. 2024-004, we’ve included copies submitted to Smokey Barn News below for your convenience. Simply click HERE to expand and read the full ordinance at your leisure. Keep in mind that it is just a DRAFT. For the ordinance to pass, it would have several hurdles to overcome, including gaining approval from the city council, addressing any potential opposition from local residents, and ensuring compliance with existing city and state laws and regulations.
Response to ORDINANCE NO. 2024-004
AN ORDINANCE REGULATING LIVESTOCK AND FOWL ON NON-AGRICULTURAL PARCELS
“This ordinance was on the February 27, 2024 Board of Mayor and Aldermen Agenda. It was presented to the Board in DRAFT format,” Werner said. “After conducting a brief review of the DRAFT, the Board voted to table the ordinance so that further review and discussion could be held. It has not been brought for a vote. The Board is planning a workshop for Monday, March 25th at 6 PM at the Coopertown Fire Department. All are welcome to attend.
“The Aldermen and I have reviewed many of the posts and emails we have received about this DRAFT ordinance and I want our citizens to know that we have heard you. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen work for you. We WANT to hear from our citizens so that we may better serve you. Additionally, I would like to ask that those opinions be shared in a respectful manner. As a citizen myself, I believe that we should all work to uncover the truth of a topic instead of relying on just what you hear posted on social media.
“This is one of many DRAFT ordinances, resolutions and policies that are brought to the Board on an annual basis. These are routinely discussed at the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meetings as well as workshops throughout the year. Throughout my tenure I have invited people to come to the monthly meetings to learn more about our town and about the issues we are facing. I am once again inviting our citizens to join us at the workshop on Monday, March 25th as we discuss this ordinance along with other topics. We will have our regularly scheduled BOMA meeting on Tuesday, March 26th.” To learn more about our meetings, please visit our website at https://www.coopertowntn.org/boards-and-committees”
Keep in mind that Smokey Barn News has learned that at least one previous administration visited a similar version of ordinance 2024-004. It failed to have legs. If the city successfully passed the ordinance it may still face changes from Tennessee’s Right to Farm Act.
The Right to Farm Act is a legal framework designed to protect agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits and regulatory restrictions. While primarily aimed at rural farming activities, its provisions may also offer some degree of protection for individuals living within city limits who wish to engage in agricultural practices on their property, such as keeping farm animals or maintaining small-scale farming operations.
Events and Volunteerism in Coopertown
“Volunteering has always been important to me. I started volunteering when I was 13 as a candy striper at a local hospital,” Werner said. “Giving back to a community that has given us so much is in my soul. It is one of the reasons I ran for Mayor. The people that serve on our committees and boards are volunteers and we rely on so many more volunteers for the numerous events we have held throughout the year. We have issued callouts for volunteers almost 40 times during my 3 1/2 years in office. I went back and counted! Whether it was online, on our website, in person, or at one of our events, there has always been and will always be a call for volunteers.
“Volunteers are not just needed for the day of the event. They are needed to chair, plan, and prepare for the event sometimes months in advance. The Barrel Festival requires almost a full year of planning. Unfortunately, the chair of our Coopertown Community Development Committee stepped down in July, as did the Chair and Co-Chair of the Barrel Festival, and we asked for and sought volunteers to replace those positions and the committee members who had served for over 2 years. We are still searching.
“These positions are volunteer-based and are NOT appointed by the Mayor. The committee elects the chair. With the lack of leadership in these positions, the Coopertown Easter Egg Hunt and the Barrel Festival had to be canceled. Both of these events have been some of my favorites here in Coopertown and we would love to continue to have them. So, even though she had stepped down, the former Community Development Chairwoman has agreed to hold two Volunteer sign-up sessions for numerous upcoming events. You do not need to be a resident of Coopertown to sign up – all are welcome. So, if you are interested in volunteering, please stop by City Hall on Thursday, March 14th from 6:00-7:00 p.m. or Saturday, March 16th from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. If you are unable to attend, please call City Hall at (615) 382-4470 to sign up. If we have enough volunteers, maybe future events won’t have to be canceled!”
Here’s a list of Annual Events in Coopertown that need Volunteers – (Some of these need committee members):
Coopertown Police Department: Jeep for Little Peeps Jeep Ride
Annual Easter Celebration
Clean Up Coopertown
Barrel Festival
Five Mile walk/run
Experience Robertson County
Coopertown Police Department: Touch a Truck Event
Coopertown Police Department: Ride4Kidz Motorcycle Ride
Halloween with our Police Department at Oak Pointe
Breakfast with Santa (Coopertown Community Development Partnership with Coopertown Elementary PTO)
Shop with a Cop Christmas Event
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