Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County, TN - File #: RS2023-93

• File #: RS2023-93
• Type: Resolution
• Status: Passed
• File created: 10/30/2023
• In control: Metropolitan Council
• On agenda: 11/7/2023
• Final action: 11/7/2023
• Title: A resolution recognizing News Channel 5 meteorologist Heather Mathis and the Safe Places Shelter Program.
• Sponsors: Sheri Weiner, Joy Styles, John Rutherford, Erin Evans, Bob Nash, Courtney Johnston, Tonya Hancock, Tasha Ellis, Jacob Kupin, Terry Vo, Antoinette Lee, Burkley Allen, Ginny Welsch, Sandy Ewing, Jennifer Gamble, Jennifer Webb, Quin Evans-Segall, Russ Bradford, Sandra Sepulveda, Brenda Gadd, Kyonzte Toombs, Delishia Porterfield, Emily Benedict, David Benton, Clay Capp, Tom Cash, Mike Cortese, Thom Druffel, Jeff Eslick, Jeff Gregg, Deonte Harrell, Olivia Hill, Rollin Horton, Jordan Huffman, Joy Smith Kimbrough, Sean Parker, Jeff Preptit, Jason Spain, Zulfat Suara, Brandon Taylor

Date	Action By	Action
11/9/2023	Mayor	approved
11/7/2023	Metropolitan Council	adopted
11/7/2023	Rules, Confirmations, and Public Elections Committee	approved
10/31/2023	Metropolitan Council	filed

title
A resolution recognizing News Channel 5 meteorologist Heather Mathis and the Safe Places Shelter Program.

body
WHEREAS, News Channel 5 meteorologist Heather Mathis grew up in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. She went on to graduate from Mt. Juliet High School and earned a degree in Broadcast Journalism from Middle Tennessee State University. She earned a second degree in Meteorology from Mississippi State University; and

WHEREAS, Mathis worked at WBBJ-TV in Jackson, Tennessee, and WAAY-TV in Huntsville, Alabama, before returning to Nashville to join News Channel 5's Storm 5 weather team; and

WHEREAS, after hearing from concerned viewers, Mathis spent years researching and reporting on the lack of severe weather shelters open to the public in Middle Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, Mathis worked with Tennessee State Representative Jason Powell on the "Safer Places Bill", which was signed into law in April 2023 and allows organizations to open their doors to the public as a severe weather shelter without liability for loss, damages, injury, or death; and
WHEREAS, in addition, Mathis has worked with News Channel 5 to create the Safe Places Shelter Program; and

WHEREAS, the Safe Places Shelter Program works as follows: local organizations that are interested in becoming a Safe Places partner can contact News Channel 5 at safeplaces@newschannel5.com. From there, local emergency management agencies will review the space and ensure that it meets the necessary criteria to be designated a safe shelter. When severe weather is anticipated, emergency management agencies will list the designated shelters as "Open" and the shelters will appear on the NewsChannel 5 Safe Places website listed by county; and

WHEREAS, the Safe Places Shelter Program provides an accessible list of shelters open to the public to allow individuals living in vulnerable housing to have a safe place to go during severe weather; and

WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper to recognize Heather Mathis for her...