Lakewood residents will decide fate of city

At stake this Election Day for the 2,300 citizens who make up the city of Lakewood is the fate of their municipality — literally.

Situated on a plot near Old Hickory Lake that’s less than 1 square mile in size, Lakewood is best known to many as home to the county’s most irritating speed trap.

Inside the city limits, a group of agitated citizens say the infrastructure is falling apart. Unlike Metro’s five other satellite cities — most with decidedly wealthier populations whose governments employ the Hall income tax — Lakewood hasn’t turned to a property tax. As a result, critics argue the municipality is cash-strapped and lacks the needed revenue streams.

Fueled by Lakewood’s supposed dilapidation, restless residents organized “Citizens to Reform Lakewood,” a group that focused efforts on collecting petition signatures to allow voters to decide whether to dissolve the city’s charter and coalesce fully under Metro government. More than 700 residents signed on, paving the way for next week’s decisive vote.

Missie McInturf, one of the ringleaders of the effort, said she was motivated to act after she found green algae in her sink, which she claims is the result of the city’s long-neglected 78-year-old waterline. Moreover, McInturf cited Lakewood’s lack of sidewalks and suggested the city is not compliant with standards established in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“It boils down to, the city basically has outlived its usefulness,” McInturf said. “It would be one thing if they were Belle Meade or Oak Hill, which both have the Hall income tax. But we don’t have a property tax. It is time for Lakewood City Hall to go. We’ll still be the community of Lakewood. We’ll just be under Metro.”

Lakewood City Manager Bobby Franklin said the five-member city board is remaining neutral on the vote even though their positions, too, would be dissolved. He said that relying on Metro for city services could be misguided.

“Many of the other satellite cities, over time, have complained to Metro for added police protection, Oak Hill and Forest Hills being a couple of examples.” Franklin said. “Citizens here would be essentially getting rid of their police department. I don’t think that would necessarily be a good thing.”