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Editor’s note: The Tennessean Editorial Board invited candidates for the 2023 Metro Nashville-Davidson County municipal elections to fill out our questionnaire. They include biographical information and answers to 12 questions on variety of topics from key policy issues to their recommendation for visitors on what to see or do in the city.
Election Guide:Learn about candidates running in the Aug. 3 Metro Council At-Large election | Editorial
Key dates:
- July 5: Voter registration deadline
- July 14-29: Early voting
- July 27: Deadline to request absentee ballot
- Aug. 3: Election
- Sept. 14: Runoff election
Biographical information
- Name: Arnold Hayes
- Which office are you seeking? Metro Council At-Large
- Age: 68
- What neighborhood/part of the county do you live in? Bellevue
- Education: The Calhoun High School; Tuskegee University; Bachelors of Science, Mechanical Engineering,Belmont University; Bachelors of Science, Computer Science, Vanderbilt University; Masters of Theological Studies
- Job history: Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, Middle School Mathematics Teacher. Completed the extensive requirements and awarded a Teach Tennessee Alternative license by the State of Tennessee. Provided innovative instruction for 120 students. Other experience: 25 years at Ford Motor Co. as production system coordinator, superintendent, plant engineering supervisor, manufacturing engineer, facilities maintenance engineer. Also worked at Scott Paper Co. (project engineer) and Clark Equipment Co. (design engineer).
- Family: Together, he and his wife Robin have five adult children, a son-in-law, and a granddaughter.
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Twelve questions for the candidates
Why are you running for this office?
My life experiences are what led me to run for Council At Large for a better Nashville! Along with other important issues I want to:
- Fight for the underserved.
- Push for caring prosperity.
- Push for affordable and emergency housing.
- Help make Nashville a safer city for all.
My journey began in the small-town of Calhoun, Alabama, located in Lowndes County — a place previously referred to as “Bloody Lowndes” because of the overt racism and violence against African Americans to maintain segregation. In spite of this, I was raised in a relatively safe environment on my grandparents’ farm, surrounded by community, until going outside of my bubble where I witnessed “Colored” water fountains. Still as a child, a defining moment in my life occurred after the Selma to Montgomery March, when SNCC workers stayed in the county to assist in defending, mobilizing and registering Black voters. During this period, I attended mass meetings, received youth training, and witnessed the first county African American candidates, since reconstruction, risk their lives to run for office. Faith in God is also important to my journey. Whether advocating for equity of the marginalized in the corporate world or social justice and/or police accountability in Nashville through the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), NOAH, the Community Oversight Now, or the NAACP. Fighting for those on the margins is in my DNA. This all compelled me to enter the 2023 race!
Also, what will become of everyday people if we maintain the status quo and continue to elect representatives that care more about self-promotion than improving the community? As economic prosperity continues, so should the care for those on the margins. There is nothing wrong with prosperity, but it needs to be “caring prosperity.” Far too many poor and working people lack the basic resources of shelter, food and a living wage to continue to live in Nashville. Too many productive citizens are moving to surrounding counties just to make ends meet.
Even though I have contemplated running over the years, what I witnessed on Christmas Day 2022 convinced me that it was time to do something to make change. Seeing hundreds of people, left with no other choice, come to the Nashville Rescue Mission on one of the coldest days of the year is one of the reasons that I am running for Council At Large. People like them and others deserve better, in a city of enormous wealth. If we are to improve the lives of Nashville’s underserved, then we need to do a deep dive into the people that find relief at the Nashville Rescue Mission.
A ‘Safer City for All’ cannot be achieved in a vacuum. We need to work toward creating a public safety environment that is conducive to protecting both citizens and sworn officers. Nashville is becoming more dangerous for all of us with assault weapons on the street, relaxed open carry laws, and a lack of background checks. We need gun reform! We need to do something — whether background checks or banning assault weapons. We applaud police officers for running into danger, as in the case of the Covenant mass murders. But why not work on eliminating the danger in the first place.
Let’s acknowledge that policing is a challenging job, but police accountability is also important for a safer Nashville. We are entering year five of the operation of the Community Oversight Board and it is widely acknowledged that there have been some improvements in oversight of the police. We have a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) and the Community Oversight Board (COB). There have been significant policy improvements, like the soft empty hand control reporting.
If we are to have a safer city for all, it is critical that the incoming mayor and Council lead the way in insisting that we support the Community Oversight Board. It has been proven over time that police accountability enhances community trust and makes cities safer.
Nashville is yet to effectively address the issue of mental health and policing. The co-response model with the combination of police and mental health professionals, was chosen instead of a community-driven model backed by seasoned advocates that centered the expertise of mental health professionals. There needs to be more mental health funding that allows both police and social workers to do the jobs that they are trained for. I am running because justice demands that Nashville become a better city.
What makes you qualified to hold this office and better qualified than your opponent(s)?
All the candidates running Council At-Large meet the qualifications outlined by the state of Tennessee and Nashville, however, I am among those that are best suited to help take Nashville to the next level. I have the formal education, life and professional experience, community and civic engagement, but more important, I have compassion for people and value my word. Loving and respecting people, even when I strongly disagree with their view, is important to me. I am battle-tested, fighting for those that are often have no voice. This is why I strive to be a “drum major for justice.” My never give up attitude, technical knowledge, community service, and theological insight, along with a track record working on outreach and justice issues.
I have served as a Metro School teacher, as a chair of the Community Oversight Board, and have over 30 years of management, engineering, manufacturing, robotic programing experience at Ford Motor Company and other fortune 500 companies in strong union environments.
I am a faith leader who has served at the local, state and national level on numerous boards and in various leadership capacities.
Arnold Hayes is a “Yes” to respect, trustworthiness, and someone that will leave it all on the field for the people of Nashville. The above reasons make me highly qualitied to serve a Council Member At-Large.
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- If you are elected (or re-elected), what are your top 2 to 3 priorities for your new (or next) term in office?Fighting for the underserved and pushing for “caring” prosperity.
- Pushing for Affordable and Emergency Housing.
- Helping make Nashville a safer city for all.
What are you hearing most from voters about what they want you to accomplish, if elected?
With all the development and prosperity occurring in Nashville, many people are indicating that they have been left out of this economic boom and are being pushed out of their home. They are concerned that far too many poor and working people lack the basic resources of shelter, food and a living wage to continue to live in Nashville. They are concerned about Nashville is no longer a safe place to live. They are worried about the over reach of the State General Assembly, especially splitting up Nashville U.S. Congressional Districts, and the abolishing Nashville’s cutting-edge Community Oversight Board.
A 2023 Vanderbilt poll showed that most Nashvillians do not agree with the direction of the city. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Overall, the direction of Nashville appears to be focused primely on economic growth, with little regard for those that are being left behind. Basically, I agree with the conclusion of the Vanderbilt University poll. We continue to have two Nashville’s, one for those with economic and political access and the other for the underserved and the marginalized. As Nashville continues to experience an economic wealth, many are proud of being referred to as the “IT” city, but people in the other Nashville find themselves uncertain and fearful of what comes next. A case could be made that our city has turned away from or made the marginalized invisible. I witnessed part of the other Nashville firsthand this past Christmas Day, which made me more determined to do something to make change. Seeing hundreds of people who came to the Nashville Rescue Mission on one of the coldest days of the year, because they were left with no other choice. Also, we have teachers, firefighters, police officers, bus drivers that serve Nashville but can’t afford to live here. Prosperity is okay, but it needs to be caring. I have a more positive vision for Nashville.
What is your assessment of the performance of the Mayor and Metro Council over the last four years?
The performance of the Mayor and Council was mixed over the past four years. Some of the successes were the overall management of Covid19 epidemic, attention to the tornado disasters, the quick response to the 2020 downtown Christmas bombing, and, as I understand it, an improved overall city financial position.
The Council and Mayor could have been more proactive in protecting the people of Davidson County from the systematic attacks by the supermajority GOP Tennessee General Assembly on the infringement of our rights. In the last four years Nashville lost its U.S. Congressional District, Community Oversight Board, and the Mayor and Council approved a Titans Stadium without significant input from the people.
Lastly, because of respect for the victims of the Covenant School mass murders that occurred under this Mayor and Council’s watch, it would be inappropriate to rate them any higher than fair. The current and incoming Council need to realize that keeping Nashville safe is also, a part of city performance.
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Affordable/attainable housing has been named by citizens again and again (NashvilleNext, polling, etc.) as a top concern. What should the city do to address this crisis?
We need to continue to support the Barnes Fund as one of the ways to address long-term affordable housing. However, short-term emergency housing during the summer is often an afterthought and needs to be reevaluated. For example, what are the minimum and maximum temperatures that have to occur before Metro emergency shelters are opened? We also, need to focus more on effective ways to measure the magnitude of the housing crisis in Nashville. Is the current data used to guesstimate the number of people without affordable or emergency housing accurate? I will push for Affordable and Emergency Housing in Nashville!
The Tennessee General Assembly has gutted Metro Nashville’s governance model and finances. What is your position on this and how should the city address the relationship with lawmakers?
Again, the Council and Mayor could have been more proactive in protecting the people of Davidson County. Reacting to the systematic attacks by our supermajority GOP Tennessee General Assembly on the lives of Nashville and other Democratically controlled cities is not enough. There appeared to be no compressive plan to anticipate what was coming, and being prepared to push back. It is more important that we have someone in Nashville’s local and state legislative bodies that will stand up and push back on the infringement of our rights. We need to do everything possible to protect the rights of voters, Black and brown people, women, immigrants, the LGBTQ + community, and workers.
Are you supportive of Mayor Cooper’s plans to renovate the East Bank now that the Titans deal has been approved? Elaborate on your position.
Even this Nashville being divided on this issue, most would agree that the East Bank and the Titans deal will have long-term impact on our city. The question becomes whether this impact be negative or positive. This important decision should have been taken to the voters.
What else do you want voters to know about you that will help them make an informed decision on Election Day?
I am thankful that the Lord has allowed the name Arnold Hayes to be on the ballot for Metro Nashville Council At-Large, as I think of the sacrifices of the ancestors on whose shoulders I stand, I am deeply honored. I am the change candidate! A vote for Arnold Hayes for 1 of the 5 Council At-Large seats is a “YES” for a better Nashville.
A “fun” question: When visitors ask you, “What should I do in Nashville?” what are the top 2 or 3 things or places you recommend?
- African American history: Visit the National Museum of African American Music, our HBCUs, and historic Jefferson Street.
- Sports: Attend one of our professional, college, or high school sporting events.
- Shows: Take in a performance at the TPAC, the Grand Olde Opry, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, or some of the smaller venues. Also, try one of our karaoke locations.
Will you commit to being civil in how you present yourself and the way you interact with opponents and others? (Our definition of civility is being a good, active, honest and respectable citizen)
Yes
Call Opinion and Engagement Director David Plazas at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.
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