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THE CHRONICLE
of Mt. Juliet
The Largest Circulation in Wilson County 
Celebrating our 28th year as the leading newspaper in Mt. Juliet and West Wilson County
 www.thechronicleofmtjuliet.com
 Volume 29 May 27, 2009 Number 20
Page 10
MJ familyman at laststop beforedeportation
Page 2
 You Heard it First
Page 4
Take a driveon the wildside
MJHS fallsto Farragutin AAAbaseballstate finals
Page 10
MJ squiressquabbleover newbudget
Page 3
Veterans honored
 
Veterans honored
Bond Memorial Chapel held its 12th Annual Memorial Day Service on Monday, specifically honoring local veterans,seen here. Col. Robert “Bobby” Hibbett of the TN Army National Guard was the featured speaker. “Veterans andsoldiers are my brothers and sisters,” Hibbett said. “I feel very small in your presence.” Two very special guestsappeared at the ceremony as well: two local Marines recently returned from Iraq, Lance Corporal Ryan Autery andLance Corporal Sal Gonzalez. ~
 Photo by Nathan Barnwell of Bond Memorial 
 
Page 2, The Chronicle of Mt. Juliet, May 27, 2009
THE CHRONICLE
of Mt. Juliet
Largest Circulation in Wilson Countywww.thechronicleofmtjuliet.com
 Published each Wednesday in West Wilson County by Mt. Juliet Communications, Inc. A home-owned and operated community newspaper.
Tomi Wiley
Managing Editor editor@thechronicleofmtjuliet.com
Tonya Hinesley
Production Manager  production@thechronicleofmtjuliet.com
Amanda Oswalt
Sales Manager amanda@thechronicleofmtjuliet.com
Brenda Parker
Accounts Manager  brenda@thechronicleofmtjuliet.com
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 647Mt. Juliet, TN 37121
Of 
ce Location:
11509 Lebanon RoadMt. Juliet, TN 37122
Telephone:
754-6111
Fax:
754-8203
Of 
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The wife of a Mt. Juliet man who was takenfrom his home and couldbe deported any day said Tuesday that their familyhad hoped he could ministerand share his story as aprecautionary tale, but this was not the path they’dhoped to take.On the morning of Sunday, May 17, as thefamily prepared to attendGrace United MethodistChurch, United StatesImmigration and CustomsEnforcement of 
fi
cials enteredthe home of Chris and Jean Holness of Mt. Juliet,according to Jean. The ICEof 
fi
cials took Chris intocustody, where he remainsawaiting deportation to hisnative Jamaica. Jean said Tuesday that her husband was scheduled to be movedto a Federal detention centerin Oakdale, Louisiana, thatday. It’s his last stop, Jeansaid, before he leaves thecountry.According to Jean,Chris Holness was born in Jamaica in October 1965.He moved with his mother toMiami, Florida, in 1978 at age12. From 1987 to 1991, Chrisstruggled with an addictionto crack-cocaine. He wasarrested several times fordrug paraphernalia, drivingon a suspended license,possession of marijuana, andarmed robbery of convenientstores between 1987 and1991. Chris was sentencedtwo years in prison for afelony due to drugs. He wasreleased eight months intohis sentence due to goodbehavior.Chris met Jean in1991, and the couple marriedin 1992. Jean Holness isa natural born Americancitizen. Immigration servicesordered deportation forChris on July 22, 1992 inBroward or Dade County,Florida. The deportation wasappealed and dismissed, Jean said, on March 24,1997. The original attorneythat represented Chris was Jeffery N. Brauwerman inFlorida. Unfortunately, whenthe appeal was made, Jeanand Chris were never noti
fi
edthat it was dismissed. They were noti
fi
ed on May 17, thesame day I.C.E. took Chrisaway. Jean said there wasabsolutely no noti
fi
cation onthe appeal since it was madein July 1992. The couple moved toMt. Juliet in October 1998,and they have two children,Paige, 14, and Merrick,12, who attend Mt. Julietschools. Chris, who worksfor Marchon Optical, andhis family is active at GraceUnited Methodist.“Chris has workedvery hard as a father,supporter, worker, mentorand coach,” Jean said. “Chrishas been a soccer coachto many kids in Nashvillethrough the Donelson-Hermitage Y.M.C.A. He hascoached some of the samekids for 10 years. He alsocoaches and supports hischildren. Chris has playedsoccer on various adultleagues through out the city.Chris is a tax paying citizen who has worked very hardto support his family and bethe man he is today.”Jean said Chris isrecognized in the communityas a man of honesty,integrity and compassion. The family’s neighbor, Jeff Knop, con
fi
rmed Tuesdaythat Chris Holness is“an absolute pillar of ourcommunity, a super neighborand wonderful friend.”“We are desperatelyhoping to get enoughattention to keep Chris in thecountry and get him backto Mt. Juliet,” Knop said.“This is not the purpose of immigration laws.”Knop said thatfriends, family and neighborsof the Holness family shouldcontact their local state andFederal representatives. Hesaid politicians “respond tonumbers, and numbers are what we hope to give them.”He said the SouthFlorida judge in charge of 
MJ family reaches out for help, hope to spread story of rehabiliation
By Tomi L. Wiley
 Managing Editor 
Chris Holness awaits deportation for crimes he committed decadesago. He has been clean since 1991, and his family and friends areworking to keep him from being shipped back to Jamaica.
 Photo submitted 
See HOLNESS, Page 8
 
The Chronicle of Mt. Juliet, May 27, 2009, Page 3
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MJ manager: recession hasofficially hit City, budget suffers
www.thechronicleofmtjuliet.com
Mt. Juliet citycommissioners battledagainst an economicrecession that “has
fi
nallyhit” the city in order toapprove its
fi
scal year2009/2010 budget on
fi
rstreading Monday night.“The funds in Mt. Juliet have dried up, guys,”remarked City ManagerRandy Robertson at thetable Monday. “We’re notbuilding. I don’t want to doa budget based on hope.”Those “hopes” referto the eventual sales taxincome from big box retailerssuch as Wal-Mart, Lowe’s,and Publix opening in thenext year in Mt. Juliet. TheCity imposes a zero propertytax on its citizens, relyingheavily on sales tax incomeand new construction feesfor municipal income. The projected “
fl
at”general fund balance for June30, 2010, is $507,000.51. The budget includes a one-half percent pay raise for Cityemployees, which Robertsonreferred to as “fat” thatcould be trimmed but whichhe considered “incentive” foremployees within City Hall. The only additionalCity personnel affecting theproposed budget are threeadditional Mt. Juliet PoliceDepartment of 
fi
cers, whichcould be covered by FederalHomeland Security stimuluspackage funds. Robertsonnoted that some $600 billion was requested nationwideand only $1 billion budgeted – so, best case scenario, theCity could hope to get one-half of additional of 
fi
cersneeded, which is estimatedto be eight.Two issues surfacedas sticky points to theproposed budget, includingfee hikes for park rentalsand an increase in sewercharges.District 3Commissioner Ed Hagertytook issue with the proposedhikes early in the meetingduring the commissionercomments portion, statingthat people is his district“are suffering” due to theeconomic downturn. He saidthe rise in park fees, which heand District 4 Commissioner Jim Bradshaw voted againston both
fi
rst and secondreadings, was “indicativeof people suffering butgovernment growing.”As far as the budgetgoes, Mayor Linda Elamcommented that the GeneralFund is some $793,000 lessthan what was proposed forthis year, and that a lossof some $11 million “needssome explanation.”“That’s a disturbingpicture,” she remarked.“We’re taking in lessmoney than last year butspending more than last year,” Hagerty added. “If  we did that with our own(personal) budgets we’d getinto trouble pretty quick.”Robertson said thatthere are two “primaryconcerns” with the proposedbudget: City staffers “did notbuild a Wal-Mart – basedbudget,” and that privatehome building permitnumbers are drasticallydown from previous years.As for the “Wal-Mart – based budget,” Robertsonsaid that there is “addedprosperity around thecorner, but we can’t base abudget on that.”And it’s commonknowledge that new homeconstruction has stalled,and that Mt. Juliet is,according to Robertson, nolonger immune.“The recession hascaught up with Mt. Juliet,”he told commissioners.Robertson addedthat “there’s nothing goingon of substance,” as faras potential, substantivecommercial developmentin Mt. Juliet. He said that,after speaking with Mt. Juliet Director of EconomicDevelopment Kenny Martin,“there is nothing on thehorizon for the next
fi
scal year.”“There are some Momand Pops, but nothing majorthat we know of,” Robertsonsaid.The hike in sewerfees stems from the factthat, of 
fi
cials said, there hasbeen no increase in sewer
See BUDGET, Page 5
“We’re not building. I don’t want to do a budget based on hope..” 
 -- MJ City Manager Randy Robertson
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