David Briley

David Briley
Briley in 2018
8thMayor of Metropolitan Nashville
In office March 6, 2018 – September 28, 2019 Acting: March 6, 2018 – May 24, 2018
Preceded by	Megan Barry
Succeeded by	John Cooper
Vice Mayor ofNashville
In office September 25, 2015 – May 24, 2018
Preceded by	Diane Neighbors
Succeeded by	Jim Shulman
Personal details
Born	Clifton David Briley (1964-01-08)January 8, 1964 Nashville, Tennessee,U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Jodie Bell
Children	1
Education	Georgetown University(BA) Golden Gate University(JD)

Clifton David Briley(born January 8, 1964) is an American politician. ADemocrat,he was the eighth mayor ofMetropolitan Nashville and Davidson County.He was elected in 2015 asvice-mayorand was sworn in asactingmayor afterMegan Barry's resignation on March 6, 2018. Briley went on to win theMay 24 special electionfor the balance of Barry's term with 55% of the vote over nearly a dozen challengers, avoiding arunoffand making him the official mayor of Nashville.John Cooperdefeated Briley in the2019 Nashville mayoral election.Briley was the first native of both Nashville and Tennessee sinceBill Bonerin 1991 to be mayor.

Education

Briley is a lifelong Nashvillian, and his grandfather was the first elected mayor of Metropolitan Nashville.His early education included Glendale Elementary School, Lipscomb Middle School, andMontgomery Bell Academy.

Briley earned a bachelor's degree fromGeorgetown Universityin 1987before traveling toLatin Americawhere he volunteered as a teacher of English. He completed hisJDatGolden Gate Universityin 1995and received honors foradministrativeandenvironmental law.

Political career

Briley was elected to serve as an At LargeMetro Councilman for Davidson Countyfrom 1999 to 2007. He was the Vice-Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and held seats on the Personnel, Public Information, Human Relations and Housing Committee, the Traffic and Parking Committee and the Greenways Committee. He was past Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Solid Waste and the Water Rate Oversight Committee.

Briley was voted Best Council Member by theNashville Scenein 2001, 2002 and 2006 and was spotlighted as one of "40 under 40" byBusiness Nashvillemagazine in June 2000.

During the2000 presidential election,Carter was a Tennessee state co-chair of GoreNet.GoreNet was a group that supported theAl Gore campaignwith a focus ongrassrootsandonlineorganizing as well as hosting small dollar donor events.

In November 2006, Briley announced his candidacy forMayor of Nashville.His campaign included a number of familiar political faces, includingWill Cheek Jr.,member of theDemocratic National Committeeand former chair of theTennessee Democratic Party,and his son, Will Cheek III, an attorney at the firm of Bone McAllester Norton. Jerry Martin, who served at Finance Director underCongressmanJim Cooperin 2002, chaired the campaign's finance committee. Emily Passini was campaign manager; Drew Staniewski was deputy campaign manager. Sarah Lingo was finance director and Alex Youn was director of field operations. Briley finished fifth in theAugust 2007 electionand returned to private life.

In 2015, Briley was electedVice Mayorof Nashville. On March 6, 2018, MayorMegan Barryresigned her position after pleading guilty to felony theft in aplea bargainregarding improper use of public funds for travel expenses and an affair with the head of her security,leaving the Vice Mayor to fill the position.Briley was sworn in as acting mayor of Metro Nashville.

Within a week of his acceding to the office, Briley announced both his intent to run for the remaining year of Barry's term in theNashville mayoral election,which was initially set for August 2, 2018 by the Davidson County Election Commission,but subsequently moved to May 2018 after a lawsuit filed by opponents was successful, and a plan to demolish the abandonedHerschel Greer Stadium,former home of theNashville Soundsminor leaguebaseball team. Greer Stadium was on the grounds ofCivil WarFort Negley,and Briley announced a plan to leave the area as undeveloped, natural park space, in part out of respect to the manyslavesand former slaves who worked on the construction of Fort Negley, several of whom died in the process and whose remains are buried on the grounds.Briley also continued the mayor's office's support of theLet's Move Nashvilletransit referendum, signing a "Declaration of Transportation Independence" on April 2.Briley's support seemingly meant little to the transit referendum, which was defeated by over a three-to-two majority on May 1, 2018,but apparently his support did little to dampen his personal popularity, as he was elected by an absolute majority to the balance of Berry's unexpired term in a special election only three weeks later over a dozen opponents, all of whom had expressed opposition to the transit initiative.

Briley campaigned for re-election as Mayor of Metropolitan Nashville in the2019 Nashville mayoral election.In the election's first round,John Cooperled Briley 35% to 25% as both advanced to a runoff election in the 10-candidate race, followed by Vanderbilt University professorCarol M. Swainand Tennessee House of Representatives memberJohn Ray Clemmons.In the runoff, Briley was defeated by Cooper by approximately 70% to 30%.Cooper then succeeded Briley as Mayor of Nashville when he was sworn in on September 28, 2019.

Contributions

In 2005, Briley proposed citywide wireless Internet access for Nashville. Received coolly by the administration, Briley's proposal nonetheless contributed to the development of free wireless access at Davidson County's public libraries as well as many public parks, includingCentennial Park.A task force, led by Briley and including council members and representatives from technology and infrastructure providers, ultimately supported this narrower public access. In 2006, Briley was one of a small number of vocal opponents to proposed development which would have moved the city'sAAA baseballteam, the Nashville Sounds, into downtown Nashville. This proposed development, adjacent to Nashville's Riverfront Park along theCumberland River,was eventually cancelled and later replaced by a plan for a new stadium located slightly north of downtown Nashville,First Tennessee Park.

In 2007, Briley wrote legislation requiring government buildings in Nashville to be built withinLEEDcertification requirements.

Personal life

Briley is married to Jodie Bell and has one son. He is the grandson ofBeverly Briley,first mayor of the combined Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. His brother,Rob Briley,has previously served as aTennessee State Representativefor the 52nd District.

Briley has been a practicing lawyer and was a member of Bone McAllester Norton PLLC prior to becoming mayor and having to wind up his legal practice; unlike his former position of vice mayor, being Mayor of Nashville is a full-time occupation. After his defeat for a full term, Briley returned to his previous position at Bone McAllester Norton.

See also

• List of mayors of the 50 largest cities in the United States

External links

• Vice-Mayoral campaign website
• Profile siteat Nashville.gov