The "ASK THE MAYOR" segment of the WGNS Action Line radio broadcast is always popular. Murfreesboro's Mayor Shane McFarland was on the radio Wednesday, June 6, 2018. Here are the questions that he was unable to immediately answer, so he reached out to staff members for details.

1) Dirt piled up at corner of February St and W. Main Street?

Thank you for reporting this issue. We are working to identify the responsible agency and owner of the property to have the dirt pile removed.

2) Has the City ever considering using used buses from other communities to expand the Rover fleet?

Thank you for the suggestion. Across our fleet of city vehicles, we regularly review the benefits of vehicles that may be available from other communities compared to purchasing new. Specifically, with our fleet of Rover buses, we have to consider requirements of the federal funding provided by the Federal Transportation Authority (FTA), which prefers new vehicles so that the federal investment is used for purchases that have a longer useful life. Additionally, we are limited in terms of space to expand operations; however, with the construction of the new transit center on W. Main Street we will look at opportunities to expand the fleet and transit services.

3) Hedges at Jack in the Box on Memorial are in the ROW.

Thank you for reporting this issue. We have contacted the property owner and if not addressed within 10 days, it will be addressed by the City and billed to the owner.

4) 3 hour time limit around the square....Downtown Parking Study

Thank you for sharing your comments with us. We are currently reviewing the appropriateness of both our downtown parking regulations and enforcement procedures. Like you, we have seen significant changes in parking demand since the opening of the new Judicial Center and related public parking garage.

5) St. Andrews Drive....traffic problem....Can we look at the traffic pattern with parking on the street and come up with a better idea...turning lane all the way through.

The suggestion of restricting on-street parking and using the existing right-of-way on St. Andrews Drive to create a 3-lane road is one that city traffic engineers have studied and will give further consideration. We plan to seek input from area residents and will be doing additional study for alternative traffic-calming solutions.

The portion of St. Andrews Drive, in Evergreen Farms, between Cason Trail and Roscommon Drive was built prior to the extensions of St. Andrews that created the connections to Hwy 96 or Hwy 99. As originally envisioned and constructed, this portion of St. Andrews was built as a local road, with on-street parking permitted. At that time, todays traffic demands were not anticipated as it was not connected to either highways and Cason Lane School did not yet exist - all of which have significantly impacted traffic along the roadway.

Today, St. Andrews Drive serves as a collector road - the road is often used as an alternative route to Cason Lane and is a north-south connection between Hwy 96 and Hwy 99. The development pattern of existing homes has meant that the homes along this portion of St. Andrews Drive, which are constructed near the edge of the property lines, leave little to no opportunity for more parking on the individual lots and do not have setbacks from the road conducive to taking additional right-of-way.

6) Muffler Glass Pack noise ordinance....is it still in place?

The Noise Control Ordinance is still in place and also, mufflers are addressed under the traffic section of our City Code: Section 32-1022 - Prevention of noise and air pollution.

Murfreesboro's Noise Control Ordinance (Murfreesboro City Code Chapter 21, Article V. Noise Control) sets forth regulations and prohibitions to minimize the exposure of citizens to the potential negative effects of excessive noise on the community. It seeks to protect, promote and preserve public health, safety, and welfare while balancing the interests of commercial activity and individual property rights.

All City Codes and Ordinances are available online on the City's website at www.murfreesborotn.gov

Noise complaints should be reported to the Murfreesboro Police Department non-emergency number 615-893-1311.

7) South Church across from the new Walmart.....old cemetery.....pilled a big pile of brush and hasn't been picked up....closest address is 3550 231 HWY South.

Thank you for reporting this concern. This area may or may not be in the city limits - we are sending staff to investigate and respond accordingly.

Join Mayor McFarland "live" at Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant on the second Wednesday morning of each month at Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant on the Northeast side of the historic Murfreesboro square. The WGNS broadcast is live from 8:10 to 9:00AM. If you can't make it to Puckett's, you can still "talk or text" your questions to the mayor at 615-893-1450.