Medina Mayor credit great schools, parks for population boom BY Meagan White In a park that not too many years ago was farming land, Natasha Smith watches her twin boys romp and jump about on a kid-sized fortress that is climbable, swing-able and slide-able, with soft landings at their feet. Smith’s family is one of hundreds who, over the past decade, have migrated north from Jackson into the southern Gibson County town of Medina, making it the biggest small town no one’s heard of, well, at least in the other Grand Divisions of the state. While annual city growth stories usually focus on the fast-growing towns of Middle Tennessee, like Murfreesboro and Franklin, Medina has been keeping a low profile, while still attracting a steady influx of new residents. Its population has risen from 655 to over 4,000 since 1995, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It’s an area glowing with the allure of a promised land: a growing residential area, prospering business scene, and coveted education system. “You name it, it’s growing,” says Vance Coleman, Medina’s mayor since 2004. He sits behind a cherry wood desk, hands folded in his lap, chin level so people feel like he’s looking at them, not over them. His white hair is smoothed back and his eyes are soft, but have the occasional sharp glint of someone who knows what they’re talking about. On display for visitors to see is a picture of a young girl, his granddaughter, with grain gold hair standing beside a “RE-ELECT COLEMAN” sign. “I absolutely think that the number one driver for Medina is the school system,” Coleman says, his voice full of calm assurance. “The people that are moving here are younger families with younger kids, and we have a system that cares about the kids, and puts education first and foremost, above everything else.” Medina is home to an elementary, middle, and high school, and an ever-expanding parks and recreation system, with city parks near each of the schools and athletic fields to boot. The mayor said the people are very involved, contributing what they can to the school, in addition to helping with athletics and the schools’ band events. “Not only do you have a good administration but you have community involvement and I think that’s what makes our system so great,” Coleman notes. “We’re a little, bitty town and we spent two and a half million dollars on a ball complex, and then turned around and spent another two million on a new city hall, so we are definitely proactive. We are very aware of all the change and are very involved in everything that goes on around here.” According to the mayor, Medina also “hits everything you need.” What the maturing city lacks in retail, it makes up for in its proximity to the better established areas which have the shopping venues that people crave, while also enabling Medina to keep its charming small town persona. “It’s convenient. It’s close to Jackson where we go eat, and where we go shop,” says Smith, keeping one eye on the twins. “Everyone from Jackson seems to be moving in.” While Jackson may have a mall and movie theatres, Medina’s dramatic influx of rooftops has retailers doing a double take. Seven months ago a new grocery store, Food Giant, opened, and historic downtown’s boutiques and eateries have also undergone various beautification projects. Mayor Coleman and the rest of his board have been keen on the way the city looks to passersby, but are also concerned with longevity. They’ve taken strides to ensure the homes and buildings are constructed with either brick or stone, confident that in another decade these structures will look as they did upon completion. “We may have the only Dollar General in West Tennessee, that I know of, that is made completely out of brick,” the Mayor laughs. There’s something undeniably enticing about a place that can accommodate such a remarkable growth spurt. However, as Medina transitions from a little town with “good ol’ boy” policing, to a modern suburbia with speed enforcement cameras writing almost eight hundred tickets a month, some of the born-and-raised locals feel a bit ousted. “There are always those people who like things the way they are,” Coleman says with a small smile and a shake of his head. “But the change has been slow for the most part and we’re getting an influence of good, church-going families around here, so when you say that, even the [people] who are not as crazy about the growth like the people and what they see coming in.” Naturally, more bodies means more cars, which means more traffic. “You basically shut downtown Medina down when the elementary school lets out, and it’s only kindergarten through second grade,” Chad Lowery, chief of police, says with a laugh. “I think at some point we’ll widen some roads.” Medina’s leaders say they have stayed ahead of their problems. The issue is staying on top of the growth, while remaining mindful of its residents’ needs. They want to ensure people receive what they moved for. “When you have a good school system and when you feel that your kids are safe and getting a good quality education, that’s where you want to be,” says Coleman. “Quality of life is always important to people.” Coleman predicts that the small town may one day be the largest city in Gibson County. As long as the community is engaged and the economy stays strong, the mayor doesn’t see anything from stopping them. “There’s no way that everybody is going to be happy, but that’s okay,” says Mayor Coleman calmly. “But we’re giving something of value to families and that’s what people move places for: quality of life.” Meagan White is a Middle Tennessee State University student participating in a class project in collaboration with the Milan Mirror-Exchange.
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 21:03:46 +0000
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