I grew up in Midtown Memphis, attended Overton High School and the University of Tennessee. I am formally educated in history, music, religious studies, cinema studies, theology, philosophy and education. I was given opportunities to learn piano, sing in the best choirs Memphis had to offer, study Karate, Boy Scouts and a host of other things that have made me a versatile individual. Most notably my parents taught me the values of hard work and volunteerism. Attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for architecture, soon learning I loved the art but not the career and I stuck with my first love in history. I graduated in three years, then attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, graduated, became a youth pastor then after careers in restaurant management and as a ramp agent at the Fed Ex Hub I went into teaching. Meanwhile I married and started landscaping part time. I called Midtown my home most of my life but now live outside the city center and have taken on more responsibilities. I am in my 9th year in Lakeland Tennessee, 15 years in marriage this coming Fall, just celebrated the birthdays for both of his kids and I am happy to continue another year with my small businesses.
I began to make what I call intentional community contributions when I was in Midtown almost 17 years ago. I just bought a house on North Barksdale and my house was broken into, twice. As I married my priorities shifted from inward to more outward on multiple levels. The street where I lived was a nice dead end Midtown street with great trees, nice front porches and friendly neighbors. As it goes in Midtown, safety is a street by street issue. So, I was not going to let crime ruin my street or my neighborhood. When my daughter was born I took a more active leadership in the Vollintine Evergreen Neighborhood (VECA) in several forms. I became block club president, started pushing for strong security measurements (security cameras, patrols etc) to keep drugs and crime to a minimum and I started quarterly meetings with my neighbors. What I recall as a sign that I was doing something right was the house at the other end of the street that was known to sell drugs became vacant under the pressure of security cameras we installed and working with undercover police. I started Nextdoor for VECA that soon became one of the largest for neighborhood membership for that website. My passion for Midtown and Memphis was such that I wrote a book about it, its qualities and ailments and I met with local leaders about what things could and should be done. While my daughter was attending Montessori School my wife and I were looking for better schools for Kindergarten and up, and since my background included education I was especially meticulous about the place we moved. Architecturally I wanted a sound house, with room and nature around me, financially I wanted to pay a good price that would appreciate in value, low crime, great location for accessibility around the county, educationally I wanted a great school for my daughter. Lakeland was the only town with all of those things. We moved to Lakeland Tennessee in the Fall of 2013. I hit the ground running with community involvement by first starting a Nextdoor for Plantation Hills which worked so well in Midtown. I held a neighborhood meeting three months after moving in and to my surprise was chosen as neighborhood president. Then I was invited to a COLA meeting (Council of Lakeland Associations) where I was networked with the local paper. I started working on articles (as well as "tweeting" City Hall meetings), managing the Facebook and Twitter accounts for what we now know as Lakeland Currents. I was asked to advise in fixing the median on Canada Road, managing the landscape at Lakeland Elementary, as well as proposing a landscape overhaul for City Hall and I proposed a barrier/buffer for Beverle Rivera which is now under the planning process. In the midst of that I was asked to be liaison for Nextdoor Lakeland and I worked on networking the various neighborhoods together as now we have thousands connected. I was a member of the Parks and Recreation Board and received Lakeland Person of the Year in 2015 award for my various efforts. I have continued the same efforts by also sponsoring the PTA Fundraiser every Spring, Tour de Lakeland, LMPS Football, Lakeland Cheer, LMPS Drama and more. I have now served as Lakeland Commissioner where my diverse mix of experiences and ideas have contributed. I have served over five years as commissioner, I have served as Municipal Planning and Design Review Commissions liaison, as Economic Development Commission liaison and Board of Appeals member. I also had the prestigious honor of representing Lakeland as organizer for the Shelby County Bicentennial Celebration. Several years ago a Lakeland Development Task Force was formed to help revise land development regulations and I served as advisor. As commissioner I delivered on my platform and secured for Lakeland with my peers a High School, the following I brought to the BOC as Commissioner thought not limited to these items:
- Brought Flock Security to Lakeland
- Initialized the Speed Limit Digital Sign
- Improved maintenance of Lakeland properties
- Worked with businesses to have better facilities, signage, maintenance
- Stopped unwanted Development
- Brought forth a Moratorium for Apartments
- Brought forth the Lakeland 2040 Vision Initiative, now PULSE
- Initialized more preservation and buffers throughout Lakeland
- Initialized the updating of city code with stronger standards
- Held the MPC/DRC liaison position for two years with strong results
My background in history, architecture, education, management and small business gives myself the knowledge and organizational skills that are advantageous for city leadership. I hope to continue to bring renewed, positive, and intelligent plans for growth in Lakeland. I believe that Lakeland has just begun to see its potential and that a harmony between commercial, residential and natural settings at a high standard can be maintained. I hope to keep bringing renewed, positive, and intelligent plans for growth Lakeland. I believe that Lakeland has just begun to see its potential and that a harmony between commercial, residential and natural settings at a high standard can be maintained.
to contact Wesley Alan Wright: wwright@lakelandtn.org
I began to make what I call intentional community contributions when I was in Midtown almost 17 years ago. I just bought a house on North Barksdale and my house was broken into, twice. As I married my priorities shifted from inward to more outward on multiple levels. The street where I lived was a nice dead end Midtown street with great trees, nice front porches and friendly neighbors. As it goes in Midtown, safety is a street by street issue. So, I was not going to let crime ruin my street or my neighborhood. When my daughter was born I took a more active leadership in the Vollintine Evergreen Neighborhood (VECA) in several forms. I became block club president, started pushing for strong security measurements (security cameras, patrols etc) to keep drugs and crime to a minimum and I started quarterly meetings with my neighbors. What I recall as a sign that I was doing something right was the house at the other end of the street that was known to sell drugs became vacant under the pressure of security cameras we installed and working with undercover police. I started Nextdoor for VECA that soon became one of the largest for neighborhood membership for that website. My passion for Midtown and Memphis was such that I wrote a book about it, its qualities and ailments and I met with local leaders about what things could and should be done. While my daughter was attending Montessori School my wife and I were looking for better schools for Kindergarten and up, and since my background included education I was especially meticulous about the place we moved. Architecturally I wanted a sound house, with room and nature around me, financially I wanted to pay a good price that would appreciate in value, low crime, great location for accessibility around the county, educationally I wanted a great school for my daughter. Lakeland was the only town with all of those things. We moved to Lakeland Tennessee in the Fall of 2013. I hit the ground running with community involvement by first starting a Nextdoor for Plantation Hills which worked so well in Midtown. I held a neighborhood meeting three months after moving in and to my surprise was chosen as neighborhood president. Then I was invited to a COLA meeting (Council of Lakeland Associations) where I was networked with the local paper. I started working on articles (as well as "tweeting" City Hall meetings), managing the Facebook and Twitter accounts for what we now know as Lakeland Currents. I was asked to advise in fixing the median on Canada Road, managing the landscape at Lakeland Elementary, as well as proposing a landscape overhaul for City Hall and I proposed a barrier/buffer for Beverle Rivera which is now under the planning process. In the midst of that I was asked to be liaison for Nextdoor Lakeland and I worked on networking the various neighborhoods together as now we have thousands connected. I was a member of the Parks and Recreation Board and received Lakeland Person of the Year in 2015 award for my various efforts. I have continued the same efforts by also sponsoring the PTA Fundraiser every Spring, Tour de Lakeland, LMPS Football, Lakeland Cheer, LMPS Drama and more. I have now served as Lakeland Commissioner where my diverse mix of experiences and ideas have contributed. I have served over five years as commissioner, I have served as Municipal Planning and Design Review Commissions liaison, as Economic Development Commission liaison and Board of Appeals member. I also had the prestigious honor of representing Lakeland as organizer for the Shelby County Bicentennial Celebration. Several years ago a Lakeland Development Task Force was formed to help revise land development regulations and I served as advisor. As commissioner I delivered on my platform and secured for Lakeland with my peers a High School, the following I brought to the BOC as Commissioner thought not limited to these items:
- Brought Flock Security to Lakeland
- Initialized the Speed Limit Digital Sign
- Improved maintenance of Lakeland properties
- Worked with businesses to have better facilities, signage, maintenance
- Stopped unwanted Development
- Brought forth a Moratorium for Apartments
- Brought forth the Lakeland 2040 Vision Initiative, now PULSE
- Initialized more preservation and buffers throughout Lakeland
- Initialized the updating of city code with stronger standards
- Held the MPC/DRC liaison position for two years with strong results
My background in history, architecture, education, management and small business gives myself the knowledge and organizational skills that are advantageous for city leadership. I hope to continue to bring renewed, positive, and intelligent plans for growth in Lakeland. I believe that Lakeland has just begun to see its potential and that a harmony between commercial, residential and natural settings at a high standard can be maintained. I hope to keep bringing renewed, positive, and intelligent plans for growth Lakeland. I believe that Lakeland has just begun to see its potential and that a harmony between commercial, residential and natural settings at a high standard can be maintained.
to contact Wesley Alan Wright: wwright@lakelandtn.org