Christopher Richards, Williamson County Commissioner - District 7

04/27/2026

I Caught a Stacked Bid Process. My Opponent Voted to Approve It Anyway.

This is what I mean when I say I work for you.

Last year, someone sent a confidential document containing every competitor's pricing directly to Cigna -- the incumbent vendor actively bidding on the same contract. No other vendor got that information.

I caught it. I raised it formally in writing. The county attorney admitted it happened and called it "common practice."
That same afternoon my opponent Tom Tunnicliffe voted to approve Cigna's contract anyway.

That same year your health insurance costs jumped 20% -- from $94 million to $114 million.

I have notified the proper authorities. It remains to be seen what action will be taken.

The documents are attached. Read them yourself.

Early voting is open through May 1. Election Day is May 5. I would be honored to have your vote.

04/15/2026

This is your hospital. This is your money. Channel 4 investigated the proposed sale of Williamson Medical Center tonight — watch and share with every Williamson County resident you know.

In one of the largest financial decisions in its history, Williamson County is quietly moving forward with a potential sale of its publicly owned hospital — a deal that could top half a billion dollars and reshape local health care for decades.

But as the process accelerates behind closed doors, some county commissioners say they are being left in the dark, raising concerns about transparency, oversight and whether political timing is overtaking public accountability.

"This is the largest transaction the county has ever done," one commissioner said. "...and nobody can explain why we are moving so fast."

04/15/2026

Tonight, Channel 4 investigative reporter Stacy Cameron aired a story on the proposed sale of Williamson Medical Center — and I want to share my perspective directly with you.
Fellow Commissioner Lisa Hayes and I have been pushing for answers on this for months. The short version: we don't have them. And that is a serious problem.
"It's embarrassing," I told Channel 4. "When constituents ask who's bidding on the hospital, and I don't know."
Here is what we know:
— Williamson Health is the largest transaction this county has ever considered. It could be worth anywhere from $300 million to $1 billion. The public deserves to know who is buying it, what it is worth, and where that money is going.
— The process is moving at alarming speed. A transaction of this size normally takes two to three years. This one is on track to close in roughly six months — with bids already submitted and the board reviewing them behind closed doors right now.
— Commissioners are being kept in the dark. The hospital board claims confidentiality is required by state law. I believe that confidentiality is being stretched far beyond its intent and used as a tool to limit oversight — and to speed this deal to a close before new county leadership takes office after the August election.
— A 2011 commission resolution — passed 18-3 and signed by Mayor Anderson himself — formally declared this hospital not for sale. It was never rescinded.
— The 1957 Private Act that created this hospital may prohibit the board from selling it altogether.
— Outside legal counsel was hired without a commission vote, personally selected by the county attorney — who is simultaneously representing both the hospital board and the commission. We were told our only role was to approve the billing rate.
— Commissioners have been trying to hire independent legal and financial experts to review this deal and protect taxpayer rights. That effort has stalled — blocked by a majority who say we should simply trust the process.
— Proposals under discussion would place sale proceeds into a private charitable foundation with no public oversight. Taxpayers built this hospital. They deserve a say in what happens to the money.
Commissioner Hayes put it plainly: "Unless we can get enough resistance from other commissioners, I fear the cat is in the bag — we'll just be expected to approve it. That's not oversight."
She is right. And I refuse to rubber-stamp a decision of this magnitude without knowing the full picture.
As I told Channel 4: "We've had some commissioners come and tell us to just trust what's going on, trust the process. That's not my job. My job is to protect my constituents and Williamson County taxpayers, and we cannot do that if we don't know the process behind this sale."
It is also worth noting that Channel 4 reached out to County Mayor Rogers Anderson and a spokesperson for the hospital board. Both declined to be interviewed, citing confidentiality. Apparently even the people they hired to handle their public image aren't willing to speak publicly.

03/30/2026

Williamson Medical Center belongs to the taxpayers of Williamson County.

In 2011, your elected commissioners voted 18-3 to declare it not for sale. That resolution has never been rescinded. Yet for the past six months, an active sale process has been underway behind closed doors, and the commissioners elected to provide oversight have been deliberately kept out of the room.

The largest financial transaction in this county’s history has been underway for at least six months behind closed doors. The legal mechanism used to conduct it in secret was designed for early-stage planning, not for managing an active competitive bid process. The commissioners elected to oversee this asset have been excluded from the room.

This is your asset. This is your hospital. It was built by this community, funded by your taxes, and declared by your elected representatives to be not for sale. Nobody has asked you or this commission to change that. They have simply proceeded as though the question was never asked.

My job is not to trust. My job is oversight. And I intend to keep doing it.

See all the details outlined in my latest newsletter: https://conta.cc/4cbyScG

Support the Campaign - Early Voting Starts April 15!

Everything you have just read is why this election matters. I have spent three and a half years asking hard questions, demanding public records, and refusing to simply trust that the administration knows best. That work has not made me popular with everyone on the commission, but it has kept me accountable to you.

My Brentwood opponent voted against asking the state to return any hospital sale proceeds to the taxpayers who built this hospital. He would rather see those funds managed by a private foundation with no public oversight. A few commissioners agree with him. I do not, and I never will.

If you want a commissioner who works for the people of District 7, I hope I can count on your support this May.

Early voting runs April 15th through April 30th
Election Day is May 5th.

Every vote matters in a primary, and yours is no exception.

Visit my website to request a yard sign or make a contribution.
www.electcrichards.com

Email from Williamson County Commissoner Despite a standing 18–3 vote against a sale, decisions are being made without your elected oversight   Williamson Medical Center belongs to the taxpayers of Wi

03/21/2026

Wednesday night, I participated in the Williamson County Republican Party Forum. I am always glad to show up when voters want to know why someone is running for office.

Interestingly, the other two Republican candidates running in District 7 had other plans. I'm sure they were busy, but I would have loved the opportunity to hear their perspectives on the $1.2B debt and the potential sale of the Williamson County Medical Center.

The recorded d̶e̶b̶a̶t̶e̶ interview should be available to watch in a couple of weeks — I'll post the link when it's up. Until then, happy to answer any questions about my 3½ years of fiscal oversight and fighting for District 7. That's kind of my thing

02/07/2026

Community update:

At Thursday’s Public Health Committee meeting, Commissioner David O’Neill indicated his intent to sponsor a resolution exploring ways for Williamson County to have representation or formal input regarding the Nashville Electric Service.

Several commissioners, including myself, have agreed to co-sponsor this resolution. Because NES governance is established by state law, any change would require legislative action, and the resolution will be shared with our state delegation.

The resolution is expected to be introduced as a late-filed item at Monday’s Commission meeting. Residents are always welcome to attend and observe.

This post is simply meant to share an update on an item that is moving through the public process.

02/05/2026

As a Williamson County Commissioner, I believe we need to seriously examine representation and accountability at the Nashville Electric Service.

In my district alone, nearly half of residents are served by NES, yet as an elected official representing those residents, I have no voice or input into how that utility is governed.

During the recent ice storm, the difference in performance was stark. I am served by Middle Tennessee Electric and was without power for about 12 hours. Meanwhile, some NES-served residents in Williamson County have been without power for nearly two weeks.

When a utility’s decisions directly affect the safety and well-being of our residents, local representation matters. If a significant portion of Williamson County is going to be served by NES, then Williamson County and Brentwood should have a seat at the table.

That will require changes to state law, and I plan to work with our state representatives to pursue those changes so our residents are not left without a voice—or power—for extended periods of time.

This is about accountability, transparency, and ensuring better outcomes for our community.

02/05/2026

A great way to get your chain sharpened for free. I went last weekend. I hope you all are staying safe.

01/31/2026

I stopped by the Martin Center today and was surprised to see no one there. If you’re still without power, please consider using the warming shelter. Even if you don’t plan to stay overnight, it’s a safe place to warm up, charge your phone, and take a hot shower.

A night on a cot may not be ideal, but it’s far better than a cold night at home.

Brentwood — please be careful out there. This is some serious cold.

01/26/2026

I hope you all are safe out there and warm. This was shared with all county commissioners and I wanted to pass it along to all of you:

I hope you and your community are staying safe as Winter Storm Fern continues to impact Tennessee. On behalf of Comcast, I want to share some important information.

Since the onset of the storm, we have proactively sent communications directly to Xfinity residential and Comcast Business customers via email, as well as posted on social media. For more information, customers can chat with an agent online or through the Xfinity App, visit Xfinity.com/response, connect with Comcast on X at or speak with an agent via phone at 1-800-Xfinity.

Further, Comcast has emergency response crews in place, and they are actively working to assess and restore any damage to our facilities, including extensive work to locate any broken poles or downed lines.

Report a Downed Line
We urge everyone to please stay away from any downed lines. Any downed lines are considered live and dangerous until assessed by local authorities. To report a downed line you can chat with an Xfinity Assistant through the Xfinity App or the Xfinity website.

Restoration Efforts
The majority of our service interruptions are due to commercial power outages and/or restricted access to facilities because of hazardous conditions and closures. In these situations, we must wait for commercial power to restore their services and clear the area before our technicians can begin work.

For most customers, services should be restored after power is restored. However, it's important to note that even if power has been restored to an individual's home, there are instances where power has not yet been fully restored to our local Comcast distribution point that serves the neighborhood. To confirm, Comcast recommends restarting or resetting devices, including modems and TV boxes.

If you have constituents who continue to experience Xfinity service outages after power has been restored or have damaged lines in their yards or neighborhoods, please reach out to me directly, and we will work to get crews out as quickly as possible.

Thank you,

Kim

Kim Sasser Hayden
Comcast
Executive Director, Government & Community Affairs
Tennessee, West Virginia, & Ohio
615-202-2280

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01/10/2026

This sure sounds like fun. And it is good for you all to know about this emergency room option. I got a chance to go on a tour of this ER yesterday, and I was very impressed. I hope you might find time to stop by.