Kristin New for Germantown

09/15/2026

Here is the speech I gave tonight at the Town of Collierville Board of Mayor & Aldermen meeting.

COLLIERVILLE DESERVES THE TRUTH: INVESTIGATE THE TOWN ADMINISTRATION

Good evening. My name is Justin Johnson, and I live at ————.

I am asking this Board to authorize an independent investigation into the Town Administration.

This is not about presuming guilt or attacking Town employees. It is about establishing the facts, protecting public trust, and ensuring that Collierville’s Charter, personnel policies, and financial procedures are followed.

The handling of former Fire Chief John Selberg remains a serious concern. Residents deserve a documented timeline explaining why he was placed on administrative leave, what evidence supported that decision, who had the authority to make it, and whether he received the due process required by Town policy and the Charter.

The Town Administrator alleged that Chief Selberg used profanity and declared that he did not report to her. Chief Selberg denied making that statement. Conflicting accounts involving such a significant personnel action should be resolved through documents, witness interviews, and evidence.

The investigation should also examine broader personnel practices. Former and current employees have raised concerns about retaliation, inconsistent discipline, and consequences for reporting workplace problems. Determining whether those allegations are substantiated is exactly why an impartial investigation is necessary.

Human Resources should also be reviewed. Were complaints investigated fairly? Were employees informed of the allegations against them and allowed to respond? Were disciplinary and appeal procedures followed consistently?

Questions also remain about public communications. When the Town’s Public Information Officer published a column defending the Town Administrator, was she acting personally or officially, and were Town policies followed?

Financial controls demand answers as well. Records obtained through a public-records request document that Town Administrator Molly Mehner received 58 overpayments totaling $14,053.98. How did that continue without being detected? Who authorized the repayment arrangement, and why was the money allowed to be repaid without interest?

Residents also deserve answers concerning public-records practices, administrative restructuring, and compliance with the Town Charter.

An internal review within the same chain of command will not resolve these concerns. The investigator must be independent, employees must be protected when participating, and the findings should be released publicly to the fullest extent permitted by law.

An investigation does not predetermine wrongdoing—it determines the truth. If everything was handled properly, the investigation will confirm it. If mistakes were made, Collierville deserves accountability and corrective action.

I respectfully ask this Board to authorize an independent investigation and give Collierville citizens the answers they deserve.

Thank you and God Bless.

09/14/2026

COLLIERVILLE VOTERS — IS THIS A POLITICAL SHIFT OR JUST POLITICS?

Liz Casey Deely is currently running for Collierville Alderman, and when someone asks voters to put them in public office, their public record becomes fair game for discussion.

These screenshots show an interesting contrast.

In June 2020, a Facebook post under Liz Casey Deely’s name featured a photo framed with rainbow colors and the words “BLACK TRANS LIVES MATTER.”

Then, in October 2024, another post under the same name shows her holding a Maureen Fraser for Mayor campaign sign.

Now, in 2026, Deely is campaigning for Collierville Alderman with traditional red, white and blue political branding.

People’s views can change. Political alliances can change. There is nothing inherently wrong with either. But voters also have every right to ask candidates where they stand today and whether their current campaign reflects a genuine evolution in their beliefs or simply the politics necessary to win an election.

I’m not telling anyone what conclusion to reach. Look at the dates. Look at the posts. Look at the campaign today. Then ask questions.

For me, the important questions are straightforward: What does Liz Deely believe today? Which principles would guide her decisions as an Alderman? Has her political philosophy changed since 2020? And what specifically does she want to accomplish for Collierville?

Local elections shouldn’t just be about signs, slogans, endorsements, or polished campaign material. They should be about records, principles, transparency, and where candidates actually stand on the issues.

Collierville voters deserve to know who they’re voting for.

09/14/2026

09/13/2026

❤️ BEFORE YOU JUDGE A PARENT, UNDERSTAND WHY THEY FOUGHT.

There has been discussion about Vicki Gandee suing the Germantown Municipal School District. With Vicki now running for the Germantown Board of Education, that lawsuit is naturally going to be discussed.

But simply saying “Vicki Gandee sued GMSD” leaves out the most important part of the story.

She was a mother whose son had been seriously injured.

The case goes back to 2016, when Vicki’s son, Jackson, was injured while weightlifting during football conditioning at Houston High School.

His family filed a lawsuit alleging negligence surrounding what happened to their son. The lawsuit originally sought $5 million in damages.

People can debate the lawsuit, the allegations and the amount that was originally requested. But before judging a mother or father for taking legal action, put yourself in the position of a parent.

Your child gets hurt.

You are worried about what his future is going to look like.

You are thinking about doctors, treatment, medical expenses and what challenges he may face years down the road.

And you believe you have a responsibility to advocate for him.

What would you do?

Most parents aren’t thinking about politics in that moment. They aren’t thinking about whether their decision might be brought up during a school board election ten years later.

They’re thinking about their child.

⚖️ AFTER NEARLY A DECADE, THE CASE ENDED WITH A $75,000 SETTLEMENT.

That is an important number to put into context.

The reported settlement was $75,000 total involving Vicki, her husband and their son — not $75,000 apiece.

There was also insurance involved in handling the claim. Reporting on the settlement stated that GMSD officials were unsure at the time whether the district’s insurance company had actually issued the settlement payment.

Regardless of the battles between lawyers inside of a courtroom, there is a human story behind all of the legal language.

There was an injured child and there were parents trying to advocate for their son.

If the family is facing continuing medical expenses associated with Jackson’s injuries, $75,000 can disappear quickly. It certainly isn’t the $5 million originally sought in the lawsuit.

After almost ten years of litigation, sometimes a family reaches a point where continuing the fight has its own cost.

As parents, we can disagree about lawsuits. We can disagree about politics. We can even disagree about who should serve on the Germantown Board of Education.

But I think most mothers and fathers understand one basic instinct:

🚨 When your child is hurt, you fight for them.

❗️ I don’t believe Vicki Gandee should be reduced to the statement, “She sued the school district.”

Tell the whole story.

Tell people why the lawsuit was filed.

Tell them that it involved her son’s injury.

Tell them it lasted nearly a decade.

Tell them about the $75,000 total settlement.

Tell them about the role of insurance.

And then let Germantown voters decide for themselves what they think about Vicki Gandee.

Because behind court filings, settlement figures and political campaigns are real families, real children and parents trying to do what they believe is best for their kids.

❤️ At the end of the day, this is a story about a mother advocating for her child.

09/13/2026

🏫 COLLIERVILLE SCHOOL BOARD: MIKE EBBS VS. JASON MORRISON

One local race Collierville voters should be paying close attention to is the race for Collierville School Board, Position 2.

The race features Republican Mike Ebbs and Democrat Jason Morrison, competing for a seat on the five-member board that helps oversee one of the most important institutions in our community: Collierville Schools.

🔴 MIKE EBBS — REPUBLICAN

Ebbs brings a strong financial and administrative background to the race. He serves as Vice Chancellor for Finance at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and is a Collierville Schools parent.

His campaign has emphasized:

• Fiscal responsibility and responsible use of taxpayer dollars
• Supporting teachers and classroom resources
• Parental involvement
• School safety
• STEM and career and technical education
• AP, honors and dual-enrollment opportunities

Ebbs won the Republican primary and now advances to the general election.

🔵 JASON MORRISON — DEMOCRAT

Morrison serves as Vice President of Clinical Research Informatics at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and is also a Collierville Schools parent.

His campaign emphasizes:

• Strong academics and measurable student growth
• Teacher recruitment and retention
• Greater transparency
• Parent and community engagement
• STEM and career education
• Independent scrutiny of district spending
• Directing more resources toward classrooms

Morrison has described himself as bringing a new perspective to the School Board and has said his campaign isn’t about national politics.

🗳️ SO WHERE ARE THE DIFFERENCES?

That’s what Collierville voters should be asking.

On their campaign platforms, Ebbs and Morrison agree on quite a bit: strong academics, supporting teachers, parental involvement, fiscal responsibility, STEM and preparing students for their futures.

But school board members eventually have to vote on difficult issues.

Where do these candidates stand on parental rights, curriculum and library materials, school vouchers, DEI, Title IX policies, taxes, administrative spending, teacher pay and future school growth?

Those are questions worth asking before Election Day.

This is also a partisan school board election.

🔴 Mike Ebbs — Republican
🔵 Jason Morrison — Democrat

But a letter beside someone’s name shouldn’t be the end of the conversation. Voters should know what each candidate actually believes and how each intends to govern.

School board races don’t always receive the attention of congressional, state or mayoral races, but the decisions made by these five board members directly affect our children, teachers, taxpayers and the future of Collierville.

Do your research. Ask both candidates tough questions. Pay attention to this race.

👇 Collierville voters: What issue do YOU want Mike Ebbs and Jason Morrison to answer before Election Day?

Mike Ebbs for School Board
Morrison4SchoolBoard

09/13/2026

🗳️ ONE CONTESTED LOCAL RACE TO WATCH

For the Republican Party of Shelby County, the local spotlight this November is on Germantown.

Vicki Gandee is running against Joy Williams for Germantown Municipal School District, Position 4.

With only one contested local school board race on the ballot, this contest deserves the attention of Germantown voters.

📍 GMSD Position 4
Vicki Bayer Gandee (R) vs. Joy Williams (I)

Do your research, learn where each candidate stands, and make your voice heard at the ballot box.