Meet your candidates: Randy Fiedler talks vision for Pegram

The local election season is upon us in Pegram, and residents are eager to learn more about the individuals vying to represent their interests and lead their community forward. 

The Kingston Springs Gazette sat down with each of the six candidates running for the town’s two open alderman seats, offering insights into their backgrounds, motivations, and visions for the town.

Early voting for Pegram’s local election is now open until Saturday, July 27. See the early voting schedule and polling locations here. Pegram residents can also vote at Pegram City Hall on election day on Thursday, Aug. 1. 

Each candidate brings a unique perspective shaped by their experiences and dedication to Pegram. Whether they are long-standing residents deeply ingrained in the fabric of the community or newer arrivals driven by innovative ideas, their stories represent a diverse spectrum of voices committed to tackling local challenges and propelling positive growth.

Below, get acquainted with alderman candidate Randy Fiedler, 65, who has been a resident of Pegram for more than two decades, and delve into his perspectives on crucial issues through our comprehensive Q&A session.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

KSG: Can you introduce yourself and explain why you're running for alderman in Pegram?

Fiedler: Most of my life I've committed to public service in one way or another. Out of high school, I joined the service. I'm an Army veteran – I got the GI Bill, and with that I went and got my bachelor's degree in business. 

In the Army, I was trained as a veterinarian technician. As I was going to school, I worked with animals and the animal clinic and with research animals. After I graduated, I worked for the American Red Cross, and I was a manager of their animal facility, which went in line with my work when I was in the Army. 

In the Army, we worked on a bandage for the military for traumatic wounds during combat to stop arterial bleeding, using animals for the research. When I was at the American Red Cross, we also had an investigator there that was managing the animals that were used in the research to develop [the bandage]. We continued that research to develop this bandage [at the Red Cross], and right now they're using that in combat to save a lot of lives. It's just good to know that something you've done in your career has benefited other people. 

I've been a veteran, and I've worked for nonprofits, and I just want to continue the public service, and contribute to the community and the town – keeping it small, but still understanding that there has to be some limited growth.

KSG: What qualifications and experience do you have that make you suitable for this role?

Fiedler: I’ve served on committees most of my adult life. In the Army, I was on the Non-Commissioned Officer Committee. We had a committee to go over issues with soldiers that were in the building. 

When I was working at the Red Cross, our research community had a committee. It's called the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, and there's different branches. I served on that committee as chair of events, chair of education – I served on that committee probably 10-12 years or so. 

Right now, I'm serving on the Democratic Committee in Cheatham County, which I've been on for the past 12 years or so. My wife passed probably five or six years into us living here, so I was feeling lost and depressed. I joined the Cheatham County Democratic Committee to get out of my depression and get out into the world again and meet people. I’ve been serving on that committee for a while, and I thought maybe I would give it a shot at the board here more locally in the township.

KSG: What are the top issues facing Pegram that you would prioritize if elected?

Fiedler: I've been going to the town meetings every month, and I keep bringing up the same issues – it's safety. My main concern is the safety of people. 

We have Sam's Creek Road and the intersection with U.S. 70, but then there's also a light up there that’s E Kingston Springs Road, so I know it might not be feasible to have a second light there at Sam’s Creek and 70. But there needs to be some kind of traffic study to see if we need to add lanes and turn lanes, or widen the lanes there or something to relieve the congestion, especially around times of day when people get in rush hour. There's times when 40 is blocked and people are using 70, and it's really something that I've been trying to get our board to get TDOT to look at. 

The other issue down here is sidewalks for our community. They keep talking about the businesses that don't want to come here; they can't get more businesses to fill in the commercial spots. So one of the things is sidewalks. Especially down here, where the ballparks are, people using wheelchairs and strollers are going in the road. And I know they have the speed humps there, but why can't we just have sidewalks running from the light at least to the ballpark? 

And then there's maintenance of the side roads where nature has overgrown and you can't see when you're coming in and out of roads. I talk to neighbors, and a lot of people almost hit other people coming down Thompson and other two lane roads in our little town. So they need to get more scheduled maintenance of our roadways and town. 

All of these deal with the safety of people so we're not running into people. And the sidewalks are going to help build up the infrastructure to bring in businesses that we're going to want.

KSG: How do you plan to engage with the community to understand their concerns and ideas?

Fiedler: Communication is tough in this town. We don't have a paper anymore – I'm referring to the elderly, they like something in their hands. They're not always computer savvy or want to be on social media. I think a bulletin once a month to send out to people would be nice. I would say communication by mail is the best way to reach the people in our town. 

KSG: How do you balance the need for growth and development in Pegram with preserving its small-town character?

Fiedler: Bring in businesses that are nine to five. I'm thinking of more cultural type businesses. We have The Mud Puddle, we have the Fiddle and Pick, if we get some kind of antique store, or some kind of Amish selling woodwork – something along those lines to make it more of a cultural kind of place that people would come to from Nashville to visit, spend their money and then go home. 

People do want a fast food place. I've talked to many neighbors and they want fast food so that they have an option. Because if they can't fix something up at home real quick, where can they go? They don't have a place. Even Kingston Springs is difficult for some of the elderly. I don't think there's a lot of consideration for the elderly so much in town, because there's a lot going on with the ballpark and young families, but I've seen the community age, and I think we need to gear a little more toward that.

KSG: What strategies do you have to encourage economic development and support local businesses in Pegram?

Fiedler: For one, working on the infrastructure, like I said, on the sidewalks, traffic too. But I don't know that we're reaching out to businesses. I don't think there's a lot of outreach. You need to get on the phone or email or social media and contact. In Nashville, there's a lot of music and culture down there that’s looking to get out of there and maybe go to a small town and develop their trade.

KSG: How will you work with other city officials, including the mayor and other aldermen, to achieve common goals for Pegram?

Fiedler: That's all about compromise and working with other people and getting input before I make my decision. I'm all about collaboration. When I managed my staff, we always had a weekly meeting and I always asked for ideas from staff and if they're good ideas we've implemented them.

I have no control issues like that. I think life needs to be a collaboration with other people.

KSG: How do you plan to ensure transparency in local government decisions and processes?

Fiedler: I think that's part of the problem that we're having right now. There’s some ordinances, and it says it was posted at the post office and Finch’s. Unless you're going to these specific places, you don't know they're putting new ordinances into effect. Like I said, I think mail is the way to do it – send these bulletins when there's anything going on that the community needs to know about.

KSG: What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Pegram in the next four years, and how do you plan to address it?

Fiedler: I think it's growth, because the city's slowly moving out this way, but it seems to be picking up, especially because they just started putting up all those homes down there by Eddie's. So that's going to increase the population base, and they're going to be looking for a place to go. And some of those people might be wanting to start businesses out our way closer to where they live. So we're going have to put things in place to get the businesses that we want, like I said earlier, to try and promote the businesses – to be proactive instead of reactive.

KSG: Why should the residents of Pegram vote for you?

Fiedler: Probably for the things I’ve already touched on. I don't have a horse in the race, and I'm not there for my personal benefit. Public service is public service, not personal service. I'm not looking at what's best for me, I'm looking at what's best for the community as a whole. I think serving my country has shown that I am about public service, and also working for the American Red Cross and another organization that's there for the public. I grew up in public schools, went to public schools, went to public college. I'm an honest person. I listen to people, and I'm going to do the best I can for what's best for our community.