Clarksville residents accuse street director David Smith of misleading on drainage issues

Concerns over mismanagement in Clarksville's street department took center stage during the City Council Executive Session on March 27, 2025. A resident voiced serious allegations against David Smith, the street department director, claiming he misrepresented drainage issues affecting multiple families, including his own, during an October 2024 presentation.

The resident accused Smith of using misinformation and deception to manipulate city officials and the public, stating, "David Smith has harmed the taxpayers of Clarksville." He emphasized that every flooding incident, regardless of scale, deserves equal attention from city resources. "If it's one house that is flooding, that family deserves the same treatment as if it was a hundred homes that were flooding," he asserted, drawing a parallel to military support for individual soldiers in distress.

The resident's investigation revealed a troubling pattern of negligence within the street department, claiming that complaints about drainage issues have not been properly logged or addressed for over a decade. He pointed to failures under both Smith and his predecessor, David Shepherd, suggesting systemic issues that hinder necessary improvements to the city's infrastructure.

This testimony raises significant questions about accountability and the effectiveness of city management in addressing critical infrastructure needs. As the council considers these allegations, the implications for Clarksville's residents and their trust in local governance remain to be seen.