David Briley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Briley
Briley in 2018
8th Mayor of Metropolitan Nashville
In office March 6, 2018 – September 28, 2019 Acting: March 6, 2018 – May 24, 2018
Preceded by	Megan Barry
Succeeded by	John Cooper
Vice Mayor of Nashville
In office September 25, 2015 – May 24, 2018
Preceded by	Diane Neighbors
Succeeded by	Jim Shulman
Personal details
Born	Clifton David Briley (1964-01-08) January 8, 1964 (age 61) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Jodie Bell
Children	1
Education	Georgetown University (BA) Golden Gate University (JD)

Clifton David Briley (born January 8, 1964) is an American politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the eighth mayor of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County.

Briley was first elected as Vice Mayor in 2015. He became the acting mayor on March 6, 2018, after the previous mayor, Megan Barry, resigned. Briley then won a special election on May 24, 2018, to become the official mayor. He served until September 28, 2019, when John Cooper became mayor. David Briley was the first mayor since 1991 to be born in both Nashville and Tennessee.

Early Life and School

David Briley grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. His grandfather, Beverly Briley, was the first elected mayor of Metropolitan Nashville.

David went to Glendale Elementary School and Lipscomb Middle School. He also attended Montgomery Bell Academy.

College and Law School

Briley earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University in 1987. After college, he traveled to Latin America and volunteered as an English teacher.

He later studied law at Golden Gate University. He received his law degree in 1995. He was recognized for his work in administrative and environmental law.

Political Journey

Briley served as an At Large Metro Councilman for Davidson County. He held this position from 1999 to 2007.

He was the Vice-Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee. He also served on several other important committees. These included committees for personnel, public information, and housing.

Recognition and Campaigns

The Nashville Scene newspaper named Briley "Best Council Member" multiple times. This happened in 2001, 2002, and 2006. Business Nashville magazine also featured him as one of "40 under 40" in 2000.

In 2000, Briley helped with the Al Gore presidential campaign. He was a state co-chair for GoreNet in Tennessee. This group focused on getting people involved locally and online.

In 2006, Briley ran for Mayor of Nashville. He finished fifth in the August 2007 election. After this, he returned to his private life.

Becoming Mayor

In 2015, Briley was elected Vice Mayor of Nashville. On March 6, 2018, Mayor Megan Barry resigned from her position. This was due to issues related to her use of public funds. As Vice Mayor, David Briley then became the acting mayor of Metro Nashville.

Soon after becoming acting mayor, Briley announced he would run for the rest of Barry's term. A special election was set for May 2018. Briley won this election with 55% of the votes. This made him the official mayor of Nashville.

Key Decisions as Mayor

As mayor, Briley supported a plan to tear down Herschel Greer Stadium. This was the former home of the Nashville Sounds baseball team. The stadium was on the grounds of Civil War Fort Negley. Briley wanted to keep this area as a natural park. This was to honor the many enslaved people who worked on building Fort Negley.

Briley also supported the "Let's Move Nashville" transit plan. This plan aimed to improve public transportation. However, the plan was not approved by voters in May 2018.

Re-election Campaign

Briley ran for re-election as Mayor in the 2019 Nashville mayoral election. In the first round, John Cooper received more votes than Briley. Both advanced to a runoff election.

In the runoff election, Briley was defeated by John Cooper. Cooper became the new Mayor of Nashville on September 28, 2019.

Important Contributions

In 2005, Briley suggested that Nashville should have citywide wireless internet access. While this idea was not fully adopted at first, it helped lead to free wireless access. This was later provided in Davidson County's public libraries and many parks, like Centennial Park.

In 2006, Briley was one of the few who spoke out against a plan to move the Nashville Sounds baseball team downtown. This proposed development was later canceled. A new stadium, First Tennessee Park, was built slightly north of downtown instead.

In 2007, Briley created a law requiring new government buildings in Nashville to meet LEED standards. These standards help buildings be more environmentally friendly.

Personal Life

David Briley is married to Jodie Bell, and they have one son. His brother, Rob Briley, served as a Tennessee State Representative.

Before becoming mayor, Briley worked as a lawyer at Bone McAllester Norton PLLC. Being mayor of Nashville is a full-time job, so he stopped practicing law during his term. After his time as mayor ended, he returned to his law firm.

See also

• List of mayors of the 50 largest cities in the United States