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)

David Briley was the eighth mayor of Nashville and Davidson County. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 8, 1964. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Before becoming mayor, he served as the Vice Mayor of Nashville. He became acting mayor in March 2018 after the previous mayor resigned. Later, he won a special election to officially become mayor. He was the first mayor born in Nashville since 1991. John Cooper became mayor after defeating Briley in the 2019 election.

David Briley's Early Life and Education

David Briley grew up in Nashville. His grandfather, Beverly Briley, was the very first elected mayor of the combined Nashville and Davidson County government.

David went to Glendale Elementary School and Lipscomb Middle School. He also attended Montgomery Bell Academy. He then studied at Georgetown University, earning a bachelor's degree in 1987. After college, he traveled to Latin America and volunteered as an English teacher. In 1995, he earned a law degree (called a JD) from Golden Gate University. He was recognized for his work in administrative and environmental law.

David Briley's Political Journey

Briley started his political career as a Metro Councilman for Davidson County. He served from 1999 to 2007. As a councilman, he helped make decisions for the city. He was the Vice-Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, which handles the city's money. He also worked on committees for personnel, public information, and traffic.

In 2001, 2002, and 2006, the Nashville Scene newspaper named him "Best Council Member." Business Nashville magazine also featured him as one of "40 under 40" in 2000.

In 2006, Briley decided to run for Mayor of Nashville. He had a team of experienced people helping his campaign. He finished fifth in the election held in August 2007. After this, he returned to working as a lawyer.

Becoming Vice Mayor and Mayor

In 2015, David Briley was elected Vice Mayor of Nashville. The Vice Mayor steps in if the mayor cannot do their job. On March 6, 2018, Mayor Megan Barry resigned. Briley was then sworn in as the acting mayor of Metro Nashville.

Soon after becoming acting mayor, Briley announced he would run for the rest of the mayor's term. He also announced plans to tear down the old Herschel Greer Stadium. This stadium was on the grounds of Civil War Fort Negley. Briley wanted to turn the area into a natural park. This was to honor the many enslaved people who helped build Fort Negley.

Briley also supported a plan called "Let's Move Nashville." This plan aimed to improve public transportation. However, the plan was voted down by the public in May 2018. Despite this, Briley remained popular. Just three weeks later, he won the special election to become the official mayor. He won with more than half the votes against many other candidates.

In 2019, Briley ran for re-election as Mayor of Nashville. In the first round, John Cooper received more votes than Briley. Both advanced to a runoff election. In the runoff, John Cooper won by a large margin. Cooper became the new Mayor of Nashville on September 28, 2019.

Key Contributions to Nashville

In 2005, Briley suggested that Nashville should have citywide wireless internet. While his idea wasn't fully adopted at first, it helped lead to free wireless internet in public libraries and parks, like Centennial Park.

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

In 2007, Briley wrote a law that required new government buildings in Nashville to meet LEED certification standards. This means buildings had to be designed to be environmentally friendly and use less energy.

David Briley's Personal Life

David Briley is married to Jodie Bell, and they have one son. As mentioned, his grandfather, Beverly Briley, was the first mayor of the combined Nashville and Davidson County. His brother, Rob Briley, also served as a Tennessee State Representative.

Before becoming mayor, Briley worked as a lawyer. 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