Aggressive panhandling bill up for council vote Tuesday

By MICHAEL CASS and JENNIFER BROOKS Staff Writers(Tennessean) The Metro Council is set to make a final vote Tuesday night to outlaw “aggressive” panhandling in Nashville. The sweeping legislation would put limits on anyone asking for a handout in the streets, alleys and public places of the city, with the exception of street musicians. For supporters, the legislation is a reasonable response to a growing number of uncomfortable, and occasionally intimidating, encounters between downtown residents and visitors and pushy panhandlers. But opponents say the law would intimidate an already vulnerable population of homeless people, without addressing the reasons they are out begging for money on the street in the first place. The bill has gone through two readings before the council and is likely to win approval Tuesday night. It would ban all panhandling after dark, or near automated teller machines, sidewalk cafés, business entrances, bus stops or schools. It would also make it a crime to approach someone “aggressively” to ask for money, which the bill defines as everything from making threatening statements to touching them, blocking their path or refusing to take “no” for an answer. Ben Bahil, who lives and works downtown, said he supports the bill because it would crack down on “con artists,” many of whom he believes aren’t homeless. “They’re the ones who want more than 25 cents,” said Bahil, a member of the Urban Residents Association. “There’s a certain amount of that that you need to expect, living in an urban area. But Nashville is way out of proportion with what you would expect.” But Metro Councilman Jerry Maynard said he plans to vote against the panhandling bill because existing laws already prohibit threatening behavior and assault. He also said it would be “ludicrous” to fine people who are begging for money or to put them in already overcrowded jails. “The solution is to look at a comprehensive plan to deal with homelessness,” Maynard said. “When people are frustrated, they pass legislation that doesn’t do anything long-term but gives some short-term relief.” Maynard, an attorney and minister who represents the entire county on the council, also said he couldn’t support the legislation as a Christian. But the bill’s leading sponsor, Councilman Walter Hunt, insists that cracking down on unacceptable behavior does not mean the city lacks compassion, pointing to the $2.3 million the city has pledged to build 200 new housing units for the homeless this year. “We’re only concerned with the people who are out there harassing people, threatening people, panhandling people after dark,” he said. “A lot of the people doing that aren’t even homeless people. They’re professional beggars.” Other cities have passed similar aggressive panhandling bills, only to see them struck down by the courts. Matt Leber, spokesman for Nashville’s Homeless Power Project, predicted a similar fate for this law. “We have a problem with spending millions of dollars to incarcerate people for misdemeanors,” he said. “We should be channeling that money into outreach and housing and treatment programs.”

The Davidson County Election Commission-Special Meeting

The Davidson County Election Commission will hold a “Special Called” meeting on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. Metro Office Building: 800 2nd Ave. S. 2nd floor- Davidson Room

URGENT MUST READ

Metro voters to get free identity theft protection Letter with instructions coming next week By MICHAEL CASS Staff Writer(Tennessean) Metro voters will receive a year of free identity theft coverage provided by the city after two computers containing 337,000 Social Security numbers were stolen from the Davidson County Election Commission, Mayor Karl Dean announced today. “My goal is to not only protect the voters whose Social Security numbers have been put at risk, but also to protect the integrity of the election process. We’re going into an extremely important election season and I want all citizens to feel 100 percent confident that they can and should participate in this process without worrying about their personal information being compromised,” Dean said. Metro "is contracting with Debix Identity Protection Network to provide affected citizens a full year of identity theft coverage from the date of registration and the option to renew for a second year of coverage for $9.50, a steep reduction from the consumer price of $99 per year," according to a news release from the mayor's office. Voters will receive a letter with instructions on how to enroll with Debix no later than next week, the mayor's office said. An enrollment form and an activation code will be included. Voters can use the activation code to mail in their enrollment form or register for the service online at www.debix.com/nashville. Debix expects 25 to 35 percent of affected voters to take advantage of the service, according to the release. Under the contract agreement with Metro, Debix will receive $9.75 per account activation for the first 20,000 enrollees and $9.25 for all others. If 100,000 voters sign up, the program will cost the city more than $900,000.

Wackenhut CEO steps down amid controversy

By DAN CATERINICCHIA Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- The CEO of Wackenhut Corp., which recently lost its job protecting 10 nuclear power plants after guards at one plant were caught napping, has left the company. Wackenhut also has a contract to provide security services at Nashville Metro Government buildings. The company has come under local scrutiny recently after two laptop computers were stolen that contained the names and Social Security numbers of 337,000 registered Davidson County voters. The Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.-based security provider, a subsidiary of British based security giant G4S PLC, thanked Gary A. Sanders for his service, but did not say why he left in a press release to be issued Thursday. Grahame Gibson, a board member and G4S's chief operating officer, now has responsibility for the company's North American operations. After guards at one plant were found to be sleeping on the job last year, Chicago-based utility Exelon Corp. last month said that by July it will replace Wackenhut with an in-house security force at its 10 nuclear power plants. Wackenhut officials have said the apparent lapses in attentiveness at the Peach Bottom plant in Pennsylvania were "an anomaly." Exelon said it took action even though a review of security at its other plants found "no significant deficiencies." Since a videotape arose that showed a guard at the Peach Bottom plant nodding off, the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission has asked commercial nuclear power plant operators to provide new information about their security practices. The agency in October confirmed guards had been sleeping on the job at the plant. Wackenhut also provides security, fire and other services to Department of Defense locations in Iraq. Shares of G4S fell about 1.4 percent to $425.32 on the London Stock Exchange in afternoon trading.

Board boss scolds Garcia for missing meeting

Garcia strikes back: 'You are not accurate'

Metro Council asks for opinion on firing Garcia

By HEIDI HALL Staff Writer (Tennessean) A Metro Council agenda for Jan. 15, released this afternoon, includes a resolution asking the state education commissioner to remove Schools Director Pedro Garcia. Sponsored by Councilman Eric Crafton, it's non-binding and lists Metro schools' academic challenges. The council made a symbolic resolution regarding the school district earlier this year. It asked the board to align teacher raises with top administrative raises. Metro Council determines funding for the school system, but the system has its own independently elected body to make decisions. The state board of education has been more involved with Metro's decisions this school year because the district consistently failed to meet standards under No Child Left Behind. Here's the text of the resolution. RESOLUTION NO. RS2008-137 A resolution requesting the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education to make a recommendation as to whether it is appropriate that the Metropolitan Nashville Director of Schools be removed by the Tennessee Board of Education. WHEREAS, during the tenure of the current Director of Schools, the Metropolitan Council has shown tremendous support for Metro Schools by fully funding, if not exceeding, the Mayor’s recommended budget; and WHEREAS, although the Council has no direct oversight as to the operation of the school system, the Council has a responsibility to ensure that the funds appropriated for public schools are used in the most prudent manner possible and that student achievement is progressing at an acceptable level; and WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Nashville Public School (MNPS) system was recently moved into the “corrective action” phase of the federal No Child Left Behind law by the Tennessee Department of Education; and WHEREAS, as a result of dismal academic performance, state officials acted to remove the principal at Maplewood High School; and WHEREAS, the 2007 TCAP results show that MNPS fourth graders scored below the minimum growth standard in math and reading, and sixth and eighth graders were below the growth standard in social studies by at least two standard errors; and WHEREAS, the state high school Gateway test results indicate that Metro public schools’ progress is significantly below the average system in Tennessee in Algebra I, Biology I, and English II; and WHEREAS, Metro public schools ranked at the bottom of the list of Tennessee school systems on the Math Foundations end of course exam, and have the highest dropout rates and lowest graduation rates in the state; and WHEREAS, the average ACT score for Metro public schools’ students is a 19.08, which is below the minimum requirement for the HOPE scholarship and precludes our students from admission into 99 percent of the colleges in this country; and WHEREAS, Davidson County property taxpayers fund the Metropolitan Schools at the second highest level of 135 school districts for the local portion of the per pupil expenditure; and WHEREAS, Tennessee Code Annotated § 49-1-602 authorizes the Tennessee Commissioner of Education to recommend to the state Board of Education that the local schools director be replaced if a school system does not make progress to meet the minimum standards after being on probation for two consecutive years; and WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the Tennessee Board of Education take the action necessary to determine whether it is appropriate that the MNPS Director of Schools position be vacated by the state Board of Education. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY: Section 1. That the Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as requesting the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education to make a recommendation as to whether it is appropriate that the Metropolitan Nashville Director of Schools be removed by the Tennessee Board of Education. Section 2. The Metropolitan Clerk is directed to send a copy of this Resolution to Lana Seivers, the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education. Section 3. That this Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it. Sponsored by: Eric Crafton

Mayors New Release

Cut and paste to your browser and read this important information http://www.tennessean.com/assets/doc/DN9612118.doc

Audit: Metro was billed for absent guards

Building with laptops exposed for days By MICHAEL CASS and SHEILA WISSNER Staff Writers A private security firm didn't cover a vulnerable Nashville government building on Saturdays for months — but did send the city a bill for its services, according to a government audit. Laptop computers containing Metro voters' Social Security numbers were stolen from the facility before Christmas, potentially exposing 337,000 people to identity theft. Although it's not clear whether the break-in occurred on a Saturday, city officials said the alleged failings of Wackenhut Corp. and a subcontractor are still outrageous if they're accurate. "We need to hold these companies responsible, and if what's being alleged is true, they should be dismissed," Michael Craddock, chairman of the Metro Council's Public Safety Committee, said Tuesday. Marc Shapiro, a Wackenhut spokesman based in Florida, declined to comment. Wackenhut, which has a five-year contract to provide security at many Metro buildings, billed the city for $149.76 each Saturday from October through December for work at the Metro Office Building, said Janel Lacy, Mayor Karl Dean's spokeswoman. That amount represents 12 hours at $12.48 an hour for one guard provided by Specialized Security Consultants, a subcontractor. But Metro General Services, which manages the building, said it couldn't find any records that security guards swiped their keycards through card readers on those days, when the building was supposed to be covered for 12 hours. Metro officials are trying to determine whether Wackenhut dishonestly billed the city for services it didn't perform or if individual employees failed to do their assigned tasks. An independent auditing firm will look at records from every Metro building Wackenhut guards under its contract, which started on May 1. City attorneys will "take appropriate action" against Wackenhut if it violated its contract, Dean said in a news release. Specialized Security Consultants, which is based in Mt. Juliet, won't be able to work for Metro until an investigation is completed, Metro Law Director Sue Cain wrote in a letter to Wackenhut dated Tuesday. An executive with Specialized Security Consultants could not be reached for comment. More questions raised Nashville attorney David Raybin, who specializes in identity theft cases, said the keycard audit gives Metro more ammunition in pursuing Wackenhut for money to reimburse the city. But the audit also raises questions about why Metro officials weren't comparing the keycard data with billing records all along, Raybin said. If they had done so, the city would have realized much sooner that the building was unprotected. "It's like reconciling your checkbook at the end of every month,'' he said. Billing for services that weren't rendered would constitute fraud if Wackenhut or Specialized Security officials intentionally billed Metro for services they knew weren't performed. A pattern of similar actions could help Metro build a case for punitive damages, Raybin said. Wackenhut is under investigation in Florida over accusations the company overbilled the Miami-Dade County government. Last month, the FBI and city government officials raided its corporate offices in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. A preliminary audit showed Wackenhut had improperly billed the Miami-Dade government for up to $12.1 million, news media reported. Fired guard has theory Specialized Security Consultants stopped providing security at the Metro Office Building on Saturday nights in July or August, said Brendan Murphy, a former security guard for the firm. He was fired for failing to perform his duties on Christmas Eve night, when police believe the laptop computers were stolen. The company was trying to save money, said Murphy, who feels he's not to blame. "They were hoping they could get by with it, I guess," he said. The subcontractor's decision meant the building wasn't covered for 36 straight hours each weekend from 6 a.m. Saturday, when an overnight shift ended, to 6 p.m. Sunday, Murphy said. He said he believes the laptops were stolen during that time on the weekend before Christmas. In an interview several hours before the audit results were released Tuesday, Dean said voters "have a right to be angry, they have a right to be disappointed" about the burglary. "I am, too," he said.

Mayor Speaks About Election Building Break-In

Dean Says Building Security Must Improve, Not Specific On Changes Reported by Sara Dorsey(WMSV news channel 4) POSTED: 4:39 pm CST January 7, 2008 UPDATED: 9:35 pm CST January 7, 2008 NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Nashville's mayor is talking publicly for the first time about a break-in at election headquarters that may have compromised voters' personal information. Video: Mayor On Commission Break-In: 'Voters Deserve Better' Two weeks ago, someone broke into a county office and stole two laptops containing hundreds of thousands of names, addresses and Social Security numbers. Mayor Karl Dean quickly said during Monday's interview with Channel 4 that he is disappointed on several levels that this information was on laptops and available to a thief. But two weeks after the robbery, the mayor still had very few specifics about what changes will be made, who will be held accountable, and what Metro is able to do to help voters. Dean said as the mayor of the city, he is sorry, and that he is now focusing on how to keep it from happening again. He said one of the first items to improve is building security. "Obviously we have a responsibility to protect the assets of Metropolitan government, and we need to be sure that those we contract with to do that or those we hire to do that perform their jobs," said Dean. All other city agencies are ordered to report back to him by Friday on how they store and protect sensitive data on computers. "Do you feel like the county's computers are secure?" asked reporter Sara Dorsey. "Obviously we had a problem last week, or two weeks ago, at the election commission, so I'm not going to say I know the answer to that question in its entirety," said Dean. Throughout the interview, Dean suggested countywide changes in security and information storage are possible. "The taxpayers, the voters deserve better and they're going to get better," said Dean. "Do you expect that there will be people held responsible for this?" asked Dorsey. "We will hold people accountable for doing their jobs. I'm not going to pre-judge things. I'm not going to be overdramatic on TV today. What I'm trying to do is make sure we get our reports and look at it in a careful, thoughtful way," said Dean. During a Monday interview, he could not say exactly what the government will do for voters, whether Metro intends to pick up the tab for fraud protection services or clean up any mess left behind if the thief does use voters’ Social Security numbers. One city councilman is calling for an independent audit of two city departments to avoid the perception of any impropriety as the investigation into the laptop thefts continues. "I have no reason that it wouldn't be totally on the up-and-up, but it gives the perception possibly to some people they may be trying to cover up something,” said Councilman Jim Gotto. Gotto is calling for independent internal audit of Metro's Information Technology office and General Services that covers building security. This is different than the review ordered by the mayor because in that case the departments do their own reviews. The independent auditor does not answer to either the mayor or the City Council.

Councilman requests audit after laptop thefts

By MICHAEL CASS Staff Writer (for The Tennessean) Metro Councilman Jim Gotto today asked Metro's internal auditor to "conduct a full-scale audit" of two city agencies related to the theft of laptop computers containing sensitive voter information. Gotto, who represents Hermitage, asked Internal Auditor Mark Swann to review the operations of Metro's General Services and Information Technology Services departments. He also asked the state's elections chief to audit the Davidson County Election Commission, whose offices were burglarized before Christmas. The thief or thieves got away with two computers containing 337,000 voters' Social Security numbers. Police investigators have not been able to find the machines yet. “It is unfortunate that policies and procedures of the previous administration created a scenario that allowed this to happen”, Gotto said in a news release. “That Mayor (Karl) Dean now has to deal with the aftermath of a grave situation for which he bears no responsibility in its creation is regrettable.” General Services manages security for the Metro Office Building, where the election commission has its offices. Dean has directed each city department to audit its own data security by the end of this week. Gotto said he didn't doubt that those reviews would be objective. "However, the conducting of an audit by the Metro Independent Internal Auditor will make certain that there is no appearance or perception of impropriety," he said. The Metro auditor position was created by a charter amendment voters approved in 2006. The audit division is independent of the mayor's administration and the council. The top auditor is appointed by the council and reports to a six-person audit committee.

Fired security guard says he's not to blame for data theft

By MICHAEL CASS Staff Writer (for The Tennessean) The security guard who was fired after computers with voters’ Social Security numbers were stolen from the Davidson County Election Commission says he wasn’t on duty at the time. In fact, Brendan Murphy said in a telephone interview, no one was on duty at the time. Murphy called The Tennessean after reading a story in Friday’s paper about an unnamed guard who was blamed by Metro officials for listening to Christmas music, ordering takeout food and failing to make his hourly rounds as two laptop computers were stolen. He said he was getting “a bad rap,” even though his identity wasn’t known publicly at the time. “I would swear on a stack of Bibles, that window was broken out Saturday (Dec. 22),” Murphy said. Metro police believe the computers were stolen from the Metro Office Building on Monday, Dec. 24, at about 9:45 p.m., when a computer router in the election commission office was unplugged, according to an electronic record. Murphy was working then, and he acknowledges that he slacked off that night. "We'd just never had a break-in before," he said. But Murphy, 40, said he noticed that Christmas decorations and a roll-up window at the election commission were out of place when he started work at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 23. He said neither he nor anyone else worked the previous night due to budget cuts by Specialized Security Consultants, a Mt. Juliet firm that was expected to provide security for 12 hours a day on Saturdays and Sundays. William Jones, vice president of Specialized Security Consultants, declined to comment this morning. The firm is a subcontractor of Wackenhut, which has a security contract with Metro government. Wackenhut’s Nashville general manager, Andrew Bedlack, referred a reporter to Specialized Security Consultants. Murphy said he didn’t notice the election commission’s smashed exterior window the night he discovered the Christmas decorations and the roll-up window, and he admitted that he failed to report those irregularities to his bosses. He said he assumed an election commission worker had come in on the weekend, forgotten his or her key and raised the window to get in the office. Murphy said he believes a thief came back into the office through the smashed window on Dec. 24 and unplugged the computer router. He said he wouldn’t have heard anyone coming through a window that was already broken. Another guard discovered the burglary on Dec. 26. The computers are still missing.

Lawsuit Seeks Damages From Voter Registration Left

To see the lawsuit cut and paste this link to your broswer: http://wtvf.images.worldnow.com/images/incoming/electioncommissionlawsuit.pdf

Changes Sought In Election Commission Security

Posted: Jan 4, 2008 05:57 PM CST News Channel 5 NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Three citizens filed a class-action lawsuit against Metro, the security company and a subcontractor. The suit blames Metro for a not securing voter files. The citizens want Metro to pay for every voter's credit check. This comes after a burglary at the Davidson County Election Commission where laptops containing voters' information were taken. The election commission is beefing up security, according to elections administrator Ray Barrett. Barrett spoke to Metro's public safety committee Thursday. The meeting exposed major security flaws in the county's elections office. Officials said they are reviewing everything from building design to how information is stored on computers. Barrett said the office will never again be left vulnerable to theft. When asked if a user name or password was taped to the outside of the computer, Barrett said, "Some did have that, yes." Barrett was one of two administrators who answered questions about security procedures in the elections office. On Friday, Barrett showed NewsChannel 5 the 79 remaining laptop computers without passwords taped on the devices. The computers were securely stored in a warehouse near Nashville International Airport. The warehouse has several layers of steel doors and locked gates. These are layers of security not in place at the Howard building. On Christmas Eve, a thief or thieves smashed a window and stole two laptops employees were repairing in the office. The election commission office uses passwords to access the computers, but the computers don't have encryption. The office's digital video recorder was unplugged so it didn't record the burglary. Barrett said Thursday's meeting will result in some immediate changes on the computers. "We're not going to have Social Security numbers on any laptops," he said. "That's going to be the main thing." Barrett said Metro General Services, which manages government buildings, will look at security changes in the office itself. Voters such as Jill Thompson are happy to hear about the changes, but not happy about the long-term effects of the Christmas Eve computer theft. "You could have a lot of people with credit issues that could take years and years to resolve," she said. The Davidson County Election Commission said most of the letters informing all 337,000 voters of the computer thefts have been mailed. The cost to taxpayers is $109,000. Metro police have nine police officers working on the case. The security guard Metro Services feels didn't do enough to protect the office was fired earlier this week. The man, who didn't want his full name disclosed to the public, said he is scapegoat. He worked the Sunday before Christmas from 6 p.m. until early Monday morning. He thinks the break-in already happened before he arrived. "They needed a patsy and I guess I fit the bill," he said. He said he understands why his company had to save face, but believes they are making him out to be a lazy employee. He said that is not true. Anyone with information on the stolen Dell laptop computers can collect up to $1,000 in reward money by calling Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME.

Some Say Metro Should Pay For Credit Risk Fix

Laptop Containing Personal Information Stolen From Election Commission Reported By Dennis Ferrier POSTED: 4:44 pm CST January 4, 2008 UPDATED: 6:26 pm CST January 4, 2008 NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The recent security breach at the Metro Election Commission has some residents questioning if Metro should pay for the fix. According to officials with the Election Commission, a laptop with the Social Security numbers of all of Davidson County’s registered voters was taken, along with other items, during the break-in. The question on many minds is shouldn't Nashville's government have to pay to help fix the problem? Metro has put a police report on the Internet so residents can put a credit freeze on their accounts if they want to. A police report is required by credit bureaus to enforce the freeze. They've also put the number of credit agencies up for those who would like to put a fraud alert on their accounts. Placing an alert on credit reports is free. There is a charge to place and remove a freeze to credit. But many affected residents said they don't think that's enough. Nashville registered voter and computer expert Mike Carroll wrote that the move “is like locking the barn door after all the horses are loose. Not all Nashvillians have a computer or access to a computer.” Carroll wants Metro to put a fraud alert in place for all 337,000 voters whose information was on the laptop. Some voters may not want a fraud alert, but the idea of doing this for people who want it done has got some support. “I want a hot line where anybody can just pick up the telephone and call a number and we’ll have somebody to step them through the process or even connect them, direct connect them to the credit agency, to file the report. That's not rocket science. That’s pretty easy to do in today's society,” said Councilman Mike Craddock. Craddock is the chairman of the Metro Public Safety Committee. He said he wants Mayor Karl Dean’s office to open a hot line to work with people and that if a hot line implies Metro made a mistake, then the city needs to live with it. “First and foremost, we ought to help people. I don’t care about the liability aspect of it. We have a legal department that can take care of that. I want to help these people through this,” Craddock said. That move has to come from Dean’s office, and while he is still on vacation, the next step is coming with hesitation. “That is definitely something that we’re looking into as well. Again, we’re looking at several options what we can do to try to help the voters,” said Dean’s Chief of Staff Rita Roberts-Turner. At a Thursday night meeting, Metro's computer division said it doesn't do much at the Election Commission, even though private sector computer experts have said that information technology workers should be all over election records. Information technology workers have charged the Election Commission $300,000 for services. Three Davidson County voters have filed a class-action lawsuit against Metro government, the security company Wackenhut and a sub-contractor. The Metro Council also sent a letter to Wackenhut asking it to pay for the cost of the letters sent to voters. Postage on those letters cost more than $122,000.

Fired Guard Says He's Break-In Fall Guy

Guard Fired In Wake Of Election Commission Break-in Reported By Nancy Amons POSTED: 6:28 pm CST January 4, 2008 UPDATED: 7:07 pm CST January 4, 2008 NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A security guard fired after a break-in at the Metro Election Commission said he is a fall guy. Brandon Murphy said he was watching the building the night someone stole laptop computers with the Social Security numbers of every registered voter in Davidson County. “So, I guess you get complacent after a while, this routine, lights just roll on like they always do,” he said. Murphy said there’s not a lot he can say about the break-in. He said he came to work at about 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and did not notice that a window had been broken or two laptops stolen. “It’s unfortunate. I’m sorry the whole thing happened. I should have taken the time to look up at that window, but it just didn’t seem urgent enough,” he said. Murphy said he didn’t know exactly when the thieves came in but assumed it was before his shift. He said when he came in, he saw that Christmas ornaments had been disturbed. He was fired on Jan. 2. He said he also cannot explain that, while Election Commission officials said the laptops were taken about 9:45 p.m., he didn’t hear anything. He said he worked the day before Christmas Eve and Christmas Eve. When asked if he knew why a digital video recorder had been unplugged, which prevented any security camera recordings, he said he didn’t know that the cameras the commission used were working. He said the company he worked for cut back on security hours at the school to save money on overtime. Murphy worked for a subcontractor for Wackenhut, who has Metro’s security contract. Three Davidson county voters have filed a class-action lawsuit against Metro government, the security company Wackenhut and a sub-contractor. The Metro Council also sent a letter to Wackenhut asking it to pay for the cost of the letters sent to voters. Postage on those letters cost more than $122,000.