Session Announces PLPC’s New Treasurer
Priest Lake Presbyterian Church is pleased to welcome Barm Alsbrook as our new Treasurer. Barm is an Enrolled Agent and graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, bringing 18 years of corporate accounting experience to this role — including 14 years in healthcare and 4 years as an accounting manager in manufacturing. Since 2017, he has owned Tristar Tax, a practice specializing in tax preparation, planning, and consulting.
Barm also brings meaningful church leadership experience, having previously served as treasurer and finance committee chair in congregations he and his wife, Karen, have called home.
Barm and Karen are members of Las Placitas Presbyterian Church in Placitas, New Mexico, and he will be serving PLPC entirely remotely.
We are grateful for the expertise, steadiness, and care Barm brings to our ministry’s stewardship. Please join us in welcoming him to the PLPC family.
Flooding
by Dave Nock
I have discussed flooding many times with my MTSU students. The number one natural hazard worldwide is flooding. I am not going to get into the climate change discussion, that is for a different time and place. I am an emergency manager by trade, and my task is to plan for and address the hazard of flooding.
You may remember the 2010 flood that impacted areas around Nashville placing 10-15 inches in the Cumberland and Harpeth rivers. Or the August 2021 Waverly flood placing 17 inches in a short amount of time in Humphreys County. Then we had the impact of Tropical Storm Helene in east Tennessee. Recently we saw flooding in Davidson, Williamson, Wilson, Sumner Cheatham Dickson, Montgomery and Robertson counties. Across Tennessee we have flooding challenges.
The emergency management profession has a lot of challenges in addressing flooding. The pillars of emergency management, preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery all get confronted when addressing the flooding hazard.
So, what can you do? The average citizen has far more influence over flood risk than most people realize. You don’t need to be an engineer or policymaker to make a meaningful difference. Flood resilience is built from thousands of small, local actions that—when multiplied across neighborhoods—dramatically reduce damage, protect lives, and strengthen community recovery.
1. Reduce Flood Risk at Your Own Home
2. Reduce Neighborhood Flooding
3. Improve Community Preparedness
4. Influence Local Policy (Even Without Politics)
5. Protect Natural Flood Buffers
6. Strengthen Social Resilience
You may remember the 2010 flood that impacted areas around Nashville placing 10-15 inches in the Cumberland and Harpeth rivers. Or the August 2021 Waverly flood placing 17 inches in a short amount of time in Humphreys County. Then we had the impact of Tropical Storm Helene in east Tennessee. Recently we saw flooding in Davidson, Williamson, Wilson, Sumner Cheatham Dickson, Montgomery and Robertson counties. Across Tennessee we have flooding challenges.
The emergency management profession has a lot of challenges in addressing flooding. The pillars of emergency management, preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery all get confronted when addressing the flooding hazard.
So, what can you do? The average citizen has far more influence over flood risk than most people realize. You don’t need to be an engineer or policymaker to make a meaningful difference. Flood resilience is built from thousands of small, local actions that—when multiplied across neighborhoods—dramatically reduce damage, protect lives, and strengthen community recovery.
1. Reduce Flood Risk at Your Own Home
a. Keep gutters and downspouts clear so water moves away from your foundation.
b. Create rain gardens or swales to slow and absorb runoff.
2. Reduce Neighborhood Flooding
a. Never dump leaves or grass clipping in storm drains—this is one of the top causes of flash flooding in neighborhoods.
b. Volunteer for storm-drain clearing days after heavy leaf fall or before big storms.
c. Plant trees and deep-rooted vegetation—they dramatically increase soil absorption.
3. Improve Community Preparedness
a. Report blocked culverts or drainage failures to your city public works department.
b. Sign up for local emergency alerts (NWS Nashville).
c. Share warnings with neighbors, especially elderly or new residents.
d. Practice “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” and encourage others to do the same.
4. Influence Local Policy (Even Without Politics)
5. Protect Natural Flood Buffers
6. Strengthen Social Resilience
a. Check on neighbors during storms, especially those with mobility or medical issues.
b. Share preparedness tips with churches, schools, or civic groups.
ONLY CLEAR BAGS ARE ALLOWED INTO THE STADIUM
Percy proudly cast his vote — now it’s your turn to spot the differences!
Can you find all eight changes between these two voting‑day scenes?
And don’t forget to make your voice count at the polls on August 6th!
Percy’s Squeaky Office Update!
Squeak‑hello, wonderful PLPC family!
Jennifer and I have will be bustling around the office getting things ready because PLPC will be a polling site the week of August 3–7.
That means our office hours will be a little different — Jennifer will be in the office on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only. No Monday or Friday that week… which gives me (Percy!) extra time to supervise, nibble snacks, and make sure no one steps on my tiny toes while voters come through!
Thanks for rolling with the schedule change.
— Percy (and Jennifer!), your friendly church office team
Jennifer and I have will be bustling around the office getting things ready because PLPC will be a polling site the week of August 3–7.
That means our office hours will be a little different — Jennifer will be in the office on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only. No Monday or Friday that week… which gives me (Percy!) extra time to supervise, nibble snacks, and make sure no one steps on my tiny toes while voters come through!
Thanks for rolling with the schedule change.
— Percy (and Jennifer!), your friendly church office team
