June 16, 2026 transcript
City Council · Regular session · Supplied transcript
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10:45 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
If you have a phone, make sure it's on vibrate. And if we have too many people in here, we have the overflow room that's ready. And probably Zeke Hambry needs to be going. Got a peek on him. That's all right. So Zeke got to be in the other room, but anyway, make make sure that your phone is on vibrate. And at this time, Councilman Perry McAllen will do the invocation.
11:15 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I'm going to read this because I've already prayed today, and this is what the Lord told me to say, James 316. Where does envy and strife? There is confusion in every evil work, and I'm praying that that we come together and talk as citizens and council members to do the citizens' business, and Father, this is what you told me to say, and I thank you for it, and I pray you're covering over this meeting, that there will be not confusion in every work, and I thank you for it in Jesus' name, Amen.
12:00 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
Amen.
12:01 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Attention. Salute. Pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. mr.
12:25 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Roberts, roll call, please.
12:27 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan
12:28 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
here.
12:29 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan here. Councilmember Sherland here. Vice Mayor Curtis here. Mayor Eaton
12:34 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
present. Next on the the agenda is approval of the minutes of Tuesday, may 19, June the fourth, special call at 530, June the fourth at six 6o'clock. Do I hear a motion to accept all three? Move approval of all minutes as presented. Here is second.
13:00 · John Duggan (unverified label)
I'll second with a correction. One correction on under C on page three. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think C dealing with the wrecker and tow services. It was all five yays on that one. Is that correct?
13:15 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Which ordinance is that? C, you say?
13:16 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Yes,
13:22 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Jim.
13:24 · John Duggan (unverified label)
any disagreements there?
13:27 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I think there. I think it was a five zero, but we can we can change the
13:31 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
review and correct
13:33 · John Duggan (unverified label)
it. I tried reviewing a couple times. It was it was really hard to hear, but I was pretty sure hearing from up here it was five zero.
13:41 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
So we'll make the the changes to line item C to five zero on yays. Any other discussions? If not, roll call.
13:53 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan,
13:54 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
aye.
13:55 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan,
13:56 · John Duggan (unverified label)
aye.
13:56 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Sherland,
13:57 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
aye.
13:58 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor Curtis,
13:59 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
aye.
13:59 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor Eaton,
14:00 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
aye. Next. is communication special presentations. We do have two individuals, and one of them is the new Main Street director, Amy Sullivan. You'll come up, please.
14:18 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Thank you.
14:20 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you.
14:20 · Amy Sellings (unverified label)
You're welcome. Good evening, everyone. I'm Amy Sellings. I'm the interim director of Main Street Athens. Years ago, formerly was known as the Downtown Business Association, and I wanted to share with all of you who are downtown business owners or residents of the downtown or employees of the downtown that we are soon going to be celebrating our 10-year anniversary, and this is going to be on Thursday, June 25th at 6 o'clock. Everyone is welcome who's part of the downtown community. In addition to celebrating our 10 years and honoring our three founders, who are Patty Creek, Missy Ford, and Ann Davis, we are also going to be just. Being $300,000 in downtown improvement grants, $300,000 that will make our total $400,000 in just a handful of years that we've given to downtown businesses to improve their facades and really add a lot to our historic downtown. There were our 10 businesses and residents who will be receiving these awards this time. I love seeing Lisa Dotson here. She's our original director of Main Street Athens, as everyone in here knows, and served in that position for seven years. She unfortunately can't be with us on June 25th, but we really encourage everybody to attend who is a downtown business owner, employee, resident. Also, if anybody is interested, we are still seeking a couple sponsors to help with the event. So you can reach out to me at area code 423330329. Again, that's 3330329. If you're interested in helping sponsor our 10 year celebration, lastly, it's going to be at the courtyard event space. What is that? That is the new event space owned by Jackie and Todd Newman that is behind Pineham Pizza. It's absolutely beautiful, and you might have seen it during New Fest. It was open and had opportunities for you to walk around and look inside that event space. Very final thing: all of our downtown businesses and residences are encouraged to decorate patriotically for the Fourth of July. Many of them have decorations up now, so please, while you're downtown, make sure you look at all of the window displays, everything that our downtown businesses have to be patriotic and to hopefully catch up with the patriotism that surrounds our beautiful courthouse. So thank you all so much, and I will be serving in this position until late August. Let me know if you have any ideas, suggestions, or input. Thank you.
16:50 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you, Miss Solon. Thank you, mr. Simons. Is the mic working? mr. Michael, thank you. Mashinard, please. Sir. Thank you. Good.
17:26 · Matt Chenard (unverified label)
Good evening, Mayor and Council. I just wanted to give you a quick announcement to remind you of our upcoming Fourth of July celebration. We'd love to invite you and the public out to a one-of-a-kind event on the 250th anniversary of our nation. This is called the America 250 Drone Show and Buddy Liner Memorial Firework Show at Athens Regional Park, and that's going to be on Saturday, July 4th. As mentioned in the title, we are venturing into uncharted territory here with a 600 drone presentation that will take place just before the fireworks. This is a first for us, but we are extremely excited for this. The drone show will start at 930, and the fireworks will take place shortly after. But that's not all. In the evening, it will be a free Sounds of Summer concert on the soccer fields, and the band that's playing is called Mending wall. Also, in the conference center, this is something I'm really excited about, but also nervous about. There will be a free retro arcade opening up at 4:30 p.m. in the evening. We will have over 20 different throwback arcade games lining the conference center wall for the public to come and play to escape the heat of the day to give everyone maybe an indoor option. Another new thing that we are doing this year is having four different food trucks set up inside the park. But at the same time, our concession stand will be open at normal time as always. So just come out and support us, and come and grab a hamburger, hot dog, or a drink with us. We'd love to have you out there, but again, there's more. The Academy of Model Aeronautics will be doing a model aircraft demonstration on Field Three of the softball fields in the afternoon. We'd love for y'all to witness that too. This will be a first for me, and as always, the splash pad will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. just like it is every other day of the week. As you can tell, the common theme here is that we are doing a lot of new things this year for our 250th. There will be so many different options for children and families to do that day. So I highly recommend you and all of your families to come out and join us on Saturday, july 4, and spend your evening with us with Athens Parks and Recreation. Thank y'all.
19:45 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you.
19:46 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Thank you, Matt. This
19:49 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
is the first drone show that we will ever we've ever had at Athens, Tennessee, and it's going to be a pretty neat one. So it's going drone and fireworks. So for the kids, for the children, it's going to be an awesome. Okay, that does the communications special presentations. Now it's citizens' time for comments germane to the agenda. It has to be germane to the agenda, or you you need to be at the end of the meeting. So the first one will be Dwen Whitey.
20:29 · Glen Whitey (unverified label)
37 County Road 655, and we're here to talk about the city manager's position. And I personally think that you all ought to not even be looking at getting a new city manager until after this, at least after the election, to see if we can get a council that's not quite as corrupt, but also to resolve some of the issues that have been going on for quite some time. You're going to throw another manager into a position, and we got several more lawsuits. The city's been granted sovereign immunity, but the individuals haven't. So there's some new lawsuits coming over the individuals? We should not put a new manager into that position, and no, not picking up Bridget. I think she's wonderful. I can tell you, doing public records. Although we have a discussion right now, we've had an excellent communication between us. We've not had the issues, and unless she gives you reason where you think that the intern can't handle the job. Why change it until the city stops having the problems it's having? And so I just think that we ought to table it for now and worry about it when the city gets in better hands.
21:33 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you. Y'all see how will you be at the Jermaine? I mean, the other. Will you will you be at the the last of the meeting too for for a conference? Okay,
21:48 · Elise Howell (unverified label)
brief, always. Okay,
21:49 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
okay. It was checked. I wanted to make sure. Yes,
21:51 · Elise Howell (unverified label)
thank you. My name is Elise Howell. I live at Riceville, Tennessee, and although I don't live in Athens at the moment, I did for several years, and I graduated from Emman High School, and I own a business in the city, and I direct the Mideast Tennessee Community Chorus, formerly the Athens Area Community Chorus, and I love this city, and I love being a part of this community. I like knowing who my council members are, and I like knowing most of the people in this room. It's sort of cool, and I also like to say that I'm a proud member, proud owner of five SpaceX stocks. Okay, and one day maybe I'll be a trillionaire too, but probably not because my my career has been in education, and now I'm director of a nonprofit, and those positions don't make a lot of money. But I also invest my money in my church, and our pastor doesn't make a lot of money. And when I was a teacher, didn't make a lot of money. We seem to invest into things that don't equal the value or importance we put in those programs, and the arts are one of those. So, as you're looking at the budget today, I ask you to consider the arts because it's one of those precious things that create such value to people's lives. And as a former music educator, always working to fund that program through fundraisers and what have you, I want to tell you a little bit about what we did do this year with the funds that you provided with us. We raised over $1,200 for our local veterans. We gave money to the VFW, the American Legion, the Mitten County Veteran Honor Guard, and we also donated to the Mittman Service County Service Organization, and for their programs as well. So we like to use our talents and multiply them so that we are able to also give back to the community. So thank you very much. Also, you'll be hearing from some of my choir members and the newly formed Mideast Tennessee Community Chorus Kids Program, and some of their parents. Thank you very much for your time.
24:14 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you. Lisa Dotson.
24:28 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
Good evening, Council Lisa Dotson, 377 County Road, 245 the County Road, 377 Athens. I'm here tonight to talk about the agenda item, which is XIB, that's additional parking at Cook Park. I've been up here before requesting that you all review the parking at Cook Park. I want to say thank you to Ben Birchfield. Is he here somewhere? He and his staff. He came to. Cook Park met with a group of concerned citizens there and reviewed the plans for additional parking there. Councilmember McCowan, thank you for being present and just being there. You didn't even have to speak, but your presence was very welcomed, and and we thank you for that. But you have in your proposal tonight about the parking at Cook Park. I just wanted to come here on behalf of the group, the NAACP Women United, the Community Connectors, which is part of the NAACP now, and say thank you for your review. Thank you to Ben for his going back, taking what we discussed in doing an updated proposal to present to you, and I feel like that's what we want to do as a community. We want to make good, wise decisions with you. No confusion, as Councilmember McCowan said tonight, and sit down and have decent conversation to present with you, and I think that's what most of us here tonight and in the community want to do. Basically, I'm just here to say thank you, thank you to Ben, thank you for your review, and to also invite you to two events that's coming up. One is Juneteenth, which will be held on Saturday, August the 20th, and that event is open to the entire public. It is free. There will be entertainment, education opportunities. You'll learn about the history of Juneteenth and of the park, and that is going to be june 20. Did I say August?
26:37 · John Duggan (unverified label)
You did. Yeah, I just had a
26:39 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
relapse. june 20, from 11 to two.
26:43 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Is it 19th or 20th?
26:45 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
It's the 20th. Juneteenth, the celebration is the actual national celebration is Friday. Okay, the event will be Saturday at Cook Park. And for those of you that may not know where Cook Park is located, it's 414 Cook Drive, and so there'd be bouncy houses and things for the kids, free food, hot dogs, hamburgers. Bring your kids up there and have a good time, and different things to do. And so also on August the 22nd, it is August. There will be a celebration of the J L J L Cook 100 anniversary. It's a celebration about about the school that will also be from 11 to 2, and that is a free event. So together we can celebrate. We can build our tomorrow.
27:32 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you. Thank you very much, Radelia Miller. Are you ready?
27:44 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Somebody got to help her. Somebody help her, please.
27:59 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Singing shows what people think inside their brains, and it shows who they are inside. I think people should give money to them to make the churches bigger, so more people can show their voices and their hearts. Thank you.
28:22 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Thank you,
28:29 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Miss Miller. I wished everybody spoke like you did. Kelly, fresh.
28:47 · Kelley House (unverified label)
Kelly Khouse, 1801 Old Nyota Road. I have with me some of some of my children here: Opal and George. Ruth does not want to participate right now, and Leanna behind me, I'm speaking in support of the arts, specifically the Met CC Mid East Tennessee Community Chorus. While Metcc in itself is an amazing asset for this area, I want to speak to you specifically about the kids' choir that was formed last year, and I want to talk from the perspective of a homeschooling parent. As homeschoolers, we are always on the lookout for quality instruction for extracurricular activities that are built into the public and private school systems for brick-and-mortar schools, such as art and music, PE, and the like. What we have found with MetCC Kid Choir is that that is an exceptional service that we can provide to our children at a very affordable cost. That cost is affordable to us because, in part, from help with. The funding. We're a family of 10, like so many homeschool families are. I still have six kids left at home. Part of what makes the Met CC Kids Choir affordable is because it's just $25 a student per semester. You can't beat that. I can't afford. We we do not rely on vouchers or scholarship funding as homeschoolers, and so we are self-funded. We can afford some of the more expensive private lessons. The Met CC choir is so beneficial because the children are receiving music theory instruction, learning how to read sheet music, learning how to sing partner songs. They've sang three different times this year alone: two at Christmas for public shows, and then one for the the Patriot celebration in April. That was well received. That was with the adult choir and also the Etowah Town Band. Representative Cochran, who is in attendance, stated on a Facebook post April 28th, he says, "Quote: Patriotism in a small town is something special. Hats off to the Edowa Town Band and the Mid East Tennessee Community Chorus for a wonderful show tonight. The first year of the Met CC Kids Choir, the fall semester saw about 1/3 of the students there being homeschoolers. By the by the spring semester, with the advertisement and just the well very good reception of this program, it jumped to about two thirds of the total participants being homeschoolers. So as a home leader, an advocate, and a parent, I want to encourage you to please consider us in your funding. Thank you.
31:50 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you, McAllen, Cindy McAllen.
32:04 · Cynthia McCowan (unverified label)
Good evening. My name is Cynthia Mccowan. I live at 617 Walnut Boulevard, Athens, Tennessee. And I think I put on there before and after. I don't know if I checked the right boxes or not,
32:15 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
but I just did.
32:17 · Cynthia McCowan (unverified label)
Okay, because I wrote it down. I couldn't find it. Got the wrong glasses on. Y'all look almost. I can almost see you. Kind of. I was anyway. I wanted to say something, and it's not sweet. It's not nice, and that's not what I do. But I try to be honest. I had a question first about the car allowance thing that seemed to be so heated. I'm going to ask, and I'm sure you have the answers to these, and you'll get to it in your budget if there's if there's an amendment about that. If you're not going to address that, then I don't want to. I don't want to be talking about something that's not on the agenda. So if that is, I and this is not against anybody in the position. This is the position. I need you to explain to us as citizens, because that's $30,000 a year. If it's $500 a month for these five people, several 100,000 over several years, depending how long you've been doing that. How do you justify that? What is a car allowance for if the person, if the position does not use a car to do their jobs, so how? What is the rationale for giving someone 500? Giving someone in the position, not the people that hold the position, because I like those people, but anybody in that position gets $500 allowance for a car, and I'm not understanding the logic behind that because they don't use their car to do their job. They come to work, they go home. I've never had a job. Would love to, where they just gave me $500 just coming to work, and I do not have to account for that. I don't think. And maybe you can clarify: is there some record keeping that shows where that $500 went, and it has something to do with cars? But if not, I don't, I don't understand why that's a thing because that's $30,000 a year. And the other thing, real quickly, is the rumors about the city manager. I know you have to know the optics for us get worse with each passing year. No explanation, no reasoning. It seems that three, two of the five of you did not even have any idea what it was about. So how can you, three people, what I call hijack a meeting and make a decision that is so serious without the other two people, if that's correct, not knowing anything that doesn't seem fair to me. And there are lots of rumors about Main Street and that it was really about that and that it was just a cover as an excuse to. Fire the man because somebody's friend was offended. It's it is crazy. We need to do better than that, and I'll speak more on that at the end.
35:09 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you, Miss Lewis. Please. Okay. Okay. Well, you did. You did. Did.
35:35 · Junita McClure-Lewis (unverified label)
Good evening, everyone. Juanita McClure Lewis, Athens, Tennessee. Good evening. I stand before you to thank the City Council and the city staff in support of the improvements to J.L. Cook Park, and would like to urge you to find the funds and incorporate that in the upcoming physical budget for the additional parking at Cook Park. Why? Because the current parking at the park is insufficient. Nine parking spaces for a park that holds and draws 150 to 200 people is simply unacceptable, and more importantly, it causes a safety hazard to the residents who are forced to park across Cook Drive along the grass and near the railroad tracks. This requires almost 200 people, residents and people coming in from out of state to major events like Juneteenth and the 100th anniversary to cross that busy street. This clearly puts elderly and young children at risk to be hit by a car, and the city would be liable. I'm not an attorney, but so I am a firm believer of sufficiently managing risk to avoid injury to citizens and visitors of our fine city. Lord knows we don't need any more lawsuits, so I don't think anyone here would want that to happen either. So I urge and actually plead with you all to approve the proposal made by the Public Works Director Ben Birchfield for the additional 27 parking spaces that would bring the parking spaces at Cook Park up to about 37 or 39, depending on how it gets put in there, and a side note is Veteran Park. Veterans Park, who doesn't have a pavilion or anything, playground or you know such, has three times the parking spaces currently that Cook Park has. I'll let you sit with that for a minute. So, with that being said, I'd like to again thank Ben Birchfield, Councilman McCowan, Councilman Curtis, because I text him quite a bit, and and Mayor as well, and other count. I thank each and every one of you all for really being amenable and working with us throughout this whole process because it has gone on for more than a year, and I would just appreciate the continued support and the approval of the funding for the additional parking spaces to minimize the security risks that currently exist now. Thank you.
38:39 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you very much. Thank you. That is all of the germane to the agenda at this point in time. So, Miss Roberts, consent agenda, please.
38:52 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Consent agenda, item A, approve Athens City Schools General Purpose Budget Amendment Number Two. Item B, approve Athens City Schools Resolution 2026-1, authority to commit an assigned fund balance. Item C, approve Athens City Schools Resolution 2026-2, Federal Projects Fund Budget. Item D, approve Athens Utilities Board Fiscal Year 27 budget and five-year budget plan. Item E, approve fiscal year 2627 purchase of a new fire engine for the fire department. Item F. Approve fiscal year 2627 purchase of two animal control trucks for the police department. Item G. Approve fiscal year 2627 purchase of duty weapons for the police department and declare the current Glock 40 caliber pistols as surplus property for trade-in. Item H: Approve Resolution 2026-17, a resolution authorizing the submission of a grant application with the state of Tennessee for funding through the Statewide School Resource Officer (SRO) program grant. Item I. Approve an increase of $16,453.78 to the contract with Wilson Construction Group LLC, the Heritage Park LPRF grant project. Item J: Reappoint John and McKeon Garrett to the Athens Municipal Regional Planning Commission for term ending August 2029.
40:23 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Do I hear a motion?
40:24 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Move approval of the consent agenda is presented.
40:27 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Hear a second. Any discussions? Any discussions? Roll
40:38 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
call. Councilmember McCowan.
40:39 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Aye.
40:40 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan, Councilmember Charlene, Councilmember Curtis, Mayor Eaton,
40:50 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
we're going back to ordinances now. This is the second reading of number A. So, Miss Roberts,
41:03 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
item A: Public hearing and second reading for Ordinance 1156, an ordinance to amend Title Nine, Chapter Five of the Athens City Code by deleting the existing Chapter Five Wrecker and Towing Service in its entirety and replacing it with the new Chapter Five Towing Services to establish regulations, permitting requirements, rotation procedures, insurance requirements, fee limitations, record keeping requirements, and enforcement procedures for towing services requested by the Athens Police Department.
41:32 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, this is the second reading, so I'm going to open it up to the public. Is there anyone in the public that would like to go, please?
41:49 · Glen Whitey (unverified label)
Just want to give a couple thoughts about the towing. One, when you, my understanding is we're talking about raising it, and I'm not sure I haven't seen the paperwork. But one of the tow companies that I've talked to said they were talking about raising the the rates that people can charge, and unlike mayor who testified he made several $100,000 in a couple hours, citizens around here don't make that kind of money. We're not rich like the mayor. We should not be putting higher fees on it. Now, as far as regulations, I have a question about: Are we going to try to regulate every person that has a rollback? Because there's a lot of people that own rollbacks. I had one for years. If somebody called me that was a friend of mine in the city, will I be able to go tow them without charging them any fee, or is the city going to say you have to be licensed in the city in order to come in and tow in the city? And so, are we going to get more government control over citizens because we don't need that? We need to be allow letting people do what they want to do. Now, I understand a licensed tow company needs regulations and they keep records for a reason, but they do that now. And I know one company that I know real well, Benton Record Service. He's openly talked about. He's always charged $50 in the city because he said these are poor people. Not everyone, but he said these are my people. He said I try to work cheaper for them because this is where I grew up. We gonna make it now to where we're trying to change that because there's quite a few. I know A and J is the same way. There's quite a few of them that absolutely take care of the citizens. You don't need to meddle on that. We don't need to change it, and we need to keep the fees down low. There's plenty of people willing to tow in the city. You don't need to raise the rate in order that we can have people come in and officers come in and say, "Well, you have to use this company; they're on rotation and their X amount of dollars. It shouldn't be that way, so I change it. Thank
43:50 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
you very much. Is there anybody else? Any other citizens? If not, citizens' time's closed. I hear a motion.
44:00 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Move approval.
44:01 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Zero second. Motion being made. Second. Any discussions?
44:24 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
Councilmember, that is my understanding. When this came about, I believe that what the concern is, there is some up, down, and everything in between, and so the purpose of this, and Miss Roberts, correct me, but this came about to make it more uniform.
44:48 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
We are in in line. We are in in line with the state now. What was happening? Some of the towing companies was coming in and charging rentals. That was I. I rate, and then other ones were making it low. And this is across the board. They have to do this, and this is from the state. This is we're we're we're going with the state the way the states do, and that's what we're doing. And that's way and and and other cities do the same thing. They go by the states. So, any other discussions?
45:24 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Are we required to go by the state?
45:28 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
I'm sorry. What was that? Are we
45:29 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
required to go by how the state?
45:31 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
No, the the city's not required, but we are essentially adopting the state fee schedule.
45:37 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
So this fee schedule, if it was adopted, Would prevent, say, somebody like Benton's from charging a lower rate.
45:47 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
Well, no, not necessarily.
45:49 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
You can charge a lower rate. It's a cap.
45:51 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Okay, that's what I want. I want it clarified. Yeah,
45:54 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
it's a cap. A company can come in below, but they cannot go above. Okay.
46:00 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Actually, I've had a few emails from from from people that has been charged astronomical, and then some of the wreckers services have contacted me, and with the former city manager, I had talked to the to the police department, Freddie Schultz, Chief Schultz, and and that's what they wanted to go by to make sure that they couldn't rob the citizens.
46:25 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan, did that help clarify?
46:30 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay. Any other discussions? Roll call.
46:33 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
46:34 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Aye.
46:35 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan. Aye. Councilmember Sherland.
46:37 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Aye.
46:38 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Vice Mayor Curtis. Aye. Mayor Eaton.
46:40 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Aye. Line item B, and this is second reading.
46:49 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Item B: Public hearing and second reading for Ordinance 1157, an ordinance to amend the zoning ordinance of the City of Athens, Tennessee, so as to amend the official zoning map to rezone a three-acre parcel created from a 50-acre developed parent tract shown on text map 046, parcel 049.11 or .00, located on Denzel Drive and on George George R. Pierce Boulevard from I2 Heavy Industrial District to B3 Intensive Business District. said area being located within the corporate limits of Athens, Tennessee.
47:26 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Ladies and gentlemen, and and the City Council, this is for a for a child daycare center. Denzel had gave the land to to make sure this is a daycare. That's what this is about. This I'm open up to the citizens at this point in time. Any any citizens want to discuss? Second time. Any citizens? If not, I'm closing the citizens' time. Do I hear a motion? Move approval. Do you hear a second? Second. Motion being made. Second. Any discussions? If not, roll call.
48:03 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan,
48:04 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
aye.
48:05 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan, aye. Councilmember Sherwin,
48:08 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
aye.
48:08 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Curtis, aye. Marion,
48:11 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
aye. Item C.
48:17 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Item C: Public hearing and second reading for Ordinance 1158, an ordinance to adopt a budget and set the tax rate on taxable property located within the corporate limits of the City of Athens, Tennessee, for the fiscal year july 1, 2026, through June 3020, 27.
48:33 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
This is opened up to the public. Is anyone to want to speak? Go ahead, sir. The
48:45 · Glen Whitey (unverified label)
way this is written is very vague. I mean, we don't know what the rates going
48:48 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
up
48:48 · Glen Whitey (unverified label)
or they're going down. I mean, they stay the same. We're talking about changing, but as citizens, we don't know what they're doing. But I have concerns.
48:56 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
I
48:56 · Glen Whitey (unverified label)
have concerns about the way we've been spending money, and and we shouldn't be raising anything. Now we've heard quite a few citizens talk about things that we need for kids and things that, and we haven't done. We've been hearing Linda's been talking about it for years since he's been talking about it. We don't spend money for kids, but we spend money. Shoot, we spend $1,000 buying candy to go to Japan, and yet you buy the same candy for $50 over there. That's a waste of our money. We held a call meeting last week to vote in somebody to mow the yard. I'm not sure the location, but we chose to pay double because Larry Eaton's friend works there at AUB, does the mowing for AUB. What we weren't told, and the transparency is is that the company that was low bid actually does mowing for the city now.
49:47 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Sir, this is this is we are going over the ordinance only. You cannot do the go away from the ordinance. The ordinance is specific. What we're going to be talking to. If you do not, you must sit down.
49:59 · Glen Whitey (unverified label)
You're
49:59 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
going. Over the ordinance only, that's it.
50:03 · Glen Whitey (unverified label)
I'm explaining why I don't think we should be adopting the ordinance is because of the way that you waste the money. I think that's right in line. I mean, that's exactly as a system what we're here for is to say why we don't agree with it, and without giving examples. Well, I don't agree with it because I don't like well, Larry spent the money. Well, I should be able to say, Larry talked about pickleball and said 375 was too much. Yet he votes for 1.4 million. What do you get? I think that's part of this agenda. This is part of this meeting, and the fact that you'll spend double on landscaping-that's our tax money. That's what we're talking about here. Our money, and it's not okay to sit here and come in here and deceive the citizens and say, "Well, this company here is qualified. When the one that was low bid, half the cost, had the same qualified. And
50:51 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
sir, you're getting off the. You're getting off. This is this is about the property tax, not about other other businesses. Ben, this is the last time. This is the last time I'm telling you, or you will sit down.
51:03 · Glen Whitey (unverified label)
We're talking about tax money of our citizens, and I'm talking
51:09 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
about the property tax. This right here, not about other other items that was here. This is the I've done warned you, and I'm not going to warn you again,
51:18 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Mayor. This is about the budget and everything included in the budget. So this is
51:22 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
about this is about the taxable property. The property. It's not about the budget. It's about this one specific item that is an ordinance.
51:32 · Glen Whitey (unverified label)
Well, let me tell you. There were several people that spoke just earlier talking about this item on the agenda. They spoke about that item and they talked about specifics. Now you don't want me to because I'm bringing up your waste. That is strictly part of this budget and has every right to be discussed. And I have a right as a citizen. We have commercial buildings. We have right to say what this money is going to be spent on, and whether you should adopt it or not adopted. So, if the rest of the council don't want to hear about your waste, the citizens should. The citizens should want to know why are we paying double for lawn care just because Larry wants it? That's not right. And we have a right as citizens. Oh, I'm not going to say no more because you you'll throw me out like you do every couple months.
52:17 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Mayor, I want a clarification here. I want to
52:20 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
say no, no, no. Hold on a second. This is a public hearing right now. You can do this after the public hearing. Hold on one second. Go ahead, sir. Sit down, please. Thank you. Is there any other citizens' comment? Go ahead, ma'am. No, no. And you can, you can come in. I apologize.
52:37 · Elise Howell (unverified label)
I just want to be clear. According to this, the agenda item is for public hearing and second reading, an ordinance to adopt a budget and set the tax rate. And so, I did want to speak to that because I don't think I was very clear. I am here to speak to. I assume you will adopt the budget as it as is, and any changes need to be added as an amendment. So, I'm here to propose that if you adopt this budget, that you please do consider an amendment to reinstate the funding from MCC. Thank you. Thank you,
53:07 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Miss McCowan. Yes.
53:13 · Cynthia McCowan (unverified label)
So I will say this: I sit on the board of the senior center, and they have no idea that in this budget, they get a 10% cut if you adopt this budget. Is that correct for every outside agency? Is that them too? Because right, is that not correct? Yeah, for all of the outside agencies, there's a 10% cut. But I don't think anybody has told them that, you know, and these agencies. I don't know how they found out, but you know, I guess because Elisa's always here when we're here for the budget meetings and things. But I was, I don't think the executive director over there knows. I don't know if you've informed any other agencies, the Arts Center. Nobody can come and plead for this to not to for an amendment because if you adopt this budget because they don't even know they're getting cut. So you might want to inform those people that this is happening, or they should have been informed when it was even a possibility. TWU sent a letter; they knew. They sent a letter over here asking to have theirs reinstated. Somebody told them, but a lot of the other ones don't know. So, on behalf of the senior center, says she couldn't be here. We're asking the same thing. Your seniors are important to this community, and she, I will say, is doing an excellent job. That's the board I love being on. They've got policies and procedures and budgets and public meetings, and they're doing all of the things they're supposed to do. And the people are happy. So, on behalf of the senior center, I would like for you to also consider an amendment. And on behalf of the art center, I sit on on that board. They talked about the arts, and the arts are super important. And we will say that without saying why that is. You know, I am I am a scientist and a chemist by nature, so biology and stuff is is the way my brain works. There are those four chemicals in your brain that make you feel good when you engage in the arts. You know the dopamine and endorphins and the serotonin, the oxy, whatever that other one is that makes you feel good when you when you're around people that care. Music does that, and the arts do that. So it is very disheartening to take money from an organization or organizations that you don't give a lot to anyway. That $30,000 in that budget that you give to positions for cars that they don't use to do their jobs with-they just you're giving $500 just to come to work. That's $500 a month. That could go to any of these organizations that are providing those services that actually benefit the community. That's $30,000 of our money. That's tax. That's my money. You know. So I would like for you to consider when you do this budget and you have amendments that, even though I know why you were, and nobody said it, why you were taking the money aside is to pay for the firefighters. That's a great thing, but I don't know. Maybe it should have been taken from somewhere else, not these organizations that help to benefit this community. I really wish you could reconsider that. And is there a process that you're going to develop by which these organizations can submit a letter like TWU did to ask you and explain to you why they need those funds? That's what I want to say.
56:55 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you. Anyone else? We'll get him late.
57:07 · Abby Carrol (unverified label)
So I was just oh, I'm Abby Burt Carroll. I live at 1907 Seminole Lane, and I just wanted to briefly address when you look at this budget, it is complicated. I know it's complicated for y'all. It's complicated for Mike. It's complicated for everybody. but it's also complicated for your citizens. And I think a lot of what we're hearing tonight is people who have questions that they don't feel like have been answered. And when you look at that, it's because a budget comes out in the proposal before the first work session, and that is the only time the full budget is ever released to the public. After that, there's a list that says you know 10% comes off of this, 10% comes off of that. There's not a number unless you really want to sit down and do the math and dig in. You may not even know where that's coming from and how many different line items that comes from. And I think a lot of people are sitting here tonight in the same position I was, going, well, does that apply to me or something I care about? Does that not apply to me or something I care about? I don't know where it is. It's not necessarily something you can fix tonight, but moving forward, a helpful suggestion I would hope would be that before you have this second public meeting about your budgets, that you resubmit. Hey, this is the new updated one. This is what the final draft looks like before tonight. So when you are talking, everyone's talking apples to apples and oranges to oranges. I would also ask that when you're looking at cutting some of these wonderful programs that you've heard talked about tonight, as well as things like the fleet fund, which I know there's been a lot of debate about that, and other programs that you look into your budgets, either from past years and from this year, and see what is it that we are missing that is a place to go find money. And I want to use as an example. You'll recall that when we were talking about the historic downtown overlay, I brought up that there was a other contracts section in the community development budget from from the current year budget that said we were paying 1000s of dollars for the Southeast Tennessee Development District to manage our downtown properties, and so I was curious about what exactly that entailed, and so I submitted a public records request, asking that they to please provide any invoices, receipts, payment records, contracts, memorandums of understanding, or any other documentation delineating the contractual agreement between the Southeast Tennessee Development District to manage the historic preservation districts and with the city, the response I got back was none of those exist. There are no payments. There's no invoices. There's no contract. No memorandum of understanding. But this is 1000s of dollars in our budget. Now I'm sure they were probably apportioned to something we needed more, and that's totally fine. But there's never a budget amendment. To reflect that, and if it wasn't done, then that's several $1,000 that we could use to fill this spot. It should either be in surplus, or we should know where it went. And so, when you're looking at cutting some of these things, I would ask you to look, especially into those kind of generic categories, the other contracts, things that don't have a specific line item, and look at if there's space there to find a way to bridge some of these gaps and not put some of our employees and some of our citizens in a worse spot. And so I hope as you're thinking about these and making what are very hard decisions, I hope you'll look into that and ask some questions and see if there's any wiggle room in there. Thank you.
1:00:39 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you.
1:00:58 · Jeff Hembry (unverified label)
I just like to state my name, Jeff Hembry. Live at 295 County Road 480 in Inglewood, Tennessee. Lifelong member, McMinn County. Attended church in Athens, Tennessee for over 40 years. Worked with J Tech Automotive in Monroe County. Been on that job for just over 34 years. So I've had I've been blessed in life with stability. I've been a lifelong resident, McMinn County, and just wanted to talk tonight a little about a program with the soapbox derby because I understand it's on the budget, and we're talking about. I appreciate folks standing up for programs for the kids and the children, our communities and stuff. But I wanted to talk to you a little bit about the just a concern about that program, and I know there's some expenses associated with that. But working with JTEC Automotive, even it being a Monroe County entity, we started with the Soapbox Derby in 2016, just myself and my son and another employee that his and his son that worked there, and we we raced with the Soapbox Derby all the way up through 2021, and then in 2022, I was able to talk with our management team about supporting this program, and since that time in 2022 up through 2026, we've had just just this company is $4,500 donated in registration fees for race registrations, we've had other companies that are affiliated with J Tech Automotive that have donated, or we've acquired items like weights for the cars, car toters, trailer materials to build trailers for the cars that totaled up to $3,800 in value, and we also invested $4,000 in additional cars for the program because each each year you retire cars. So we were able to get four cars. So that's 12 $112,300 in in the last five years work that that we've been able to pull from a Monroe County entity, so I mention those as a challenge to the folks of McMinn County and to the the businesses of McMinn County before we pull a value-added program to the to the citizens, to the kids. You know, soapbox is a regional activity, and it's done. There's 12 regions. There's 87 races worldwide that that race, and Athens is one of 87, and we're one of four in Tennessee that does this activity. One of four cities is what I'm trying to say, and there's international. There's some. There's some in Canada. There's some in Japan, and all those kids that race, win the races here, get to compete in Ohio. And I'm sure you're familiar with that that all-American race in Ohio. It's been running since 1934, and so we have a history of the race program here in Athens, of about 31 years, and I guess what I'm trying to iterate is, before we pull a program based on money, I don't want us to lose sight of other companies, other businesses, or other donors that could be a potential to be able to do, you know, to do what folks from Monroe County have been able to pour money into this. I think there's people. I think we have, if if we solicit it, if we market it, and we propose it, advertise it properly. I think we have more donors that can offset some cost, and we don't lose a program. We lose cost. I mean, the cost is there, but it's shared. That's what I'm. That's what I'm proposing, is that we advertise instead of still losing a program. So anyway, any questions for me? Be glad to answer anything that I
1:05:23 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
appreciate you. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, citizens' input time's closed now. I hear a motion on this. Move
1:05:40 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
approval of the ordinance.
1:05:42 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
You're a second.
1:05:42 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Second.
1:05:43 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Motion being made. Second. Any discussions?
1:05:45 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Like to offer an amendment, Council. There, there's a sheet on your desk. There was one sent around via email, but there was a slight modification this afternoon. I'm just going to. The top says revised proposed amendment to the budget ordinance for second reading, and I'll just go down each item. So when we ended last month, we had revenues over expenditures of $120,500. So we're adding these items of revenue reimbursement from the Humane Society 11,000 reduce demolition costs for condemned houses 50,000 that gets revenues over expenditures to 181,500. So then I propose these increases in expenditures for that same amount to get to zero. Increase transfer to debt service by 100,000. Increase 10% for library because of the maintenance of effort agreement, $17,800.
1:06:44 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Where is that at? I don't have it. Here,
1:06:46 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
I have another coffee. Do you have one, John?
1:06:57 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. No, you're good.
1:06:58 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
The request for the lighthouse with the 10% reduction, $13,500. The increase for the community chorus of $3,000, adding back in the Tri County Center allocation, $9,000. Adding back in the Soapbox Derby program, $16,000. The increase for employee auto allowances $16,800, not 30,000 $16,800. Increase in council salaries $4,200, and then a contingency for the city manager's division $1,200. Those total up to be one $181,500. So I offer that as an amendment to the budget on second reading.
1:07:43 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Second, being second, go ahead. You've got the floor.
1:07:48 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
I really have nothing else to say other than I'd like to offer those those amendments to the budget to kind of clean it up and move it forward.
1:07:57 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, I've got some questions, if I may ask. Some of these, especially the car allowances, where did where did you get your your your numbers at on these? If you don't mind me asking, because in the work session, Vice Mayor, you said that it was a wash. Their their car allowances was a wash to to their expenses, and and I've looked everywhere and tried to find that.
1:08:29 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
That's the number that was cut, so I'm adding that back in. I mean the the number is the one that was taken out, so it's being added back in. So the the answer your question would be, it would be what was cut, and so now proposing it be added back in because it's a reimbursement to our employees that they're entitled to. It covers their use of their vehicles for business purposes, both fuel and wear and tear. And I think that if you were to probably look at this globally and long term, it's probably a cost saved to our community to provide that benefit to those employees that receive it, rather than to have them file mileage reports. And and furthermore, I think we've had them. We've had that program for 30 plus years. So and and let me just say this too: if if the place we need to go to salvage $16,800 to balance our budget is to take a benefit for employees. I think we've got a lot of things around here we ought to rethink. So that's all I'm going to say about that.
1:09:30 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, I want to ask each one of the city council: Do you guys have has anyone looked at any of the the budget on the the car allowances? Because I do know Mike Keith Financials asked some very specific questions, and he sent those sent emails to everybody yesterday. Yesterday at 1111 37. Yes. So okay, let me let me explain to you the. The public, okay, $16,800, okay. So we have five individuals that get a car allowance. Not everyone. So saying that, the and I'm not picking on anybody. There's two individuals that are using their personal vehicles. That I'm very upset that we do not have a car allowance, a car fleet vehicle for them. That's the the director of park and recreations, and also the project manager, mr. Helms. Both of those using their their their vehicles, private vehicles, which I'm totally against, because that's a liability waiting to happen. But besides that, let me just break down everybody that I got from the city of Athens, and I'm these five individuals. Mike Keith gets $2,400 annual, $200 or $200 a month, or it's it's broke down $92 3031 cents a week. For the last seven years, I've done this because that's where most of everybody's.
1:11:11 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
I think that $92 every two weeks, every pay period, Mayor.
1:11:14 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
It's every two weeks is what what you said.
1:11:16 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Every week, it's every two weeks every two week period.
1:11:19 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
The total amount for the last seven years, was $16,800 just for one. Okay, now in the email, and mr. Keith can correct me if her own. He's been here since 2012, and with the 1414 years is 33,600 excuse me $600. The HR manager is $2,100 annual $171, $175 monthly, $80.77 every two weeks. A total of since seven years since she's been here, $14,700. Now, Anthony Castille, which is our codes director, is $3,800 a month, a year. I'm sorry, $316.67 a month, or $146.15 every two weeks. Total of seven years is $26,600. He's been here since 2008 to present, which is $68,400 of car allowances. Okay, now the director of public park recreations is $3,800 annual. He drives his own vehicle. Okay, $316.67 a month, or $156.15 every two weeks. He's been here for three years. It's $11,400. Kevin Hams, don't leave mad, man. Kevin Hams, $3,600 annually, $300 per month, $138.46 every two weeks. Mister Hams drives his own vehicle. Okay, and from 2021 to 2026, since he's hired, it was $18,000. Now, the taxpayers have paid out these five individuals car allowances of over $86,000. Okay, in seven years, that's not counting since the some of them are old, you know, been here for a lot longer at 2012, and I've calculated around between 130 and 150 $1,000. Okay, ever since the other ones been here. Now, saying that, Vice Mayor and City Council and the and the citizens, right here, is the allowances. Anybody can look at it. Okay. The they cannot. They cannot. None of these five cannot take off 65 miles from City Hall out. They cannot charge any kind of mileage when they go to a trip. It is it is IRS ratings, which is roughly sometimes it's 6771, cents, whatever. Okay, they get reimbursed for that. Okay, all five in the last seven years. Would you guys understand how much they got? $38,000 of taxpayer revenue has been has been given out. Out of all of this that I got from the city of Athens, that they they have only they've only reimbursed $5,000, which means that if we would have done the car the car mileage, we would the taxpayers wouldn't have to pay 3332 $33,000. So it's not a bang for the buck. That is is taxpayer money that's being wasted tremendously, and all of this is public records. You can pull this stuff up, and and there's there's some more issues that I'm not going to bring up during this. But the main thing is is. Just in the seven years of $38,000 of taxable revenue that the city taxpayers have been paid, and the return on investment. If we would have not had to pay the $38,000, all we would have had to pay is the 5000, and and that is from them driving one to two times a year to to an event now, saying that the HR manager lives in Loudon, she drives here every day. That's all. Same as a financial, you know, unless they go to a an event, a teaching event, or an educational event, or something like that. But that's one or twice a year, and and right here they are, all of it. Everybody after the meeting, you can come up and look at them. I don't care. Everything's broken down, but there's no sense of us paying car allowances. The two individuals that I just said that have their own cars, the city of Athens, we could have already paid for two brand new vehicles the amount of money that the taxpayers have have spent out throughout these years, and there's no contracts. There's no contracts. This the only contract we have is a city manager, and and saying that this is this is this is not right for the taxpayers. And I've done my research, and and it is in black and white. There's there's no way that you can that we can say that that keeping this $16,000. I would say the the two individuals that's got a cars. We need to tell the city manager and and the directors to go. I know that we've got some fleet vehicles somewhere. I know there's three up at the codes that that we you know not all three codes are running at all times right now, and we got a park park and recreations vehicle sitting out here, but we've got two individuals that drives me. Yeah,
1:16:53 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
okay. Those cars, as we discussed in the work session, they're not consistently available. The codes enforcement and community development group-they're in and out all day, every day, in and out. So those are not consistently available to use. They have their equipment in there, what they need to use on a daily basis. And then the parks and rec vehicle-it's getting to the point where it needs to be surplused anyway because it's so old and breaking down. Some it's it's had some issues, from my understanding. So I just want to clarify that that there's not necessarily a vehicle that we have currently that would be available to all these people that would need it.
1:17:39 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
There's only two. There's only two. The HR manager stays in her office. The codes stays in his office. He doesn't go out. He's got three code officers underneath him. the The financial guy is here all the time. Let
1:17:55 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
me remind you, the finance office does have to make daily runs to the bank,
1:17:59 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
and I see him every time going into the into the financial vehicle outside and going to the bank in a in a in a vehicle, I see them all the time. I'm
1:18:09 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
not aware of that.
1:18:11 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I see them all the time when I pull up the city hall. I see them going. What
1:18:14 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
vehicle you're?
1:18:16 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
They do use the pub the parks and recreation vehicle if it is available to go to the bank.
1:18:25 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
But what I'm saying is, the two individuals that's using their own personal vehicles, I'm I'm kind of embarrassed that we we have allowed this to happen when we have a fleet fund. We have a fleet fund that that you know when when Councilman Sherwin was talking about you know we've got a very nice fleet fund. There's no sense of of anyone driving their own vehicles to we have a project manager that's going to projects that's driving his own vehicle to projects to whatever projects we have, and we there's no way that anybody can tell me that this is a bang for the buck. Just $38,000 of taxable revenue that that that I've just come excuse me 86,000 I'm sorry, $86,000 in the last seven years.
1:19:23 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Let me add, and I'm staying neutral. I'm just giving facts here. We don't have the information to make that assumption. We don't have the mileage that they may drive every day. I mean, you may be right. You may be right. But but but we don't have that information to say that for sure.
1:19:41 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
You have an HR manager that stays in her office.
1:19:44 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Why? You
1:19:45 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
have a you have a codes you have a codes that's going to go
1:19:48 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
there. I
1:19:49 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
mean, I will because I'm up here a lot, and we do not need every day
1:19:54 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
also. And I'm not arguing with you at all. I just am trying to present the facts that I have in. To me, I want to remind you also that the fleet fund was reduced by 10% So, if you're suggesting that they purchase two new vehicles for the two that you mentioned,
1:20:11 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Kevin Heims has been here since 2021. We could have paid. We could have bought him a vehicle to drive. I mean, that's that's. I blame that on the public works director, and I'm not saying anything. I'm having a personal, having your having to drive your personal vehicle. I I would never allow that. And and the thing about it, I did the numbers. I asked the city to give me these numbers. I broke them down specifically. Well, with $86,000,
1:20:45 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
do not include the mileage for everyday use.
1:20:49 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
But but which is the
1:20:50 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
point of the vehicle allowance? But from mileage that happens within that 65 mile radius
1:20:55 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
is not accounted for. It's
1:20:56 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
not accounted for. And what's outside of that is very minimal at $5,000. There's kind of three options. People, we don't have an auto allowance, but people have to fill out mileage reports, which is clunky. I mean, and quite frankly, I feel like sometimes people, from my experience, don't want to fulfilling one out and may not do it and may not get reimbursed what they're entitled to. The other option is they get an auto allowance, kind of an agreed-to-flight amount, which sort of just covers all that. It covers fuel and wear and tear of the vehicle, or we provide a fleet vehicle. So I think an expense report for mileage compared to an auto allowance is pretty well awash for all intents and purposes. And the other option is to provide more fleet vehicles to these folks, and as we've said, we're already cutting funds from the fleet vehicle. But on the other side, we're going to say we need to provide more fleet vehicles. That is completely illogical. And of all these things in this amendment, the one thing we're talking about is $16,800 that is a benefit to our employees.
1:22:00 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
$86,000 in seven years, and and the benefits of the employees of the three top employees. One of them's making $99,000 a year. One of them's $120,000 a year, and one of them's $90,000 a year, getting a 3% pay raise this year. And and I'm telling you, I mean, and I'm not going. I mean, the numbers are all there, and here's the thing about it: is is we can fuss all this want, but $86,000 when you have three of the five that are directors that stays at City Hall, they do not go out and run the roads like everybody. There's only two that does. That's the park recreations director and the one that's most important is the is the the project manager, and $86,000 lasts seven years, and we only and and when they go on trips out of 65, and then there's some more issues that I that I won't bring up, but this is not this is not a wash. I mean, these we have we have employees in Athens, Tennessee, that lives in Knoxville don't get a car allowance. Why don't we give them a car allowance? They're not making $100,000 a year. They're making 3040, $50,000 a year. Why not then? Why not these other these other ones that lives out the county that's driving in here, that are the really the blood of our employ of our city. That's that's busting their hind ends on the roads and the and everything. That's the ones that that needs to be. But
1:23:35 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
man, man,
1:23:36 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
yes, go ahead.
1:23:37 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
I mean, you've gone on for over 10 minutes now, and I would like before I say what I want to say in regard to this, I want to point out that you interrupted me when I was trying to clarify to you, and I don't remember who was up there, maybe mr. mr. Whiting, but we're talking here about this ordinance, which is the second reading to adopt the budget? That's what these people have been speaking about, and set the tax rate. and And you were saying that wasn't so, but that's what we're here to do. And during this time, we're here as the motion comes forward after public hearing. Then amendments can be made, and now we're talking about it. And you you've given your argument over that, and and and you put it out there the way you see it should be put out. But I want to ask Mike before going further: What's the IRS mileage rate now?
1:24:39 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
71 cents.
1:24:40 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
It's low 70s. Okay, I didn't pull it up. I just 72 five. I've got it printed off. Well,
1:24:48 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
let's say 72 five. We'll round at 73. So these employees, if they had to fill out their mileage, running around all over town every day, 70 cents a mile. You get 100. Miles, it's $73. They're going to get that in a day, easy, and some of them more. Now, the way it's set up right now with auto allowance, the first 65 miles they can't count. But if they go outside the city and it's beyond 65, they can start counting after the 65 miles. Now, the auto allowance. I know it seems like a lot of money, and and let me state this before I say about the auto allowance. Doing a budget for a city, for a corporation, whatever it may be, even for a construction company, is a difficult thing. But doing one for a city is not an easy thing. You all, the citizens, elect the council, people sitting on the council, to make reasonable decisions related to the budget process-it's not easy to try to juggle one thing in order to meet the needs of another thing, and a lot of these things that have been brought up here tonight are going to be met in some way or another. But during a budget process, sometimes you've got to make cuts that are hard, and some of them we talk about these 10% cuts to these outside agencies. Well, to the arts center, it's $1,200 cut. They get $15,000 from the from the hotel motel tax, and they get 12,000 from our our general fund. We're we're cutting back 10% on the general fund line line items. That's $1,200 for them. For the senior citizen center, we didn't cut them out. They're still in here, and so just to clarify, I just want to clarify all this. And and the library, there was a 10% cut there. No, no, no. We have a MOU with them, and so we're MOE. So we're putting that 10% back in this amendment, and the lighthouse it was taken out for reasons in the budget when all this process was going on, but it's being amended to put it back tonight with a 10% cut, so just like everything else. Sorry, my voice is kind of shaky tonight, but it has been lately. I'm just not well. So auto allowances. It covers their mileage for these miscellaneous things that have been talked about in general here, but it's also it could be considered part of their pay scale. Our our directors that we hire, we we our city manager does the hiring, and the city manager who hired these people at the time are trying to hire the best people to fill those jobs. Sometimes you got to give them incentives and benefits in order to to entice them to come and be here. And for 30 years, this auto allowance has been a part of salary, if nothing else. And to take it away, just generally take it away. It'd be like going out here to a guy driving the truck that picks up your your trash receptacles, and saying, "Hey, we're gonna we just decided our budget's kind of hard. We're going to take away about $2,000 from you this year, so that's not right. And so we're trying to we're trying to balance this and juggle this and put it back, so so things will will be right. And you you you've heard. I'm trying to look at at these things here as I'm talking. Tri County has been in this amendment placed back. Soapbox Derby has been placed back in this amendment if it passes. And in order to do that, there had to be some other places that we had to pull money away from in order to balance the budget. And Mike does a great job as our finance director. I mean, best in I wouldn't say just this state, but the United States. That's my personal opinion.
1:29:39 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I'll give you that,
1:29:42 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
and I think everybody sitting here would agree with maybe one. And so, I'm just saying a budget process is a very difficult thing, and you you can't have there's. I'm just gonna guess. I'm not gonna count the 20 something, almost nearly 30 people sitting here. But there's 15,000 in the city, and you can't have that many people putting their hands in the pie every when you're trying to do a budget and say, "Well, we need to do this. We we want to listen to you, we want to hear you, and and see what we can do to meet those needs. That's what we try to do, and that's what we've tried to do in this budget. That's what we're trying to do tonight by putting some of these things back that were taken out in the first reading that were mistaken shouldn't have ever been taken out. And one of them was that we reduced in the first reading. We took away $100,000 from our debt service, we have to pay these debts that we have, so we're putting it back tonight if the amendment passes, and so I just wanted to explain to you what these amendments were about and what this this auto allowance really boils down to. I mean, yeah, it is for the auto allowance. Over the last 30 years, it has become a part of their benefit package of their pay scale. So that's why we're putting it back.
1:31:15 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I agree with you. Listen, I've been in these arenas for a long time, and it's hard to. At at least we're not laying anybody off. Okay, so all the our employees here, any employee, once you get that benefit, that's the way I look at it. Okay, it's a benefit. Now, would I had agreed with that 30 plus years ago, I don't know. It becomes how hard up we needed people, and we couldn't get them. Now it's a part of their pay scale. Okay, that's the way I look at it. And I will not take anything from any employee that they're already getting. You wouldn't want it. You personally wouldn't want anybody taking anything from, especially how you know the price is so high and inflation. I I guarantee you you wouldn't want it. So that's excuse me, excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. I know you, my friend. You're my cheerleader. Okay.
1:32:21 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Please, please, please, please, please.
1:32:24 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
However, that's where I stand on this. Okay, I don't want to take anything from any of our employees.
1:32:33 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
You haven't spoke.
1:32:36 · John Duggan (unverified label)
First off, we're addressing all these five as directors. Correct? Is all five directors? Is Kevin a director?
1:32:45 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Kevin is considered a project manager, so he's not. He's not a director. So he's not
1:32:49 · John Duggan (unverified label)
a department head. Also, we have other departments that aren't a part of this pay scale, a part of this benefit, so they're missing out on this benefit. Probably even travel even more. You do have
1:33:02 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
just just to clarify. You do have, of course, the police chief, the fire chief, and the public works director all have city vehicles. Right. That's
1:33:12 · John Duggan (unverified label)
that's part of that benefit, and we're talking benefit and pay. So this is not even. It should be part of their listed instead of under expenses. It should be part under their benefit and pay package instead of you know in the budget. It's listed down in expenses because everything's tonight's been talked about benefit and pay. I see it as an expense, personally, because really, if you do the math, and I don't want to get into the weeds, but every year the IRS pay scale goes up. Because if you go back to 2010 that I printed off, 50 cents a mile. Now we're at 72 cents point five each year. It goes up, so they're actually decreasing their mileage each year because the pay scale is staying the same. It's been on an automatic amount every year, so you're actually devaluing the mile because they're not putting in their mileage. I'm I'm of the mindset to be fair because I I drove government vehicles, I also turned in my mileage when I was in both private and government position, and I was reimbursed and paid back with a compensation. And one question I have is: since this is considered benefit and pay scale, is it taxed? Is it part of the taxing,
1:34:42 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
the full amount is added to the employees and is taxed.
1:34:46 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Oh, taxes come out of this.
1:34:48 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Yes, it's instead
1:34:49 · John Duggan (unverified label)
of a true reimbursement.
1:34:51 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
It's it's meant to not be a true reimbursement in order to alleviate the record keeping that has to be done in order. To when anybody travels, and it does cover, has been mentioned, all of the mileage for 65 miles, either north, south, east, or west. If we go, or even
1:35:10 · John Duggan (unverified label)
within the city, right?
1:35:11 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
All of it within the city. So any time I, I'm on the list. Okay, so we'll talk about me if you want to. Any time I drive to Public Works or drive to the regional park for something or drive anywhere in the city that is city business, have to go to the bank at different times. I don't turn in a expense report for that. Any time I go to Chattanooga or Knoxville for for classes, for instance, I went to North City in in March, I went for for the Tennessee Government Finance Officers meeting on a Thursday afternoon and a Friday morning. No mileage was submitted to the to the city to reimburse me. That was out of my that was considered reimbursed total
1:35:56 · John Duggan (unverified label)
there and back.
1:35:57 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Correct part. It's
1:35:58 · John Duggan (unverified label)
130 total there and back that you're covered, and is this per day?
1:36:03 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
It's for any trip. It's for any trip that is within that 65 mile radius. So, so if, for instance, let's say
1:36:13 · John Duggan (unverified label)
nothing in the city. Let's say you drove 70 miles in one day, none of that would be counted because that's under 60 miles,
1:36:21 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
65.
1:36:22 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
No, none of that would be turned in because I'm staying within six within a 65 mile radius of the city. So, so
1:36:33 · John Duggan (unverified label)
within the 65 mile radius, once you go beyond Knoxville and Chattanooga, you you get compensated for every mile beyond 65. If you're in the city, you don't get compensated. There's no mileage turned in. Correct.
1:36:45 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Correct.
1:36:45 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Okay. And and like I mentioned, that's also the citizens are being taxed. We are paying this, but then it's also being taxed. So it's a taxed effort. So that's kind of a double tax, and just the way my mindset's working. May not be, I don't know how finance is done, but the way I'm seeing it, that's a double tax. No,
1:37:11 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
if just for personal income tax purposes, if I was going to deduct the you know the mileage off, I'd have to keep up with it and keep do my own record keeping, and it would be subject to the IRS guidelines of of either two. You know, I'd have to itemize deductions, and you know, most people don't itemize anymore, so you don't get the benefit of that. So,
1:37:36 · John Duggan (unverified label)
and and this was still, you know, because I broke it down by mileage, because this would be 3300 miles a year for one person. Or I'm sorry, it's looked at the wrong thing. Yeah, 3300 for one person. That'd be 2800 for another miles, and then 5200 for another person. I broke it down by year, month, two weeks pay in each day. So, but I really feel like considering it's a set amount and it's been set for many years.
1:38:13 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Great,
1:38:13 · John Duggan (unverified label)
and the rising cost of the IRS is goes up every year per mile.
1:38:18 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Great.
1:38:18 · John Duggan (unverified label)
After a while, either that benefit's going to kind of go away.
1:38:25 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
It diminishes in value.
1:38:26 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Yeah, and I'm of the mindset the fairway for everybody, for every employee, is the the sense of earning your mileage, get compensated for what you drive. I know we have this in the policy. We could we've not really looked at any policies this year, other than the one that we approve every year through finance. But I'm of the mindset we need to revisit the policy in itself. You know, I kind of think either we're overpaying some people and underpaying others. I really don't think it's equal all the way around. So, like I said, I turned to my mileage for years. I wanted my compensation because I used my my car, my gas, and I did it weekly when I worked at a bank, I did it every week. When I worked at the sheriff's office and drove places, went to conferences, and you know when I I used my credit card for gas, I got reimbursed after the trip. So I'm I'm more of direct pay instead of lost amounts. I know it's a lot of paper trail that some people might be upset about, but I think transparency would be better instead of kind of you know so many misunderstandings going on.
1:39:54 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
If you want to look at it in the terms of some of the terms you're putting. And you correct me, my. I don't remember the exact amount, but we pay the city manager somewhere between six and $8,000 a year for a car allowance. I don't remember
1:40:16 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
seven.
1:40:16 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Seven. Okay,
1:40:17 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
and that was under contract. That was a contract we negotiated.
1:40:20 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Well, I. look at this as we are under contract with these employees over the last 30 years. This being in place,
1:40:29 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
none of these right here are under contract. None of them are under contract, and they're they're and and I'm not and and they're getting paid very nice, and we have other employees that are making 3040, $50,000 a year. That's driving a long ways. Also, not getting compensation. Now the other directors, they they are on call 24/7. The fire, the chief, the the public works director, and the and the the police chief. But but these are not on call. These people are not on call. I mean, we're not going to call the financial guy at 2o'clock in the morning because of an emergency or something like that.
1:41:10 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
I will say this: there were a number of years I did get called at two and three in the morning and came to City Hall on a regular basis. Okay, so so I've always considered the fact that if if my boss needs me for any purpose whatsoever, they can call me and I'm expected to answer my phone and and respond to that. I did a lot of things previously inside the building here, taking care of the building and that sort of thing, I came up a lot in order to take care of the computer systems as well as. And I'll just throw it in there. That's one of the things Austin and I did forever was maintain the computer systems, and we were we we were called in a lot of times. And so, just just give you that to think about.
1:42:02 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yeah,
1:42:03 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
I'll call the question. Well, I like to
1:42:05 · John Duggan (unverified label)
I like to question
1:42:07 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
calls. Second, second. Motion being made and second. Roll call. Has to be a 2/3.
1:42:15 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
1:42:17 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Aye.
1:42:18 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan.
1:42:19 · Brandon Ainsworth (unverified label)
No.
1:42:20 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Member Charlotte,
1:42:21 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
aye.
1:42:22 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor Curtis, aye. Mayor Eaton,
1:42:24 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
no motion is denied. The
1:42:27 · John Duggan (unverified label)
other thing I wanted to talk about before we rushed off to a vote: increase council salaries. We're not even that's down in our schedule for later on tonight. Why is this part of an amendment here when it's not even been voted on? If we vote on this here, that's going to be mandatory vote. At that point, we need to not have this in this amendment as well.
1:42:48 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Which one, sir? The
1:42:49 · John Duggan (unverified label)
increase of council salaries.
1:42:53 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I think that ought to be taken out completely. I mean, I think that ought to be a subject of the new city council and just
1:43:04 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
to clarify this because it is, it could be part of the budget if the ordinance that we will get to the proposed ordinance if it becomes effective whenever you see fit because that's still up in the air too. That's why that's that's there, but
1:43:22 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
and I think we have to formulate this budget on the expectation of things with the best information we have, and for crying out loud, we have an ordinance on here that we all seem have consensus to move forward. So I think we're trying to, you know, in good faith account for that expected expenditure and increase in that item. So I think it's very prudent. Well, that's
1:43:41 · John Duggan (unverified label)
a presumption of a automatic. Me personally, we're
1:43:45 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
presuming a lot of things in this budget, Council Member. I mean, I think no, I'm not talking a budget.
1:43:49 · John Duggan (unverified label)
I'm talking about an item that's in new business. I think
1:43:51 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
the council salaries are to be postponed till the next budget season and let the new new. I'd
1:43:57 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
recommend you just add that down to the contingency line item and take it out if that's what you want.
1:44:02 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
That's what I would like.
1:44:03 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
That's fine with me, and I'm happy to consider that to be an amendment, a change, or I will include that change in my initial amendment that that's proposed.
1:44:12 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, so that one's out.
1:44:13 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
If if my if the second,
1:44:15 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
you second, second since
1:44:17 · John Duggan (unverified label)
I mentioned it. Yeah, or you second it since I mentioned
1:44:20 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
it. All right, so that that one's out. So that will
1:44:23 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
make the contingency under city manager
1:44:26 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
5400.
1:44:27 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Thank you.
1:44:27 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yeah, and also the reduction of the the the cost of the condemned houses. That is something that needs to be still in the budget. The reason why we demoed city city attorney city. houses last year, and roughly is this year yes this year and and roughly I think it I can't remember what I was told it was 40 $50,000 roughly it was
1:44:57 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
six to 7000
1:44:58 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
there's 36 properties. There, there was there was 36 total. There was nine ready to be demoed. Six was demoed by the city. Nine was demoed. Four was repaired, and and also there's there's more that's that's in in in court right now to be demoed, and at this point in time, this money will be redone back into the property to get reimbursed back. Or, please explain that.
1:45:30 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
Yes, clarify. So there have been some 36 total properties. Some of these pre-COVID that have been around since 20 1819, but got paused because of all of COVID for several years. After the notices started, of these blighted properties, nine were demolished by the owners, so the city did not have to bid them out, or repaired by the owners. City did not have to bid those out. Again, they weren't demolished. So we've had 13 properties either demoed by the property owners or repaired. Six thus far this year have been demolished out for bid at about six to 7000, and those are liens against the property that, when if that property sells, that lien would have to be dealt with. So, so gentlemen, what what that's mean? If we had not have done through the legal means, none of this stuff would have been happening. And we've we've got some we
1:46:30 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
we've had some houses, and we still have some houses that are very they've got trees growing in the center of them, and it's it's it's pretty pretty graphic. But anyway, I I think that that that one we need to leave in the in the budget, and that's something that to to enhance the city a little bit more. But that's
1:46:51 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
well, I disagree with your stance on that. That $100,000, there's a lot of dilapidated buildings in in the city that we're addressing some of those, and a few can wait just a little longer in order to balance this budget. We had to move some money somewhere, so we take 50,000 from there. That still leaves enough money to demolish, on the average, of $6,000.09, right?
1:47:20 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
There was some at 950. There was some at nine 9000. So who
1:47:24 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
knows what it's going to be? But the fact of the matter is, we can wait on some of them instead of moving forward because we've got to move some money somewhere in order for this budget to be balanced. Where are you going to find $50,000?
1:47:38 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
About 16 108 $16,800 of car allowance, but you know, that's just
1:47:44 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
one
1:47:44 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
of those things.
1:47:47 · John Duggan (unverified label)
We also received this information concerning the the soapbox derby. I know that was it's kind of a project that's you know cost the city in deficit over the past couple years. I kind of think that actually could be funded by the Parks and Rec Foundation and find some sponsorships there because that's a 16,000. We're dealing with a lot of overtime with employees traveling up to Ohio at that time.
1:48:14 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Well, let me ask a question, if I may, City Council. Has any of you all talked to the director of the the Park Recreations about this in any way, form, or fashion. Anybody? We're assumptions.
1:48:27 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
We've we've seen his emails.
1:48:30 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
You've seen his emails. Past emails. His
1:48:33 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
statements in regard to it.
1:48:34 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I have an email from him that's that's he's wanting to. It's it's too much stress on the on his on the park and recreations this part, and well,
1:48:44 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
boo hoo! I thought that's why we had these people. Don't boo in order to do these kind of things. Calm down. Wait a minute. Okay. She making it sound like oh, it's such a hard thing.
1:48:55 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
mr. Henby made a very good point, and and most of the tournaments and everything else is done by private entities, and a private entity needs to be taking this over. There's only 22 kids that actually did this this year. Of in the last since 2023, a kid from Winchester, we paid for him and his family to go to Akron, Ohio, with our taxpayers' money, you had one from Madisonville, one from from Knoxville, two years in a row, 24 and 25, to go to Akron, Ohio, on the city of city taxpayers' money, and then that's not counting with all of the. And I have the I have the numbers right here because I figured you you may think I didn't, but that's okay. I've got them. So and I have all the numbers right here from 2020 to 2025. 14 in 2023. There's a $14,000 net. Loss just on the soapbox derby, and 2025 there was a 16,263 net loss, and 2024 there was a 14.29 with 18 participants in 2024, and there was 19 in 2023 and 24 is 20, and but what I'm saying is we have a Park and Recreations Foundation that has been doing this for all the time, and there's their there's their there's their funding right there. They've got over $100,000 in there, and the former park recreations manager went to Akron, Ohio, and the Parker Recreations Foundation. They can fund this. The city taxpayers does not need to be doing this. They've got over $100,000 sitting right there. That's not a not the money is not acquitted to anything, and and and they they can do this, and but as far as logistics wise, it's it's the the park recreations has had to work a lot of overtime. They had I'm I'm under the not suggest I'm under the suggestion, and it needs to be sent to a private entity. We need to help any way former that we can, but but with with the overtime and everything, we're having to send people to Akron, Ohio, for people that's coming from Winchester over here. The Soapbox Derby used to be, and and when when Zeke was a little kid, they built cars. Daddies and sons and daughters built the cars, and the mamas built the cars. Now the cars are stuck over there at the regional park, and that's they they take the cars from regional park over, and then a kid jumps in the car and takes off, and that's that's that's what it is right now. So, but ladies and gentlemen, I think that that we need to have a private entity take this over. And Parker Recreations Foundation is that's that's my suggestion. But but I've got the documents right here, and and I've even talked. I've even had a letter that Matt Chenard sent that that it is a very it's a big strain on on the park creation park recreations department with the the amount of numbers that that comes in. So
1:52:37 · John Duggan (unverified label)
I want to put this out there. You know, our last budget meeting, it was five zero for the audio auto allowance, and now it's come back mysteriously very quickly. And I, like I said, we've had a heated debate over salary and everything, but keep it as salary. I think it just needs to go in and and be a part of that benefit package. About mileage, you know, over others with who gets the benefit and who does it. Is it how many years you're here of service before you get the benefit, or is it something else? But you know, I you know those three items. I I know they're not massive amounts, but but they I know they also matter to people as well. But the you know like I said, we've pulled the the council salary thing out, as well as the city manager amount. But I, you know, when you get down to it, we're trying, we're trying to balance a budget so the city can function, and so we can actually move forward for public safety, as well, and we need to keep that in mind as well. Public safety matters to me, number one overall, and I'll just stop at that. But I think those four items need to come off.
1:54:16 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
City attorney, before I'm moving forward on this, the the park recreation. Foundation. I ask you to be this before, and I'm going to do it in open public meeting. This was sent to me as the mayor of Athens, Tennessee. That's subject to public records, right?
1:54:34 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
Sent to you from
1:54:36 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
from the attorney of of the of the Park Recreations Foundation as the
1:54:41 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
documentation that was provided to
1:54:44 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
you, yeah, as the mayor. Okay, so it's subject to public records.
1:54:52 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
It didn't come from my office,
1:54:55 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
and and it's not. Yeah, even though I'm on the board through the city of Athens. I just want to make sure that cover.
1:55:04 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
So, what are we talking about here? The amendment, everything we've talked about, we just took out the city council salaries, and that that goes along with what the ordinance is. We're going to deal with later, and the changes in the salary scale that would go into effect after the election of 26 and after the election of 28. We've already talked about that, and I'm not going to be here for it. And who knows if you will, or you know, I don't know who will be here, but I certainly won't be. And I think it's something we all agreed upon that when the state legislature agreed that we put that under an ordinance and take it out of the charter, that we do it by ordinance, and we have to deal with it by ordinance and put an amount in there, and that's what we agreed upon. So I'm okay with taking it out and putting it under contingency, but it's going to have to go back in somewhere. So by taking that out, how did we balance the budget?
1:56:20 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
We we moved it to the contingency miller to the city manager division. We
1:56:24 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
added it back
1:56:25 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
to to make that a total of $5,400
1:56:30 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
under the
1:56:33 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
line item right under the contingency for city manager division. What was 1200?
1:56:42 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
That's 15 seven on this paper I got.
1:56:45 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Hey Steve, make sure you have this. Sorry,
1:56:51 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
okay. I had two papers here. All right. Oh, you got
1:56:54 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
it. Yeah.
1:56:55 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
All right. So it's five 400. It's it was changed. So I had too many different papers up here. Okay, I'm with you.
1:57:15 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Would y'all like to vote? I sure would. I tried
1:57:19 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
to get. I tried to get us to vote. How many?
1:57:22 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
So what we vote for? I'm still.
1:57:24 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I'm still. I would like to make amendment. Take the increase car allowances out. I want it. I want it up to to the to vote for vote up or down. I'd like to make a motion. Take that out.
1:57:35 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
There's already amendment on the floor.
1:57:37 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I like to make an amendment to the amendment to take this out. There's always you can make an amendment to the amendment.
1:57:44 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Take what out?
1:57:46 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Take the the car allowance out. Do you hear a second? So you're
1:57:51 · John Duggan (unverified label)
amending amending the amendment. Yes, amending this to take out the car allowance to vote on up or down.
1:57:58 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yes. Do you hear a second?
1:58:02 · John Duggan (unverified label)
I'll second.
1:58:03 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Must be me saying any discussions.
1:58:05 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Clarification.
1:58:08 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Yeah, clarification.
1:58:10 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Take the car allowance out of the budget.
1:58:13 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
He amended the amendment. He amended the amendment
1:58:17 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
to
1:58:17 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
take out the car allowance. It's
1:58:19 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
not that. Well, this is
1:58:20 · John Duggan (unverified label)
the motion. This is it's mending the budget, but this is the motion. We're mending the mayor's amendment is to pull out the allowance part of this motion, which I spoke on it separately. One
1:58:33 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
more time, if if this amendment fails the $16,800 that the car allowance, then we would be back to this comprehensive amendment that also includes the $4,200 being added to the contingency under city manager's vision.
1:58:52 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
No, you, you, you, no, no. Yeah, you took the 42 out on the next amendment because you pulled your amendment back and made the amendment back, and he seconded.
1:59:02 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
No, no, that's not correct. I agreed that I would acquiesce to my initial motion being that one minor change, and the second agreed.
1:59:10 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
I agreed.
1:59:11 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Yes.
1:59:12 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, so that 42 is out.
1:59:14 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
No, it's not out. It's right here because if it doesn't, it doesn't balance, Mayor. It has to be somewhere.
1:59:20 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
It's taken out of the salary line item and put in the contingency. Yes. Okay.
1:59:25 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Yes,
1:59:27 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
sir. All right. Any other discussions? Roll call.
1:59:31 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Just so you're voting on the
1:59:34 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
amendment for the car allowance.
1:59:35 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Take the car allowance out.
1:59:38 · John Duggan (unverified label)
To take it out or to vote it
1:59:39 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
out. Take it out.
1:59:40 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Oh, to take it out of the. It'll be moved to contingency. Yeah, that is what you're saying. No, no, no,
1:59:46 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
no. Just take it out completely. We we
1:59:48 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
are voting exclusively, as I understand it, on the car allowance of $16,800. That's all we're voting on right now. Once that either passes or fails, we'll be back to this amendment as the comp.
2:00:02 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Okay.
2:00:03 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Any other discussions? Roll call.
2:00:06 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
2:00:08 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Okay.
2:00:10 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan.
2:00:14 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Point of clarification: We're voting for
2:00:17 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
take the 16,000
2:00:19 · John Duggan (unverified label)
out. Out.
2:00:20 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Only for that. Only, yeah, only for that.
2:00:22 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Yeah. Hi,
2:00:25 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Charlene.
2:00:26 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
No.
2:00:27 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Curtis.
2:00:28 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Nay.
2:00:29 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Marion. Absolutely yes. Okay. Now we're back to the original amendment.
2:00:39 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
As amended,
2:00:40 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
as amended. Yes. Any other discussions on this? I'd like to make an amendment to take to take the reduce the the cost of the condemned homes. I'd like to take that and put that back in the budget because we need to we need to make sure Athens is cleaned up. Hear a second on this.
2:01:09 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Are you talking about the 50,000? Yeah, putting it back into the
2:01:12 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
budget. Yes, putting back it. They was going to reduce it 50,000. It needs to be put back in. So that's that's my motion. It's an amendment. Hear a second. Again, I hear a second.
2:01:27 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Second.
2:01:28 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Motion being made and second. Any discussions? This is just to just to take that $50,000 out. Roll call.
2:01:38 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
2:01:39 · Brandon Ainsworth (unverified label)
Yay.
2:01:41 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan.
2:01:43 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Aye.
2:01:43 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Charland. No. Councilmember Curtis. Aye. Mayor Eaton.
2:01:51 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yes. Okay. Any other discussions? Roll call.
2:02:00 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Just for point of clarification, we are voting on this comprehensive amendment, with the one minor change being once again $4,200 in increase in council salaries moved down and added to the contingency amount of city major division, changing that from 1200 to 5400. Am I good on that? Okay.
2:02:23 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan. Aye. Councilmember Dugan.
2:02:26 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Nay.
2:02:27 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Charlotte.
2:02:29 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Aye.
2:02:30 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Curtis.
2:02:31 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Aye.
2:02:32 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Marion.
2:02:33 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Oppose no.
2:02:38 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
And just just for clarification, we just adopted this budget as amended, and we that included the property tax rate. Could you tell us what that rate is? The
2:02:52 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
state said the rate stayed the same at 1.0078.
2:02:58 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Thank you.
2:03:03 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay. Now, any other discussions?
2:03:11 · John Duggan (unverified label)
We voted on the amendments. We didn't vote on the budget.
2:03:16 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
No, no. We're we're fixing to go to we're fixing to go to the. All right. Any other? Oh, we're right. Any other
2:03:26 · John Duggan (unverified label)
amendments to the budget?
2:03:28 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
That's one of my. See,
2:03:29 · John Duggan (unverified label)
that's this is the amendments.
2:03:30 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yes, that's the
2:03:31 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
ordinance, the budget, the tax rate has passed.
2:03:34 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yes.
2:03:35 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Everything we
2:03:36 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
we're good.
2:03:37 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
Forward.
2:03:37 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay. Yeah, we got her. Okay, there's no old business this time, and we got new business. Line item I A A. Line item A.
2:03:54 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Item A is the bid award for RFB 603, the Athens Fire Station number three. To
2:04:02 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
hear a motion. Do you hear a motion for the bid?
2:04:07 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
I move we accept this bid and that it be taken out. The payment be taken out of capital project funds pay in cash.
2:04:22 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
If I may, Councilmember Charland. Let
2:04:24 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
me. Oh, I'm sorry. We gotta have a second first.
2:04:27 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Well, I was just saying for asking for clarification that we are awarding the bid to KTM Builders LLC.
2:04:35 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
You want to say the amount?
2:04:37 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
I'm sorry. The
2:04:38 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
amount 36. Let me go back here. 36. It was 6755.
2:04:49 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
No, the the bid amount to KTM is 5,985,590. Is that correct, Bridget?
2:04:57 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
That's correct. On page 33, you can review that.
2:05:00 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
Yes,
2:05:00 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
and the bid tabulations on page 35. Okay.
2:05:05 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
My motion is to accept that bid, and we pay cash out of our capital project fund, and not go into debt for it. All right. There a
2:05:19 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
second.
2:05:21 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Second. Must be in second. You have anything? Any of a long
2:05:28 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
time coming, and we've worked hard towards this. Our ISO rates are going to go up because we haven't dealt with this in a timely. We well, we tried in a timely manner. It just takes time to get things done. But the sad part of it is our SO rates probably going to change, which will cause an increase in property tax or property owners' insurance, home insurance, to go up anywhere from two to 5%
2:06:01 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Mayor, I will just say that you know again, this has been a long time coming. I would like to in July, maybe in August. I think we need to more in earnest. We have the cash on hand to pay for the project. I'm happy to kind of move forward with that understanding right now, but I think we need to look at avenues that we may look to kind of reimburse our capital fund for some part of the cost. So I think I think we can maybe have a little bit more of a deep conversation about strategies to do that, perhaps in our July work session.
2:06:33 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I don't
2:06:34 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
think when I'm sorry, Councilmember Cowan, you go. No,
2:06:36 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
no, I I just you know Mike's information that he gave us, I'm not. You know, I like borrowing other people's money. Maybe don't have to use it all. It's just that's just me. And at a low interest rate, and if Mike can speak to that, give us some clarifications, if you would,
2:07:04 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
no. But I gave each of you a paper there yesterday, and and I assumed an interest rate of 4.5. I mean that that could be a little bit higher. Okay, but need to need to estimate how. If we, you know, obviously, you you received that in email yesterday, so it all depends on how much you want to borrow, how long you want to borrow it. We're talking about obviously if it comes in under four and a half percent, it could be paid off a little quicker. But you know, each each million is going to cost you $2.10 to pay it back over 10 years. Okay, each million is going to cost you $1.55 on the tax rate for 15 years, and each million's going to cost you for 20 years. It's going to cost you 1.2833 or 128 and a third cents on the tax rate, and so you can just extrapolate that, and that's what I did in the sheet there, you know, I'm gonna just say 3 million. Okay, if you did 3 million at 10 years at 6.3 cents, 3 million at 15 years is 4.65, and 3 million at 20 years is three, basically 3.85 cents on the tax rate that would have to be raised in order to pay that, and that's those are increases in the tax rates. So, you all were you all asked for that information, so that's where I came.
2:08:51 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Okay,
2:08:51 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
what I wanted to provide to you. I will say this: you know, I've used the number 660 5000 or 70,000 is what each penny brings in. I used 60,000 on this number because when when I really went into the numbers, and I keep telling you about the equalization factor and how that impacted the the tax collections. That really dropped it down to 60,000. In in my opinion, is what it's gonna is what we'd have to look at, so that's where those numbers, how those numbers came about.
2:09:24 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Thank you, Mike.
2:09:26 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I would like to make an amendment to the motion, please, that we we do a $3 million loan because there's some things coming up in August that that we're going to have to be doing. I know I can't say anything to public right yet, but I'd like to make a motion for a for a to to do a three 3 million or half of the half the the amount that's owed for the for the fire hall. So that's my that's my amendment to the motion. Is there a second? I
2:10:04 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
second.
2:10:05 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Motion been made and second. Any discussions?
2:10:08 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Mike, can can you tell us again how much is in the capital fund project? I have it here, but I thought you could find it quicker. That's the way I've been to think.
2:10:30 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
As as of the end of May, the capital project capital improvement fund had 11 point 1 million. Now we've still got a little bit of reimbursements to come back, and obviously some expenses, expenditures to take place on our different projects we got have going on. So that's a that's a reasonable number. You know, it'll it could go up a little bit once we get some reimbursements in, but you know you're talking about taking 6 million out of that, plus maybe another 400,000 or so, 500 to do furniture and pay the rest of the architect fees, that sort of thing. So, you know, you're talking about 6.5 coming coming out of that. So, talking about probably four and a half to 5 million left in the fund.
2:11:24 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Okay, you know,
2:11:24 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
just assuming.
2:11:26 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Thank you, and and I appreciate your stance on this. I do. I just want to say that mine's a little different. I don't. I don't agree with that, and I know that's how they say some millionaires make their millions are using other people's money, but you know we have this capital fund project that we set this money aside every year. It builds up, and it's built up a lot more than this in the past years. And we have been involved in a lot of projects in the last four years, including this year, that we've used that money, and we have that money sitting there now, and it's still going to leave us about five, four to 5 million, and that's money that we'll continue to add to. Hopefully, every year, we never know what we can add to it or not, but it's there. It's money we can pay cash for. Why do we want to go in debt, add to our debt when we already owe 60 million for that school and another what's the other, Mike? Near 6,000,006,
2:12:40 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
and a half. Yeah,
2:12:40 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
so seven 7 million. So we're in debt $67 million, and you know our budget's like 23. And over time, I mean, you know, our debt to income ratio doesn't look good to me. I think you just pay cash, and if we need to make adjustments somewhere, we don't like Cook Park needs this parking. Well, we and that's going to probably have to come if it's done come out of capital funds or general fund. It should come out of capital funds, but we market parks got 1.2 or 1.5 million in the budget this year. We don't need to do market park this year. We can take that out, put it back in, keep it in the the budget, and not spend that, but spend it for the park. But the bottom line is, I you know I just don't it it would cause a tax increase of of three to four cents. We've already adopted the budget and the tax rate, so we're going to have to go back and change it. I just you know I I think we're doing the wrong thing here, and I appreciate your stance, Councilman. I do. I know where you're coming from, but I just respectfully disagree, and I hope we can agree to pay cash for this because I don't want to see a tax increase to the people when we have the money sitting there to pay for this.
2:14:21 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
I will just comment that you know, and I'm just thinking about this kind of just from a process standpoint. I think we have the information tonight to approve this project, award the bid, and move forward. I think we need to maybe step back and have a little bit more of an in-depth conversation about what a resolution to authorize some level of debt instrument may look like, and discuss that in July or even in August, get a little bit more data. If we want to approve that, then you know maybe staff could monitor rates. I think the reality is, if we don't borrow a little bit for this project, we kind of have control. We may have something come along that is. It is a little bit more urgent that we're going to need access to the cash more quickly from a capital perspective. So I'm just a little bit concerned about depleting the capital fund down to this degree when our our earning, our I guess you'd say our deposit rate on the idle funds is kind of similar to the borrowing rate, somewhat of a wash. So, but I mean I think I would be in favor of let's just let's just approve the bid let's award it. We know we've got the cash to move forward with the project, and let's look at this a little bit a little bit more depth on on the on a on the debt instrument side. Do you think that would be prudent, Mike, to approach it that way?
2:15:43 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
That's that's that's not necessarily a bad idea. What you what you what you're talking about if you do a a resolution to reimburse yourself for cost is if let's let's just say we issued one today, okay? And I'm not saying we are, but if we did one today, then we're saying the things that we spend between now and the time we issue the debt for the let's say for the fire station, we can reimburse our capital fund for that, and then then the borrowing is you know paid off. So that's what you're talking about doing, and you know you've already set the tax rate for this year. You'd be talking about how would it impact next year's tax rate because when you borrow, you got a policy is you have to have a funding source to make that payment, and so there there would have to be the money allocated from some source, and that would typically be the tax rate.
2:16:51 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
I'm certainly open to further discussion. Yeah. So let
2:16:55 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
me ask you a question. Okay, on a on a 3 million on a 2020 year debt is 3.84 or eight five, roughly on a $200,000 home. Just roughly, it's. I know you. I know I'm putting you on the square. I mean, I'm putting on the on the spot. Oh yeah, but I'm. I mean, getting this eight 3.8499.
2:17:42 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Okay. just we're gonna start at $100,000 house just because it's easy to calculate on. You're talking about you're talking about less than you're talking about $9.63
2:17:55 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
a year
2:17:55 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
a year on $100,000 house.
2:17:59 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I mean that's that's
2:18:01 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
so.
2:18:03 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I mean,
2:18:03 · Junita McClure-Lewis (unverified label)
no.
2:18:03 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
And and the rate is 4.5, and we're getting interest about the same. So it's basically a wash. So it's better. Like
2:18:13 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
we're a little little under that, but we're we're high through high you know 385 to four. We got depends on what the investment.
2:18:23 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
if if if the revenues are coming up like they have been in the last few months, we can pay it off quicker, and
2:18:34 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
or we don't have to borrow it; we just pay for it. That's why I think we can just go ahead and issue as Councilman Curtis said, let's let's get this done because the company that's doing the reason this bid came in so low is the company that's doing the health center over here on Elizabeth Street gave us this bid. There were several bid, a lot of bids, but they were low, and because they're over there, they're ready to move over and start this thing. So, I think that's I'm okay with discussing the funding at further length. But I'll just tell you right now, I'm not. I don't want to put a tax increase on the on the folks.
2:19:18 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Are you pulling that from this motion then?
2:19:20 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
No, I'm not pulling it from it. I didn't pull it. It's motion's made. We'll have to vote on it.
2:19:26 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Well, that's what I'm saying. The motion itself says we're paying the payment in full from capital funds. That's what this motion is. Well, I'll
2:19:32 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
adjust the. But I
2:19:33 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
made, but I made the I made the amendment to the motion. So we're at. Oh, so you're an
2:19:37 · John Duggan (unverified label)
amendment.
2:19:37 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I made an amendment to to do half over 3 million.
2:19:41 · John Duggan (unverified label)
So we're voting on the amendment to yes to look at this further. Is that what you're saying? Yeah.
2:19:46 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
No. To to go ahead and do the 3 million, and then out of way we we're we're going half of the the cost because there's some things coming up in August that's going to.
2:19:56 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
I'm going to say you're really not. Necessarily prepared for that tonight, just because you need the particular resolutions authorizing that, and we would need to get with our financial advisor to prepare those for us. And so, not trying to necessarily throw a wrench in it, but it's that's one of those things you want to make sure you've taken care of that with the proper resolutions when you when you do that. So,
2:20:29 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
I think we need to vote this amendment down, and then if it's voted down, I will certainly change the motion.
2:20:39 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I'll tell you what. I'll pull my motion if the second
2:20:42 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
yeah okay let's go ahead and
2:20:45 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
do that and then we'll we'll just call a special called meeting to get this other one in
2:20:52 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
you know we'll we'll need just a little bit of time so I mean but that's what I'm
2:20:55 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
saying I should probably we're ready
2:20:58 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
we should probably look at you know either July or August doing that, and then do it just during the normal regular meeting times. I
2:21:09 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
didn't know if if if it was a because there's there's some things coming up soon.
2:21:16 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Sure.
2:21:16 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Okay, so we're back to the original motion. If a second agrees, I will change my motion just to say let's award the bid to this company at this rate that they've given us 5 million,
2:21:31 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
little under 6,000,005 nine and some change.
2:21:33 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
We'll decide the funding later.
2:21:37 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
There's no. We're not putting any type of Contingencies. Rewarding the
2:21:46 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
bid and technically it's going to come out of capital to get you started, but I mean, because you're going to
2:21:53 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
motion.
2:21:54 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
You're going to have things.
2:21:56 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Any other discussions? Roll call.
2:22:00 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
2:22:01 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Aye.
2:22:02 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan. Aye. Councilmember Sherland.
2:22:04 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Aye.
2:22:05 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor Curtis.
2:22:06 · Matt Chenard (unverified label)
Aye.
2:22:07 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor Eaton.
2:22:07 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
Aye.
2:22:11 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay. Line item B.
2:22:19 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Item B is additional parking at Cook Park.
2:22:22 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Ah. Mayor, I'll make a motion that we award that Cook Park,
2:22:30 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
and that's I'll second that. But just to clarify, the we're
2:22:41 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
gonna get fines.
2:22:48 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Council, if you'll look on page 37, you'll see the overview sheet, and then attached to that is the memo, and then on page 40 and 41, you'll see the maps that Public Works Director Ben Birchfield put together for you for some options. The options are listed there. The three that were went over in May, and then the two additional options that were presented to council at work session. The first option was to add 14 new parking spaces, which would result in 25 total parking spaces at the park, an estimated cost of 245,000. The second option, which would add 13 additional spaces, and then it would total 38 38 parking spaces in the entire park, which would be 335,000. Pick that option. He noted that by doing that option, you would be taking away from the green space by approximately 7000 to 10,000 square feet.
2:24:00 · John Duggan (unverified label)
And moving. So,
2:24:01 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
just for clarification, Councilman, the amount was to 335 for an additional to have a total of 38 parking spaces. Correct?
2:24:17 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Yes.
2:24:18 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Just to clarify the motion. To
2:24:22 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
provide some detail.
2:24:25 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Yeah, because is it is it 335 for just all of it? Yeah, 345
2:24:29 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
plus
2:24:30 · John Duggan (unverified label)
335. mr.
2:24:30 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Hams, please.
2:24:41 · Speaker 3 (unverified label)
So my understanding is, we have reached a design in communications with the neighbors as to how we would like to proceed, which is the parking that is off Harper Johnson Drive. What we are requesting is that you. Authorize us to move forward with getting a proposal from an engineering firm to do the design work for the project. What we would recommend is for the design work that you go ahead and design both options off of East Harper Johnson Drive. There's a base option, and then there's an added option for additional parking, and that we would design that. That would give us the information we need to bid it for construction. We could bid that with a base bid and an alternate bid. At that point in time, you could look at the prices and decide whether you want to do the base or if you want to do the alternate as well, but I think the main thing tonight is for us to move forward with getting an engineer on board to to do the design for the project and get the bid documents ready. We will we will have to get a proposal and bring it to you to do the design work,
2:26:03 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
can we wait till next month? Then
2:26:05 · Speaker 3 (unverified label)
we haven't received a. Oh
2:26:06 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, we just need to get it. We just need to get it rolling. If you if you can wait till get in next work session.
2:26:12 · Speaker 3 (unverified label)
What I would probably recommend is that I think next month we'll be bringing you a proposal as well for the parks master plan. It may be that we can have the same firm that's going to do the parks master plan work on this parking as well because they're going to be looking at Cook Park and buy that plan too.
2:26:30 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay. Okay. I make. Thank you.
2:26:32 · John Duggan (unverified label)
I do have one question. Is it 245 for the 20 or for the 14 spaces, and then another 335, or is that
2:26:40 · Speaker 3 (unverified label)
no three 335 would be the total for the base. Total
2:26:43 · John Duggan (unverified label)
for all, but for both sides being done.
2:26:46 · Speaker 3 (unverified label)
This these prices do not include anything for lighting. We are getting information for lighting for the parking area as well, so that would be something that we could add during the design, and we could look at at least well.
2:27:00 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
Yeah, right.
2:27:03 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Well, they
2:27:04 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
have to withdraw that first.
2:27:06 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Yeah, I'll withdraw my my first motion. Okay. Okay. Until we can get. Okay.
2:27:14 · Matt Chenard (unverified label)
All right.
2:27:15 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
And then he needs. They need authorization to have an engineer, so do you want to make a motion? Yeah,
2:27:24 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I'll make a motion that we get some intermission. Yes, yes.
2:27:28 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
You gonna make a motion to make an engineer? I heard a second.
2:27:30 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Second.
2:27:31 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Motion be made and second. Any more discussions? Roll call.
2:27:37 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
2:27:38 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Aye.
2:27:39 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan.
2:27:40 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Aye.
2:27:41 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Charlotte.
2:27:42 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Aye,
2:27:43 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Curtis. Aye, Mary.
2:27:45 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Aye. On item C.
2:27:57 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Item C, an ordinance to amend Title One, Chapter two of the Athens City Code by adding Section 146, establishing compensation for the mayor and council members pursuant to Article Five, Section Four of the Charter of the City of Athens, Tennessee.
2:28:11 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Hear a motion.
2:28:13 · Matt Chenard (unverified label)
Move approval.
2:28:14 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I hear a second. Second. Motion be made and seconded. Discussions. Roll call.
2:28:20 · John Duggan (unverified label)
I like. I'm sorry. I like to make a motion to table this for for another time. I think this is just ad optics to have this talking about salary increases right off the bat with right after budget issues.
2:28:38 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
This is not the salary increases, am I correct? This is the this is the
2:28:43 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
ordinance does include the increase on page 43. If you'll look at section one of the ordinance, it does change the compensation for the mayor to 600 per month and the compensation for the council members to 500 per month. But this would not be in effect until december 1, 2027.
2:29:05 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
After the elections, no, it
2:29:07 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
would be after each election.
2:29:08 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yes, yes.
2:29:09 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Well, this particular ordinance would be in effect. The charter or the code now will manage any changes to compensation going forward, but this particular ordinance will add this compensation to the code.
2:29:28 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
But it has to state what the legislature passed, which was it goes into effect after the 26th election. That's included in this ordinance.
2:29:37 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yeah,
2:29:38 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
yeah, yeah.
2:29:39 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
It's not even part of this, so,
2:29:40 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
so, and I, the motion is
2:29:44 · John Duggan (unverified label)
supposed to be voted on. We can't discuss motion to table is no discussion. You vote, by the way. Is
2:29:50 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
there is there a is there a second on this?
2:29:53 · John Duggan (unverified label)
There's no seconds. A motion to table.
2:29:55 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
You you make sure.
2:29:56 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Motion to table is to table it.
2:29:58 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Well, may well. We'll
2:30:02 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
get to vote on it.
2:30:04 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Roll call.
2:30:04 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan,
2:30:06 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
aye.
2:30:07 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan,
2:30:08 · John Duggan (unverified label)
aye.
2:30:09 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Charlen,
2:30:10 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
no.
2:30:11 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Curtis,
2:30:13 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
nay.
2:30:13 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor Eaton, nay.
2:30:14 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Three to two.
2:30:17 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
And I'd like to make a motion. Well, that was a motion's already on the floor. Okay, go ahead.
2:30:24 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Motion like to speak. Any other discussions?
2:30:27 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
I'd like to speak
2:30:28 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
to it. Okay, go ahead.
2:30:29 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
We talked about this in work session, and and I made these remarks, and I'll I'll say it again. I am not running for re-election, so it's not going to affect me personally. And if those who are running in this year's election don't get elected, it won't affect them. It just affects those who are elected this coming year, and then for the two who are already sitting waiting for the 27 election, they won't get that increase until after the election. I mean, of 28, until after the elect the election of 28, if they're elected, and if they're not, it'll be whoever's elected. What was in the charter, the pay level, which is more of an honorarium for council members was so outdated that it needed to be brought up to date. So when the legislature approved us taking the pay of the council members, the salary, the honorarium, whatever you're going to call it, out of the charter, putting that into an ordinance, and it requires that we set a pay level or to use what was in the charter. Well, my suggestion is is that we raise it to a comparable level of what today's rates and other cities are giving, and this rate is low compared to other cities. So, I've suggested that the council members get $500 a month, and that the mayor get $600 a month. All right.
2:32:11 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
I do not mean to interrupt, but I think that between Miss Roberts and I, we can speed this along and help clarify this ordinance as drafted, is actually not up for even the first reading tonight. The action to consider is just if you all want to place it under ordinances for the first reading, the next meeting, July, and then it would be for the second reading in August with public comment, that's all that this was on the agenda for tonight. We're not reading this in. We're not changing anything. All the changes have been done. Now it's an ordinance on whether you want to place it in the July meeting by consensus tonight by vote, and then you guys can read that ordinance, or beforehand you can amend it if you want to change.
2:33:04 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
We can read it as a first reading tonight. Next month,
2:33:07 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
not tonight. It's not up. It's not on the ordinances for first reading. I
2:33:12 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
think. I think it is. I think this is up. No,
2:33:14 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
it was my intention. If you right, if you look at the overview sheet, the action to consider is to conduct the first reading in July of 2026 because I felt like you all had not reached an exact. You had not given me all the direction I needed to finish the ordinance because I didn't have the effective date in concrete at the point of when I was writing this.
2:33:39 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
I think yes, it's
2:33:40 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
not ready to go yet.
2:33:42 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Because we had, if I let me remind you, work session we had brought up. No, initially I I said November of 20. Okay, well it really
2:33:51 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
doesn't. I'll just withdraw it, and we'll just. It really doesn't matter because nothing's going to be taking effect until the next election anyway. So it really doesn't matter. In
2:34:01 · John Duggan (unverified label)
other words, we'll table it. Well, it
2:34:02 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
has to be voted on as an ordinance and put into the code. Yes, I'll withdraw the motion and and the second will agree and and I'll just move that we proceed that this be written up as an ordinance and brought forth in the July session with those numbers that I suggest. That's fine. So
2:34:27 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
I think Councilmember Dugan says since it's under new business, is there a motion to table this for further discussion and clarity?
2:34:36 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Pretty much believe it's going. That failed.
2:34:39 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
But that failed.
2:34:40 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Yeah, that failed.
2:34:41 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
That failed three.
2:34:42 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Yeah, yeah. But I think we'll just talk about it in July work session.
2:34:45 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yeah, July
2:34:46 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
work session.
2:34:48 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
All right, I'm good. Well, that's gosh, that was done. Now another long one, city manager's position. Gentlemen, any discussions on city manager position? I
2:35:06 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
think we already
2:35:09 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
we have to put that we have to put these things in in motion till the end. I'm pretty sure. Plus, we need to okay a part time for administration, but that's that's
2:35:23 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
what depends on who's won.
2:35:26 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yeah. Do I hear at this point in time, the city manager position? We we need to city city attorney. We need to go ahead and and appoint interim until after the elections. We've already made that clear that after the elections, or do
2:35:47 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
you've got an interim right now?
2:35:49 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yes, we don't need to do anything then.
2:35:51 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
No, we said in the call meeting that would be temporary until we appointed somebody in this meeting.
2:36:00 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Well, Councilman Sherman, that's what I was asking. I know you don't have to get up ready.
2:36:04 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
That's what I was asking to clarify and kick me there, Councilman. So we have
2:36:09 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
the interim manager, Miss Roberts, pointed at the special call meeting on June 4th.
2:36:14 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
Yes.
2:36:14 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
Tonight you're taking up new business on whether to extend that interim position or consider a different interim manager.
2:36:23 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
They hear a motion. I'll make a motion. Yeah, I'll make a motion that we we place the intern interim to after the elections, Miss Miss Roberts, and also that she will appoint a an assistant until a temporary assistant for her. I'll second
2:36:50 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
it.
2:36:50 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Motion be made second. Any discussions now? I will. Well, I'm going to make this and I'm going to make this known to the public. It has been brought up about about Miss Roberts' husband. He works for the the police department underneath a lot of entities, and I'm going to let the city attorney address this. Make sure that that everybody knows that there's not there's no issues.
2:37:25 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
All right. So disclosure: Miss Roberts is married to a sergeant in the Athens Police Force. He's a detective, sergeant detective. But
2:37:37 · John Duggan (unverified label)
anyway,
2:37:39 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
they've been married for quite some time. He has a, I believe, a 20-plus year veteran of the police force. So there is a conflict potential. We have a nepotism policy within our employee handbook that is under page 1011, which talks about no direct supervision. So, this is for the council to consider: is that Miss Roberts does not directly supervise in looking at the way that the police force is structured, and this is for council's information and debate. You have a detective who also has lieutenants above the chain of command and supervision. You have Deputy Chief Garren, and then you have Chief Schultz. So several layers within that for Detective mr. Roberts to answer to and to on a day-to-day basis. The nepotism policy is there specifically, and I advise council of this. I remember being in Memphis, Shelby County, studying in the late 90s when it was very rampant that nepotism ran throughout the Shelby County Sheriff and the jails. This is no secret there. It was highly published. There were a lot of media coverages, reports on it, and lawsuits, as you can imagine. So, I'm not saying that that was the initial starting point, but it certainly was a spotlight on nepotism within an organization. And since that time, across the state of Tennessee, there are nepotism policies. So, for the public, for the citizens, and for everyone else, it's logical to understand why we have that, and the council does not want to violate that. However, Miss Roberts, in serving in her position as administrative assistant, has demonstrated the abilities and has the education and everything else to be able to do quite a job at this right now for interim for the purposes of the city and to give some time without violating that policy. She would have no direct supervision if I could speak. A little bit tired like everybody else. He would have no direct supervision day to day, week to week, month to month over her husband, who has already been on the force for quite some time. He would have the same supervisors and the same chain of command that he's always had. If an issue arose that created some type of review by Miss Roberts, she would need to step away from that. It would need to go to either just HR director Miss Edmonds, or perhaps independently reviewed. That's if something arose, and I'm trying to say that so that council doesn't put us into a spot and any conflict arises, because I know that's not what we're attempting to do. So.
2:40:43 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
May I add, in full disclosure, and this doesn't help my case, but in the charter, it does say that the city manager is to supervise and control the work of all officers and employees. So you could interpret that one way, or how he just interpreted it. I, as you, I gave you all a disclosure of family relationship letter. I would like to read that if you'll allow me. Okay, I am honored to be by your confidence in me to continue forward in this position. My husband Jason Roberts is currently employed, as he discussed, with the Athens Police Department as a detective assigned to the 10th Judicial Drug Task Force, which means he's not here 100% of the time. Most of the time, he's throughout the entire district working, working that. His employment with the city predates both my appointment as interim city manager and my employment with the city. During my employment with the city, I've had no involvement in any aspect of his job responsibilities. I recognize that the city charter grants the city manager broad administrative authority over city operations and personnel matters. Because of that authority, I understood the importance of avoiding both actual conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest. Accordingly, I wish to formally disclose this relationship and affirm my commitment to the transparency, fairness, and ethical governance to ensure public confidence and compliance with all city policies. I intend to recuse myself from any personnel decisions directly involving my husband, including but not limited to matters concerning hiring, promotion, compensation, disciplinary action, performance evaluation, grievances, assignments, and any other employment-related decisions that specifically affect him. If my services interim city manager creates a conflict under city policy that cannot be resolved through disclosure, recusal, or delegation, it is my husband's intentions to seek other employment. Thank you.
2:42:41 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Thank you.
2:42:42 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Well, I'll add to that as well. The last sentence of this policy states: If a conflict arises, the city has the right to make any and all employment decisions in the best interest of the city. So I kind of read that as the city. We represent the city, so we would be able to deal with that, but as you can, as we heard, she's willing to recuse and not be a part of something like that.
2:43:11 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
Yes, and I think even after the june 4 special called meeting, I think that's pretty much been Miss Roberts' stance.
2:43:18 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
That's great.
2:43:20 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
You know, it's unfortunate that we have this this policy. I realize it's necessary in a lot of settings. It's even in-I mean-you find it in the corporate world. But where I was in the corporate world, we didn't have it. We got rid of it because there's a lot of problems associated with that, particularly in a town our size. I mean, most people are related. I don't care who you are; you're probably related in one way or another.
2:43:52 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
You're not. You're not my can.
2:43:53 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Well, I tell you, I'm glad I'm not. But anyway, I don't. It puts us in a bad position because I think the world of Bridget. I know everything Chris said about her is true. I've seen it. She's brilliant and she's done a great job. But nonetheless, we're faced with this. So, and I don't want to see her husband resign from his job either, just in order for her to be able to do this. I don't know what the answer is, but you know, if we turn our our head away from this, what are we going to say to another employee who comes up who may face the same problem? We're going to just neglect it too. What about? And we voted when when policies are put in place, the council puts them there. The staff and city manager brings. Policies to this council, and we approve them, and we approve this personnel policy, the whole book, handbook, and and so it it puts us on in a bad place too, and I, you know, I I don't want to I don't want to prevent her from being able to do this, or I don't see her husband leave, so I don't have the answer. I just know it's not good that we're faced with this, so I'm not going to. I'm not going to prevent her from serving. I'm, I'm not going to look the other way, either though, but I'm not gonna. I won't vote against her. I won't vote for her in this instance because of this this policy, and I hate it. I don't know what else to do. I wish there was a, you know, we could vote to get rid of it, but I just don't know what the answer
2:46:01 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
is now. I'll just say this: she's got my full support. If she's doing something wrong, city council kicked out a city manager just then. We can do the same thing with her. So I mean, you know, with no reason at all. So I think that she's going to do a good job. I think she has done. She's brought a lot of integrity to her office where she started at, and the things that she does. There's nobody in City Hall that can't come to her and say, "Hey, can you find this for me? And she finds it immediately. She knows where to look. She knows where to find things and do things. So,
2:46:41 · John Duggan (unverified label)
I was going to say the answer is in the policy. Plus, she gave us the answer. Plus, our attorney gave us the answer. Plus, we've spoken on it. I see no issue.
2:46:51 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I agree.
2:46:51 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Those are not the answers. It's there in black and white. So I'm just just saying, and I agree with everything you said, Mayor, about bridge every single word, but still, there's that one thing standing in the way, and
2:47:08 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
well, I've I've been through these situations, so I think we're okay listening to the council. I I believe in her. I believe she's going to do us a good job intern, but then we'll. I guess next council will, we'll hire the next city manager. So that's the way I feel. I don't know
2:47:35 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
how
2:47:36 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
to do this, but I I want to make sure that if she if if something happens, she can go back to her original job without any issues. That's a given. Well, I it's nothing's a given considering this city council. I want to make sure that she's protected if she wants to go back to her job.
2:48:02 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
We're just talking about temporary persons, right? Yeah, this is temporary.
2:48:05 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
But if something happens, yeah, yeah, I want to make sure that she's protected.
2:48:09 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Yeah, yeah, I don't have a problem with that. Yeah,
2:48:14 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
Mayor, I just spoke with HR. Yeah, the understanding is that as interim appointed, she already has the right to go back to her previous position.
2:48:28 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I just want to make sure that that we have a three-two and kick her out as a city city manager. She goes straight back to her job. I want to make sure she's protected. That is.
2:48:41 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
That is the understanding.
2:48:44 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I don't want no understandings. I want to know because the understanding.
2:48:48 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
That's the understanding between that's
2:48:50 · John Duggan (unverified label)
understood
2:48:51 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
and HR city. Okay,
2:48:54 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Nina, you you understand what I'm saying. I I want to make sure that she's because if she says, "Hey, I'm done with this. I want to go back my job, there's no deal.
2:49:05 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Okay.
2:49:12 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay. I just, I just want to make sure. You all
2:49:15 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
can only remove her as city
2:49:18 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
manager. Right.
2:49:19 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
That's a good point.
2:49:20 · Mike Keith (unverified label)
Yeah. You only right. Okay, thank you.
2:49:30 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
That makes me feel a lot. Well, and she gave
2:49:32 · John Duggan (unverified label)
us a proposed motion concerning that. She covered the base, and she emailed that to us.
2:49:38 · Lisa Dotson (unverified label)
All right. If we go with any other proposed
2:49:40 · John Duggan (unverified label)
motion.
2:49:41 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, we got motion on the floor and second discussions. Any other discussions? If not, roll call.
2:49:48 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
2:49:49 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Aye.
2:49:50 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan.
2:49:50 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Aye.
2:49:51 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Charlen.
2:49:52 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Abstain.
2:49:54 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Curtis. Aye. Marieton.
2:49:57 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Aye. Okay. There is one thing, gentlemen. I would like on new business. This is going to be very short and sweet. Okay, on new business, I would like for the Fourth of July this year to have a time capsule put at the regional park during the Fourth of July for the city council and the the county and and the TWU to be able to put something in a time capsule and bury it for either 100 years or 200 years, whatever. So I would like to make a motion to to have a time capsule put in under the previews of the city manager's cost.
2:50:49 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Second that.
2:50:50 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Motion being made and second. Any discussions?
2:50:53 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
That's a great, great project. Great way to mark the 250th.
2:50:56 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I think this would be pretty cool for all of us and to be able to participate. Motion been made, second. Any discussions? No more. Roll call.
2:51:10 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Let me let me get this motion. Councilmember McCowan. Oh, did he step? Yeah, he stepped out. Sorry, I was not looking up. Councilmember Dugan.
2:51:19 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Aye.
2:51:20 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Charlen.
2:51:21 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Aye.
2:51:22 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Curtis. Aye. Mayor Eaton,
2:51:23 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
aye.
2:51:24 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
There is one thing, Mayor. I don't know if we need to vote on it or not, but we talked in the work session about maybe we need to make a motion that this council not choose the city manager; that it be delayed until after the election.
2:51:45 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Didn't we just do that?
2:51:47 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
No.
2:51:49 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yeah, I said after till after the city till after the new elect the new appointed. I did I did make that clear that he's appointed till after. I think I'm ready. I'm talking about
2:52:00 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
search for a new city manager.
2:52:02 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Oh, I apologize. Yeah, we do need that. We discussed that in work session. We need the the the HR manager to start that. I guess. I that you. I guess so. I
2:52:14 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
think we made that recommendation to kind of bring forward some information on a search process, a search firm, so forth.
2:52:22 · Kelley House (unverified label)
And Nine
2:52:22 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
is supposed to be checking in on. She
2:52:23 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
is. I do know for a fact that she has already started looking into. So we
2:52:27 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
can just do. We need to make a motion on that, or do we need to go ahead and just wait till it's understood
2:52:32 · John Duggan (unverified label)
that it's going to wait until after the election?
2:52:37 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
We can just have a mutual understanding that this council will not be the search committee for the new city manager. That it will be. That will take place after the election. Miss
2:52:47 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Edmonds is is the ones getting a a committee, not a committee, but a organiz. What am I trying to say? Organization or a search firm. Yes.
2:52:58 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Yeah.
2:52:59 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
That's that's what. Gotcha. So, okay,
2:53:03 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
council. I know everybody's ready to go, but for clarity's sake, Miss Roberts is being appointed interim manager. Her proposed motion to the council. You all in agreement with everything in that was proposed. Yes. There is a salary provision. We just want to make sure she is taken care of as of the date of appointment.
2:53:26 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I tell you what. I'll make a motion for for the the proposal. I I'd read it. Adoption
2:53:31 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
of this proposal. Yes.
2:53:33 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I'll second. You all have
2:53:35 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
copies of that.
2:53:38 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Motion been made. Second discussions. Roll call.
2:53:44 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
2:53:46 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Aye.
2:53:47 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan.
2:53:48 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Aye.
2:53:49 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Charlen.
2:53:50 · Steve Sherlin (unverified label)
Aye.
2:53:52 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Curtis.
2:53:53 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Aye.
2:53:53 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor Eaton.
2:53:54 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Aye. Okay, the reports each one of you all have the finance and the fire and the police, the reports from the city manager. There, I don't think there's anything.
2:54:09 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
No, I was just going to review the year. Just going over some a few projects that because it's the end of the fiscal year, but I don't have to if you do not. Let me
2:54:20 · John Duggan (unverified label)
tell you. Okay, I got a question. Can can we get the fire chief in here to speak on the upcoming fireworks show, as well as possibly burn notices as well concerning fireworks, if we're on a no burn or whatever for the city.
2:54:41 · Brandon Ainsworth (unverified label)
Thanks, John. Appreciate you. Yeah. See, you know, it you know depends. Who knows what the weather's going to do? We've we have been seeing a little bit of rain. That's good. But believe it or not, it's still dry. The soap surface is still dry. So we are monitoring that closely. We've been allowing outdoor. As long as folks are following our requirements, and they are, we're not having any problems. It gets closer to the fourth. We'll pay closer attention to that. I've already been working alongside Matt and with with the park, and I'll be talking to the fireworks folks when we get a little closer to that. We will, of course, we'll be paying real close attention to that, as far as the drought and how dry it is and all that good stuff. You know, there isn't there is a ordinance in place for the city that you can't discharge fireworks within the city limits. So I don't I don't speak on that a lot. You know, that's I know the the police department gets beat to death with those calls on the fourth of July. But remember that that there is an ordinance in place that you can't do that, you know. I don't want to discourage people from shooting them. Be safe. Pay attention to them. Know what you're doing, but pay attention to how dry it is too. You bring up a very good point. We we've had that one year that we had to actually postpone the firework show because it was so dry. They set the side of the hill on fire just running a bush hog, so we're we're the experts at that, and we'll pay very close attention. You know, there'll be notices come out. We'll make sure that Simon does well with our social media stuff. He he'll he'll be on me to make sure I'm keeping keeping up with that to so he can get it out to the public. But just pay attention to our social media pages and be smart about it. Common sense goes a long way, so so be smart when it comes to fireworks and being safe and paying attention to how dry it is
2:56:33 · John Duggan (unverified label)
and all that good stuff. That answers a lot, and like I always say, safety is my number one priority in my family. I appreciate that.
2:56:40 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you. All right. Next thing is citizens' comments. Got quite a few, ma'am. You had to put on earth, Gwen Whitey.
2:57:00 · Glen Whitey (unverified label)
During the call meeting, John Dugan said that he had a gift from God, basically that gives him the gift of discernment, ability to tell the truth. Yet the truth is, votes with Larry 99% of the time and covers up truth. That's not discernment. Let's look at an example. John and Larry claimed, and in fact it was claimed again tonight, that those two have no clue why the city manager was fired? I don't know. We don't know. I'll guarantee you, every one of you, along with city attorney, sit in an executive meeting. I'm not dumb. You know, it's one thing to say you don't agree. It's another thing to sit there and make it look like those three won't tell you why. You all know why in an executive meeting. That's a lie. There's no way that happened. Larry called an executive meeting or a call meeting to pick a lawn care company. Now he wants to sit here tonight and talk about saving money. Worried about the money, yet he calls a call meeting to hire his friend from AUB to mow when the city has their own company that came in half the cost, could have saved $6,000. Now he says, "Well, I found money with the travel. You had money there. You had money. Mayor spent $1,000 buying chocolate to go to Japan, which is something interesting because he campaigned about how wrong it was to go to Japan. Now it's okay. Now when Pelly went, he bought his own gifts. He paid for them, not us, but Larry has spent $1,000 for candy that you can buy over there. Said that it was wrong when he campaigned for the pickleball at 375, but he can spend 1.4 million after he gets in there. Dr. Pelly had polls donated for the veterans. He says, "Oh, those are trash, and they're not. They're the best quality you can get. And now we get nothing for the veterans. He says, "Oh, they deserve better than that. Nothing will get done because Larry canned it, and that's wrong. We talked about transparency, yet we want to cut the citizens out where they can't comment on Facebook because we. Larry said it to the radio. We don't want to hear what they have to say. When he talks about the best bang for the buck, is it better to pay double for a landscape company when we already had the the same company that he implied was not qualified is already working for the city. They are just as qualified, and if they're doing it for half the cost, how is it better bang for the buck to pay double? Bought a house over there at the park for over $400,000, and a few months later, we sell the house for $100,000. It had a note on it of 200 some 1000 when it was appraised when it was owned by the previous owner, you can't tell me that was good judgment by the mayor and them to sell that home for 100,000 after we just purchased 400 some 1000. Yeah, they kept some land, but it wasn't worth the difference. I'll quit.
2:59:59 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Appreciate appreciate the compliments. I appreciate you very much,
3:00:07 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Miss Howe. Please.
3:00:11 · Elise Howell (unverified label)
I have first of all thank you for supporting Mid East Tennessee Community Chorus and the Mittsy CC Kids. I have a couple of questions about the Fourth of July fireworks, which, since we're not directly speaking to you, but I want to put it out there, has there been any consideration to logistics as far as moving vehicle where vehicles are supposed to park? It's probably going to be one of the highly Attended event, and has there been any? Are there any logistics plan as far as parking people along the side of the road, or how all of those vehicles will exit with only one entrance in and one entrance out of that park? Has there been any discussion wrong in that? And my second thing is, I understand Parks and Rec moved into the little office in the conference center, and my question was: Is the house that's on that property not fit to be used as an office as a possibility? Because I know that's taking space from the conference center, so I didn't know about that as well. Those are just questions I had. Thank you.
3:01:16 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you very much. Thank you. Thoughts? Miss Miller is not here. Cass, Cynthia McCowan.
3:01:39 · Cynthia McCowan (unverified label)
I want to answer Stephen, and he said it's only $1,200 that the art center doesn't get. But for an art center in this area, I don't know that you understand that this is the only art center in East Tennessee that offers all the programming that we do. You can't go to a play. You don't get to have a gala. You don't have classes and arts camps and plays and performance series concerts and houseplant concerts. You cannot get that at another art center anywhere in East Tennessee, and they do it on a shoestring budget, John knows. He knows exactly what I'm talking about. So when you say it's only $1,200, they need every dollar they can get because that $1,200 can pay for six scholarships for kids that don't have the money to go to summer camp. That's it's like 200 bucks, but not everybody has that. So the $600, the $1,200 does really matter to me, and the $16,800. Oh my! I still don't understand what that's about. And y'all did a lot of talking back and forth, and I, I just, I guess that's still in there, right? So I don't I don't even know what I don't understand that, but I'm really concerned about the what we're doing right now. And do you know that you listen to do people gossip to you all and tell you the things that you you know that's going on in town and what they think? So if you ask anybody just to be asking them and you ask them about what happened to the city manager. It's like the weirdest thing. He got up and said he knows for sure, which he does not, that Larry and John knew what was going on. We don't know that, you know. And I would never make the assumption, but I trust. I don't trust Larry that good, but I trust John. But when he told me he really didn't know, and Larry said he didn't know. I'm just kidding. But I don't really believe he did not know what the reasons are, and so the rumors are. We did somehow put it to rest because the rumors are spreading that it was about Main Street. It was about the letter that the city manager sent that the Main Street board members didn't like that letter. They wanted it rescinded. They came to you and I have public records requests. I have the emails. They said she somebody one of the council members said, "Hey, I was told that she was fired because she lied to the board about those bros. Well, that's not true. I have that email that shows that he says it was him that didn't keep up with that, not not Sandra, not little Maggie. So I know that's not true. It just looks very shady that we did this, and I cannot believe that we are just not going to address it ever, and hope it goes away.
3:04:47 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you, Miss Lewis. Please.
3:05:02 · Junita McClure-Lewis (unverified label)
Good evening, Juanita McClure Lewis, Athens, Tennessee. Just wanted to come before you to really plead with you all, and I know we've you've heard from us during the work sessions, but plead with you to consider the request to keep North City, North Athens space as a green space and designated as a park. Over 250 residents have expressed a desire to have this land remain as a green space and be developed as a community park and possibly a community center, so the the children in this community need North Athens need a positive and constructive opportunities to play safe in their own backyards. Many of them do not have transportation during the daytime to go out to the regional park, or to Ingleside Pool during the summer, or even in the evenings when school is in session. So my ask of you all tonight is, and I know it will be coming up maybe next month as an agenda item, but please, please, please listen to your constituents, the taxpayers, and do not allow developers to sway you into putting housing there in that space. We have overwhelmingly heard from the residents, and they equivocally want park or playground in their community. Thank you.
3:06:41 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you.
3:06:41 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Thank you.
3:06:45 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, that's last of the Senate's comments. Do I have a motion to adjourn?
3:06:52 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I make the motion to adjourn.
3:06:53 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Do I hear a second? Second. Roll call.
3:06:57 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
3:06:58 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Aye.
3:06:58 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan. Aye. Councilmember Charlen, Councilmember Curtis, aye. Marion, do
3:07:04 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
we really want to? Yes.
3:07:06 · Unknown Speaker (unverified label)
Adjourn.