September 15, 2026 transcript
Beer Board and City Council · Supplied transcript
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4:11 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
All right, calling the beer board in on in session. Please roll call.
4:18 · Missy White (unverified label)
Board member Mccowan. Board member Dugan here. Board member Charlon. Board member Curtis
4:30 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
here.
4:31 · Missy White (unverified label)
Chairman Eaton
4:32 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
present. You, each one of you's got a the package. You got the minutes of the Tuesday of May the 19th. I have a motion. Here a second. Second. Roll call.
4:49 · Missy White (unverified label)
Board member Mccowan. Board member Dugan.
4:53 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Aye.
4:54 · Missy White (unverified label)
Board member Curtis.
4:56 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Aye.
4:57 · Missy White (unverified label)
Chairman Eaton.
4:58 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Aye. There's no. No citizens' comments. So we'll go into the old business, and there's no old business, so we'll go into new business. Line item A, please.
5:11 · Missy White (unverified label)
Item A is a beer permit for a restaurant doing business as Mexi Wing Two Mexican Restaurant LLC, address 2616 Decatur Pike, Athens, Tennessee 37303. It is a restaurant, and the class is on premises consumption.
5:34 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Gentlemen, I have a motion.
5:35 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Make a motion. We accept the item.
5:37 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Do I hear a second? Any discussions, gentlemen? I'm just glad he's fixing to start. If not, roll call.
5:49 · Missy White (unverified label)
Board member Mccowan. Board member Dugan.
5:52 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Aye.
5:54 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Board member Curtis. Aye. Chairman Eaton.
5:57 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Aye. There's no new business. No other business. We're adjourned. We're going to get this meeting started for the regular session.
33:42 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Gracious and loving God, as we prepare for the long days of summer begin to give way to the season of fall, we thank you for all the reminders of your faithfulness from one season to the next. As students have returned to school and families settle into new routines, and our community looks forward the months ahead, fill us with your wisdom and a desire to serve each other. Guide this city council in its deliberations, that every decision may reflect care for our neighbors and a commitment to the common good. Help us to be faithful stewards of the blessings you have entrusted to us, and to show your grace in all we do.
34:26 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
gentlemen, attention, salute, pledge. I pledge
34:30 · Speaker 2 (unverified label)
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.
34:51 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Miss White, roll call, please.
34:54 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
34:56 · Speaker 2 (unverified label)
Here.
34:57 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan.
34:58 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Here.
34:59 · Missy White (unverified label)
Council Member Sherland, Vice Mayor Curtis, Mayor Eaton,
35:06 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
present. Gentlemen, you have the package of the minutes of the august 18. I hear a motion to approve.
35:14 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Make a motion to approve.
35:15 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I hear a second.
35:17 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Second.
35:18 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Motion being made and second. Any discussions? Roll call.
35:22 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan,
35:24 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
aye.
35:25 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan,
35:27 · John Duggan (unverified label)
aye.
35:28 · Missy White (unverified label)
Vice Mayor Curtis, aye. Mayor Eaton,
35:31 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
aye. Okay, we're going to move into communications special presentations. The first one is an awesome one: TWU National Championship baseball team, and we'll take a picture right up here after we're done. Ladies and gentlemen, what an honor it is to to be with these these gentlemen three time national championships, but we want to give a proclamation to a well deserving team. So TW, whereas Tennessee Wesleyan College is a valued institution in the city of Athens and a source of pride for our community, we whereas on May the 30th, 2026, the TW Tennessee Wesleyan University Bulldogs baseball team defeated Taylor University by score 21 to three to win the 2026 Avesta National Association of Collegical Athletics (NAIA) World Series Championship in Lewistown, Idaho, and whereas this championship marks the third national championship in a program's history, following a previous championships in 2012, 2019, and and whereas under the leadership of head coach Billy Berry, the Bulldogs have established Tennessee Welshling baseball as one of the premier programs in the NAIA, and whereas the Bulldogs championship season reflects the dedication, discipline, teamwork, and excellence in of its student athletes, coaches, and support staff, and whereas the City of Athens wishes to to recognize the dedication, discipline, teamwork, and excellent demonstration of the student athletes and the coaches. Now, therefore, I, Larry Eaton, the mayor of Athens, Tennessee, on behalf of the Athens City Council and the citizens of Athens, Tennessee, do hereby recognize and congratulate the Tennessee Wesleyan University Bulldog baseball team on winning the 2026 NAIA National Championship. But it be furthermore proclaimed that the City of Athens commends the student athletes, coaches, and staff for the extraordinary accomplishment and extends its sincere appreciation for the pride they have brought to our community. And along with the best wishes of continued success for the years to come, proclamation this day, the 15th September 2026, and I do appreciate each one of y'all. And let's do it again this year. Appreciate you. Gentlemen, if you guys will stand up, let's get right here in front, and we'll have a picture. And and the City Council, guys, come around because y'all are short.
39:02 · Speaker 3 (unverified label)
Come on, yeah, please, please. So, thank you, Mary, and thank you, the chamber. I want to thank our AD, Donnie Mayfield, our president, Dr. Tyler Forrest, for all of their continued support. Be remiss if I didn't thank Bobby Goodfriend, Alan Carter for a lot of the renovations and things that have been done over the course of the last year. Our facility has taken on a whole new look. We are we we are brand new in 2027. These six guys right here are the only guys returning that were on the trip last year, so it's a brand new roster. But Thomas Teal, Thomas is from Arizona, was a catcher on our team. Jalen Fullwood, Jalen is from Georgia. He is a senior this year as well. Thomas is also a senior. Michael Sam, who's a right-handed pitcher, I'm going this way. So. Michael is a right-handed pitcher. He's a senior also this year. Ethan Wright. Ethan is from California. He was an outfielder. He is also a senior this year. Baylor Holmesley. Bailey from Alabama. Georgia. That's right. Is from Georgia. You went to school in Alabama. That's right. Okay. Is from is from Georgia. He is also a right-handed pitcher, Colton Reynolds. Colton graduated last year. Colton is currently on our staff as a graduate assistant. He is from Arkansas, and Colton was was an outfielder for our team last year. Logan Fleener, who is one of our assistants, Daniel Wood, who is one of our assistants. Definitely want to thank those two guys, the hard work that they put in, the time that they spend away on the road and doing those things is definitely something that we cannot do what we do unless these two guys do what they do. So, thank you to our community. Thank you to our town. Means a ton. We we've always said we feel the support when we're on the other side of the country, a three-hour time difference, but we also feel the support from our community, so we want to thank you for that. So thank you guys for everything. Appreciate it.
41:12 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Don't get right in the center, but I don't know why. My hair okay.
41:19 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
You
41:22 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
got right there. Yeah, you may have.
41:45 · Speaker 4 (unverified label)
Appreciate you, gentlemen. Appreciate y'all. Pretty good. Congratulations! Thank you.
42:27 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Hey, gentlemen. The next one is a very special one that means a lot to our community and just about everybody here. We're going to give the vivid award today to Johnny Kaufman and the Vice Mayor will be giving this to mr. Kaufman.
42:53 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Johnny, I'm going to invite you up in a moment to say a few words, but but first I want to invite mr. Chris Adams up to share a few words, I reached out to Chris today to see if he might want to share a comment or remark, and he said, "You know, I think I'll join the meeting and share my comments in person, which I think is absolutely appropriate. I will say this: I was sitting there as Westland's baseball team was being recognized, national championship baseball team, and I think how appropriate they were that were honoring Johnny Kaufman immediately after that, a man that has done so much for education, sports and recreation, our community among other ways. Just a few comments from the nomination form. Johnny was nominated by Parks and Rec Committee Chair Ron Starr, and to kind of summarize his his comments in his nomination form, he is pleased to nominate Johnny Kaufman for the City of Athens Vivid Award in recognition of his decades of service, involvement, and dedication to the Athens community. He has served as a member of the City of Athens Parks and Rec Advisory Committee for more than 20 years, providing his time, experience, and perspective in support of recreational opportunities and programs for the citizens of Athens. His commitment to our community, however, extends far beyond his service to the city. For many decades, he has been actively involved in youth sports and numerous community organizations and activities, giving countless hours of his time to programs and events that have helped shape the lives of generations of young people and families in Athens and McMinn County. His service has been consistent, dependable, and carried out without seeking recognition for himself, Johnny is also quite literally one of the most recognizable voices in our community. For decades, he has been known as the voice of the Cherokees and has served as master of ceremonies for Junior Miss, along with participating in many other community events. Through these roles, he has helped celebrate the accomplishments of others, recognize young people, and contribute to traditions that have become an important part of our community's history. What makes Johnny particularly deserving of this recognition is not one single accomplishment, but the cumulative impact of a lifetime of service. He has spent many years supporting young people, recreation, athletics, civic organizations, and community traditions. Much of that service has occurred quietly and consistently year after year, without expectation of acknowledgment. At this point, I believe it is fitting that the community he has supported for so many years take the opportunity to recognize him. His longstanding dedication to Athens represents the type of volunteerism, civic involvement, and community spirit that the Vivid Award is intended to honor. Also, reached out to my main county high school classmate Johnny's son Justin Kaufman to see if he might want to share a remark about his dad for this celebration. Dad is extremely devoted to and passionate about his community. He truly believes that you should give back to make this city a better place to live, work, and raise a family. It's shown in his actions, being on numerous boards, his involvement in junior miss, playing the piano at church, and being the voice that painted vivid pictures to listeners from Mean County High School and TW Athletics for almost 50 years. What great words! I want to turn over now to mr. Chris Adams to share a few comments about Johnny, which I think may revolve around his involvement serving on the Athens City School Board. So, Chris, thank
46:48 · Chris Adams (unverified label)
you. I'm about to pull pull a Bruce Pearl here and sweat through my coat, so I'll make this quick. But it is certainly my honor and privilege to be here tonight to speak about Johnny and his impact on the community, and specifically Athens City Schools. Johnny joined Athens City School Board in March of 2016. Immediately, I recognized his passion for public education, his desire to advocate for all students, and his unwavering drive for Athens City Schools to achieve excellence. One of our first big projects was somewhat already in motion when Johnny joined our board. A consolidation of Athens City school buildings into an efficient and effective school campus, where pre-K through eighth grade would be situated in the City Park area, was a part of many school board discussions. This required proper planning, budgeting, negotiating, and most importantly, communication over a number of years between Athens City Schools, Athens City Council, and our community. Johnny was immediately on board, diligent, and always a voice of reason as we worked through the process to see this plan come to light. I've heard Johnny say many times, "This is a project that I will always be proud of to be a part of. I can't agree. I can't agree more, Johnny. And to be honest with you, I don't think we could accomplish it without you. This is a project that has impacted the students of Athens City Schools, and those now in the future. And we absolutely appreciate your participation. Johnny has served our Athens City School as our excuse me, Johnny has served as our Athens City School legislative representative for many years. This is a huge responsibility just from the amount of information that is generated from the legislative session, our legislators, and the Department of Energy Education. Johnny's leadership, his stance on the importance of public education and keeping Athens City Schools' needs in front of our legislators has been commendable. Most recently, Johnny assumed the roles of vice chairs our board. I cannot think of a better person to help lead, guide, and direct our school system and our board than Johnny. It is truly a privilege to serve with you. As recognition of his efforts as school board member, Johnny was recognized most recently in 2025 and inducted into the Tennessee All-School Board group. It's hard to drive through McMinn County in Athens without seeing something Johnny Kaufman has impacted in a positive way: newspapers, both from a employment standpoint and as a contributor, radio, local sports, junior miss, education, Mars Hill Presbyterian Church, McMinn County High School, Tennessee Westland, Athens City Schools, and Camp Putin and Ocean, and the list goes on. His desire to help others and his personal joy to see others succeed is evident in his daily actions. I will officially go on record tonight as being one of the many people that encouraged Johnny to commit his knowledge and history of all things McMinn County and Athens to paper. No doubt, a book with the with the voice of the Cherokees as the author would be a bestseller. Johnny, congratulations on this. Well-deserved recognition. You have certainly shown the way to be a true community servant.
50:13 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Johnny, share a few words for us.
50:20 · Johnny Kaufman (unverified label)
Thank you, Chris. Thank you, Jordan. I texted Larry last night, the mayor, and said, "Wonder if I can have just a couple of minutes to talk about some things we've gotten done in 25 years on the Parks and Rec board. And he said, "You've got three minutes, and it'll be has to be explained to the agenda. So I'll I'll do the best I can. My family is here. I want to recognize them before I get out here tonight, but you know, Athens City has been blessed with Parks and Rec directors. I can remember back to the days of Larry Zinder, who came here by way of Clemson University, and ended up down in Chattanooga. He's now the administrator of Parks and Recreation in Chattanooga. Now, then we had Brad Chambers, who I worked with, not on the board, but for several years in several different projects, Brad was involved in that. He's gone on to bigger and better things. He's been in Parks and Rec. He's been Parks and Rec directors at different different places. He's also been in city management in Tennessee and Georgia and Kentucky and Missouri. So he has done very very well. And then Austin Fezmire, who worked with prior to getting on the board when I was running Little League, he was my liaison here at the city, and we had some battles over building a new press box and a new concession stand, so on and so forth. But Austin turned into a dear, dear friend of mine, he had great vision, and he was also very, very talented at writing grants. And man, that's the lifeblood of your city right there and your programs. I mean, that's free money that you just cannot give away. And then he retired, and then Matt Sinnier is a new guy. And you talk about energy. This kid, man, he makes me tired. You know, just just watching him go from one thing to another. But you're in good hands with Matt. He's he's he's going to do good things for the city. Just a brief rundown of some of the things that Parks and Rec has been involved with, and I called Mike Keith to ask him when I to do a little research, and it was 2001 when I was first appointed to the board, and I guess the biggest thing there was was regional park. That's our crown jewel, and there's a frisbee golf course out there. There's walking trails out there. There's a pond out there. There's there's a splash pad out there, and it and right now they have just recently turfed the fields, and now they are realizing finally. After I have campaigned in front of this council for several times about putting turf out there, so you can generate you can generate income for your city. That that is man. That's those are dollars that that you that you're just missing out on all those years, anyway. That's proven this year when when we had all those softball tournaments, baseball tournaments, people coming in from everywhere. Even it's even actually the the local league is actually even picked up. I think a number of teams, but and I'm still going to advocate for additional turf at those fields. We need them fully turfed, and it's it's just it's just good common sense because you're bringing people in all the time. At Cook Park, we have done some things there. We have done we put in new playground equipment there. We have put in a new pavilion. We went out there. Matt sent a guy out there about five or six months ago and put some new lights in. Put a light upon a pole, shining right in Eddie Arnwine's bedroom window, right in his window. Yeah, we heard about that, so we got that light moved, and Eddie's happy. And so, but once again, I'm not going to let this let this pass me by. We still need parking at Cook Park. There's there's some nice level ground over there where that monument is. We move that monument. We can set it up there by the playground, and we can get a whole bunch of parking places under where that monument is. So I'm not going to let you forget that. Heritage Park was just recently reopened. That's a ballpark that's been there for many, many years. Had a lot of softball played out there. Got into just some disrepair, and we had a grand reopening of that just not too awful long ago. Veterans Park came on during my tenure, and it's open now, and it's a beautiful place. They're dedicated bricks. My my youngest son has got. I've got a brick in his name. He was in the army, and turned that into just a show place. The Parks and Rec Foundation was formed during this time, during this 25 years. The pickleball courts at Ingleside. I know there was man. Was you either loved it or you hated it, but once again, the citizens wanted it. The citizens got it. That's a good thing. They're there. We need more pickleball courts because we could generate income off pickleball courts, and not just not just take care of your citizens, but you can generate income off that. And you know, I talk about income, but at the same time, and we talk about growth sometimes, but growth is a whole lot more than just population. It is you're growing things for your city for for what your citizens want to do, and it's and I see Joe Barnet here tonight, who's our director of schools for Athens City, and he and the city council went together to to build a playground up there behind the middle school, right where those pickleball courts are, where they converted those tennis courts into pickleball courts. They needed some place for the kids to play, so that was a nice joint venture between the city schools and the city council. It's 50-50, and it's worked out very, very well. The Soapbox Derby came to town during this 25 years. Market Park came to town. Market Park is where they have all the sounds of summer, where they have festivals, and Pumpkin Town is coming up, and it'll be heavily used there. Also, one more thing that I'm going to campaign for, which I've already approached the council about on one occasion, and that is a community center. Somehow, some way, that is going to happen. It's going to come to fruition. This that was one of the negatives of combining of closing all our our smaller schools and our our neighborhood schools and putting in the new campus, we lost a bunch of gyms, and with the with the basketball program here that the city offers, there's nowhere to nowhere to practice, and so now they've worked some things out now with with with a new school. But there's still a need for that, not only just for basketball courts, but for other things as well. So you guys need to keep that in Mind. Also, my family is here tonight, and I'd like for them to just stand up. I won't make you come up here, but I'm gonna recognize them. Stand up, please. My youngest son Garrett is on the back. He is a firefighter in Chattanooga. My oldest son Justin is right here. He works at Star Regional. His wife Dana, who is a nurse, ICU nurse at Tenova in Cleveland. I guess it's still Tenova, isn't it? Whatever it is, it's the old Bradley Hospital. What is it called? Bradley, okay. Garrett's fiance Crystal Shipley. This is my naturally blonde-headed grandson Marshall Goodner, who is a senior football player at McMinn and is a baseball player. He's headed to Lee in the fall to play baseball for the Flames, and my two cancer survivors right here, two of them, my wife Mary, who has been with me the entire 25 years and appreciates you so much. She survived breast and ovarian cancer last year. She's on the road to recovery, clean PET scans, and my sweetheart here is my granddaughter Kennedy, who was diagnosed with TCL lymphoma when she was three, and went through 29 months of chemo. I probably shouldn't be talking about this, but 45 day hospital stay just turned 11 in June's been five years cancer free God is good you know and and I'm out of here but the ironic thing was is every there's the terms on these these council this parks and rec committee I think it's four years. This year I didn't realize that my term was up, and so somebody's I think they didn't tell me on purpose. But then I found out very late in the process that I was supposed to reapply to do this. It has to go before council, and so I hadn't done anything about it, and so I thought, well, I was going to retire sometime anyway. I told Austin at one point, I said, "I'm going to stay until you until you retire anyway. But so I I filled out the application online and sent it in, and I guess Bridget got it, and it was all got all hosed up, and it wouldn't go through, and I couldn't get it to work. And she said, "Well, just do this or do that. And I said, "No, I think this is just a sign. I think it's just time. So it's been 25 years, and and one more thing before I go, and with Tennessee Wesleyan here tonight, that baseball team. Sometimes when you got about two hours, I'm sitting down and talk to you about the Westland baseball program of the '70s when they rejuvenated that program and brought Wayne Norfleet in to coach, and the baseball team was recruited by the administration. That means the dean of students, the president of the college, they. No baseball coach. They they so they they went out and recruited these kids to play baseball, and Norfleet comes in, and some of them can't line up. So the difference between the 70s and right now is astronomical. What a great job Billy Berry has done at Tennessee Wesleyan College, and what a great job Tyler Forrest is doing there as well. Thank you, City Council, I get recognized from time to time for things, but this one is just for some reason is very, very special because Parks and Rec has been very close, very close to me. It's been a, it's been an honor to be associated with it for 25 years, and I do love this city. Thank you very much.
1:00:41 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Of course, we got to get a photo. Would you like your family to join you for the photo?
1:00:47 · Johnny Kaufman (unverified label)
Sure, let's do that.
1:00:48 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Yep. I'll
1:00:49 · Johnny Kaufman (unverified label)
do it in here.
1:00:50 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Probably do it right here in front of the desk. Yeah. Yeah. Where's my buddy? Come on here. Right. Thank you. Thank you.
1:01:44 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Can't find my find my agenda. What are you looking for? My agenda. Where's my agenda at?
1:02:00 · Speaker 2 (unverified label)
Here's one. I mean.
1:02:05 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Is it right?
1:02:07 · Speaker 5 (unverified label)
Yes, that's it.
1:02:09 · Gwen Whitey (unverified label)
Okay, so we're at City
1:02:10 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Middle School's.
1:02:16 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, now we're going at the City Middle School, mr. Principal mr. Siemens, please.
1:02:23 · Mike Simmons (unverified label)
Greetings from Athens City Middle School and Athens City Schools, and we're glad to be here for our first of two visits. And so, I have a young lady, one of our teachers, that's going to present something that's very special and very exciting. I, I would say that, and you probably will not be surprised at this, but the most competitive thing at Athens City Middle School is not the athletics. The biggest competitive thing is trying to get our students to love reading as much as they do their phones, okay? That's the biggest competition we have, and we are working hard. And we've had a lot of students that have captured their love for reading, and once they capture a love for reading, the phone just can't measure up. So I have invited Mandy Million here, and she's going to talk a little bit about it. Council members, you got some information on the front and on the back. There is some dates for you. Just as you know, we always want to invite you to come to anything we have at the middle school. Now for Mandy.
1:03:37 · Mandy Miller (unverified label)
My name is Mandy Miller, and I've taught at Athens City Middle School for 20 years. January will start 21 for me. We've always had the Accelerator Reader program, which has been fantastic for us. We used it for a short time as a grade. We tried to encourage students to read, and three years ago, mr. Simmons came to me and said, "Let's change it up. So I said, "Okay, let's do it. So we developed a program that is incentive-based, and so kids love nothing more than a field trip. So what we did was we created a program our own, and we use Accelerated Reader to to back it. So we started with four levels, the first level being a light reader. The first year it was you had to read 10 books, so which is not a huge feat. But for some, we wanted to make sure that all got the opportunity. The next was the avid reader; they had to read 15 books for the year. The third one was committed reader, which was 20 books, and our last one was the obsessed reader at 25 books, and that year we served over 100 students that were able to go on all of those trips. Last year, the ELA department met in the summer and decided let's change it to words red, which allows a little bit more of the lower levels, mid level. High levels to all get the same opportunity. So last year we sent over 100 kids on our trips. The first one, the Light Reader, was 400,000 words read, and that was an extended day up Camp Utoninochi, which they love. The next one was 800,000 words read, and that was to the movies, the local movies, and to Dairy Barn for lunch. The third one was 1.5 million words read, and we took them to Dave and Buster's for lunch, and McKay's in Chattanooga with spending money, and then the obsessed reader was 2.2 5 million words read, and that was a trip to Dollywood. None of the students had to pay for anything. mr. Simmons has been very, very good to us in the fact that he said, "If you can get them to read, I'll pay for it. So we did. We put up something in the beginning at the front of the school with their pictures on it when they reach a goal and they travel along the road of success. We've spent 1000s of dollars on brand new books. We've taken polls of our students. What are the books you want in the? What do you? What are the books you want to read? And we've made sure to put those on the shelves in our library. Last year we did Deer Time for 20 minutes read, and every student in our school, had a book in their hand. It's on their level. They're interested in reading, and they want to do it. This last summer, we opened up summer reading. So in June, we have summer school, so students are allowed to come in on certain days and take AR tests through the summer. And then this summer, we did it as well through June and July. This year alone, we've already had 18,000,603 and 11,000 words read. I want to introduce you to our top reader. She and another student last year read more words than I can I can account for. This one, Miss Kinsley Durham, I want to introduce you to her. I have never seen a reader like her. She is a speed reader. She doesn't. I'm going to tell you. She read 55 books this summer that were not on AR, so she couldn't take the test in order to earn it. So she has read because she loves to read, and that's what we want to provoke at our school is reading. So I'm going to introduce Kinsley Durham to you. She's got some things to.
1:07:33 · Kinsley Durham (unverified label)
Accelerated Reader has impacted my life in unimaginable ways, whether it was through my education, relationships, or personal growth, without the AR-induced motivation to read, I would not have realized the impact reading can have on an individual. Reading is informational, emotional, and personal; therefore, extremely powerful. AR brings a sense of confidence and completion into my life, of which I continue to be astonished as to how valuable and influential that is to my education journey, I cannot be successful in school without the guide reading sustains. For example, my vocabulary is much higher than if I had not had the accelerated reader experience. In addition, my comprehension has improved tremendously as a result of reading various and diverse genres, furthermore, the speed of my reading has increased due to the increasing number of books I've read throughout the year. All of these major components of reading are addressed through my participation in the AR program. Relationships is not an area that one would expect AR to impact. However, I have seen firsthand situations where it has been a vital factor. For instance, conversations with adults have proven to be quite difficult, no matter what the topic consists of. And yet, I have seen how reading has improved my choice of words in social situations. Reading has broadened my knowledge base so that I can discuss topics with many people at different levels of difficulty, knowing about different subjects has led to more relationships with the wider variety of ages. I now have commonality with many others that I would not have had if not for the motivational factor of the accelerated reader program. AR has also contributed to growth on a personal level. There is a sense of accomplishment after completing hundreds of AR tests with near 100% accuracy. The sense of accomplishment inspires me and pushes me to do more in other areas of my life. The sense of accomplishment I get from accelerated reader makes it easier to continue when my first attempts are not always successful. This is evident through my participation in sports, academics, and performances. Personal growth also equates with higher levels of maturity. I have seen this through my ability to resolve personal conflicts in a more mature manner. Through reading, I have seen many examples of how people have resolved conflicts in a positive or negative. Way, I choose to learn from this and create and create positive avenues of resolution. Personal growth has been an unexpected evolution of my journey through the AR program. The purpose of the AR program is to encourage students to read more and increase the complexity of the material. Even though this does occur, I have personally experienced even greater benefits, as stated, my fluency and comprehension have improved, as well as my general knowledge. I have learned about different cultures, religions, and family dynamics, along with many interesting and unusual facts. Through all of this, I have grown and matured as a person. In other words, the accelerated reader program has opened my eyes, to a whole new world.
1:10:47 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I want all y'all come down here and take a picture of her, please. I want all the city council to come out and take a picture with her.
1:10:53 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
I just want to say that was very well written. That was very well written. Very
1:10:58 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
humbling what you just said. Yeah, very well written. I enjoyed that. You go. You got two. Okay, I want to take a picture with you. I do appreciate you. Ready? Gotta wait for this old man. Yeah. Hey, thank you very much. I appreciate you. We appreciate the council, and I hope it encourages to know that your support of that city schools is why we can do these kinds of
1:11:40 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
things. Thank you for doing this.
1:11:41 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I really appreciate everything you do for the kids, and I personally know because you've had some, you had my kids, so I do appreciate. Awesome reading. Hey, line item D, Jack Hedrick. Amazing! Amazing.
1:12:17 · Jack Hedrick (unverified label)
Good evening, everyone. My name is Jack Hedrick and I am a student at Tennessee Westland, but I am also an intern at Simmons Bank. Today, I'm here to tell you all about a partnered initiative between Simmons Bank and Tennessee Westland called the the Red Sand Project. What is this red sand project I'm speaking about? Well, it's a art installation created by Molly Gutchman that raises awareness about human trafficking. Essentially, participants will pour red sand into cracks of concrete in order to raise awareness for human trafficking, and I know how it sounds. It's a little weird, you know, pouring sand on the ground for such a big issue like human trafficking. But the importance of the initiative is not the sand, or even the cracks in the concrete, but rather what the cracks in the concrete and the red sand represents talking to the council. I can say and I can bet that you guys have heard over and over about cracks in concrete, potholes, whatnot. You know, but cracks in concrete are not what we think about before we go to bed, or even from a week-to-week basis, you know, there's something that just don't take priority in our life, you know. And the things to do take priority may be, you know, football, Tennessee football, work, family, things that are pertaining to us, but all of us, and I mean everyone in this room, and some of you may have even fallen over a crack in the ground on the way here. I hope not, but all of us step over cracks in concrete every day. Every single one of us. So the Red Sand Project is essentially saying that the victims of human trafficking represent the cracks in the concrete that we walk over daily, and this may seem like an issue that Tennessee may not deal with. You know, maybe a more secular state, but statistics. speaking, Tennessee ranks ninth according to a study done by the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Tennessee in 2024 ranked ninth in reported human trafficking cases. That is a sobering reality, and this gets to the red sand piece of the red sand project. These cracks in the concrete. When I'm talking about people walking over them, something is necessary for there to be some type of illumination, or a way for us to look down at the ground, at the victims, and the problems surrounding why things like human trafficking happen. So, on september 22 at 11 a.m. at Tennessee Wesley University, I have the address memorized, but I don't know if you guys are taking notes to have that down. But we will be pouring red sand on cracks in the concrete, and not just to look down at the cracks and to think about these victims, but to also to think of solutions to issues like human trafficking and problems as such. So, on the behalf of Tennessee Westland students, as I can say, and on behalf of Simmons Bank, we wanted to invite everyone in the council to September 22, 11 a.m. The Red Sand Project, in order to honor and spread awareness about human trafficking, but not just the council members, but the people of Athens. This isn't a invite only. No one is above spreading awareness for human trafficking. So, if you're able to pour red sand on the ground, and to speak about hard issues like that, then we would love to have you. Thank you.
1:16:48 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
We're we're at on September the 22nd. It's going
1:16:51 · Jack Hedrick (unverified label)
to be. It's at Tennessee Westland and the Quad, so in front of Old College. Like I said, I have the address memorized, but you know, it's you know it's really right down the way. So,
1:17:06 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
thank you, mr. Hedrick. Thank you.
1:17:09 · Speaker 2 (unverified label)
Thank you. One
1:17:13 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
thing that that Councilman Perry McAllen's asked me to bring up was the Cook Park parking update. Do we have an update that we can have, or do we need to have it sent out?
1:17:29 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
I mean, they are working on it now. I can have an email sent out with the exact point, but they are working on it.
1:17:38 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, so they're working on it, but that's they're going to send an email out to confirm everything.
1:17:43 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Yeah. Okay. All right. Okay. Okay.
1:17:50 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
All right. So next is Citizens Germain to the agenda, and the first one is Miss Luxmore and Luxmore. Can you can you come up here, please? I'm gonna have you. I'm gonna have you in front of the speaker.
1:18:21 · Ann Luxmore (unverified label)
I'm not sure how all that process works, but I work for I'm an investigator with the Tennessee Adult Protective Services, and I am assigned to McMeen County. So I see the ins and outs of this county and this city every single day. It's heartbreaking. Oftentimes, it's not a happy ending. I don't get very many of those, but when I have a need, it's the people like Crystal and the senior center, her crew at the senior center. They feel it every time. If I have somebody that needs food, I call Crystal. I'm working on services, Meals on Wheels. All of those things take time to get put in place. In the meantime, you've got somebody can't get out of their house that does that they have no access to food. So I give Crystal a call. Her crew up there as well. Any of them, if I call up there, she'll she'll come running or she'll tell me to come up there. She's helped out quite a few folks, quite a few. I can't even count them on all my fingers and toes. It's a good group up there right now. I think they're doing a lot of rebuilding. They've been a lot more involved in the last few years than I've ever seen them before, and that's refreshing. And it's nice to have. I see a lot of the folks going up there, and they're involved. So it's because of Crystal and her group up there at the senior center that I have less bodies to pull out of a home when I go to visit, and that happened today. It's a very sobering event, but because of the. The help from these folks is very important, and I think it's crucial to our community that it continues to exist and gets the funding that they need. Thank you.
1:20:11 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Thank you very much. I will say this about Miss Lexmore. I know she does a lot of good work. I've I personally have seen this personally. Gwen Whitey,
1:20:26 · Gwen Whitey (unverified label)
I want to talk about the grant that you're asking for more money. That grant started in 2023, and we waited till September. Now the last month that it can be fulfilled, we're waiting now to try to ask for more money. If we had done the project in 2023, would it be this much money? Because things were cheaper back then. But now we wait till last minute, and what waiting last minute has caused not just the money. We cancel a ladies' event to get into the park and say, "Well, we can't let you in because we're now doing what we should have done in 2023, and that led to a major black eye on the city, and so now, but we got further black eye because now we're saying we want more money because we didn't do our job back when we should have, and that's just poor planning. And the question comes in: How much more would it cost us if we'd done the job at the time? And so, so that's the first thing. And like I say, the the management to cancel a ladies' event because we didn't have the money or we didn't do the job-that's unacceptable. That should never come before the council to start with. Should never been happen. Period. And it happens because of the planning. And this money is being asked for because of poor planning. Now, the other issue is the handbook. Want to redo the handbook? Some of you made a promise to do that when you campaigned last time. Is this another campaign promise? But what's wrong with the handbook? Well, we don't follow it. In fact, we have the orgy issue over the police department, and we said we don't investigate that. And yet, the handbook says it's zero tolerance for anything, and yet we have documentation to show that an officer, a female officer, complained about the harassment she was taking, and Nina destroyed that evidence. We don't care about that. She openly said on the record in a in a trial, she shredded the documents. She had lied and said that she did investigate it in federal court, and then she said, "I didn't investigate it there. So why do we have to change the handbook if we're not going to follow it? It also says that complaints have to be followed. It says if a citizen makes a complaint, it's to be looked into. None of them are looked into, so we ought to just have Ninjas read the complaint, the handbook. We don't follow it. We only follow complaints only if it offends somebody on this council. If the mayor has a complaint, he'll have it investigated. But any other complaint, when he tells citizens to f off and calls them names, we don't investigate that. That's acceptable. So, other than trying to campaign, why are we changing a handbook that we have no interest in following, anyways? Thank you.
1:23:08 · Speaker 4 (unverified label)
Thank you,
1:23:13 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Miss Brooks, Davy Brooks. Okay, new. Okay. Jason Wright. Oh, it's not. I apologize. Okay. Well, that's all that germane to the agenda. We'll go to the consent. Yeah. Okay. It's Brooks. Now we're we're voting on the probably the things that you're going to be talking about.
1:23:57 · Debbie Brooks (unverified label)
Like I said in the workshop that we had a week ago, my name is Debbie Brooks, and I've been a volunteer at the senior center for 11 years. So, my mom passed away in 2015 or 2017. My dad passed away in 2014. We had taken my mom to the senior center for the gospel music on Tuesday mornings and stuff. She loved gospel music stuff like that. So, anyway, after my mom's passing, we went ahead, and the the friends encouraged me there to go ahead and volunteer in the senior center like that. So I'd attend the Tuesday morning gospel singing on Tuesday morning. I would go ahead and help with the craft room projects on Wednesday morning stuff. In the past few years, I was asked to be the choir chairman on Tuesday mornings to inform the people of different events happening around the city, around the center. I volunteered in three first look yard sales. We actually had first look yard sales because we wanted to give the people that come there every day a chance to look at the yard sale items before we invited the public in. So that gave them time to look at them at the stuff and everything and. We just finished our first week yard sale, and we made almost $900 out of about eight days for two hours a day for about eight days. We made about $900 for the senior center. So, participated in four annual yard sales, craft projects, Christmas tree decorating, and cleaning and organizing the storage shed like that, and now I play the piano that the gospel singing song. We also have Shirley Dingus plays the piano, and Janet Farentine plays the piano. I also call people when I have in choir. I call the people individually. Takes me about two and a half hours to call them and do wellness checks on them if I haven't seen them for a while. I say, "Oh, you doing okay? You need anything or whatever? You know, I check on the seniors and stuff like that with them. Everything we provide special music books at my cost because I ate all the cost on that one. The black books with some special music in it. So we not only use the red back chart timbel, but we also use the special music and stuff from older music that people that people, the elderly would know the music that there. The choir donated money to buy our new church hymnals and have the piano tuned like that. The senior students meant a lot to me. I would like to ask for increase in funding, which would help us so much. Our regular funding from the City of Athens was $22,000. Last year, the funding was cut 10% which was about $2,200. This directly affects some of our crucial programming, as the wellness, nutrition, and our senior advocacy program, which provides help in dire needs. The girl was talking earlier, and I think she was involved. We, I was sitting there one day as a greeter, and we had this lady pull up in this van, and she dropped off these two people and bought all these plastic bags, and we're sitting there looking, what in the world's going on? And she had got tired of them being in her apartment, so as far as I know, they were put out in in our parking lot, so we're sitting there going, okay. So we worked with the lady, and I think it was laid back there, and everything found them housing for the weekend and stuff like that, so that they would have somewhere and they wouldn't be spending the night in the cold and stuff like that. But it took actually it took the the scheme eye to go ahead and see this happening, stuff like that. So we are there to help the senior center. So, if you're, can I ask a question? If the people here that support the senior center, if they will stand, I would appreciate it. This is all volunteers and people that come to the senior center and everything, and I mentioned it today. And this is how many showed up.
1:27:48 · Speaker 4 (unverified label)
Thank you very much. I appreciate your time. Thank
1:27:50 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
you.
1:27:57 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, that's all germane to the agenda. Appreciate each one of y'all. We're going to the consent agenda, please, Miss Missy, please, Miss White.
1:28:07 · Missy White (unverified label)
Item A, Award bid RFB number 2605 to Outdoor Solutions Services LLC for the demolition and clearing of condemned structures at 1506 Adams Street, 704 Haley Street, and 1504 View Street, bid amount $18,035. Item B, declare as surplus property and authorize the sale of each through Gov Deals, 1994. John Deere flail mower asset number 2551, 1997 John Deere 5300 tractor asset number 2757, 1998 John Deere gator asset number 2871, 2002 Bannerman top dresser asset number 3299, 2003 Toro 5500 real mower asset number 3404, 2015 Snapper Pro Zero Turn Mower Asset Number 4243 and a 12 Foot Ramp Trailer Asset Number 594. Item C: Declare as surplus property a Hallmark tandem axle trailer asset number 001338 and authorize its sale through Gov Deals. Item D, approve the purchase from the fleet fund the following fleet replacement vehicles for Public Works Department from Ford of Murfreesboro via statewide contract at. SWC dash 209 number 887623 Ford diesel f5 50 trucks with rear dump beds for $274,965 one Ford f2 50 with dump body for $74,607, and one Ford f1 150 crew cab for $45,972. Item E, approve the purchase from the sanitation fund the following fleet replacement vehicle for Public Works Department from Ford of Murfreesboro via statewide contract SWC dash 209 number 887621 Ford f1 50 crew cab for $45,972. Item F: Declare as surplus property and authorize each item to be sold through GovDeals after the replacement vehicle is put into service. Ford f1 50 Street Cleaning Truck, Asset Number 4306. Ford f3 50 Street maintenance truck asset number 4308, Ford f3 50 Street maintenance truck asset number 4319, Ford f3 50 Street construction vehicle asset number 4320, Ford f2 50 street cleaning vehicle, asset number 4314 with dump bed, asset number 4321, and Ford f3 50 truck sanitation vehicle, asset number 4326, item G, approve resolution 2026 24, a resolution of the City of Athens, Tennessee, authorizing the acceptance of the donation of a 1925 American La France fire truck from the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center and authorizing the execution of all documents necessary to complete the transfer. Item H, approve Hughes environmental proposal for City Hall mold remediation in the estimated amount of $30,592.08, plus a 15% contingency of $4,588.81, for a total not to exceed $35,180.89, and the execution of all documents necessary to complete the project. Item I. Declare as surplus certain firearms currently in the possession of the Athens Police Department that are no longer of evidentiary value or are considered abandoned property under state law after being held for more than six months, and authorized the exchange of the firearms with Craig's Firearms for in-store credit toward the purchase of law enforcement equipment.
1:33:35 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Gentlemen, what's the will of the council?
1:33:37 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Move approval with the consent agenda presented.
1:33:40 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I hear a second. Yes, second. Motion be made and second. Any discussions?
1:33:45 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
I just have to comment that I think we're all. I'll speak for the whole group, but I think we're all excited about item G, the historic fire truck returning. It was discussed at great length in our work session, so I think I think all residents of the city will be excited for that item to return to
1:34:04 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
us. Yes, I agree. Any other discussions? No, roll call.
1:34:09 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan,
1:34:11 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
aye.
1:34:12 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan,
1:34:14 · John Duggan (unverified label)
aye.
1:34:15 · Missy White (unverified label)
Vice Mayor Curtis, aye. Mayor Eaton,
1:34:18 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
aye. There's no ordinances at this time. There's no old business. I don't think any council city manager. And in new business, we'll go on line item A, please.
1:34:36 · Missy White (unverified label)
Item A, McMahon Senior Activity Center request for additional funding and other outside agencies funding.
1:34:46 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
I like to just make a motion of just the senior center activity or senior activity center funding, and not add on all the other agencies at this point, just to have the discussion of senior center. Make a motion for just senior center.
1:35:02 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I'll second the motion. Yeah, yeah. Motion made and second. Any discussions? You've got you've got the floor first.
1:35:09 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Yeah, I I I think we need to evaluate those that come before us one at a time. In that sense, we've received the information that you requested concerning all the other outside agencies, I think, jumping forward and just trying to, you know, they're they're coming to plead their case of why they need funding, and and I'm I'm sorry, I'm kind of biased. I'm on their board. I've been assigned to their board, so
1:35:37 · Speaker 4 (unverified label)
I'll
1:35:38 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
have to recuse myself from voting from this. I wanted to make the motion on this, and and and I just full disclosure out there, but I think it's something for our community that you know, as as they presented, it's it it's a high need. We we need to fully support our seniors. We will all be there at that point, everybody, even those that we saw on the baseball team, will be there at some point, and you know,
1:36:08 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I might be there. I need to
1:36:09 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
stop at this point, but I just want to say that we need to look at this item as presented by those who brought it forth.
1:36:16 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I absolutely agree. We have to take care of our seniors. Listen, honor you all for coming out, and it's a shame that you have to come out. But we have to honor you all. You all went before us, and whatever we can do to help the seniors, it's mandated to do. So, thank you all for coming.
1:36:48 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
After our work session, I asked staff to just provide kind of a list of what it may look like to reinstate 10% cut that we had in our budget issue for all outside organizations. I think that we we have to remember that this was a really really top budget year where we made some very deliberate tough decisions for some very specific reasons, primarily because of the capital project we have underway for the for the fire hall, the staffing that's being added there, kind of program for that, and just just other factors, not in any way to discount the credibility or validity of the request before us, but I think we we have to look at these allocations collectively. We we made the decision to to take that cut across the board, so I I think it sets a precarious precedent for this group to pick one organization and reinstate the cut that we made in our budget process. You know, as much as I hate to do it, I'm going to vote against this motion. I might be the only one that's going to sit here and do it, but I feel that it's the right thing to do because we have to remember what we did in the budget process, and and I'm I'm very sorry to do that. And you all provide wonderful services there without question. As I mentioned in the work session, I saw firsthand open and center to the community for the for the fish fry to benefit St. Mark's, but I think that this was this was part of our budget process this year, and it's unfortunate. But I think we need to hold the line and reevaluate it next year. That's that's just the way I way I feel about it.
1:38:34 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Well, I I'll say this: children and our older older Senior citizens, I support fully, and children, and Councilman Dugan, you disclosed you as part of that, and you can vote on this, but I just want to make sure that because I mean sometimes I have to vote when I'm on a committee, but I let it know, and you did. Furthermore, there was some there was some budget things that we did that we did do and then got voted down three to two. We had other things that we could have cut out of the budget, but we didn't. So that's but as far as our seniors and and children, if it's for our seniors or children, and I'm 44. It and so, but anyway, if there's any more discussions, not roll call.
1:39:29 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan,
1:39:32 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
aye.
1:39:34 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan,
1:39:36 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
aye.
1:39:37 · Missy White (unverified label)
Vice Mayor Curtis, aye. Mayor Eaton.
1:39:41 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Absolutely yes. Line item B, please.
1:39:49 · Missy White (unverified label)
Item B, ARP stormwater grant contract amendment to the agreement with Wilson Construction Group, increasing the contract. Amount by $213,330.70 to a new total of $2,244,885.69.
1:40:15 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Gentlemen, what's the motion?
1:40:17 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Move approval.
1:40:18 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Hear a second.
1:40:19 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Second. Yeah.
1:40:20 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Motion being made and seconded. Vice Mayor, you got the floor. You need it, or you don't. Anybody else? Anybody discussions? Roll call.
1:40:32 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan.
1:40:33 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Aye.
1:40:34 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan.
1:40:36 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Aye.
1:40:37 · Missy White (unverified label)
Vice Mayor Curtis. Aye. Mayor Eaton.
1:40:40 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Nay. Item C.
1:40:47 · Missy White (unverified label)
Item C, bid RFB number two six dash oh six repair maintenance and rehabilitation of local streets.
1:40:59 · Speaker 4 (unverified label)
Hear a motion.
1:41:03 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Do you hear a motion? I'll make a motion. Do you hear a second?
1:41:08 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
I'll second for discussion.
1:41:10 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Can you clarify your motion, real quick? We just need to know
1:41:15 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
for the bid. Or oh, okay. There's two. Or
1:41:18 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
what? Just clarify your motion, please.
1:41:21 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
For the bid, for the lowest bid for the for the repair the streets,
1:41:25 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Rogers Group, I guess.
1:41:28 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Rogers Group was the lowest base bid at $1,000,327.84.
1:41:36 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
And there was a second. So any any discussions?
1:41:40 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Just for clarification, that that bid exceeds the budgeted amount of 1.15. That's
1:41:47 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
correct.
1:41:50 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Just thought that was worth noting.
1:41:52 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
So I I did know here that the request was to consider the lowest bid, which you clarified, but you you move forward with the understanding that the additional funding over the budgeted amount will come out of next fiscal year's allocated amount. So with that being said, the next fiscal year will essentially be less than 500,000. And that you move forward. And
1:42:20 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
and the thing about it, though, here's here's the problem. We've heard that from the parks, I mean, from public works, that you know the Iran war was astronomical, and and what I'd looked at is around 6% But we can't guarantee what next year's pricing is going to be. So the citizens require us to To make sure that the roads are are drivable and fixable, and and and that's what we need to do. And I know the park the parks public works is doing the best they can. I know that. And but moving forward with the the incentive of the tax the taxes being increased and everything else as far as tax revenue, I think we'll be okay, but we need we need to get our roads paved.
1:43:05 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
So I have a question that Ben may be able to answer. We've we've done the bidding for all of this that's listed. All these different streets, the overlay, the mill end overlay of certain streets, and then the full depth reclaim. reclaimation is there a way of? I know we bid out the whole thing, the whole shebang, but is there a way of choosing my words specifically? I don't want to. Can we condense and and do high priority areas for this fiscal year, and would that be a rebidding type scenario?
1:43:52 · Speaker 6 (unverified label)
Kind of like we had discussed before, Councilman Dugan. I mean, when you put that list out there, that's why I'm always very cautious about doing that. We discussed that. We wanted, you know, the previous city manager wanted to put the list out. We did. We didn't have bids. We couldn't do bids, right? We can't. We can't do a bid for a budget that's not been approved yet. So we had to wait till after we got into the fiscal year. And unfortunately, you just got a little bit of discrepancy between, you know, what we estimate for that and what we don't. I will tell you, in looking at the numbers between kind of the different improvements that are in that scope of work, we were pretty much dead on the money with respect to the paving and the overlay component and the milling. the the the discrepancy was more so in the FDR, and and that's a hard moving target to hit because it is a is a complex operation. There's a lot of moving parts to it. Trying to pin down a specific unit quantity price for that for our estimation was kind of hard. So we. A little bit short on that one. That's what most of that differential is. I would say that, despite that being the case, you really don't want to cut the because you know you would let's just say like you would. That's where you would gravitate towards cutting, right? Like, well, that's that's the highest cost over on the guy. Let's cut those out. But the roads that that's spec'd for are the ones that need a more invasive treatment like that, like if go go over to go over to Spring Place and look at the entrance and tell me we don't need to fix it, right? It's terrible, but but that type of condition goes beyond what we can do with the conventional mill and overlay. So it demands that, you know, to the point and like like we discussed previously, you know, and and Larry's got a point. I mean, again, he's you know he asked the question in the study session. I mean, you know, you wait. Did the price goes does go down? Does it not? You don't know. I can't promise you that it won't or that it will. That's that's that's part of doing business. It's this this is 11% over what we had budgeted, you know. In in my opinion, you know, not not great, not terrible. I think you you do it. You lock in the price now, as as you guys can see on the bid form. You know, both contractors could be here within mid October to do some stuff. We're gonna have Rogers Group in town probably latter end of October to to November to do some work to finish View Street North Jackson. Anyway, my expectation just to kind of read between the lines with this, so you all know kind of what we would be looking at. I have no intention of doing the full depth reclamation or anything that is a mill and overlay this going into winter. I would purely target the overlays. Those are easy. There's no really surprises to that. We can coordinate that work with AUB, and we might be able to sprinkle some of those in before we get to cold weather. And then whatever we don't do, we'll we'll pick up and do in the spring. I would hate to cut someone's road, right? We've told them it's in our scope. I I would I would be very very I I would not want to do that. Just to answer your question, I I think we've put it out there. You know, you either commit to it, and and we do what we can. And again, like Bridget said, we've you know we've worked with Mike before. You pull funds forward. You know, we don't generally spend $500,000 per year. We usually consolidate a few years at a time, and then we do you know kind of get a bundle, get a little better economy of scale when you do that. You know, sometimes you pay more, sometimes you pay less. In the case of this one, it's like I said, it's it's it's within 11% of target. I think yeah.
1:47:32 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
So is this really all going to be like a whole year later? Because your estimate actually is estimated over the budget by $30,000 at 1.18,
1:47:42 · Speaker 6 (unverified label)
right?
1:47:42 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
And and and we have in the budget 1.15, so it's $30,000 more.
1:47:47 · Speaker 6 (unverified label)
Correct. Again, I mean we're talking, and that's your
1:47:49 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
staff estimate that you were looking for, you were hoping for. That's
1:47:54 · Speaker 6 (unverified label)
correct.
1:47:54 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
And and then all the estimates probably from this point further are going to be higher. So are you saying we need to wait until next year's budget for the next $500,000?
1:48:07 · Speaker 6 (unverified label)
No, you're going to be pulling a portion of that next year's allocation forward to do the full amount that we're proposing to do that we've got in that bid. You're going to be pulling some forward to do all of this. So,
1:48:20 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
at this point, we're gonna cross our fingers and hope that 1.3 doesn't jump to 1.4.
1:48:26 · Speaker 6 (unverified label)
Well, it it shouldn't. I mean, the thing you got to keep in mind, and again, what the number that you're looking at on paper is is an estimated quantity, right? That's this isn't this isn't a a takeoff for a building where everything is a defined quantity, you know. We've done a good amount of due diligence on our end to try to be as conservative as we can with the figures, so that we don't get sticker shock when you know the rubber hits the road and we're actually doing this. You know, we may come in under. You may run into situation where we're you know 10 or 15, $20,000 over it. It depends on what you really get into once you get out there. Yeah, I mean, yeah, exactly.
1:49:07 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
And we also have to take in mind contingency as well. So even with this 1.3, we're not listed a contingency.
1:49:14 · Speaker 6 (unverified label)
We do. I don't do contingency on a project like this because again, you just you you define the quantity as best you can. You get a unit price based on that, and then you know who's most best, who's most responsive and most qualified. And in this case, you've got got I think a good bid. Again, it's it's within pretty reasonable tolerance of our of our estimation. So, like I said, it it may come in lower. I mean, we may end up getting through this, and it be 1.25 or 1.3, or you know, we'll we'll we'll have to cross that bridge when we get. If
1:49:45 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
anything, this gives us a roadmap of, you know, for the future at this point. Sure.
1:49:50 · Speaker 6 (unverified label)
And again, you know, like anything, costs go up, costs go down. Everything's volatile, and and you'll continue to see that you've got a price at this point that we can work with. No matter what happens, you know we'll get this stuff done for what you got in that package, and we'll be done by June 30, and we'll get the next round together, and we'll talk about that when we get there.
1:50:09 · Speaker 4 (unverified label)
Thank you. Appreciate you.
1:50:10 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
I was going to say, when would you bid out the next round?
1:50:15 · Speaker 6 (unverified label)
I would probably jump another two years. I'm probably going to look at going forward two more years, and then trying to combine two budgets worth of paving to do, and again we may we may look at doing some other STBG or you know funded type improvements between now and then, but but you generally see us stagger those.
1:50:33 · Speaker 4 (unverified label)
Okay, thank you. Appreciate you,
1:50:37 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor. May I just make a clarification? It's over budget by 177,000, not 30. I just wanted, for the record, note that. Oh yeah, I
1:50:47 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
was quoting what they were estimating. Yeah, it's they were they were the staff had estimated proposed streets to cost 1.18. That was 30 over what's budgeted in our. I was quoting the staff number. Yeah, not not the Rogers number. Sorry about that.
1:51:03 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Any other questions? Roll call.
1:51:06 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember McCowan. Aye. Councilmember
1:51:17 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Dugan. Nay. Vice Mayor
1:51:19 · Missy White (unverified label)
Mayor Curtis, aye. Mayor Eaton,
1:51:23 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
pave the roads, aye. Pave
1:51:30 · Speaker 4 (unverified label)
the roads. All
1:51:32 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
right. Line item D.
1:51:39 · Missy White (unverified label)
First reading of an ordinance 1161 to amend Title One, Chapter One Dash Two of the Athens City Code by replacing Section 144 to revise the order of business for City Council meetings.
1:51:57 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Gentlemen, I have a motion.
1:51:58 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Approval.
1:51:59 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Here a second.
1:52:00 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Second.
1:52:01 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Motion be made in second. Any discussions? I just wanted to mention, like I did in the study session, and before everybody jumps the gun and throws words at my mouth, I am not against citizen speaking. I kind of like the way it's mapped out. You have items for the agenda about the agenda, so we can focus on the agenda, and and and then we have those who need or have information and attention items that we can focus on after the meeting and make notes of that as well, and it gives people a chance to speak. And plus, there's also times to speak, of course, for ordinances and second readings of ordinances as well, but but I say I say all that to say that you know it's I I'm a fan of the way it is already just for my own personal sake of focus. But if anybody else has any other thoughts,
1:53:00 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
only thing I'll say is this: the TCA has changed, and now the germane to the agenda is totally different. That's the reason why we're changing it. It's not that that we're we're trying to split it up or anything like that. It's the germane agenda is basically obsolete, basically now. So that's the reason why. Any other discussions?
1:53:20 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I just want the citizens to be able to speak. Okay, we do. You know, we go through the work sessions, and we already hash out a lot of things in the work sessions. So, just let the citizens speak. That's that's what I'm concerned about. Any discussions? Roll call. Councilmember
1:53:39 · Missy White (unverified label)
McCowan.
1:53:40 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Aye.
1:53:42 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan.
1:53:43 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Nay.
1:53:44 · Missy White (unverified label)
Vice Mayor Curtis. Aye. Mayor Eaton.
1:53:47 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Aye. Line item E.
1:53:55 · Missy White (unverified label)
Item E. Proposed revisions to the employee handbook.
1:54:00 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Number four of
1:54:00 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
the revised employee handbook, specifically including the revised longevity pay policy, was provided to us. Additional attachment.
1:54:10 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Near a second. There a second. I second. Must be made second. Discussion.
1:54:17 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
I like to make amendment to have that to have the longevity as a separate vote. I personally, well, I just want to make amendment to have the longevity as a separate vote instead of all in
1:54:37 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
one. Is there a second? I think I may 2 that one. I think that we need to split that one up because I I just now I didn't look get look at the
1:54:48 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
because we have two options to vote on.
1:54:49 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yes, motion been made second on the amendment. Any of the discussions on this?
1:54:55 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
I felt like this needed to be voted on first, and and I. I was going to address the handbook thing after that. If we threw it all, lumped it all together, we just get confused. And they need guidance on which option the council wants anyway. So that's why I wanted to amend and have that option voted on. Okay.
1:55:14 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Any other discussions? This is for the amendment only. Okay. Amendment only. Roll call, please.
1:55:20 · Missy White (unverified label)
Councilmember Dugan.
1:55:26 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Aye. Vice
1:55:27 · Missy White (unverified label)
Mayor Curtis. Nay. Mayor Eaton.
1:55:31 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Aye. Two to two. It fails. We're going back to the main motion.
1:55:43 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
He did the main motion.
1:55:44 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I know. Is there any more discussions on on this? I'm sorry. I apologize.
1:55:48 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Yeah, for me, I can't vote on something that I have a lot of issues with, not policy wise, but you know, I mentioned this in study session. There's errors. There's I can't vote on a final project that's haphazardly done. I can't sit here and give examples of things. I gave a couple in the study session, and then I sent an email saying that you know I was I was going to send those corrections to the HR department, but I felt like it wasn't my job to correct a piece of work that I wasn't involved in. It's not my job to do that job. So I felt like a reevaluation, a look through again, and I just recently finished looking through, and I I think there's one more section I got to finish, but I have found over 1-234-567-8910, 1112, 1313, different errors in different sections. One one section deals with, like on page 40, it's section. It says section two, but it doesn't reference anything. There was no section one. It's just random wording. Section two. There's another one that's I think on page 46. Section eight. What is that? There was no section seven or six or anything else. So it's like it was copy and pasted and thrown together. The other thing is spacing throughout the whole thing. There's, I know that's a an OCD thing of mine, but you know it's supposed to be a finished product that's going to be brought forth to people who are going to be employed, and if they read through and see all the either grammatical or just things like that, I don't know there'll probably be some issues about that, but it's just editing issues. Another issue, you know, if we're the ironic factor is, you know, if we're not at will state, we have a lot of policies where we actually give second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth chances. I just thought that was an ironic thing. I'm not against that, by the way. I'm also for redemption and reconciliation. But you know, I just I wanted to say I can't vote for something that's not finalized. It's, and I understand it was. I don't want to say it was thrown together. It was put together because it was separate policies. That's the way it was explained to me. Is they were all separate policies, and she was putting it together in one handbook format. But one one issue is that there is no revision page. I worked with policies as well, and we had a page where we listed for every time the board met, we had a revision page, and and it was updated. And then also each section, there was only one section that listed. Let me find it. Social media section has a policy of review section concerning how the council will review, but all the other sections of policies don't even talk about the council reviewing. So either it needs to be at the tail end of the whole handbook that is going to be reviewed by the council, or each section, the policy section, needs to be needs to have that only social social media page 48 was the only one that had that. It'll be reviewed by the council, and then, you know, if you look at the whole, like I said, some people might get upset about this, but I felt like we had the city policies here. Background checks, I felt like, should be put further dealing with employment. We shouldn't have background checks halfway through the policy, right before benefits. To me, I think letting them know after general provisions, the pay plan, and. Recruitment and employment. I thought, you know, background checks should be informed of that in that section. So I really think there could be a little more streamlining of the whole thing. I I can't vote for something that's not very streamlined and presentable to the public.
2:00:20 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor, may I respond?
2:00:22 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yes, go ahead.
2:00:24 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Well, the first thing on page 18 of your packet, there is actually a summary of revisions. So everything that was changed is listed. It has the page number, what changed. I mean, it's all there, so you can see what was changed. As far as one of your examples on page 40, where you mentioned section two, that you don't know what it's referring to, it states in section two of the City of Athens workplace violence policy. So it's referring to the Athens workplace violence policy. So that's that's what that's referring to, which I didn't catch the second one you said, but I'm sure it's something similar. But well, there's a
2:01:04 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
separate policy concerning that.
2:01:06 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Well, there's a separate section here. Now your job as a council is to approve policy, so that's a given. That it's included in the social media policy. That's the newest policy that's added. That was the most recent that you actually have not seen before. It was put into this. This is the first time you're actually seeing that, so that's probably why it's included there. Is because it is the newest, but it is a given that you all passed the policies, and that's basically what these revisions are: are policies that have passed over time, and now our human resources director is just adding them all into one book, so that we have it in one place now. And if all the issue is is formatting, we can change that without a vote. Well, that time it could be a work in progress.
2:02:00 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Well, I know, but that it's it's not all just formatting. I mean, there's some others that I don't want to take up time to talk about because it's going to take a while. Because, like I said, I have a whole separate list of those. But I just wanted that to be known. Is that you know I I would think it would be, you know, it would look better for the city to have something a little more streamlined.
2:02:31 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
I don't know how much more streamlined it could be, but I mean, obviously, we we value your opinion, but like if we need to get this approved as soon as possible, so that we can continue giving it to our employees. I understand that there may be some misspelled or wrong words because I think it was just the wrong word that was placed. And you know how it is when you write something up and you kind of read it yourself and you you know what it's supposed to say. I think the the example you gave was police and policy, right? Well, another
2:03:04 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
big one is on page 31. You know definitions. They gave a definition for robbery: a machine gun, a shotgun, and barreled shot-barreled rifle, shotgun, and a handgun. Those are all firearms.
2:03:22 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Now, keep in mind, this these policies were not written from scratch. They're basically model policies that we've used from MTAS mostly. Am I correct? So, it's not something that she wrote up from scratch. Most of this is model, and we've built upon it over the years.
2:03:44 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Yeah, and then list aggravated robbery twice on page 31, right after itself. But like I mentioned, you can't have the word firearm after you just listed all the firearms. You know, it's that's redundancy at that point. Yeah, that is something. I
2:04:01 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
think what we need to do is is moving forward is you know, and I'm not telling anybody how to vote, but I think that we we can go ahead and and adopt this, and then the next work session, city manager, you can you can address these things, and then we can we can continue on making it better instead of oh yeah, I like it
2:04:24 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
that it's all in one instead of a bunch of separate policies you have to hand people when they they're being hired. I actually I appreciate all in one. It's better. It's streamlined. It's it's a better thing, and I appreciate that she was doing that. But you know I I think there's ways of like I said. I worked with many different policies at different banks. I even wrote a few myself. So I guess I'm done at this point.
2:04:54 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
We're a policy making board by very definition. We were presented with staff with with a policy. We had an extra month to review it. We had a specific ask to determine to pick a path longevity pay policy. I brought forward my opinion work session. There was no conversation there. There again, the ask of this body was to kind of pick pick a choice, pick a choice. Make a decision. I mean, I think the question was answered in the work session. Hey, look, we we can handle some you know some formatting issues. Staff's fully capable of handling that. The the question for this policy making body was the content of this document. So I think we just have to be cognizant of what our role and what our high responsibility is, and that we need to be moving this city forward. I mean, we could sit here and discuss minutia all over this packet until the wee hours of the morning, but I think what we need to do is is is approve this so that we can so that we can move forward. And let me say this too: this is a holistic team effort from the conversations I had with staff to sort of ask the questions I had to be informed about this vote. Many of our, I mean, really everyone in our team was involved in providing input to this. As the city manager said, this is a model MTAS document. There was input provided by our insurers for different matters of risk management that have changed. The attorney had input, so I just want to express appreciation to our whole team for the heavy lift of coordinating all this, letting all the different department heads review it and kind of get it to a state to get it to this group to approve to then put in final form. So thank you all so much for the for the hard work to do that. It's much appreciated.
2:06:41 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Well, I didn't say that the hard work wasn't appreciated. I just said, and actually, there was a discussion. I brought it up. I said, I gave the errors that I mentioned. I gave two, and then the next morning, I decided to send an email saying, you know, I'm not going to sit here and give all the errors that I found for somebody else to correct when it's not my document to correct, so you know, I discussed it through through that meeting, let it know that there's stuff there, and then I asked if it could be reviewed one more time before we came to this meeting, and I got nothing. I got a a very berating and belittling email from another council member questioning my resume. So, like I was saying, I I appreciate the effort, and it's multiple departments. I do appreciate it, but like I mentioned in the email as well as the meeting, There's mistakes that I found, and I'm not an English major, you know. So I just don't like putting out documents for the public to recruit with haphazardness.
2:07:57 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
All right, I'm gonna say this. I'm gonna try to lighten the atmosphere, like the old guy said one time. Okay, I might not have dotted all the everything correctly, but did you get the message? That's the did you get the message? And we can always it's just like when I was I made a a gospel album, okay, and and I go back over, and you you want to try to correct every single little thing that you did, but you you get to a place where you say, okay, I'm done. So did you get the message? So I think we got the message. I'm sure you can go through that document. We, that's you, city manager. Y'all can go through that and correct whatever needs to be corrected. Okay, I have faith that you can do that.
2:08:55 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Any other questions, gentlemen? Roll call.
2:09:04 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
So I understand what we're voting here.
2:09:06 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Voting for the for the
2:09:08 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
not to not to change anything, right?
2:09:10 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
It's for technically both. He put a motion for both the longevity and
2:09:15 · Speaker 4 (unverified label)
the handbook all in one.
2:09:18 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
But he he
2:09:19 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
listed option one instead of or negating option two, so he. We were provided two options to choose from. We had a discussion and work session. I recommended the option that has been presented here because there was no further discussion about it. That's that's
2:09:34 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
why I amended to have that discussion.
2:09:37 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I thought we already turned well.
2:09:40 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
We're voting. on the whole thing, all all the updates collectively in one vote.
2:09:46 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
And is and his option number one for longevity.
2:09:50 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
No, sir, it's not my option number one. It's staff rent. What else? No, there was option one and two. But you
2:09:57 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
recommended there was two options.
2:09:59 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Go ahead.
2:10:00 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
I just want to clarify on page 15 and 16. If you'll turn to your packet, there are still two options listed in the memo. Option one was the no prorated longevity, and option two was the prorated longevity for voluntary separation. Just to clarify,
2:10:21 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
right, and he mentioned option one in study session, and I tried to amend to have that discussion for option one and two. But is that the council member's motion? My
2:10:34 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
motion is for the prorated longevity option
2:10:37 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
one,
2:10:39 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
which is option two.
2:10:40 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Oh, option two. Did it change? Yes,
2:10:42 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
that's correct.
2:10:42 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Option two, and that's being seconded. We're ready for a everybody for number two. Number two. Okay. Okay. Aye. Roll call. Roll call. Aye.
2:10:57 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Council member Dugan.
2:11:01 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Nay. Council
2:11:02 · Missy White (unverified label)
member. Charlotte,
2:11:06 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
sorry. Vice Mayor Curtis,
2:11:08 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
aye. Mayor Eaton, aye. Okay, there's two more things I want to bring up in the in the new business, and this is Article One, Section Seven of the of the of codes, city codes. I'm asking the city attorney. I'm requesting investigation. The following matters involve the misappropriation of alleged misappropriation of funds that may have occurred over an extended period of time. These concerns should be thoroughly reviewed and investigated of potential civil or maybe criminal violations, allegedly, that are identified. The findings should be referred to the appropriate authorities for further use if there is if the investigation deems safe. So, given the nature of the allegations and the individuals who are involved. I recommend the investigation be conducted by an independent agency. The issues outlined below should be fully examined. Documents I have obtained, and and the city attorney will will obtain them too from for the investigation over the past years. And I believe additional records may even earlier years may even be relevant. In light of this request, I ask all records related to this matter be preserved until investigation is complete. This includes records maintained in accordance with the applicable Tennessee Code of Tominated (TCA) provisions, Tennessee laws, and policy procedures of Athens, Tennessee. Reservations should be include all physical and digital recordings, as well as personal or city cell phones that may have been used in connection with these banners. Number one, investigation funding of the funding provided by the City of Athens to the Parks Foundation, including all city funds contributed to the 501c organization. Any absence of the document, city council approval for these contribution. Identify the individuals involved and the identities identities of the individuals involved, including oppositions they hold with both City of Athens and the Parks Parks Foundation. They allegedly looks like potential of over $100,000 being moved around. Number two, sanitation fund descriptions provided by three commercial accounts, which which we have no records of being shown or found in city council approval, these discounts appear to be in in place for an extended period of time, and will reflect in and does not reflect in any city budget during the past four years of my service. The prac the practice was disconnected this year, August the 22nd, 2026. After it was identified and stopped by former mayor, city manager, available records indicate that discounts were applied annually for more than over four years that I know of, for significant long periods of time. And number three, vehicle allowance reimbursements provided to three directors, one project manager, should be reviewed to determine whether mileage claims comply with the city policy. Available information indicates the individual received car allowance may not be permitted to claim mileage for for the first 65 miles from the city hall. Yet such claims appear to have been submitted over an extended period of time, records suggest these practice may have occurred for for many years, particularly among the employees with longer tenures. This matter should be should be thoroughly investigated. I'm I'm pulling the Article One Section Section Seven, which is a. It does not require a city council vote, but I'm going to give this to the the city attorney for for the investigations. So I want to make sure this is open to the public. Can you please give it to him? And I will send you all the documents I have, also, and you can retrieve them too.
2:15:16 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor, may I ask a question?
2:15:17 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yes, ma'am. This
2:15:20 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
is dealing with staff and administrative issues, from what I gather. Why am I being blindsided? I was not aware that this was.
2:15:28 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
You was told that I had turned in to the comp controller all of these issues. That's
2:15:35 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
right.
2:15:35 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
I did tell you to your face or on a phone call that I I had turned it in, and and furthermore, with with what had happened last Monday with the the letter that I'm fixing to read, it's more apparative that two of the council members are being had been improperly attacked, and and that's my next my next one. I'll let. But saying this, this is the taxpayers' money. It's been going on for a long time, and even when I was a private citizen, I had been following this, but could not get into it until the the former city manager had been digging into this and finding these issues, and and that's that's that's one of the reasons why that me and him had been doing this, and and you knew that I had been asking for the documentation. There's no there's nothing that was blindsided because you knew I have all the documentation. You knew what I was doing because I told you that I sent. So, so this right here is just another rim that the the the chief ethics officer is the city attorney of Athens, Tennessee, and according to Article One, Section Seven, we can call for an investigation, and that's that's clear what I'm doing, I'm not doing anything blindsided. I'm doing everything for the taxpayers, not for individuals, and and so be it. I mean, if we're if the taxpayers are not aware of what we're doing, then we got a serious problem. I'm not saying you because you're just an intern right now. It's this has been going on for a long time before you. Okay, before there's nothing about you on this. Okay, this is this has been going on for quite a bit of time, and it needs to be looked at. It needs to be handled. It needs to be resolved, and the only way to do it is through the comp controller and to and and also the city attorney, and I have and I have also requested that because of the the amount of documentation I have, probably an outside entity would probably be the best. But saying that, there's one more item that
2:17:57 · Speaker 7 (unverified label)
with with respect, if it's at the if it's at the controller's office. You know, there could be a little bit. There could be the issue of too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. They are the ones. They are the financial watchdogs, so to speak. So they're
2:18:12 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
financial watchdogs, but they're not. They're not watchdogs of our city, other than doing the doing the the systems. If there's issues, it's going to take a while. But but our city attorney needs to be aware of this. Our taxpayers needs to be aware of this. This is a serious matter that's been going on for numerous of years, and and and I'll I'll forward you all of these stuff that I have, and I'm I'm seriously I've been seriously thinking just waiting for the comp controller, but I really believe that the city manager needs the city attorney needs to look into this very in depth because this has to do with our taxpayers' money. This has to do with our city of Athens, and I don't take that lightly because ever since I was a citizen, I was I was pulling records, public records, to to find these things, and and the things that that have been coming up is really worrisome to me.
2:19:15 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
I just want to add, I am curious because you are correct. I am aware of some of the documents you have requested, and some citizens have requested, but in those documents, from what I have seen, I have personally not seen anything that would cause any concern. So I am curious what documents you are referring to. I'll let the investigation take
2:19:39 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
over, and I'll let the investigation because I've called for an investigation, and that's and that's where I'll stand right there because the documentation that I have is not is something that I take serious, and I would not bring this out to the public if if I didn't. And everybody knows the way that I am. I am always very detailed with everything. I've asked questions. I've got documentation, and and and I believe that that this needs to be resolved. It's been going on too long, and and I'm I'm I'm the best thing to do is turn it over to the comp controller, like I did, and also to the city attorney. So that's that's what I've done. So, and that's number one, and number two, and and and see, manager. I mean, you're you're aware of the public records, very aware of them. You're you're very knowledgeable. Heck, I carry two phones with me because one is my city phone, and I do city business with, and just like you, you've got city city phones, city city, and all of us do because I, I think all my city phone city business order be done on my city phone. Now sometimes I get text messages on on something on my, but it's something simple one the citizens wanting to know about a yard being mowed, and I tell them to send me an email, and I sent it straight to you. But anyway, saying that last week I received an email, and the the rest of the city council did about a direct hostile work environment that I provided, and also Congress Senator Councilman Dugan, during last week's study session, and the emails are right here. And City Manager, I will be giving this to you. I mean, not City Manager, City City Attorney. I will be giving these these documents documents to you. That it was clearly that that we were being accused of hostile work environment last last work session, where we were asking why the roads weren't being paved, and and you even heard mr. Bursfield up here today explaining some things why we why we were paving a certain roads in Regional Park when it wasn't even when we were leaving some of the other parts, and and evidently,
2:22:04 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
I'm sorry. Respectfully, I I do think that that is an administrative issue. This is not a ministry. You
2:22:10 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
you accused this was an accusation of city council, and I'm letting it was sharing
2:22:16 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
of information.
2:22:18 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, sharing, but you gave it all to city council,
2:22:21 · Speaker 4 (unverified label)
yes,
2:22:21 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
and and that is open. That is open to public public request. So therefore, it is open to the public, and I want to make sure the public knows when you when you send me that that I'm causing a hostile work environment for asking questions of your staff in an open public meeting, and while they're while we're having discussion, there was nothing, there was nothing volatile, and I've even asked for the recordings, which I have not got yet. So, but anyway, saying this, there is one thing that's that's really bothering me with with all of this, and you sent me the documentation, the resignation letter. From this is the this is the letter that was sent to us, okay? And I'm actually at this point in time I filed a public records request on on all apps that the city the city manager and anyone else is doing in the city because this right here was on an RSC app. This is not on a public. Oh, it was
2:23:27 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
on a cell phone.
2:23:28 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yeah, it was on an RSC chat.
2:23:31 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
And I do want to point
2:23:33 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
out that is that is not a public forum. So all of this chat is supposed to be in public forum.
2:23:41 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Not necessarily. This is a, and I'm not going to say employee because she is technically not an employee. She is a contractor. She is a temporary through an agency that we use. That was her notice to me as her supervisor that she was not comfortable being in that environment any any longer.
2:24:03 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Let me read it to you. Let me read it to the city of the city. This is an RSC chat, which is an app on Google that is not subject to public records. You cannot get this public records. So this was sent to the city manager on the on the city the City, this is this is relevant because this is public information that we cannot retrieve. Other, this is a chat.
2:24:32 · Speaker 7 (unverified label)
These are pending HR matters.
2:24:34 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
These are not pending HR matters. This is this is something that I've got a public records right here that there's
2:24:40 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
no accusations. It was like I'm saying
2:24:43 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
no accusations. Let me read. Hold on a sec. Hold on a sec. Let me read it. Okay, Bridget.
2:24:48 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
Mayor, please.
2:24:49 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
No, I'm going to read this. Staff
2:24:51 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
issue.
2:24:52 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
This is not. You sent this resignation documentation. This is a. This is even subject to public records. But I'm going to read this. The open public, so the public knows that that two two council members call it a hostile working environment. There's nothing, city attorney, that I'm doing negative. This was an attack on two city council members for asking questions of the staff. Here it is, Bridget. Can I
2:25:16 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
say something? I think something needs to be said as a member of the board of directors of this organization, from someone who has experience in a supervisory role professionally, you cannot discount or discredit what an employee says that they feel uncomfortable about their working environment. This is inappropriate, and this needs to be handled in the proper venue. So I just, I just have to, in good conscience, say that. Well, thank you.
2:25:46 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Help me say this. Now, let me say this. Let me, let me, let me say this. This is totally outline. Okay.
2:25:56 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yeah, I agree.
2:25:57 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
No, it's totally out of line where we're going with this right here because it's, it's not appropriate. I've been in sittings, believe me, and anything that's going on within the HR, anything going with with the staff. We are a governing body, but we're we're not here to run what's going on day by day. And I would think it'd be not appropriate to go any further with this. Okay, I would think. I think that would be. Here's what's going,
2:26:27 · John Duggan (unverified label)
Mayor. I would say stop.
2:26:29 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
No, I'm going to read this right here. This is this is derogatory. I would say stop. If everybody would know about self publication, and and you can probably city attorney can can can do this. This is the defaming of a of an individual.
2:26:45 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
Think we should adjourn.
2:26:47 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
Yes, I move to adjourn. Yes, second.
2:26:50 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
There's the the motion is not being made up yet. So and we still it's in
2:26:55 · Jordan Curtis (unverified label)
favor. We have the majority council want to adjourn this meeting at this time.
2:26:59 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
We don't even have the reports in your violation of the charter. The
2:27:05 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
reports are included in your packet,
2:27:07 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
but you're in violation.
2:27:08 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Citizens' comments haven't been done either. Nope.
2:27:12 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
So,
2:27:14 · Perry McCowan (unverified label)
I'm not going to be a part of this. No, I'm not. No, this is not. This is not right.
2:27:20 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
No, it's not. Especially if it was if it was you. That's okay. I'm going. I'm going ahead and read this anyway because this is this is should be public information. It is because the the DPA was cc'd on this, and and this record, this RSC is a private chat, and I've done a public records request, and all and all all documentation should be frozen.
2:28:01 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
I'm not saying that it's not public record, but out of common decency, out of someone who is emotionally disturbed, sharing this information with you all may not be confidential in the sense of public records, but out of decency.
2:28:22 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Okay, what was the decency? Her calling a hostile working environment calling two people when we were asking questions of our local staff.
2:28:29 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
But I'm not going to. There is a certain case that you have also considered this environment a hostile workplace. But I'm not going to get into that. But there is no difference between what you have done and what she has done.
2:28:45 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
No, what I do is is I make sure it's open to the public, and and for the ones that that that are elected to to support the the city, and they they go up and leave is pretty bad. But this right here, making a statement of a hostile working environment when we were in a work session, and we can't-we've not even got the-we don't even. And that
2:29:08 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
is assumptions, by the way. She does mention boys, but there were other instances too. And I think what you're referring to was her tipping point. She did not list all the.
2:29:21 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
She didn't list anything.
2:29:22 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
No, she list anything. Right, she kept it very valid. Then again,
2:29:25 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
it was on a personal chat that we don't even know what the other chat was about.
2:29:31 · Bridget Roberts (unverified label)
That's it.
2:29:39 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Well, the quorum's not here, so we can't even adjourn. City attorney,
2:29:47 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
you you seem to believe that you were ready to proceed.
2:29:51 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
We can't. We don't have a quorum. It's it's called a you have to have X amount of because they walked out. And we still have business. Well, I mean, think about it. There's nothing. I'm going to leave it up to city attorney.
2:30:22 · Chris Caldwell (unverified label)
And come prepared for this. This on the Roberts rules,
2:30:30 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
or on the the meeting can't go on.
2:30:48 · Speaker 7 (unverified label)
Can't be adjourned. Perhaps we can be in recess until this can be.
2:30:52 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
That's the only thing we can do. I mean, that's that's it.
2:30:56 · Speaker 1 (unverified label)
Recess until somebody comes back.
2:31:00 · Speaker 7 (unverified label)
I don't think it has to be today.
2:31:03 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
It don't have to be. It it can be it can be postponed to another time. But we have to have a. No, what we'll have to do is we'll have to recess until until the quorum comes back.
2:31:17 · Speaker 7 (unverified label)
We're in recess.
2:31:18 · Larry Eaton (unverified label)
Yes, sir. Recess. Yeah. Yeah, we have to. Yeah, same same as if there's a new beat, new me.