City Council

MINUTES OF THE CITY OF BRISTOL, TENNESSEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING May 5,2015 CALL TO ORDER: The City of Bristol, Tennessee City Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Lea Powers on Tuesday, May 5,2015, at7:02 p.m. in the Slater Center Auditorium. ROLL CALL: Present: Mayor Lea Powers, Vice Mayor Chad Keen, Councilwoman Michelle Dolan, Councilwoman Margaret Feierabend, and Councilman Jack Young. Others Present: City Manager'William L. Sorah; City Attorney Jack Hyder; City Recorder Tara Musick; and members of City staff. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Powers gave the invocation, and Councilwoman Margaret Feierabend led the pledge of allegiance. AGENDA ADDITIONS AND/OR CHANGES: None. PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS: National Police Wegk (May 10 - 16,2015) - Mayor Powers read a proclamation designating the week of May 10"' as National Police Week. Mr. Tim F. Eads, Major, was in attendance to accept the proclamation. National Public Works Week (May 17 - 23,2015) - Vice Mayor Keen read a proclamation designating the week of May 17'n as National Public Works Week, Mr. Tim Beavers, Public Works Director, was in attendance to accept the proclamation and thank Council for the recognition. PRESENTATIONS: None. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None  City Council Meeting May 5,2015 Page 2 of 8 APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS: Tom Heibel, 7L6 Bluff City Highway, spoke about the items on the agenda for the Council meeting. He did not see items that would move the City forward. He also requested a list of people who were members of the Free Masons. APPOINTMENTS: Community Development Advisory Committee - Ms. Ella Kane was appointed to the Community Development Advisory Committee by a unanimous vote to serve an unexpired term of offrce ending April 30, 2016. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS: A. First Reading of New Ordinances: Ordinance 15'3 - An OrdÍnance to Amend the Appropriation of Funds and Budget for the Fiscal Year July 1,2014 through June 30,2015 City Manager Sorah reviewed this Ordinance to amend the Fiscal 2015 Budget appropriations for the Grant Fund and School Nutrition Fund. This change is necessary to meet legal requirements and is consistent with projections included in the Fiscal 2016 Budget. The Grant Fund is proposed to increase from $286,152 to $340,000. The $53,848 increase is required due to the renewal of a grant that was expected to not continue. During the Fiscal 2015 Budget process, management thought that the Bristol Tennessee Housing and Redevelopment Authority would be unable to obtain funding to support the extra police officer funded by the agency. Therefore, the position and grant were not budgeted. Early in the fiscal year, notice was received that the position would continue to be funded at the same level. An amendment is required to account for activity related to this grant which was funded from other grant revenue. The School Nutrition Fund is proposed to increase from $2,147,500 to $2,312,500. The $165,000 increase is required to account for increased capital outlay costs related to the installation of new serving lines in the cafeteria at Tennessee High School. Preliminary estimates of the project were much lower than actual costs. Therefore, an amendment to the fund is required to account for the difference. The additional costs will be funded by a combination of current year revenue and fund balance. Councilwoman Feierabend made a motion to approve the Ordinance on first reading, and Councilman Young seconded the motion.  City CouncilMeeting May 5,2015 Page 3 of8 Councilman Young stated that the City was very fortunate to receive additional grant funds at the local level, pafticularly in light of decreases in grants at the Federal level. He also stated that the Board of Education would be responsible for funding the increase in the School Nutrition Fund and the increase would not be funded by City funds. The motion passed by a unanimous roll call vote. Ordinance 15-4 - An Ordinance to Establish the Property Tax Rate, Adopt a Budget, and Appropriate Funds for the Fiscal Year July 1,2015 through June 30, 2016 City Manager Sorah reviewed this Ordinance for formal adoption of the Fiscal 2016 Budget and appropriations for the fiscal year beginning July l, 2015. The Fiscal 2016 Budget totals $96,816,429. This reflects a decrease of $1,549,842 from the Fiscal 2015 Budget. In addition, the Ordinance establishes the property tax levy at the current rate of $2.25 per $ 100 of assessed value. The municipal government portion of the budget stands at $55,617,726, a decrease of $1,950,545 from the Fiscal 2015 Budget. This decrease is attributable to a reduction in capital project spending. The proposed budget includes a modest employee cost of living increase of 1.7%. In addition, the proposed budget reduces the City's staffing level by 2 full+ime positions. The force reduction will occur through attrition. The proposed budget maintains the current property tax rate, solid waste fees, stormwater fees, and sanitary sewer fees. The budget does include a proposed water fee increase of 3.5Yo. The school system portion of the budget totals $41,198,703, an increase of $400,703 from the Fiscal 2015 Budget. The municipal government budget remains unchanged from that presented to City Council at the April 21" work session. Vice Mayor Keen made a motion to approve the Ordinance on first reading, and Councilwoman Feierabend seconded the motion. Councilwoman Dolan stated that she supports staff but wants a smaller local government in light of smaller revenues. Raises should be based upon performance and not just given. Therefore, she will not support the budget. Councilman Young mentioned that there was no tax increase in the General Fund. He had spent time with the City Manager to discuss the issues and wants to stay revenue neutral. Operations and cash are impacted by Council decisions. He would like no increase in water rates, but the City must make changes or the State could step in. Two employee positions were cut in the Waterworks Fund and efficiencies have been made. Vice Mayor Keen stated that the Waterworks Fund is an enterprise fund which runs like a business. Costs must be supported. This fund must be self-supporting. Councilwoman Feierabend stated that she has served on Council for a long time and that staff has worked very hard. Services and products must be supported and funded. Council is creative and wants development and quality of life which require funding. She has concerns that the budget is austere and wants investment in the community for citizens.  City Council Meeting May 5,2015 Page 4 of 8 Mayor Powers stated that many of Councilwoman Dolan's goals have been achieved. Council asked staff to be creative and get new sources of revenue. Operating funds have been supported by charges. Employees are not making a fortune and deserve an increase. She said that Council needed to keep an eye to the future and be prepared. Tom Heibel,T16 Bluff City Highway, spoke against the budget. He did not obtain a copy to review in advance. He is against any liberal agenda that could cost taxpayers money. The motion passed by the following roll call vote Councilman Young Yes Councilwoman Dolan No Councilwoman Feierabend Yes Vice Mayor Keen Yes Mayor Powers Yes Ordinance 15-5 - An Ordinance Fixing Rates Charged for Water Sold by the City of Bristol City Manager Sorah reviewed this Ordinance to adopt new water rates for utility customers served by the City of Bristol. As reviewed in the work session of April 21"', a water rate increase of 3,5Yo is necessary to maintain the fìnancial integrity of the TVater Segment of the Waterworks Fund. The Waterworks Fund is a proprietary fund that must, in accordance with statute, operate over time with a net income and positive change in net assets or be subject to the rate control of the state. An increase of 3.5o/o is required in each of the next two years to stabilize the Water Segment that is projected to incur a net cash flow deficit in FY 2017. Also, projected ending cash at the end of FY 2016 is expected to be approximately $25,000 in absènce of a rate increase. A loan from the Sewer Segment of $500,000 is proposed in each of the next two years to maintain a positive cash balance in this segment. The water rate adjustment will result in additional cash flow that is planned to be utilized to repay the loan from the Sewer Segment over time. The new rate structure is projected to increase water revenues by approximately $119,000 in Fiscal 2016 and $123,000 in Fiscal 2017. A typical residential customer consuming 5,000 gallons of water per month will see an increase of $0.65 per month. The last water rate increase was effective in July of 2010. The rate adjustment does not apply to wholesale utility districts having a water sale agreement with the City. This includes the Blountville Utility District and the Intermont Utility District. Feierabend made a motion to approve the Ordinance on first reading, and Councilman Young seconded the motion. Councilwoman Dolan asked why revenues had declined. City Manager Sorah clarified that it was from the result of a decline in use and lost utility district sales. Councilman Young stated that many communities had a more prohtable water operation than sewer operation.  City Council Meeting May 5,2015 Page 5 of8 He explained that the City is different because it had invested in several large sewer projects in the past and we are now investing in water projects. Bonds had been obtained for current projects. Without proper maintenance, operating costs will increase. Vice Mayor Keen clarified that Bristol had some of the lowest rates in the area. City Manager Sorah clariflred that even with the requested rate increase that the City rates would still remain amongst the lowest. Councilwoman Dolan reiterated her earlier comments from the budget ordinance. The motion passed by the following roll call vote: Councilman Young Yes Councilwoman Dolan No Councilwoman Feierabend Yes Vice Mayor Keen Yes Mayor Powers Yes Ordinance 15-6 - An Ordinance to Amend the Zoning Ordinance So As to Insert Provisions Relating to Access Control City Manager Sorah reviewed this Ordinance to amend the Zoning Ordinance so as to insert provisions relating to access control. The proposed amendment includes provisions to provide property owners with roadway access standards that facilitate safe and effrcient access to public streets. The proposed amendment is a joint work product of the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Public 'Works. Their recommendations include criteria for limiting the number of access points for each property, the inclusion of service roads when safety or operational concerns arise, and roadway improvements when conditions warrant. In addition, spacing requirements from property lines for both residential and non-residential property, minimum access distances from adjacent street right-of-ways, and details on the access way are included in the proposed amendment. The proposed amendment is a part of the Fiscal 2015 Goals and Objectives program. The Ordinance was considered by the Planning Commission on April 20th and received their unanimous approval. Jessica Harmon, Planner, discussed the matter in further detail for the public. She clarified defrnitions, required access way per property, spatial requirements, and minimum access distances fi'om adjacent light of way. Access ways are to be designed to avoid vehicles backing out on collector or arterial streets. Councilman Young asked how grandfathering would work. Ms. Harmon stated that it would apply to redesigned areas. Basic transfers of property would be grandfathered.  City Council Meeting May 5,2015 Page 6 of8 Vice Mayor Keen and Mayor Powers both commented that the Planning Commission had visited this issue several times. Councilwoman Feierabend stated that this would have been nice in earlier circumstance and supports the ordinance. Vice Mayor Keen made a motion to approve the Ordinance on first reading, and Councilwoman Feierabend seconded the motion. The motion passed by a unanimous roll callvote. B. Adoption of Ordinances (Second Reading): None. C. Resolutions: None. CONSENT AGENDA: City Manager Sorah presented the Consent Agenda to Council. Councilman Young moved to approve the consent agenda, and Councilwoman Feierabend seconded the motion. The following items were approved by unanimous Council vote: a Minutes - April 7,2015, City Council Meeting, a Minutes - April 2I,2015, City Council Work Session, a Resolution 15-26 - A Resolution Approving an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with the Emergency Communications District of the City of Bristol, Tennessee, a Resolution 15-27 - A Resolution Adopting an Amended and Restated Drug and Alcohol Policy, a Resolution 15-28 - A Resolution Approving an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement for the 2nd Judicial District Drug Task Force, a Resolution 15-29 - A Resolution Adopting the Sullivan County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, and Resolution 15-30 - A Resolution Awarding Bid for the Purchase of a Police Virtual Server.  City Council Meeting May 5,2015 Page 7 of8 BOARD OF EDUCATION LIASON REPORT: Director of Schools Gary Lilly mentioned TCAP testing and teacher appreciation week. He also discussed the upcoming highs school graduation. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: City Manager Sorah thanked City staff for their hard work during the April race at Bristol Motor Speedway. He discussed upcoming events, including the five Bristol Exchange meetings. These meetings will be held to provide an overview of the budget and the upcoming plan of work for staff. Citizens will also have an opportunity to ask questions, request services, and discuss programs with the departments at break out tables. CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS: Councilman Young discussed early voting and the upcoming May election. He appreciated the candidates running for local offices and thanked those that had served. He mentioned Memorial Day and the true cause of the holiday. Vice Mayor Keen thanked volunteers who serve in the community and work so hard for upcoming local events to be held, particularly Rhythm and Roots. Councilwoman Feierabend thanked Steve Scyphers for creative problem solving and the ribbon cutting at Mountain View Apartments. She stated that Council values transparency, citizen input, and public engagement. Public comments are not required by law, but Council does allow the opportunity. She discussed her concern for when citizens make false comments and request something that violates the rights of staff and other citizens. Councilwoman Dolan stated this was a beautiful area and region. She wished mothers a happy upcoming Mother's Day. She also discussed education initiatives in the area, such as college opportunities for high school graduates at no charge. Mayor Powers told Dr. Lilly that we have an outstanding group of oducators. Many valedictorians come from the public school system. Safety of the community is considered at all times in the budget. Infrastructure, water, the police force, and fire service are provided at the local level of government. A standard of living is present for City staff. Revenue streams have been created to where those that use services pay for those services. Tourism is being pursued. She has an appreciation for the diversity of Council because it represents the citizens served by the Council.  City CouncilMeeting May 5,2015 Page 8 of8 There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:07 p.m. Lea Powers, f Tara E. Musick, Mayor City Recorder