City Council

MINUTES OF THE CITY OF BRISTOL, TENNESSEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING June 4,2019 CALL TO ORDER: The City of Bristol, Tennessee City Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Margaret Feierabend on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, at 7:03 p.m. in the Slater Center Auditorium. ROLL CALL: Present: Mayor Margaret Feierabend, Vice Mayor Michelle Denise, Councilman Chad Keen, Councilwoman LeaPowers, and Councilman Jack Young. Others Present: City Manager V/illiam Sorah, City Attorney Danielle Smith, City Recorder Tara Musick, and members of City staff. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Bob Mann, Youth Pastor from Buffalo Ridge Baptist Church gave the invocation and Vice Mayor Michelle Denise led the pledge of allegiance. AGENDA ADDITIONS AND / OR CHANGES: City Manager Sorah stated there were no additions. However, the recipient of the Bristol Traffic Safety Ambassador Award under the Recognitions portion of tonight's agenda was unable to attend this evening so this item will be on the July 9th Agenda. PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS : Alzheimeros and Brain Awareness Month - Councilman Chad Keen read a proclamation designating June 2019 as Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. Ms. Donna Baker, Alzheimer's Association Marketing and Outreach Volunteer, was in attendance to accept the proclamation. Ms. Baker thanked the Council and stated Alzheimer's is the fourth leading killer in Tennessee and sixth in the nation. As the disease is beginning to affect people at younger ages, there is legislation pending (Alzheimer's Impact Movement - AIM) to give persons with early onset Alzheimer's (under the age of 60) the same assistance and support as older patients. Blaine Calhoun, Chairperson for the local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, spoke about the Annual Alzheimer's'Walk which will be at The Pinnacle this year on October 19th. The proceeds from this fundraiser go to research as well as to help link local patients and caregivers with available resources and to educate the public. National Homeownership Month - Vice Mayor Michelle Denise read a proclamation designating the month of June 2019 as National Homeownership Month. Mr. Daniel Witcher, Chairman of the Community Development Advisory Committee, was in attendance to accept the proclamation. Mr. Witcher presented home ownership data and a comparison of five cities (Bristol, Virginia; Bristol, Tennessee; Chattanooga, Kingsport, and Knoxville) with the national average, based on information from Data USA. The comparison data showed that Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia had the lowest percentage of income going toward mortgage cost which makes Bristol not only a good place to live, but also a good place to buy a home.  City Council Meeting June 4,2019 Page2 of 12 Menos Health Month - Councilman Jack Young read a proclamation designating June 2019 as Men's Health Month. Andy Hall, Vice President of Community and Government Relations for Ballad Health, was in attendance to accept the proclamation. TSSA State Wrestling Champions - Dominic Fields and Dillon Pendley, Tennessee High School Seniors, were recognized for being TSSAA Class AAA 160-pound and 138-pound Tennessee State Wrestling Champions, respectively. Dominic Fields, Dillon Pendley, Tennessee High's Athletic Director Barry Wade, and Head Wrestling Coach Tim Marshall were in attendance for the recognition. Bristol First Program Award - Matt Austin, Major of Police Department Operations, was nominated for the Bristol First Award by the family of a resident at a local memory care center. The Police Department was notified an elderly dementia patient had wandered away from the facility and had been missing for three hours. The family requested Major Austin be recognized for his dedication, outstanding and courteous professionalism he exhibited during the search for the family member. He found the patient unharmed and returned her safely back to the care center. Terrie Talbert, Director of Community Relations, presented the award to Major Austin. Major Austin expressed his appreciation for the award and spoke about the Project Lifesaver program which is available for patients with Alzheimer's or autistic children. The program allows a wrist band to be worn by the patient that can be tracked in case they get lost. The family of a patient can apply for participation in Project Lifesaver through the Police Department. If they qualify, the Police Department will train the family how the progtam and the equipment work as well as how to ensure the best program results for their family member. PRESENTATIONS: None. PUBLIC HEARINGS: Mayor Feierabend opened the Public Hearing. Ordinance l9-l - An Ordinance to Rename Pine Circle Drive to Andover Drive City Manager Bill Sorah explained this request came from the City of Bristol, Virginia. They are making changes to various addresses as part of their NextGen, or Next Generation, E-91 I updating process. The section of Pine Circle Drive in Bristol, Virginia that is collinear with Andover Drive and extends to the state line, continues into Bristol, Tennessee from the state line southward and intersects with Grove Park Drive. The section of the roadway nam ed Pine Circle Drive in Bristol, Virginia will be renamed Andover Drive and the short section of Pine Circle Drive, which extends approximately 45 feet into Bristol, Tennessee, is what they have requested to be renamed as Andover Drive. There are no adjacent addresses in Bristol, Tennessee off Pine Circle Drive and there is only one adjacent property which is off Grove Park Drive and is an undeveloped property so has no impact on Bristol, Tennessee or our addressing system. This item is for formal consideration for approval later on the agenda this evening. There was no public comment on this item.  City Council Meeting June 4,2019 Page 3 of 12 Ordinance l9-2 - An Ordinance to Adopt a Budget and Appropriate Funds for the Fiscal Year July 1,2019 through June 30,2020 City Manager Sorah stated if approved on second reading this evening, this ordinance will culminate approximately a six month process of work by staff and Council and is the greatest policy decision this board will make this year. The Fiscal 2020 Budget and Appropriations Ordinance totals $121,058,532 and reflects an increase of 514,245,711 which is a 13.3 percent increase from the Fiscal 2019 Budget. This ordinance establishes the property tax levy at the current rate of S2.1612 per $100 of assessed value. The proposed budget also maintains the current solid waste fees, stormwater fees, and water and sanitary sewer rates. The municipal portion of the budget stands at862,012,492 and reflects an increase of $3,635,232 from the Fiscal 2019 Budget. Per Council directives, the proposed budget focuses on the key themes of economic development, education, and infrastructure. The budget continues all current City programs and services as in the past while making strategic capital investments to meet the future needs of the community. Major projects include the redevelopment of the 700 block of Shelby Street, Downtown streetscape and pedestrian improvements, reconstruction of East Cedar Street, renovations at the water filtration plant, and the resurfacing of approximately fourteen lane miles of roadway. Key partnerships 'Washington are part of this budget and include partnering with Kingsport, Johnson City, Sullivan and Counties in Tennessee for continued development of Tri-Cities Airport's Aerospace Park. Also, partnering with Bristol Tennessee Essential Services, TVA, and the Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD) in the continued development of a thirty-five acre site at Bristol Business Park, as well as partnership with NETV/ORKS and ECD with the rail site development of the industrial product at Partnership Park IL The proposed budget includes a wage adjustment of three percent for City employees and an incremental adjustment for those employees identified as being below market wage for comparable positions in other communities. The school system portion of the budget totals $59,046,040, and reflects an increase of $10,610,479. This increase is primarily attributable to the $14,250,000 increase of funds in the School Capital Facilities Fund. This fund accounts for the disbursement of proceeds from the Sullivan County school construction bonds and will be available for the first year of construction of the new middle school. In Fiscal Year 202I, a second transfer of these funds will occur for the second year of construction as this will be a multi-year project. The Fiscal 2020 Budget remains unchanged from what was presented and approved on first reading at the City Council meeting on May 7th. There was no public comment on this item. Ordinance 19-3 - An Ordinance to Amend the Appropriation of Funds and Budget for the Fiscal Year July 1,2018 through June 300 2019 City Manager Sorah explained this ordinance is our annual housekeeping measure to ensure the City is in legal compliance with the requirements for municipal budgets. Ordinance l9-3 amends several funds based on projected expenditures such as the General Purpose School Fund amended to a revised appropriation of 941,1,87,392; the School Nutrition Fund with a revised appropriation of $1,994,000; Chapter 420 Fund with a revised appropriation of $6,750,000; the Grant Fund with a revised appropriation of $140,309; the Capital Equipment Fund with a revised appropriation of $675,000. The list differs from what was presented in May under first reading as the Solid Waste Fund has been added. Our Finance Department continues to review and refine these funds. As City Council is aware, we cannot statutorily exceed the budget appropriation of that approved by City Council. In an evaluation  City Council Meeting June 4,2019 Page 4 of 12 of ten months expenditures, we are seeing higher than anticipated tipping fees for landfill disposal of solid waste as well as increased equipment costs. Therefore, it is recommended the budget be amended during second reading to include our Solid Waste Fund, which would have a revised total appropriation of $1,986,233. This is housekeeping in nature and does not mean the costs will exceed the amounts, but we are increasing the funds to enzure we do not exceed the appropriation and therefore, in statutory violation. There was no public comment on this item. Mayor Feierabend closed the public hearing portion of the meeting APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS: Eddy Mabry, 109 Sunnybrook Drive, expressed his desire for more jobs in the arca so children and grandchildren do not have to leave the area to find employment at higher wages. He would like to have a list ofjobs available in the area so he can refer people. APPOINTMENTS: None ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS: A. First Reading of New Ordinances: Ordinance 19-4 - An Ordinance to Amend the Zoning Map of Bristol, Tennessee by Designating Certain Property as R-E (Established Residential Neighborhood) 1101 Anderson Street City Manager Sorah said this item is the proposed rezoning of property located at 1101 Anderson Street. The parcel currently has a zoning designation of B-18, which is shopping and offices. Staff received a request from Appalachian Service Project, an organization which has done a number of housing projects within our community, for this property be rezoned to R-E, established residential neighborhood. They desire to construct a single-family residential dwelling on the property and it would allow them to take advantage of front yard setbacks that are more relaxed in an R-E zone versus the B-18. This matter was presented to our Bristol Regional Planning Commission at their May 20th meeting and received a unanimous favorable recommendation. If approved tonight, there will be a public hearing on the matter July 9th as well as second reading. City Manager Sorah requested Cherith Young, Planning Services Manager, provide further details. Ms. Young stated as City Manager Sorah previously mentioned, Appalachian Service Project requested the zoning at 1101 Anderson Street be changed from B-18, neighborhood ofÍice and shoppingzone,to R-E, established residential neighborhood. In their desire to develop the property as residential, the R- E zoning setback requirements allow a more flexible approach for building a house on that property. The most notable setback difference is for the front yard. In a B-18 zone,the setback requirement for a front yard is thirty feet. In an R-E zone, it is only five feet which would allow them to develop a home similar to other homes in the area. Some of the uses allowed in an R-E zone are single family and duplex dwellings, whereas the B-18 zone allows for business uses that are compatible with the neighborhood such as some retail and office uses. Staff reviewed the request and recommended to the Planning Commission the property be rezoned with the main reasons being the rezoning is consistent with the Future Land Use Plan, it would be consistent with the characteristics of the surrounding residential neighborhood, and it would encourage  City Council Meeting June 4,2019 Page 5 of 12 development of underutilized land. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to forward a favorable recommendation for the rezoning to City Council. Councilman Young made a motion to approve the ordinance and Councilman Keen seconded the motion. There were no further comments and Ordinance l9-4 passed on first reading by unanimous roll call vote. B. Adoption of Ordinances (Second Reading): Ordinance l9-l - An Ordinance to Rename Pine Circle Drive to Andover Drive The details of this ordinance were presented during the public hearing earlier on this agenda. Councilman Keen motioned to approve Ordinance 19-1and Vice Mayor Denise seconded. As there was no further discussion, a roll call vote was taken and the ordinance passed unanimously on second reading. Ordinance l9-Z - An Ordinance to Adopt a Budget and Appropriate Funds for the Fiscal Year July 1o 2019 through June 30,2020 This ordinance was summarized by City Manager Sorah during the public hearing portion earlier on the agenda. Councilman Young asked if any of the appropriations would warrant any adjustments to the Fiscal Year 2020 Budget. City Manager Sorah replied that while the budgeting process is based on known data, there is always the unexpected such as anticipated grants not being received or unforeseen costs. As such, it is typically advantageous to monitor the budget throughout the year and then amend the budget and appropriations for the year in May and June, if necessary, which has historically been the practice. Councilwoman Powers made a motion for approval and Councilman Young seconded. There was no further comment so a roll call vote was taken and the ordinance passed unanimously. Ordinance 19-3 - An Ordinance to Amend the Appropriation of Funds and Budget for the Fiscal Year July L,2018 through June 30,2019 This ordinance was summarized earlier during the public hearing. However, since there has been a change in the ordinance since the first reading, City Manager Sorah stated he felt the appropriate method would be to amend Ordinance 19-3 that was approved on first reading to include the Solid Waste Fund with a revised total appropriation of $1,986,233. Then after it is amended, vote on the new ordinance. City Manager Sorah asked the City Attorney if this was the proper way to proceed. Danielle Smith, City Attorney, said first there should be a motion to approve the original ordinance followed by a second, if there is one. Then during the discussion, a Council member make a motion to amend the original ordinance and assuming the amendment passes, Council would vote to pass the ordinance as amended. Councilman Keen made a motion to approve the Ordinance 19-3 and Vice Mayor Denise seconded the motion. Councilwoman Powers made a motion to amend Ordinance l9-3 for the revised appropriations to include the Solid Waste Fund in the amount of $1,986,233 as presented to Council this evening. Councilman Young seconded the motion. Councilwoman Powers commended staff for the countless hours spent in tracking and reviewing the budget to ensure the City is fiscally responsible. As there was no further discussion, the original ordinance passed by unanimous roll call vote. This was followed by a roll call vote on the amended Ordinance 19-3 which also passed by unanimous vote.  City Council Meeting June 4,2019 Page 6 of 12 C. Resolution 19-42 - A Resolution Confirming the Appointment of a Student Member to the Parks and Recreation Commission City Manager Sorah explained the Parks and Recreation Commission is comprised of twelve members with two of those members being students at Tennessee High School. These student members are appointed by Tennessee High School staff. Dr. Kim Kirk, Tennessee High School Principal, has recommended Caden Myers, a rising junior, to serve a two-year term. Councilwoman Powers said serving on the Parks and Recreation Commission is a great opportunity for our young people to wade into the world of policy making and she welcomed the high school members. She continued by making a motion to approve the resolution, which Councilman Keen seconded. Mayor Feierabend also expressed her appreciation for the opportunity for a second student member to serye on the Commission and how it helps students feel more comfortable to take part and to give input, which benefits the student as well as the community. As there was no further discussion, the resolution passed by unanimous roll call vote. Resolution 19-43 - A Resolution Authorizing Acceptance of a Donation of Equipment and Exhibits from the Friends of Stacy Grayson Memorial Park at Steele Creek, Inc. City Manager Sorah commented that approximately two years ago, City Council approved the expansion of our Nature Center and the construction of a new facility. At that time the Friends of Steele Creek Park and Nature Center began their fund raising effort to complete the interior including exhibits. Last year the City accepted several exhibits that have been enjoyed by many visitors over the past year. Now, there are two new exhibits: a beaver lodge and a geology wall. He encouraged anyone who has not been to the Nature Center to do so as it is an exciting feature for the community and a learning lab for the school system. This wonderful addition to Steele Creek Park was made possible by the "Friends" group and the City would like to rccognize their efforts to raise the funds and their dedication to the installation of high quality exhibits. City Manager Sorah asked Terry Napier, Director of Parks and Recreation, to speak. Mr. Napier stated that a few years ago, the "Friends" group approached the City and said if the City would construct the building, they would raise the money to complete the interior. The exhibits in this resolution are numbers six and seven with the first five exhibits previously accepted by resolution approximately one year ago. There are two more exhibits in the design phase. The beaver lodge and geology wall exhibits were presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission and they voted unanimously to bring them to Council for acceptance by the City. Each stage of growth at the Nature Center encourages more community involvement. Lowe's is providing some building supplies to convert the old boathouse into a lakeside learning lab. The new apiary opened last week and he and Jeremy Stout, Nature Center Manager, are tending a new active beehive. All of these provide a myriad of learning opportunities for school students and the community as a whole. Mr. Napier expressed his appreciation to the "Friends" Broup, Council, and City staff for allowing the construction of the new Nature Center. Councilwoman Powers commented that she and her husband, who is on the "Friends" committee, took their grandson to the opening of the beaver lodge last week and she talked about some of the features of this new exhibit. She expressed appreciation to the Blue Stocking Club for their sponsorship of the geology wall as well as to the many various donors who sponsored the beaver lodge. She commented on the beehives and the beauty of the area suffounding it and mentioned through the spring months the Nature Center was visited by more than 15,000 children.  City Council Meeting June 4,2019 PageT of 12 Councilwoman Powers made a motion to approve the resolution to accept the exhibits and Councilman Keen seconded. Mayor Feierabend mentioned the summer camps available at the Nature Center and expressed her appreciation to the local entities who are providing scholarships to enable more children to experience the various camps. The resolution was accepted by unanimous ro11 call vote without further discussion. CONSENT AGENDA: City Manager Sorah presented the Consent Agenda to Council. Councilman Young made a motion for approval and Vice Mayor Denise seconded the motion. The following items were approved by unanimous Council vote: r Minutes I|l4ay 7,2019 City Council Meeting r Minutes I|i4ay 28,2019 City Council Work Session r Resolution 19-44 A Resolution Awarding a Bid for the Purchase of Two (2) ADA Compliant Medium Duty Transit Buses r Resolution 19-45 A Resolution Awarding a Bid for the Purchase of Tandem Vibratory Riding Roller r Resolution 19-46 A Resolution Awarding Bids for the Purchase of Uniforms r Resolution 19-47 A Resolution Awarding Bid for the Purchase of Highway Salt r Resolution 19-48 A Resolution Authorizing Payment in Support of the Bristol Public Library and Literacy Academy for Fiscal 2020 r Resolution 19-49 A Resolution Authorizing Payment in Support of the United V/ay of Bristol TN/VA in Fiscal 2020 r Resolution 19-50 A Resolution Authonzing an Appropriation Agreement with the Bristol Chamber of Commerce for Program Support in Fiscal 2020 r Resolution l9-51 A Resolution Authonzing an Appropriation Agreement with the Paramount Foundation, Inc. (Paramount Center for the Arts) r Resolution 19-52 A Resolution Authorizing an Appropriation Agreement with the Bristol Chamber of Commerce for Convention and Visitors Bureau Services r Resolution 19-53 A Resolution Authorizing an Appropriation Agreement with the Birthplace of Country Music, Inc., for the Rhythm and Roots Reunion Festival  City Council Meeting Jvne 4,2019 Page 8 of 12 r Resolution 19-54 A Resolution AuthorizingPayment in Support ofNetworks Sullivan Partnership for Fiscal 2020 r Resolution 19-55 A Resolution Authorizing Approval of the Tri-Cities Regional Airport Foreign-Trade Zone No. 204 Financial Contribution r Resolution 19-56 A Resolution Approving an Agreement with Believe In Bristol, Inc., for Funding Support r Resolution 19-57 A Resolution AuthorizingPayment in Support of Bristol Tennessee City Schools for Fiscal 2020 r Resolution 19-58 A Resolution Authorizing an Appropriation Agreement with the Birthplace of Country Music, Inc., for the Operation and Support of the Bristol Country Music Museum r Resolution 19-59 A Resolution Awarding a Proposal for Third Party Administrator Services for City's Health and Dental Benefits Plans r Resolution 19-60 A Resolution Awarding a Proposal for Third Party Administrator Services for City's Reimbursement Accounts r Resolution 19-61 A Resolution Adopting the City of Bristol, Tennessee's Pay and Classification Plan r Resolution 19-62 A Resolution Awarding a Bid for Landfill Disposal Services r Resolution 19-63 A Resolution Approving a Grant Agreement with the Virginia Department of Transportation for the Utilization of Federal Highway Administration Funds for the Bristol Metropolitan Plannin g Or ganization r Resolution 19-64 A Resolution Awarding a Proposal for Re-Insurance for the Self-Funded Health Insurance Plan r Resolution 19-65 A Resolution Authorizing an Agreement for Engineering Services for East State Street Water Tank Renovation r Resolution 19-66 A Resolution Authorizing an Agreement for Engineering Services for Water Filtration Plant Pipe Gallery Improvements r Resolution 19-67 A Resolution Authonzing an Appropriation Agreement with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee  City Council Meeting June 4,2019 Page9 of 12 BOARD OF EDUCATION LIASON REPORT: Dr. Gary Lilly, Director of Schools, thanked the Council for recognizing their two state wrestling champions earlier in the evening. The system is doing the Summer Read to Be Ready Program again this year which is a grant for $90,000. This program targets students in first through third grades across the district. Mondays through Thursdays for the month of June there is aliteracy focused summer camp that encourages reading,parent involvement, provides books to children, and includes field trips. There are numerous capital improvement projects taking place over the summer including the new middle school; the addition of a secure entryway to Holston View Elementary School; paving of the alleyway at Tennessee High School; soffit and fascia repairs at Viking Hall; installing a new gymnasium floor at Haynesfield Elementary School; and replacing the flooring in the Tennessee High School Band Room. Dr. Lilly informed those in attendance he is leaving the area and thanked the Council for their service to the community, the school district, and to him personally. He commended the Council for having such a great relationship with the Board of Education. The Board of Education is beginning to search for his replacement which will probably take two to three months. On behalf of Council, Mayor Feierabend wished Dr. Lilly god speed in his new endeavor. She commented on the wonderful accomplishments of the school district working hand in hand with the community in support of the children and expressed appreciation to Dr. Lilly for the role he played in achieving those accomplishments. Mayor Feierabend recognized various people present at the meeting, especially the two new Council members elect. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: City Manager Sorah expressed his appreciation to City Council and staff for the completion of the annual budget process which commences each November and continues for approximately six months. He specifically thanked Tara Musick, Tim Beavers, Hollie Verran, and Mary Lee Williams as part of the budget team that spent numerous hours putting the budget together in its final format that was initially presented to Council in late April. The City Manager reminded Council of the groundbreaking of the Tenneva Hotel this Friday at 3 P.M. This is a huge addition and expands the border of what has been considered the downtown area. It brings an element of hotel services to the areathat has not been seen before. He also reminded Council of the June 25th Work Session at 5:30 P.M. in the Annex. He then asked Tim Beavers, Director of Development Services, to introduce the newest member of his staff. Mr. Beavers introduced Mr. William Witcher as the new Utility Services Manager, a professional engineer in Tennessee that has spent the last fifteen years with private consultants working in the water and sewer industries. He will oversee the Utility Services Division including the water filtration plant and regional wastewater treatment plant. Mr. Witcher thanked Council, the City Manager, and staff for the opportunity to serve the City. He is from this area, spent some time away, and feels privileged to be able to reestablish here with his family and serve the community. City Manager Sorah requested Tom Anderson, Director of Economic Development, brief Council about the recently held Small Business Festival and the vision going forward. Mr. Anderson began by stating this was the second annual Small Business Festival and a licensed event. The idea came from Austin,  City Council Meeting June 4,2019 Page 10 of 12 Texas a few years ago and was suggested by a couple of Council members that attended a work session sponsored by the National League of Cities (NLC). The first festival here was last year and was brought together rather quickly. This year, a group of entrepreneurs, Startup Tri-City Group was established and coordinated the event. There were a total of thirty-eight work sessions, commencing on May 9th with ten sessions in Kingsport, twelve sessions in Johnson City on May 10th, and ending in Bristol on May 1 lth with sixteen sessions. The opening session of the event was a presentation entitled "The Birth of an Idea" and the closing session was a start-up storyby Action VFX, a visual effects group in Johnson City. The title of their presentation was "Flame Throwers, Explosions, and Other Special Effects Right Here at Home". Their business stages and films explosions and their digital imagery is purchased by Hollywood and used in shows and movies seen around the world. The Small Business Festival is part of the effort to grow an economic base in the area. Mr. Anderson thanked the individuals and entities that worked together to make the event successful and move forward, the City of Bristol, Virginia and the Chamber of Commerce for their partnerships in support of the event, and Council for authorizingthe purchase of the license for the event. Even with the competition of other local events, including Mother's Day, proms, and graduations, there were several hundred participants in the Tri-Cities. Going forward he does not think it will be necessary to purchase a license as the event will be rebranded and structured in a manner more suitable to the region and be more of a regional effort, but still be entrepreneurial driven and probably in the fall of 2020. There will be more partners and more opportunity for input as the licensed event this year included some restrictions and required the use of their format. City Manager Sorah acknowledged the departure of Dr. Lilly and commented on the wonderful job he has done as the Director of Schools and expressed his appreciation for the working relationship between the City and Dr. Lilly. On behalf of staff, the City Manager expressed appreciation to Vice Mayor Denise and Councilman Young for their service in the roles of Council member, vice mayor, and mayor over the years. He acknowledged the countless hours that are demanded of anyone serving in each of those roles and that most people cannot fully appreciate the responsibilities and dedication required unless they have personally served. He continued by saying a Council member is always a Council member until they are no longer in that position as they are always at work. Staff sincerely appreciates and has enjoyed working with them, but most of all appreciates the support they have always given to staff. Vice Mayor Denise and Council Young were each presented with a book that was compiled by Community Relations staff that chronicles their years of service on City Council CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS: Councilman Young mentioned the Isaiah 117 House and the public forum on June 27th from 1l:30 until 1:00 at the Bristol Motor Speedway Conference Center where they will be sharing information on the organization. He encouraged anyone interested to attend the event. They work with children in the foster care system and more information is available on line. Councilwoman Powers commented that a recurring topic throughout this meeting was relationships and everyone has relationships in working together in the community. She and Dr. Lilly have known each other since the late 1990s when he was an interim principal at Avoca Elementary School and she was a  City Council Meeting June 4,2019 PagelIof12 teacher. She said he has always been a dynamic leader. He was very knowledgeable about IT which was new and groundbreaking at the time and the teachers looked to him as theybegan to shift and change teaching strategies. He then went to the administration building for a period of time prior to becoming the director of schools. She is happy for him, but stated his departure is a huge loss to the community. Councilman Keen agreed with the previous comments and continued by saying digital integration is one of the most important things that our school system has done to help students prepare for the future and it took Dr. Lilly with his IT background to make it happen. He expressed his appreciation for the open door policy of Dr. Lilly to speak with anyone. Mayor Feierabend thanked Vice Mayor Denise and Councilman Young for their service, acknowledged their accomplishments during their tenure, and expressed her appreciation for their willingness to work together. Councilwoman Powers spoke about Vice Mayor Denise and her accomplishments over the past eight years. Their three main missions are infrastructure, education, and economic development and she has stayed true to these objectives. She supports the military and was instrumental in having the Anderson Street Bridge dedicated to our veterans. She was the first mayor in the state to support the Drive to 55 Tennessee program which continues to be very successful today. Vice Mayor Denise served on NETWORKS Sullivan Partnership when she was mayor and was one of the very few women who served as a voting member at that time. Councilwoman Powers then followed as the next mayor to serye on NETWORKS and it was through the efforts during this time period that NETWORKS completely supported infrastructure installation for Partnership Park II. Vice Mayor Denise has worked tirelessly for education and received one of the first Little Libraries on behalf of the Junior League of Bristol at the YV/CA. She has been the Council representative to Bristol Tennessee Essential Services. During her tenure on Council, she has also built her own business, all the while staying true to her convictions. She has a keen sense of fiduciary responsibility and has worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Bristol to maintain a proper goveñìment at a reasonable cost. She is to be commended for working to get results for the people of Bristol. Councilman Keen said they leamed a lot from Vice Mayor Denise during the first few months through couple of years and thanked her. Both she and Councilman Young have served with the highest integrity and truthfulness and he is appreciative and proud to have served on this Council with them. He continued by saying Councilman Young is a wealth of knowledge and a walking encyclopedia. Most importantly, he always served in a Jesus-like fashion. Mayor Feierabend stated her appreciation for the passion shown by Vice Mayor Denise. Even when they did not agree, she still appreciated her passion and her creativity. Credit for the Red Carpet Tour along with some other innovative ideas goes to her along with appreciation for service. Mayor Feierabend then spoke of her appreciation for Councilman Young and his energy and ability to talk with people. Even when ideology does not line up respect is always there. He always does the homework, asks questions, seeks clarity, is dependable, and follows through. It is obvious family and faith are very important to him and that always shows in everything he does. He is skilled at leadership, believes in community participation, and has exemplified regionalism for a long time. He is a servant to his faith and the community. Councilwoman Powers expressed her appreciation to Councilman Young for being faithful to this Council, this community, and to God. She proceeded to thank his family for allowing him to take time away from them to serve.  City Council Meeting June 4,2019 Page 12 of 12 Councilman Young said he met Vice Mayor Denise during what is now called Communiversity as she was starting to run for Council and that provided great insight to the City for him. As he became more involved he offered to assist her. After a couple of years, someone suggested he run for Council. After discussing it with his wife, talking with others who had experience, and becoming more involved he decided to run. He referenced a book about the five love languages and stated he is an acts of service type person as he thoroughly enjoys helping others. He feels Vice Mayor Denise always had poise was always effective in her delivery and brought a great presence through her energy. He then thanked her for her service. Councilman Young shared a quote he tries to live by written by Edmond Burke, "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little." He has tried to give his best effort, add value to the City and the community, and learn the work styles of each other in order to work better together. He thanked his family and talked about the importance of his faith. Vice Mayor Denise thanked Councilman Young for helping with her election to Council. He was elected soon afterward so they came into this together and thinks it is fitting that are going out together. She thanked him sharing the journey with her. She said she loves her county and this City. She started out with nothing and soon realizednothing could stop her from doing what she really wanted to do. Her favorite quote is 'go confidently in the direction of your dreams; live the life that you've always imagined.' She said this has been about politics and principle, but what is most important is it's actually all about the people: those you work with and those you serve. The job is not what you miss. You miss the people. Mayor Feierabend mentioned the passing of Lee Shillito. He had alarge impact on the community and the Council. He was supportive, but quiet and humble and will be missed. She encouraged everyone to enjoy the local Fourth of July Celebration and mentioned the next Council meeting will be July 9th. There being no further business, the meeting rwas adjourned at 8:59 p.m. Mayor (- Tara E. Musick, City Recorder