City Council

MINUTES OF THE CITY OF BRISTOL, TENNESSEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING December 31 2019 CALL TO ORDER: The City of Bristol, Tennessee City Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Margaret Feierabend on Tuesday, December 3 , 2019, at 7 :00 P.M. in the Slater Center Auditorium. ROLL CALL: Present: Mayor Margaret Feierabend, Councilman Chad Keen, Councilwoman Lea Powers, and Councilman Vince Turner. Vice Mayor Mahlon Luttrell was unable to attend due to travel. Others Present: City Manager William Sorah, City Attorney Danielle Smith, City Recorder Tara Musick, and members of City staff. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Chris Aaron, Pastor of First Baptist Church, gave the invocation and Peg Staton, new auxiliary member of the Bristol Tennessee Police Department, led the pledge of allegiance. AGENDA ADDITIONS AND / OR CHANGES: None. PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS: None. PRESENTATIONS: None PUBLIC HEARING: None APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS: John O'Roark, 1305 Broad Street, requests the City pass an ordinance making Bristol a sanctuary city for the unborn. He stated there is only one abortion clinic in Bristol, Tennessee. He said he feels abortions are injustices and then read information from the Bristol Regional Women's Center website describing the types of abortions they perform and gave details on some of the various methods. He would like to meet with City Council members one-on-one to further discuss the possibility of Bristol becoming a sanctuary city. APPOINTMENTS: None. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS: A. First Reading of New Ordinances: None.  City Council Meeting December 3,2019 Page 2 of 5 B. Adoption of Ordinances (Second Reading): Ordinance 19-13 - An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 10 (Animals) of the Code of Ordinances by Prohibiting Tethering of Dogs between Certain Hours Unless Otherwise Permitted City Manager Sorah said this item was presented to City Council in November and is presented this evening for second reading. This is an amendment to Chapter 10 of the City's Code of Ordinances as it relatestothetetheringofanimals. Ordinancel9-l3createsanewsubsectiontosectionl0-46prohibiting the tethering of dogs between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. There is a provision for a permit to waive this condition in the event the owner has a work schedule that would conflict with this type of ban on tethering. The permit would designate a specific eight-hour period during which the animal could not be tethered during each twenty-four hour period. At the meeting last month, the ordinance as originally submitted was amended by Council to include an exception for hunting and sporting dogs. This exception would also be administered through the permit process. If approved, the tethering prohibition will become effective July 1, 2020. CouncilwomanLea Powers made a motion for this item to be tabled until the formal January meeting. Councilman Vince Tumer seconded the motion. Councilman Turner stated that Vice Mayor Luttrell requested the vote on this ordinance be postponed if possible since he is out of town and could not attended this meeting. C. Resolutions: Resolution l9-111 A Resolution Endorsing the Joint Legislative Policy of the Tri-Cities for the 2020 Session of the Tennessee General Assembly City Manager Sorah explained the historical practice for numerous years is the three cities of northeast Tennessee have provided a unified position on several items dealing with the Tennessee General Assembly and made them known to our legislators in advance of when the General Assembly commences in January. The 2020 Policy document that was discussed at the work session includes policy objectives grouped into five subject areas. Urban Growth and Planning addressing issues such as de-annexation and annexation, planning, and as result of input from Council, Historic Tax Credits. Education includes the maintenance of effort for education purposes and how that is interpreted by the Comptroller's Office. There is also a narrative addressing repairing the Education Finance Act specifically Public Chapters 305 and 315 and associated issues. Under Local Revenue, the need for local revenue options in lieu of the loss of the Hall Income Tax. There are issues with utilities and how rates are set as well as caps on recovery for medical bills in tort suits. Under Public Safety and Health, the regulation of pain and suboxone clinics, opposing any legislation that would limit the cunent restrictions regarding drug trafficking and DUI seizures, and smoking. A long time concern of this Council is the lack of ability to control smoking at some facilities such as parks. Lastly, under the subject of Transportation, dealing with passenger and freight rail service requesting Tennessee to create a department similar to that of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. If there are any areas of the policy document that a particular governing body has exception to, that will be addressed this week as it goes before the three governing bodies for approval. Councilman Tuner made a motion to approve and Councilman Chad Keen seconded.  City Council Meeting December 3,2019 Page 3 of5 Councilwoman Powers expressed appreciation for staff efforts in this process. She discussed historic tax credits and how it can benefit the City. Mayor Feierabend stated this document has been prepared annually for over twenty years and is a regional effort. At the work session, Council discussed trying to see if there are legislative actions the state might be able to do to encourage cities and counties to work together across lines. She spoke about passenger rail and efforts to bring it to Bristol. Councilwoman Powers mentioned the December 2nd USA Today ran an article stating that Tennessee is projected to have between $345 million and $408 million new general fund revenue when lawmakers begin setting the new budget in January 2020. She is hopeful some of these additional millions of dollars will flow into this areato be used locally. The resolution passed by unanimous roll call vote. CONSENT AGENDA: City Manager Sorah presented the Consent Agenda to Council. Councilwoman Powers made a motion for approval and Councilman Keen seconded the motion. The following items were approved by unanimous Council roll call vote: r Minutes November 5,2019 City Council Meeting r Minutes November 26,2019 City Council Work Session r Resolution l9-ll2 A Resolution Authorizing Payments to Hunter-Smith- Davis in Excess of $10,000 r Resolution 19-113 A Resolution Approving Additional Signatories to City Account r Resolution l9-ll4 A Resolution Authorizing fhe Purchase of In-Car Video Systems with Body Cameras r Resolution 19-115 A Resolution Awarding Bid for the Purchase of Solid Waste Collection Knuckleboom r Resolution 19-116 A Resolution Awarding Bid for Recycling Collection Services BOARD OF EDUCATION LIAISON REPORT: Dr. Tom Sisk, the new Director of Schools, discussed upcoming events. He is trying to visit all the classrooms in the system and visited nineteen today at Anderson and Fairmount Elementary Schools. The leadership team is working on several objectives for next year. He has written to the State Commissioner of Education proposing a new CTE (Career Technical Education) program '12' (Industry Instructor). The premise is to create a public-private partnership enabling the school system to bring in critical skills tradesmen half-time who are practitioners and who are then certified by the community college system. The community college system would cover one-third of the cost, the school system would cover one-third as an adjunct, and the employer would cover one-third. This program would give stability in the instructor force and provide opportunity for the industry partners to develop relationships  City Council Meeting December 3,2019 Page 4 of5 with future employees. The second program is entitled RISE (Reaching Industrial Students Educationally). Both of these will be part of the new Bristol Bridge Program and more information will be presented as details become available. Bridge will include career technical, early college offerings, expansion of the arts, and other aspects. He wants to work with City Council and the county and attended the last Sullivan County Commission meeting. He wants Bristol to be a part of creating a sophisticated and high-tech work force for the Tri-Cities area. He mentioned the upcoming Christmas concert and that eleven students made all state choir this year. He talked about recent accomplishments of the basketball teams and the upcoming Arby's Classic. Dr. Sisk then asked if Council had any questions. Councilman Keen asked when City Council could tour all the schools. Dr. Sisk said he will be happy to orchestrate the opportunity to do so. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: City Manager Sorah reminded Council of several dates for the month. o December 4th 10:00 A.M. to Noon - Annual Tennessee Municipal League District 1 Meeting in Erwin at The Brambles o December 5th 7:00 P.M. (Council meets 30 to 45 minutes earlier) - Annual Bristol Christmas Parade o December 1Oth 2:00 P.M. (main focus commercial / downtown area) and 6:00 P.M. (main focus residential area) - Two workshops to provide information for Historic Districts and solicit input for the design guidelines for those districts o December 1 lth Noon - Annual employee longevity recognition luncheon at the Steele Creek Park Lodge o December 17th 1 1:00 A.M. - City Council Work Session in the Annex He then asked Jon Luttrell, Director of Community Relations, to give an update on the 2020 Census. Mr. Luttrell showed a PSA video currently airing that explains what the Census is and why it matters. It is important for everyone to complete the Census, but the Census Bureau also needs people to help get the Census count. April 1't is Census Day and the Bristol area needs an applicant pool of approximately 244 people. Currently, they only have 52. The Bureau has begun hiring and will continue to do so into the year 2020, but need more applicants. Pay rates vary by location. Washington County and Bristol, Virginia rate is $14.00 per hour. The rate for Sullivan County, Tennessee is $19.00 per hour. The difference is based on which regional office the census taker reports to. To be eligible for a2020 Census job applicants must be 18 years old or older with a valid social security number, be a U.S. Citizen, have a valid email address, complete an application, answer assessment questions, be registered with the Selective Service System or have a qualifying exemption, pass a census performed criminal background check, consent to complete the training, and be available to work flexible hours which can include days, evenings, and possibly weekends. Most positions require employees to have access to a vehicle and a valid driver's license, and have access to a computer and intemet with an email account. Anyone interested can go to www.2020census.gov/jobs. The next meeting of the local complete count committee is tomorrow morning and they will discuss the immediate needs of hiring as well as the long term need of counting people '. . .because people count.' Councilwoman Powers said she has been asked if the City has set aside any revenues to help with the census. Mayor Feierabend replied that a budget is necessary to be able to set aside monies and that is scheduled to be part of the discussion at the meeting of the complete count committee tomorrow.  City Council Meeting December 3,2019 Page 5 of5 CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS: Councilman Keen is excited to hear what Dr. Sisk talked about. He hoped everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and wished everyone a Merry Christmas. Councilwoman Powers mentioned December 7th is Santa at the Center; Noon on December l5th is the annual lunch for the Bristol Historical Association at the Train Station; December 16th is Business and Brews at the Cascade Draft House on State Street; and December ITrh is the Journey's End on State Street. She commented that the tree lighting and shop local events went well and expressed excitement about the downtown area. Councilwoman Powers wished everyone a Merry Christmas, thanked everyone for the opportunity to be on the Council, and is looking forward to a great New Year. Councilman Tumer will be contacting Dr. Sisk next week about visiting the schools. He wished everyone a Merry Christmas and hopes they can take the opportunity to spend time with their families. Mayor Feierabend mentioned there are a lot of opportunities locally to celebrate the holidays, celebrate Christmas, and celebrate community together and encouraged everyone to take advantage of them. The one hundredth anniversary of women's right to vote is in2020. There will be a lot of opportunities to look at the history and celebrate as well as look at the fact that not all women gained that right in 1920. December 9th and 1Oth will be two planning sessions with the YWCA and the Cities of Bristol, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee. There are several things already planned to commemorate this centennial. Women were active for 72 years before being granted the right to vote. Tennessee was critical as they were the last to vote in the ratification of that amendment. She then recognized members of the audience. She encouraged everyone to remember there are many who have health issues or other circumstances that make things difficult this time of year due to the holidays and the cold weather. She then wished everyone a Merry Christmas. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at7:44 p.m. e elera Mayor L, TaraB. Musick, City Recorder