City Council

MINUTES OF THE CITY OF BRISTOL,TENNESSEE CITY COUNCIL MEETING March 3,2020 CALL TO ORDER: The City of Bristol, Tennessee City Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Margaret Feierabend on Tuesday, March 3, at 7:00 P.M. in the Slater Center Auditorium. ROLL CALL: Present: Mayor Margaret Feierabend, Vice Mayor Mahlon Luttrell, Councilman Chad Keen, Councilwoman Lea Powers, and Councilman Vince Turner. Others Present: City Manager William Sorah, City Attorney Danielle Smith, City Recorder Tara Musick, and members of City staff. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Sam Weddington, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, gave the invocation and Councilman Chad Keen led the pledge of allegiance. Mayor Feierabend said hearts and prayers are with all the people in Nashville and Middle Tennessee as they begin to work through the tornado / storm disaster of the previous day. AGENDA ADDITIONS AND / OR CHANGES: None. PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS: Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month - Mayor Feierabend read the proclamation designating March 2020 as Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month. Ms. Sharon Cross, Group Leader of the Mountain Empire Multiple Sclerosis Support Group of Bristol and member of the board of the Multiple Sclerosis Alliance of Virginia(MSAV),accepted the proclamation. She thanked Council for recognizing Multiple Sclerosis and the work that is being done to educate the public, assist the victims, and search for a cure. Public Procurement Month - Councilwoman Lea Powers read the proclamation designating March 2020 as Public Procurement Month. Ms. April Norris, Purchasing Agent, accepted the proclamation. She thanked Council for the acknowledgement and expressed her appreciation for being able to work for the City. Navy Week- Vice Mayor Mahlon Luttrell read the joint proclamation with the City of Bristol, Virginia designating March 30 - April 5, 2020 as the inaugural Tri-Cities Navy Week. Lieutenant John J. Stephens, IV of the United States Navy Office of Community Outreach accepted the proclamation. He thanked Bristol for 'anchoring' Navy Week here with the spring race and associated events. He is from this area and his wife is a Bristol native and a graduate of Tennessee High School. He expressed his gratitude for all of the area, especially Bristol, for embracing Tri-Cities Navy Week.  City Council Meeting March 3, 2020 Page 2 of 11 PRESENTATIONS: Census Update - Kevin Flanary, Partnership Specialist with the United States Census, gave a brief update on the 2020 Census. We are nine days away from learning how Bristol can get their share of $675 billion in federal funding that will be dispersed annually. Every ten years there is a decennial census which counts everyone in the United Stales based on participation in the census. The census results determine how much money goes to each district and state. The money will be disbursed somewhere, but the census participation rate will determine where it will be disbursed. Mr. Flanary works for the Census Bureau, but lives in Bristol and would like to see monies disbursed to this area for programs and infrastructure. Districting has a lot to do with funding disbursement and districting changes are based on population which is why it is important to have the highest census participation rate as possible. The goal of the Census Bureau is to count everyone once. Completing the census is simple and for the first time ever, will be offered on-line. A postcard will be sent from the Census Bureau to everyone in the country with the web link. Even though Census Day is officially April 1, 2020, you do not have to wait until April U' to complete the census. The day you receive the postcard, which should be by mid-March, you can go to the website, answer the nine questions, and you are done. Mr. Flanary talked about the hiring pool of census workers for Sullivan County which includes Bristol, and the success of the Census Workers job fair held at the Bristol Public Library. He talked about the different methods to complete the census, the different mailings, and the information they contain. On average, Tennessee receives approximately SI7.3 billion per year in federal funding that is broken down into various programs such as school breakfast and lunch programs. Pell Grants, WIC, healthcare, Medicaid, SNAP benefits, etc. He talked about the grant monies available in Tennessee to assist the Complete Count Committees with marketing or events to help ensure everyone completes the census. The City of Bristol, Tennessee did a good job on the grant request submittal and the amounts ($1,000 - $10,000) awarded across the state will be announced next week. He said he will attend the Census Day kick-off in Bristol, he showed a new census video, and thanked the City and the Complete Count Committee for their efforts to inform the community. PUBLIC HEARING: Mayor Feierabend opened the Public Hearing for Resolution 20-15. Resolution 20-15- A Resolution to Annex Certain Territory Upon Written Consent of the Owners and to Incorporate the Same Within the Boundaries of the City of Bristol Tennessee City Manager Bill Sorah stated this was the first annexation since the General Assembly changed the law concerning how property is annexed into the corporate limits. This is an annexation by request. The property is owned by Mr. Tony Boyd and is located at 1003 Highway 126. Mr. Boyd desires to use the property for commercial development and desires the extension of City services to accommodate that goal. The property contains approximately 5.25 acres and is located approximately 180 feet southwest of the existing corporate limits along Highway 126. The annexation will also include approximately 434 feet of Highway 126 which is currently maintained by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). Upon annexation, the City will assume maintenance of this portion of the highway and will be eligible to recover maintenance costs through the state highway maintenance agreement with TDOT. The annexation will also include extension of sanitary sewer service performed by in-house forces with an estimated material cost of $1,000.00. There are two public hearings this evening, one on the annexation and one on the plan of services. Last month, Council approved the resolution announcing the intent to annex and the intent to issue the plan  City Council Meeting March 3, 2020 Page 3 of 11 ofservices. Later on the agenda,resolutions addressing both ofthese issues will be formally considered. If they are approved, there will be a first reading of the ordinance on zoning of the property. He asked Cherith Young, Planning Services Manager, to further detail this issue. Ms. Young presented slides of the property requested for annexation and the surrounding parcels showing the proximity to the current corporate limits. The proper process was followed concerning public notice. Public response consists of two calls from people in the surrounding area. One person was just curious and the other person wanted clarification as to exactly what was planned to be annexed and ensure their property was not included in the annexation. The annexation request was considered by the Planning Commission at their January 13'*^ meeting along with the related plan of services and they forwarded a favorable recommendation to Council. As there was no public comment, this Public Hearing was closed. Mayor Feierabend opened the Public Hearing for Resolution 20-16. Resolution 20-16 - A Resolution to Approve the Plan of Services for the Annexation of Certain Territory Ms. Young explained the process is to review and adopt the plan of services for the annexed property. She reviewed the services that would be available on the effective date of annexation, if approved, with the exception ofa few that require additional time for implementation. There are two short-term services that will be provided. One is the installation of street lights along the new portion of the road which will be in coordination with Bristol Tennessee Essential Services. The other service is the extension of sanitary sewer service which would be completed within a year of the effective date of the annexation. If annexed, the property will be in the west Council district and the west school district. The zoning will be discussed later on the agenda. As there was no public comment, this Public Hearing was closed. APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS: None. APPOINTMENTS: None ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS: A. Resolutions: Resolution 20-15- A Resolution to Annex Certain Territory Upon Written Consent of the Owners and to Incorporate the Same Within the Boundaries of the City of Bristol Tennessee This item was summarized during the Public Hearing portion earlier on this Agenda. There was no additional discussion. Councilman Chad Keen motioned to approve Resolution 20-15 and Councilman Vince Turner seconded. The resolution passed unanimously by roll call vote.  City Council Meeting March 3, 2020 Page 4 of 11 Resolution 20-16 - A Resolution Adopting the Plan of Services Related to the Annexation of Territory into the City of Bristol by Owner Consent This item was summarized during the Public Hearing portion earlier on this Agenda. As there was no further discussion, Councilwoman Powers motioned to approve Resolution 20-16 and Councilman Keen seconded. The resolution passed unanimously by roll call vote. B. First Reading of New Ordinances: Ordinance 20-3 - An Ordinance to Amend Section 216 (Billboard and Sign Regulations) of the Zoning Ordinance as it Relates to Outdoor Advertising Structures City Manager Sorah stated this item was brought before Council on February It did not receive a motion or a second and was referred back to the Planning Commission for questions. There was concern about the aesthetics of an all-digital environment, especially along the major corridors where a lot of billboards and outdoor advertising structures are located. There was also a question regarding the number of billboards within our community and a desire to contrast the ordinances governing billboards in our surrounding communities. The City Manager requested Cherith Young, Planning Services Manager, answer these questions and present the recommendation of the Planning Commission after their further review of this matter. Ms. Young said information was provided in the Council packets (available on BoardDocs) and there are forty-five billboards within the City limits. The Planning Commission looked at what the surrounding communities of Bristol, Virginia, Sullivan County, and the Cities of Kingsport and Johnson City do in terms of allowing digital media on their billboards. Bristol, Virginia, Sullivan County, and Kingsport do not allow digital displays. Johnson City allows them in a limited capacity on signs that are not permitted by the state. Signs that are not on state or federal routes with a limited amount of about 62 feet would be allowed to have electronic display. There are some full billboard digital displays in Johnson City, but those are permitted by TDOT. The billboards in the City Limits of Bristol, Tennessee are designated by red dots on the map distributed to Council and the circles around those dots indicate a 2,000-foot radius. The ordinance currently states ifthere are two billboards less than 2,000 feet apart only one can have a digital message. The map shows area of overlapping circles so once someone in the group puts up a digital display, no one else inside a 2000-foot radius could install another digital display. If the proposed ordinance is approved, new locations and additional billboards would be prohibited in the City so the current number and the locations would be the same as they are now. The proposed ordinance includes the addition of one definition to Section 203 of the Zoning Ordinance, the definition of the term Nit which is a technical term for measuring luminance of a digital display. It also revises Section 216E to state that new billboards are prohibited in the City, but existing billboards can be maintained or replaced with digital display boards with certain stipulations. The proposed ordinance removes the location parameters in the current ordinance and removes the 2,000-foot separation for electronic display. Staff went back to the Planning Commission with the concerns of City Council and the research information that Ms. Young just presented. The Planning Commission reviewed and discussed all the information and decided to make no changes from their recommendation of the prior meeting. They voted to confirm their original decision and forward a favorable recommendation to amend the definitions in Section 203 to include Nit and to add the revised Section 216 E to the Bristol Tennessee Zoning Ordinance as presented tonight.  City Council Meeting March 3, 2020 Page 5 of 11 Vice Mayor Luttrell motioned to approve and Councilman Keen seconded. Mayor Feierabend is also on the Planning Commission and she stated that some of their discussion was that the current ordinance was established several years ago when digital technology was very different from today. Everything is moving toward digital now and there are recommendations as to lighting intensity and display timing to minimize distraction. Councilwoman Powers expressed her appreciation to the Planning Commission for being open-minded to re-review this matter and respond to the concerns of Council. In doing so, it helps Council to have a clear understanding of exactly what they are voting on. As there was no further discussion, the ordinance passed by unanimous roll call vote. Ordinance 20-4 - An Ordinance to Amend the Zoning Map of Bristol, Tennessee by Designating Certain Property as B-3(General Business) 1003 Highway 126 City Manager Sorah mentioned the two resolutions concerning the annexation that were approved earlier on the agenda triggers the necessity to establish a zoning designation. Ordinance 20-4 amends the zoning map to include property located at 1003 Highway 126. The property has a current Sullivan County zoning of B-3 (General Business Service District) which is similar to the City's B-3 (General Business District) zone. The City's future land use plan contemplates a business use for this property. For these reasons, staff recommends a B-3 (General Business District) zoning for the property. The Planning Commission considered this issue at their January 13'^ and voted unanimously to forward a favorable recommendation to City Council. If Ordinance 20-4 is approved on first reading, a public hearing and second reading will be scheduled during the April 7^^ meeting of City Council. Councilwoman Powers motioned to approve and Councilman Turner seconded. As there was no further discussion, the ordinance passed by unanimous roll call vote. Ordinance 20-5 - An Ordinance to Amend Section 216 (Billboard and Sign Regulations) of the Zoning Ordinance as it Relates to Electronic Message Boards The City Manager explained even though Ordinance 20-3 and Ordinance 20-5 both amend Section 216 of the zoning ordinance, they address two different elements. This particular ordinance addresses electronic message boards. At a couple of prior work sessions, City Council discussed the allowance of electronic message boards by government or municipal facilities within residential districts or other business zones where they are currently not permitted. This includes B-2 which is downtown, B-IA which is a less intensive business district, and B-IB zoning districts all of which currently restrict electronic message boards. The Planning Commission approved the recommendations by Council by a vote of 6-2 and forward a favorable recommendation to permit electronic message boards in the zones designated above according to the conditions set forth by Council. If Ordinance 20-5 is approved on first reading, a public hearing and second reading will be scheduled for the April 7^^ meeting of City Council. Ms. Cherith Marshall, Planning Services Manager,summarized that Council discussed this matter during two different work sessions and this ordinance is the result of those discussions. This amendment allows electronic message boards in residential districts B-IA, B-IB, and B-2, if the property is owned or operated by the City. The eligible sites must be a minimum cumulative area of two acres. Specific language has been added to address automatic dimmers, luminosity, and hours of operation. Electronic message boards in these zones can operate only between 7 A.M. and 10 P.M. to better protect surrounding residential properties. There is one small change staff would like to make to the existing electronic message board section of the ordinance which applies to business zones. The change is to add the definition of the term Nit to the existing section of the ordinance and then to add the proposed new section of the ordinance which includes the changes directed by Council and agreed to by the majority  City Council Meeting March 3, 2020 Page 6 of 11 of the Planning Commission. This is the B Section of electronic message boards to address the municipally owned properties in the residential B-2, B-IA, B-IB Districts. The Planning Commission reviewed this matter again at their last meeting and voted 6-2 to forward a favorable recommendation to Council. Councilman Turner made a motion to approve and Councilwoman Powers seconded. As there was no further discussion the ordinance passed unanimously by roll call vote. C. Adoption of Ordinances(Second Reading): Ordinance 20-2 - An Ordinance to Change the Date of Municipal Elections to Coincide with November Elections The City Manager said that last month Council approved on first reading Ordinance 20-2 which affects the municipal election dates. The impetus for the shift in election dates was the desire to increase voter turnout and reduce the local cost of elections. The proposed ordinance will move the date of municipal elections from May in odd numbered years to November in even numbered years. This will affect the election of members serving on both the City Council and Board of Education as well as the Juvenile Court Judge and Clerk. If the change is approved on second reading, the next election currently scheduled for May 18, 2021 will be moved to November 8, 2022. This is the district election for candidates representing the east, south, and west districts. The next at-large election of candidates will shift from May of 2023 to November of 2024. As drafted, successful candidates will assume their term of office in January following the November elections. Mayor Feierabend said her understanding is the City is able to change the election dates because the State passed provisions allowing the City to do so without changing the Charter. However, it does not change the election of the mayor and vice mayor as that is set forth by the City Charter. City Manager Sorah said her understanding is correct. The Mayor queried if there would need to be a subsequent change to the Charter. The City Manager replied that logistically it would make sense to change the election ofthe mayor and vice mayor to take place at the same time as the oath ofoffice was administered which would require a Charter change, but there is ample time to request the change. Mayor Feierabend asked if the Charter would need to be sent to the legislature to request the change and the City Manager replied that is correct. The legislature requires a vote of four to approve the Charter once it is returned to the City. Hence, they prefer a vote of four to send the change request to ensure it is worthwhile to go through the entire change process and assuring it will be approved by a vote of four upon its return. Councilman Keen motioned to approve Ordinance 20-2 and Vice Mayor Luttrell seconded. Councilwoman Powers said she feels finding more ways to bring people to the polls the better. The ability to vote is a privilege that many other countries around the world do not have and she thinks it is very important to encourage people to vote. Mayor Feierabend stated she voted no on the first reading and will vote no on the second reading as she feels that the local election will get lost in the national elections. There was no further discussion and the ordinance passed on second read by roll call vote of 4-1 with the result as follows: Councilman Keen Yes Councilwoman Powers Yes Vice Mayor Luttrell Yes Councilman Turner Yes Mayor Feierabend No  City Council Meeting March 3, 2020 Page 7 of 11 CONSENT AGENDA: City Manager Sorah presented the Consent Agenda to Council. Minutes February 4,2020 City Council Meeting Minutes February 25, 2020 City Council Work Session Resolution 20-17 A Resolution Awarding a Bid for Restoration of the Country Music Mural Brick Facade at the Downtown Center Resolution 20-18 A Resolution Authorizing Entry into an Agreement for Restoration of the Country Music Mural Resolution 20-19 A Resolution Awarding a Bid for Purchase of a New Mobile Stage Unit for Special Events Resolution 20-20 A Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Police Vehicle Equipment Resolution 20-21 A Resolution Authorizing the Sale of Surplus Real Property (Unaddressed Robin Road Property) ■ Resolution 20-22 A Resolution Accepting Certain Streets as Public Streets ■ Resolution 20-23 A Resolution Awarding a Proposal for Information Technology Penetration Testing Services ■ Resolution 20-24 A Resolution Approving a Grant Contract Amendment with the Tennessee Department of Transportation for the Utilization of Federal Highway Administration Funds for the Bristol Metropolitan Planning Organization Councilman Vince Turner requested Resolution 20-17, Resolution 20-18, and Resolution 20-19 be removed from the Consent Agenda. Councilwoman Powers made a motion for approval of the Consent Agenda without Resolutions 20-17, 20-18, and 20-19 and Councilman Keen seconded the motion. The remaining items were approved by unanimous Council roll call vote. Mayor Feierabend requested City Manager Sorah summarize Resolutions 20-17, 20-18, and 20-19 individually so they can be addressed and voted on separately. The City Manager agreed they can be voted on separately. However, as all three resolutions are intertwined and in order to facilitate discussion he requested the Rules of Order be suspended so they can be discussed in relation to each other. The City Manager began by stating Resolution 20-17, Awards a Bid for Restoration of the Country Music Mural Brick Facade at the Downtown Center. The low bid was submitted by Inland Construction, Inc. of Abingdon, Virginia in the amount of $92,800.00. Tim Beavers, Director of Development Services, was in attendance to give further information on the bid and the options. Danielle Smith, City Attorney, was in attendance to give information on ownership of the wall. Resolution 20- 18, Authorizes Entry into an Agreement for Restoration of the Country Music Mural. This is for the actual painting of the mural. The mural is the artistic creation of Tim White Signs in Blountville, Tennessee so he is the sole provider of this artistic work. The total payment to the artist will be in the amount of $24,000.00 which includes all supplies, rental of equipment, etc., therefore it is an all-  City Council Meeting March 3, 2020 Page 8 of 11 inclusive price for the restoration of the mural. The mural restoration will take place at the conclusion of the restoration work on the brick facade. Resolution 20-19, Awards a Bid for Purchase of a New Mobile Stage Unit for Special Events. The existing stage impedes the view of the mural and impedes the work in restoring the mural so it would be removed. This presents an opportunity to purchase a stage that would not be placed back in that location, but instead one that could be placed on one side or the other of the Downtown Center and provide more options during the Rhythm and Roots Festival. Staff recommends purchasing the 20 x 24 foot from Stageline Mobile Stage Inc. in the amount of$128,040.00. Terry Napier, Director of Parks and Recreation, was in attendance to answer questions on replacement of the stage. Councilman Turner explained his reason for pulling these resolutions was he has talked to staff and others that are familiar with this topic. Repainting will cause the mural to lose part of the nostalgia. In addition, the paint is part of what causes the problems within the mortar and basically we are spending $120,000 to repaint this wall and $92,000 of that is to repoint a wall we do not own one hundred percent but in conjunction with someone else. He is reluctant to approve painting the wall as he likes the nostalgia the wall has obtained over the last twenty years, but is more concerned about spending that much money to repoint. He pulled the resolution on the stage as it is part of this project. However, since there is potential to recover some ofthat cost by renting it out during Rhythm and Roots and in addition, it can be moved and used for other events he can go along with that purchase. He cannot imagine spending a total of approximately $120,000 to repaint the mural. Councilwoman Powers said she understands his position. She has looked at the wall and feels there is such gross deterioration of the end pieces that she considers it a safety issue. Councilman Turner said he had asked if the wall could fall and is there a liability. He also asked since it is a shared wall, would the liability be shared as well. Councilwoman Powers stated while at this point the wall may be stable, if it is not addressed it is only going to get worse. It will need to be addressed either now or later, but later may entail more issues as well as more cost. Tim Beavers, presented information on two options to address the condition of the wall. One is to leave the wall as it is, not speaking ofthe mural but the wall itself. Currently, the wall is not in eminent danger of falling and right now is not compromised to the point of someone being hit by falling brick. It is deteriorating as all walls do. At some point, this was an interior wall as there was a building where the parking lot is now. Basically, this is an interior wall that was painted with a mural that is old, moisture gets in behind it, and therefore it is deteriorating. It will continue to get worse, although it is hard to tell how long it will take to deteriorate. The 'not doing anything to the wall' scenario does not mean the wall is going to fall on someone soon or at any time. It could be fifty years before someone says work really needs to be done on the wall but no one knows how rapidly the wall will deteriorate. Repointing and putting pilasters and flashing on the top provides a more stable wall that will have a longer lifespan than the current wall. There is no way to know the cost benefit as the existing wall is going to deteriorate somewhat over time but that could be a long period of time. Vice Mayor Luttrell asked if the co-owner of the wall has been approached about participating in this project in any way. Mr. Beavers replied they have been notified about painting the mural and possibly working on the wall, but they have not been approached in terms of paying any of the cost. Councilwoman Powers said another point she wanted to make is this is the 20'^ anniversary of Rhythm and Roots which is iconic to our downtown and murals of this nature add to the destination of travelers. There are a lot of concerts held in this area and it is the only greenspace in downtown Bristol, Tennessee. The aesthetic of this as it relates to art in public places is also important. As for the stage, the current stage blocks a lot of the mural and the proposed stage for City use would also provide the option to be  City Council Meeting March 3, 2020 Page 9 of 11 leased or rented out giving a return on that investment. With new businesses opening downtown, with what is in the 7^'^ Street block and Shelby Street, this will help solidify that area as a cornerstone of our downtown and become an attraction in and of itself. She will vote for this. It is a lot of money, but the City has a very healthy reserve fund balance. Mayor Feierabend added that around the country murals are very much in vogue, that communities are trying to figure out what kind of murals can go on their walls and where they can put them. This mural being iconic and originally painted in 1984 was one ofthe first things in our community beyond historical markers to celebrate us as the birthplace of country music, which she feels is critical. It was repainted once before. She really likes the emotional infrastructure. In addition, there is the sense of place that we can really celebrate here in our community which a lot of people are looking for-places that feel good, feel different, have something special about them-and she thinks our mural helps with that. The Civitan Club helped with the initial stage and the second stage including the ADA ramp, etc., so she suggests the City communicate with the Civitan Club and thank them for the twenty years of service they provided and see if there is any interest in moving that stage or using the ramp or other parts that might be reusable. As for the new stage it is in a trailer and very mobile, easy to use requiring only two people to set up and take down, has hydraulic lifts, and moves the City into the 21^' Century. She will also be supporting these resolutions. Councilwoman Powers motioned to approve Resolution 20-17 and Councilman Keen seconded. Vice Mayor Luttrell said it would have been prudent of the City to ask ifthe co-owner ofthe wall would share the cost. Councilman Turner said why should they since the City agreed to pay all the costs. There was no further discussion and the resolution passed by a roll call vote of4-1 as follows: Councilman Keen Yes Councilwoman Powers Yes Vice Mayor Luttrell Yes Councilman Turner No Mayor Feierabend Yes Councilman Keen motioned to approve Resolution 20-18 and Vice Mayor Luttrell seconded. There was no further discussion and the resolution passed by a roll call vote of 4-1 as follows: Councilman Keen Yes Councilwoman Powers Yes Vice Mayor Luttrell Yes Councilman Turner No Mayor Feierabend Yes Councilwoman Powers motioned to approve Resolution 20-19 and Councilman Keen seconded. There was no further discussion and the resolution was approved by unanimous Council roll call vote. BOARD OF EDUCATION LIAISON REPORT: Dr. Annette Tudor thanked everyone for recognizing Navy Week. There are at least two schools participating in events that week and she appreciates the opportunity for them to do so. She thanked Council and the City Manager for patience with their strategic planning process as well as the school tours. Both of those will be rescheduled soon and she will work to coordinate them with the schedules of everyone. She thanked Mayor Feierabend for participating in Read Across America. Those events are continuing through this week at all the elementary schools. They are kicking offtheir first Be Present  City Council Meeting March 3, 2020 Page 10 of 11 attendance challenge. The event last year was a big success in raising awareness in the community of attendance and the importance of coming to school. It has been delayed a couple of times this year due to cold and flu season, but they are currently in a two-week review period and Friday they will recognize the school that has had the greatest increase in attendance over last year for this two-week period. The school system now has a partnership with Northeast State and Tusculum University to provide early college for high school students. The rising juniors have started the registration process. Students choosing to participate in and complete this program over the next two years will graduate from high school with an associates' degree concurrently with their high school diploma. She voiced her appreciation to Northeast State and Tusculum University for providing these opportunities. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: City Manager Sorah reminded Council ofthe work session in the Annex on Tuesday, March 24^^ at 11:00 A.M and the presentation of the Comprehensive Plan, also in the Annex, on Thursday, March 26'^^ at 8:00 A.M. They are still trying to arrange a date for the Discover Bristol presentation. They were trying toarrangeforajoint presentation with Bristol, Virginia on March 13"^, but three of the Bristol, Tennessee Council members had conflicts. Discover Bristol will do the presentation to Bristol, Virginia and they have made arrangements for someone from Virginia Tourism to attend and co-present with them. They are still working on a date for Bristol, Tennessee and they want Tennessee Tourism to participate as well. If any Bristol, Tennessee Council members are available you are welcome to attend the March 13"' presentation and hear the input of Virginia Tourism. The City Manager then asked Mary Lee Williams, Director of Administration, to come forward. The employee giving to United Way this year was exciting and the City was recognized in a way never recognized before. Ms. Williams explained the United Way of Bristol held its annual meeting on February 27"' and the City was recognized in two different manners. The City received a Community Champion Award in recognition of being third in giving among the top fifteen organizations. The second award to the City, the 2019 - 2020 Campaign Chairman's Award, was presented to four organizations in recognition of the employees of the organizations with a notable increase in giving. City employee contributions increased by over $6,200.00 with an additional 43 employees giving. Ms. Williams also gave a special thanks to Donna Huskins, HR Generalist, who serves as the Campaign Chairperson for the City. CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS: Councilwoman Powers thanked the Navy for attending the Council meeting and setting up Navy Week. The country music mural speaks to downtown vitality and is a source ofeconomic development. March 12'^ is an important date as the Census participation affects so much ofthe funding for the City. Although she is not thrilled with the cost, she is thrilled the mural restoration will take place. The Bristol Country Music Association will make an important announcement March 10'"' related to a special activity. She commended the Department of Community Relations for the work being done on the City website and working toward a comprehensive community calendar. While discussions in the community lately have gone well, at times they have been missing an element of grace. She wants the community to move forward showing more grace to each other. Mayor Feierabend thanked Community Relations and the schools for the content as well as presentation of the recycling video, Bristol Loves Recycling. She spoke about the coronavirus and how the community leaders should be involved. The health department and Ballad Health are holding meetings to share information. Representatives from the City will be attending and are encouraging everyone to follow the health guidelines. The community is having a poverty simulation on March 12'" with LEAD Bristol and encouraged anyone interested in participating to contact United Way. It allows participants  City Council Meeting March 3, 2020 Page 11 of 11 to experience for a few hours what it is like to be in poverty. Tree Keepers is March at Steele Creek Park and teaches you how to care for trees. The 50'^^ anniversary of Earth Day is coming up and Friends of Steele Creek are coordinating community events. Suffrage events are also being organized community-wide by the YWCA. She encouraged everyone to stay safe and well. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:29 p.m. r^, Maugaret Feierabend, Mayor Tara E. Musick, City Recorder