City Council

MINUTES OF THE CITY OF BRISTOL,TENNESSEE CALLED CITY COUNCIL MEETING April 30, 2020 CALL TO ORDER: The City of Bristol, Tennessee Called City Council Meeting was called to order by Mayor Margaret Feierabend at 9:00 a.m. on April 30, 2020. The meeting was held electronically via Zoom. ROLL CALL: Present were Mayor Margaret Feierabend, Vice Mayor Mahlon Luttrell, Councilman Chad Keen, Councilwoman Lea Powers, and Councilman Vince Turner. Others present were City Manager William L. Sorah, City Attorney Danielle Smith, City Recorder Tara Musick, Development Services Director Tim Beavers, Parks and Recreation Director Terry Napier, Community Relations Director Jon Luttrell, and Senior IT Manager Shane Vamey. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION: A. Discussion of Necessity for Conducting Electronic Meeting: City Attorney Danielle Smith explained the changes to the open meeting laws. Mayor Feierabend asked if anyone on Council objected to holding an electronic meeting. No one objected since the electronic meeting is necessary to protect public safety, health, and welfare due to the Coronavirus pandemic. B. Sullivan County Regional Health Department Update: City Manager Sorah introduced Gary Mayes, Sullivan County Regional Health Department Executive Director, and Dr. Stephen May, Sullivan County Regional Health Department Medical Director. Mr. Mayes discussed the COVlD-19 testing occurring at the Slater Center in Bristol, Tennessee today. He expressed his gratitude to the team at the Sullivan County Health Department for their hard work during the event. Dr. May discussed the statistics of hotspots in the nation and the national death rate of 5.86%. He provided detailed statistics for the State of Tennessee with a death rate of 1.88% and statistics for cases in Sullivan County, Tennessee. They have performed 1,300 total tests. They will start to do more strategic testing, such as in nursing homes in Sullivan County. There is some confusion on antibody testing. The testing facilities are not always accurate and we are not sure what the testing tells us. We are unsure if the results mean that people have immunity or not.  Called City Council Meeting April 30, 2020 Page 2 of6 Sullivan County will issue Public Health Order Three today. It says they will be following guidance of the Governor's office and pledge. The relaxation on dental procedures and opening of personal care services on May 6'*^ were discussed. Everyone needs to follow the universal social distancing requirements. Testing will be focused on the most vulnerable and those with respiratory symptoms. They have developed travel guidelines which will be shared with Human Resource offices. Dr. May said that people providing personal services will have to keep a log, have limited appointments, limit the number of people in the facility at one time, and follow social distancing practices. Wearing of masks is encouraged. We are still limited to groups of less than ten in any type of gathering. They are not seeing the social distancing that they would like to see. Mayor Feierabend emphasized that the logs were critical in case someone at the business tests positive. Dr. May said this would allow them to contact the individuals and quarantine while testing. Councilman Vince Turner asked if the 1,300 tests were conducted just by the Health Department or includes Ballad Health. Dr. May said that was just the Health Department. The State includes the total from all facilities, but there may be a lag in when the numbers are reported. Mr. Mayes said that our testing is adequate. Councilwoman Lea Powers asked if the 5.8% death rate was of the number tested. Dr. May replied that was the statistics of death in the number of known cases. She asked if testing in the nursing homes would be voluntary and Dr. May replied that it was. Councilwoman Powers asked when the clock started ticking on phase one before we can go into phase two. Mr. Mayes said he is not sure, but he believes it will be when the Governor announced the opening of phase one. She said the main reason for the lockdown was for the health system to be able to handle capacity and surge. She asked where we are in regards to capacity today. Mr. Mayes replied that we appreciate our numbers now, but they did not have adequate personal protection equipment (PPE) and ventilation support for the hospitals in February. They have more PPE supplies now and they have learned more about the illness so they are in a better position today. They may have a better picture about where we will be in three weeks. They have no clue what will happen in the fall, but the shutdown has given them time and preparation for that. Dr. May said we have been in a plateau for over a week and a half. Dr. May stated that drive thru testing only identified one positive individual who was symptomatic. They are shifting their focus per Dr. May to look at targeted high risk areas. Mr. Mayes added that most cases had resulted from travel and we may see increases as people begin to travel more again. Mayor Feierabend requested for them to explain contact testing and cluster follow-up. Contact testing is when they follow up with every individual that had contact with a positive  Called City Council Meeting April 30,2020 Page 3 of6 case. Cluster follow-up is like in a nursing home where multiple people become positive from one individual. Testing, isolation, and follow-up measures will then be put into place. Mayor Feierabend asked them to talk about the importance of wearing masks since there has been so much confusion. The mask is designed to protect asymptomatic people from spreading the disease. If both parties wear a mask, the chances of spreading the virus go way down. The mask is to protect your neighbor and not necessarily to protect you. Dr. May said the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization are encouraging everyone to wear a mask. Mayor Feierabend said that employees should be provided masks by their employers to wear. Dr. May mentioned that surgical and N-95 masks should be reserved for health care workers. Cloth masks are adequate for everyday use. Councilwoman Powers asked what phase two looks like. Mr. Mayes said that it involves people can gather in groups less than fifty instead of ten. Phase three is when you can open schools and more when life is normal. Councilwoman Powers stressed it is important for us to adhere to CDC guidelines to get to a later phase. Councilman Turner asked if the orders will come from the Governor's office or how will that work going forward. He inquired if Sullivan County would just mirror the Governor going forward. Mr. Mayes said there was confusion and they will now mirror the Governor's orders. It has always been the Governor's discretion at what phase we move into. He continued that they will be in lock step going forward with the Governor and his executive orders to minimize confusion for our businesses. Their first order was not very different and they allowed some other things to happen because our numbers were in great shape. Mayor Feierabend said the Governor's task force has been working and providing guidance for each phase. The work coming from the task force adds to what the Governor is doing and can be more specific. Vice Mayor Mahlon Lultrell asked who should be contacted with questions. Mr. Mayes said that Sullivan County Health Department has staff that can try to provide assistance as long as it is needed. They can also go to the Governor's website for information. Mayor Feierabend said there is a lot of information in the Governor's orders and suggested that people review the information on the Governor's website before making a phone call. Councilman Turner thanked them both for following the Governor. He thinks it will make things easier for businesses. C. Bristol Tennessee City School Comments: Dr. Annette Tudor, Director of Schools, mentioned that next week is Teachers Appreciation Week and National Nurses Day is Wednesday of next week. Mayor Feierabend encouraged people if they were not able to thank a teacher in person that they can donate to the education foundation. Councilman Chad Keen asked about graduation and the prom. Dr. Tudor said  Called City Council Meeting April 30, 2020 Page 4 of6 they are moving in the direction of a virtual type celebration for graduation in May. Conversations are still up in the air, but they are planning something. In terms of a prom, the school system is committed to doing something. They are looking to the future and following the guidance of the Sullivan County Health Department. Councilman Keen asked if we were to progress at the same status we are right now, when would we be at phase three. City Manager Sorah said that he has not heard anything. Mayor Feierabend said we should be able to tell as we open things up and know more over the next few weeks. The disease may quiet down during the summer. We might be lagging behind other areas but we do not know. Councilwoman Powers said she called the Health Department and each phase is predicted to last three to four weeks, but that is not absolute. Councilman Keen asked for guidance on how to answer questions. City Manager Sorah said that he would look to the Health Department for guidance. Vice Mayor Luttrell thinks that Dr. Tudor is on point and he commended her. Councilman Turner said that it depends on the Governor's office and we should see where we are before making definite plans. Mayor Feierabend stated that we should make plans but be flexible because things can change very quickly. Councilwoman Powers asked how the Governor's plans will impact their ability to meet electronically. City Attorney Danielle Smith replied that the Governor's plan allows them to meet electronically through May 18'^. Mayor Feierabend thinks the date will be extended through the end of May. Councilwoman Powers thinks we should meet to discuss other issues right now. She mentioned budget and when the Farmer's Market will open. City Manager Sorah responded they will receive an update in the City Manager's comments. She asked what questions Councilman Keen would like to hear about from Economic Development Director Tom Anderson. He said he would like to discuss housing at all price ranges and see what they can do along the Volunteer Parkway to assist development. He would also like a response to his questions that several other Council members have asked about how to incentivize housing. City Manager Sorah and City Attorney Smith said they have not received responses from the State to their inquiries. He replied that no response means to him that we can proceed. He would also like a response to the heating/insulation codes questions that he had. We have regulations that other local municipalities are not adhering to. City Manager Sorah said these questions could be the subject of another meeting. Staff has researched this issue. Mayor Feierabend stated that if we talk housing then we need to consider the different issues being heard by City Council. This would be best discussed at a work session. Councilman Keen commented that all of these issues dove tail together and have been discussed for the last two to three years. City Manager Sorah said we can roll back the energy and building code regulations at any time. A housing study was provided two years ago that can also be reviewed.  Called City Council Meeting April 30, 2020 Page 5 of6 Mayor Feierabend said it would be best to have a work session and follow that with prepared resolutions and actions. Business has not worked as normal the past few months. Councilman Turner said his conversations with the State involve that we have not given them an actual plan and that is what they are waiting on for them to give us a decision. City Attorney Smith replied that she asked fairly specific questions and she will follow up. Councilwoman Powers would like to be included on the email. She asked if there is a way for the State to help us craft our ideas into legality of the State. Councilwoman Powers is not sure that a housing study from a few years ago is still relevant today. City Manager Sorah suggested that Planning staff update the study and bring it back to City Council to share. Councilwoman Powers said we do have properties here, but the degree of rehabilitation that the houses require do not make the property desirable. Councilman Keen thought we have good guidelines for what would qualify as low-income housing. D. City Manager Comments: In light of the Public Health Order Number 3 issued by the Sullivan County Regional Health Department, City Manager Sorah recommended that we issue Executive Order Number 6 to terminate Public Health Order Number 2. The order would direct us to follow the Governor's direction and end the declaration of emergency. Development Services Director Tim Beavers stated we should be close to bidding the East Cedar Street Project. Parks and Recreation Director Terry Napier said they have listed their Farmer's Market vendors on the City website where people can get meat. Johnson City is very apprehensive about rolling the market out this weekend so we are watching them to see what happens. Staff is looking at where the market can be held since people will need to be spread out by six feet. They are reviewing if people should wear masks, who would sterilize the tables, and similar issues. They are updating the list online daily. Farmers are willing to meet people and sell what they have. Councilman Turner asked if we will lose farmers if we are not open. Mr. Napier replied he does not think so. The system of calling appears to be working well and is used by Abingdon also. Mayor Feierabend said she knows that we have lost vendors by lack of an indoor opportunity. She reminded everyone that a successful farmers market is also a social event. Councilwoman Powers asked if footers at the Coyne Building could be priced for a covered area in the parking lot. City Manager Sorah said footers would have added a half million dollars to the cost of the project and that was explored a few months ago. He stated one of the goals of the Parks and Recreation staff is to find a suitable area for this in the downtown area.  Called City Council Meeting April 30, 2020 Page 6 of6 Mayor Feierabend said we are all in this together and are working together to move forward. Independent actions are working together to do that. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:37 a.m. by Mayor Feierabend. 7- (^argaret■t Feie Feierabend, Mayor Tara E. Musick, City Recorder