City Council

City of Murfreesboro City Council- Workshop Regular Session Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 11:30 am T E N N E S S E E Municipal Ai rport Business Center 1930 Memorial Boulevard Murfreesboro, Tennessee MINUTES The City Council of the City of Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee, met in regular session at its workshop meeting place at the Municipal Airport Business Center at 11 :31 a.m. on Thursday, September 12, 2024. Council Members Present Mayor Shane McFarland - Presiding Jami Averwater Madelyn Scales Harris Austin Maxwell Bill Shacklett Shawn Wright Kirt Wade was absent and excused from this meeting. City Representatives Present Darren Gore, City Manager Sam Huddleston, Assistant City Manager Adam Tucker, City Attorney Erin Tucker, Budget Director/ City Recorder Lesley Jernigan, Assistant Finance Director John Tully, Assistant City Attorney Ben Newman, Director of Planning and Land Management Rachel Singer, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Jim Kerr, Director of Transportation Chris Griffith, Executive Director of Public Infrastructure Alan Bozeman, Director of Communications Roman Hankins, Deputy City Attorney Kevin Jones, Director of Building and Codes Melanie Joy Peterson, City Clerk Henry McKee, Contracts Manager Raven Bozeman, Executive Assistant Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance Mayor McFarland called the meeting to order and commenced the meeting with a prayer followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Public Comment on Actionable Agenda Items Mayor McFarland inquired of City Recorder Erin Tucker about the presence of any registered speakers for public comment on actionable agenda items. Ms. Tucker stated there were no individuals registered to speak on any actionable agenda items. City Council Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024, 11: 30 am Page 1 of 6 Action Items 1. Resolution 24-R-28 Increase Annexation Application Fee. John Tully, Assistant City Attorney, presented a Council Communication requesting Council consider increasing the annexation request fee from $500 to $2,000, due to the notice requirement changed by state law, Public Chapter 701. The resolution titled, "RESOLUTION 24-R-28 revising the application free for annexation requests" was offered for passage on its first and only reading. Mr. Maxwell made a motion to approve Resolution 24-R-28. Ms. Averwater seconded the motion. Upon roll call, the resolution was passed by the following vote: Aye: Jami Averwater, Madelyn Scales Harris, Austin Maxwell, Bill Shacklett, Shawn Wright, Shane McFarland Nay: None 2. Approval of Greenways, Blueways, Bikeways (GBB) Master Plan Update. Rachel Singer, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, presented a Council Communication and documents regarding approval of an updated GBB Master Plan. Alisha Eley from Kimley Horn, presented a PowerPoint regarding updates to the GBB Master Plan and responded to Council questions. The GBB Master Plan serves as a guide for implementation of transportation and recreation connectivity throughout the city and was approved by the Planning Commission on June 5, 2024, which made it part of the City's GBB Master Plan. Adam Tucker, City Attorney, advised that Council only needed to make a motion to support and endorse the GBB Plan Update; it was effective upon approval by Planning Commission. Mayor McFarland suggested that future large projects be presented to the governing body (City Council) for review, input and approval prior to being approved by a Board or Commission and made effective. Mr. Shacklett made a motion to support the GBB Master Plan. Mr. Wright seconded the motion. Upon roll call, the motion was passed by the following vote: Aye: Jami Averwater, Madelyn Scales Harris, Austin Maxwell, Bill Shacklett, Shawn Wright, Shane McFarland Nay: None 3. FY25 Special Census Update and IT Support Services Contract. Sam Huddleston, Assistant City Manager, presented a Council Communication and PowerPoint updating Council on the Special Census to be started this fall. The goal of the Special Census is to show 20,000 + population increase which would add $3.5 million increase to FY25 revenue from state shared City Council Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024, 11: 30 am Page 2 of 6 revenue. Mr. Huddleston requested Council approve the Third Amendment to the contract between the City and Castaway Technical Services LLC to provide IT Professional Consulting Services for Special Census Support (Third Amendment). Mr. Wright made a motion to approve the Third Amendment to the IT Services Contract. Ms. Scales Harris seconded the motion. Upon roll call, the motion was passed by the following vote: Aye: Jami Averwater, Madelyn Scales Harris, Austin Maxwell, Bill Shacklett, Shawn Wright, Shane McFarland Nay: None 4. Authorization Acquisition of Downtown Properties. Darren Gore, City Manager, presented a Council Communication regarding acquisition of property to address downtown parking needs and other future uses. Mr. Gore requested Council approve the acquisition of Lots 1, 2, and 3 (Tax Parcel Nos. 091 K-G-00800, 091 K-G-00900, and 091 K-G-00801) of the City of Murfreesboro and Mid south Bank Subdivision through negotiation and, if necessary, through eminent domain. Mr. Gore stated this action would address immediate parking needs in the downtown area and provide space for future government facilities. Mr. Wright made a motion to approve the acquisition through negotiation and, if necessary, through eminent domain. Ms. Averwater seconded the motion. Upon roll call, the motion was passed by the following vote: Aye: Jami Averwater, Madelyn Scales Harris, Austin Maxwell, Bill Shacklett, Shawn Wright, Shane McFarland Nay: None Workshop Items 5. TDOT 1-24 Choice Lanes Presentation. Jim Kerr, Director of Transportation, presented a Council Communication regarding Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) 1-24 Choice Lanes. Representatives from TDOT, Bryan Ledford, Public-Private Partnerships Division Director and Rebekah Hammonds, Public-Private Partnerships Communications Officer, presented a PowerPoint regarding Tennessee's first proposed optional Choice Lanes project. The proposed 1-24 Southeast Choice Lanes Project may include two new additional lanes in both directions to address travel time reliability and regional connectivity issues along approximately 26 miles of 1-24 between Murfreesboro and Nashville. The Project would provide passenger vehicles and transit riders with an effective transportation alternative to bypass congestion in exchange for a variable price user fee City Council Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024, 11:30 am Page 3 of 6  and allow motorists to maintain consistent travel times. The project shall be designed, built, financed, operated and maintained by a private-sector partner through a Public-Private Partnership (P3), with initial funding provided by the Transportation Modernization Act. Jay Norris, TDOT Region 3 Director, responded to questions from Council about 1-24 interchanges within the City and stated anything in the current 10-year plan will stay in the plan. Ms. Hammonds encouraged Council to share this information with their constituents and asked them to provide input to the Choice Lanes Project within the public feedback timeframe so feedback could be considered and used within the Project development. This information was provided to Council as notification only and no vote was necessary. 6. Road Project Update Presentation. Chris Griffith, Executive Director of Public Infrastructure, presented a Council Communication and presentation regarding Public Infrastructure project updates. Project updates included Rucker Lane Widening Phase 2, Old Fort Parkway Widening, West Clark Boulevard Improvements, Blackman/Burnt Knob/Mason Intersection, and Asbury Lane Realignment. Mayor McFarland requested City TV edit Mr. Griffith's presentation and post it on social media for citizen reference. This information was provided to Council as notification only and no vote was necessary. 7. Cable TV Structure Changes. Alan Bozeman, Director of Communications, presented a Council Communication regarding review of structural needs for Murfreesboro Cable TV. Federal and state television laws and regulations have changed and eliminated much of the Murfreesboro Cable TV Commission authority related to cable television regulations. A change in structure would dissolve the commission, leading future recommendations related to cable tv franchise (renewals, transfers, franchise fee audits, etc.) to be presented to City Council by staff recommendation instead of by Murfreesboro Cable TV Commission recommendation. Mr. Bozeman requested Council direction regarding the structure of Cable TV. The council was supportive of Mr. Bozeman's recommendations and instructed legal staff to proceed with drafting legislation to amend the City Code. 8. Amendments to Murfreesboro City Code, Chapter 4 - Alcoholic Beverages. Roman Hankins, Deputy City Attorney, presented a Council Communication and PowerPoint and requested Council's direction regarding editing Ordinance 23-0-30 related to amending the Murfreesboro City Code sections on certificates of compliance. Section 4-10 of the Murfreesboro City Code currently authorizes the City Council to approve one retail liquor certificate of compliance for every 5,000 City City Council Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024, 11:30 am Page 4 of 6 residents. At its July 11, 2024 workshop meeting and July 18, 2024 regular meeting, City Council requested options for making the process for obtaining a certificate of compliance fairer and more equitable. Mr. Hankins requested Council provide comments and additional direction regarding finalizing the ordinance. Mr. Wright inquired about a free market with no limitations. Mayor McFarland was in favor of the lottery system and suggested reviewing after one-year. Based on Council feedback, legal staff was instructed to update the draft ordinance to include a lottery system for the distribution of certificates of compliance to occur each August, with certificates expiring the following July 31. Revised Ordinance 23-0-30 shall be presented at the next regular meeting. 9. Approving and Permitting Rutherford County Schools Construction. Ben Newman, Director of Planning and Land Management, presented a Council Communication regarding approval and permitting processes for Rutherford County Schools construction projects. Kevin Jones, Building and Codes Director, presented a list of City and County Schools construction projects since 2015 and permitting fees charged for each project. Mr. Jones elaborated about why permitting fees are assessed and what expenses they recover. Mr. Newman discussed zoning and development standards required for various construction projects, including schools' projects, such as landscaping, irrigation, buffering, and parking. He also provided information on how to process plans for Rutherford County Schools when they are approved outside the City sewer customers. Discussion among Council members ensued regarding fees charged to schools for permitting and developing standards. Mayor McFarland suggested capping fees and Mr. Wright and Ms. Averwater agreed. Based on Council feedback, it was suggested that all public and private sectors continue to pay the permit recovery fees, but that Council may consider placing a cap on those fees in the future. No vote or action was taken. 10. CIP Transfers. Erin Tucker, Budget Director, presented a Council Communication and documents regarding notification of CIP transfers. Transfers include transfer of CIP Funds between the Bond Fund and General Fund for Barfield Crescent Park Exp, Cherry Lane 2, Cherry Lane 3, Mercury, Broad, Bradyville Intersection, Skate Park, and Towne Creek. This information was provided to Council as notification only and no vote was necessary. 11. July 2024 Dashboard. Erin Tucker, Budget Director, presented a Council Communication regarding the July 2024 Dashboard. The Dashboard provides assessable financial City Council Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024, 11:30 am Page 5 of 6 information on a regular basis to assist in critical decision making about the fiscal affairs of the City. This information was provided to Council as notification only and no vote was necessary. Board and Commission Appointments No board or commission appointments were presented. Licensing No Beer Permits or Special Event Beer Permits were presented . Payment of Statements No payment of statements was presented. Other Business No other business was presented. The following items were general announcements, not on the published agenda: Mr. Shacklett mentioned Read to Succeed Day for City and County schools is Friday, September 13, 2024. He invited Council to attend the State of the Schools presented by Dr. Trey Duke on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, from 8-9 a.m. located at Murfreesboro Airport. Mr. Maxwell stated next Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 3 p.m. Vice President Pence will speak at MTSU in Tucker Theatre. Adjourn There being no further business, Mayor McFarland adjourned this meeting at 1 :55 p.m. SHANE MCFARLAND MAYOR ATTEST: TUCKER CITY RECORDER City Council Meeting Minutes September 12, 2024, 11: 30 am Page 6 of 6