Board of Mayor & Commissioners

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE PIPERTON BOARD OF MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS September 17, 2024, 6:00 P.M. The Piperton Board of Mayor and Commissioners met in a regular session on September 17, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, with Board members: Mayor Henry Coats, Vice-Mayor Mike Binkley, Commissioner Russ Fletcher, and Commissioner Bret Morris. Commissioner David Crislip was absent. City Manager Steve Steinbach, Police Chief Jonathan Roney, Fire Chief Reed Bullock, Building Official Elizabeth Reed, Public Works Richard Mills, Finance Director Maria George, City Planner Brett Morgan, and City Recorder Beverly Holloway were present. Vicki Hancock, Jim Ragon, Charlotte Johnson, David Bartlett, Val Tingley, and et al were present in the audience. City Engineer Harvey Matheny was absent. Agenda item 1. Call to order, establish quorum Action taken: Mayor Henry Coats called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and established that a quorum was present. Agenda item 2. Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag Action taken: Police Chief Jonathan Roney led in the opening Prayer and Commissioner Bret Morris led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag. Agenda item 3. Any changes to Agenda; Motion to adopt Agenda Action taken: There were no changes to the agenda, Vice-Mayor Mike Binkley moved to adopt the agenda, seconded by Commissioner Morris. The Motion received all affirmative votes. Agenda item 4. Any changes to the Minutes of the Regular Session of August 20, 2024, Motion to adopt the Minutes of the Regular Session of August 20, 2024 Action taken: There were no changes to the Minutes of the Regular Session of August 20, 2024. Commissioner Russ Fletcher moved to adopt the Minutes of the Regular Session of August 20, 2024, seconded by Commissioner Morris. The Motion received all affirmative votes. Agenda item 5. Review/approval of Financial Reports, Building Inspector’s Report, Public Works Report, Fireman’s Report, Police Report and Development Activity City Manager Steve Steinbach stated this is the third month of fiscal year 2025, we are almost concluded with the audit. Sales taxes are coming in a little under forecast. Other line items are consistent with our percentages, building permit income is up, cash positions remain strong. It has reduced a little bit from last month due to paying off some capital expenditures and balance sheets for the various funds continue to be strong. Building Official Elizabeth Reed stated for August, we have 40 active new single-family dwellings and had issued 9 new single family dwelling permits. We issued 45 total permits, and the fees are higher than last month. There were 168 total inspections along with 31 code compliance contracts with the majority of that related to grass. Public Works Director Richard Mills stated engineering is still moving forward with the TDEC ARPA projects. TDEC is reviewing the Piperton Farms project. There is a meeting next week with J. R. Warford on the wastewater treatment plant. Cannon & Cannon is still moving forward on the waterline project. The spillway was installed for the lake before the rain hit. The sewer flow going to Rossville for July was 1,809,600 million gallons for 07/28 to 08/27/24 (29 days). That is an average of 54,836.36 gallons per day (68.55% of the allotted 80,000 gallons per day). There were 87 Tennessee 811 line locates. There were 139 total work orders with 10 pending. There were 10 after hour call outs. Pressure Paving is a new technology for 1 resurfacing city streets. It has been used in the northern states for several years. On September 6th, Daniel and I drove up to West Plains, Missouri to watch the application. It can preserve pavements that many would consider a candidate for mill and overlay. This systems pressure injects a crack sealant into the pavement while simultaneously applying a durable layer of asphalt driving surface. It has a history of lasting 12 to 15 years and is typically around half the cost of mill and overlay. Mr. Mills showed a short video for the Board and audience. I would recommend this method of paving going forward for Piperton. Mayor Coats recommends doing do this next budget year. Mr. Mills stated Arlington is going to do this next budget year and maybe we can team up with them to get the people from Missouri to come to the area. Fire Chief Reed Bullock stated during the month of August, we issued one permit that is not showing on the report. We responded to 29 total calls (24 in the city) with 2 motor vehicle calls; one I-269 and one on Raleigh LaGrange that resulted in both being airlifted. On September 22nd, we did have a child locked in the car that we responded too. Police Chief Jonathan Roney stated in the month of August, there were 39 dispatched calls, 3 incident reports, 0 arrest reports and 5 motor vehicle crashes. Officer King received his certification. We are getting close on in car videos. We have completely moved out of suite A into suite B now. However, there are no video surveillance cameras in suite B, and we didn’t budget for cameras for that suite. We originally though the suite A cameras could be moved and add more to them, but those cameras are old, and we can’t add to that system. I did receive a couple of quotes. Horizon quoted $8065.90 for 6 cameras which was the lowest. That includes labor and setup. Horizon will be responsible for maintaining the cameras. i have spoken with Steve since it was not in the budget. I am asking the Board for permission to move forward on this. Mr. Steinbach stated we will address this in item 10 on the agenda. Mr. Morgan stated there is significant development activity around in Piperton. Of the residential phases that have currently been approved and are under construction or will be soon approved, there are 282 single family residential lots. That doesn’t include the phases that existed prior to that. In Piperton Preserve Phase 6, there are 18 acres with 50 lots, Piperton Hills, Phase 1 is 17 acres with 35 lots, Piper Hollow Phase 1 and 2 which has been ongoing. Phase 1 is 25 acres with 35 lots and Phase 2 is 20 acres with 44 lots, Lakes of Greenbrier Phase 3 and 4 is a total of 63 acres and 71 lots, Madeline Farms Phase 3 is 23 acres and 33 lots, Shaw’s Creek Phase 3 is 22 acres and 17 lots. Those are the lots on the books for residential development. A couple of those plats will be signed soon for added spaces. We did have an application for residential development from Ashley Estates for 95 lots. It a very difficult piece of land with the Major Road going through it. Planning Commission has reviewed and approved with conditions. A major condition is they must bring their density to what the CD-O requires. I am working with the consultant on that. Mayor Coats inquired if they have erected the signage for Madeline Farms. Mr. Morgan stated they have not. On Commercial development, we recently approved the expansion of MCR. They have received both Planning Commission site plan approval and DRC approval and will probably be moving dirt soon. There is the ongoing C-store for the Gateway Plaza and inquired to the Fire Chief about access. Chief Bullock stated they have put gravel down and a ramp down to the Royal Towing, it did fail, and they have addressed it again with adding additional material and reinforcement, but I haven’t been down there today to reinspect that. Mr. Morgan stated Royal Towing received temporarily conditional use for their site and they came back with their screening and the Planning Commission approved that at its last meeting. Applications include Pyramex expansion that will double its size, and that will be for preliminary and final site plan approval. 57 Floors PD-O came in for a planned commercial development that allows a mixed uses, it was presented to the Planning Commission at its last 2 meeting and was tabled because there is a major road that goes through the lot and that had not been considered on the plan. Staff is working with them as well. Action taken: Vice-Mayor Binkley moved to approve all reports, seconded by Commissioner Morris. The Motion received all affirmative votes. Agenda item 6. Resolution No. 24-302, amending Resolution No. 17-190 Public Records Request Policy to update the physical address and website for the City of Piperton City Recorder Bev Holloway stated this is to change the City’s address in the existing Resolution and website due to the move to the Piper House. Action taken: Vice-Mayor Binkley moved to approve Resolution No. 24-302, seconded by Commissioner Fletcher. The Motion received all affirmative votes. Agenda item 7. Resolution No. 24-303, declaration as surplus and authorizing sale of Ridgewood Grove Decentralized Sewer Plant Property, containing approximately 9.05 acres Mr. Steinbach stated I had previously briefed the Board on this. Ridgewood Grove is one of six subdivisions that either initially started out active or had been operational or still operational. This was prior to the advent of centralized sewer in the city that occurred with the development of Pyramex which is part of Delta Regional Grant that enabled us to embark on that. You are aware of the distribution of affluent to Rossville under our current agreement. But in the beginning, there were decentralized sewer systems on the south side of the river (Ridgewood Grove, Lakes of Greenbrier was the first and Twin Lakes) and the plan has always been with the availability of centralized sewer to decommission these facilities. Ridgewood Grove and Lakes of Greenbrier were disconnected in 2021 and reconnected to our centralized infrastructure. With regards to Ridgewood Grove that you are considering tonight, the collection point was Keough Road which goes west ultimately discharging into a wet well pump station at Living Hope. Lakes of Greenbrier, the facility terminated its operation and its affluent is captured by the ongoing centralized system as part of Piperton Preserve. This has been on the books, and we need to move forward with either surplusing the properties or determining an alternative use. The land was dedicated by the developer. It hasn’t been in operation since 2021, but it has been maintained by the city and staff would like the Board to consider surplus the property, which enables the city to consider options for getting the asset off our books. Out of respect for the residents and Commissioner Fletcher who is a resident here, I asked for a meeting to get some insights. The options are to convene this back to the HOA if that is legally feasible, there are state laws for the procedures involved in liquidating an asset or a sealed bid to protect the residents. This is the first one we are considering and will serve as a template for the rest of the facilities. Lakes of Greenbrier will be addressed next and then ultimately Twin Lakes once we work out our long-term sewer capacity issues. We will be going through the same process; it needs to be returned to private use in my estimation. This Resolution simply has the Board considering a declaration of surplus as the first step, nothing else gets accomplished without your approval. We have an appraisal that is wrapped up and as soon as I get that finished copy, I will distribute that to you and that will serve as a basis for considering what the value is, then we go to market and it is sold, utilizing a public auction or a bid system. My recommendation would be to incumber the property with a conservation easement much like this part of the neighborhood because it is part of a CD-O that would either have to be extracted from the neighborhood. My understanding is the preference would be to keep that as a lot for the rest of the neighborhood, governed under the same CCR’s of the HOA. That would save planning staff from having to go through a confluent process of removing this from the CD-O and returning it to the base district of rural conservation. A conservation easement on this lot would preclude its further resubdivision and would provide for the ability to improve the property with a single home that would become an estate lot, an extension of the balance of Ridgewood Grove. The City Engineer prepared a decommissioning plan, those are complete but need to be finalized. The 3 drip field lines will be abandoned in place, the building will be removed, and the treatment tanks will be cut off below grade and filled with sand. We don’t anticipate a brown field site here by any means. It is my understanding once we complete the decommissioning of remediation efforts, an individual can improve this for a single family homesite. Assuming the Board surpluses it, in advance of advertising this, I would want the Board to bless a list of restrictions that we would encumber this property with the terms of a conservation easement or deed restrictions. Action taken: Commissioner Morris moved to accept Resolution No. 24-303, seconded by Commissioner Fletcher. The Motion received all affirmative votes. Agenda item 8. First Reading, Ordinance No. 396-24, to delete and replace Ordinance No. 378-23, as to the adjustment of Water Service Rates and Charges Mr. Mills stated Buddy Petty completed a financial analysis that included a five-year review and a five-year projection review of operation and maintenance expenses and capital improvement projects. One significant driver of rate increases for water comes from our purchasing of water from Collierville, who has a very robust 10-year plan to increase their water rates very significant. They increased their rates last year and will do it again this year. Based on the results from Mr. Petty, it is my recommendation to the Board that we increase water rates from $19.90 to $20.90 a month and usage per 1000 gallons from $3.60 to $3.80, Mayor Coats stated we are still not big enough to get off of Collierville’s water system and build our own. That day will come but if we tried to build now it would cost us a whole lot more than what Mr. Mills is proposing. Vice-Mayor Binkley stated we have followed Mr. Petty’s advice for many years now and we have not fallen behind the eight ball. Mr. Steinbach stated Collierville’s water rates are some of the lowest in the state. Action taken: Vice-Mayor Binkley moved to approve Ordinance No. 396-24 on first reading, seconded by Commissioner Morris The Motion received all affirmative votes. Agenda item 9. First Reading, Ordinance No. 397-24, to delete and replace Ordinance No. 379-23 as to the adjustment of Sanitary Sewer Service Rates and Charges Mr. Mills stated another driver of increased sewer rates, last year the Town of Rossville went up on their rates by 6½%. Based on Mr. Petty’s findings, my recommendation is to increase the sewer flat rate from $50.55 to $53.10 per month per residential household and commercial rate from $97.90 to 102.80 per month and the usage per 1,000 gallons from $6.55 to $ 6.90. Mr. Steinbach stated then fees associated with Marshall County Utilities as listed. Action taken: Commissioner Morris moved to approve Ordinance No. 397-24 on first reading, seconded by Vice-Mayor Binkley. The Motion received all affirmative votes. Agenda item 10. Consideration of proposed post-FY 2025 Budget adopting appropriations and recognizing on subsequent FY 2025 Budget Amendment #1 Mr. Steinbach stated we had items arise and we generally deal with these in our budget amendments on a timely basis and these will if the Board sees fit. If approved they will make their way to a subsequent budget amendment but the necessity to a couple of these items specifically has arisen, and we need the Board’s blessing. Budget amendments are done three times a year. The request is as follows: • 50-Year Piperton Incorporation Anniversary Event - $10,000.00 (General Fund) • Police Department Office Security Cameras - $9,000.00 (General Fund) • Piper House Christmas Decorations - $8,500.00 (General Fund) • Piper House FFE Overage - $5,000.00 (General Fund) • Utility Rate Study 2024 - $4,500.00 (Enterprise Fund) 4 • Forensic Accounting Analysis of Utility Operations/Capital Accounts - $5,000.00 (Enterprise Fund) • TDOT Highway 57 Widening Project (Waterline Relocation) - $17,180.00 (Enterprise Fund) • Ridgewood Grove Decentralized Sewer Plant Decommissioning - $65,000.00 (Enterprise Fund) which was previously budgeted in the past but never acted on. Vice-Mayor Binkley inquired if the funds for selling the surplus lot would it go into the Enterprise Fund? Mr. Steinbach stated because the land was used for an enterprise fund operation, we would keep it in our water and sewer fund. Action taken: Vice-Mayor Binkley moved to approve the appropriations, seconded by Commissioner Fletcher. The Motion received all affirmative votes. Agenda item 11. Announcement of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Incorporation of the City of Piperton Mayor Coats stated the event will be held on October 5th from 11am to 2pm. Speakers will be Senator Page Walley, Mike Russell of RusDun Farms, Pete Pinckney Jr and myself. We will have a big tent in case of rain and will cook hamburgers and hot dogs. Please pass the word. Agenda item 12. Any other unfinished/new business, questions or matters from the audience There was none. Agenda item 13. Adjournment Action taken: Vice-Mayor Binkley made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Morris. The Motion received all affirmative votes, and the meeting was adjourned at 6:57 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Beverly Holloway, City Recorder Approved: _________________________________date: ______________________ 5