Board of Mayor & Aldermen

MINUTES BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN REGULAR MEETING February 15, 2011 Board present Staff present Mayor Billy Paul Carneal City Manager Paul John Nutting Vice-Mayor Bruce Head Asst. City Manager Regina Holt Alderman Willie Mason City Recorder Jane Shugart Murphy Alderman Jerome Ellis City Clerk Connie W. Watson Alderman Ann Schneider City Attorney Jim Balthrop Alderman Shane Shoemaker Alderman James Hubbard 1.1 Mayor Billy Paul Carneal called to order the regular meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen at 7:30 p.m. The meeting opened with the pledge of allegiance to the American flag. 1.2 Public Hearings: 1. Ordinance 11-01, an ordinance rescinding Ordinance 09-05 and amending Title 7 of the Springfield Municipal Code entitled “Fire Protection and Fireworks” by rescinding Chapter 7 entitled “Automatic Sprinkler and Standpipe Systems” and substituting a new Chapter 7 entitled “Automatic Sprinkler and Standpipe Systems.” 2. Ordinance 11-02, an ordinance to rezone a 7.5-acre tract owned by the Robertson County Board of Education, located on Water Bonnett Boulevard from RI, Restricted Industrial to R10, Residential. 1.3 Alderman Shoemaker moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen held on January 18, 2011. The motion was seconded and the minutes were approved unanimously. 2.0 Legislative 2.1 Alderman Hubbard moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-01 on 2nd reading, an ordinance rescinding Ordinance 09-05 in its entirety and amending Title 7 of the Springfield Municipal Code entitled “Fire Protection and Fireworks” by rescinding Chapter 7 entitled “Automatic Sprinkler and Standpipe Systems” in its entirety and substituting a new Chapter 7 entitled “Automatic Sprinkler and Standpipe Systems.” The motion was seconded. The City Manager briefed the Board on the proposed changes to the sprinkler and standpipe systems ordinance. The motion passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 2.2 Alderman Mason moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-02 on 2nd reading, an ordinance rezoning a 7.5 acre tract of Robertson County Board of Education property located on Water Bonnett Boulevard from RI, Restricted Industrial, to R10, Residential. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 2.3 Alderman Hubbard moved for the approval of Resolution 11-02, a resolution in support of a Fiscal Year 2011 Community Development Block Grant application. The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that there are two (2) Community Development Block Grant applications the Board had originally authorized to submit, but due to lack of owner occupied homes in this neighborhood, only the CDBG blight application for the Bransford Youth and Community Development Center will be submitted. An architect has been hired to assist in the submission of the grant application. The City Attorney informed the Board that part of the Bransford Youth and Community Development Center is tax exempt. The portion that is tax exempt is currently owned by the Bransford Youth and Community Development Center and they have agreed to convey their interest to the City. The portion that is not tax exempt was turned over to Clerk and Master in 2008 for delinquent taxes and is currently owned by the City and County. He informed the Board that a proposal has been presented to the County to quitclaim their portion of the property to the City. If the County agrees with his recommendation, the City will own the entire property in order to facilitate the grant application. The motion for the approval of Resolution 11-02 passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.0 Administrative 3.1 Alderman Shoemaker moved to approve the TVA wholesale fuel cost adjustment beginning March 1, 2011 from the current amount of $0.00436 per kilowatt-hour to $0.0613. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. This adjustment represents an increase of approximately 2.5% in wholesale electric rates. The net result will be an increase of approximately $1.50 to $3.50 on an average residential electric bill, depending on the usage. 3.2 Robert Gardner, Director of Electric Utilities informed the Board that the wholesale rate change agreement is to be effective for bills rendered from the first meter readings scheduled to be taken on or after April 1, 2011. He stated that TVA has used the current “end-use” rate structure to bill distributers since 1992 and does not adequately recover the cost of power in today’s wholesale market. The new rate structure will initially be a wholesale demand and energy structure which large customers using above five (5) megawatts will be billed directly by TVA in order to minimize the bill impact. He cautioned that this rate change agreement is intended to be revenue-neutral for TVA, although individual distributor’s wholesale bills will fluctuate depending on TVA’s load profile and customer mix. He concluded by stating that Springfield Electric’s wholesale power cost is expected to decrease by 1.72% ($408,300) which will result in an increase of net revenue for the department of 15.23% ($439,000) due to this change. Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the wholesale rate change agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.3 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the retail gas rates of the Springfield Gas Department for the month of January as presented. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.4 No action was taken on appointments to the two (2) at-large positions on the Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals. 3.5 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the four (4) proposed change orders to the R.G. Anderson contract as recommended by Hastings Architecture Associates in the amount of five thousand fifty dollars ($5,050). The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.6 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the purchase of equipment and fixtures on state contract for the Highland Crest-College Campus in the total amount of one hundred ninety-one thousand seven hundred forty-seven dollars and thirteen cents ($191,747.13). The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote.  The purchase includes ninety-seven (97) Dell computers for ninety-nine thousand eight hundred seventeen dollars and eighty-five cents ($99,817.85); a Presidio VoIP (voice over IP) telephone system for fifty-one thousand six hundred forty- one dollars and twenty-eight cents ($51,641.28); automated controls for the building energy management system for thirty-six thousand five hundred sixty dollars ($36,560) and defibrillators for three thousand seven hundred twenty-eight dollars ($3,728.00). 3.7 Alderman Hubbard moved for discussion on a proposal to purchase the house located at 2506 Queen Ann Court, previously owned by the McNabbs. The motion was seconded. Gina Holt, the Assistant City Manager, updated the Board on the status of the house on 2506 Queen Ann Court (previously owned by the McNabbs). She stated that when the City had it appraised last year, it was appraised at market value of ninety-three thousand dollars ($93,000) but due to the flood damages and future potential of flooding, the house was appraised at “as is” of fifty-six thousand five hundred dollars ($56,500). A realtor currently has the house listed at eighty-seven thousand five hundred dollars ($87,500) on behalf of a bank. Alderman Ellis moved to propose an offer of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) to purchase the house on 2506 Queen Ann Court. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.8 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the proposed streetscape improvements on University Lane and Literary Way leading to the Highland Crest-College Campus. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.9 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the bid process for a heavy duty, 1500- gallon rescue style pumper truck for the Fire Department. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.10 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve a request from Dr. J.T. James to waive the requirement of having to connect to the newly constructed sewer extension along Highway 41 South. The motion was seconded. The City Manager stated that Dr. James has requested to be exempt from having to connect to the sewer system for as long as he and his wife own the property. Dr. James is one of a few property owners who donated an easement for the Highway 41 South sewer extension project. The other property owners were compensated. Dr. James’ property is over one thousand (1,000) feet from the sewer system, which would make the cost of making a sewer connection very expensive. Dr. James has stated that his septic system is functioning very well and he will not have a need to connect to the sewer system in the foreseeable future. Mr. Nutting also stated that Roger Lemasters, Director of  Water/Wastewater Utilities, will be proposing amendments to the sewer ordinance within the next several months and will be recommending that mandatory connections to the sewer system only be required if a property is within a few hundred feet or less of the sewer system. The motion passed 6-0-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Head, Carneal, Schneider, Mason, Hubbard, Shoemaker. Nayes: 0 Abstain: Ellis. 3.11 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Springfield and the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) authorizing the payment of an annual subsidy to provide weekday bus service between Springfield/Robertson County and Nashville. The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that the total federal subsidy required to provide bus service through RTA is one hundred ninety-seven thousand four hundred fifty dollars ($197,450). The City and County will each contribute a ten percent (10%) match in the amount of nineteen thousand seven hundred forty-five dollars ($19,745). Since the City of Springfield did not originally include a line item for the subsidy in its fiscal year 2011 budget, the RTA has agreed to prorate the subsidy for the last four months of the current fiscal year. Beginning July 1, 2011, the full annual amount will be due for fiscal year 2012. The term of the agreement extends from March 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. The contract states that either party has the option to terminate the contract at any given time with thirty (30) days prior notice. The City Attorney stated that since with thirty (30) days prior notice the parties involved have the option of terminating the agreement at any time, it is his recommendation that the agreement have wording to the effect that the City will receive a refund prorated for remaining months on the contract. The motion passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.12 Alderman Shoemaker moved to approve a request from Alderman Hubbard to attend the annual National League of Cities Congressional Cities Conference in Washington D.C. from March 12 to March 16. The motion was seconded and passed by 6-0-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Carneal, Head, Shoemaker, Mason, Schneider, Ellis. Nayes: 0 Abstain: Hubbard. 3.13 Ms Elsa Spiller, Cub Scout Day Camp Director, requested a waiver of fees for the use of shelters at Travis Price Park for the Cub Scout Day Camp. Mayor Carneal stated that since the Cub Scouts assist in the cleanup of the Greenway twice a year, he would like to recommend reducing the shelter fee by fifty percent (50%).  Alderman Hubbard moved for approval to reduce the fee by fifty percent (50%) for the rental of picnic shelters for the Cub Scout Day Camp as recommended. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.14 No action was taken on scheduling a special workshop to discuss issues and priorities. The City Manager will contact the Board members individually in order to schedule the meeting. 3.15 No action was taken on scheduling a work session for the City Manager’s annual performance evaluation. 4.0 Consent Alderman Hubbard moved to approve items 4.1, and 4.2 on the consent portion of the agenda. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 4.1 Springfield Water Wastewater Department request for approval to award the bid for mowing services to Land and Lawn at an amount of two hundred twenty-nine dollars ($229) per week. 4.2 Parks and Recreation Department request for approval to award the two (2) year agreement for park concessions to JoAnn Neal. She will pay the City twenty percent (20%) (less sales tax) of her total gross sales. 5.0 City Manager’s Report Mr. Nutting distributed a copy of the Springfield Fire Department Annual Report for 2010 to each member of the Board. He invited the Board members to talk to Chief Schott if they had any questions about the report. He reported that the transition of all City departments to the trunked radio system should be complete within the week. Mr. Nutting also reported that the staff of the Community Development Department has been meeting with landlords and property owners about the condition of unsafe and dilapidated residential properties, especially old mobile homes and houses that are beyond repair. Mr. Nutting requested that Allan Ellis, Director of Public Works, report on his discussions with TDOT personnel about possible plans for the installation of traffic signals as a part of the Highway 431 South widening. Mr. Ellis stated that TDOT is planning to install a traffic signal at the intersection of Highway 431  South and Batson Parkway as a part of the project. He also reported that NorthCrest Medical Center has requested the installation of an emergency traffic signal for ambulances at the entrance to their facility, but no decision has been made by TDOT officials. 6.0 Adjournment With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned. ______________________________ Billy P. Carneal, Mayor Attest: ______________________________ Jane Shugart Murphy, City Recorder