Board of Mayor & Aldermen

MINUTES BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN REGULAR MEETING March 15, 2011 Board present Staff present Vice-Mayor Bruce Head City Manager Paul John Nutting Alderman Willie Mason Asst. City Manager Regina Holt Alderman Jerome Ellis City Recorder Jane Shugart Murphy Alderman Ann Schneider City Clerk Connie W. Watson Alderman Shane Shoemaker City Attorney Jim Balthrop Board absent Mayor Billy Paul Carneal Alderman James Hubbard 1.1 Vice-Mayor Bruce Head 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. Change the name of the northern portion of Crescent Drive to Weaver Drive. The southern portion of Crescent Drive will remain as Crescent. Some street numbers will be changed. 2. A proposal to change the street name Water Bonnet Boulevard to Robert L. Smith Drive. 3. Change some property numbers on Central Avenue, between the 600 block and 5th Avenue. 1.3 Mr. Jeff Proctor and Mr. Paul Ellis, representatives of the Thurman Campbell Group, PLC presented the 2010 audit report. 1.4 Alderman Mason moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen held on February 15, 2011. The motion was seconded and the minutes were approved unanimously. 2.0 Legislative 2.1 Alderman Ellis moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-01 on 3rd and final 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 and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. This ordinance establishes new rules and regulations for sprinkler and standpipe systems. 2.2 Alderman Mason moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-02 on 3rd and final 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 5-0 roll call vote. This ordinance rezones property located at 800 Water Bonnett Boulevard from RI, Restricted Industrial, to R10, Residential. 2.3 Alderman Schneider moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-03 on 1st reading, an ordinance establishing rules and regulations for storm water management within the City of Springfield by rescinding Ordinance 04-25 establishing rules and regulations for storm water management and replacing it with new rules and regulations for storm water management to read as set forth in “Exhibit A” attached and amending the Springfield Municipal Code by adding new rules and regulations for storm water management as set forth in “Exhibit A” attached as an amendment to Title 20 entitled “Miscellaneous” by adding them as a new Chapter 3 entitled “Storm Water Management.” The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that this ordinance amends the current storm water management ordinance. The State has advised that specific modifications in this ordinance have to be made and corrective actions taken by the City in order to comply with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System regulations. The State (Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Pollution Control) issued a list of six (6) modifications to the current ordinance that need to be made by June 30, 2011 in order to be in compliance. The proposed ordinance will be codified in the Springfield Municipal Code. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.4 Alderman Mason moved for the approval of Resolution 11-03, a resolution to change the name of Water Bonnett Boulevard to Robert L. Smith Drive and to renumber property addresses. The motion was seconded. Alderman Mason moved to amend the resolution by renaming Water Bonnett Boulevard M.S. Couts Boulevard, after Pastor Margaret S. Couts, founder of Bethel Apostolic Temple. The motion seconded and passed by 4-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Schneider, Shoemaker, Head, Mason. Nayes: Ellis. The original motion was brought back and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.5 Alderman Shoemaker moved for the approval of Resolution 11-04, a resolution to change the name of the northern portion of Crescent Drive to Weaver Drive and to renumber property addresses. The motion was seconded. George James, Director of Planning, informed the Board that he had been contacted by E911 requesting a change in the name and the renumbering of Crescent Drive. Due to Crescent Drive being separated into two portions, he has been informed by E911 that this is creating confusion in the routing of emergency vehicles and to persons trying to find the residences. He stated that since the renumbering of all homes has not been completed at this time, he recommends the Board postpone from taking action until the April meeting. He also stated that he had been contacted by the Weaver family requesting the renaming of Crescent Drive be changed from Weaver Drive to Weaver Lane. Alderman Ellis moved to defer from taking action on the renaming of Crescent Drive until the next regular meeting of the Board in April. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.6 Alderman Ellis moved for the approval of Resolution 11-05, a resolution authorizing the issuance, sale, and payment of capital outlay notes not to exceed two hundred fifty-six thousand four hundred fifty dollars ($256,450.00). The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that this five (5) year note covers items in the General Fund budget for the current fiscal year. He informed them that the amount is lower than what is in the budget. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.7 Alderman Shoemaker moved for the approval of Resolution 11-06, a resolution authorizing the issuance, sale, and payment of capital outlay notes not to exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00). The motion was seconded.  The City Manager informed the Board that the original note was in the amount of four hundred ninety-five thousand dollars ($495,000.00), of which three hundred forty-five thousand dollars ($345,000.00) was to fund the long range water study and the one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) was to fund the purchase of the Precision Products building. The City was told by the State Comptroller’s office that the water study was not eligible to be funded by the note, so the amount of the resolution was modified to one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000.00) for the purchase of the Precision Products building. He stated that the long-range water study will be funded by amending the budget by transferring savings from various operating account line items or by transferring funds from the depreciation fund. He stated this is a seven (7) year note. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.8 Alderman Mason moved for the approval of Resolution 11-07, a resolution ratifying continued membership in the Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee. The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that this resolution ratifies the City’s membership in the Regional Transportation Authority as reconstituted by state legislation in 2009. This reconstitution grants authority to the RTA to exercise additional powers, duties, and functions. The City Manager recommended approval. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.9 Alderman Mason moved for the approval of Resolution 11-08, a resolution changing the block and property address numbers on Central Avenue, between Richard Street and Fifth Avenue West. The motion was seconded. George James, Director of Planning, addressed the Board on the deficiencies and the inconsistencies of the address numbers on Central Avenue between Richard Street and Fifth Avenue West. He stated the inconsistencies are causing a problem for emergency vehicles and persons trying to locate properties and recommended the change. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.10 Alderman Mason moved for the approval of Resolution 11-09, a resolution authorizing the issuance, sale, and payment of capital outlay notes in order to provide funds for a public works project, not to exceed one hundred seventy- seven thousand dollars ($177,000). The motion was seconded.  The City Manager informed the Board that this will be a nine (9) year note and is for the purchase of the two (2) houses on Queen Ann Court to be acquired for the expansion of the adjacent detention pond. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.0 Administrative 3.1 Alderman Schneider moved to approve authorizing a twelve (12) month extension of the contract for the application of asphalt surface treatment with Pavement Technology, Inc. This would extend the contract through December 31, 2011. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.2 Alderman Schneider moved to approve a request from the Robertson County Chamber of Commerce for financial support in the amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000) and to allow beer and wine sales within the confined area for the “A Taste of Country” festival to be held on Saturday, June 11, 2011. The motion was seconded. Mr. Ty Watts, Event Chairman, for “A Taste of Country” festival briefed the Board on the event and answered questions from the Board. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.3 Alderman Mason moved to approve a request from the Farmers Bank to hold the 2nd Annual “Relay for Life Motorcycle Run” on Saturday, May 21, 2011 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.4 Alderman Mason moved to approve the TVA wholesale fuel cost adjustment beginning April 1, 2011 from the current effective amount of $0.02464 per kilowatt-hour to $0.02376. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. This adjustment represents a decrease of approximately 1.2% in wholesale electric rates. The net result will be a decrease of approximately $0.50 to $2.00 on an average residential electric bill, depending on the usage. 3.5 Alderman Shoemaker moved to approve the retail gas rates of the Springfield Gas Department for the month of February as presented. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. This adjustment represents an increase of approximately 2% in the monthly gas rates. 3.6 No action was taken on appointments to the two (2) at-large positions on the Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals. 3.7 Alderman Shoemaker moved to approve a request from the Springfield Police Department to award the bid for the replacement of a generator at the police department. The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that Broadway Electric Service Corporation of Nashville submitted a bid in the amount of seventy-one thousand seven hundred fifty eight dollars ($71,758.00) and was the only bid submitted for the replacement of the generator. The budget amount for the replacement of the generator is fifty-seven thousand dollars ($57,000) leaving a difference of fourteen thousand seven hundred fifty-eight dollars ($14,758.00). He stated that the old generator and the transfer switch will be sold online to offset some of the increased cost. The motion to award the bid passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.8 Alderman Mason moved to approve the purchase of six (6) Smart Classrooms and ITV room package for Highland Crest-College Campus under state contract. The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that the purchase of Smart Classrooms and ITV room package is the last of the large furniture and equipment items that will need to be purchased for the school. He stated that any unallocated bond proceeds remaining at the end of the contract will be used to pay principal and interest on the bonds in the fiscal year 2012 budget. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.9 Alderman Mason moved to compensate Mr. Keith Schultz for the acquisition of an easement on the western side of the Spin-A-Pin bowling alley for the new water line parallel to Memorial Boulevard. The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that the original plan for the installation of the new waterline was to stay on the TDOT right of way, but Mr. Schultz’s property (driveway) is at the intersection with the traffic signal on Memorial Boulevard. Since the sensors for the traffic signal were newly installed, the water crew decided to go around avoiding costly repairs. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.10 Alderman Mason moved to make recommended changes to the taxi ordinance pertaining to requirements for FBI criminal history checks for both taxi franchise holders and taxi driver permit holders. The motion was seconded.  The City Manager informed the Board that there are some concerns in regards to the length of the turn around time for an FBI background check. He stated the turn around time for an FBI criminal background check has been a minimum of three (3) to four (4) months making the administration of the ordinance difficult. He reviewed the recommended changes outlined in his memorandum and stated that an amended ordinance will be presented for possible action at the April meeting. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.11 Alderman Mason moved to approve a request from Electrolux to obtain a State Industrial Access Road grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation for the realignment of a portion of Industrial Drive, between Memorial Boulevard and Delight Products. The City Manager informed the Board that the request is being made to support current and future expansions of the Electrolux facility, including the former Holley plant that they are leasing. The proposed realignment will be a new segment of Industrial Drive running parallel to the west side of the Holley building and connecting to the existing Industrial Drive near Delight Products. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 4.0 Consent Alderman Ellis moved to approve consent items 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 4.1 Springfield Gas Department request for approval to award the bid for a vacuum excavator to Ditch Witch of Tennessee in the amount of nineteen thousand nine hundred fifty-six dollars and thirty-nine cents ($19,956.39). 4.2 Parks and Recreation Department request for approval to award the bid for the replacement of shrubs and trees on the Greenway to Head’s Tree Farm in the amount of sixteen thousand thirty-six dollars and fifty cents ($16,036.50). 4.3 Parks and Recreation Department request for approval to purchase one (1) Ford F-250, 4X2 SD Super Cab Pick-up Truck under state contract from Alexander Ford, Murfreesboro, Tennessee in the amount of twenty-one thousand two hundred twenty-seven dollars ($21,227.00). 5.0 City Manager’s Report 6.0 Adjournment With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned. ______________________________ Billy P. Carneal, Mayor Attest: ______________________________ Jane Shugart Murphy, City Recorder