Board of Mayor & Aldermen

MINUTES BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN REGULAR MEETING MAY 17, 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 Hearing: Ordinance 11-04, an ordinance amending Title 9 of the Springfield Municipal Code entitled “Business, Peddlers, Solicitors, Etc., by amending Chapter 4 entitled “Taxicabs.” 1.3 Alderman Schneider moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen held on April 19, 2011. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously. 2.0 Legislative 2.1 Alderman Shoemaker moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-03 on 3rd and final reading, an ordinance establishing rules and regulations for storm water management within the City of Springfield by rescinding Ordinance 04-25, and replacing it with new rules and regulations for storm water management to read as set forth in “Exhibit A” attached. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. The final passage of Ordinance 11-03 amends the current regulations for storm water management as mandated by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Pollution Control. 2.2 Alderman Mason moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-04 on 2nd reading, an ordinance amending Ordinance 08-05, Ordinance 08-28 and Title 9 of the Springfield Municipal Code entitled “Business, Peddlers, Solicitors, Etc., by amending Chapter 4 entitled “Taxicabs,” by rescinding Sections 9-406, 9-416, 9-418, and 9-419 in their entirety and substituting new Sections 9-406, 9-416, 9- 418, and 9-419. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 2.3 Alderman Hubbard moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-06 on 1st reading, an ordinance adopting the annual budget and tax rate for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. The motion was seconded. The City Manager briefed the Board on the changes made to the budget that were recommended during the budget workshop. He suggested that any further changes the Board wanted to make should be discussed during the meeting so the proposals could be incorporated into the ordinance and presented to them at the special meeting scheduled for June 7th. The motion to approve Ordinance 11-06 passed by 6-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Ellis, Hubbard, Shoemaker, Schneider, Carneal, Mason. Nayes: Head. Each Board member expressed their opinion about the proposed budget and fifteen cent ($0.15) increase in the property tax rate. 2.4 Alderman Hubbard moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-07 on 1st reading, an ordinance to increase the retail electric rates of the Springfield Electric Department. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. Robert Gardner, Director of Springfield Electric, informed the Board that a request for a local rate adjustment from TVA has been submitted and approved. He stated that an increase is necessary due to the increase in power cost and the effects of the slowing economy. He stated that the operating margin has decreased by forty percent (40%) since 1993. The approval of Ordinance 11-07 will increase Springfield Electric’s retail revenue by 1.66% and reduce dependence on reserves to fund rising costs. 2.5 Alderman Hubbard moved for the approval of Resolution 11-11, a resolution declaring certain property surplus and authorizing the disposal of such property. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 2.6 No action had to be taken on Resolution 11-12, which authorized the City Attorney to collect the irrevocable letter of credit for Oakland Farms subdivision, Phase 3 Section 5 in the amount of sixty-four thousand seven hundred dollars ($64,700) unless a replacement letter of credit in the amount of fifty thousand seven hundred fifteen dollars ($50,715) is submitted twenty-four (24) hours prior to the expiration date of May 20, 2011. Resolution 11-12 was removed from the agenda. 3.0 Administrative 3.1 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the TVA wholesale fuel cost adjustment beginning June 1, 2011 from the current effective amount of $0.02347 per kilowatt-hour to $0.02366. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. This adjustment represents an increase of approximately 0.3% in wholesale electric rates. The net result will be an increase of approximately $0.10 to $0.50 on an average residential electric bill, depending on the usage. 3.2 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the retail gas rates of the Springfield Gas Department for the month of May as presented. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. This adjustment represents a decrease of approximately 4% in the monthly gas rates. 3.3 The City Manager informed the Board of five (5) various pre-payment options offered by Ferrara to reduce the $417,797 cost of a fire pumper truck to be purchased with proceeds of the 2008 TML Bond Fund Loan. His recommendation was to choose Option 1, which allowed pre-payment after completion of the chasis resulting a credit in the amount of $4,418.00. Alderman Head moved to approve pre-payment Option 5 which requires payment of 100% of the purchase price upon signing of the contract, at a savings of $9,400.00. This option would make the new purchase price $408,397. The motion was seconded and passed by 4-3 roll call vote. Ayes: Head, Shoemaker, Schneider, Ellis. Nayes: Carneal, Mason, Hubbard. Alderman Schneider moved for approval to purchase the Ferrara fire pumper truck under pre-payment Option 5. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.4 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve authorizing City Engineer David Brewer to execute expenditures on behalf of the Board, not to exceed $48,549.03, for future change orders and equipment changes relating to the construction and equipping of Highland Crest-College Campus. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. The Robertson County Commission Building and Grounds Committee had previously granted the same authorization. 3.5 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the equipment change to the voIP telephone package in the amount of $10,888.74 for the Highland Crest-College Campus project. The motion was seconded. David Brewer, City Engineer, informed the Board that the equipment change to the voIP telephone system is necessary to provide connectivity of the network and the voIP telephone system between the first and second floors of the Highland Crest-College Campus building. The motion passed by 7-0 roll vote. 3.6 Alderman Hubbard moved for the approval of the following thirteen (13) contract Change Orders for R.G. Anderson Company, Inc. for the Highland Crest-College Campus in the cumulative amount of $40,562.23. The motion was seconded. • Change Order #19 – Delete all aluminum letters except for the 12-inch letters on the front to read “Highland Crest” – ($3,321.20) • Change Order #22 – Make miscellaneous changes in the scope of work per Fire Marshal plan review - $991.28 • Change Order #23 – Exterior location for LP Tanks - $2,065.47 • Change Order #24r1 – Installation of Viking autodialer and telephone line to defibrillator location - $3,030.77 • Change Order #25r1 – Add one (1) A2 light fixture in community room 211 - $523.13 • Change Order #26r1 – Repaint accent wall in corridors and around water fountains - $400.05 • Change Order #27 – Make changes called for in Electrical Field Report S08 - $6,076.37  • Change Order #28r1 – Installation of a 35-foot flagpole - $6,332.88 • Change Order #29r2 – Addition of 24-strand multimode fiber optic cable - $2,376.84 • Change Order #30r1 – Delete two (2) projection screens – ($3,272.71) • Change Order #32 – Add lighted monument sign on the campus site - $20,536.52 • Change Order #33 – Addition of an 8-inch frieze board to the front gable of the building - $550.87 • Change order #34 – Make changes called for in the Electrical Field Report S09 - $4,271.96 Mr. Nutting briefed the Board on the updated construction budget for the Highland Crest-College Campus. The motion passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.7 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the following parade applications. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 1. Robertson County Chamber of Commerce request to hold the annual “Kick Off to Summer” concert on the Court House Square, Saturday, May 28, 2011, from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 2. Robertson County Chamber of Commerce request to host the first “Taste of Country” festival on Friday and Saturday, June 10 and June 11, 2011. Set-up will start at 3:30 p.m. on June 10 and the festival will last until 9:00 p.m. on June 11, 2011. 3.8 Mayor Carneal recommended the appointment of Ms. Cathy Gunn to the Advisory Board for the Highland Crest-College Campus. Alderman Hubbard moved to appoint Ms. Cathy Gunn to serve on the Highland Crest-College Campus Advisory Board. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.9 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve a request from the Springfield Police Department to purchase a 2011 Ford Cargo Van from Alexander Ford, under state contract in the amount of $18,960.00. The motion was seconded and passed by 7- 0 roll call vote. The vehicle will be used for crime scene investigation and accident reconstruction and will be fully funded through a grant from the federal government. The grant is in the amount of $22,926 which includes equipment for the van. 3.10 Alderman Hubbard moved to authorize the payment of a $5,000 fine to the EPA for violation of Federal Rule 40 CFR at the wastewater treatment plant, pertaining to sludge regulations. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. The violation was caused by staff error in the calculation of the formula to measure oxygen depletion. The error was discovered and has been corrected. 3.11 Alderman Hubbard moved to discuss and possibly take action on a proposal from Mr. Billy Batson to sell the City a portion of the property located at 2506 Queen Ann Court for drainage improvements. The motion died for lack of second. 4.0 Consent 4.1 Alderman Mason moved to approve a request from Springfield Electric to award the bid for pole-mount transformers as recommended. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 5.0 City Manager’s Report The City Manager presented the Board the quarterly project report. Mr. Nutting informed the Board that Volunteer State Community College will officially take possession of the Highland Crest-College Campus building on July 1, 2011. He stated that Volunteer State is planning several events at the Highland Crest-College to encourage enrollment for the fall semester. The “open house” for High Crest-College Campus is scheduled for Wednesday, June 22nd at noon and the Robertson County Chamber of Commerce is planning a ribbon cutting. Volunteer State is tentatively working with the Scholarship Foundation of Robertson County for an “invitation only” event on Saturday, July 9. Nothing has been finalized at this time.  The City of Springfield and Robertson County are planning a formal dedication ceremony to be held later in the summer for the Highland Crest-College Campus. Mr. Nutting stated that he has been contacted by the Library Board to request a joint meeting with the Board and Robertson County Commission to discuss plans for the library expansion. 6.0 Adjournment With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned. ______________________________ Billy P. Carneal, Mayor Attest: ______________________________ Jane Shugart Murphy, City Recorder