Board of Mayor & Aldermen

MINUTES BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN REGULAR MEETING JUNE 21, 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 11-08, an ordinance adopting the annual budget and tax rate for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. 1.3 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen held on May 17, 2011 and the special meeting of June 7, 2011. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously. 2.0 Legislative 2.1 Alderman Mason moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-04 on 3rd and final 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. The final passage of Ordinance 11-04 amends the current requirements for criminal history checks, increases the fee for the replacement of an unexpired taxicab driver permit, and changes the anniversary dates for franchise permit holders and taxi driver permit holders. 2.2 Alderman Hubbard moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-07 on 3rd and final reading, an ordinance to increase the retail electric rates of the Springfield Electric  Department. The motion was seconded and passed by 6-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Head, Carneal, Schneider, Mason, Hubbard, Shoemaker. Nayes: Ellis. The final passage of Ordinance 11-07 will increase Springfield Electric’s retail electric rates by 1.66% and increase operating revenue by $387,868 to reduce dependence on reserves to fund rising costs. 2.3 Alderman Head moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-08 on 2nd reading, an ordinance adopting the annual budget and tax rate for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. The City Manager distributed two versions of the budget ordinance. He informed the Board that the first version of the budget ordinance is the original budget prior to any changes. The second version of the budget ordinance is an amended ordinance that reflects changes that were proposed and passed at the special meeting that was held on Thursday, June 16th. Mr. Nutting briefed the Board on the various changes that have been made in revenue and expenditures. Alderman Hubbard moved to amend the budget by increasing the property tax rate by ten cents ($0.10) from $0.83 to $0.93 and to reinstate the 1.5% cost of living raise for City employees. The motion was seconded and failed by 2-5 roll call vote. Ayes: Mason, Hubbard. Nayes: Carneal, Head, Shoemaker, Schneider, Ellis. Alderman Shoemaker moved to amend the budget by proposing an increase of six cents ($0.06) to the property tax rate, from the current rate of $0.83 to a rate of $0.89. He stated that revenue generated from the increase in property tax should be applied to the following: $0.04 for paving expense; $0.01 for sales tax revenue (to offset the projected reduction in revenue); and, $0.01 for the demolition and blight program. The motion was seconded and failed by 3-4 roll call vote. Ayes: Hubbard, Shoemaker, Mason. Nayes: Schneider, Carneal, Head, Ellis. The amended ordinance was brought back and passed by 4-3 roll call vote. Ayes: Ellis, Schneider, Carneal, Head. Nayes: Hubbard, Shoemaker, Mason. 2.4 No action was taken on Resolution 11-15 to amend the E-911 Consolidated Emergency Communication Center Agreement. 2.5 No action was taken on Resolution 11-14 authorizing the transfer of City of White House dispatch employees to the City of Springfield. 3.0 Administrative 3.1 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the TVA wholesale fuel cost adjustment beginning July 1, 2011 from the current effective amount of $0.02366 per  kilowatt-hour to $0.02686. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. This adjustment represents an increase of approximately 4.5% in wholesale electric rates. The net result will be an increase of approximately $3.00 to $6.00 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 June as presented. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. This adjustment represents an increase of less than 1% in the monthly gas rates. 3.3 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the appointments and reappointment to the following boards: 1. Historical Preservation Ward Robert H. Ralston II 2. Cemetery Commission Dorothy Woodard 1 Nancy Harris 3 Bo Adams 5 Mike Fowler At-Large 3. Parks & Recreation Board Mark Hollingsworth Chairman Misty Williamson 4 Bonnie Johnson 5 Lillian Harris 6 4. Planning Commission Tony Townsend 2 Andy Yant 4 The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.4 Alderman Hubbard moved for approval to extend the current contract with CMS Uniforms for Springfield Police Department uniforms for an additional two years. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 4.0 City Manager’s Report Mr. Nutting reminded the Board that the Volunteer State Community College and Austin Peay State University ribbon cutting for the Highland Crest – College Campus is at noon tomorrow and students can register on-site for classes from 11 a.m. until the close of business. The formal dedication of the new campus will be held on Saturday, August 6. Mr. Nutting recognized Police Chief Mike Wilhoit who is retiring on June 30 after twenty-one (21) years of service in that position and thirty-seven (37) years with the Springfield Police Department. A retirement reception will be held at the Board Room at City Hall on Thursday, June 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. Mr. Nutting congratulated Chief Wilhoit and reviewed his many accomplishments. Mayor Carneal and the members of the Board also congratulated and praised Chief Wilhoit. 5.0 Adjournment With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned. ______________________________ Billy P. Carneal, Mayor Attest: ______________________________ Jane Shugart Murphy, City Recorder