Board of Mayor & Aldermen

MINUTES BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 20, 2011 Board present Staff present Mayor Billy Paul Carneal City Manager Paul John Nutting Vice Mayor Jerome Ellis Asst. City Manager Regina Holt Alderman Ann Schneider City Recorder Jane Shugart Murphy Alderman Bruce Head City Clerk Connie W. Watson Alderman Shane Shoemaker City Attorney Jim Balthrop Board absent Alderman Willie Mason Alderman James Hubbard 1.0 Call to order 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 Alderman Schneider moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen held on November 15, 2011, and the special meeting held on November 17, 2011. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously. 1.3 Presentation of length of service awards to City employees. 2.0 Legislative 2.1 Alderman Shoemaker moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-10 on 3rd and final reading, an ordinance amending Title 10 of the Springfield Municipal Code entitled “Animal Control” by rescinding Ordinance 00-28 and Chapter 4 entitled “Pit Bulls” in their entirety and substituting a new Chapter 4 entitled “Pit Bulls.” The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.2 Alderman Schneider moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-11 on 3rd and final reading, an ordinance amending Title 8 of the Springfield Municipal Code by  amending Chapter 2 entitled “Beer” by rescinding Section 8-211 entitled “On- premise” in its entirety and substituting a new Section 8-211 and adding a new Section 8-217 entitled “Special Occasion Permit.” The motion was seconded and passed by 4-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Head, Carneal, Schneider, Shoemaker. Nayes: Ellis. 2.3 Alderman Shoemaker moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-12 on 3rd and final reading, an ordinance reapportioning the aldermanic wards of the City of Springfield using the 2010 census block population numbers. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.4 Alderman Shoemaker moved for the approval of Ordinance 11-13 on 3rd and final reading, an ordinance establishing a utility for storm water management and establishing the method to be used in calculating a storm water user fee for all single family residential properties and all non-single family residential properties located within the city of Springfield. The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that measurements for non-single family residential properties are still being finalized and the staff is hoping to get the information out to the public in January and to initiate billing for the new fees in February. The original motion was brought back to the table and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.5 Alderman Head moved for the approval of Resolution 11-29, a resolution accepting infrastructure improvements in the dedicated rights-of-way and easements of Timberlake Subdivision, Section 14, Phase 2, and accepting a ten thousand dollar ($10,000) maintenance bond for Tony Dorris Builders and Developers, LLC. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 2.6 Alderman Head moved for the approval of Resolution 11-33, a resolution accepting a Surety Bond from Lexon Insurance Company in the amount of ninety- five thousand seven hundred sixty dollars ($95,760) in order to guarantee the completion of street, drainage and electrical improvements in Robmont Subdivision, for Robmont LLC, William H. Wyatt. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.0 Administrative 3.1 Alderman Shoemaker moved to approve the TVA wholesale fuel cost adjustment from the current amount of $0.02479 per kilowatt-hour to $0.02251 per kilowatt- hour effective January 1, 2012. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote.  This adjustment represents a decrease of 3.1% in the wholesale electric rates resulting in a decrease of approximately $2.00 to $4.00 on an average residential electric bill. 3.2 Alderman Schneider moved to approve the retail gas rates of the Springfield Gas Department as presented. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.3 Alderman Schneider moved to reappoint Mr. Chris Simpkins to serve on the Airport Board in a position that is a joint City and County appointment. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.4 The Board discussed the need to make an appointment to the Springfield Housing Authority Board of Directors. No action was taken. 3.5 Alderman Schneider moved to reappoint members to the following boards: 1. Board of Zoning Appeals Ward Don Sloan 3&4 2. Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals W.R. Weaver 2 Pam Swearingen 4 Eugene Dodson 6 Charles Cantrell, Jr. At-Large The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.6 Alderman Head moved to approve applications submitted by Springfield Taxi and Patriot Taxi to renew their taxi franchises. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.7 The City Manager informed the Board that Springfield Gas Department is requesting to establish a scholarship program for four (4) county high schools located within its service area, as part of their marketing plan. The funds for the scholarship would come from proceeds of a settlement agreement with Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company. Mr. Nutting stated that the City Attorney is of the opinion that funds for the scholarships cannot come from ordinary operating revenues of the gas system, but can come from voluntary contributions with Board approval, such as the settlement funds. Mr. Nutting stated that the scholarship would be awarded to academically qualified students who intend to pursue a technical program to earn a degree or certificate from any public or tax- supported college, vocational or technical school.  Alderman Shoemaker moved to approve the request from the Springfield Gas Department to establish a scholarship program. The motion was seconded. The City Manager recommended that families of City of Springfield employees not be eligible to qualify as recipient for these scholarships. Alderman Ellis moved to amend the motion by increasing the amount of the annual scholarship from one thousand dollars ($1,000) to three thousand dollars ($3,000). The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. The main motion was brought back and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.8 Alderman Shoemaker moved to approve a parade application from the Robertson County Black History Association to hold a parade in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 16, 2012, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.9 Alderman Schneider moved to approve a renegotiated contract with Parchman Construction that includes change orders for the Highway 431 South water transmission main, Phase IIB project to accommodate the widening of Highway 431 South in the new amount of one million two hundred fifty-nine thousand four hundred sixty-nine dollars and fifty cents ($1,259,469.50). The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that the change orders would accommodate both the scheduled widening of Highway 431 South between Batson Boulevard and Highway 41 and the future expansion of the highway extending from Batson Boulevard to Old Highway 431. He stated that the change order in the amount of two hundred twenty-five thousand seven hundred fifty-two dollars and forty-nine cents ($225,752.49) is to relocate the water line to keep it out of the existing state right-of-way. Mr. Nutting stated that the second change order in the amount of three hundred ninety-eight thousand eight hundred seven dollars and one cent ($398,807.01) is to relocate a portion of the existing 20-inch water line in order to accommodate the widening of Highway 431 South scheduled for the end of 2012. He informed the Board that the City would be fully reimbursed by TDOT for the cost of this portion of the project upon contract completion. The motion was brought back and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. Alderman Ellis made a request that further discussion of the Gas Department’s scholarship program be placed on the agenda for the January regular meeting. 3.10 Alderman Schneider moved to approve an Equipment Transfer Agreement between City of Springfield and Electrolux Home Products, Inc. for an A&C IntelliRupter PulseCloser The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that the installation of the intellirupter pulsecloser will protect Electrolux and the City’s electrical distribution system. Electrolux paid for the equipment in the amount of $30,697 and the Electric Department installed the equipment at a cost of $10,847.01 for overtime labor and equipment. The manufacturer’s warranty has been transferred to the City of Springfield. The motion passed by 5-0 roll call vote. 3.11 Alderman Shoemaker moved to cancel the agreement between the Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association and the Springfield Electric Department. The motion was seconded. Robert Gardner, Director of Electric Utilities, briefed the Board on the recommendation to cancel the agreement between the Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association and the Springfield Electric Department for economic development recruitment services. The motion was brought back and failed by 1-4 roll call vote. Ayes: Shoemaker. Nayes: Ellis, Carneal, Head, Schneider. Alderman Head requested that a representative from Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association be contacted for additional discussion of this matter at a future meeting. 3.12 The City Manager informed the Board that most of the golf carts at The Legacy are not able to service an 18-hole round of golf due to the failure of the batteries to hold a charge. His recommendation is for the Board to authorize staff to accept bids for both electric and gas golf carts with the condition that the winning bidder purchase the existing golf cart lease, take ownership of the golf carts, and sell them to pay off the lease at no expense to the City. Alderman Schneider moved for approval to accept bids for both electric and gas golf carts. The motion was seconded and passed by 4-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Schneider, Carneal, Shoemaker, Head. Nayes: Ellis. 3.13 The Board scheduled a special meeting in the Boardroom of City Hall on Tuesday, January 31, 2012; at 7:00 p.m. to discuss long-term planning options for water and wastewater system capital improvements. 3.14 Alderman Head moved to approve a request from Alderman Hubbard to attend the March National League of Cities Congressional Conference in Washington, D.C. The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that the Travel Policy for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen allows an elected official to attend one national conference, one state conference and one seminar or educational/training session held within the state of Tennessee per year. Since Alderman Hubbard has already attended all three (3), he must request authorization from the Board to attend the March National League of Cities Congressional Conference in Washington, D.C in March of 2012. Mr. Hubbard currently serves on an NLC committee. Alderman Ellis moved to amend the motion with the stipulation that if Alderman Hubbard is approved to attend the National League of Cities Congressional Conference in Washington D.C., upon his return, he is to present the Board with a full report at the next regular meeting and provide each member with materials supporting his report. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. The original motion was brought back and passed by 4-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Ellis, Schneider, Carneal, Head. Nayes: Shoemaker. 3.15 The Board discussed the status of Springfield public schools. No action was taken. 4.0 Consent 4.1 Alderman Shoemaker moved for the approval of Water/Wastewater Department request for approval to award the bid for water treatment chemicals. The motion was seconded and passed by 5-0 roll call vote. Bids were awarded as follows: Chlorine gas Brenntag Mid-South, Inc. $0.222 Potassium permanganate Brenntag Mid-South, Inc. $3.15 Hydrated Lime Industrial Chemicals $0.16 Hydrofluorosilicic acid American Development Corp. $0.385 Activated carbon F2 Industries, LLC $0.84 Polyphosphate Shannon Chemical Corp. $0.559 5.0 City Manager’s Report Mr. Nutting provided to the Board copies of the proposed Drought Management Plan prepared by the Water/Wastewater Department for their review. The proposed plan will also have to be submitted to the Tennessee Division of Water Supply for its review and approval. The plan will be placed on the agenda of the January 17, 2012 regular meeting. 6.0 Adjournment With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned. ______________________________ Billy P. Carneal, Mayor Attest: ______________________________ Jane Shugart Murphy, City Recorder