Board of Mayor & Aldermen

MINUTES BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 2012 Board present Staff present Mayor Billy Paul Carneal City Manager Paul John Nutting Alderman James Hubbard Asst. City Manager Regina Holt Alderman Willie Mason City Recorder Jane Shugart Murphy Vice Mayor Jerome Ellis City Clerk Connie W. Watson Alderman Ann Schneider City Attorney Jim Balthrop Alderman Bruce Head Alderman Shane Shoemaker 1.0 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 Shoemaker moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen held on January 17, 2012 and the special meeting held on January 31, 2012. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously. 2.0 Legislative 2.1 Alderman Hubbard moved for the approval of Ordinance 12-01 on 1st reading, an ordinance amending Title 10 of the Springfield Municipal Code entitled “Animal Control” by amending Chapter 2 entitled “Dogs and Cats” by rescinding Section 10-203 entitled “Dogs Not Allowed At Large – Exception” in its entirety and substituting a new Section 10-203 entitled “Dogs Not To Run At Large.” The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that the proposed ordinance rescinds subsection 10-203 (1) and substitutes a new subsection 10-203(1) of the Springfield Municipal Code to create a firm leash law. Mr. Nutting discussed the proposed changes and informed the Board that the first sentence of the new subsection is taken from a Knoxville ordinance and the second sentence is based on a Tullahoma ordinance. Paragraphs two (2) and three (3) will remain the same. The motion passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 2.2 Alderman Mason moved for the approval of Ordinance 12-02 on 1st reading, an ordinance adopting the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code. The motion was seconded and passed by 6-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Head, Carneal, Schneider, Mason, Hubbard, Ellis. Nayes: Shoemaker. 2.3 Alderman Shoemaker moved for the approval of Resolution 12-03, 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. The resolution authorized the disposal of specified vehicles, equipment and supplies belonging to the Police, Fire and Finance departments. 2.4 Alderman Mason moved for the approval of Resolution 12-04, a resolution supporting an application for a CDBG Blight Grant to eliminate an area designated as slums and blight. The motion was seconded. The City Manager informed the Board that the proposed Resolution 12-04 authorizes the application for a CDBG blight grant for the Bransford Community Center and will rescind Resolution 12-02, which authorized the same application at the January board meeting in the amount of $300,000 with a $57,000 match. Mr. Nutting stated that since the prior year application had been denied, he felt a request of a lower amount of $276,000 with a $60,000 match, which is a more exact estimate of the cost of the work, might help chances for obtaining the grant. The motion passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.0 Administrative 3.1 Alderman Mason moved to approve the TVA wholesale fuel cost adjustment from the current amount of $0.01996 per kilowatt-hour to $0.01953 per kilowatt-hour effective March 1, 2012. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. This adjustment represents a decrease of 0.5 % in the wholesale electric rates resulting in a decrease of up to $1.00 on an average residential electric bill. 3.2 Alderman Hubbard 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 7-0 roll call vote. 3.3 Alderman Schneider moved for approval to compensate the Davenports for additional easements needed for the Phase IIB 20-inch water line construction along Highway 431S, in the amount of $5,400.00. The motion was seconded and passed by 6-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Schneider, Carneal, Hubbard, Shoemaker, Head, Mason. Nayes: Ellis. 3.4 Robert Gardner, President of the Bransford Revitalization Board, updated the Board on several accomplishments they had made in 2011 on the Bransford Revitalization Project. Architect David Brown with Johnson, Crabtree & Associates presented the proposed master plan for the Bransford Revitalization Project with a plan for phasing and project development. No action was taken. 3.5 Alderman Hubbard moved for discussion about possibly changing bulky waste collection services. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. The City Manager addressed the Board on the problem of heavy trash and junk left along sidewalks and streets by property owners and how this situation makes our neighborhoods and city unattractive. Mr. Nutting discussed the survey information provided by the Public Works Department that shows how other cities in Middle Tennessee are addressing the disposal of bulky waste. No action was taken. 3.6 A special meeting was scheduled for March 27, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., to discuss the City’s contract with Billy Casper Golf Management. 3.7 Alderman Shoemaker moved to approve a request from the Public Works Department to convey a 250 square foot easement along the northern boundary of the Old Greenbrier Pike landfill property to Ms. Elizabeth A. Couts. The motion was seconded. Allan Ellis, Director of Public Works, informed the Board that when the old landfill property was surveyed in 2000, it was determined that the property line went through an existing garage structure owned by Ms. Couts’ parents Mr. and Mrs. Ross Sloan. He stated that Mr. Ross Sloan had been advised at the time and the fence was erected around the structure. Mr. Ellis told the Board that this easement would become invalid if the garage is ever removed or destroyed. The motion was brought back and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 4.0 Consent 4.1 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the Springfield Gas Department request to award the bid for one (1) regular cab pick-up truck and one (1) extended cab pick- up truck under state contract. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote.  Recommend: TN Fleet Sales – State Contract Regular Cab: $16,065 (V-6 motor) Extended Cab: $19,195 (V-8 motor) 5.0 City Manager’s Report Mr. Nutting reported that a total of twenty (20) substandard structures have been removed from blighted areas throughout the city since January 1. Sixteen (16) structures have been removed by the owners and four (4) structures have been removed by the Public Works Department. Five (5) structures are currently under repair by the owners. All of the new gasoline powered golf carts have been delivered to The Legacy golf course and all but eighteen (18) of the old electric golf carts have been picked up. The remainder of the old golf carts should be picked up next week. All of the ceiling tiles have been replaced in the clubhouse grill. The Public Works Department is constructing new sidewalk on the east side of Batts Boulevard between 16th Avenue and 18th Avenue in preparation for the paving of the street this spring. 6.0 Adjournment With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned. ______________________________ Billy P. Carneal, Mayor Attest: ______________________________ Jane Shugart Murphy, City Recorder