Board of Mayor & Aldermen

MINUTES BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 18, 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 1.1 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 Hearings: 1. Ordinance 12-11, an ordinance to amend the Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2012. 1.3 Alderman Shoemaker moved to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen held on August 21, 2012 and the special meeting held on September 4, 2012. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously. 2.0 Legislative 2.1 Alderman Shoemaker moved for the approval of Ordinance 12-10 on 3rd and final reading, an ordinance amending Ordinance 05-19 and Title 17 of the Springfield Municipal Code entitled “Refuse” by rescinding Sections 17-113 and 17-114 in their entirety and substituting new Sections 17-113 and 17-114. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 2.2 Alderman Schneider moved for the approval of Ordinance 12-11 on 3rd and final reading, an ordinance amending the Fiscal Year 2012 Annual Budget for the City of Springfield by amending certain General Fund and Utility Fund budgets. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 2.3 Alderman Schneider moved for the approval of Ordinance 12-12 on 1st reading, an ordinance establishing a new schedule of fees for the golf course and rescinding Ordinance 12-04 in its entirety. Mr. Nutting briefed the Board on the proposed changes in the new schedule of fees for The Legacy golf course. He stated that the fees would remain the same with the exception that there would be changes to the annual fees. The annual fees for player’s pass, senior player’s pass, twilight play and practice, junior, and range would remain the same. The schedule of annual fees for full, full spouse, weekday, and weekday spouse would be replaced with a new schedule of fees that would consist of full green fees only, full, full add one, full family, weekday green fees only, weekday, weekday add one, and weekday family. Under the new schedule, annual fees can be paid monthly and will include a handling charge of approximately eight percent (8%). Mr. Rafe Corder, Director of Golf Operations, addressed the Board with regard to the proposed changes in the schedule of fees. He stated that the objective of the new fee schedule is to give individuals and family members more annual fee options that will be more affordable. The motion was brought back and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 2.4 Alderman Hubbard moved for the approval of Resolution 12-17, a resolution appointing Mr. Greg Riddle, Gas Distribution Superintendent, to be the City of Springfield representative on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Energy Acquisition Corporation. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 2.5 Alderman Shoemaker moved for the approval of Resolution 12-19, a resolution respectfully requesting that the Robertson County Commission fund its fair and proportionate share of dispatch costs for the E-911 Consolidated Emergency Communications Center. The motion was seconded. Mr. Nutting stated that the proposed resolution respectfully requests the Robertson County Commission to pay for its proportionate share of calls for service based upon the consolidated calls/consolidated staffing scenario. If the Commission fails to act, it gives them notice that the City will transition the dispatch operation to a direct call/direct-staffing scenario beginning November 1, and requires the County designated dispatch positions to be returned to County employment by January 1, 2013. He said that the best situation for all citizens of Robertson County is to continue as is with consolidated calls/consolidated staffing as a means to operate more efficiently and to reduce costs. Unfortunately, the City of Springfield will not be  saving money by returning to the direct call/direct staffing scenario, but the City will not be subsidizing other agencies that are not paying their fair and proportionate share of the costs. If the City is not saving money, it makes no sense for the City of Springfield to have responsibility for Robertson County dispatching operations. Each Board member was given the opportunity to express their opinion on the issue. The motion was brought back and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. Mayor Carneal then read Resolution 12-19 in its entirety. 2.6 Alderman Hubbard moved for the approval of Resolution 12-20, a resolution accepting a Surety Bond in the amount of one hundred thirty-five thousand eighty dollars ($135,080) for Legacy Subdivision Section 5B, for developer and owner, Tony Dorris Builders and Developers, LLC. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.0 Administrative 3.1 Mr. Nick Bednar, Regional Manager for Billy Casper Golf Management, presented a report to update the Board on the operations and goals for the golf course, as well as plans for capital improvements. No action was taken. 3.2 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the TVA wholesale fuel cost adjustment from the current amount of $0.02421 cents per kilowatt-hour to $0.02526 cents per kilowatt-hour effective October 1, 2012. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. This adjustment represents an increase of 0.4 % in the wholesale electric rates resulting in an increase of $0.40 to $0.90 on an average residential electric bill. 3.3 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the retail gas rates of the Springfield Gas Department for the month of August as presented. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.4 Ms. Jane Murphy, City Recorder and Finance Officer, addressed the Board on parade permit requests from Bethel Apostolic Temple Church and NorthCrest Medical Center to hold events on October 27, 2012. The Municipal Code states that only one permit can be issued for a single date. She informed them that Bethel Apostolic Temple Church is requesting to hold their annual Fall Festival from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and NorthCrest Medical Center is requesting to hold the 2nd Annual Boo Bash Dash from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Ms. Murphy informed the Board that both requests were submitted prior to the board meeting, but not in time to be included on the agenda.  Chief Thompson informed the Board that the two separate events on October 27, 2012 would not create a problem or a conflict Alderman Mason moved to approve allowing permits to be issued for the two (2) events to be held on October 27, 2012. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.5 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the request from the Whiskers & Paws 5k organizers to amend the parade permit application that was submitted and approved by the Board at the June 2012 meeting. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 3.6 The City Attorney and the Board discussed the proposed outline for a lease- purchase agreement for the Bransford Community Center. The City Attorney asked for guidance from the Board on the lease agreement. Each Board member was given the opportunity to express their ideas and opinions. No action was taken. The consensus of the Board was that the outline is acceptable. 3.7 Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the proposed wholesale base rate change agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) as presented. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. Mr. Gardner’s memorandum explained that the agreement is an amendment to Springfield Electric’s Power Contract which changes our wholesale billing structure to more accurately reflect the cost of power based on when the power is used, and provides benefits to customers who can alter their electric usage to off- peak hours. Although TVA is encouraging distributors and end-use customers valley-wide to change their electric usage habits to use electricity when it is less expensive to generate through “time of use” billing; the wholesale change as approved is a very modest step towards that goal. The change will have very little immediate effect on Springfield Electric’s wholesale bill and retail customer bills. It is revenue- neutral for TVA and is estimated to decrease Springfield Electric’s wholesale bill by less than eleven thousand dollars ($11,000). The effect on individual customer bills will be plus or minus three percent (3%) annually. The largest beneficiaries from the rate structure change will be large industrial customers having the capability to shift load to off-peak. TVA presented two (2) rate options for distributors. A Seasonal Demand and Energy (SDE) rate and a Modified Time-of-Use rate (MTOU). The MTOU rate was recommended because the SDE rate will eventually go away. The MTOU rate will have the least impact on Springfield Electric’s wholesale bill and will position the electric system for a time-of-use rate structure in the future. 3.8 Alderman Hubbard moved to amend the agenda by adding a request from South Haven Christian School. The motion was seconded and passed by 6-1 roll call vote. Ayes: Head, Carneal, Schneider, Mason, Hubbard, Shoemaker. Nayes: Ellis. Tony Felts, Director of Parks and Recreation, addressed the Board on the request submitted by South Haven Christian School to reduce the nine hundred dollar ($900) rental fee for the Martin Luther King School football field to two hundred dollars ($200). Alderman Hubbard moved to approve the request from South Haven Christian School for use of the football field at the Martin Luther King Park on Friday, September 28, 2012 for a rental fee of two hundred dollars ($200). The motion was seconded and failed by 0-7 roll call vote. 4.0 Consent Alderman Head moved to approve the consent portion of the agenda. The motion was seconded and passed by 7-0 roll call vote. 4.1 Springfield Electric Department request for approval to award the bid for poles in the amount of $13,372.50 to Thomasson Company. 4.2 Springfield Gas Department request for approval to award the bid for the natural gas line extension project on Highway 49E in the amount of $326,450.00 to James N. Bush Construction Company. 4.3 Finance Department request for approval to award the bid for an exchange server for the computer system in the amount of $20,795.11 to Dell. 4.4 Springfield Water and Wastewater Department request for approval to award the bid for a spare motor for the backwash pump at the water treatment plant in the amount of $29,746.75 to Industrial Maintenance and Engineering. 5.0. City Manager’s Report Mr. Nutting reported that a total of forty (40) substandard structures have been removed since January 1, 2012. Twenty-six structures have been removed by property owners and fourteen (14) by the City. Eight (8) substandard structures are being repaired by the property owners and four (4) structures have been permitted for demolition by property owners.  He requested that the Board call a special meeting to authorize the execution of letters of agreement for a municipal finance firm to act as financial advisor and a law firm to act as bond counsel so that preparations can begin for bond sales in December or January. The Board needs to decide in what amounts to fund the various projects. The Carr Creek sewer line repair project has been completed with the installation of the rip rap along the creek bank. New water mains have been installed on Martindale Drive, Woodside Drive, Pepper Street and Short Cheatham Street. The new water main installation along Memorial Boulevard between 8th Avenue and 10th Avenue, and along 10th Avenue between Memorial Boulevard and Brown Street is underway and near completion. The Public Works Department has been excavating dirt from the detention pond on the Bill Jones Industrial Drive side of the railroad track to create more holding capacity and help provide drainage relief to Queen Ann Court. Mr. Nutting reminded the Board that the month of October has been designated for fall cleanup and heavy trash will be picked up during that time. No more than three (3) bulky waste items will be picked up in one load. All loose trash items must be bagged. Limbs and shrubs are collected monthly. The next heavy trash pickup month will be April. 6.0 Adjournment With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned. ______________________________ Billy P. Carneal, Mayor Attest: ______________________________ Jane Shugart Murphy, City Recorder