City Council - Regular Meeting

Call to order the city council meeting of January the 6th, 20 26. Uh Mary Lee, did you call the role? Yes, sir. Powers here. Akard here. Turner here. Fire. Robin here. Slaggel here.

All right. There. Uh, welcome and thank everyone for attending. And there will be two opportunities to speak on matters of city business this evening. First, attendees are invited to speak regarding any of the public hearing items. Uh I will announce when this opportunity is open. If your comments relate to the subject of the hearing, please speak at that time. Uh otherwise, there will be another time. There was a sign up sheet out front for you to sign up on other matters of city business. I would now like to ask Mike Mains will come and do our invocation and Councilwoman Powers will lead us in our pledge. Shall we pray? Our heavenly father, we thank you so much for this opportunity to come together tonight and we are especially thankful for the beautiful city that we live in, for all the wonderful things that take place here in Bristol. and we just honor you with with all the love uh that you show us each and every day. Lord, tonight we pray for our city council as as we enter a new year. Just be with them, Lord, and and guide and protect them and and uh give them the wisdom they need to see that this beautiful city continues to grow and prosper. Lord, we also pray for our staff, our city manager, and those throughout the city that work so hard each day to serve you and also the citizens here in our our wonderful town. Lord, we know there going to be tough times ahead, but there also a lot of great blessings to come. Be with us through those good and bad times and and help us grow and mature uh in the work that we do and and then also in your name. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Amen. Will you please join me? I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay. Next section is our city charter requires the city council to select one of its members to serve as the mayor and vice mayor each year at the first meeting of the calendar year. Uh accordingly, it will be in order for a motion to be made to choose a member to serve as mayor for the coming year. Do I have a motion for mayor? I'd like to put into nomination uh Mayor Vince Turner to continue in this position for the 20 26 uh year. Second that. We have a motion and a second. Is there any additional nominations? [snorts] Okay. Mary Lee Powers. Yes. Akard.

Yes. Turner. Yes. Fire. Robin. Yes. Slaggel. Yes. Thank you. Okay. Now, may I have a motion for vice mayor for the coming year? I'd like to make a motion for um C vice current Vice Mayor Lee Powers to continue in her position as vice mayor. I'll second. Did you say? I said I would second. Okay. Yeah. Any additional nominations? Mary Lee. [clears throat] Powers. Yes. Akard. Yes. Turner. Yes. Fire Robin. Yes. Slaggel.

Yes. And thank you. Yes. Thank you. So now we're going to take a 15minute recess and then we will come out of recess and come back into our meeting.

Okay. Are there any additions this evening? No. Okay. We have two proclamations this evening. Uh the first one is on human trafficking prevention month. Uh, Councilwoman Fire Robbin will read the proclamation and Miss Gracie Delaney, community care liaison for community coalition against human trafficking will accept the proclamation.

Thank you. And I'll just note that some some of the trafficking we don't always identify as trafficking. So, it's important to understand what that means. Whereas human trafficking occurs when a person is recruited, harbored, obtained, transported, provided, purchased, or obtained through force, fraud, or co coercion for the purpose of performing labor or providing services, labor trafficking, or engaging in commercial sex acts, sex trafficking, and where it is estimated that approximately 27.6 6 million people are trafficked around the world and as many as 2,100 in East Tennessee alone. And whereas human trafficking erodess personal safety, dignity, and liberty as well as health and safety of communities at large. And whereas human trafficking does not discriminate based on age, sex, race, color, or national origin, but is however grounded in the inequitable conditions of relationships and society and disproportionately affects vulnerable individuals and marginalized communities. And whereas the need to is great to remove the veil of secrecy that allows human trafficking to thrive, disrupt the systems it depends upon to flourish and mobilize community support around survivors of human trafficking and help them as they seek to recover and rebuild their lives. And whereas a unified response by allied professionals, law enforcement, prosecutors, judge, judges, victims, service providers, health care providers, volunteers, and others is needed to provide safety, justice, and healing to survivors, hold offenders accountable, and promote the welfare of

the community. And whereas the Tennessee Counter Trafficking Alliance through the Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking in East Tennessee exists to educate Tennessans about the realities and the pervasiveness of human trafficking, foster collaborative intervention and prevention efforts, provide comprehensive trauma-informed afterare services to survivors, and advocate for more proactive legislation. And whereas during human trafficking awareness month and throughout the year, the city of Bristol is provided an opportunity to celebrate the collaboration and work that has been done while rededicating ourselves to all that is still left to do. to reflect upon and honor the resilience, perseverance, and courage of survivors and to urge everyone to recognize that we all have an active part to play in protecting the most vulnerable in our communities and ensuring survivors receive the care, support, and services they need. Now, therefore, let it be resolved that the mayor of the city of Bristol, Tennessee, does hereby proclaim the month of January 26th as human trafficking prevention month and January 11th as human trafficking awareness day, aligning the state of Tennessee and the rest of the nation in renewing our pledge to remember victims and survivors of human trafficking and re in reaffirming our commitment to end their exploitation. in communities across the city of Bristol the 6th day of January, 2026. [applause]

Hi everyone. Um, thank you so much for being here this evening. And this mic is a little crazy. Sorry. Okay, I think it might stay there. Um, I just want to thank the uh city of Bristol mayor's office so much for uh supporting human trafficking prevention efforts through proclaiming January's human trafficking prevention month and January 11th is human trafficking awareness day. Uh it's very vital to have your all have you yours all support in um these counter trafficking efforts. For those of you that don't know who the community coalition against human trafficking is, we are um the state appointed human trafficking agency for East Tennessee. We offer free community-based afterare services to survivors of sex and labor trafficking, no matter when or where they were trafficked. These services include therapy, care coordination, emergency shelter, transitional housing, family support, prevention programs. If you're interested in learning more about what human trafficking really looks like in East Tennessee, we do offer free specialized trainings on how to recognize and respond to human trafficking, you can go to our website, growfreetn.org, or and request a specialized training. If you would like to get more involved, we are hosting a comfort care kit drive throughout the month of January. Um these comfort care kits are offered to victims and survivors who are seeking emergency shelter at our shelter located in Knoxville. Um items that we are accepting are just basic essential hygiene items, tech items like phone chargers, um hair care items, and brand new clothing as well as like journals and pens and stuff like that. And um it those comfort care kits are just a small reminder to survivors that you know their community cares about them and they're seen and not alone. We have drop off locations at Branch House Family Center at 313 Foothills Drive and at the Johnson City Washington County Family Justice Center, also located in um Johnson City at 196 Montgomery Street.

Um thank you guys again so much for having me this evening. Um and hope you guys have a great night. Thank you. Thank you. [applause]

Okay, next we have a proclamation for the Isaiah 117 House. Uh, Councilwoman Akard will read the proclamation and Susan Cullum, uh, location leader, Hannah Kelly, support coordinator, and Danny Darnell, care coordinator, are here to accept the proclamation. Whereas it has become apparent that there is a nationwide crisis affecting families and the need to protect our children has come to the forefront. And whereas the city of Bristol, Tennessee has a vested interest in supporting children entering the foster care system. And whereas sadly those who have chosen a career in protecting children can become overwhelmed and it takes some time to meet the needs of children who have found themselves in this crisis at no fault of their own. And whereas when a child is taken from their home out of concern for their welfare, the uncertainty they face can be terrifying. And whereas prior to Isaiah 117 House, the only option once removed was to take the child to the offices in the Department of Children's Services to wait placement with a foster family. This was generally not an environment conducive to finding peace and healing. And the children often have nothing with them and are scared, lonely, hungry, and in dirty clothing. And whereas residents of Sullivan County and the city of Bristol, Tennessee, continue to support and volunteer with Isaiah 117 House to serve our children and to ensure the children are cared for. And whereas Isaiah 117 House provides a comforting home where our children can be brought to wait in a setting that is safe with clean clothes, meals, smiles, toys, and snuggly blankets and can focus on being a kid without fear and uncertainty. And whereas the SAO 117 houses welcoming space allows children to receive the comfort and care they need while the Department of Children Services staff can complete the necessary paperwork, outreach, and identify foster placement, thus changing the way foster care

begins. Now therefore, be it resolved that the mayor of the city of Bristol, Tennessee, does hereby proclaim January 17, 2026 as Isaiah 117 House Day, and urges all citizens to join in celebrating this worthy observance, the 6th day of January, 2026. [applause] I just want to say a quick thank you to our council um and the city of Bristol for helping us raise awareness and changing the way foster care begins for our children in our community. Um, since our house opened in August 2020, we have been able to lavishly love on almost 900 children. And this year in, well, 2025, we got to love on 108 kiddos and just last week, we got to love on one sweet little one. And we couldn't do that, of course, without God first. But our community and our city is second. And if you're going to be second to anybody, God's the one to be second place to, right? [laughter] But again, I'm so thankful for you guys for this. And um God bless you all. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause] Okay, we have no presentations this evening. Uh next is our board of education report. Dr. Tudtor. [snorts]

Good evening everyone. Congratulations Mayor Turner and Vice Mayor Powers. Um just a few things this evening would like to say thank you to the Bristol Tennessee Police Department for another successful shop with a cop experience before the holidays. We appreciate that. Our our student students and children in the community are really grateful for that opportunity. So thank you very much for that. Um also just like to spotlight a couple of um wonderful kids. If you're following our social media, we had our Fairmount students have started an early act club. It's a part of Rotary, but they started that last semester and they were able to provide snacks and meals for their fellow students, their their friends um before they left for holiday break as their service project. They did that in December. And then if we get snow, I'm hoping that we don't, but if we get snow, um the Tennessee High School Art Club painted, um one of the T dot, Tennessee Department of Transportation, um snowb blades on a truck. And so we hope that that will be used in Sullivan County. So you might see that out and about and it spotlights Bristol on that. So that's pretty impressive if you haven't seen that. Um, just an announcement. We have a health fair coming up on January 8th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. It's going to be held during the VT basketball game, Virginia High versus Tennessee High in Viking Hall. And it's sponsored by our coordinated coordinated school coordinated health department and then just welcome our students back today for second semester. We wish them well and hope they have a good semester. If you have any questions for me, I'm happy to answer them. I just I have a comment. If uh anyone here uh didn't have the opportunity to go to the classic, you missed a great experience. Um it had been a few years since our family had participated and we sat on right at courtside and saw some of the best basketball we have seen. And I'm a big basketball fanatic and I know some are going on to

the Tennessee game tonight playing Texas. But um did a great job. The volunteers that were there, the facility itself was exceptional and [clears throat] the competition was just beyond and the games were great fun. So good job in executing a great tournament. I appreciate that. Thank you. We do have over a hundred volunteers who make that happen. So I take no credit for that. It's a great great tournament and some of those folks have been volunteering for decades. So we appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Okay. Next, we have three public hearings uh on tonight's agenda. Um first one is ordinance 25-27, an ordinance amending the city zoning ordinance to change uses permitted in industrial zones and to require an additional buffer between industrial and residential property. Uh, this public hearing is hereby open. Miss Young will present.

Thank you, Mayor Turner. Uh, good evening. I will be brief. I know you all have heard this presentation once or twice um already. Uh but this work uh on this ordinance was born out of the planning commission's um efforts uh to amend the industrial zones uh to clarify some points and to add some additional um protections for residential districts that might abut an industrial district. Um the planning commission did review this uh for their final time on November 17th and voted to send a positive recommendation to city council um on this ordinance. Uh briefly, it changes kind of across five points in the industrial chapter of the zoning ordinance. One, it amends the permitted uses in the M1, M2, and M3 zone by deleting coal yards from the M1 and M2 zone, adds them to the M3 zone. It amends the uh entry related to public and private utilities in the M1 and M2 zones by eliminating uh nuclear electric power generation from M1 and M2. It uh deletes manufacturing list listings that are unnecessary in the M2 zone. So what you see on the screen here that's um got red strikethroughs. Uh it's actually contained within that item A. So it removes unnecessary listing list listings of those uses in in the M2 district. Uh number four, it removes stockyards and slaughter houses for animals as a permitted use in the M2 zone, moving it to the M3 zone. And then finally uh uh the more substantial new change for this ordinance is it does introduce the uh concept of a uh buffer of 50 ft when an industrial district uh or M2 district is adjacent to a residential zone. So what the um screen shows is that amendment to the uh space requirements chart in the in the district. uh and it does uh does require

going forward if an industrial use built next to a residential use and it's located in that M2 zone there there will be a 50-ft strip of protection where only uh landscaping landscaping features um utilities would be allowed no structures uh or any actual industrial use within the 50oot buffer that I'm happy to answer any questions. Is there anyone in attendance that would like to speak on this matter? Seeing none, this hearing, this public hearing is now closed. Next, we have ordinance 25-28, uh, amending the zoning map of Bristol City by designating certain property as B3 general business at 1241 Virginia Avenue. Uh this public hearing is now open and Miss Young will present again.

Thank you, Mayor Turner. Uh so this item concerns a resoning request um for the property located at 1241 Virginia Avenue. The request is to reszone from R2, which is a single family and duplex zone to the B3 general business zone. Um the parcel is approximately 34 acres. Surrounding properties are zoned both R2 and B3. Um, and again, the planning commission reviewed this in November of last year and voted to send a positive recommendation on this resoning request. This is an excerpt from our future land use map. So, the property subject to the resoning request is hatched with red lines. Um, you can see that red swath of coloring on the map. That does indicate a future land use classification of commercial. Um, so the future land use map does project a commercial classification land use that is appropriate and and coincides or lines up with the resoning request. We did uh our public notification requirements, so signs on the property, letters to adjacent property owners and advertising in the paper. Uh we did receive one uh comment form back on the resoning request and that was in favor and in support of the resoning request. Is there anyone in attendance that would like to speak on this matter? Seeing none, this hearing is closed. Next, we have the six-month plan of services for the Beaver Creek Road annexation. Um, this hearing is now open and Miss Young will present on this.

Just one more for me tonight. Um tonight, uh I'm here to present on the we've been six months out from the approval of the Beaver Creek annexation request. Um that request was approved in July and it was for two parcels that are um shaded in purple on the screen uh that are located on Beaver Creek Road at the entrance to Fox Meadows. Uh the two parcels in total are approximately 3.66 acres in size. And the reason we're doing this tonight is that Tennessee Code Annotated requires that we provide a six-month uh progress report and a one-year progress report and then a one-year progress report every year going forward um until the plan of services is satisfied. So this is the location of the annexation and this is the um plan of services that was approved. Um this what shows in red is what was recommended and ultimately approved. It was recommended from the planning commission. So that is in uh relation to the uh traffic light to be installed at the Beaver Creek Road Highway 394 intersection. Um that item since approval in Jan in July of last year has been um added to the NO's transportation improvement plan. There's also 20% of the budget for the project is included in the 2026 capital improvement plan. So, we are going to begin work on this um staff will start working on design um for the project really early this year. Um and we probably are a couple years out from implementation, but until that point in time, until the light is installed, we'll be coming back with the same report um for you at the year interval. The only other item that's included in the plan of services that was not complete or provided immediately upon annexation is related to the sanitary sewer service and that is slated for the

developers um lift. So that'll be the requirement of the developer once they have identified um what they're going to do with the property. Is there anyone that would like to speak on this matter attendance? Seeing none, this public hearing is now closed. Next is our appearance of citizens. Um, we had a signup sheet out front. There was no one signed up. Is there anyone in attendance that did not sign up that would like to speak on any matters of city business?

Okay. Is there if if you do do you just go to the podium and state your name? The name's Richard Squire. I can't tell if everybody can hear that. Well, I guess so.

Anyway, my first question is this. I can't remember when we had got these notices about this large increase on our house values. And evidently a lot of people must have been aggravating somebody because there's a lot of people was upset about it. And my wife said she heard it on television that they said that those values were exaggerated and not to take them too seriously. Well, first off, that's a lie. My house was more than what I was giving my nextdoor neighbor the same thing. And I can't speak for everybody else in this town, but that ain't nothing but a big fat lie. Now, I want to bring this up. By what justification that you have that allows this gargantuan increase in house prices? That's what I want to know. Anybody Anybody there want to answer it?

Well, I'll be I mean, we normally as far as answering questions right now, but I will say this that all of the reassessments are done by the county for the entire first Sullivan County and including the city of Bristol. uh they handle all of the assessments. Okay. It justifies them to do that with these gargantuan increases. I believe you know it's with the the comp [clears throat] they work under the I guess under the comproller of the state of Tennessee. But um

is the state of Tennessee behind this? Well, this I wouldn't say that So, it's just Sullivan County just took it up on Well, every county does the same thing. They have their own way of measuring of what the uh when they do a reassessment, whether it be every two years or every four years uh for the property values. But why over a 100 thou? Honestly, that's Yeah, that's something that needs to be investigated because something tells me what was y'all planning on doing with all this increase in tax money.

Well, I mean, we have, like I said, we've our we did not do the assessment. Yes, we have as far as that we set the tax rate and the county sets the assessment. Well, I tell you what is are they going to back up the idea that if people try to sell their property and they can't sell it for this gargantuan increase, are they going to pay up for the shortcom? Can't answer. I would say no, but I cannot answer that. Then who do I need to take this up with?

The property assessor's office is who? Can I get a name and an address? So I I do not know. It's the Svin County property assessor in Bloom. Well, I know where to start. So I'll get some information on that. Okay. Because I want to know what his justification is behind all of this.

Okay. because I know one thing, there's a heck of a lot of people that's pissed off and right out of the, you know, based on from my mortgage company, what my house was estimated for value, the increase for my house alone was $128,000 in one jump. I don't know about you, but I smell a very bad stinking rat. Sir, thank you for your time. But your time is up now.

Thank you. Is there anyone else that would like to address council? Okay. Okay. Next, we have uh one appointment. We have two appointments this evening. The first is for the park and recreation commission. We have one candidate for one open position, Isaac Demute. And would anyone like to speak on behalf of this candidate?

So, mayor, before we take up the appointments, I would just like to um ask and I can do it as a motion, but um council, if council would consider delaying appointments with the holidays, etc. Um, I don't know if our citizens got to pay attention. I know we do have a couple of applicants, but um, I would prefer if we waited and had a work session to be able to um, look at where we are and um, open it back up again. That's my request. Well, I say I mean I mean I don't have a I would for me I'd rather go ahead and with the vote this evening, but a lot of times when we had work session the even if we had work session the candidate deadline is after work session and a lot of times

that's true. Well, although this time we have a a noon work session prior to just allow an advertising to go during the non-h holiday time. That's my request. I do think it would be helpful for us to take a look at all of our boards and commissions and to see um attendance to check attendance to see how well everyone is functioning and to be sure that we uh have the right people in the right place and continue to be um applying uh to our boards and commissions were proper notices not provided.

Yes. If I close, then we should proceed. Yeah, I would only to Margaret's point, we did not have a work session in um December. I'm not supporting one way or the other. I'm just pointing out that it would be something for us to take up at some point in time to review our boards and commissions. I agree with that. I think that once a year, I [clears throat] think we've talked about this before, of looking at attendance, looking I guess of even going back and making sure that people what we have in place of the fact that they're still engaged

and the location also of as far as residents and so forth of what the requirements are for the boards and commissions. Um so these candidates not meet the requirements for boards and commissions. Okay. And that's in that's invalid. Oh no, we're not saying about the vote tonight. We're No, I was I was talking moving forward. I was just saying to take a look at it. Yeah, occasionally somebody moves and we're not aware of it for a extended time or something. So, so which one do you want first?

We have uh park and recreation right now for Isaac Demute. Is there anyone that would uh like to speak on his behalf? I was not able to speak with him and um had a policy some time ago of if I did not have the ability to speak with the person before then I'm not voting so which I did not vote for anyone. So

I like that policy. Oh, did I give you the right one? Okay, thank you. Councilwoman Akard has Isaac Demouth. Councilwoman Fire Robin has Isaac Demouth. Mayor Turner has none of the above. Councilwoman Sliggel has Isaac Demouth. And Vice Mayor Powers has Isaac Demouth.

Okay. Next, we have one candidate for the planning commission, uh, one opening open position, and it's Michael Smith. And would anyone like to speak? I I can also speak, but go ahead. Thank you, mayor. I I just have served with Mr. Schmidt on the beer board for a number of years now, and he's been not only a well attended member, but well voiced and well spoken and educated on permits as we received them, and he has good driving questions, and he's been an invaluable asset on that board. And I I could see no reason that he would not be an extremely valuable asset on the planning commission as well.

I agree. Yes, I've known him for quite some time and he is he jumped in on the beer board and has been involved and I know of many times not having a core he's he's always there so um I think he will be a good addition to the planning commission. Okay. And um I intended to race my vote for Isaac because I hadn't talked to him. I'm following on mayor's lead because I wasn't able to talk to um Mike Schmidt. So um hopefully I'll talk to him after he's appointed.

Okay. Thank you. Councilwoman Akert has Michael Schmidt. Councilwoman Fire Robbin has none. Mayor Turner has Michael Schmidt. Councilman Siggel has Michael Schmidt. And Vice Mayor Powers has Michael Schmidt.

Okay. Okay. We have no ordinances on first reading. Um we have ordinance on second reading is ordinance 25-27 um in the city's zoning ordinance to change its uses permitted industrial zones that require additional buffer between industrial and residential. This was presented earlier during our public hearing. And does anyone have any questions for Miss Young on this matter? And if not, is there a motion to approve ordinance 25-27?

Motion to approve ordinance 25-27, which will amend the city's zoning ordinance to change the uses permitted in the industrial zones and to require an additional buffer between industrial and residential property. Have a motion. Is there a second? Second. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee Powers. Yes. Akard. Yes. Turner. Yes. Fire. Robin. Yes. Sel. Yes.

All right. Next we have ordinance 25-28 amending the zoning map of Bristol, Tennessee, designating certain property as V3 at 1241 Virginia Avenue. This was also presented during our public hearing earlier. Is there any questions on this for Miss? Do I have a motion to approve ordinance 25-28? Move to approve ordinance 25-28. Do I have a second? Second. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee, Powers, yes. Akre, yes. Turner, yes. F Robin, yes. Slaggel, yes.

All right, we have no resolutions this evening and we're moving on to the consent agenda.

Is there go Okay, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Thank you, mayor. First item is minutes of the December 2nd, 2025 city council meeting. We have resolution 26-1 authorizing the purchase of information technology penetration testing. Approval of resolution 26-2 author authorizing the city to obtain cyber security insurance. Approval of resolution 26-3 authorizing [snorts] the purchase of four-speed messaging signs. Approval of resolution 26-4, adopting an updated consultant selection policy for projects funded in whole or in part with funds provided by the FHWA or Tennessee Department of Transportation. Approval of resolution 26-5 authorizing purchases through the byboard purchasing cooperative. Approval of resolution 26-6 approving revision five to the Bristol, Tennessee transit title 11 program. And approval I'm sorry I say that every time. Title six program. my apologies. And then approval of resolution 26-7 authorizing the application to the Virginia state fiscal year 2027 merit grant program on behalf of the Bristol MPO and authorizing a letter of support for such.

Would any member of council like an item removed from the consent agenda? Do I have a motion? Move to approve the consent consent agenda. Motion and second. Second. Mary Lee. Powers, I will abstain. Akard, yes. Turner, yes. Fire oven, yes. Sliggel, yes. Okay. Next, we have our city manager report.

Thank you. Just a couple of things. Um, first is just a reminder that there's a work session next Tuesday the 13th at noon, and that will be at the annex in the conference room. And then a welcome to our new transit manager, Melanie Fleiner. We are very happy to have her on. Uh she started just before Christmas and we look forward to all of the the work that she will do with our transit system in Mo. That's all. Okay. City council comments. I'll leave. Is that okay? Sure.

I would encourage, you know, uh we've had a new appointment to planning. If you haven't had the opportunity to attend a planning meeting, I would encourage you to do so. Um it's fascinating work. We have a a planning department that's very diligent. Uh planning is the bay along with uh economic development and so many other departments. But it is it is a a point of entry into the development of the city. Planning is critical for that. And um we have a very strong planning commission, a great chair. And I would encourage you, it's the third Monday of the month at and I'm always having a hard time getting there, but it's at five o'clock. And so I would encourage you to do that. I'd like to compliment the city on a great holiday season. Uh everything from the Christmas parade to the uh different events downtown, the Christmas tree lighting, uh the decorations themselves uh have done again a superior job with our holiday presentation as a community. And I'm sure most of you I think I think I've mentioned this before, but across the state of Tennessee per capita, Bristol ranked uh highest as far as per capita growth revenue dollars uh in regard to tourism. Um was it 15 15% close to that? I don't

I can't remember the exact percentage, but Bristol was first and Kingsport was right there with us. And we have a a great working relationship with our sister city of Kingsport and with Sullivan County and tourism is really uh leading the way and we're seeing an increase in our occupancy tax. Uh we're hoping for a great season with sales tax uh this year and so um hopefully we're going to have some really good numbers coming in. Fingers crossed. That's it. Next.

Um, so I have just a couple things. One, um, and talking about planning, etc., but want to thank [clears throat] our planning commission and our planning staff, um, for with our agenda items, we heard from a lot of people and we did make some changes. Not everybody is always happy or think that it's enough changes, but we did listen and did address some of the concerns that people brought forward. So, want to thank everybody for the work that was done to make that happen. Um, January is Martin Luther King celebration. Um, on the 19th, Monday the 19th, there's several different activities. uh on Friday the 16th at 6 o'clock at Lee Street Baptist Church. Taylor Branch is the speaker for uh King's Faith and Culture Series, King Universities. He's a po Pulitzer Prize era historian. And then uh Lee Street Baptist Church for 39 years has had a celebration on Sunday afternoon prior to the holiday and uh this year it's at 3 p.m. And then there's a community celebration on Monday um January 19th and at uh 12 to 1:30 the YW.CA will have children's day acti activities at the Y. And at 1:30 there's a march or a walk to First Baptist Church where there's a program with various speakers etc at from 2 to three. So hoping that people will come out and um commemorate the work of Martin Luther King and our civil rights. Thanks.

Anybody else have anything? I just want to say happy new year and thank council for uh the appointment for another term as mayor and uh for all us working together as we always have and uh moving forward. So uh also we have uh Miss Stanley in the uh audience that's with Sland County School Board and uh former mayor Rolls is here with us this evening. Thank you for coming out and uh we have yes Clayton with PTEES. So, uh, thank you all and, uh, happy new year and we're journ