City Council - Regular Meeting

like to call to order the Bristol, Tennessee City Council meeting December 2nd, 2025 to order. Mary Lee, would you call the role? Yes, sir. Akre here. Turner, yes. Fire Robbin, here. Slaggel, here. Powers here. [snorts]

Welcome and thank everyone for attending tonight. Uh there are no public hearings tonight. So the public's opportunity to speak is during the appearance of citizens. Uh during this time, citizens are welcome to address the city council regarding any matter of city business, including any items on tonight's agenda. A signup sheet has been provided as you entered council chambers and those individuals desiring to address council. Uh, first thing we have, we have our invocation and pledge. Uh, Chief Matt Austin will lead us in the invocation and Councilwoman Akard will lead us in our pledge. Thank you. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you tonight with gratitude for the opportunity to gather and serve such a great community. Father, we pause to acknowledge your presence and seek your guidance. We thank you, Lord, for the responsibility and the privilege of leading this city and ask that you steady our minds, soften our hearts so that we may serve with humility, courage, and compassion. Grant each council member the wisdom and discern that what is right, the patience to listen deeply, the clarity to act with integrity in moments of disagreement. Lord, help them find unity of purpose in moments of uncertainty. Remind them of their shared commitment to the people who places their trust in them. Lord, may peace, respect, and understanding shape their efforts here today. Father, we lift up our city, its families, its first responders, its staff, its leaders, and all those strive to make each day a better place. May your peace rest upon us, upon our neighborhoods, our protection over our

residents, and your guidance in every decision made here tonight. Bless this meeting, Lord. May our words honor you, and may our actions uplift those we serve in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. And now for the pledge. I aliance 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.

All right. Are there any additions this evening? No, there not.

Okay, we have none. We have uh one recognition tonight. Um, it's a citizens appreciation to Cassandra Widner. Uh, invite Police Chief Matt Austin. Come to the podium and um, present. Miss Widner with Yes. Thank you again, ladies and gentlemen, members of council. Today I have the privilege of recognizing an extraordinary act of com courage and compassion. In a world where all the noise is all too often somber and tragic, tonight we get to celebrate joy and hope. In moments of crisis, it's often the split-second decisions of everyday citizens that make the greatness different. On a day that we could that could have ended in tragedy, one's w one woman's quick action, calm under pressure, and unwavering bravery saved the life of a small child in Middle Brook Lake. Her willingness to step forward when it mattered most reflects the very best of our community. It is my honor to present Cassandra Paige Widner with a citizen appreciation award. Miss Widner, [applause] [applause] I will I'll read the citation. On October 14th, 2025, officers were dispatched to the vicinity of 304 Redstone Drive regarding a child approximately 3 years old who was wandering around by himself. Cassandra Widner noticed the child and tried to engage him, but the child took off running. Cassandra called to report the danger of the child. She followed behind the child and observed him jump into Middlebrook Lake. Fearing for the child's safety, Cassandra jumped into

the lake to rescue the child. Cassandra's swift, decisive action ultimately safeguarded the child from severe injury or potential worse outcomes. Cassandra was not concerned for her own safety, but rather the safety of the child due to her heroic and selfless actions that exemplify the highest standard of civic responsibility. The city of Bristol commends Cassandra Widner and is honored to present her with this citizen appreciation award. [applause] [snorts] I didn't have anything prepared. So, I just want to say that I was thankful for being in the right place at the right time that day and for my son for being as calm as he could be in in the car when I left him there. [applause]

Thank you. [applause]

All right. Next, uh, we have no presentations. Uh, next up is the board of education report and, uh, believe Mr. Kurt Rutherford is going to give that report. Hi guys, thanks for having me tonight. Dr. Tudtor wasn't able to make it, so we drew straws to see who would uh, be up here. You do the short one. I'll let you guys decide if I win or lost. [laughter] We're glad to have you.

Glad good to be here. Good to be here. Thank you. Um I want to start off by saying uh thank you to our community supporters and to recognize the work of our family resource center run by Kay Ward. um through this holiday season and the contributions that that she gets from the community and and uh school system, we were able to provide 172 families with Thanksgiving baskets and or uh gift cards for groceries. U through the same efforts, she's estimating 294 total students to be served through Santa Pal and the Johnberry toy drive. So, those are all Bristol kids and Bristol families that'll benefit from from those community partners. I want to just note a couple upcoming events that we've got. Um, one first is kind of a new program. Uh, Tennessee High is participating in T DOT's paint the plow program. This is a new I think it's in a couple year couple years that T DOT's been doing this. They actually provide a snow plow, real working snow plow to the school. Um, so the Tennessee High Art Club has painted a mural on the front of the plow and it'll be used throughout S County to scrape roads and you know if we have snow events that will also be featured in the Bristol Christmas parade with our Mighty Viking band. So if you guys get a chance to see it hopefully before it scrapes any snow. [laughter] Um, if you're interested this Thursday at 10:30 at Tennessee High. There's a there's a press event. They're going to reveal the plow and T dot officials will be there for that. So certainly you guys be love to have you for that. 10:30 at Tennessee High on Thursday. Uh secondly, want to note our Tennessee High Magical dinner. Uh that's an annual event our Tennessee High Madrical singers put on. It's at First Christian

Church December 12th through the 14th. Tickets are still available for for uh for that through Tennessee High School. So, it's a great event, great meal. So, would love to have you there. And then we have several tournaments going up in Viking Hall. Um these are annual things that hopefully you're familiar with, but the Lady Starting with the December 19th through the 21st, the Lady Vikings will host the Doc Maples holiday hoops tournament. It's a great girls basketball tournament. Um, also we're all excited about the uh the classic at Tennessee High School presented by Toyota of Bristol. It'll be the 41st annual tournament um scheduled for December 26th through the 31st. Passes are on sale now um on the website for the classic and also I believe they're selling the food city now. So those got a lot of good new things planned for that. Some great teams coming in and some new fan amenities that we're adding. So Uh that should be uh the best tournament so far. So we'd love to see you guys there. And lastly, as far as tournaments, we have Brawl in the Hall. It's a wrestling tournament on January 30, I'm sorry, January 3rd and 4th. Uh it's a big wrestling tournament. Lots of teams coming in from all over the place. The place will be packed and lots of good wrestling. So uh couple other things on the wrestling note. We wanted to invite you guys to stop by uh building on Melrose and check out what we've done. We've got our wrestling in full swing down there practicing every day and we've done some some improvements and working on more. So, love to show that off to you guys anytime you're interested. Um, and that is all I have unless you guys have any questions for me. I'll just I drove um

not today, yesterday maybe. Um down Melrose right when school was out. There were a lot of kids walking to Melrose. So just thrilled that it it's walking distance for our students. So very pleased that that's working out and that it's open and usable and walking on lots of new sidewalks, too. So those and it looks a lot better, too, from the road. It's It's really cleaned up down there. So, I just like to thank you, Kurt, for all the work that you do on behalf of Bristol Tennessee City Schools and on behalf of the city and your um you know, willingness just to continue to work alongside Bristol Tennessee city staff and Mike Mains and all the work that you have done and continue to do. So, thank you.

Thank you. Cheers, Mike Mains and Kurt Rutherford. Yay. Merry Christmas and happy new year to you. Merry Christmas. Same to you. Okay, next we have the appearance of citizens, which it doesn't look like anyone signed up this evening. What's that? Okay. Yeah, this is the time just to keep your comments to three minutes and come to the podium and state your name. And

um my name is Renee Gaskins. Um, I was commenting on the ordinance. I believe it's the next thing up. And the only reason this is on my radar is because the city annexed the property behind my house and industrialized it and converted it to uh M2 industrial. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known about this. I wouldn't have known what the what the setbacks are. I wouldn't have known what the buffers were. And I've been forced to know that because because the realization is that since that has been done uh a factory was going to be built 50 ft from my house. Uh we have done we have gone to the planning commission meetings. We've come here to voice it and obviously uh it's going to happen. But since the planning commission meeting had brought up bring revising these ordinances, we had requested that consideration be given to residents whenever you industrialize residential property. And I am I am thankful that the the distance between my house and a factory is now 50 feet instead of 30 feet. But I had no idea number one that you could build right next to a residentially zoned property. and I had no idea that they could be built within 30 feet of our property, which is what it says. So, while I do appreciate that the planning commission has worked hard to add the buffer of 50 ft for not just us, but anyone who's similar similarly situated. I do want you to consider further amending the ordinances to provide pre further protection. It was mentioned at the planning commission meeting that that the city is out of property. So, we are not the only people this is going to happen to. More residents are going to have a factory in their backyard. It was also mentioned that you can't

have a bigger buffer than 50 ft because that would deter development. I just want to point out that if there's so much of that property affected by a reasonable development by a reasonable buffer that would deter development then I believe that the property should not have been industrialized that there's too much residents by it and if it's insignificant amount of residential property that's bordering the industrial properties then there should be no reason that you can't have a strip of no man's land along any residential border that protects protects the residents and protects the citizens. I know the city is eager to industrialize. I know that is a big goal of both the city and the county, but that has to be done responsibly and it has to be done with consideration of the residents that are adversely affected. I mean, we sit on our back deck every weekend by a fire and enjoy sitting outside on our deck. I don't know that we'll ever be able to do that with a factory 50t from our property. So,

mayor, three minutes is up. All right. You can you can finish your you can finish your I'm just asking you to not just think what this has done to us, but think what it is doing to everyone else that's in this situation. Okay. Thank you. Is there anyone else that would like to address council?

Hi, my name is Tracy Crawford. Um Rene is my neighbor. Um, we're in the same boat. When I bought this property, uh, my biggest fear was that a cow would get through the fence and eat my flowers. And now my biggest fear is an industrial accident, a chemical spill, an explosion, a fire. Um, I think we all remember what happened with Sperry and with Exide and those homes were much closer than 50 feet. And I have I bring this up every time, but I have to remind you that 50 feet is only a little over three car lengths. The the bench you sat behind is probably over half of that distance. It's not enough. And I think every single one of you know it's not enough. It's not enough protection to the homes that border that property. And I know that you need to word an ordinance for other properties. I know it's not just based on our property, but I think that there has to be some responsibility there. You have to add covenants or special provisions for properties that don't have enough space uh to do an industrial that adjoins a residential. I think there has to be some kind of responsible response to that. It it's not I you know the the house across the street from me my front door is 100 feet from his front door. 100 feet. And I don't want to look over there and see a factory or hear it or smell it or my home be vibrated by it. I don't I don't I don't know how that is even a a thought. It's not responsible. It's not responsible development. I do want economic development in this region. Um, however, you know, the factories that you're going to be able to build in this on this lot in particular are not going

to be, you know, 200 or 300,000 square feet. So, you know, you may be able to build something big enough to employ 30 people. I called around today and there are more than 30 jobs in production available. Uh, as a matter of fact, I work for a manufacturer. We can't keep them filled, you know. So, there has to be some balance there. I, you know, there you can put commercial development back there. Sure. Industrial, it's too close. It's just too close. It's not safe. It's not safe for me. It's not safe for for my neighbor or her grandchildren that play in that yard. I too enjoy my fire pit in my backyard. and and my property values are going to devalue rapidly once you start construction back there. I've already talked to and you know, Mayor Turner, you're a realtor. You know, that's going to happen. You know, that's going to happen to all of the properties that that uh border that property. So, I'm I'm just asking one more time to please put yourself in our place, in our position. What would you want? What would you want? 50 feet. Would you want a thousand feet? Would you want something de different? Completely commercial, no industrial I don't know.

Three minutes is up. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Is there anyone else? Okay. Next, we're to ordinances and resolutions. We have two ordinances on the first reading tonight. uh ordinance 25-27 to amend the city zoning ordinance to change the uses permitted in industrial zones and to require an additional buffer between industrial industrial and residential property. Miss Young,

thank you, Mayor Turner. Good evening, council members. Um first item up tonight, and we're working to get the screen back up. Uh but the first reading we have of the ordinance tonight is to uh amend the industrial districts or chapter five of the zoning ordinance. Um as the ladies who spoke previously described, this is something that the planning commission has been working on um for several meetings um and at their meeting in November um did vote to send a positive recommendation forward on the proposal u that's in your packet and on your agenda tonight. Um we went through this in the work session uh but briefly there are what I would say five points to this. The first four are related to the uses in the industrial zones. Uh the last one is related to the development standards or the space requirements for the industrial district specifically for the M2 zone. Um so the first uh four items are related to uses and those are that the proposed ordinance uh amends the permitted use uh entries in the M1, M2 and M3 zones by deleting coal yards from M1 and M2 and adding coal yards into the M3 zone and the M3 being our most heavily industrial district with a minimum acreage requirement of 50 acres and a special use permit process attached to it. Item two is to amend the public and private utilities entry in the M1 and M2s to accept out nuclear electric power generation. So that would not be allowed in the M1 and M2. Uh while other utilities would be uh the nuclear electric power generation would be allowed in the M3 zone. Uh, this deletes the manufacturing uses that are listed in the M2 zone that are unnecessarily identified as an entry alone. So, if you remember, and I'll may have it on the screen here in just a

second, there's a section in that M2 that has a lot of red strikethroughs with yellow highlight. That's not to indicate that those uses are deleted. The entry in the zoning ordinance is deleted because it's actually captured in that first entry of 31 32 33. all of those manufacturing uses. Item four, we removing stockyards uh and slaughter houses for animals out of the M2 zone and adding it into the M3 zone. And then finally um related to the development standards or space requirements uh currently the ordinance uh the the M2 entry in the space requirements chart uh does require a minimum setback of 30 ft. So the proposed ordinance bumps that to 50 feet when a manufacturing use in the M2 is adjacent to a residential zone. And it further calls out that this was a 50-foot buffer um not just a setback. So a 50- foot buffer that has to be maintained along any shared property line with a residential uh zone. It says explicitly that no structures or improvements are allowed in the buffer. The only thing that is allowed is landscaping, fencing, walls, BMS, storm water management features or utilities. So what that does is creates a zone against a residential property line where you don't have uh parking drive aisles, you don't have buildings, you don't have structures, you don't have storage of materials. So within that buffer, you only have landscaping features um essentially fences or walls. Um so that is the summary of the um ordinance and I'd be happy to answer any questions or expand on any of those points. Thank you. Is there any questions for Mich?

[clears throat] So, can you um just explain again? So, it's a 50 goes from a 30 to 50 foot setback and then how the buffering works. It's within that 50 ft or if you can explain it how again in a different way.

Yes, ma'am. Um, so the ordinance currently calls out a 30-foot setback for buildings. So that's going to apply to buildings and structures. That's what our setbacks apply to. That doesn't currently touch anything like a parking lot, a drive aisle, um, uh, any kind of additional type structure that you might build that's ancillary to the building itself. So that's 30 foot. Right now, if someone developed in the N2 zone, we would check for that 30-foot setback for the building only. What we've what we've applied in this ordinance is a 50-ft buffer. So there is going to be 50 ft between a residential property line to basically anything that is a building, a structure, a parking lot, a storage area. The only thing that is allowed within the 50 ft is going to be a landscape feature, storm water feature. Um your utilities can run through the buffer. So sanitary sewer, um water, power can run in that buffer. Um but there would be no um real use of the buffer in terms of things that the the neighbors might experience. Additionally, our our ordinance already requires a 25- ft landscape buffer if you're an M2 use adjacent to a residential use. So in that 50 feet, if the if the ordinance moves forward, you're going to have 25 ft of a landscape buffer and then another 25 ft of essentially it doesn't have to be planted with trees, but you're going to have a 25 ft area that's not going to be consumed by the industrial use of the property. So there's going to be a 50 foot uh buffer against that residential property line. And in the uh current ordinance it says a minimum of 30 feet. Is that also the language as a minimum of 50 ft?

Minimum a 50 foot buffer. Yes. Okay. Which then allows for people to increase that if they wanted to. It certainly can can go greater than a 50t buffer. Okay. Anything else? Do I have a motion to take action on 25-27? Motion to approve. Have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee. Akard. Yes. Turner. Yes. Fire. Robbin. Yes. Slaggel. Yes. Powers.

Yes. Okay. Next, we have ordinance 25-28 to amend the zoning map of Bristol, Tennessee by designating certain property as B3 general business uh 1241 Virginia Avenue. Miss Young will also present on this.

Thank you, mayor. Um so tonight the uh ordinance to reszone the property at 1241 Virginia Avenue um is a request that was presented by Adventure from Home Inc. Um the request is to reszone from R2 which is a single family and duplex zone to B3 which is our general business zone. The parcel is approximately 34 acres and surrounding properties RB3 and R2 in that area. The planning commission did review this request on November 17th and voted to send a positive recommendation on the request. Um, and just for I'll try to use my colorful language without a screen, but um, this is the property that's beside of the parcel that formerly was the location of uh, the green houses on Virginia Avenue. So, this is the um, parcel that's just beside it with two residential homes on the parcel. Uh the future land use map does indicate that the property would be used for commercial uses. Uh so that that does line up with the reasoning request for a a commercial use. Uh we did notify uh adjacent property owners by letter of this meeting and the request and we did post signs on the property. To date, we've only received one comment form back and that is in support of the resoning request. Any questions for Miss Sean?

For those who may not be aware of exactly where this property is, it's where the old me greenhouse was, just beside it, just adjacent. Do I have a motion on ordinance 25-28? Motion to approve ordinance 2528. Motion, a second. Second. A motion and a second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee Akre yes Turner yes fire Robin yes Sigel yes Powers yes

okay next we have two ordinances on second reading tonight uh first one is 25-24 to abandon unopened portions of Whitaker Drive and Buenav Vista Drive as public rightaway u this item was presented on the first reading at our November council meeting and Mich will present.

Sure. Thank you. Um so this request was submitted by Mrs. Stephanie Jackson who owns 15 parcels that uh are adjacent to the area proposed for abandonment. Um the area is zoned R1A. So everything is zoned for the lowdensity single family residential um zoning classification. And if approved, uh Mrs. Jackson has submitted a subdivision plaque already that will dissolve dissolve the property lines of those 15 parcels and she'll be left with one um sizable parcel uh there for her property. Uh the planning commission did review this on October 20th and voted to send a favorable recommendation to city council on the request.

Any questions permission? Do I have a motion on ordinance 25-24? Motion to approve ordinance 25-24. Have a second. Second. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee. Akard. Yes. Turner. Yes. Fire. Robin. Yes. Slegel. Yes. Powers. Yes. All right. Next we have ordinance 25-26 to amend chapter 10 uh animals article one in the general to regulate the keeping of roosters p foul and guinea foul within the city of Bristol Tennessee.

Thank you. So um we summarized this in the first reading but this is some of the we've worked on this a little bit on and off throughout the past year. Um and it was due to some complaints that we were getting um about the um number or noise related to some roosters uh in the city. Uh staff presented an amendment um during the September 2024 meeting uh which would prohibit roosters in city limits outright. Uh council did um hear that ordinance and listen to public comment that night um and decided to table the issue until staff could research um additional requirements and some of the issues that were brought up by the public during that meeting. Um the revised ordinance presented during first reading and then again tonight um essentially uh amends chapter 30 or I'm sorry chapter uh 10-10.12 of the city code and says that beginning and after uh May 20th 2026 that the keeping uh or maintenance of more than one rooster per parcel is prohibited within the city other than property that is zoned uh open space district or the OS district. Um, for the purposes of the ordinance, a rooster is defined as an adult male domestic chicken and this ordinance says that the keeping of p foul and getting foul is prohibited. With that, I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Any questions for M? Do I have a motion to take action on 25-26? Move to approve ordinance 25-26. Uh second second. We have a second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee, yes. Turner, yes. Fire Robbin, yes. SGEL, yes. Powers, yes.

We have five resolutions this evening. Uh resolution first one is 25-18 authorizing a change in the personnel policy as it relates to bereavement leave. Thank you, Mayor and Council. You have before [clears throat] you tonight resolution 25-188, and that is to consider amendments to the personnel policies bereavement leave language. This will allow for non-consecutive leave in certain situations. It expands the definition of immediately immediate family that bereavement leave would be eligible for and it provides for a cab of up to one [clears throat] week of other leave which would be sick vacation or leave without pay that could be used beyond the 3-day burment leave um where it would be appropriate and approved by a supervisor. So staff would appreciate action on resolution 25-18.

Any questions? Do I have a motion to approve resolution 25-188? Motion to approve resolution 25-188. A second. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee. Ak. Yes. Turner. Yes. Fobroin. Yes. Sliggel. Yes. Powers. Yes.

All right. Next we have resolution 25-189. uh resolution accepting a donation of real property on Phillipswood Drive. Park and Recreation Director Mike Mains will present. Mayor Turner, members of city council, thank you uh for the consideration of this resolution. It gives us an opportunity to uh really probably take care of some uh needs down the road. uh looking at this the background into it. Kevin Cardney came to us several months ago uh with 2.5 acres that he was interested in donating to the city too. Uh it's along Philipswood Drive. Um the parcel is assessed at $13,100. Uh staff looked at the site. Uh we reviewed it. We discussed potential future uses which included uh an opportunity if the Beaver uh Creek Trail was was built uh which was studied back in 2020. This would make an excellent trail head for that uh trail location. If that isn't to be the case, it also could become a pocket park uh and then also could be used for some educational opportunities there along the creek side itself. Um looking at maintenance, uh we found that it's just a wooded area, a wooded lot right now that would require just really no maintenance at all. And uh then the other thing too, the donation and details of of this particular uh opportunity, Mr. Carney will pay uh for all 2025 property taxes and any roll back taxes uh prior to the transfer. uh the benefits we see is recreational use down the road and um you know I for one uh am very cautious about what we do especially when it comes to obtaining land but uh this seems to be uh just the right fit at the right time for all parties involved so thank you for this consideration if you have any questions let me know

I've got one is there um any deed restrictions that is placed on this piece of property I don't believe so it's there there's none There are none. Okay. Okay. All right. Any further questions? Or do I have a motion to approve 25-189? I move to approve resolution 25189. I'll second. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee. Akard. Yes. Turner. Yes. Froin. Yes. Slaggel. Yes. Powers. Yes.

Right. Next we have resolution 25-190, a resolution authorizing acceptance of Brownfield's redevelopment area grant funds. Mr. Tom Anderson will present.

Uh thank you, Mayor Turner. Good evening, council members. Uh city manager Baja. Uh this is uh back in August, we engaged, uh the civil environmental consultants. we just call them CEC. We engage them to assist staff to uh submit for an application for a Brownfield redevelopment area grant which is the Bragg grant through Tde. And that allows us to uh do a phase two on the LC King building. Uh we were notified last month that we were successful with that grant application uh for $99,600. uh 94,600 of it will go to CEC to to complete a phase two. Uh and then there's 5,000 which is administrative to possibly reimburse the city uh for some staff time. Uh what what we're asking for is uh the acceptance of this grant and there is no match. Uh there is a there is a requisite requirement that we uh participate in the voluntary brownfield program. It's a VOAP, but it's it's a brownfield voluntary cleanup oversight and assistance program. We have to uh engage in that program and CEC will also assist us with uh applying to that program going forward.

Any questions? I have a question. Um it's great that we've gotten the grant. We always love having other people's money. Um based on this, what is the timeline of having this part of it executed and then from there what are our next steps?

Okay, they will be complete. They'll be able to complete this by the second quarter and then they'll immediately be able to if if the phase two bears out, but they'll immediately go for the brownfield agreement and get that in place, which then greatly uh limits the environmental liability for the city and its citizens going forward. If there's some uh things that need to be remediated or mitigated, we will then be able to go for a remediation grant, which is part of the Bragg program. Uh there is no match in that one. It also is the same thing. You have to be part of this voluntary brownfield agreement which we're doing anyway. Uh and if there is anything that needs to be mitigated or remediated, we can get up to a half a million dollars uh to that effort. And those are those are rolling deadlines. They changed the rules on that TC did. So we'll be able to apply any time this year. So, having received this grant, once that work is done, if need be, we would be in line to receive the next grant to keep the project moving.

Yes, we'll apply for that next grant up [clears throat] to half a million dollars. And again, that's no match. Thank you. Do I have a motion to approve 25-190? Motion to approve 25-190. Second. Second. Motion second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee Akard, yes. Turner, yes. Froin, yes. Slaggel, yes. Powers, yes. All right. Next, we have resolution 25-191 authorizing engagement of civil and environmental consultants to perform the LC King phase 2 environmental site assessment.

It's pretty much following up with what I just explained in the Bragg grant. We would engage them for a total of up to 9 $94,600 to complete the uh phase 2 environmental uh study. Do I have a motion to approve 25-191? Motion to approve resolution 25-191. Do you have a second? Second. A motion and a second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee. AR. Yes. Turner. Yes. Fire Robin. Uh, yes. Slaggel. Yes. Powers. Yes. Thank you.

All right. Next, we have resolution 25-192, a resolution declaring the intent of the city of Bristol Tennessee to reimburse itself for certain expendit expenditures and aggregate principal amount not to exceed $10 million relating to the municipal products of the city, projects with the city, and proceeds of bonds and other debt obligations to be issued by the city of Bristol, Tennessee. Holly Baron will present.

Holly, we can't hear you. Maybe it's not on now. Can you hear me? That's great. All right. Good evening. Sorry about that.

Um, resolution 192 authorizing the reimbursement um to the city from issuance of general obligation bonds should that occur in the future. Um, this authorizes the city to reimburse itself for improvements and/or extensions to city water and sewer system for certain expenditures in aggregate principal amount not to exceed 10 million $10 million with the proceeds of bonds or other debt obligations. No debt has been issued to date. However, this resolution will allow the reimbursement of eligible expenditures if the city does issue the bonds within the next 18 months. It was suggested by the city's financial advisor, Cumberland Securities, in the event the city anticipates the ne necessity for payment of certain infrastructure project costs for prior to issuance of the debt obligation. And this will allow the city to maintain adequate levels of cash reserves in the waterworks fund. With that, any questions?

I guess I just want to of clarifying this and I've had numerous conversations about this of We are not issuing any bonds and this ba mainly the reason we're doing this this is for our waterworks fund that if there were bonds that needed to be issued that would be paid back through the waterworks and this I guess we got today of the fact of the 735,000 which is going to be for the engineering of this project that we're under order with Tekk right seven that that $735,000 which will be I know in January or February before us then we can pay ourselves back that $735,000 wherever it is if we end up using bonds if we do not issue bonds and there's enough cash in the waterworks fund then we're just it's the same thing All right. We're just leaving the door open in the event that we do have to need to issue bonds for this. That would be paid through the waterworks fund. That this is no bonds that relate to any property tax crowers. This is strictly for the waterworks fund.

Yes. So, um, what you will have in front of you at Joint Sewer Oversight Committee and then at council hopefully in January is a contract for influent infiltration study and engineering work with um an engineering firm that will total about $725,000. Now, our utilities director is working to clarify and reduce that as much as possible. Um what this resolution does is when we bring that to you, you can approve potentially funding that reimbursing this the waterworks fund for the cost of that study and engineering work with a bond that would be issued in the future for the actual INI infrastructure work. Um the calculations would be done at the time that the bond would go to market. There may be a a time where given interest rates it makes sense to pay for that engineering study out of cash reserves or given interest rates it may make more financial sense to pay for it reimburse the city for it with bond proceeds. This resolution just keeps that option open for you. It doesn't commit to either either option and it certainly doesn't commit to issuing a bond at all.

Okay. So 730,000 estimate on the study. What's the timeline on that? I don't even I I couldn't tell you. I don't have it in front of me. We'll bring that to you as a completely separate item. So, is it possible it could take longer than 18 months? No, we are under the director's TC director's order. We'll have to start the INI work prior to that. So, that $730,000 goes beyond just covering the TKE order. Correct. Um, no. It's the study of the system and then it's the engineering for the pipelining. And I'm correct to say we've got 9.5 million in the waterworks fund.

That is the information that was emailed to you.

9.4 and change. Okay. Thank you. So my question is is is there uh a time constraint on when we could act to uh secure to to do this as far as a bond. U this is we're not issuing a bond. We're not what we're doing is we're being preemptive to say that we have the intent if necessary to issue a bond up to $10 million strictly for the use of um municipal projects specifically related to infrastructure. So I guess my question is is it imminent that we take why would it be imminent that we take this action now and not in the next few months

to be able to reimburse yourself. Holly, correct me. I know we've had this discussion. In order to be able to reimburse yourself for the cost of this engineering study, the bond the the resolution has to be passed before the contract to enter into the services goes into effect, which we anticipate bringing in January. So, if you don't have this resolution passed by January, then you cannot reimburse yourself for that cost in the future. If you choose not to reimburse yourself in the future, that's fine. You're not obligated to, but you lose that option if you don't pass the resolution.

At the end of the day, though, we are paying for it. It's just a matter of whether we reimburse the water fund through the bond or we pay for it directly from the bond. I think it's a little confusing to say that we would be reimbursing ourselves as though there would not be a cost to the city. The cost would either be through the bond or it would be from the uh water fund directly. Either way, it's an expenditure of that. It's it's not like TDC money is as was discussed previously. It's it's it's whether we're going to take it from Peter or whether we're going to take it from Paul. And so to Mr. Slaggel's point of the 9.5 million, I would think that there may be the question of why would we just not take it from the 9.5 million?

Well, you will. Initially you will and then if you choose to bond for a capital project moving forward to implement the project that is laid out in the engineering study at that point you can wrap the cost of the engineering study into that overall bond if if the numbers make sense and if not you've paid for the study out of the funds already because you have to do that before any bond is ever issued. Um, so you're correct. Either way, it's the money is being paid. There's no way around having to do that engineering work. And to Mayor Turner's point, I'm just trying to

lay it all out there and be sure that I understand completely. [clears throat] Regardless, such an infrastructure project would need would be required to be paid for through the enterprise fund. Correct. And so, um, we currently have the 9.4 change, 9.5 million within the enterprise fund. If the project came back and exceeded what's in currently in the enterprise fund, what then? We would have to talk about a bond. Your bond, their bond,

it would have to be bonded to that amount, but it would still had to be supported through the water uh works fund.

Correct. Yes. Yes. And to clarify, the INI project would be a sanitary sewer project. So there's a portion of that that would be an obligation of BVU as part of our joint sewer system, but there are other portions of that of our system that would would solely be Tennessee's responsibility. So, of that 725,000, there's a portion that will be paid by BVU. A larger portion will be paid by Bristol Tennessee. We don't have that split out yet. Those are all pieces that will be presented to you. Well, I think for me the reason that I am voting for this is number one of leaving the door open if need be and then at the end of the day if we are not able to pay oursel back I think it would be it's going to be a larger amount on the rateayers of the fact of if you're taking if it's 700,000 over the term of the bond the bond versus of that 700,000 out of the fund and what you had to raise rates to for that se cover that $700,000. So I think it's a leaving the door open to have the option and who knows may hopefully we will not have to bond to get this project finished. But if we do we can get the if we choose get the 700 back or we may pay the 700 but I think without this then we only option we have is to pay the 700. So

I just have two more two more things that have come to mind. You know me, I have lots of questions. At this juncture, regardless of what action is taken this evening, before any bond could be issued, it has to come back to council for approval. Yes, that is correct. That's the best.

And if I could just one more piece, um not related particularly to this resolution, but part of that engineering study is um assistance in looking for other funds, either state funds or federal funds to help finance the project, not bond funds. So we are still, you know, looking everywhere we can for other low interest or no interest and grant money, you name it, to help fund any INI project that we do moving forward.

So if I understand correctly, the action that would be taken tonight would be the action of a placeholder so that you can investigate to a greater degree [clears throat] other potential funding opportunities that would not impact our rateayers. and uh for the uh uh timeliness of being able to engage with the uh engineering consultants to put together the uh study. This resolution, all it does is keeps the door open to reimburse the fund, the waterworks fund, for the cost of the study should a bond be issued at a later date. That within the 18-month time frame, that's all that this resolution will do.

So, we've already impacted residents with raised rates. We have a waterworks fund of $9.5 million, and we want to potentially forecast debt for the city without a general plan. I just I can't support it. Do I have a motion to approve 25-192? Motion to approve resolution 25-192. Have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. Have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Mary Lee, Akre, yes. Turner, yes. Fire Robin, yes. Slaggel, no. Powers, no.

Okay. Next, we have our consent agenda.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. On consent tonight, you have the minutes of the November 4th city council meeting, the minutes of the November 18th council work session, approval of resolution 25-193, authorizing the purchase and installation of three snow plows, excuse me, snowplows through Sourcewell. Approval of resolution 25-194, authorizing the purchase of three salt spreaders through Sourcewell. Approval of resolution 25-195 authorizing renewal of the city's bulk fuel contract with James River Solutions. Approval of resolution 25-196 awarding a bid for the demolition of buildings at on 23rd Street, Lark Street, and Bay Street. Approval of resolution 25-197 authorizing approval of Veracity RX as the pharmacy benefit manager for the city's health plan. Approval of resolution 25-198 authorizing the purchase of software support for Civic Plus LLC for our website. Approval of resolution 25-199 authorizing the city to enter into a contract for legal legal services related to the AFF PAS product liability litigation. Approval of resolution 25-200 approving further revisions to the Bristol, Tennessee transit title title 11 program, excuse me, title six program. [clears throat] Approval of resolution 25-201 authorizing the city to participate in the state and local cyber security grant program and approval of resolution 25-202 authorizing the city to accept the Tennessee America 250 community support grant. And that's a retroactive approval. Would any member of council like an item to be removed from the consent agenda?

Hearing none. Mary Lee. Well, actually, do I have a motion? Motion to approve the consent. We have a motion. Do I have a second? We have a motion and a second. Mary Lee. Ak. Yes. Turner? Yes. Fire Robin? Yes. Slaggel? Yes. Powers? Yes. All right. Next, we have our city manager report.

Thank you. Um, just a couple notes here. At the last work session, the property tax freeze program was discussed as was the relief program that the city currently provides. Um, there was discussion about making amendments to that. Just wanted to remind our residents that we do already participate in the state's property tax relief program and that application period is open right now. Um, and if people are interested, they can contact our finance department for application to sit down and and determine if they're eligible. Then just some upcoming events. The Christmas parade, the chambers Christmas parade is this Thursday, the 4th, from 7:00 to 9:00. We will have the um float, so hopefully all of the council can make it to that. And we will be passing out great treats this year. Um, we have the Symphony of the Mountains on December 5th from 6:00 to 8 at the downtown center. the gingerbread jingle with Chris Kringle on December 13th from 11 to 1 at Still Creek Park. Uh Santa will be there and we'll have games and crafts. Journeys End is on December 16th at 6. And um just happy holidays to all. I can't believe we're already at the end of the year.

Yeah. Okay. City Council comments.

I'll go quick. Um wish everybody a very merry Christmas. uh it will be here very quickly. There are a lot of great activities going on, a lot of uh great businesses downtown, but for many this is this is their grandest season and they need the most support possible. Uh a thank you to our staff who is just working overtime uh downtown you can tell. But just the city looks very orderly and put together and the tree lighting last night [clears throat] was very nice and um our city staff does a tremendous amount of work to support Believe in Bristol and um just very excited about that. It's very cold outside. As you go about, please check on your neighbors and your friends and be sure, especially the elderly or those with small children. We're still in a time of food fragility. Um, our food pantries are in need of help. So, if you can help there and um just want to thank everyone for participating and for being here tonight and for watching at home and wish everyone a merry Christmas. Thank you.

You have anything? I'm good. Yes, you're up.

Of course. Thank you. Thank you very much. Um, so just thinking after hearing about our um gift of land and the potential little pocket park, which it is, whether no matter what happens right now, it's a pocket park, but wondering about communication to that neighborhood because it's been private property. They might have hesitated to go walk look at the creek or do anything. I haven't seen it to know how hard it is, how difficult, but whether there's opportunity somehow to communicate with the neighborhood to let them know that this property is now possible for exploration and for kids to go with their u parents or whatever to check it out and see what's there, etc. So, if that's appropriate to find some way to communicate that to the neighborhood. Um secondly, I want to express my um grateful for citizens who respond and how wonderful that is in our community and how some of that is has been lost as where our communities aren't as close-knit or as much strong a community and sometimes we feel like we need to have permission to intervene with something. So, thank you very much for having that instinct, for having that action and immediately responding. So, um, not only is that good for an individual act, but it gives us hope that our community is still strong and that we respond to needs. So, thank you very much. Um and uh speaking of responding and councilwoman P already talked about the vulnerable vulnerable folks and this morning I was at the day center where we're having almost a hundred people a day and people had to leave our day center that's inside the

Salvation Army family promise at Bristol does it at 1:00 to go outside until some of them got get to stay at Salvation Army with white flag at 322. two degrees or below. Other people don't have the shelter because there's not enough. Um, we need volunteers to help out. There's facility, the Salvation Army has room, but needs volunteers to be able to staff staff a shelter. Um, there's going to be some more organizing around that. It'll be a little late for this year, but um, the Selman County Emergency Medical, what's it called? Emergency management director,

emergency medical program department, management plan,

management planning. Um, uh, Miranda Belchure and Jim Bean and others are, um, working to try to have a more, um, a better plan going forward for our community. Also, uh there's with food insecurity, with the changes in SNAP that are going to be difficult for a lot of people to meet and to be able to report to maintain their SNAP benefits, the demands on our um food pantries are going to be um astronomical. So, just being aware of that and being ready to do what we can to step in. Um, and last, just I talked about it last time, I'll talk about it again. Uh, Scott Hill, who's back there running our camera, has gone from one theater, uh, Bristol performance to two more, I think, White Christmas and Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. So, uh, great way to celebrate in addition to everything else, uh, to go to a theater Bristol performance. So, they try to keep it affordable for families and uh it's great for our community to have community theater. Thank you.

Okay. Yeah, I was going to recognize we have uh BTS here, Clayton D and April Eids. Uh thank you for coming. And I see uh Mr. Kelly Graham snuck in in the back uh from our planning commission. Thank you for uh being here and thank everyone else and uh wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. We're journed.