City Council - Regular Meeting

down there.

I will call the football city council meeting for Thursday, February 5th to order. May I have a roll call, please? Councilman Bodi, here. Councilman Walker here. Mayor Weaten here. Vice Mayor Eldrich here. Councilman Gilbert here. Five present. Thank you. At this time, I would like to ask those that wish to do so to stand for the invocation given tonight by Pastor Steve Dvoo of the River Church, followed by the pledge of allegiance.

Let's pray. Father, you're awesome. Thanks for the snow. Thanks for the hard workers that cleared the snow. Thanks, Lord, for your love that endures forever. I pray your blessing over our town, Lord. I pray you continue to provide for our people, employment. I pray God that you continue to give wisdom to our city council and our city leaders and our county leaders. Lord, I I ask protection for our police force and those who serve in our community. And we will give you the glory, Lord, each day for all these wonderful blessings in Jesus name. Amen. to the flag of the United States of America under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Pastor Steve, I'm going to thank the Lord for the snow, but I'm also going to pray for no more snow days. Tired mama here. Item three, consider approval of agenda as presented. Are there any changes? Yes, mayor. We do have one addition to the agenda will be item 7H which is resolution 2623 which um request approval from RJ Corman for a new railroad crossing at Oak Avenue. I'd ask that you add that to the agenda. Thank you. Do I have a motion to accept the agenda as amended? So move.

Got a motion by Councilman Gilbert, second by Vice Mayor Eldridge. Any discussion from the public? Discussion from council. We'll vote on that. Alth yes, motion carries. Thank you. 5A, consider approval of minutes of council meeting held on January 15th, 2025. Is there a motion? So move. Motion made by Councilman Gilbert. Seconded by Vice Mayor Eldridge. Any discussion from the council on that? Go ahead and vote.

All those correct. IB. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. 5B. Consider on second and final reading ordinance 0251018 amending the zoning code section 221 CL local commercial and section 222 CGE general commercial to permit subdividing units on individual lots upon review by the planning commission. Mr. Ward. Thank you, Mayor and Council. We've uh made no changes to the ordinance since first reading. Um I've had no call or comment. So I recommend approval on second and final reading. Thank you. Is there a motion? Motion made by Councilman Baji, seconded by Vice Mayor Eldridge. Any discussion from the public? Discussion from council. All vote.

All votes correct. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. 5C. Consider on second and final reading ordinance 0251019 closing and abandoning a portion of Baron Court rightaway. Mr. Ward. Mayor, council, this uh uh this uh closure and abandonment of Baron Court is associated with our project for the recycling center and a new saw bin location for the city. There have been no changes to the ordinance since first reading. We've had no calls or comments. So, I recommend approval on second and final reading. Thank you. Is there a motion? So, move.

Motion made by Councilman Baji. Is there a second? Second by Vice Mayor Eldridge. Any discussion from the public? Discussion from council. Call vote. All votes correct. Five. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you for the consent agenda. 6 A, consider ratification of the 2025 wellness program agreement with CRMC. And 6B, consider approval to purchase bulk deicing salt utilizing the statewide contract number 507, contract ID 66848. Is there a motion on the consent agenda? So move. Motion made by Vice Mayor Elder. Is there a second? Second. Second by Councilman Baji. Any discussion from the council? Right, we'll vote on the consent agenda.

All votes correct. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. On to new business 7 A. Consider resolution R250202 calling for a public hearing on the proposed annexation of territory into the city of Cookville, a referendum and a plan of service for the Dodson Branch Road annexation area. Mr. Ward.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. Um, this is something we visited several times over in 2025. Uh, the city council held a public hearing on a proposed plan of services and annexation by referendum of the Dots of Branch Road annexation area at your September 4th, 2025 council meeting. This annexation was initiated uh by an annexation request from a property owner to annex approximately 65 acres of of property located within the city's urban growth boundary. Upon studying the annexation request and to effectively and efficiently deliver public services, the city upon its own initiative included additional territory which has resulted in approximately 280 total acres in the proposed annexation. With the city including additional territory, a referendum is required. During this process, the Putham County Election Commission had advised us that holding a referendum during a regular election cycle would be more cost-effective than conducting a special election. At the November 6, 2025 council meeting, council passed res resolution R25117 directing the planning division to take the necessary steps and provide the required notices for council to consider a resolution calling for a referendum on the proposed Dodson Branch Road annexation area to be held at the May 5th, 2026 uh Putnham County primary election. So, our current annex annexation timeline is uh a notice was published on January 31st, 2026 for the planning commission to hold a public hearing on the plan of services. Uh the planning commission has held multiple public hearings in 2025 on this proposed plan of services. Uh tonight, February 5th, council considers a resolution scheduling a public hearing on a proposed plan of services and annexation referendum for the March 19th, 2026 council meeting. Uh public notice will be published for the uh council's public hearing um on February 21st, 2026. Signs will be posted in the territory and letters were sent be sent out on or before the February 21st date. This will

satisfy a 21-day notice requirement in Tennessee state law. On February 23rd, 2026, the planning commission will hold a final public hearing on the plan of services. On March 7th, a second public notice will be published for the council public hearing. sat satisfying a 30 to 60-day timeline uh in Tennessee code for the election commission to hold this referendum. Council will hold a public hearing on the plan of services, consider a resolution to approve the plan of services, and hold the referendum uh for the May 5th election at the March 19th, 2026 uh meeting. If the resolution is passed, approving the plan of services and uh we're calling for the referendum, the election would be held on May 5th, 2026. One track in this territory uh which is designated on your screen in green is assessed for agriculture and commercial purposes due to a cell phone tower located on the track. Property used primarily for agricultural purposes may only be annexed by owner consent. Now the planning commission has reached out to the property owner about being included in this annexation. This contract this track consisting of approximately 22 acres may be omitted due to its agricultural designation if the owner does not consent to annexation. So, I do want to uh make council aware of that. So, resolution R260202 sets a date uh for March 19th, 2026 to hold a public hearing on the proposed plan of services and annexation by referendum for the Dodson Branch Road annexation area following the timeline I've uh shown you guys tonight. So, I recommend approval of this resolution. Happy to answer any questions from council on this.

Thank you. Is there a motion? So, move. Motion made by Councilman Baji. Is there a second? Second. Second by Vice Mayor Eldridge. Any discussion from the public? Discussion from council. All

votes. Correct. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. 7B. consider approval and authorize a city manager to execute a service agreement contract and order form and authorize a purchase of software subscription with cit citizen serve code enforcement permitting planning and zoning and lic licensing software. Mr. Ward,

thank you mayor and council. Um the city currently utilizes an in-house permit management software system for building permits and code enforcement activities. While the system has served the city well for many years, in increased permit volume and growing complexity have prompted the city to evaluate more modern solutions. Planning and zoning functions are currently managed through a combination of paper applications, PDF files, and Excel spreadsheets, which limits workflow efficiency and makes digital tracking and communication uh more challenging both internally and externally. Some additional permits are managed through our in-house permit system, while the city clerk permits continue to be processed through existing paperbased workflows. As part of the city's broader effort to modernize business processes in conjunction with the city's financial ERP software pro procurement, the city included permit permitting management software in the RFQ process. After reviewing multiple vendors, city staff has selected citizen serve as a new permitting solution software for the city. Citizen serve would support permitting, codes enforcement, planning and zoning and licensing, and will improve internal coordination, strengthen c customer service, and enhance transpar transparency for our applicants. This solution will also allow the city to accept credit card payments for application fees, uh, improving convenience for residents and businesses. That's something we get a lot of requests for. This is an annual subscription service based on the estimated users. Uh this the the price that's been proposed is based on an estimate of 33 user subscriptions. The total cost for implementation for year 1 is $136,900 with each additional year fees at $59,400. Uh in our uh agreement, either party may terminate uh the the contract for cause or convenience by providing 90 days written notice prior to termination. Oh, this item is budgeted. Um I recommend approval. Happy to answer any questions from council on this.

Thank you. Is there a motion? So move. Motion made by Vice Mayor Elders, seconded by Councilman Gilbert. Any discussion from the public? Dest. Thanks for doing this. Any other comments? All vote.

All votes correct. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. 7 C consider for approval and authorize the city manager to execute a contract with Clinton Engineering for design services for widening Interstate Drive at South Jefferson Avenue. Mr. Bills

and council members, um, as we all know, traffic at the intersection of Interstate Drive, Neil Street, and South Jefferson Avenue has increased quite a bit in all four directions. Um, one good thing to announce is that uh, T DOT has informed us that when they resurface South Jefferson, this is another good piece of news. We are, we do, uh, anticipate South Jefferson being resurfaced from Interstate 40 all the way to the square um, sometime summer fall of next year, right, Mary Beth? Um, which, um, Lord knows it needs to be resurfaced, but I I digress. So, as part of this reservicing, they've told us they will, John, I think we got a slide here. They will uh agree to restripe Jefferson so that we actually end up with two left turn lanes headed north going on to um Interstate Drive. We believe this will greatly help traffic um on this portion of Jefferson headed north. Um in busy times, you can see that turn lane backed all the way up to the interstate. So, we think this will help quite a bit. and all that is restrapping. There's plenty of pavement width there to u handle this which um we're really glad to hear that. But as part of this also we've noted there's quite a bit of uh traffic backup um at Interstate Drive when you're heading eastbound at Jefferson. Um, so we've been exploring what's the best way to try to improve this and this contract would be with uh Clinton Engineering to do a design to add an additional eastbound lane. And when we talked about this Monday, we weren't certain then whether it would be an additional eastbound left turn lane heading north or an additional eastbound through lane going across to Neil Street like you're headed to Lowe's. our traffic engineers now believe that the additional

eastbound lane is what's needed the most. So, uh we can still tweak that. This plan is just to to do the construction part of this and then pave it and um stripe it how we determine to be best for this. Now, also um just to let everybody know that we're aware of the dip there in front of uh Starbucks and we've had geological firm look at that and um we've asked them to help us come up with some bid specifications for repairing that. We did have some borings done to show that it of course it's pretty obvious that it's got some really bad dirt underneath it and that's going to have to be repaired and will require grouting it which is a specialty type work done to fill any crevices under there. But our intention is to um get once we get these plans done, which takes about three months, is to complete this additional lane construction, fix that dip. Also after all that is resurface at least this section of Interstate Drive back to Walnut at hopefully the same time these improvements are done in Jefferson in terms of the reservicing. That's our goal. Now, I can't guarantee we'll make that goal, but that is our goal. Um, and then I'll also throw in that I've asked u when we do our budgeting this year for interstate for excuse me for paving in the city that we look and see if we have enough funds to pave the entirety of Interstate Drive which is also needed. Um so we've got a lot of big plans for this area. This is the first step in that. This contract is for um $55,000. That includes getting the construction plans and helping us with the bid process. And like I also said Monday to further complicate this and make it more challenging. I know Mary Beth loves loves a big challenge. We're going to try to coordinate this with a new sidewalk installation project that's running along Interstate Drive, which

will go all the way out through the south of this area and then goes actually goes down Jefferson and connects from the the gas station there and McDonald's and Wendy. So, this it's going to be a busy be easy area this next year, which we hope will be well worth it when it's all said and done. Now again, the $55,000 we have not budgeted for this for this fiscal year. The actual construction will take we believe over two fiscal years. Um the total cost will depend on when we get the bid in for this. Uh but we do have in our um transportation fund more than $4 million. Uh which again we talked about this Monday. Our transportation fund is set up specifically for at least a portion of it. Um onethird of it and we put 12.5 cents each year into our transportation fund. So onethird of it is um we um continue to accumulate to do pay as you go projects and this is a pay as you go project. We would pay for this as we go through through this fund. Um but um I'm going to request your approval and authorization to execute the contract with Clinton Engineering to do design services to provide an additional eastbound lane on Interstate Drive. And this I should have said this, the length of this is to be determined. It'll be a minimum of 250 ft. It could go all the way back to 500 ft. We'll evaluate all that, but I recommend your approval of the contract and authorize me to execute it.

Thank you, Mr. Mills. Is there a motion? motion made by Vice Mayor Elders, seconded by Councilman Baji. Uh any discussion from the public? Yes. Thank you. Uh Jeff King, resident. Uh I live somewhat near that area. This is wonderful. Um the one comment I'll add is that right-hand turn, and you probably know this, the right hand turn onto Neil um from um from South Jefferson is is a terrible problem, too. And I I know it's probably hard to do anything with with the power pole there, but anytime any heavy vehicle and since you have Lowe's and other hardware stores and other things and as more comes in there, um it it becomes an enormous problem and a hazard when uh when trucks that have to turn on that particular turn because it's just too sharp.

Well, we're aware aware of that. We've been working for a long long time with TVA to try to get that tower relocated. I would have loved to have included improvements on this side, but you're exactly right. We can't do a darn thing till that tower's moved and we can't move it ourselves.

I think it's just a matter of time before you have a tractor trailer hit that tower, but we are continuing. Now, we say this, TVA has approved allowing us to relocate that tower. You can guess how much that cost. So, we're trying to negotiate with them to at least cost share for that relocate because we believe it benefits them as much as it does us. if it gets them out of harm's way. And I want to thank Carl Haney, our energy department director who's helped make these negotiations. So, we're working on that. Any other comments? Comments from council. All vote.

All votes. Correct. 5. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. 7D. Consider awarding bid for the extension of Henley Drive. Mr. Mills,

mayor, councelor, you're going to get tired of hearing from me tonight, but I'm really, really excited about this project. Um, and I want to very pleased to announce that we have received bids for the extension of Henley Drive from Sam Street to Bunker Hill Road. This is about 675 ft of new street with curbon, gutter, storm, sewer, and sidewalks on one side. This would be a three-lane um street. We'd also include street lights, electric, water, and sanitary sewer and gas services. We opened bids on this on January 29th. We did receive four bids with Rogers Group Incorporated at $533,479 being the low bid meeting specifications. This uh project has been included in our major street plan for at least 25 years. And again, it will provide direct connection from South Jefferson to Bunker Hill Road. We think that will help alleviate some of the traffic that you currently see where uh Bunker Hill intersects with South Jefferson there at Kentucky Fried Chicken. We hope people will actually move use of this uh route to access South Jefferson. Um this project involves a very unique collaboration between private property owners and local businesses and city and state government. Uh, and I mentioned these Monday, but I want to go ahead and officially recognize some some specific people today because their contributions are what's made this project uh a reality or potentially a reality. First, I want to thank um Jack, Johnny, and Josh St and David Swellland who are the owners of TIP Enterprises, which is the parcel to u between the street and Sams. They donated all the rightway that we need to make this improvement which that is a a significant donation to um the city of Kwell and the taxpayers and and

all the people who use the streets in this area. Also want to recognize Rogers Group Incorporated which owns the track to the south of this pros extension. They've donated easements um necessary to complete this project and of course they are the low bid. We'll talk about that in just a minute. Also want to recognize our state representative Ryan Williams who helped us and worked with us with T DOT. And T dot has announced that they will uh supply and install the signals and mast arms at the new intersection or at the intersection of Henley and South Jefferson. That in itself is several hundred,000. Um so we greatly appreciate all the collaboration and the coordination here. This has taken several months for us to work through. Um but all the work when you can reach this point that um I think it makes it worthwhile. We estimate that all the combined donations um for this project well exceed half a million dollars. I mean this is you don't see this every day, guys. And I'm just really proud of this and thank the council helping us work through this in particular the mayor and and Chad. We had a lot of different uh Councilman Gilbert, we had a lot of different discussions and met with a lot of different people to try to get this to work out. So again, I'm just really excited about this project. Um funding for this Henley Drive extension will require budget amendment. Um with the cost of 533,000. As I mentioned earlier, our transportation fund has a surplus of $4 million. So we will come back to you with a budget amendment to utilize some of that surplus to pay for this. And again, that's exactly why we set up this fund. We're to do projects like this. So, it it's always rewarding to see stuff we've worked for and planned for uh to come to fruition. And so, I'm going to respectfully request your

approval to award the bid to the low bidder meeting specifications as their bid was submitted and authorized and ask your approval to authorize me to enter into a contract with Rogers Group for the construction of the extension of Henley Drive. Thank you. Is there a motion? So move. So move. Sorry. Okay, we're there. Council Gilbert. Yes. Who's joking? He's so excited about it. Second by Vice Mayor Eldridge. Any discussion from the public? Discussion from council. All right, I'll take a vote.

Brick 5 motion please. Thank you. 7E. Consider authorizing the city manager to execute change order number four for 2023 South Jefferson Avenue waterline replacement I40 to Reagan Street. Uh Mr. Turner, mayor and members of the council, this change order uh is to the South Jefferson project with where we have water line bid. This 10,000 of this change order would uh get us square with some of the work that we've uh already have planned. The remaining of part of this project is to extend water along Henley Drive. Total change orders 96,46540. And I recommend your approval. Thank you. Is there a motion? Motion made by Vice Mayor Eldidge. Is there a second?

Second. Second by Councilman Gilbert. Any discussion from the public? Discussion from council. Thank you that time. We'll go and take a vote. All votes correct. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Thank you. Um consider resolution R260201 authorizing the city manager to acquire by donation, negotiation or imminent domain certain land rights relating to the construction of an east west connector street south of 40. Mr. Mills.

Mayor council members. Um this is another project that we've been working on for many many months. Um we've been trying to determine a route, a potential route to actually connect Willow with Jefferson south of I40. We have and still are in the process of trying to evaluate potential routes. This has been our major street in our major street plan for I know three decades, maybe longer. Um, and as you all know with all the development that's happened south of the city on Jefferson and on what's getting ready to happen on Willow, um, a new connector is in is vitally needed. Um, and as I said, we're still evaluating the routes, but we we think we're getting close to where we'll be able to announce a potential route. And I'm also to the point where I'd like to begin negotiations with property owners. So this resolution resolution authorizes me to acquire property rights and easements by donation, negotiation, or imminent domain if necessary and I would request your approval.

Thank you. Is there a motion? So move. Motion made by Vice Mayor Eldridge, seconded by Councilman Baji. Any discussion from the public? Discussion from council. Right. Vote. Vot's correct. I guess motion carries. Thank you. 7G, consider approval of engineering contract amendment number three for the water treatment plant expansion project. Mr. Turner,

mayor, members of the council, our water treatment plant expansion project is scheduled right now to be complete in May. This is a contract amendment to the engineering contract which includes construction administration and inspection on that work. This change is for $88,400. I recommend approval. Thank you. You is there a motion? So move. Motion made by Vice Mayor Eldidge. Is there a second? Seconded. Second by Councilman Walker. Any discussion from the public? Discussion from council. All vote.

Correct. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Thank you. And 7H. Consider resolution R260203 requesting approval from the RJ Corman Railroad Group LLC for new crossing of the Nashville and Eastern Railroad line at Oak Avenue. Mr. Mills. Hey, council members. I'm assuming everybody got to see Chad's performance on our in the city update, which uh we did an excellent job and thanks to Chad and to uh

to Sydney for preparing that. But as you can tell, um we've made a lot of progress. I know Kevin Tucker here is from ASUS here tonight, but we're moving right along with our plans to uh to complete our plans for the 39 depot project. Um, a key component of that that we've discussed is um the realignment and of malfunction junction which would include connecting the southern part of Oak Avenue with the northern part of Oak Avenue which requires a railroad crossing. So, this resolution would request that R.J. Corman approve said railroad crossing. Give you another update. uh representatives from uh our engineering firm ASA and I met with uh National Eastman Railroad Authority, the executive board and their full board a few weeks ago and submitted our plans and our request for a new crossing and the executive board and the full board unanimously approved our plan and our request for our crossing subject to the approval of R.J. Corman. RJ Corman operates and manages the railroad for National and Eastern Railroad Authority. Um, so we want to be clear that the council unanimously supports this. That's what this resolution does. It also specifies that we will build this uh in compliance with all um requirements from RJ Corman, whatever standards they have and any other standards that may apply because if once we get R.J. Corman's approval, we still have to get T DOT's approval. So there's still hoops to jump through on this. This also commits us to the cost for this crossing and for other railroad safety improvements proposed in this plan which if this develops like we know it will um this is going to be a very busy area. A lot of pedestrians through here. So part of this project calls for

fencing the entire railroad rightway. It also gates the existing crossing at Cedar Gates the proposed crossing on Oak. um narrows the crossing um on on Cedar, which we believe is going to make this much safer. And we hope just based on um all the many safety improvements we're proposing that uh RJ Corman will see it our way and grant us this crossing because this crossing is vital. If we can't get this crossing, then very little of this project's going to be able to happen in this area right here. It's going to be much different and we definitely won't be able to alter broad in front of the businesses there, which that's one of the main things here is we can have an open area. But anyway, um I'll be quiet. I talked a lot tonight. I want to request your approval of this resolution and we'll take this resolution with us when we meet um with with R.J. Corman on February 11th. Is that right, Kevin?

Correct. Anything you want to add on this, Kevin? No, just thank the the support of the council on this. Uh obviously, uh it all kind of hinges on RJ Gordon. So, we'll put our best foot forward on the 11th and see where we go. But thank you very much. Anything else from you, Mr. Mills? You done? All right. Need a motion. Do I have a motion? A motion from Councilman Baj. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Vice Mayor Eldridge. Any discussion from the public? Discussion from council. All right, go ahead and vote then.

All votes correct. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. That concludes the agenda portion of our meeting. Is there anyone who'd like to speak to the council on any non-aggenda items? Seeing none, we will close that. Any comments from the council?