Public Works Committee - Regular Meeting

We'll go ahead and call the uh public works meeting scheduled for uh February 10th, 2026 at 5:00 pm to order. Um we really only have uh just one uh item on the agenda uh to discuss tonight and that is on the winter storm cleanup that we're going through now. Um we have we thought we were going to have another one but Lance is not ready uh to bring forward a resolution about uh some uh some mailboxes and streets. So Lance is not ready does not have the resolution prepared. Um and so I called Mr. Evans and told him and he said that's fine. We'll just put it on for the 28th or when we meet again which is the end of February. So um um we'll go ahead and uh move there's no if there's no objection we'll accept the agenda as it is. And uh do we have any citizens comments tonight? Um here in the audience we don't. And so now we've got other agenda items and that's for discussion of the winter storm and the cleanup. Um, are you ready to carry us down the yellow brick road on this or?

Sure. Okay, let's roll.

What you have in front of you is a summary of our our response to this storm. Um, activities began, you know, prior to the storm occurring, we had over 200 tons of salt in stock. Uh midstorm we ordered an additional 150 tons approximately. Um we had five trucks with salt boxes and files. During the storm um continual plowing and salting of city roads. Uh we had to deploy generators to some of the main street intersections during the power outage and that uh alleviated PD from having to be out there directing traffic which is not a great situation in snowy and icy conditions. Um, we had 60 emergency service calls for trees blocking roads that had to be cleared in order to open the roads. Actually, more than 60. We had uh regular communications throughout the storm with Waste Pro regarding uh litter litter collection and um our our crews focused on the the trash routes each day in advance of of that route, you know, hoping hoping to make it so they could resume services. By the beginning of the week following the storm, we had generally caught back up with trash pickup and and were on track. Um after after the storm uh of course debate cleanup as you have seen driving around town there's a lot of debris uh and it's widespread unlike the tornado um this is pretty much everywhere right so uh city crews moved from the plumbing and salting uh to debris cleanup using the five city claw trucks we had prior to the storm contracts in place with looks great services and debris tech and they do monitoring and removal in accordance with FEMA guidelines. So it it all plays into

getting our reimbursements. So uh they do what's called cradle the grave and it's like from where they pick it up all the way to where it's chipped and disposed of. They track where that debris grows in order to get our FEMA reimbursements. Uh, and I I believe it was declared over the weekend as a um a full FEMA event, right? So, um anyway, continuing on with that. So, Monday the 26th, this is the Monday right after the storm, we initiated contact with the contractor to discuss uh potential operations for cleanup. By Tuesday, they had a representative here in Hendersonville. spent most of the day driving around with the representative looking at the damage and assessing what needed to be done. By Thursday the 29th, the contractor had mobilized equipment and cleanup started. So at that time they had two bucket trucks addressing leaners and hangers. And so those are like trees that are, you know, leaning over the roadway or hanging down over the roadway. They trimmed all those. Um, and two grapple trucks, which are basically like our claw trucks, but if you've seen them driving around town, they have they're massive, probably five times the size of our truck, plus they have a trailer. So, um, Wednesday, February 4th, so about a about a week later, they added an additional six grapple trucks, a small grapple truck, and four additional bucket trucks for for cleaning limbs. Um, and then by this the end of this week, they anticipate having their their grinder chipper on our um land disposal site to start breaking that material down and following it to its final disposal site.

So, the last little bit here is what we've done to date, and this is as of uh the end of the day yesterday, approximately 170 leaning trees have been cut or removed. 1,500 hanging limbs have been cut and 21,218.3 cubic yards of vegetation have been removed which equates to 604 lows that have been hauled into our our limb. What you're talking about limb disposal? It's off of um forestry tree 501. If residents don't want to wait for the truck, can they take Yes. Lyn there. Yes.

What Steve forgot to mention is that Billy Bella has donated sweet rolls that we delivered to the guys and um uh uh Santa F is donating a large pizza to all 36 public works employees. Wow.

So that's great. It's welld deserved. Um I will say this. Um, as far as the city of Hendersonville goes, um, uh, I can't thank you enough, not only as an alderman, um, and as a, as a Hendersonville resident of the the job that city staff and the mayor's office and Jesse, um, first of all, really did uh, in this because this this was a horrible ice storm. It wasn't snow. It was the ice that was the worst. And um I you know uh and I and I another thing I want to say about it is I really appreciate I can tell you right now um that Mike Alderman Martin um I'll call them out tonight that uh we were all in touch. I mean every single day. I mean literally from in the from the morning until the evening time uh that the majority of the alderman uh that you know that they would call me and I appreciated that and you know those are the times when you feel real helpless because I'm sitting there as an alderman but I'm also as a city resident people are calling and they they had problems you know but uh the city was right on it. I mean, when I did when I when I needed to call, the front desk would say, "Okay, we're we're doing it. We're already doing that." You know, and and that makes me feel good. Uh because I could honestly go back and say, "We're doing that." You know, and we're doing this and it's on schedule or it's on the list. Um the tree damage, I really,

mayor, I appreciate that so much. uh that what you um what you did because you planned on it was just like you knew you had that sense. Yeah. But but in all honesty, what it took is it took votes and budgeting by the board that allowed us to to pay competitive wages to our guys and be fully staffed. Yeah. Um and the you know the salt boxes and the uh and the equipment for plowing that y'all funded a couple years ago in the budget. Yeah. That's why we're able to do these things right here.

Well, it yeah, it was it's good because I uh was called this afternoon and said uh you know and of course naturally it was in ward one. I'm going to say, "Well, you're very welcome." You know, but they were the tree people were there loading up. Um, you know, and so they were call they were saying, "Thank you so much, uh, Mark, for getting that stuff out." And I said, "Well, it's actually the city." But, but if you want to give me a credit, I'll be glad to do it. You know, we just laughed. But um it was just really everybody got on board and uh and it was it um it was remarkable what we did um and how effective we were as a city. Only the things that the city was responsible for that we could get to. If we could have got to the other stuff, which I got a tons of calls on, we could have. But that's not our call. And uh and a lot of people didn't realize that. Um so uh but now they do for sure. Um and hopefully uh when the dust falls down or or or settles down that we will be able to maybe to discuss options with um um the electric service Nashville electric and then also as well just to see you know maybe invite them here and I'm not here get wanting to give them a beatd down because you're not going to get anything solved or resolved with that. They did the best that, you know, that that we could that they could. Um whether it fell far short or if it even fell short, um they know it, you know, and so they're they've got to, you know, uh they've got to clean that up themselves. And uh and if we can help them, you know, in some in some areas, I'd be glad

more than happy for the city to do that. But um maybe when it you know maybe later on uh in the spring we can sit down when there's there's no u you know eminent of of cold weather coming that we can sit down and and just ask them you know just we kind of know already what happened with them but for them to come forward and say look we're not here to beat up on you. We want to know what we can do to help. Uh if there's anything they may say, "No, I think you know they've got it all under we've got it all under control." And if they do, they do. Um so, uh I cannot express to you guys in public works, um how well that it was just a fine tune machine, man. y'all y'all got right to it and uh with the salt um and even with the tree damage, you know, getting out and replacing because um even on I live on the lake and it's uh it's a dead end uh street and there were trees that had fallen in the street uh on on Neptune and um so I was sitting there looking out the window drinking my coffee and the next thing I hear this and they went down there and got those down there to let uh those with those chainsaws and and they uh for the there's like one, two, three, four residences on the on the almost to the dead end that pro probably would not have been able to get well they couldn't have gotten out there for a while um unless they wanted to go up into somebody's um yard and there and we're not we're not like that and they just probably would have waited or got out and tried to move it themselves and uh but the public works people got out there and I

appreciate that and I know through social media I saw uh how you all did the whole city that way and um the fire department as well as public works and you know that's a sign a beautiful sign that winter city is just right on it because you work I mean I can't and so I cannot express the appreciation that I have as an alderman because it makes us all look good but as a citizen the the effort that you guys put out and I really appreciate what you did cuz I know it had to be hard work and long hours and in that cold weather because it was rough. Um, so thank you and if you will tell all your people that I uh, you know, am very appreciative or this committee is appreciative of what you did as well as the city. We appreciate very much.

Thank you. And I mean, it's a testament to the to the care and dedication of of the staff that that works at public works, you know. I mean, it really is the the road crews did a phenomenal job. And, you know, Trace cares about the city. You can you can tell. Oh, yeah. Yeah, when I would talk to Trace, he'd say, "I'm on it." You know, I mean, it wasn't even not even like think twice. Well, you know, we got to do this. He'd just say, "I'm on it." When when we talk and I was like, "Well, good lord, we don't even need to talk to Trace because he's he's he knows what's going on, you know.

So, um but Jesse and that and that is with your staff here at the city hall, too. the things that um I really appreciate what you all did. Um it just made our life as alderman so much uh easier. Um it was all it was hard for, you know, I had a lot of the alderman that were calling me, you know, that this is their first experience with with the cold weather. And so I said, "Well, this is if I were you, this is what you know, keep those comments private to them, but and and uh but I I said this is how I would approach it." Cuz I've been through it, but not like this one. You know, we've been through what? Tornadoes. I mean, we've had the I mean, the the best of all the worlds, I guess, or the worst of all of it. We've had tornadoes. We've had the ice, the snow, the the rain, and the water, which I think that's coming next. So, we'll I'm sure you guys will be prepared for that. Um, but but thanks again for what you did. And u and just what was it you told me when I I talked to you there? Team work makes the dream work. And I like that because that's that's so true. and uh and you uh get the team together and and get it all worked out and then the department heads do the same whether it be the fire, the police or public works. Um or just here, you know, and you taking care of all of it. And I know that was some late nights for you, too, I'm sure. So, thanks again. And I know our city appreciates it as a as a citizen.

Yeah, absolutely. It was a lot of late nights for Casey and and Trace. I think they they bear the a lot of the, you know, social media posts that always have to go out. Well, yeah. I saw the pictures. You god, did I go, God, they're out there in that public works crews were sold, you know, at night, late at night, early in the morning. And Stephen didn't put it on here, but, you know, he was in contact with our our emergency debris contractor before the storm rolled in. He was calling him and telling them, "Hey, get ready to mobilize. We're going to be the first to call you." And we were. So this there was work that went on before this even

yeah the storm hit the ground. So the guys did a really good job. Public crews worked excellent. Casey kept put the communication out for it. Fire department, police, we all joined together and you know it got invol everyone was involved. So they did a really good job. And you know a lot of the public facing stuff Casey's the obviously she originates all that. Uh everyone gets to drive the streets. So public works was a day responsibility during this time, but even fire department came in and helped cut some trees and so did the police department and everyone was really busy, but everyone is really a job.

Well, too. And I tell you, I have to confess to you, I really don't know much about Facebook, but Casey, I stole one of your your posts and and put it on my post, too, you know, but a lot of people now read that. you know, I'm impressed with the stuff that you did and uh you know, just keep doing keep doing what you're doing, man. Yeah. Thank you. That's our goal is just to help keep people informed because I think that helps people feel comfortable and they can calm down a little bit when they know that the city's working and what's going on. And so that's our goal for sure.

Yeah, it does. And you know, when we had a lot of our community, you know, with electrical problems with their homes and they would call and you know, and I u and I would say, well, you know, we're we're we're trying, you know, but it's really any the city doesn't have any responsibility that a lot of folks didn't know that. And I think that's something that you did uh with your posting to allow say hey it's NES or it's CMAC or who or excuse me Carl Electric uh whatever you know you know and told and gave those people the update on that because it was when it was you know so people are coming it's coming out of the city

and so that that helps a great deal because that's another post I saw years about three I think we got a lot of calls at city hall at the front desk. And I think the thing that we overwhelmingly felt was just people just wanted to be heard, right? They were very frustrated. They were cold. It was just a very difficult situation and they couldn't get anybody any answers. So they found themselves calling city hall a lot and those phone calls landed on my desk a lot and of course Natasha and W2. And it was just a matter of just listening and just telling them we're doing everything we can. We understand. And I think that that was huge just letting somebody listen because it's it was tough. I think our community was frustrated but really felt the love from the city which is the most important thing.

That's very true. And and then I know I'm speaking a lot but it was just there. And I'm just going to say two other things. the the things that I as as an alderman that I thought that were very impressive this time was the fact that when they called us, we had somebody that we could call and they called us right back, you know, or they answered and they said, "Okay, well, you know, get a list." And then they, you know, it was a couple of days or some of some some of it has been like a couple of days, but they, you know, they got it back and the people called me back and said, you know, that they've they've come by and thank you know, well, thank tell them thank you for being so uh quick about it, you know, and and I think that kind of being effective um helps when it is um budget time, you know, People say, "Well, you know, I had one guy call me and said, "Well, you got your tax money this time, Mark." And I said, "Oh, yeah." You know, I said, "We sure did." So, uh, I don't like to look at it that way, but you know, some people do and that's okay. But, um, we were very responsive and I and that means a whole lot to a lot of people and I know it does to me as an all. Like I said, it makes our job a little easier, even though we all were hard. And um but I but I really appreciate how the alderman responded uh that the ones that I spoke with, Mark Burgdorf and Martin and um gosh, uh Rachel um and then Mark Evans. I mean, I I about call everybody. We were in communication, but the public works committee, we were in we were in contact with each I mean every day and night. I mean, you know, we were just making sure everybody it's not any clandestine thing. We were just making

sure everything was covered that we knew that each other knew. And so we um you know as a committee, you know, I I appreciate the efforts that uh that this committee did and and uh um even sometimes when you're not you're not at home, uh you still get calls and start and do your business from the city. And Eddie, I appreciate all the efforts that you did too, buddy, because I know you were lucky. So you you've been away, but we appreciated you, too.

So, uh, but I didn't I don't ever get calls from Eddie because I know he's got he he already knows his own system. I know Tracy's phone there.

So, uh, he took care of it. So, I wasn't I'm not sliding anywhere. I wish I'd have been with you down down where you were, but you still took care of your ward, and I appreciate that, too, as as an alder. And so I want to go ahead and Oh. Oh, and there was one more thing I was going to say and then I'm gonna open the floor up to the the aluminum. this city. I have to say this because it's still and and I know I say it in every disaster, but this city as a as a people continually amazed me and and the gratitude that I have for my hometown because there were times when when they got, you know, they got out and got their stuff done, but the neighbors would even come out not even being asked but just came out and started helping people, you know, move cut the trees because we have a lot of tree damage in W one. I know it as well as the whole city. But in Ward One, it's like Eddie and I were talking about it. Um, we have a lot of the older trees because it's an older part of Hendersonville and they were damaged. Uh, I know a lot of our trees uh were damaged and I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna buy other trees to put back where where you know where they're they weren't uh or they're gone now. And that's a sad thing. Um I hated that about two or three trees in there that I really loved on at that house, but um you know they're gone. They just I mean it was just like a hand grenade going off when you'd hear them snap. And um so I'd call the bird dors cuz he's just right up and I'd say, "Did you hear that?" You know, and he goes, "No, but I'm I said and I went outside. It was a tree cuz it was

loud and uh but it was so quiet because of the ice." Um, so but uh but what I was going to say is the this town I truly love the city because everybody gets out and don't they don't even like ask about it. They just get out and do it and it doesn't matter if there's a tornado or if it's ice. I mean our and that's truly says speaks a lot about this city. It really does. And uh I'm just so grateful that I live here and u and it makes me you know it just I you know I just sat down at my desk at the house and I was going like you know I don't want to live anywhere else you know and I and believe you me I've got that opportunity to do that now with what's all happened in my with the deaths of in my family and I just like I like Henderson Bill, the people are nice, you know, and and it's like, and then I'll close with this. I was talking to somebody about it and he said, "Yeah, I said, you go to New York, you can't even look at anybody. You just walk down the the uh you know, they I was born said because Skidmore, don't look at him, just walk straight ahead going, what you're doing, don't you know, and here people open the door for you when you go to Walmart or they say, hey, how you know, how you doing?" You know, and in the old saying when you're driving down, let's say, I don't know, Susan Drive or somewhere like that, somebody will go, you'll see in a truck or something, they'll, you know, they'll do their hands or they'll just wave at you and they don't I don't know who they are, but you know, people do that and and there are certain cities within our own country that you don't you can't do that and that's what makes this town so

special. So, I just thank everybody and uh everything that we did, we did, you know, as a rule of the city. We we did it right and and so I thank you guys. So, I'm going to go ahead. Does anybody have any questions on dealing with the damage or or any questions about it or if anybody else has any comments on it, we sure will be welcome to it uh to hear them. Any negative things or positive All right. Anything negative? I just want to echo your thought, but you guys did up the top.

Um the cleanup I think u it's going to take a long time. So I think letting people know that um so they can kind of expect that. Okay. Uh so uh Stephen or staff, what kind of communications did we have with the electric companies? Do do we have some kind of uh staff layers on uh that we can talk to each other or is it mainly through the mayor and the the mayor of Nashville? Is that the main line of communication that we had with the power companies? We have a person at NES that the mayor is the primary point of contact mayor Clary.

Yes. Uh with NES. It's the person that they assign at NES to have contact with with the city. So that was our primary. There was a couple calls we were able to hop on. Um at the end of the storm event, we were able to get some more specific details. Uh but at the beginning of the storm event, you know, we didn't have a lot of specific details to say we're dealing with obviously, you know, catastrophe with two over 230,000 outages at the beginning. So as the storm kind of progressed on, the communication got better. But at the beginning, I think they were just completely hands-on trying to fix the power lines and communication to us. I don't think was at the top of their list. It was the priority was getting power.

So, I understand that the mayor of Nashville has announced that there's going to be an independent audit of the response. Uh I don't know if there's going to be a a task force uh that kind of helps with the evaluation of the audit and uh listens and then makes any recommendations to the board NES board. But if there is that movement, I hope that we will strongly urge that we have a seat at the table somewhat in Sar County probably from Hendersonville because NES is it serve does it serve customers outside of Hendersonville in Sar County or is it mainly

Goodletsville as well? Yeah. So, so as as as uh and I wish the mayor was here, not him. as they move forward with that process of evaluation. I hope that we can say, "Hey, you know, we don't have a seat on the board. Our county doesn't, but we would like a seat at the table on the evaluation of the audit kind of a the task force." And to me, that would be an easy ask, you know, to to try to get someone uh either from the city, some someone, you know, from our technical staff. Mayor, that's just what we were talking about.

As I was saying that I've heard that the mayor of Nashville has announced that there's going to be an independent audit of NES uh in their response. I don't know if that's moving forward, but if it does, I'm hoping that uh we can have some kind of representation on the task force that would be looking at the audit and kind of filling in the auditor of things they need to look for and, you know, kind of have some input from from our community.

Yeah, I agree. I've emailed our four people in state delegation and also uh included uh Mayor Okonnell on that. let them know that in 2004 this board passed a resolution to ask for representation NES board uh and that there is if there's any appetite or any discussion about that we would like to be included in that. I also sent our state delegation a map of the NES service area and all the cities that are included not just the map that shows you the service area but outline the cities. Uh actually JP put that together for me and it shows Hendersonville is a pretty good chunk. Yeah, the the suburbs probably might be 10 to 12% of the total number of customers. Um, and I think that regardless of what the percentage is, how high or high low or how low it is when you're talking about a government entity, which basically has a monopoly, that's what you're talking about. You're talking about a government entity,

um, that that all the customers should have some representation on there. Yeah. So, and I'll I'll follow up. I haven't done anything on that. In a couple days, I'll follow.

Yeah. Um, thank you for for all the stuff you've done, mayor. I've just it's it's I I've watched from afar. Uh, but but watched and you you you did a great job in keeping the community aware. Uh, I also understand from NES and reading that they're looking at possibly investing in underlying transmission lines to to help prevent this. So hopefully we can get at the front of the line if there are movements toward burying transmission cables that we can, you know, say, "Hey, we need at least Main Street buried." So Jesse and Keith and I uh well Jesse and Keith really started this ball rolling in and talking with folks at NES about that and reminding them that three times in the past five years now four in the past six years we've had trouble with reliability of electricity. Uh and I've also talked to every NES board member not specific about this but specifically about um reliability in Hendersonville uh and and showing them appreciation for the amount of attention they that they do give us. Um maybe I'm greasing the wheels a little bit, but I want them to understand that we're paying attention. Uh we actually had a meeting with um two of the vice presidents at NES the Friday before the storm hit. Um and we had also been trying to put together a meeting with folks from the boarding company. They had to cancel on us because of the storm, but we've got something set. It's Thursday, I think it is, uh with them. Okay. Um so this these conversations uh about burying power lines. Um I think that if anybody looks at who's which city is most ready to be a partner

good uh Stephen before Sarah left that the staff developed a resiliency uh program. Is that is that what it is?

That might be a good time to kind of look at that again. And probably y'all already have the generators that we were able to to jin up the the traffic signals were a part of that investment that the board made. I I I'd like at some future date, Mr. Chairman, I would like kind of an update on the resiliency plan. Where do we stand? What else do we need to fund? Is there a a an effort to to look at maybe some additional steps to take to make the grid a little more resilient? I I don't know what those are, but but I think it it's a good time now post catastrophe that we've had to look at those plans and do we need to uh did we have any fire or police stations that lost power and I'm sure all of them have generators, don't they?

Yeah, generators turned on. So, we didn't they may have lost power. We might not have known it because a generator kicked right off. Okay. But I think we had some generators and we didn't run low on diesel or gas or anything.

Before the storm, we we were good to go. That wasn't surprising at all. on on the the project totals at the bottom of your page. I think it would be good to add to to to give a picture of of just the amount of overtime maybe that we have put into it and the amount of investment that we have made into third party contractors. Uh do you do you have a rough total Jesse of what that might be of what this storm has cost the city? We're estimating it could be $3 million for outside contractors. And how are we going to pay for that? Well, our rainy day fund is going to cover it. Okay, good.

And then it's, you know, we're doing all the work as though FEMA is going to re reimburse it, but you know, that reimbursement can take years and they can, you know, there can be some things that they don't deem reimburseable. Um, but we're following all the processes to get it reimbured, but it still be years even if it is reimbursed.

I know. I know Country Hills has had to close the forest down because of the tree damage on the course. And uh Len Ray talked to me, the management company of how much they appreciate the city and the contractors going out and helping to clear up the city property there. Uh so I just think it would be good to to give some kind of quantitative numbers down here in manh hours of what we have devoted to to the storm. Uh I don't know how hard that will be but uh I think that's that that shows the commitment of the city of what of what we all did you know to address this.

Casey's also making a video. Casey and Natasha are making a video with Stephen that'll probably post sometime next week that kind of shows that cradle the great process with our vendors that'll go out on Facebook or Instagram, whatever you put out. So, we may be able to add some of this information in that post as well. I would also like to thank Alderman Mark uh for the generator. Uh I think you're going to have an amendment tonight for old generators. Yes, sir. I was talking to someone in Ward Five, Greg. Hey, today they're getting ready to purchase a home generator. And I said, we'll wait just a few weeks till we get this till we get this ordinance.

So, I I I think that u the board is acting uh judiciously and compassionately on trying to look at what can we do as well, you know, on this. You're exactly right. when the power goes out, we can't send our crews out, you know, working on thousand volt lines, you know, we we have to defer to the utility company. And uh so I'm I'm I'm interested to see how the discussions with NES goes, you know, in the in the future. Mayor, please keep us informed and if there's any need of resolution or ordinances, you know, I'm sure that this committee would support that

to strengthen your hand with NES if you need need that. And again, like Mark said, ditto on thanking the staff for everything. Thank you. That's all. Yeah. in response. I I was just as mad there for a while, you know, at NES like everybody else was because I and I started really thinking about it and um I think they were just, you know, to give them some benefit of the doubt. They were so overwhelmed by this storm, but we knew it was coming. That's that's the key to respond to that, guys. You knew it was coming. So you you know I mean my god the city of Hendersonville was prepared for it and and look what you guys did you know now that fails in comparison to you know those 10,000 volt lines orever how many thousands volts that it takes to run but still they you know that's their job to hopefully they'll you know they'll work out a plan and uh and of course if they do a mayor as Eddie and Mike and uh Mark and let's see well all of us actually um have said we want to be a part of that plan because I I don't know what the percentage is but I can assure you that NES deals with the majority of the city of Hendersonville as opposed to Cumberland. Um

most a lot of ward six yes is in Cumberland. Yeah. And a lot of the the newer subdivisions of course have under underline cable and so they wasn't there for a lot of the other parts of the city.

And that's true. And I think they, you know, that's one thing that when you do meet mayor with those guys, you know, that we're very interested in getting our um because we all, it's like you said, we've always been interested in that from from many years ago. Um and and I do want to say one other thing that I noticed on social media. I don't know who it was, Mayor. It's It's not I mean, it's none of my business, but um I I remember when you brought that ordinance back when you were an alderman, and I think it was a unanimous vote. The whole board u I know I did, and I know Miss Skidmore did uh because we were very in favor of that. And I think

that was the only thing that, you agreed on. Well, I don't know. I have to go back and it might be It might have been but no very water under the bridge. So that's water under the bridge. It generally is. Um and but uh but I know it was I almost I I felt that it was the unanimous vote because we were all believed in that. So I appreciate you bringing that all those years ago. I appreciate you bringing that up and uh it was well deserved to do that. So, um, uh, Mike, do you have anything? Or Jesse or or anything? Yes. Can I add one?

Oh, yes, sir. Um, I almost am apologetic about how much my face was on Facebook uh the past couple weeks. Uh, Casey and I thought that was the best way to go. Um,

and let people understand what's going on. But really, all I was doing is I was reporting what other people were doing. I mean, it was Steven, it was our fire, it was our police, it was his staff. Um, it was Jesse making sure everybody was communicating and doing what was the highest priority on us. And it was Casey and Natasha and Debbie answering a lot of phone calls. There were a lot of difficult responsibilities in the past couple weeks, but I think Casey and Debbie and Natasha answering phone calls from people were very upset about the electricity and being compassionate and trying to give them any morsel of hope. That was one of the hardest. Yeah. Well, I was a boy scout and we used to earn merit badges as a boy scout.

And this storm to me has proven that Casey and Steven not only have won a merit badge, but they are an Eagle Scout. Girl Scouts has

Well, I'll tell you, um I I know you had to step out, but I uh earlier in the in the meeting, I expressed how much um that I appreciated you guys um holding down the fort really uh anticipating everything you anticipated came true and we handled it and uh and that's and it uh it makes our life as alderman a lot easier and and I appreciate that. Uh and um so just do it again with with the tornadoes. Are all of them have anything? Oh yeah. Do

you all have anything within your district? I just want to say that this, you know, we've had tornadoes and power outages from storms and ice and snow. We've had it all since I've been on this board. This is the first time that I had people calling me with positive comments. The first time. And I the the biggest one was the fact that we got salt on the largest percentage of our runners I've ever I mean that was just amazing to them

and I I really appreciate that. And Jesse, I know you were instrumental in developing a plan for this board to vote on more equipment and for these types of events. And I want to thank all three of you for everything that you've done. Thank you so much. Well, and I'll echo the thoughts of everybody. I think the city did a wonderful job. Um, and you know, a lot of specifics. One is I thought it was good that the mayor kept the community informed and Casey helping him get that information out there. Just knowing even if it's not what you want to hear, but knowing makes you more comfortable. Absolutely.

And I think it was it was a great job overall by the city with Jesse, all the department heads and everyone. I saw social media comments and um I know the video is rolling, but I'm going to say it anyway. But I saw social media comments comparing the city support to Hendersonville versus Gallatin's support to Gallatin. And people were saying, "I'm moving to Hendersonville." You know, they were like, "Our city's a ghost right now. Nobody's giving any communication." So, and it made me feel really good about what we've done. Really does.

Yeah. I s and I saw I don't know if it was the same but I think I mean it makes us it makes us feel good as all you know that you know we're doing something up here. We're doing something that's that's real that affects people's lives. And I know I uh get up here sometimes and pontificate on how great Hendersonville and I refuse to call the northern part of the city their name, but that you know you you just kind of go like this. Told you you know I do some Yeah, I do want to have a conversation at some point. It might be after we adjourn about cancing board meetings in these situations. Yes.

Uh like it might be after we adjourn. We need an easier way to do that. Yes, for sure. Yeah, that I agree. Um, we'll just wait till after the that it's the thing's over, but um I guess that's about if we don't have anything uh tonight, Mark. Um Oh, yes. Yes, sir. Go ahead. I'm sorry. I was

Thank you all very much. Appreciate it. And yes, um, Jesse, Stephen, Casey, Mayor Clary, thank you for being attentive to our to our constituents and their needs. One of the hardest calls I did receive was a a neighbor of mine who did not have power. Uh, but she would not go anywhere to seek shelter. Uh, and I, you know, I had follow up with her. She was just miserable. there was that makes us I mean I'm I'm proud that we're able to work and serve as many people as we possibly could. There are those one or two that we just cannot do anything for because we do not have the ability to go flip a switch with NES and thank you mayor for pursuing that. Thank you Alderman Robertson for asking those questions.

So um but there's only one other thing may if I can switch gears just a little bit please. Thank you. This I was I was working on before um the storm, but this is something I'd like to have us use on Ward One. It's traffic calming measures. I know I've I've been an echo on this thing. Uh just want to keep talking about it and have these things put on uh as a option for public works. Jesse, would you like a copy? And I have one more. There you go. Okay. This is um what we had on Gayton Bulco and some of our other longer streets. We have um my constituencies uh constituents continue to report speeders um dangerous driving, reckless driving, and there is a program out there with the Federal Highway uh safe federal highway administration that does have recommended um ways to control uh traffic flow. We did a study on it about a year ago and it was I think uh public works did a study on about a year ago found it wasn't necessary. I really would like to explore these other options. I'll leave it with you guys. I know we're wrapping up in time and uh but just wanted to thank you all very much for the opportunity to bring this forward to you guys and consider these traffic calming measures on our streets in Ward One and whatever else is needed. They're already in place on Drex Creek Road. Um the uh elevated uh stripes, little raised stripes, and that makes a difference.

Durham Farms. Dur. Yes, sir. Absolutely. Dur Farms and off uh side street parking is considered a traffic control measure, too. I did not realize that, but it's just interesting. Like they do in Durham Farms. Um but there's a way we could consider this, put something together. I know I and our neighbors would sure appreciate that. It's about neighbors helping neighbors, right? That's what we do, right? Thank you. You have any questions? No. Okay. I I I appreciate it. Um and what's running through my mind is that each one of our wards are so unique. Mhm. Not there's not one ward exactly like the other close,

but you are dealing with issues that Ward 4 does not even have. Right. Right. We don't even have a business a commercial business. You know, a brick and mortar in Ward 4. Right. So, it's just so different. But I appreciate your your concern. Absolutely. Thank you. I'd love to talk to you about it more. Anyway, that's that's all I have, Chairman. Thank you.

Okay. And um Arman Dixon, that is so true in what you say because that that's what makes I think Hendersonville unique because it's such a diverse community and uh you know and and u that makes it special. Um one of the many things that they have. So I agree I agree with 100% and I you know and as a representative board one I agree with you because I've dealt with these things for a long time. Yeah. And I've always had to come back a lot of times and I hated to to say no. But um

the good news is, you know, things change and and that's exactly what we had. Our neighborhoods were built, you know, over there in Ward 4. Our neighborhoods were built 50s, 60s,7s, and lots of advancements and signage and everything else have improved over the years. Karen, I'm going to move that chair so we can have eye to eye conversation. There it is.

But it has these things u yeah we need to modernize our system to take a fresh look at some of the options that we have. Thank you all. And maybe, chairman, a good a good way to move this forward is to ask the staff in their budget considerations for next year to to look at uh implementing some traffic calming measures based upon studies of that need them, you know, and at least at least look at that at the budget time because I know it's it's not cheap,

but that might that might push it forward and And so then when we discuss the budget in capital pro capital works public works we can we can you know the staff can give us a report on the possibility. You know one of the things that that our neighborhood did and our HOA paid for it is we put in three uh solar uh speed limit signs. I love those. So when you go by, you know, it says speed limit 25 and if it shows 35 and some of the neighbors have said that it has slowed people down because they don't realize they're going that fast. Yes. Yes.

And solars solar I think the price of those have come way down. Uh one of the neighborhoods on the way to the park, Sonic Park has installed that as soon as you enter the neighborhood. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that's another Okay. Thank you.

All right. We'll put it down and we'll make sure that we talk about this. I guess we can uh I tell you what we'll do. we'll just put it on the agenda for next our next public works meeting um and talk about it and uh we don't have to make a decision on that night but talk about where we want to go to because I think Edd's uh Alderman Robertson's uh idea is to put it on to talk about during budget time is is probably the quickest way to go about it And u so but thank you for bringing that to us tonight. Is there anything else? No, sir.

Oh, thank you. All right. Anybody else have anything? That's it.