Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone to the municipal building of the city of Johnson City. I'm calling the February 5th, 2026 meeting of the board of commissioners to order. Um, Miss Ball. Uh, yes.

Oh, I I'm sorry. I'm filling in tonight. We do have our invocation tonight by Pastor Caleb Frasier of Wesley Memorial Methodist Church. And if we would all rise and stay standing for the pledge of allegiance, will you pray with me? Loving and gracious God, we give you thanks for this day and for all the many blessings we enjoy. We thank you for the opportunities we have to serve one another and to serve you. remind us of our calling as is found in your sermon on the mount to shine your light in this world and to give you the glory. We give you thanks and praise and all of God's children said, "Amen."

I pledge allegiance 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. Thank you. Now, Mrs. Ball. Yes. Uh, Vice Mayor, the first item, uh, for your consideration on the agenda is to approve the minutes for the regularly scheduled city commission meeting held on Thursday, January 22nd, 2026. Move approval. Is there a second? Second. Any other comments or questions about the minutes? Miss Laos? Commissioner Fowler? Yes. Commissioner Gets.

Yes. Commissioner Weise, I'll abstain because I was absent. Vice Mayor Brock, yes. Vice Mayor, we have no one signed up to speak under public comment on the agenda. The next item for consideration is consideration of the consent agenda. Commissioners, would you like to pull any items? I'll start with Commissioner Fowler. 5.4.2, please. 5.4.2. two. Commissioner Weise, I may be out of order. Were we looking to pull 5.1.1 for future consideration? Do you we need to make that as a motion outside of the consent agenda?

Correct. So, I would make a motion that we would pull or I guess table to the next meeting item 5.1.1. Is there a second? Second. All right. and that is I think that will give staff a little bit more time to pull together some comps uh for this position that's going to be important in our decision making. Thank you, Miss Laos, let's go ahead and vote on that one. Commissioner Fowler, yes. Commissioner Gets, yes. Commissioner Weise, yes. Vice Mayor Brock,

yes. Okay, back to the consent agenda. We have item 5.4.2 being pulled. Um, anything else, Commissioner Wise, to pull? No, ma'am. Okay, Commissioner Katz. No, thank you. Okay. And I will pull 5.2.1.

Item 5.2.1 is a bid um for Rotary Park Playground Resurfacing Project. And we have April Norris, our parks and recreation director, here to answer any questions you may have about this item. Miss Norris, this is uh as you well know and I think the public well knows. I think we all well know up here that Rotary Park is probably one one of our longer parks for many of us who grew up here. We we played there um almost exclusively. um and the new park uh the new playground that we put in there some uh what 10 years ago now almost I don't know the length of time but if you just kind of go through this reservicing project and the playground and uh what we're going to be doing to it to for improvements

so thank you for allowing me the opportunity to answer questions with this um Rotary playground that playground was renovated in 1998 using an LPRF fund um grant so that a was made it possible to put that in as an inclusive playground. So that means you know anyone can come into it. It's a boundless playground. At the time there was turf that was put in on that playground and that turf has reached its life expectancy. That park like you said is one of our most popular parks and gets a lot of use. So that turf is really worn out and has posed a safety concern over the past year. So we will be replacing it with a rubberized surface. um that is going to hold up to the wear and tear that that park faces in addition to the splash pad that's adjacent to it. It gets a little bit more water play on it as well too. So that's what we'll be doing in those projects and we'll keep that an inclusive playground with that rubberized surface even more so than it is now with turf.

What's the project uh timeline and will this kind of shut the playground down for a while? So the contractor that we've chosen for this project has ensured us that that project will be be completed by May. Um so that will give us time to the earlier months of the play months usually start in March. So we'll be cut shut down for those couple months, but it will have it back open and ready by the time we open the splash pad, which is when we really see a lot of action on that playground. Very good. Thank you. And thanks to the staff for how well they keep our parks. Thank you all. Have a good evening. Thank you,

commissioners. The next item um that was requested information on is item 5.4.2, which is a proposal um to award a an contract to CDM Smith to update the Metropolitan Transportation and Safety Plan. And we have Glenn Barry, our MO um planning manager here to speak and answer any questions you have on this item. Hello. Uh, my name is Glenn Barry and I'm here to answer any questions. So, it was more just a information thing about this. We have to do this plan every few years and have it in place to get federal money for our transportation.

Yes, that is correct. For our plan, it is every five years. Every five years. And we picked a company to do this that's very good at Yes. doing this for us. So, we're going to be paying them over the next two years or so. Yes. To come up with this. And the the total 291,000 is to pay them to do this over those years. And that includes funds from other places besides us. It includes funds from Federal Highway Administration and the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Okay. All right. So, this is something we have to do every five years. Yes, you do. Okay. All right. That's what I wanted. So thank you

Mr. Barry what what would be an example what are the safety elements the federal government's looking for in the projects that we do here. So

one of the things that has changed over the uh in Washington uh is a very big focus on safety. So like a high instant network. In other words, analyze the roadway system. What are your critical corridors? Which corridors have the highest incident rates? Not only for vehicles, but also vulnerable users. That's a term anytime the feds add a term, it gets a little complicated. It could be you, me, somebody walking, riding a bicycle that could get hit. So, we don't not only identify those, but we come up with solutions for the city to implement to actually correct those. And then we use that plan to find funds to help pay for those improvements.

So that would be building our roads in a way that we we don't put in, you know, a curve that's too sharp or correct, not banked properly. That could add to an accident. So we want to minimize by our build. Yeah. To make sure that it's the safest possible. Yes, that is correct. Very good. Thanks.

Um, one quick question. Um, while we've done this, you know, in in this five-year increments, um, have you seen some recommendations that have enhanced, you know, from a safety perspective or a a planning perspective, things that are are improving um, in addition to, you know, some of these curbs and things like that? But but any good recommendations and things we can point to of recent success from these reports? Yeah, one of the things you know you have to analyze and things change. For instance, traffic flow at intersections. Sometimes there are turning movements. Uh I have seen stuff as simple as adding a turning lane to so people can get out safely off the roadway. Signage these and I'm talking about low-end hanging fruit signage. Uh T dot we work with T DOT very well on doing some of these safety audits. So they will look at a roadway and that's usually painting guardrail and signage to help that. So those are low end. Some of the bigger things maybe redesigning the intersection. And to do that if we have a safety plan in place instead of the city having to pay their local funds we make it eligible for safety funds.

Great. We appreciate that. Thank you. So just one other question because I think this is very pertinent to today because we are so engaged in a lot of infrastructure expansion. Yes. But not only that to look at our infrastructure that's been around for a long long time. And so does some of these efforts go toward established roadway? Let's take I26 for example. That's a good one. That's a good one. Yeah. So, we would be looking for funding down the road to make sure that that it meets all the standards that's needed for today compared to 19 I don't know 72 when was that built through there. Yeah. And I was around when it was built.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That that could create improvements and and uh as water flows over the the road, you know, and we internally we've got a list of suggested improvements. what we have to do on that case since it is a federal highway we have to make that case with not only T do DOT but FHWA okay so we've done the studies to know what needs to be done so we've done some we need to do a little more okay uh and make sure they're current okay yeah yes I think that's important thank you thank you any more questions all right thank you okay I'd make a motion to approve the consent agenda second

motion and a second is there any other comments or questions about the consent agenda. Miss Laos. Commissioner Fowler. Yes. Commissioner Gets. Yes. Commissioner Weise. Yes. Vice Mayor Brock. Yes. Commissioners. Uh the next item um under other business is item 6.1 which is a presentation um by our auditors um of the audit by Blackburn Childers and Stagall. Good evening and if you would introduce yourself so everybody has your name.

Yes, thank you for having me here. Um I'm Tara Fenner. I'm an audit partner with Blackburn Childers and Stagall and our firm has conducted the audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Um to start out I do want to express my appreciation to Stephanie Laos and you all and all of the finance department accountants. um it is crucial that we have their help and support while we're working through this audit. So um they're huge huge help to us to get through it just because of the size of the city. Um our audit this year we did issue a clean opinion on the financial statements. Um the city did end the year with a total net position of 488 million. So very very strong. And in addition to that 411 million of that is invested in your capital assets. So things like you were just talking about the infrastructure, um the highways, the buildings, the school buses, all of those things kind of feed into that number. Um so it does show that the city does take that seriously and does invest back in the in the city. In addition to investment in capital assets, the city did pay down debt of 18.9 million. So that's a huge um reduction in that's bonds, notes, leases, and your subscription liabilities. Um so very good there. no new debt issued during fiscal year 25, but we did touch on the debt that was issued subsequent to year end in our report. Um, in addition to the financial statement audit, we also complete a uniform guidance single audit um basically around the federal expenditures that you have for those grants. So again, grants like we're just mentioned um to support transit and infrastructure and um T dot, you know, all of those funds kind of flow into those projects. So, as we're doing our testing, all of that feeds into what we're looking at. Um, the city for fiscal year 2025 did have over 18 million in federal grant funds expended. Um, so that is where we focus our uniform guidance testing and look at um

the grants that are major in that grouping. We did also have a clean unmodified opinion on the schedule of expenditures of federal awards for that year. Um, so very good all the way around. We did have one um finding that was in the report and that was related to the water and sewer inventory variances um due to changes in how that was set up in some of the software conversions that happened. Um but all in all, I think there's a plan to fix that. Um the audit was definitely an improvement from some of the software challenges that we had in the past. So much fewer um entries and issues that we came across and I think having the new software in place for a couple years really helped with efficiency um on the city side as well as on the audit side this year. So um great audit. I don't have you know any major um concerns to talk about. If there's any questions I'm happy to talk through any of those.

Could you elaborate a little bit on what actually we're talking about with respect to the inventory controls? We're not talking about somebody walking out the back door with with pipe.

No. So, essentially essentially when we're testing inventory, we like to take what it shows on the book. So, the general ledger, the balance sheet, the number that it says we have in inventory, and we try to trace that to the supporting detail for it. During the software conversion, it was um a glitch in the software really that it's not calculating the inventory balance based on the current cost. It's taking an average of all the historical times that was purchased. So the number there is not going to calculate back because it's calculating it based on an average price rather than what you actually paid. Um so basically it's just getting that side of the software fixed so that those two numbers jive at the end of the year.

But but at that time we do know the the inventory numbers. It's it's just not reflective in this one software piece. Yes. And the inventory counts were done just like usual. So we had no issues there. It's just that report from the software calculating incorrectly. Any other questions or comments? Do I have a motion to accept the audit as presented? Second. Motion and a second. Thank you. I'll have a

Thank you, Miss Laos. Before we call the role, I just it's worth noting we had several years where audits were particularly stressful because of the software conversion and um this year sounds to have been vastly smoother and I think that's a testament to Stephanie and to those in her on your staff. So less that be overlooked in this vote.

I would agree with that as well. Very well done. and um be confident in this audit and with the auditing firm that does it for us. I also want to bring out one other thing that's very impressive and thank all of our staff who've gone out after grants. $18 million worth of grants for federal federal grants. I'm not sure we've ever matched that before. So, uh Miss Ball under your leadership, they've we've let them go and see what they can find out there. And it's it's uh just very impressive. And thank you all so much. So, you want to call the role? Commissioner Fowler? Yes. Commissioner Gats? Yes. Commissioner Weise? Yes. Vice Mayor Brock.

Yes.

Commissioners, uh, the next two items um are 7.1 and 7.2, which are ordinances under third reading. These ordinances are closely related but have to be voted on separately. Um, for the purposes of me reading them into the record, I'm going to read both of them, but again, you'll have to vote on them separately. 7.1 is ordinance 4936-26. This is the third and final read reading of an ordinance to amend the horizon 2045 future land use plan on land identified by tax map 090038GA, parcel 032.02 02 located at the corner of Princeton Road and Nave Drive. The next item 7.2 ordinance 4935-26 is also the third and final reading of an ordinance for reszoning of 2.64 64 acres at zero Princeton Road, which again is at the corner of Princeton Road and Nave Drive from R2, R5, and I1 districts to R3.

If you would just give us a kind of a brief thumbnail. I know this is third reading, probably nothing, but just uh for the public's sake. So um the two items the two items one is the first that you will vote on is to change the um future land use map to coordinate with what is proposed and it's what but staff recommends both of those. The concept plan that is attached to this resoning is is above and it is um they have 16 units. Um the act the access will be off of Nave Drive and they meet all the requirements for the concept plan and the R3 zoning district and I'm available for any additional questions but there have been no changes since the public hearing. I

I would make a motion to approve the change to Horizon 2045. Second. Any other questions on the first one of changing the horizon plan? Miss LZ. Commissioner Fowler. Yes. Commissioner Gats. Yes. Commissioner Weise. Yes. Vice Mayor Brock. Yes. Motion. Move for approval. Second. Motion and a second. Any other comments or

I would just say the key to housing affordability is more housing. And so this is 16 more units that adds to the necessary supply. I think also uh to the developer who spent a lot of time with the neighborhood to work on those issues that have been um things that needed to be addressed. We appreciate you on that. And I voted against the last one and I voted for this one because I think they did a great job at redoing what we had talked about what the problems were and making parking and all that. So I I am very much behind the new one. So thank you Miss Louse. Commissioner Fowler. Yes. Commissioner gets. Yes. Commissioner Weise. Yes. Vice Mayor Brock. Yes.

Thank you. Thank you, Miss Whit Hodgej, Vice Mayor. That's the end of our formal business, but um I I wanted to acknowledge again with the audit, the hard work that our finance department did. Also wanted to acknowledge the work that our public works crews and our water and sewer crews did throughout the cold weather. Um, I think they did an excellent job in working around the clock to keep our streets and our residents safe as well as dealing with water lines that had burst. We also had a lot of other folks who were working out in the cold. And I just want to do a huge thank you for our our public safety workers who were working in the cold as well.

Those water lines never break when it's 80 and sunny. No, when it's five. I was with one. Uh, Commissioner Fowler, any comments from you? No, I just appreciate everybody in the city with cleaning roads besides besides water lines breaking and things. Everybody was out in the cold for a long time trying to get the streets ready for us to drive on. So, I really appreciate them, too. So, thank you, Miss Gitz.

Yeah, in addition to those that are working, just community members caring for each other, uh, checking on each other. I know the vice mayor had made some of those comments uh at our last meeting. Um but also, you know, our teachers that are worried about the kids in their class, uh neighbors checking on on neighbors. So, um thank you Johnson City for watching out for each other and uh enjoying a little time outside. Um but really looking forward to getting back to normal operations very soon. So, thank you, Mr. Wise. I have nothing further.

Okay. I would also like to call out Bright Ridge in a good way. Um, Commissioner Weise sits on the board now. I did for many years, but uh, I'll tell you what, when we look around the state of Tennessee and some of the problems and how how much the power was out in certain areas and we literally I kept checking the outage map and it would say one, you know, and that's probably just from, you know, a individual tree in in somebody's yard. Now, what Brightwood would say is we got really lucky in that the storm arked just a little bit to the north of us, but we have been able to send crews to Nashville where they continue to be struggling with significant outages. But I think one of the other things that keeps Brightidge so reliable is the tree trimming policy. And of course, a lot of people don't like that. But in times like this when a tree takes down a single line that takes down 25 families um below that um it's well worthwhile that we do the tree trimming and it's been a very effective program and I think it's saved all of us as the end users a lot of grief of trying to figure out how we're going to stay warm. But anyway, thank you Bright Ridge and to all of our staff uh who were out there in the cold elements. It was cold.

I mean, it was really cold. I always say that to Bright Ridge and and and you know, uh really praising them, but I didn't get my power bill and so we're using a lot of lot of juice right now. So anyway, but thank y'all. Anything else, folks? All right, that being said, meeting adjourned. 27 men.