City Council - Regular Meeting

to call the Bristol Tennessee City Council meeting of August 12th, 2025 to order. Mary Lee, would you please call the role? Yes, sir. Turner, yes. Fire Robbin, yes. Here. Hutton, yes. Here. Powers, here. A here. Want to welcome everyone. Uh thank you all for attending our meeting this evening. There will be a number of opportunities tonight to speak on matters of city business. A sheet explaining those opportunities have been made available to you. As we go forward with tonight's agenda, I will note each time when public comment is welcome. In addition, the signup sheet that was provided as you entered our council chambers. It's for those individuals desiring to address city council during the appearance of citizens. There are three public hearings on tonight's agenda. If your comments relate to one of those hearings, uh we will you please speak during the public hearing. And if you have comments about city manners that matters that are not on the agenda, please save your comments until the appearance of citizens. This time I would like to ask Fire Chief Mike Carrier who will lead us in our invocation and the pledge of allegiance. Please stand. We bow our heads. Our most kind and gracious heavenly father as we come before you tonight. We just come before you Lord as humbly as we can. We thank you dear God for the blessing of another beautiful day that you've given us. We thank you Lord for all the many blessings you have poured out upon us individually and as a community. And we pray Lord that you will just accept our thanks for that greatest blessing of all. That blessing of salvation that savior that gave his life for ours. As we come before you tonight at this public meeting dear Lord we just pray that you would make your presence known here. We pray for this council as they go through the agenda items. Lord, give them your wisdom as decisions are made. And we thank you, Lord, that we live in a country where we're able to attend open meetings like this and have our voices heard. And we know, Lord, that there are some here tonight that will probably speak publicly on some of these

issues. I pray, dear God, that all that interaction would be in the mindset of Christ. It would be respectful and uh of one another. And I pray Lord that you would just help us to get through this meeting with the knowing that Jesus Christ is watching us in everything that we do. And we pray all this in the holy name of Jesus. Amen. Salute the flag. 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. May be seated. Mr. Bourgeoire, are there any additions? No, there are not. Uh, we have no proclamations or recognitions tonight. However, uh, Leah Ross is director of community and government relations with the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is here to present this year's Rhythm and Roots Reunion Festival Purchase. Welcome, Leah. Thank you. Thank you. Before I present it, I would like to say a few words. You know, I uh pull your microphone down, Leo. Thank you. I'm a little short. I got a call at least 25 years ago from Terry Smith wanting to know if I'd volunteer for Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. And it's thanks to the city of Bristol, Tennessee, that this festival even started. And from where where we began to where we are now, I hope that you all are proud of the investment you have made into our organization as we became not only a volunteer organization but an organization that is a one uh um a nonprofit organization and we still couldn't do it without all the volunteers. But each year we do present you with a poster u as a little recognition of what you've uh helped us

become. Um, we've had visitors from around the globe and we hope to continue to make you proud and and be an asset to this community. So, And now we have our board of education leaison report from Dr. Tutor will be reporting. Good evening everyone. Sorry, can you hear that? Um just have a few things this evening to share with you. We um started back to school last week. So we're in our second week. we're off and running and had a great start so far. Um, like to announce that we have continued for another year the community eligibility provision which offers free breakfast and lunch universal for all students in all of our schools. So, we're fortunate that we're able to be able to fund that again for another year. Um, we hope to announce very soon that we have a third therapy dog sponsored by Friendship Enterprises and that dog will be placed at Tennessee High School. She is in our possession. She doesn't have a name yet, so we haven't made an official announcement yet, but that will be coming soon. And then just wanted to welcome, we have a new principal at Holston View, Caleb McMines, is our new principal. She's actually married to our high school basketball coach, but she we glad to have her with us. And then finally,

thank you to Bristol, Tennessee Police Department for hosting um the National Night Out this past weekend. Well received. It's all I have unless you have questions for me. Any questions for Dr. Tudtor? Thank you. Thank you. Uh we have three public hearings on tonight's agenda. The first is ordinance 25-16. It's an ordinance to designate the zoning of property newly annexed in the city of Bristol, Tennessee as R2 single family duplex residential uh the Walter L Harbor property. So this public hearing is hereby open for ordinance 25-16. Chair Young, director of planning and community development will present. Thank you, Mayor Hutton. Good evening everyone. Um, tonight I'm here for the public hearing and the second reading of the ordinance to assign the zoning of property that was annexed into the city in July during the July meeting. Um, as is Mayor Hutton read, this is um a property owner request annexation uh by Mr. Walter Harbor. The plan of services included a zoning line element that um stated that we would re we would be zoning this property um as R2, which is a single family and duplex zone. um that aligns with the adjacent Fox Meadows community phases one, two, and three. Uh it also aligns with the future land use map which projects this area um as uh a medium density residential district. Um later on in the agenda on the agenda uh will be the second reading of this ordinance and if approved tonight, this will conclude the annexation process for the these two parcels. Fantastic. Would anyone in the audience like to address council on this matter? If so, please come to the podium, state your name before your comments. Seeing none, this public hearing is now closed. A public hearing on the annexation of territory into the city of Bristol, Tennessee by owner consent uh Bristol, Tennessee essential services property highway 394. The public hearing

is hereby open for consideration of a request by BT BTEES to annex property along Highway 394. Sheriff Young will present this item as well. Thank you again, Mayor. Um so tonight uh we are uh here for the public hearings on the resolution to approve the annexation of the um request on Highway 394. So this uh public hearing now will be on the annexation itself and follow up with the plan of services. So I have a couple add-on um items when we get to that moment uh in the presentation. But this um request came to us from Bristol Tennessee Essential Services. Uh this is for a parcel on Highway 394 um that is owned by the city of Bristol for the benefit of Bristol Tennessee Essential Services. Um the parcel is about 85 acres in size. Um we've been through the uh council resolution to proceed with the annexation and set the public hearings uh which are tonight. We had the public hearing with the planning commission uh in July on the plan of services. Uh we have advertised this annexation. Uh we've sent out public notices to adjacent property owners and placed a sign on the property. Um to we did have six people uh that that spoke in opposition to their request at the planning commission meeting. Um but ultimately the planning commission did recommend uh send a favorable recommendation on that plan of services to city council. With that, I'll hold on the plan of services element, but happy to answer any questions about the annexation. Okay. Thank you. Would anyone in the audience like to address council on this matter? If so, please come to the podium and state your name before making your comments.

My name is Michael Shaw. I live at 391 Beachwood Circle. it is in the county and and our property does adjacent that particular piece of property that you have there. Um it's one of the low spots that happens to be on that flat side there and the lower portion of the screen there. It's right there in the middle where the curve of the Springfield acres comes in contact with that property. There's several of us in that area that have property right adjacent to that. Um again, my concern for that property really is there's a lot of rainwater that comes off of that property currently. Um and again with any kind of development there's you know genuine concern we've seen issues with development of the property even in where the substation is. So I've got some questions for you if if you can answer them. Um so the property has not been annexed yet. This is uh proceeding towards the annexation. That's correct. Okay. um what um recourse do we have as a as a county resident to kind of fight against this if we're if we're not in agreement with them? Do we have any recourse at all as county residents? I beyond what you're doing currently. I don't I don't think so. No, we can't really provide advice on how to fight the annexation of I understand. Um with the current substation and subsequent power lines in place, what else is planned or being built on this property? How do we that was discussed at the planning commission meeting? Uh there was nothing spoken specifically. I mean I I understand that substation is already there and the power lines are already there. I mean this is these are things that were obvious visual things that are affecting everybody in our neighborhood. Staff did go through the M2 list of permitted and and conditional uses at that meeting. Exactly. the M2 resoning. Will will this

property then be open to industrial facilities to come in at any time? I mean, is it open? Will it be open after the annexation takes place? As far as what's on allowed in M2? Yeah, that's impossible. Exact Exactly. What does M2 entail? Are there any restrictions or are there any type of U limits that M2 provides for residents that are butdding up against this property? there there's all there's always restrictions within all of our zoning depending on what what zone it's in. So an M2 such as what uh what Rathon used to be an M2. Yeah, Mr. Shaw, this is an opportunity for you to basically speak to us. It's not an opportunity for us to just answer questions. So Okay, I understand. Thank you. Um again, my concern is for our subdivision. We live directly in it. we downwind from it and we we've seen industrial accidents where we are all affected by the outcome of what happens and and again I'm very concerned with the runoff that comes from that any kind of building or construction that goes on in that property um that will just exasperate the problem and it's it's very concerning for everyone. I've had an opportunity to talk to some of the folks in the neighborhood and and have had have gotten a real feel for some of these people that live there. Some of these families have been there from generation to generation. I know I'm long on time, but again, I appreciate your opportunity for letting me speak and show my concern. Yes, sir. Thank you very much. Yes, sir. Thank you. Does anyone else want to speak on this matter? Seeing none. uh that's the next u part of a our public hearing is on the annexation of the territory. Um I mean you're welcome

to speak to it now if you like or when we get to that. No. Am I wrong about that? Actually, you can speak you can speak to each uh item, ma'am. I'm sorry. You could speak to this one and the next one if you like. So, right. Hello. My name is M. Could you lower the microphone so we can hear you? Yes. Thank you, Miss Shaw. Thank you. It's perfect. Okay. I live at 391 Beachwood Circle. I've been there since 83. It's the most beautiful plot of land that I have ever lived on. The view is beautiful. The trees are beautiful. What I'm trying to say is it's a paradise for all of us that live there. And it's personal for us because we live there and we just the view is like I say, it's a slice of paradise. We've lived there for so long. And when you see the M2 zoning that's going to happen, industrial maybe, it just kind of it makes us feel a little devastated to think that we bought a property that someone could come along and just suddenly reszone it and we could have an industrial park in our backyard. And it's it's sad, but I just had to make it known. and I appreciate what you're doing for this city, but we are people that live in a subdivision that butt up to this land that could become an industrial park. There will be a lot of noise sometimes. There will be lights. We've already got the lights and they've already been cut trees. They've cut a big beautiful tree right in the center of the yard of the big field. They devastated all the trees over here just because they said they don't want anything to interfere with the poles. We understand that. But just please know that we are people. We live here and we

love where we live. But when you take the view, you give us the noise, you devastate the land, it's not the same. But anyway, I thank you so much for hearing. Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Miss Shaw. Thank you, ma'am. Would you like to speak to this? I was wrong a moment ago. You can speak to this ordinance and the next one if you like. Yes, ma'am. Hello. Um, my name is Tracy Crawford and I live at 387 Beachwood Circle. Um, I think you've probably all received a letter from me that outlines my concerns and my objections to this uh zoning mostly. Um, I'm not opposed to economic growth. I think small towns and cities need economic growth. But, you know, with this power comes responsibility. And there's a difference between economic growth and responsible economic growth. Sorry. Springfield Acres is a very old established neighborhood. Um, and I've I I haven't been there as long as some of my neighbors. The two that spoke have been there over 40 years. Uh, I did have an opportunity to speak with many more of my neighbors who have been there that long or longer. And um, and I have um the one shining uh light in all this is I got to meet a lot of those neighbors and speak with them one- on- one. And I have their opposition as well. Um, I didn't get much time to do it. Uh, and it's very difficult to get people because they work and they have lives and but I got 118 signatures on a petition against this. They don't want

Industrial Park backed up to our subdivision. They do want the growth, but they think that there may be a better location for that growth um than right behind our subdivision. Um, and I won't go into all of the objections and all of the reasons why. There were many. Um, I spoke with teachers and nurses and retired vets and um, everyone had the same feeling. You know, this is our this is our home. This is our life. These are our we raised our children here. We raised we're raising our grandchildren here. And you know, we want you to think about those things before you make this decision. This is a huge decision. There's these are people's lives that are going to be devastated in some cases by industrial um factories behind their homes. Uh pollution is no joke. Um it it exists and um you know you're talking about a potential M2 zoned factory 40 feet off the back of six homes property line. 40 feet. That's less than three car lengths. And that's a scary proposition to me. So I just encourage you I'd like to share this petition with you if you would take that. Um, I just encourage you to think about that and think how you would feel if this was coming in on you or your children or your grandchildren or your mom and dad. Spoke with a gentleman that was 99, had been there since 72. He and he he nearly cried, you know, very upset about this. So, just I just want you to think about the human aspect of this. There are other locations to

grow your factories. I I want that growth. I do. I love to see, but just be responsible with it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Crawford. Anyone else like to address council on this matter? Thank you. Um, I do want to address when you bring it up the M2 zoning, which is part of Could you state your name? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Renee Gaskins, and I'm at 381 Beachwood Circle. Is that okay? Yes, ma'am. Um, I do want to address the M2 zoning and the issues concerning that. It sounds to me like that's better addressed at your next item. Correct. It's fine. It's either way it's fine. Okay. Um, but I I do have to come up just to state an objection to the annexation. Uh, I I I feel like I I do feel concern on the in what feels like a clandestine manner in which it was done. We didn't receive I know there was notice put in the Kingsport paper, but until the July meeting, we didn't get any kind of written notice. And really it affects everyone in the neighborhood and the the bordering of property significantly and we should have had more notice. We certainly would have had more time for the the petition which we hope is entered into the record and more time to do that. But at any rate, I would oppose that. And even though I agree with what Tracy said that we are all for growth and development, the the concern for jobs, you have to look at I look at the people that are coming in and a lot of times it's just a relocation. Um Ay McDonald is coming in to cross the street from this development and those probably are not new jobs. The

that they're coming from Elizabethton. You've got the Bristol uh paper printing. There's probably not very many new jobs. Anyone else, unless you're bringing them in from out of state, they're not going to be bringing in any jobs. You're just you abandon one property and and open up a pristine piece of property to bring in a new development. And I just think that you should consider reusing your abandoned properties for your development instead of having that detriment and the derelic properties. And for that reason, while this is geared towards growth, there's other properties currently available, including all the properties on Partnership Park. So, and I'll speak to the um the M2 designation when you get to that. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Gaskins. Anyone else wish to address council on this matter? Seeing none, uh this public hearing is now closed. Public hearing on the plan of services for the annexation of territory in the city of Bristol, Tennessee by owner consent Bristol, Tennessee central services property highway 394. The public hearing is hereby open for consideration of the plan of services for the BTEs requested annexation area along Highway 394. Cherith will also present on this item. Thank you once again. Um so I'll start uh with just a little more detail on the zoning issue. Um so what is on the screen is a zoning map excerpt and an excerpt from the future land use map for the city um the city and the urban growth boundary. So on the left here is the zoning map. The parcel is hatched in red. I believe most of the folks that attended the planning commission that are here tonight um live in this area here. There may be some new folks here tonight, but I believe most folks that

spoke were in this area here. Um so the parcel is currently zoned A1 in Sullivan County. So that's their um agricultural district. Um around here you have residential zoning and A1 zoning as well. So this is all Sullivan County. Um the highway 394 corridor is zoned to B3, which is the city's general business district. And then across the street here, uh you have the M2 zone, which is the business park zoning. So, all of the um properties across here that kind of show up in this lighter gray, if you will, um on this map are zoned with the M2 zoning classification. Um on the map on the right, uh is a future land use map. Uh this parcel is hatched and it does have a low density residential land use classification on it. So, that's that greenish area. Uh up here you have the um industrial classification. So, all of this area on this side of Highway 394 is slated as industrial. Um, just a few notes, the M2 zone um is one of our industrial zones. Uh, so it would allow some uh industrial uses. Um, there's no identified user for the site at this time. There's no site plan submitted at this time. Um, what we talked through during the planning commission meeting is that a future project would be required to go through our site plan process. So that would entail um submitting an engineer plan that would show all of the um the building location, setbacks of the building, um all of the um elements that they would have to do to deal with storm water drainage, uh utilities, all of those things would be handled through that site plan review process. Um additionally, uh we showed u I think it's in your package, but I don't have it on the screen. um what the landscape buffer will look like against these residential properties. So there is the

most significant landscape buffer that we do require in our zoning ordinance right now that would be required along the property line that is shared with any single family residential um use. So those are a few um zoning items to to think through. Um, also the planning commission at their July meeting um as a bigger initiative um has tasked staff with looking at the M2 district um and looking at our indust industrial districts and uh kind of combing through them, editing them for uses that may not be as desirable in there anymore, uses that may be out of date and and not really uses that come up um uh in today's industrial uses. Um so we will be taking on that activity going forward. It's not complete but that's something we will be working on in the coming months. Um the future land use map just a note on that. Um you know the the land use map is a policy document. It's big picture. It was adopted in 2020. We started working on it um couple years prior to that. Um at that time there was no substation uh on that property. So this was classified for uh the residential use. Um as staff took a look at this um plan of services and the zoning assignment that would come with it. Um we looked at the fact that there is a substation present there. Now there is access to 394 which is one of our major roads. Uh and there is the M2 zoning present across the street for the business park. So those are just a couple of um explanations uh why that M2 appears in that plan of services. Um this is the plan of services document that's included in your packet. This is what the planning commission ultimately uh this is an amended version but ultimately the planning commission did vote to send this to you uh in a

positive re recommendation during their meeting in on July 21st. Um several of the of the elements are available as soon as the annexation is approved. So police, fire, uh recreation services. The items of note to to call out or uh call to your attention is the zoning assignment which we talked about as the M2 zone. Also, the planning commission um really discussed this electric service and the um addition of street lights along the highway 394 corridor as part of their discussion and did vote to amend the plan of services drafted by staff to address the street light issue. Um there were two amendments made and one of these we looked at this map some in the work session, but one was to add um street lights or to require street lights with this plan of services. um in this area shown with the teal line. So that is from the um annexation property to Weaver Pike and that would be required within two years of the annexation date. The second it and that that received a unanimous vote, so a 70 vote. Um the second item was a motion to approve the plan of services to add a requirement of street lighting to the remainder of the corridor. Um, so that would be from Sweet Knobs Trail and Sportsway Drive all the way to the 421 annex uh intersection and that would be within 17 years of the annexation date. So two years on the teal line and then uh an additional 15 for the remainder of the corridor. Uh and that did receive a 5 to2 vote. So, the version of the plan of services in your packet has been amended to um address the planning commission direction that I'm happy to answer any questions. Right. Thank you. Would anyone in the audience like to address council on this matter?

Uh Rene name is Renee Gaskins again. Um, I wanted to come up and speak specifically to the plan of services, especially regarding the M2 designation. And obviously, everyone who spoke about annexation also is against the plan of services, but um, I do want to make a point to specifically speak to that. I have concerns obviously about the harmful industrial designation, but I have to point out that the mere 40 foot setback is is especially concerning. You're talking 40 ft. There's going to be an industrial structure from our homes and that's just not acceptable. It was said at the planning commission that that can't be changed because it would require a change in an ordinance. I can't believe that that's true because I've seen minutes where the setbacks have been changed. So I would like some discussion if possible regarding changing the setback if you move forward with this industrial park in a residential area. Also the buffer is an issue. The buffer requiring only a six-foot fence or a what was it? One row of trees. That's not sufficient for an industrial park next to residential homes. that needs to be addressed and that needs to be increased. Uh I know that you have along 81 they build those those walls that absorb sound and then are also quite high. There's things that you can do to protect the residents there and I would like that to be added or considered into the plant services if you move forward with this industrial park. Uh, and I would do want to point out that, you know, the noise is already an issue. There's Jake breaks just from Tri Cities extrusions. It's just going to get even worse. But, but I I do want to mention that I don't know if you're aware of it, but this kind of stuff also hurts our

tourism industry. We have a beautiful, beautiful landscape here. I mean, obviously, we've mentioned Rathon and the dereliction of that structure. People going to Bristol Motor Speedway have to drive past that. It's an embarrassment. We have the now the new Hard Rock Hotel. We have gosh Holston Lake, Holston Mountain, Holston Dam, beautiful. the everything that we're doing, the country music museum to just try to bring in tourism and slapping industrial facilities that are allowed to get not only pollute but be in bad condition right where all these tourists will drive past is going to harm our tourism industry and of course you know you just mentioned rhythm and roots you know that industry also will get harmed so for all those reasons I would like the plan of services to be reconsidered and if it can't be changed to a reasonable zoning designation, then we need to have a bigger discussion about what kind of protection you're doing going to give to the residents who are going to suffer and also the value of our homes that are going to suffer. Any protection we can get is necessary. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Gaskins. Anyone else like to address council on this matter? Seeing none, this public hearing is now closed. We're going to move now to the appearance of citizens. This section provides an opportunity for the public to address city council on any item that is not on the agenda for formal consideration. A response will not likely be made at this time since in most cases neither the council nor the city manager will be will be prepared to effectively respond to the concern. City manager will look into the matter and report back to city council or as appropriate have staff meet with you in an effort to satisfy your concern. Comments are limited to three minutes per individual and are not transferable to other individuals. Groups are encouraged to select a spokesperson to represent them. Uh there's a list here

of individuals desired to address council this evening. Uh and our uh city attorney will monitor the time for each speaker. The first person is Amber Davis. Hello. Um, Amber Davis and I live at 404 Point Bl Highway, Bristol. The city council's proposal to fold our school system into a city department, lumping education in with water, sewer, and parks, is not a simple bureaucratic shift. It's a power grab. It's a clear attempt to centralize control over our schools. And it feels like retribution, retaliation against the board of education and BTCS in general. To me, this isn't about efficiency or outdated charter language. This is about punishment. It's about silencing the voices of those who dared advocate for what was right for our students and our staff. And if these policies move forward, it won't be city officials who pay the price. It will be our teachers, our students, and our schools. First, the proposal to remove district-based representation from the school board threatens to eliminate the diverse community rooted leadership that keeps our schools responsive to local needs. It would allow all school board members to be elected at large, meaning every one of them can come from the same small area of the city. This will mean zero representation for entire neighborhoods and families. Second, and even more alarming, is the proposal to

fold BTCS into a city department. Under this change, the city, not the school board, not the superintendent, not the people who have devoted their lives to education and to students, would control all incoming educational funds. Payroll would go through the city. Budgetary decisions would go through the city, much like insurance companies having control over what tests and medications our doctors have prescribed and when we are allowed to have them. Teachers and students would be left waiting for the bureaucracy to catch up. That's not streamlining. its bottlenecking and interference. We were also told a few months ago by the city council that their jobs on the council were so overwhelming that they did not have time for their own families and friends. Why then are we adding more work to an already overworked council? This move will inject politics into places it does not belong, our classrooms. It will undermine the financial transparency and trust our current system has worked so hard to maintain. To say this change is unnecessary is an understatement. To say it is harmful would be more accurate. But to say it is retaliatory is closer to the truth. We are being asked to trust leaders who have not offered any transparency, who have not engaged in discussion with our educators or the families who would be most affected, who have verbally stated that they will not work with our board of education, only making decisions in work sessions and their whispers. This is not how we build a better future for our children who should not be pawns in anyone's political agenda. We cannot let politics dismantle the foundation of our schools. We implore you to reconsider. Please work with our board of education, not against it. Respect the professionals who dedicate their lives to our children, to your children. Thank you, Miss Davis. make that correction. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think we need to

make one correction to um what was just covered. The change that we're proposing in charter does not do at large elections for school board or for um correct. No, it does not. It does not for it does not make that change. It is clarifying what we have. we have a state that would like for us to make some changes and we're clarifying what we do that meets with what the state's intention is. So, it's not for at large positions. Thank you. I think it also needs to be clarified that um once the school board submits its budget, council has no authority to redline anything in the budget. We will not be making those decisions on how the school board delegates its uh revenues through the maintenance of effort at the local level. That is left to the school board. So I I'm uh perplexed. There seems to be some um let's not do this. Let's not I've got it real quick. It's to clarify exactly what each of the organizations, the school board and the city council, what our exact responsibilities are. The school board will still be making the decisions involving curriculum, the hiring and firing of teachers. I am somewhat perplexed that there seems to be some confusion. Thank you, ma'am. I'm sorry we don't Mr. Shaw, Michael Shaw. Okay. You're welcome to speak in again on this matter if you like.

I'm just going to give them every opportunity. Again, my name is Mike Shaw, 391 Beachwood Circle. My only question is is there any other zoning that could be applied to this property? Yeah, I mean that's that's a question for planning and zoning. That's not I understand that. That was my only other Right. Okay. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it, Mr. Shaw. Debbie Shaw. Good. Eli Peters. Hello. Good evening, city council and fellow citizens of Bristol, Tennessee. My name is Eli Peters and I'm a I am a student athlete from Tennessee High School. My address is 3337 Ooka Road, Bristol, Tennessee 37620. First of all, I would like to say that teachers, faculty, staff, and coaches at BTCS don't get paid nearly enough for the incredible work they do. When you think about financial decisions, I urge you to remember the pressure, the work, and the safety of students, faculty, and staff at BTCS. I've heard about some issues involving the CFO of Bristol, Tennessee City Schools, specifically allegations of fraud. Now, when I hear the word fraud, I think of stealing money or resources, but that's not always the case. Both Bristol, Tennessee City Schools and Bristol, Tennessee City Council have been called out for their involvement in some form of fraud. To my understanding, there's been discussion about the city potentially taking control either partially or fully of Bristol, Tennessee City Schools. The thought of this is frankly concerning. The city council isn't financially responsible, and now they want to add Bristol, Tennessee City Schools to that list. They have also talked about a tuition cap, meaning a certain amount of people outside of district limits can attend school. Our city council only wants a certain amount

of tuition kids, meaning they don't want to give students outside of our area a chance in our public schools. The LC King building was bought for $2.75 million. Have any of you actually walked through the building? It needs so much work for the plans you have for it. in Melrose. You bought a building valued at $31,600 and turned it into a $1.4 million property. As a baseball player at Tennessee High, I can't help but think of Todd Houston. Have you seen it? There aren't even bleachers, just concrete slabs with no railing for stairs. The baseball team is begging BMS for the dirt from the Speedway Classic. The fields, clubouses, dugouts, and press boxes are outdated. I look around at other cities and they all have turf fields. Why can't we? My grandparents can't even come and watch games because of their accessibility concerns. And it's not the same experience watching it on video. Even our wrestling team has no facility due to poor financial decisions. If the city council truly cared about the success of the children in our community, they would pay our teachers, faculty, and staff more. They would rethink their spending on buildings like Melrose and LC King, which cost over $3 million more than what they should have. Imagine how much that money could have supported our teachers, government workers, or used to improve facilities. And now we're talking about potentially closing down the Bristol, Tennessee public library while our public school system continues to struggle. How does that make any sense if you want our children to succeed? stated early in the year, out of $59 million given to Bristol, Tennessee City Schools, only $5 million is given to BTCS by the city council. That's embarrassing. City council, please know that we are listening to you. Most of us don't let these issues go in one ear and out the other. I hope those of us in this room today will hold the city council accountable because right now it feels like they're not listening to us, but we are listening to them. If they come up with a solution, I might give

them a second chance. But as but as of now, I can't trust my city council and that's a shame. Thank you, Mr. Peters. Miles Vance. Good evening, lad. My bad. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Miles Vance. I live at 306 Circle Drive, Bristol, Tennessee. I stand here today because I believe the decision before you to amend the charter and take financial authority from the school board is one of the most important issues our community has faced in years. Our charter is the foundation of how Bristol governs itself. It isn't just words on paper. It's the agreement between the people and their government about who makes decisions and how. When we change it, we should do so carefully, transparently, and only when it's necessary for the good of all people. The school board exists for a reason. It's elected directly by the citizens to focus solely on the needs of our children, our teachers, and our schools. Giving budget control to the city council risk shifting priorities away from the classroom and toward competing city interest. And I understand that what with what Leah said that that you all cannot go in and redline items, but I also understand is is they will submit a budget to you guys and then you all get to vote on that budget. And you can correct me if I'm wrong. Checks and balances matter. When one governing body can both make policy and control money for our schools, we weaken the independent oversight that keeps our system honest and accountable. the potential for politics to overshadow education grows and our children deserve better than that. And if we're truly talking about changing the charter, let's talk about the changes that give more voice to the people, not less. One of those changes should be that the citizens of Bristol, Tennessee get to

elect their mayor directly. If the mayor is going to represent the people, the people should have the right to choose them. That is how we strengthen democracy and trust in local government. Now, I know the majority of you council members have probably already made your decision in in your minds on what you're going to do on this charter, but I want to challenge you. I want to challenge you. Is this the change truly about improving education, or is it about consolidating power? How will this affect trust between the public and our institutions? And if we open up the charter, why not make changes that put more power into the hands of the voters? Our city has weathered many challenges because we've worked together, respected boundaries, and kept the needs of our children at the center. Let's not undermine that. I ask you to slow down, guys. I slow down. Seek more public input. Be more transparent with our school board. Work with them. Create teams. Have a board member and somebody that works in the round bidding and somebody here in the city with a with a manager and a council member come together and work on this charter together. And remember to put the trust. And I want you to remember this. The trust of the people is harder to earn than it is to lose. Please let the school board continue to do the job of the voters elected them to do and let the voters elect their mayor. Our children's future and our community's voices depend on it. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Vance. Tracy Crawford. Thank you, Ron Kirk. Ron Kirk. Yes, sir. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. That's all right. My name is Ron Kirk. I live at 175 Robinson Walk in Bristol. Uh, I had two brief questions. Have you all closed on the LC King building property? Is that a done deal now? Yes, sir. Okay. I want to tell you how

disappointed I am at all of you for that. Uh, it's not that I personally feel it was a bad move. I don't know. But I I sat through the meetings of how to budget best, get increase revenues, pay some of our people that need to be paid more, and I was in agreement with all that. I felt like we were struggling with making sure we had plenty of money to do what we needed to do. And then I it's my understanding that now that you've closed that we borrowed the money with bonds to make payments to buy that building. And I I just I'm a simple-minded guy. You know, I if if I'm living on X number of dollars and I'm comfortable with that with not a lot of savings, I'm not going to go buy a million-doll home just because I got good credit. So, I also want to say that, and if I owe an apology to you, I'll make it on this. I really didn't hear much about the LC King thing except at a couple of city council meetings where so many people spoke. Uh, so many citizens spoke, they didn't think it was a good time to do that. Uh, I look at Facebook most every morning when I get up waiting for the coffee to make. I look at what the city puts out. Uh, I watch the local news. If there was a lot of publication given to the people that this city was considering purchasing that building at whatever price, uh, I sure missed it. Maybe it was kept on the, uh, the down low for, and I don't mean this anything about it, maybe it was kept down low because y'all were negotiating or something. I don't know. But I felt the timing was poor. The idea may be great, but the timing was poor based on the the t financial situation we were all working through, particularly you folks. And I'm really disappointed that you all moved forward with that when so many citizens obviously didn't feel good about it. Now, if there's something that you all

have set up to do with that that will be great for the city, I'm open-minded fella. Uh but I I just was stunned when I heard that y'all closed on that. My last question, does the city employ someone to help bring business to Bristol? I'm talking about local. I'm not talking about industrial annex like Yes. empty restaurants or uh planning. Do do we have someone that goes and and aggressively tries to bring businesses into that? We sure do. Yeah. Mr. Tom Anderson. Yeah. I'm sorry. We have an economic development department, but Tom Anderson and some other folks. Yeah. Yes, sir. The city owns a piece of property that used to be Coin Laundry, Hex Bakery. Uh, and I know that development fell out and I don't blame the city for that, but I would hope that there's something that could be done that whoever's overseeing recruiting folks to come in, be it housing or whatever, let's try to make something. Let's work real hard, hold some people accountable to get something going there. Okay. Thank you. Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kirk. Jim Butcher. Jim Butcher, uh, 120 Skyline Drive, Bristol, Tennessee. I'm speaking to resolution 2587. After a call school system meeting on July the 30th, I took the opportunity to speak with our city manager who was a firsttime visitor to our meeting. I related the board of education had some thoughts regarding the revisions to the city charter as it impacts our school system and asked the best way to convey that information. Unfortunately, quickly the city manager suggested a council person to disseminate the communication since she considered me as having a lead role in the heckling that had occurred at recent city council meetings. Well, in East Tennessee, persons who participate actively and respectfully in public

meetings are by no means considered hecklers. I'm not sure of the threshold and how it differs in Minnesota. Regardless, I sent an email communication to the city council outlining my questions regarding the suggested revisions and how I thought a joint task force could be formed to work together to present a united front to all our constituents. As of today, I've had no formal or informal response from city government concerning this proposal. Jim, we didn't receive that, Margaret. I didn't I wouldn't lie about it. I don't have it. Okay, I sent it to you. So, sorry. Then I'll resend it. Mr. Vance pretty much said what I was going to say. Anyway, I thought it would been a good time to uh, you know, get together and study it and not rush to it. I apologize if you didn't get it. Um, this is at least another time in my mind, it's one time where we have formally reached out to city government to try to help build relationships and open dialogue on issues that directly impact our parents, students, and teachers. I think this is very important to the citizens of Bristol. I think it's very important to our economic community that we make attempts to get along because it's best for the city. I think our city is it would be good for our city. Certainly, I know our city uh school system is very much in favor of that. And on communication, I you know, got to think to myself, why is it that we have such a unwillingness or an inability to communicate as duly elected officials? I don't really have a good answer for this. Do you perhaps have little faith in our abilities to do our job that we're elected to do? Maybe you can make decisions better. Uh do you believe that you're better trained in education and making decisions and equipped to manage

operations and budget of a school system? I hope it's not the case that perhaps Bristol is no longer committed to supporting a vibrant school system regardless of rhetoric otherwise. I certainly hope not. Um there's very little transparency, but I would in any situation, but I do want to say one very positive thing for Mike Mains and the parks and recreation situation for giving the citizens of Bristol an opportunity to come out and talk about the skate park and discuss ins and outs whether or not you like the location, what you don't, what you do. That's an open forum and that's true uh transparency. So I would somehow hope that we can do the same things with the educational and city council. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Butcher. I will say, Mr. Butcher, that we did discuss it at a work session and you were present when that it was brought up. You may have left by that point, but we did discuss your request to have a task force uh among council. Uh and and it was agreed by council that we didn't want to proceed with that for well it was brought up it was brought up at that meeting and so we discussed it that night. So all right, next person is Eric Bluestein. Thank you. Um, I won't be talking about schools, talk about the library. Um, representing the Bristol Public Library Foundation tonight. Uh, we're holding our annual golf tournament on September 6th at Steel Creek Park. Um, Mike and the team have been great about supporting us. Um, we've got Traveling Bear coming out with their mini golf setup for families and kids to enjoy. We're bringing food trucks. nonprofits will be setting up to show their programs and services that they provide the community. We've got some great

sponsors and prizes. BTEES has sponsored us. Hutton Electric, the Paramount Theater has great prizes. You'll be very happy with those. Bristol Tennessee Parks and Wreck is providing some great stuff. ETSU, King University, Virginia Tech, JF Frank, Clare Creek Golf Course, and Golf Club of Bristol. We have more coming in. Um, so I would encourage everybody to come out and have some fun. Support the library September 6th at Steel Creek. Um, follow the library on social media. You'll see all the prizes and everything that we're giving out. It's uh going to be a great day. And I wouldn't be up here if I wasn't going to throw a challenge to the city council. Uh oh. Um since the library supports the Tennessee and Virginia sides of the community, register, come out and challenge your counterparts on the Virginia side to come out. Let's have a really great city verse city camaraderie event. And all the departments in the city government, I would say do the same. Let's have fun. Let's uh have the two cities challenge each other and uh just have a great day. So I thank you. Thank you, sir. We're moving now to appointments. Uh we have uh a board board of code of appeals. Yes, sir. Come on. You're welcome to speak. Yeah. So, first I want to apolog uh didn't sign up if something on the agenda was what you were going to talk about. So, I was waiting. Are you Are you speaking to something that's on the agenda? Uh 2587. Yes. Right. Then you'll wait till that point in the agenda if you're So, we will have an opportunity to talk about it. Thank you. That's right. Thanks for good. We're moving now to uh appointments board of code of appeals. We have one candidate for one open

position on the better property board, Mr. Chris Detroit. Would anyone like to speak on behalf of the candidate? Um, it's it's on board of code appeals. What did I say? Better property board. Did I? Yeah, I think so. Did I say better property board? Doesn't matter. It's for board of code of appeals. Oh, I see what I did there. Okay. All the ballots have been turned in. Yes. Councilwoman Acre has Chris Droy. Councilwoman Fire Robbin has Chris Droy. Mayor Hutton has Chris Droy. Councilwoman Powers has Chris Detroit. And Vice Mayor Turner has Chris Droy. Thank you. So, uh, the next one is for the E911 board, emergency communications. We have one candidate for one open position on the 911 emergency communications board. That's Nick. if you get any like to speak on behalf of the candidate. I'll just thank people for we have various boards and commissions. They're on our website and the vacancies are noted on the website too. So encourage people to check those out, see if any are of interest. You can always call uh department head or call any of us to find out more about it. U but it is an opportunity to serve and to find out more about how our city works. Okay. Thank you. Councilwoman Akre has Nick Fugat. Councilwoman Powers has Nick Fugat. Vice Mayor Turner has Nick Fugat. Mayor Hutton has Nick Fugat. And Councilwoman Fire Robbin has Nick Fugate. Thank you. Tonight, uh we'll consider uh we're moving to ordinances and resolutions. We will consider resolutions before we move to ordinances so that we can act on the annexation resolutions that were the subject of public hearings earlier. before we act on the ordinance establishing the zoning

of the annex property. So, we're moving now to resolution 25-84. This is a resolution to annex territory upon written consent of the owner to incorporate the same within the boundaries of the city of Bristol, Tennessee, and to approve the plan of services for such territory, Bristol, Tennessee essential services highway 394. This item was presented by Cherith Young during the public hearings earlier and the public had an opportunity to comment during those public hearings. Are there any questions of councel for Miss Young? This resolution includes the plan of services that was discussed at the July 22nd work session. This plan of services includes both the the two-year timeline for street light installation from the annex property to the Weaver Pike interchange and the requirement that street lighting be installed along a rest of 394 within 17 years the annexation date. If any member of the city council like to make changes to the plan of services, you should make an appropriate amendment after there has been a motion and a second on the motion. So, is there a motion to approve resolution 25-84? Motion to approve resolution 2584, please. We have a motion. Is there a second? Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? I would like to make a motion to No, I'm sorry. I'd like to make a motion to amend the uh plan of services of leaving in the two years for the smaller section and removing the 17 years of going on out. Uh there's a possibility that I mean it could be a lot sooner than that for the lighting. But if it isn't the way I understand it, then Miss Young or whoever would be coming back every year for 17 years to update on the plan of services. So I feel like that the two years in the first one of leaving that in and removing the 17 years for the rest of 394.

Mr. Turner puts forth an amendment to uh to the motion. Is uh is there a second? I second his amendment. So, we have a motion and a second to amend it to keep the two-year timeline but remove the 17 the 17-year uh We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Just checking. So, does that make it easier? And is that a good thing? Does staff concur with that? because the other is the 17 years it does keep it in there whereas without it um is there chance that it won't happen if we really want it to happen would you like to address that Michelle thank you so um as we brought it to planning commission that that item was not in there uh about the street lighting um that expanded throughout the planning commission conversation. Um the cons concern staff had was that um it was a a large ask for you know the single parcel. Um and it's one of the issues that's been brought up by some of the annexations of yester year where the plan of services didn't detail out timelines like what we try to to do now so everybody's clear on it. Um, I think there were at least a couple people on planning commission um that felt that the two-year time frame was um more appropriate um and achievable and clear and clean. Um and like Councilman Turner said, I will be coming back to you for the next 17 years to talk about this. Um if that remains in there, but certainly um planning commission did recommend it as far as a majority there to keep it in. Uh but it is a it is a large um a large ask for a single parcel annexation. Thank you. Okay. Any other discussion?

Okay. We have a motion and a second uh for this amendment. Right. So Mary Lee, will you take the role for this amendment? Turner? Yes. Fire Robin? Yes. Hutton? Yes. Powers? Yes. Akard? Yes. Right. So the amendment passes. Now we need to vote on this resolution as amended. All right. So we have a motion and a second. There's no further discussion on the original resolution as amended. Right. So merely we take the role for overall Turner. Yes. Fire Robin. Yes. Hutton. Yes. Powers. Yes. Acre. Yes. Great. Right. Resolution carries. Resolution 25-84. It's a resolution adopting amended and restated rules and procedures of the city council. Uh city attorney Daniel Smith will present this item. Thank you, Mayor. Uh as you all know, city council reviews its rules and procedures usually on an annual basis. Our rules were last updated in November of 2023. Um the first change that we would recommend is a cleanup change. In March of 2025, city council adopted a resolution providing that the business meetings and work sess work sessions of the city council would um start at 6 pm unless otherwise decided by council. So that would be changed throughout the policies and procedures. You do have a red line of the policy of the changes in your packet. So um the second change is to the procedures for public comment. Uh under Tennessee law, governing bodies must reserve a period of public comment. Um and that's where the public can comment on matters that are germanine to items on the agenda for the meeting. Currently the city council goes um far beyond that because we provide multiple periods for public comment and we also allow comment on matters that are not on the agenda for the meeting. Um this only applies to meeting the the law applies to meetings in which there are no actionable items. So it does not apply

to our work sessions but it does apply to the regular business meetings of council. um you are allowed to put reasonable restrictions on the number of people who can speak, the length of time that they can speak, um how long public comment is permitted for. And so far, all that you've done in terms of restrictions is in our policies and procedures. So what the change the proposed change would move us from multiple periods for public comment where we have public hearings appearance of citizens and then public comment on each resolution or ordinance that wasn't already covered by a public hearing to a more streamlined public comment period where we would have public hearings as required by law and then the appearance of citizens would be an opportunity for the public to address city council on any matter of city business including any resolution or ordinance that is before council. uh we currently do see a lot of people who are not sure when it's appropriate for them to speak and so I think this change will make it easier for people to know that during the appearance of citizens is when everyone is able to speak on every item that they wish to bring before city council whether it's on the agenda or not. Um the other procedural change that we suggested was doing away with the signup sheet um and requiring people and doing away with the requirements people provide their name and address. Um I know there's been I I've heard some comments that maybe the signup sheet should stay. So, that's something that we'd be open to amending. Um, I think both the city manager and I had concerns about people providing their address and that was the reason we had suggested taking that out. The other thing is that if people are not required to sign up, we would ask that people just raise their hand or make their way to a queue quietly behind the lectern if they wish to speak. Um, and you may be asked to identify yourself by name and state whether you're a resident of Bristol, Tennessee, but you wouldn't necessarily have to put that on a signup sheet. So, that's in summary the changes. happy to answer any questions that you might have about it. Is there a motion to approve resolution 25-85? Motion to approve. Is there a second?

Second. Does uh anyone have any questions uh of council for Miss Smith? So, does anybody other than myself like the signup sheets that give us some idea of how many people want wish to speak? Otherwise, I'll vote in favor of it. We'll get we'll get to that in a second. Okay. Yeah, we'll get to the Well, we can where we can discuss it. I was just saying if you had any question for Miss Sorry, it's okay. I'm in discussion. Yeah, you're you're fine. Would anyone in the audience like to address council on resolution 25-85? Right. See, now we have a motion to second. Now, is there any discussion? Sorry, I threw you off, Mark. It's my fault. No, no, no. Was in La La Land probably. Yeah. I mean, personally, I like a signup sheet, but that's me personally. So, if nobody else cares, then we can always change it in the future if we want. And we can always have it if I mean because we we have it now, but then it's also somebody has not signed up, then they have the opportunity to still speak still speak. So, I guess it maybe, you know, removing the address and having the name See? Okay. Do you want Do you want to amend it or do you just want to leave it as is? Uh, I'll add an amendment to retain the or to put back in the having the signup sheet with just people's names. Okay. And if I get a second, great. And if not, it does. Is there a second to leave the signup sheet in? I'll second. There's a second. Right. So, we have a a motion and a second to amend the this resolution. Um, is there any discussion on that? All right. Can we take the role on that on the amendment? Turner? Yes. Fire Robin? Yes.

Hutton? Sure. Powers? Yes. Acre? Yes. All right. So we have resolution 25-85 which has now been amended. Is there any further discussion on resolution 25-85 as amended? Hearing none, Mary Lee, please call the role. Turner, yes. Fire Robbin, yes. Hutton, yes. Powers, yes. AR, yes. Right. All right. Moving now to resolution 25-86, the resolution authorizing the disposal of surplus real property 511515 Melrose building. City Manager Kelly Bourgeois will present. Thank you, Mayor. The city owns the building at 511 to 515 Melrose Street and was in active discussions with the school to allow them to use the basement for batting and pitching practice and the um other areas for wrestling program. Following a receipt of a draft memorandum of understanding from the school district in which it was learned the school needed more space than anticipated on an ongoing basis than originally expected, the city offered to sell the property to the school district for the 1.4 4 million purchase price that the city had purchased it for. Following that offer, at the July 22nd work session, the city council determined they would entertain transferring the property to the school at no cost to the school. The city also determined if the school didn't want the property, the facility should be listed for sale on the general real estate market. Resolution 25-86 declares the property surplus property and directs the property be offered to the school at no cost conditioned upon the property being used only for school purposes. And if that use ceases, the property would revert back to the city. The director of schools was at that work session where um she did hear the council direction. It's my understanding they'll have work session discussion on that on Thursday. We should hear back on that um following that meeting. If the school district does not notify the city by the by August 29th of their wish to take ownership of the facility, the city would then put the property on um on the

market at fair market value. Are there any questions of council for Miss Bourgeois? Hearing none. Is there a motion to approve resolution 25-86? Motion to approve. Is there a second? We have a motion uh in a second. So, would anyone in the audience like to address council on this matter? I'm sorry, but you if you'll come to the microphone. I thought I could do. No, I'm sorry. We make it hard on I'm sorry, sir. Yeah. Brian Mullins, 2011 Mountain View Drive, Bristol, Tennessee. What is a estimated fair market value of that property? I don't I don't think we're in a position to honestly answer that uh at this point. I don't honestly may or may we haven't met with the real estate agent or done any research on that. For now, we've offered it to the school system and we're for free and we're waiting to hear back if they accept it or not. But if they don't, you have no idea what fair market value is. I mean, I don't think we're in a position to answer that at the at this moment. We have because we haven't consulted with Are we making our money back is what I'm getting at. We sure hope to. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Thank you. Yes, sir. We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? I will say u briefly based on the square footage. Right now, the Melrose building uh was purchased at a cost of $44 a square foot. You can't buy a home today for $44 a square foot. So, our hope and intent is that if the schools

is that the school system could find a use for it, if they don't, that it would then go on the market realizing that uh it was purchased at $44 a square foot and you can't purchase an industrial building in Bristol, Tennessee for $44 a square foot. No other discussion or comments from Becky. Did you want to say something? No, but come to the podium. Rebecca Adams, 105 Eden Lane. I really had not intended to speak tonight, but wanted to share my concerns that I have shared with several council people beforehand. Just to repeat the history of this purchase and thinking about how in past the city council has always done studies before they proceed very far. But in this purchase of Melrose Place, that didn't appear to happen. Apparently, there was a study commissioned in July of 22, but before that study was completed and information provided. There was apparently the at that time Vice Mayor Turner mentioned that property to Terry Napier and he went and reviewed it that night. And so then that was a memo on August 18th of 2022. By August 19th, 2022, there was a called city council meeting for August 23rd. on August 23rd. Then they purchased that building and then it has sat there for three years. Um, and when I asked about the

study for that, I received some renderings. When I've asked how much they had talked about it would cost to redo that building to take care of it, to put it in use. Um, that information wasn't available. And then looking at it sat there for three years. There were things that were in it before it was purchased that moved that moved out that were helpful for students and athletes, but then that stopped and we've had that building there and there might have been some city offices in there, but very little activity. We've paid insurance on it, utilities on it, etc. I'm glad that something's being done with the building, but concerned about how we're purchasing buildings so quickly and then not utilizing them and not having a true plan for them uh when we purchase them. So, I realize it may have been a good price per unit, but if we don't have the full plan for what we want to do, taking some time because that property wasn't even on the market when it was purchased. So, it wasn't like we were trying to buy it before somebody else did. So just asking that we please stop and think about these which also goes into the concerns that people have had about the King building and the purchase for that. And um so thank you. I just want to say please consider and stop and make sure what we're doing before we make these purchases because when you look at your b monthly your excuse me when you look at your budget and you look at your multi-year budget there's a lot of concern about what our taxes are going to have to increase to cover all these expenses for things that we're planning to do. Thank you. Mary Lee, please call the role. Turner, yes. Fire Robin, yes. Hutton, yes. Powers, yes. Akard, yes. Right. Moving now to resolution 25-87. It's a resolution requesting the

assembly of the state of Tennessee to amend the charter of the city of Bristol, Tennessee with respect to establishing departments of the city and education. City attorney uh Smith will present. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh at several work sessions, city council has expressed the desire to amend the charter to resemble the charters of neighboring communities which explicitly provide that the department of education as a department of the city. It is hoped that these changes will increase operational efficiency. Staff has reviewed various charter provisions of from cities across Tennessee and city council has had the opportunity opportunity to review those provisions. Resolution 25-87 takes that research and does the following. It establishes that the city would have uh a minimum of four departments, police, fire, finance, and education, leaving the remainder of the departments up to the discretion of the city manager, who currently has discretion to establish departments. It establishes that the funds that go to the department of education would flow through the city under the direction of the city recorder who oversees the city's finance department. And it would vest in the city council the power to establish policies for admitting students who don't live in Bristol, Tennessee, including how many such students may attend and how much tuition they would pay. Um, further than that, if there's any questions, I'd be happy to discuss. Any questions of council for Miss Smith? Is there a motion to approve resolution 25-82? Motion to approve. Is there a second? Is there a second? Yes, he's going to be able to speak. It's after motion. Yeah, I'll second it. All right. Would anyone in the audience like to address council on this matter? So, Blair Henley, 305 3 Oaks Drive. Um, I'm not even going to say that I oppose the resolution. I'm just going to say I don't understand it because you haven't been transparent about it. Um, I fully

get that the council cannot control the systems budget because it comes from the state, but I'm sure that you and I both know there are things you can do that will destroy the agility of the school system to adapt to situations as they happen. that being the POS going through the city reporter instead of being able to be handled by the board of education right now. So, I know you can't control the money, but you can certainly make it a lot harder for us to serve our children and our teachers. Um, and the the reason that was given at the work session, the only reason I heard and I sat through the work session was, "Well, Kingsport does it. Well, Johnson City does it. We're not Kingsport. We're not Johnson City. We're Bristol. So, if you want to change the city charter, then change it for the better. Get the people in here that understand what you're doing and what it's going to mean for the school system because you haven't done it. I know that there's been several opportunities for the city council and the board to work together and it's not happened. But you're getting ready to pass a resolution that I'm sure that you've already decided what you're going to do that's going to affect over 3,000 children. It's one of the largest employers of the city and you think it's okay to pass a resolution with no input. Doesn't make sense. The part about the tuition, you can absolutely, if you change the charter, control the tuition and you can you can cap the amount that students pay. But what that will do is basically it's going to reduce your maintenance of effort, which is what I feel like your goal is. But the other thing it's going to do, which is a much deeper change, is if you cap the number, you take a hundred students away, you may save a $100,000 that you don't have to give to the or to the school system, but it's going to cost the school system over a million dollars in ADA and ADM funding,

which I don't think you've considered that. And the reason for that at the city council work session was, well, Manchester, Tennessee does it. Do you even know what the demographics of the Manchester, Tennessee school system is? It's two elementaryaries, a middle school, and a virtual school. So that's what we're patterning patterning this after. I completely get if if you absolutely didn't care about the fact that you represent the city of Bristol. Okay, I I totally get that. But most of you live here, work here. I've seen you at baseball games. I've seen you at weddings. I've seen you at restaurants and how you can look at people in the face and say, "Well, we're doing this for the benefit of the school system to make us more efficient." It's going to do the exact opposite. And there's a whole lot of other things that won't come out now because you haven't put them out, but when you go to actually implement this change, they will come out. And then I'll be back up here pointing out this is why you did it originally. Thank you. I guess my question I guess my question is why um I just sit here and listen to the previous resolution on Melrose. I was in this hall three years ago when you all decided to do it. And I've spoke to council members, previous council members and current council members, and they talked to me about all these great plans that they wanted for Melrose. But we went out and made a rash decision as a city. We made a rash decision. And I understand that now you all have this building sitting there and you all want to work with the school, which I find is

okay. But my question is is with that RAS decision that was made on Melrose and the decision that I've been told that you know the city council is looking at asking the school system to come back into the baseball deal. How can we trust that you all are going to be financially responsible with the money if you continually to go out and buy things that are not necessary for our city? Melrose was a prime example. It's a great building. $44 a square foot. 30 It's right now square footage is 368 a foot. I know exactly. But uh but and I can say it's a good deal, but there was no planning for it. We made a rash decision as a city to go out and buy a building and now we've made another rash decision to go out and buy the LC King building. What I'm asking you guys is, and this comes from the bottom of my heart because I care about every one of you all in this room. Believe it or not, I care about every one of you all sitting on that council. What all I ask is that when you make this decision tonight, when you take this vote that's going to absolutely change the the the foundation of Bristol, I want you to look at it and I want to say I want you to look at it and say, "Did we do our dilig due diligence for everyone, all the citizens of Bristol, not just a particular set of citizens, but all the citizens. That's the teachers. That's the admin. That's the citizens. That's the parents. That's the business owners. Because there are businesses looking at this city right now. They are. And they're watching you two entities fight. They're watching you fight to the fight to the wrath. And I hate it because I'm embarrassed. I pay a lot of sales tax to this city. And I sit here and watch the two councils that I believe the most in. I'm a Brolan. I live here. I believe in you all. I believe in you all. And I believe in them. And I truly think that if you all could sit here and take the decision tonight and maybe table it for just maybe another week or two or your next meeting and work together because Mr. Hutton, you brought it up that y'all

decided as a counselor that y'all didn't want to team up. To me, that that's not good business when it's like, you know, I told somebody the other day, if I fought and I split up like you you two entities that can't work together, me and my wife would be divorced a hundred times over. But we've got to come together as one city. We are one. Every one of us sitting at this table, every one of you all sitting in this room, we are one Bristol. We're not them versus everybody else. It's not school board versus city council. It's not city council versus school board. Because at the end of the day, every one of your all's decisions at this council and at their board, it impacts every one of us. So when I tell you this, I don't just look at it as, well, I'm for the schools or I'm for this or I'm for that. I look at it as a whole. We are the city of Bristol. We have businesses. We have industry. We have sports teams. We have people that look at us all the time. And all I'm asking is one more time before you kick me out of here is before you make this decision tonight before you make a rash decision in the timing that you're doing it. It's horrible timing. And I understand charters need to be changed. But all I'm asking tonight is for each one of you all to think, are we making a rash decision in a in in an emotional moment? All right, we have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion among council? Seeing none, Mayor Lee, will you please call the role? Do you have I do. you know um we've listened and what we are proposing in uh this resolution is to uh to set clarity as to the management of the system and I'm going somewhere with this so just

hang on it formally establishes departments We have uh had a lot of thought, a lot of discussion that's gone into this. There have been a lot of questions asked um in regard to the finances of the school system. Um the school system will set their budget. We won't have would not want to have the ability to redline things out. The maintenance of effort is in place. But and we I'm all for tuition students. I am all for tuition students as long as it as long as there's a revenue stream to support it. And Mr. Henley, you said that the state supported it, but the county supports it as well and so does the local. And there was a com there was a comment made earlier that we only give five million return five million to the school system. That's a a figure set by the state for the maintenance of effort to be in compliance and most school systems are um above that level of compliance. Bristol, Tennessee is as well. We have um my understanding is we have 512 tuition students currently. And uh it uh the estimated cost per student for this year will be $1,220.84 at the local level. That's how we get up to that like $5 million. It was 1,21768. So with a minimal increase, um the school system collects tuition for

the tuition students, but there is uh it is there's no contribution to the city's return of maintenance of effort. The tuition dollars, as I understand it, are returned to the schools. And so it is the full responsibility for the taxpayers of Bristol, Tennessee to pay for the tuition students that are non-contributing to the city in any capacity. Um if you take my understanding is that there are about a hundred students whose parents are employees of the school system and that uh there's a a policy that has been enacted that a certain number of students can come and pay no tuition. And so I asked someone today I said who is covering the expense for the maintenance of effort for these tuition students taxpayers the property taxpayers in Bristol Tennessee are covering that expense. So if you take 500 tuition students, the maintenance of effort for 500 tuition students is $610420. $420 $610,420.

There have been tuition rates set at depending on the number of students that attend from one family 700 650 600 there is uh a group that it's as much as 900 if I understand correctly we're not opposed to tuition students we're not asking specifically that tuition students be capped. What the concern is is that are the taxpayers, the property taxpayers of Bristol, Tennessee subsidizing students that come from with outside of the district? And if they are then is that an appropriate use of the contributing property taxpayers revenues? Now understand that the local tuition students uh affords the uh to come from the county for those students as well as the monies from the state. But at the end of the day, the property taxpayers of Bristol, Tennessee are providing the offset for the local maintenance of effort for those students who do not live in households that contribute to the Bristol, Tennessee property tax revenues. That's just one example. Um, and one thought in regard to tuition. I welcome tuition students, but it has to cash

flow or it's being put on the property taxpayers of Bristol, Tennessee, and $610,420 is about five and a half cents on the tax rate, give or take. So, our tax rate is 5 cents more than it should be because the property taxpayers of Bristol, Tennessee are subsidizing tuition students. So, we're not suggesting that there be a cap. I'm not. I can only speak for myself. As many as the system can accommodate, but has to cash flow so that it's not subsidized. And so for that reason, I support the amendment to the charter as well as for other reasons. And um I think I think it's it's a good move to uh have a greater understanding of the organization of the city without compromising the authorities of the school system other than to say tuition students would have to cash and that's that's my opinion. No, I I agree 100%. I mean, you know, we just came off of a tax increase and you know, nobody liked it at all. There's many of you in here, some that have spoke tonight of speaking against a tax increase. But then here we have been and for many many years we have been as the property tax and I'm talking about property tax. And when I

say we, I'm talking about the taxpayers. When I say we and we have been subsidizing these students that live in the county and they pay zero city property tax and every taxpayer in here, myself included. We have been paying for those students to come to the city school system. I'm not against them coming. I don't care how many that they do come. But I do not think that it should be put on the backs of our taxpayers in this city when they're not paying any city property taxes. So part of this of with this charter change and with the tuition is one of the things and I have and when you ask about doing it I have I have contacted I've been in contact with the department of education in Nashville numerous times with the comprollers's office. I have done my due diligence and I have looked into every bit of this and that that's while why I will be supporting this resolution. And Mr. Mayor, just one other point. Some would say that tuition students bring um additional sales tax revenue. uh Kingsport has made and I know we're not Kingsport but Kingsport has said that uh that they welcome their tuition students because of the additional sales tax that it generates. Um, and in theory that that sounds very plausible, but but what I think is being failed to be understood is that a lot of the sales tax that is returned across the county is returned because of the pinnacle and uh the people of

Bristol, Tennessee, pure and simply uh are responsible for the infrastructure bonds that will not uh sunset until 2038. So where while we do enjoy uh the sales tax revenues, uh the great majority of the sales tax revenues go to reimburse the infrastructure bonds that are helping to generate the sales tax revenues across the county. So in that sense, we are in a different position from Kingsport because we are uh the holders of those infrastructure bonds that are returning sales tax revenues to the Kingsport city schools, to the Bristol, Tennessee city schools, as well as the Solomon County schools. So, you know, the argument about additional sales tax revenues, I I hear it and I understand the point that's trying to be made, but at the end of the day, the people of Bristol, Tennessee are paying on the cell on the infrastructure bonds and we'll pay on them till 2038. Any other discussion? Council. Okay. Mayor Lee, please call the role. Turner, yes. Fire Robbin, yes. Hutton, yes. Powers, yes. Akard, yes. Thank you. Moving now to resolution 25-87. It's a resolution requesting the general assembly of the state of Tennessee to amend the charter of the city of Bristol, Tennessee with respect to the election of members of city council and the board of education. Danielle Smith will present this item as well. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, this resolution again requests the general assembly to make some clarifying changes to the city's charter. Just to be very clear because I think there may be some

misunderstandings. Um, the city currently has three district seats and two at large seats after this change. We would still have two district seats or three district seats and two at large seats as with the school board. Um, this concern has actually arisen, the reason for the change actually came up last year after the legislature amended TCA6-53-110. That statute provides that you are not allowed to have an election process that includes candidates being nominated from a district but elected at large. Previous to the 2024 amendments, there was a loophole for smaller cities such as ours. That loophole was closed in 2024. However, in reviewing our charter, we believed that the way that our nominating process worked is that people everywhere in the city could sign anybody's nominating petitions and could take take part in the nominating process for anybody in the city. So therefore, a district candidate from the city council or school boards would be nominated at large. They were just required to live in the district, the west district, the south district, or the east district that they were running from. Um there have been further changes to that law in 2025 that sparked concern that there might be challenges to that election process and that's why we now have a charter amendment to go forward to make absolutely clear that our charter provides that three members are elected from districts. They are nominated by citywide. Anybody can sign the petition for city council. Anybody can participate in the primary process for school board. and then citizens throughout the city can vote for all three districts. The qu the residential the reason for the districts is to is for qualifying for to be a candidate for city council. That means that we have to have a member of city council and a member of the school board who lives in the east district, the south district and the west district. And then each body would have two at large members who

can live wherever they choose in the city. Um, so this is really uh an effort to preserve our current system as it is. It's not an effort to really change anything at all. We don't expect to see any real changes based on this. We hope that this will make sure that we don't have to make any further changes in future to our election process. Are there any questions of council for Miss Smith? Motion to approve. We have a motion to approve resolution 2588. Is there a second? Second. Motion a second. Would anyone in the audience like to address council on this matter? Seeing none, we have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion among council? I was just going to say um that the long time ago when we first got uh established went from a commissioner government to a city council, city manager government, uh we had five districts and people from each of those five. Somewhere sometime um late 90s there was a push from some different people to make it all at large. And at that time our city council decided to do a compromise and do two at large and keep the three districts. Uh and for myself I really appreciate having the districts where we having the ability to have people living in different areas so that I get to see in my area when I travel all the time I know what's going on and what things look like etc. and have maybe closer contact with some people there. Uh, and that helps to have people in other districts. So, I really like the district situation that we've had where we have three districts and then two at large. So,

any more discussion hearing? None. Mary Lee, will you please call the role? Yes, sir. Turner, yes. Fire Robbin, yes. Hutton, yes. Powers, yes. Akre, yes. Resolution 25-89. It's a resolution requesting the general assembly of the state of Tennessee to amend the chart of the city of Bristol, Tennessee with respect to the effective date of ordinances and payment of property taxes. Miss Smith will also present this item. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, again, this is a request to the general assembly to enact legislation that would amend the city's charter. Uh, rather than being effective 17 days after passage on final reading, ordinances would be effective seven days after passage. Uh we think this will be make things a lot easier on council and staff in terms of being able to schedule meetings and get things done in a timely fashion. Um this also changes the due dates for property taxes. So currently city property taxes are due on January 5th. They would be due on January 31st. Um this gives citizens a little bit of extra time to pay those taxes after the holidays, which I think I hope most of us would appreciate. It also works better with the city's finance software. um that software calculates interest starting on the first day of the month and we have to manually change it currently. So our finance department has has really asked for this. Other tax related dates would also shift to the end of the month rather than being based on the fifth of the month. So I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. Are there any questions uh of councel for Miss Smith? Is there a motion to approve resolution 25-89? Move to approve resolution 2589. Is there a second? Second. Would anyone in the audience like to address council on this matter? Okay. I have a question. So, the $5 million given to BTCS isn't given by y'all. It's by the state, right? Is that correct? Uh, your question needs to pertain to

this particular ordinance. Okay. Resolution. Actually, does anyone like to address council on this resolution? Seeing none, we have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? Mary Lee, please call the role. Turner, yes. Fire Robin, yes. Hutton, yes. Powers, yes. Ak ordinances on first reading to consider tonight. The first is ordinance 25-17. an ordinance to clarify provisions of chapter 13 sign regulations section 1307 non-permanent signs. Miss Young will present. Thank you, Mayor Hutton. Um so first reading tonight on an amendment to the sign ordinance. Uh council will recall we worked for several years and then adopted the um sign ordinance that becomes effective on October one uh earlier this year in preparation for our educational materials and some items that we're going to distribute to the public. Um we did notice a couple things that need to be corrected. Um several of those are very clerical in nature um as what appears here on this screen. Uh so we will be adding some language to clarify um the overall height that didn't get carried through u as it should have. So we'll be adding adding the uh language to uh reflect a six foot maximum height for post signs. Um, we'll be doing that in a chart that references residential signage and this is uh non-permanent signage. Everything I'm talking about tonight is focused on non-permanent signage. Be doing the same thing uh in the commercial districts. So, we'll be adding uh carrying through it's already appears in this section, but we'll be carrying it through the entirety of the section that there's a max height of six feet. also be adding language that in a commercial district the u signage allowance is based on a a single tenant uh and that extends to vacant property

as well. So the change here is that we include vacant property. Earlier ordinance did not address vacant property. Um the final and probably more substantial change is here in the multi-tenant center uh chart and that is going to stipulate that while a multi-tenant center tenant can have uh certainly have temporary non-permanent signage. A post sign, so that's a substantial real estate type post sign uh is only allowed one per parcel um or one per road frontage on on a parcel. So, every single multi-tenant uh in the shopping center could not have a post sign. So, that's the um um roundup and summary of the uh sign ordinance. Um happy to answer any questions. Any questions of council for Miss Young. Is there a motion to take action on ordinance 25-17? Good. Motion to approve. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Would anyone in the audience like to address council on ordinance 25-17? Seeing none, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion among council? Mary Lee, would you please call the role? Turner? Yes. F Robin? Yes. Hutton? Yes. Powers? Yes. ARD? Yes. Now we have ordinance 25-18. It's an ordinance to designate the zoning of property newly annexed into the city of Bristol, Tennessee as M2 General Industrial District, BTEES property. Sheriff Young will present. Thank you again. Um I've summarized this a great at a great deal uh during the plan of services. Again, this is the uh zoning map of the area currently. Um plan of services um that was approved earlier does carry the line item that this property would be designated as M2. Um we will be coming back for a second reading public hearing on this item for your September meeting. Um and happy to

answer any questions? Any questions of council for Miss Young? Miss Young, would you please explain the process moving forward? If this doesn't pass tonight, it's it does completely. If it does pass, what is the process then beyond its passing? So, if this passes this evening uh with this vote, we would come back to city council again for their September meeting for a public hearing and second reading on the ordinance. Um if it does not vote ultimately, we would have to go back and revisit the plan of services. Um then that would that would be an additional um consequence of of it not moving forward. Will the uh planning commission have Uh any further discussion in regard to this matter matter? Um not in not on this annexation matter, but the planning commission is discussing the M2 ordinance in general and um considering some changes to that M2 ordinance. If the planning commission wanted to take up any further discussion in the plan of services, would they be in a position to do that? So they've held their public hearing. Um the plan of services by resolution was um accepted earlier in this meeting. So it would be a I'll look to Danielle, but it would be a a new twist uh for this project. We have not had this situation arise before, but the plan of services has been adopted and so it is set, but the plan of services does not designate the zoning. It only proposes a zoning and so city council has to act by ordinance in order to zone the property. This is first reading. If there are changes that you want to make on first reading, you are you can do that the same way that you amend any other ordinance. And you

know the planning the planning commission is certainly it would be up to them if they wanted to discuss it at their meeting which is next Monday I think. Um you know and provide any feedback to city council at some point before second reading. So if they wanted to amend the plan of services in any capacity. No, it's already said. Yeah. the plan of services, but the plan of services doesn't need to be amended. The zoning, they just recommend the zoning in the plan of services. The zoning has to be done separately. Gotcha. Thank you. Thank you. Is there a motion to take action on ordinance 25-18? Motion to approve. Is there a second? I'll second. We have a motion and second. Would anyone audience like to address council on this matter? Again, my name is Mike Shaw. I'm just kind of confused about the the zoning. It's a recommendation, correct? It's not something that's set in stone. It's just a recommendation. Can the recommendation be altered by the planning commission or is this I mean again you guys are the ones that make it say yes or no? That was in the previous of that that was the recommendation from planning that it be an M2. And so what we are voting on right now is the first reading of the res of the M2. Okay. I was kind of confused again. And because I I noticed that when we were at the planning commission, they were recommending things and it kind of felt like that that's what it was going to be. But does that change or is that possibly being changed to something lesser than an N2? I mean, again, it's planning commission. I mean, I Go ahead.

I'm kind of confused about how that works because you guys approve it as a zoning. You're you're voting on it today to zone at M2. That's right. Okay. So, there's no changing that name. Well, this is the first reading, so it'll have to come back next month as well. That that's one I just want to understand. Right. We are voting on it to be M2. Yes. Which was recommended by the planning and zoning, right? Yeah. Again, I'm I'm a citizen of the county, so again, I don't know how many interested people of the city are looking at this. No, I understand. We appreciate you coming and asking questions. No problem. Yes, sir. Would anyone else in the audience like to address council on this matter? Obviously, I'm just going to restate my objection to this proposed ordinance. The reasonzoning greatly affects people who are outside of the city. But moreover, you know, we were at the planning commission meeting. Nobody discussed an alternative zoning, whether N1 or or even um one of the business zonings. Nothing was even discussed. We didn't find out about it until July when the letter went out. And it is relevant that the people know about it. Is there and also I need to know can we get some kind of commitment or discussion discussion would be good from the members of the council as to what would be done to protect the citizens. I have a feeling this is just going to keep going through with the the 20 or I'm sorry 40 foot setback with M2 with no kind of buffer. So what kind of discussion is going to be had about our protection

if you move forward with an M2 designation which is should not happen in a residential area. Does anyone have any discussion about it? It's not time for our discussion yet. It's talking will there be because Yes. And will you consider not doing this to the citizens that live next to it and neighborhood, excuse me, and the subdivisions. There's multiple subdivisions that are affected. Or do we need to go to the next planning commission to try to get setbacks put in? What do we need to do so that somebody protects us? That's my question. I I mean in a moment the council will have an opportunity to to discuss and and basically speak to your your questions, but I mean I can assure you that our planning and zoning in the city does everything that it can possibly do to protect its citizens and even those in the county as well. I mean Miss Young spoke a moment ago that our planning and zoning is actually looking at aspects of M2 uh already. So, but I uh I guess Miss Young, my question would be is that the changes you're looking at is that to make it less invasive and less industrial or to allow more businesses to qualify for M2. Miss Miss Gaskin, this it's I mean I think those are questions you can ask at a planning and zoning meeting, but I mean we weren't allowed to ask questions. Okay. Well, planning and zoning committee, we were told not to ask questions. If you want to answer, that's fine. Um, I think uh, one thing that needs to be po pointed out, and Miss Young, correct me if I'm wrong, is that we have been petitioned by the property owner, which is BTEES, for a zoning change to M2. But isn't the BTS the city? And doesn't the deed say the city owned it for the benefit of BTEES? I mean, the city is the owner. So that's the

but the petition came from BTE as the facilitator the economic development facilitator of that. I think you know we we did have discussion at the planning commission but I would suggest in light of this evening that you have a conversation with Mrs. young and uh see uh how best to proceed in regard to some of the concerns that you have and are there any other things that can be put in place to help with your concerns and she would be a great okay correct she would be the best place to begin with that and then to see how how it would move from there. So just because you approve, I assume it seems like everything is sort of already in place and it's going to be improved regardless of the comments. But if you move forward with your M2, I will still have an opportunity and so will the other affected people to get who who decides on the buffer and the setback. I know that you can alter it because I've seen variances. So who is it? Plan commission meetings we need to go to. Yeah, that's right. That's who you need to go to. Yeah. And I mean have that conversation with Miss Young at some point. Yeah, it's great. I mean, this is just first reading, so there's we'll take this back up at our at our next meeting in September. Okay. Well, and you will discuss it in the meantime or it I guess if it passes, you're done, right? We're we're actually going to discuss it here in just a moment. Okay. I appreciate it. Thank you. Anyone else in the audience like to address council on this matter? We have a motion and a second. Is there any discussion among council? Yes, there's discussion. Um, so I am thinking more and um looking at

different things and listening also to some of the concerns and I would like to um I think it would behoove us to look at a couple of issues. one is certainly um well the planning commission is looking at them too. So that is opportunity to look at buffering and especially if it's heavy industrial and how to do that. Um it's also opportunity to look at what's included and what's not. It's also an opportunity to look at some things that when we last amended this, we did not have um to consider which like in the past when cell phone towers came in. It was trying to be sure that we got regulations so that cell phone towers had some rules to follow in how they um how they were done. So, I think there's some issues like that. Um, personally, I would feel more comfortable if we let planning commission work a little bit more on that and delay a vote on this. I don't necessarily oppose a manufacturing or industrial zone. I do think trying to look is it possible to do a different zoning or is it possible to look at um some subdivision of property for different zones. I think there could be opportunity to um help an area that was seen as residential um and on our planning, land use planning was marked as residential to have opportunity to talk about how we can make sure that if we change that perceived

um use that it could um not impact as strongly as what um what it might so I I can make a motion, but I want to hear discussion from other people or an amendment, but see if anybody else wants to say I think to the mayor's point, this is the first reading and that it would give uh adequate time uh and and continue the process. And for that reason, I I am in favor of uh executing the first reading tonight. And uh Miss Young has heard our concerns and I'm sure that there are other planning commission uh members that uh will be made aware uh to take this back up uh in some capacity. And of course it we would should probably have the opportunity to uh talk about it one more time in our work session. But I think that uh at this point at this juncture um some of the suggestions that have been made uh could be discussed at the planning commission and in our work session and to go ahead and act on this this evening uh since we are in process. I agree. Okay. Any other discussion about this? Do you want to make an amendment or a motion or Sure. I've already I can I'm used to having them turned down so or passed by surprise. Um u I don't totally disagree but I feel like it's more sure. So, I would propose an amendment that we send it back to planning commission to um and actually my amendment could be to send it back officially send it back to planning commission for them to look at um if there's any opportunities to modify the zoning, but especially to

look at the um M2, probably the M1 zone as well to see what changes might be needed. Okay. There's a motion for an amendment to this uh ordinance. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Any discussion. All right. Uh merely we call the role for the amended ordinance 25-18 for for amendment. Turner. No. Fire. Robin. Yes. Hutton. No. Powers. No. A. Yes. All right. uh that uh amendment fails. So now we're back to ordinance 25-18. Is there any further discussion on ordinance 25-18? I'll share that. I'm going to vote no, but that doesn't mean that I won't vote yes in the future. Right. Any further discussion? Seeing none, Mary Lee, we please call the role for ordinance 25-18. Turner, yes. Fire Robin, no. Hutton, yes. Powers, yes. Akard, no. All right. Motion passes for on first reading. We have one ordinance for second reading tonight. Ordinance 25-16. It's an ordinance to designate the zoning of property newly annexed into the city of Bristol, Tennessee as R2 single family duplex residential Walter L Harbor, Beaver Creek. This item was presented by Cherith Young uh during the public hearing early this evening. The public had an opportunity to comment during that public hearing. Are there any questions for Miss Young on this matter from council? Motion to approve. We have a motion. Is there a second? Second. Any discussion? Hearing none. Mary Lee, can you please call the role? Turner? Yes. Fire Robbin? Yes. Hutton? Yes. Powers? Yes. Akre? Yes.

Yes. We're moving now to our consent agenda. Uh and I will prepare everyone in this room as a part of our rules. Uh all resolutions uh all aspects of a consent agenda must be read aloud. Uh unfortunately tonight it's like reading uh every book in the Bible. Uh so there's 60. So uh buckle up. We're gonna This is I'm taking a bathroom break. So I'll be back. Miss Bour, will you please read the consent agenda? Yes. Thank you. First, we have the minutes of the July 8th city council meeting, and we have the minutes of the July 22nd city council work session. We have approval of resolution 25-90, approving an agreement with Abuse Alternatives, Inc. for funding support. Approval of resolution 25-91. Approving an agreement with Believe in Bristol for funding support. Approving resolution 25-92, an agreement with Birthplace of Country Music for funding support. Approval of resolution 25-93, approving an agreement with Bristol Chamber of Commerce for funding support for the Youth Leadership Program. Approval of resolution 25-94, approving an agreement with Bristol Regional Speech and Hearing for funding support. Approval of resolution 25-95. Approving an agreement with Bristol Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation for funding support. Approval of resolution 25-96. Approving an agreement with Family Promise of Bristol for funding support. Approval of resolution 25-97. Approving an agreement with Paramount Foundation for funding support. Approval of resolution 25-98. Approving an agreement with Sullivan County Family Justice Center or the Branch House for funding support. Approval of resolution 25-99. Approving an appropriation agreement with Theater Bristol for funding support. Approval of resolution 25-100. Awarding a bid for the purchase of highway paint and pavement marking applications.

Awarding I'm sorry, approval of resolution 25-101, awarding a bid for the purchase of stone and sand delivered and picked up. Approval of resolution 25-102, awarding a bid for the purchase of inplace asphalt. Approval of resolution 25-103, awarding the bid for purchase of bulk asphalt products from Summers Taylor. Approval of resolution 25-104, awarding the bid for the purchase of bulk concrete products. Approval of resolution 25-105, awarding the bid for water and sanitary sewer supplies. Approving resolution 25-106, awarding a bid for sidewalk replacement. Approval of resolution 25-107, authorizing purchase of tactical gear for the fire department. Approval of resolution 25-108 awarding a bid for the ambulance remount. Approval of resolution 25-109 authorizing the purchase of two sport utility vehicles through the state contract for the fire department. Approval of resolution 25-110 authorizing the purchase of Toughbook computers and mounting hardware um through the Omnio Cooperative Purchasing Contract for the fire department. Approval of resolution 25-11 authorizing the purchase of tablet vehicle mounting hardware through Sourcewell. Approval of resolution 25-112 awarding the purchase of a utility task vehicle for the fire department. Approval of resolution 25-113 authorizing the purchase of an inflatable rescue boat, motor, and trailer for the fire department. Approval of resolution 25-114 authorizing the purchase of turnout gear for the fire department under the source cooperative purchasing agreement. Approval of resolution 25-115 authorizing the purchase of police vehicles under the state contract. Approval of resolution 25-116 authorizing the purchase of police cruiser upfitting equipment for police vehicles under the state contract. Approval of resolution 25-117 authorizing the purchase of installation of police cruiser upfitting equipment for patrol vehicles. Approval of

resolution 25-118 authorizing the purchase of radar equipment for the police department under the state contract. Approval of resolution 25-119 authorizing the purchase of incar video systems with body cameras. Approval of resolution 25-120 authorizing the purchase of body armor vests and outer carriers through Sourcewell for the police department. Resolution 25-121 authorizing the purchase of two police canines. Approval of resolution 25-122 authorizing the purchase of replacement generator under the source wall contract. Approval of resolution 25-123 authorizing the purchase of console computers for 911 dispatch through the Omnia cooperative purchasing contract. Approval of resolution 25-124 authorizing the purchase of digital forensic extraction software from Celbrite. Approval of resolution 25-125 authorizing the purchase of Sofos detection and endpoint antivirus software for IT through the Omnia partnership cooperative purchasing group. Approval of resolution 25-126 authorizing the purchase of Dell Power Edge backup servers through the TIPS cooperative purchasing association. Approval of resolution 25-127 authorizing the purchase of Dell computers under the Omnia Cooperative Purchasing Contract. Approval of resolution 25-128 authorizing purchase of rapid care support for network equipment through TIPS cooperative purchasing contract. Approval of resolution 25-129 authorizing the purchase of operations management system software through source wall contract. Approval of resolution 25-130 authorizing entry into an agreement for professional services with Davenport company. Approval of resolution 25-131 authorizing multiple small purchases from vendors throughout the fiscal year. Approval of resolution 25-132 authorizing the purchase of an a Ford

F350 pickup truck for storm water under the state contract. Approval of resolution 25-133 authorizing the purchase of a skid steer loader for public works through Sourcewell. Approval of resolution 25-134 authorizing the purchase of two trucks for the public works department under the state contract. Approval of resolution 25-135 authorizing the purchase of a backhole loader for public works under the state contract. Approval of resolution 25-136 authorizing the purchase of a hotbox asphalt reclaimer under the source group contract. Approval of resolution 25-137 authorizing the purchase of a commercial paver through the state contract. Approval of resolution 25-138 authorizing the purchase of refuge containers for public works under the source purchasing agreement. Approval of resolution 25-139 authorizing the purchase of return activated sludge valves for our wastewater treatment plant through soul source supplier. Approval of resolution 25-140 authorizing the purchase of a crane for the water plant utility truck. Approval of resolution 25-141 authorizing the purchase of a 2025 GMC Sierra pickup truck for the water sewer maintenance superintendent. Approval of resolution 25-142 authorizing the purchase of a dually pickup truck through the state contract. Approval of resolution 25-143 authorizing the purchase of a pickup truck for community engagement and events under the state contract. Approval of resolution 25-144 authorizing the purchase of a John Deere Gator utility vehicle under Sourcewell for community engagement and events. Approval of resolution 25-145 authorizing entry into a grant contract with the state of Tennessee for grant funds to purchase electric vehicles. Approval of resolution 25-146 authorizing the purchase of a 2025 GMC Sierra pickup truck for general services. Approval of resolution 25-147 authorizing the city of Bristol to join the state of Tennessee and other local

governments and amend amending the Tennessee state subdivision opioid abatement agreement and approving any related settlement agreements and future agreements. Approval of resolution 25-148 approving submitt of an application to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for a Bramfield Redevelopment Area Grant for the LC King property for phase 2 environmental approval of resolution 25-149 authorizing the temporary use of public property and the public right ofway for the birth by the birthplace of country music for the sale, distribution, and consumption of beer for the rhythm and roots reunion festival. Approval of resolution 25-150, approving further re revisions to the Bristol, Tennessee transit title 6 program. Approval of resolution 25-151, authorizing entry into a a grant contract for the Bristol NO consolidated planning grant. And approval of resol resolution 25-152 authorizing entry into a contract with Kimley Horn to assist the Bristol NO in updating the longrange transportation plan. Fantastic. Well done. Motion to approve. Would any member of council like an item removed from the consent agenda, please? Lord, no. Second, please. I seconded. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Would anyone in the audience like to address council on any item on the consent agenda? Fantastic. Mary Lee, please call the role. Turner, yes. Fire Robbin, yes. Hutton, yes. Powers, yes. Ak, yes. Fantastic. turn now to the city manager's report. After that, I just have a few things. Um, just first of all, a great job to all of our public safety, public works, code enforcement, park and wreck, um, community engagement and events, everyone that helped make the MLB baseball game a huge success at the speedway. Um, and as well as the PPA pickle ball tournament that occurred this last weekend. It's great to have the eyes on Bristol for both of those

events and they they were both wonderful and we appreciate our our private partners that u made those events possible or actually held those events. Um if the weather would cooperate, Sounds of Summer is still going that will go through August uh this month with Asylum Suite this Thursday. So uh keep an eye out. The the full lineup is on our website and our Facebook page. We have Coffee with the Chief to be held at Whimsicles at 10 a.m. on August 19th. Uh that's with our police chief Austin. We have football field day frenzy at Friendship Park on August 23rd from 11 to 2. That's for kindergarteners through fifth graders. They'll have football skills and drills and inflatable, free hot dogs, chips and drinks, and free games. Um, as was mentioned earlier, we have the skate park open house to look at the design concepts at the corner restaurant on August 25th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and then also at the Slater Center during the park and rec uh commission meeting on August 28th at 6:00 p.m. And we have our farmers market going yet Wednesday afternoons and Saturdays. That's all I have. Thank you. Any comments from city council? I'll just I'll say that u also with thank you to the speedway and Jerry and his staff of uh for they put on was pretty amazing for the uh baseball game and uh our staff and uh everyone that was at the pickle ball event and also at the the racetrack for the major league baseball event of thank Thank you for everything you did. I know this weekend I was at the tournament for the pickle ball and we had staff there and everyone that was in attendance of there's nothing but great things to say about of our staff and the city and the time that they had spent here because most of them had been here for since

Tuesday. So u thank you to everyone involved. That's all I got. others really that's fantastic. I'll just reiterate thanks for um everything that has gone on and thanks for our staff for um going the extra mile with a lot of the different activities that are going on. So that's it. All right, miss voting journ down.