City Council - Regular Meeting

On our agenda as usual is our planning commission report. Mr. Tendle and the only item is ordinance 65 202526. Uh yes, city council. Happy early spring uh gift with only one case this week this month. I can't pro I can't promise that next month, but we'll do what we can. All right. Looking for it. Mr. Hollis to the rescue. Well, while they work on that, I'll give you a little bit of other news. Uh, we have completed our second annual RPC annual report. It is available on our website, and we'll get you copies next week, uh, for if you want a hard copy. It's about 10 pages long, but it covers all all the different topics and things we did over the past year, not just zoning cases that you all saw, but all types of cases, other work that doesn't always make it into the limelight, uh, just to recapture what the planning commission does on an annual basis, uh, that really maybe isn't seen by the general public or by the elected leadership. So, you can look at that on our website and, uh, we can print a couple copies out and bring them for you.

have to start telling jokes. Stay up here long enough. No, please don't. I don't know. Let me see the headline now. Did you have a joke?

No. Yeah. Okay.

All right. We'll work off your version here if Lisa would kindly scroll through it. All right.

Thank you, sir. This is planning commission cases E10 2026. This is the application of Rustin Cohori III. Uh the applicant is Baston Batson East Land Company. Uh this is one parcel and a portion of another parcel total of 61.82 acres currently zoned AG agricultural and requesting to go to C5 highway and arterial commercial district. Uh it's attractive land consisting of one full parcel and a portion of another located at the northern frontage of Edgewood Place uh about 950 ft west of Wilmer Rudolph Boulevard and Edgewood Place or to be Spring Creek Parkway uh in the very near future. It's currently a grass landfield and wooded with some rolling hills. Uh this is in council ward 11 and 12. It's in the St. B planning area. The applicant statement is resoning of agricultural land to permit medical office consistent with the future land as identified in the 2024 Clarksville Montgomery County comprehensive plan. Reszoning is necessary to permit the construction of the new Department of Veteran Affairs Clinic. Lisa, do they have the zoning map? Yeah, we'll use that one. There we go. All right. Um, as far as pictures went, there's not a ton of pictures because the road does kind of end back there. So, we did take a bunch of pictures of a field uh and where the road construction is is quickly moving along. We did get a picture of the bridge. Uh the steel is up for the decking and that's looking uh like it's moving along pretty good out there. Uh city street department did require a traffic impact study and was provided. Uh city street department has also reviewed a traffic assessment and uh accepts the assess assessment for the purpose of this application. The proposed driveway layout aligns with the recent discussion and the public road connection will not be required. Uh they

were talking about a different public road in this area. Uh note that for the record CSD will require a full traffic impact study for the site plan uh and address any deficiencies with the current assessment at that time. Uh the 2040 Spring Creek Parkway background traffic projections were artificially reduced instead of using the requested full buildout volume and the study failed to evaluate a dedicated right turn deceleration lane on Spring Creek Parkway and Fairbrook Place entry. Uh so originally this site was only going to access um Spring Creek Parkway and now it's also they have also purchased the C2 parcel to the east northeast uh off of Fairbrook Place. So, it will have two entries uh into this parcel. Uh the future TIS will evaluate uh any turning movements, new traffic signal on Spring Creek Parkway from road two and timing or funding of the signal will be evaluated at the site plan portion of the review. There's a blue line stream at the very northern portion of this property where it bends right there. Uh the construction will all take place outside of that area. Uh, no other department comments or concerns. The impact of this would be increased traffic, light, and noise associated with this commercial/medical potential use. Uh, in the future land use map, it's a regional, commercial, and a mixeduse area. The staff does recommend approval. The request is consistent with the overall goals and objectives of the comprehensive plan. The proposed C5 highway and arterial district is being proposed at a location that is appropriate within the current roadway network with addition with additional transportation and roadway improvements that are underway fronting this site. This aligns with the Saint B general recommendations and coordinating future development with infrastructure improvements such as those referenced in the previous comments. A full revised traffic impact study will be required at

the site plan development stage to address site specific considerations for the transportation related infrastructure improvements and items not included in the current assessment. Uh planning commission also recommends for approval. Thank you, Mr. Tindle. Councilman Sha, you're recognized. Yes, thank you, mayor. Um thank you, Jeff, for that. Um something that's definitely needed in this area. I think this is going to be a pretty large project. Um, just looking at Fairbrook, Fairbrook is is too close to Kennedy, which is already a disaster as far as traffic. Um, and maybe, mayor, this may be for the street department. Um, is there any way we can look at Gibbs Lane connecting um another outlet coming from Gibbs Lane?

Well, that would be a question for the street department. Mr. Smith, if you don't mind. Councilman Shiken, if you don't mind asking a question. Hey, um, Mr. Smith. Yes sir. Um have we thought about or is there any way we can start looking at maybe trying to acquire that a land at least a strip of it to connect from Gibbs Lane over to North Ed North Edgewood? That is possible. As Mr. Tendle mentioned there is a blue line stream that chases through there. Uh there are a couple of wet weather conveyances and the topography on the backside is exceptionally challenging as it heads down towards Spring Creek.

Right. Uh there are some considerations for Fairfield uh or Fairbrook that will also we're evaluating with them as that TIS comes through that there's the potential to realign driveways on the opposite side where the Panda Express is and potentially signalize at that intersection as well. It would be kind of a punitive signal. I mean we really want to stop Bulmer Rudolph uh if we can help it excessively. But that would also help the Kennedy Lane folks with the secondary egress because they're already having a hard time over there. Yes, sir. So this just going to compact it in that area. Yes, sir. Cool. Thank you. Yeah, you're welcome. We've met with the developer at least once. I'm going to have another meeting next week with them regarding making sure that they know that Spring Creek Parkway is likely to be the main entrance to this development.

Uh once people figure out it's a whole lot easier to get onto the property from Spring Creek Parkway than it is would be Fairbrook. Yes. So, and they're taking that into consideration and we'll be required to do something. Thank you. Oh, thank you. Councilman Brown, you're recognized. Thank you, Mayor. So, Mr. Tendle, you mentioned about the C2 there that they've acquired that property also. Um, is their plan just to put access road there or is this going to have to be reszoned for them with this or

Yeah, they're they're not going to use that property for the building. It will probably have parking and access road and some trails on it. Uh, they do indicate on having a trail system around the property. Um, this is the VA clinic, the one we have all heard about. This property was chosen. It is 300 or so thousand square feet, three-story building, big big footprint, 2,000 parking spaces. So, the majority of this property is actually parking and the building, but the build the majority of the building and the parking is going to be on this C5 parcel. They did acquire that other parcel for additional access and some more parking. So, they won't have to come back and ask for that to be reszoned. No, sir. Thank you,

Councilman Lovato. You're recognized. Thank you, Mayor. Um, this is a question for you. This is the third site that the VA has chosen to go into. How solid is this deal? Because what I don't want to do is reszone this for C5 and for some reason it not work out and then we have a bigger mess on our hands. Well, it's it's more solid than some of the other deals that have come across my desk. Um, but I have every confidence in the world that this will be this is the site because they would not have announced it had it not been. Okay. This is the second one in W 12 though. So that's all.

I got you. Any other comment or question regarding this zoning case? All right, Mr. Tindle. Is that it? That is it.

All right. Thank you. We're now ready for the consent agenda. Madame clerk. All items in this portion of the agenda are considered to be routine and non-controversial by the council and may be approved by one motion. However, a member of the council may request that an item be removed for separate consideration under the appropriate committee report. Ordinance 39 202526 second reading an ordinance amending the zoning code and map of the city of Clarksville application of Kevin Hu for a zone change on two properties located on the east frontage of College Street east of the College Street and Craft Street intersection from M1 Light Industrial District to C5 Highway and Arterial Commercial District. Ordinance 47 202526 second reading an ordinance amending the zoning code and map of the city of Clarksville application of Tommy and Reissi Byard for a zone change on property located at 1911 Old Russellville Pike from R1 single family residential district to R2A single family residential district. Ordinance 54 202526, second reading. An ordinance amending the zoning code and map of the city of Clarksville. Application of Mark and Katherine Barton for a zone change on three parcels located north of the intersection of Willox Street and Marian Street from R4 Multiple Family Residential District to CBD Central Business District. Ordinance 55 202526, second reading. An ordinance accepting the donation of certain real property from Misspire Clarksville to the city of Clarksville for the purpose of greenway development approaching Ringold Road. Ordinance 56 202526 second reading. An ordinance amending

the zoning code and map of the city of Clarksville. Application of Bryce Powers for zone change on property located at 1018 Swift Drive from 01 office district to R2A single family residential district. Ordinance 57 202526, second reading, an ordinance amending the zoning code and map of the city of Clarksville, application of John Mark Hollowman for a zone change on property located at 2610 Ashlin City Road from R1 single family residential district to R5 residential district. Ordinance 59 202526, second reading, an ordinance amending the zoning code and map of the city of Clarksville. Applicant application of Terrence Bernie for a zone change on property located at 2075 North Ford Street from M2 General Industrial District to R2A single family residential district. Ordinance 60 202526 second reading. An ordinance amending the zoning code and map of the city of Clarksville. Application of Ligan Homebuilders for a zone change on property located at 1640 Evans Road from R2D two family residential district to R1 single family residential district. Ordinance 62 202526 second reading an ordinance amending the zoning code and map of the city of Clarksville. application of Chris Blackwell for a zone change on property located at 3341 and 3351 Pemroke Road from R1 single family residential district to R5 single family residential district. Ordinance 63 202526, second reading. An ordinance amending the zoning code and map of the city of Clarksville. Application of Richard Collins for a zone change on property fronting on the north of Dover Road east of Paula Drive and west of Aurelia Lin

Drive from C2 General Commercial District to C5 Highway and Arterial Commercial District. Resolution 51202526, a resolution approving appointments to the Arts and Heritage Council, the Adult Oriented Establishment Board, the After Hours Establishment Board, Beer Board, Board of Equalization, Designations Board, Fire Appeals Board, Regional Solid Waste Board, and the Tree Board, and the adoption of minutes from February 11th and March 5th.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Members, I'll be um asking Mr. Smith in a moment to come up and address us regarding item B, ordinance 47. But are there any other questions or comments regarding the consent agenda? All right, Mr. Smith, if you don't mind, there was a fair amount of discussion uh and maybe some confusion regarding this zoning case last month, ordinance 5047 202526. So, um I've asked Mr. Smith to kind of lead us through some of the some of the uh information that we have on record. So, Mr. Smith, you're recognized. Well, I got that number from Jeff, so hopefully that's the right zoning case. I'm not very close.

Close. Okay. So, the subject property, I'm going to run through uh some imagery and and largely this is just imagery and we'll talk through some of the history. Uh this is the imagery from 1997 uh as captured. You can see the footprint of the water on the site uh there to the north of the apartment complex at the W's edge uh drive and the lack of development at what is now a commercial site. You can see the road crossing on Dunbur Dunar rather and the tributary that ran underneath that and conveyed to the same area. So you can see there's there's quite a footprint of water uh in this area back in 97. You can see also that the uh subdivision uh to the north northeast is guarded against that uh and whatnot. Moving on. Actually, I guess we're moving the wrong way. 2010 flood. So, obviously, you know, in in in recent history, the most significant water uh that this area has seen. You can see the contour of the the sediment uh chasing up just past the line there on the northeast side. Again, uh not to the homes. Uh and then again the the two um equalization lines shedding water to the east side of the RJ Corman line uh as is designed. But if you again if you look back just between 97 and you can see the TVA lines uh and that area underwater uh that obviously that's a it's it's a lighter situation in 2010 even despite the amount of of flooding that occurred. And of course, these are the aerial images from 2025 showing the channelization of that water and then the TVA area dry. Uh these were just flown uh last year. So some of the history here uh at or around this time 1997, R.J. Corman was having issues with that amount of water putting their tracks uh underwater there at in this image the south uh southwest corner. Uh they had a tremendous issue and and kind of a handshake agreement. uh the administration of the street department at the time worked within their

footprint there being R.J. Corman to assist with evacuating uh this water and apparently it worked a little too well and it got the attention of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Tennessee Department of Environ and Conservation. What you don't see here is was referenced in the last uh presentation by Mr. Tindle. There's a wet weather conveyance in a blue line stream just off this map to the southwest where that water was proposing to discharge. the Army Corps of Engineers post the installation of the pipe with R.J. Corman, you know, in and kind of that that concert agreement uh issued the city a notice of violation. Both the Army Corps of Engineers and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation equally issued us notices of violation uh for the installation uh of the pipe for the work we did with Corman uh and defined that the area in question was a protected wetland and the area of discharge where the pipe was sending the water was in fact a protected wet weather conveyance and ultimately a protected blue line stream. So in essence, uh, the city and R.J. Corman had kind of a a concurrent wrist slap and the corrective action that was taken was to dam up that work and allow the equalization lines that are in place to do their job. So what does that look like? Uh, this is a very very busy map and I apologize for just how busy it is. Uh, but the, uh, we'll kind of highlight this in a minute. In the images we looked at just a few minutes ago, that yellow contour line was as far as we saw the water get on the the northeast side. And I've chased that back 2 feet higher uh to a contour that's just beyond that to explain how the water sheds underneath the railroad tracks through these two lines. Absent any pipe the city installed with R.J. Corman back in 1998. Uh and again that notice of violation came in 2001 2002 era. So this is again this has been some time. The water sheds and equalizes between that basin. That's the science behind that basin on the other side not being developed. Wilmer Rudolph also sheds

water to you know Tennessee Department of Transportation sheds water backwards to this area. So this is a lowlying area through that entire basin that accepts subdivision water and whatnot. Now kind of looking at some of the storm water issues and and some of the features that are in there and that was referenced that there's a city pipe that's blocked and that sort of thing. the developer has decided or or determined that they would install a pipe on Old Russell that would shed water from the the bottom right corner of that map or in this case uh the southeast corner all the way to the northwest corner of the pond and would alleviate some issues that uh you know water issues that are existing next to the street. That is completely permissible by the standards of those big brother agencies that have been involved. Moving water to this area, not a problem. Taking water out of this area governed by both of those agencies, not locally. We don't have the say so on that. So nothing that they proposed with that pipe presents an issue. But the pipe right there shaded is the pipe that was installed back in 1997 1998. And again that work has been damned up at the direction of both of those uh big brother agencies. So as to whether or not that pipe can be unearthed um reestablished, that's not a call for us to make. uh if it was determined that the city could go out there, it's not our pipe because it's not our property. Uh we would have to acquire the easement from Corman to do that work. Uh and the list goes on. Super complicated. And and this is in 2002. Uh I can only tell you that the the laws that govern some of these protected areas have only gotten stricter uh over these years to protect those protected wetlands and and wet weather conveyances and so on. So uh that's it in a nutshell. I'm here for any questions you might have.

Okay, we have questions. Councilman Shicina, you're recognized. Yes, Mayor. Thank you. Um, thank you for that presentation there, Mr. Smith. I walked those railroad tracks a couple of weeks ago. Um, and looked at this property from different angles and those water retention basins that you mentioned, the one by the commercial development, um, the one from the apartments over there that leads into it and then the ones in the far side of the track where the co-op and all of that stuff is at. My question, that's a lot of area that can can hold a lot of water. Yes, sir. Uh my question is and since we don't own the the rights to this land, is there any way we can work with um RC Kleman to actually get some of this to maybe even further dig this stuff out so it can take on more water?

Yeah, I mean I I I can't say that I've seen the full final plans, but I think that's exactly the plan the developer has is to do what we call a compensatory cut and add, you know, obviously they're going to put down asphalt, rooftops, other impermeables. So they're going to have to provide, you know, whatever they've taken away to accept water. They've got to add that in the ponded area in the corner within their footprint to take on their own water because I know even their footprint doesn't extend to where that tower is at. Right. So that's where the business plastic. Correct. But all of that's just a wetland. It's all just water retention. Yes, sir. So that you know my thinking is even if there was another 100year flood in two or three weeks from now,

if nothing was done to this proposed reszoning property, those guys, the other residents still would have a chance of some of their stuff flooding, right? So just you know, experiencing the floods that we've already had over the years in this city, right? And we, you know, we now we're a body, we we focusing on this. Is there any way that we can at least have those conversation or you or some other department can have those conversations to maybe even do something with that water retention basin that's already in place?

Sure. I I think we could require that at the time of development, we could absolutely require additional approvals through the Army Corps of Engineers, Tde, and even our own. You know, we could probably put a threshold that says, "Hey, this is the bare minimum that you need. We anticipate you holding 10% more water on this lot." I I think there's a way because there's a lot of wasteland over there. There is on the other side of those tracks on both sides of those. Correct. There's a lot of wasteland. A lot of wasteland to do nothing but retain water. Correct, sir. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, M. Councilman Chandler, you're recognized. Can you go back to the one where you were showing the the short piece of the pipe at the railroad track?

Yes, sir. All right. I walked this yesterday and it's more of a problem than just saying, "Okay, well, it belongs to RJ Corman. We can't touch it." First of all, when was this picture made? That's the 2025 imagery, sir. All right. Well, somewhere along the way, and I I'm assuming that it was us that put it in cuz it look like it's a sewer lift station and it's sitting right here. It It is a

gravel and they put a pipe in to drain from the other side because of that embankment. But they didn't line the pipe up, the new pipe with the old pipe. There's that much difference between them. I got a picture if anybody wants to see it. Also too, all along in here, at least 50 railroad ties thrown off into those that uh area that's supposed to hold water instead. And I'll blame R.J. at corn cuz I don't think co-op did it but they came in there pulled the old railroad ties out didn't take them with them threw them off and I guarantee it's 40 to 50 of them. This one right here wasn't even open at all until the developer came in there and hand cleaned it out. So, it's not just getting in here and saying that, oh, well, we do this, we do that. It's there going to be a lot of cleanup needs to be done. And you know the first place we need to start with uh is basically our self. You won't know the truth because that sewer lift station was put in put a pipe in to go under the gravel that they put but didn't line it up with the box that goes to the drain. And then you got all this trash and stuff that somebody's throwing in there. And you know yourself, how many of these flooded areas across the city that you go into and the vast majority of the problem is is the trash and the debris there. There's regularly obstructed culverts and whatnot. Yes. Or piping damage. But the the sewer lift station is the cleanest area over there. The pipe that runs adjacent is right next to another equalization line that R.J. Corman installed years ago. Uh and it's at the proper the inverts at the proper

elevation. It's just allowing water from, you know, the east to the west and vice versa. Well, I want to get all this aired out tonight because I don't want next Thursday night going to midnight. Yes, sir.

And uh you know, this will be my fifth year, not in a row, but four. Took a break and come back for a year on the council. I have never seen a developer that has gone through the lengths to come in there and say, "Hey, I'm willing to do this. I don't have to. I'm willing to do it." I know we've been promised and promised before, we can't hold somebody to those promises. Uh but again like the statement I made the last meeting, I got an email yesterday from a concerned resident and and I agree they they should they have a right to be concerned. But the first statement was uh that that I know that caught my attention was well there should be no more than 15 homes in here. Well, again, like I said last week, if we vote this completely down, what is it? 35.

Yes, sir.

So, you're gonna get 35 no matter what. And you going to get 35 and nobody do anything to improve the situation. Or you can get 40 something with a developer that's willing to come in there and try his best because he's already shown to me he could or he would. Uh, you know, they the pictures they sent me of the flood and the water wasn't even up past the fence. You know, where you were showing on how high the water got. The water wasn't even up past the fence yet. Well, if you want to, you can look at my telephone and see where I've got water up in the middle of my uh heat and air unit. And not just this past year, but the year before. And so you know, Clarkville, you're going to have flooding problem. Let's go with somebody that says, "I'll help you." That's it. I'm through.

Thank you, Councilman Chandler. But the developer will be required to make some modifications. Even if this is not reszone, even if he puts the minimum on there now, he will still be required. Right? But what I'm saying is it doesn't have to come before us as a vote. No, it doesn't. And again, we can't pass conditional zoning. It's part of the grading permit process, as you know. Yes. Yeah. Councilman Lovato, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, Mr. Smith. The pipe at the front of the property close to Old Russellville Pike, not too long ago, Old Russellville Pike had some water on top of it. Would, you know, per the hydraology study, it needs to be an 18inch pipe. Will that prevent old Russellville from carrying water again? The 18 inch or the There's a 12 inch in now. The 18 inch by increasing it to the 18 inch.

Correct. So, under the proposed layout, it's going to bypass this system of blue lines. These blue lines are existing pipes, and they're not exact. Uh, the yellow lines are open ditches and other conveyances. This would run within the property of development. So, along the subject property, again, just along the property line within an easement at an elevation that would shed water from the edge of the roadway ditch all the way back in a sealed pipe, no open ditching, and it yes, 18 inches based on the hydraology report would evacuate that amount of water. Okay. Um, and my next question is actually for Mr. Bitner because he loves it so much.

You blame Mr. Smith. He did take my water. So, um, have we has le the legal department reached out to R.J. Corman at all to um discuss the options of what they can do with with what's going on next to the railroad? Have you had any discussions with that? I have I have not been asked to do that and we've not unilaterally reached out to R.J. Corman. No. Can we make that part of the requirements, too? No, you can't do conditional zoning.

No, we can't do conditional zoning, but we can absolutely make a conversation between the legal departments. We we can I I'll be glad to talk to the city attorney about how to do that without committing that we will do it. We just need to know how to do that. Okay. Thank you.

Yeah. Thank you. Um my my last question um because we know from some other areas in town that when we're dealing with a wetland in those blue line streams that it complicates things with department of engineer and the army core of engineers. Um what what can we expect and what will the timeline be for the developer if this gets reszoned to get all those steps in place to get the wetland study and to get permits from everyone?

Well, it just won't go forward. I mean, we won't issue the grading permit until we have assurances from those other those other agencies that everything's above board. New stuff they're going to be averse to. Could they make improvements to the existing equalization lines? Could they remove the railroad ties that might be impeding uh flow? They can do all of those things within again it's just legal non-conforming stuff that's grandfathered. Adding uh new pipe, amending the pipe that's already been subject to, you know, a notice of violation. Those are going to be harder, you know, things to sway those agencies on. But again, we won't when we we talk about the site development, you know, no roads cut, no dirts disturbed, none of that stuff is going to be done until those other agencies on letterhead say and sign that they're okay with the proposal. It's it'll come through the planning commission just like all these other ones do, just like gas and water signing off on something and us signing off. Those other agencies would be involved.

And so I guess like what's the timeline with those other agencies? Like what's the typ Well, you know, it depends. you know, federal government sometimes state of flux. So whether they're funding an agency or not, I think it can slow those things or speed those things up. Okay, that's all the questions I have for now. Thank you. Councilman Marquee, you're recognized. Thank you, Mayor. Um, at one point you mentioned, Mr. Smith, that uh we had to dam up that pipe. Could you explain what that means? Like, did we clog the pipe or what does what does dam mean? I

I couldn't speak to it. Again, I read a memo that was in response to both of those agencies um as our corrective action that that that was what had to be done where that damning took place and what methods were employed. Uh nobody that's at the State Department presently was involved with that and there aren't a lot of good records um you know at that time that still are on the books.

Okay. Well, and then again, just for the sake of time next week, also I did reach out to a um third party firm here uh in town who also does quite a bit of civil engineering and they also believe that uh the development will fix this and told me that um when the property goes up for a redevelopment, there's quite a bit of design work that is completed. There's drawings developed with the contractors with along with state and local utility inspections. And if you guys recall um last month the design picture that I sent I know it was small print but on it it does state that they have to deal with this first before as Mr. Smiths that get their grading permit, but it is on the actual paperwork on it. And so they have to get the signatures from state as well as the utility companies uh pretty much signing off that it is fixed before we can give the rest of their permits. Thank you,

Councilman Clunch, you're recognized. Thank you, Mayor. Miss Lisa, can you change this picture for me? Oh, I've got the clicker. Which one? Say when. Yeah. I don't know. Not that one. I don't know which one I like the best. Okay. Uh yeah. Okay. The black and white. Sure.

Understanding this is an old picture. Yes. And two two of my fellow council members where the wetlands are at all along here. It is literally and I would say 40 is a conservative number of those railroad ties that are in wetlands. I'm not a And I know that's not us, but to a councilman's point of we need to get R.J. see what that conversation looks like because that is that's foul, right? And then if you go down here, you have where all this has drained off and made a rather large depression. And then past this bridge, and it's probably right in here, there's an exposed uh line. And again, I would also like to I'm sorry, sir. I guess I hadn't asked you any questions. Yes,

if I can speak to gas and water and Mr. Riggs, I I said I would never do this and I apologize, sir. Um, is is there a gas line down there that's about the size of my head or uh there's a there's a there's a station that is encased in uh not encased, it's got a fence around it and there's a tag that says gas and stuff coming out of the ground where those apartments are down here. But there's also Councilman Clunch, not to interrupt, let's get the microphones so we can get this on the record and so the public can hear. Yes, sir. Since we're doing a show and tell here. Yes, sir.

I apologize. Again, in the spirit of next week, not prolonging probably. Right down here, you have that apartment complex. There's a a a avenue in. There is a fenced in area with gas lines. Things coming out. It's got a tag on it says gas. But on this side, you can see where the drainage from the apartment complex has eroded the ground. But there's a pipe that is bigger than my head. Do you sir again and I apologize I said that I would never I am not forgive me because I I told you I'm not trying to put you on the spot but can gas go through a pipe that big? Mr. Riggins if you don't mind come up to the microphone and and you heard the question so you're recognized.

Yes sir. I believe you're speaking about Blair Station. Go to the end of this culde-sac where the apartments are. Go across the railroad tracks down the hill. Big large fenced in regulator stations. Yes sir. Yes. So, yes, there there's probably at least a 12 in 10 in and 12 in pipes. Yeah. Down there. Are you saying one's exposed? No. Yeah. One is I just didn't know if it was a gas. I've never seen a gas line that big in my entire life. And it it I just wanted to know if that was indeed a gas line. Well, I mean, it could it could be another type of line. I'll know in the morning. I can tell you that.

When again, sir, I apologize. I told you that I would never dime anybody out. I walked this today from all the way up here to all the way down here and then had to make some other calls. But again, I apologize, sir. I'm not trying to dime anybody out or be disrespectful to a department head. That is not my intent. It is together and relay information. They are our expert. So, thank you for calling on them. Yeah, good. I don't I don't do this anymore. Uh but I I also there's some other things sir that I would like to say and and this is more of a statement so I'm not going to beat you up sir. Okay.

Um if you look at the population density of 2025 it was 190,229. 2026 194,768. If you go back to the last time that the RPC published this book that we paid money to have published, it is from 2021 to 2024. Our growth percentage is uh where's it at? 2.9. No, that is not correct. Uh from in 2021 it was four. Man, I am sorry I have the wrong data. Not the wrong data, the right. Over the three over those three years, we've had nearly 20,000 people move to Clarksville 20 Clarksville, Tennessee. So that is the equivalent from 2021 to 2024 of 127 new people per week. The average family size of 2.6 with a rental rate of 38%. So also in this great book, it talks about the growth development, all these guiding principles that we paid money to have an independent company. So it doesn't look like anyone's got their hand in the pot developing the the way ahead for balanced growth, quality of life, equity, and public enga public engagement, local economy. So, there's a lot of people way smarter than me, and that's not a it's not a that's a pretty long list that have built and developed these items. I fully understand that if I woke up my entire life and looked out my back door, I saw farmland or nothing. I fully understand that. That would that would hurt my heart. And

that, you know, the big the big term these days is not in my backyard, right? Like that's one of the the key terms. We have a housing a housing shortage, right? So where do we put the housing? Again, it is it is we have great pictures of the way that it was. I saw where the water went. I was out there. You can see it on both sides of the railroad tracks where it went up, where it's come back down, the erosion that's happened on the back side of uh what is the co-op and then further down. Again, apologies, Mr. Rigggins. Did not mean to put you on the spot. Whatever that is, further down past Old Dunar Cave, there is no perfect solution, right? There is no perfect solution. We cannot make more land. That that doesn't happen. I also understand that I am new to the council, but I have all of these these are my notes. I've been here about a month, right? So, I know six of us went out there. No, we didn't talk, but half of this council went out there and walked in some capacity from one end to the other end. I was out there for about an hour and a half just looking and trying to understand. So again, I'm not going to speak for the entire council, but none of this is taken lightly. None of it. Not one piece of it. I have read every single email. I have attempted to respond to emails and respectfully, you get more bees with honey than you do vinegar. If you want to yell and scream at me an email, I have zero desire to meet you for coffee. I've drank more coffee in the past three weeks than I probably ever have in my entire life. meeting with the opposition about let's try to understand. Can we have a conversation about why this is happening? Why are we trying to do this? If it's not here, it's going to be

somewhere else. Is it a great location to get downtown? It is. Are is there going to be more cars? There are. Is there an overcrowded school? There is. There is no perfect solution. This is not

I also would argue to what one of my other counsel members said. We have a builder that is offering a solution to a problem that has been here a long time. I've said this before as well. And what is the definition of insanity? Doing the exact same thing over and over and expecting a different result. We cannot do conditional zoning. Understood? I think that Mr. Blackwell's record on the quality of buildings that he does is is pretty good. I also would lend to the character of Mr. Blackwell. I don't begin to know how much time he's spent out there losing money. I don't know Mr. Blackwell personally, but he did call me and offered to go out there with me on multiple occasions. I've went out there and drove it multiple times. I've walked it today. I walked it today and I didn't walk in the field or drive around the field. I got out and put my feet on the ground and walked all the way down to whatever that gas area is. RJ Reynolds, R.J. Corman, I believe to my other council members point, has a piece of this that they own. Even just walking on the railroad tracks, quite a few of those timbers are no bueno. They're they're gone. the plates are are missing. The nails are gone. So I I don't think that this is just an easy fix. And I would also add we have a a tendency to look at things through our own individual aperture. Does this affect district two or W 2? Not at all. Not at all. So you've got that piece of it. Does it affect Clarksville as a city? Yeah, it absolutely does. Does it affect the wards that it surrounds? It does. Does

it affect the school systems? It absolutely does. There is no perfect solution. But yell at me in an email or I try to call you and you yell at me. I don't want to have a conversation. I'm also a human being just like the rest of these individuals up here. I'll meet you for coffee. I'll sit in a in in a neighborhood house where people have gathered to not lynch me and have a conversation. But that is the difference. There's a group of people that have been willing and forthcoming to have a conversation and a group that isn't. But there is no perfect solution. Is this respectfully to Mr. Blackwell the lesser of two evils? I I I I believe that it is. Does it create a complexity of other issues? Well, that's yeah. Overcrowded schools, overcrowded streets, those are all issues that we are all concerned about. I don't have all the answers. And we might look back on this in 60 years and and some video will be somewhere and we'll say, "Well, that guy Eric was a didn't know anything he was talking about." And if he was alive right now, we would have some words for him. But we are trying to move this city forward. The city's growing.

Councilman Clones, could I ask you to kind of wrap things up for me? I I appreciate the passion. I really do. Yes. Yes, ma'am. I'm I'm done, man. Okay. All right. I didn't mean to cut you off, but No, you meant to cut me off. You went you went from preaching to me. So, okay. Councilman Shaab, you're recognized. Yes. May excuse me. I have to go to Foster Home. Excuse me. You're excused. Thank you. All right. Any other comment or question for Mr. Smith? Thank you, Mr. Smith. And thank you all for the good discussion. We're now ready for the finance committee report. Chairman Streetman, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mayor. Resolution 48202526. This is a resolution a resolution authorizing retirement of a patrol service dog rigs from K9 unit and donation to police officer. Oh

PCO PCO. Yeah, I was meant to look it back up. That took a while before we got to it. Uh both the public safety and the finance committee voted in favor of approval. This, as you can see on the resolution, is a seven-year-old dog that has suffered some injury to his back leg. And under the recommendation of the of his doctor, it was better for the dog to be retired. Right now, he is actually on uh rest only for several weeks.

Questions about this resolution? Chairman Streetman. Resolution 4920 25-26, a resolution to authorize and appropriate funds for an actuarial study of the cost associated with granting a hazardous duty supplemental benefit to certain public safety officers pursuant to Tennessee code annotated section 8-36212. Uh this is sponsored by Councilman Carrie Lovado. Both the finance and public safety committees voted in favor of approval. Mayor, I would like since she is the sponsor of this to turn this over to the council person for W 12. Chairman Lovado, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, this is pretty simple. It's just an actuary study to see how much this is going to cost the city to see if we can fund it. It takes about three months to get the study back and cost about $400. Happy to answer any questions.

Questions for the sponsor, chairman's treatment. Resolution 50 202526 a resolution authorizing an interlocal agreement between the city of Clarksville and McGomery County pertaining to the division of to 2025 burn justice grant fund allocations and the administration and use of such funds the finance committee recommended approval and this is same thing we've done it's every other year that we have done this I'm looking correct correct every other year that we do this this is something that's ongoing and it is required for us to do this. Both sides have to approve it since it is an interlocal agreement.

Questions about this resolution? Chairman's treatment. That concludes my report. Mayor. All right. Thank you. We're now ready. Neighboring community services. The chairman had to step away. Uh chairman Streetman, you're recognized. He asked me to give a very detailed statement um in his absence since he had to leave. Okay. He'll have a full report next week. Okay. Thanks for the detail. All right, Parks and Recreation Committee Chairman Zacharias, you're recognized. Thank you, Mayor. Uh, I'll have a full report next week, but in the meantime, if anybody is interested in information about an adaptive Easter egg hunt, uh, Nerf wars, or a Civil War artifact display, I'd invite you to go check out our website or download our app from the Google Play Store or the App Store.

Thank you very much. Public Safety Committee Chairman Lovado, you're recognized. Thank you, Mayor. Um, I would like uh to bring up Clarksville Police Department um Chief Berdine for his um presentation for starting pay. All right, Chief Berdine, your name was called. See if you did it the way that Chief Montgomery trained you. I asked you to come up here. And I'm glad today that I came here because we solved a case. I was wondering who was uh responsible for the um 12 suspicious activity on Russell Pike today call. So just kidding. Now we know.

Just kidding. We did not receive any calls. Um

so briefly today I want to uh I have some slides that I will go over briefly. Just want to make a statement that the Clarkville Police Department continues to face a percentage shortage of law enforcement applicants resulting in several open vacancies. to address this ongoing issue and enhance recruitment and retention. We as a team thankful Miss Tessa and Miss Wilcox who worked with me and the mayor to work to to establish a way to and deputy chief lane to start our move our starting salary to 5712 57712. Following the adjustment, CPD will implement equity adjustments for specific members of our department ranging from patrol officer to sergeant to mitigate salary compression. These adjustments will not be applied to all employees and be limited exclusively to employees identified by established formula. So as we look here today, this what we're looking at operational vacancies. Currently we're at 31 32. We have a retirement coming up and we have a few pending possible resignations. 32 sworn vacancies. But what I call operational vacancies, this is vac. These are 56 less people in a car responding to calls, patrolling neighborhoods, trying to combat traffic. 56 less people because it takes one day to quit and it takes one year to replace that person. And that's what I'm calling operational vacancies. We have at least 56. We've had 83 officers leave in the past two years. No, we haven't had 83 officers leave because of pay, but several have and 51 have left for other employment opportunities. And I could sit and name off all these different cities that people have left to, but there's been multiple to THP, Gallatin, Mount or Lebanon, Robertson County, uh, ATF, TBI, and so forth. We train them. We pay to train. We equip

them and then they use that training to go on to other places to work and up tax dollars are paying for that training. We've had a 14% decrease in qualified applicants. I was at one time in charge of professional integrity unit, in charge of recruiting, in charge of hiring. We had multiple polls coming out to apply for us and it's simply not the case anymore. as we see a salary comparison and I know there's a lot of things that you can put in play here but the raw numbers that we've spent it we've had a team put together numbers and the starting salaries as you can see the recruiting aspect are on the on the middle side and you can see where we rank in that and in the past Clarksville Police Department even when I started back in 1997 we've never been the highest paid in the state we've never been highest paid in the region But it's never been this much disparity in my tenure ever. And that's showing up on our applicants. What's concerning as far as our retaining employees is the lateral salary. The lateral salary is on the right. As you can see, what officers our officers can walk out the door and walk into other places making. And don't think that our officers don't see that. And don't believe that officers haven't done it. I don't know how many times when I do exit interviews with employees. They sit in front of me and they say, "Chief, we like you here. We like the city. We like your leadership. We like the department." But I got a family to think about and and so forth. And they go on. We have several in the background phases of other employment currently with THP. Uh one I heard in Murphy'sboro and also in Nashville again. One of the most concerning slides if you look at 2025

was our first year of ever a deficit um with retaining employees and losing employees and I cannot go through another year of sustaining of deficit of officers. We cannot become a department where we have long wait times. I don't want it. We have lots of ideas at our department to include a gun team to combat violence, but I don't have the staffing to do it to be honest with you. We're ex we're we're using overtime all the time to fill our shifts and right you it's taxing on employees to to to do this overtime that we do, but we have to have it. There's not a minimum staffing established by national accreditation. This is minimal staffing just to get the job done. Just an example of what cost. We talk about cost. Yes, this does cost money. However, losing officers also cost money. You know, and if we look at 28 officers that resigned for other employment last year, the cost, and this is just academy cost, this is just the training. This doesn't count. The time to train is $31,000 just for equipment and um and academy cost and uniforms that go along with this. In conclusion, we're this is what we'd like to do or we are doing with the um we're increasing the salary level to 57712. We're utilizing equity adjustments to alleviate compression and the cost for the remainder if this goes in effect uh April be $110,000. We have be we have the ability to phase to fund this easily through salary savings because we've been so short throughout the year to fund this through salary savings. And just real quickly, just an example of what a uh typical uh recruitment looks like on a

day where we test. Uh this is one time, I think it was two months ago, where we had 38 candidates that came in, nine tested, eight passed to physical, seven passed to written, and we're only able to assign four. And I'll never be able to to staff our department with those results. So that's my presentation today. Thank you, Chief. Councilman Streetman, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mayor. I want to reiterate what I said to you in the finance committee and say uh how much I thank you for your work on this, Chief. Not only you, but your team that's worked with you on this, as well as Miss Tessa Luntz that's put in a lot of time and effort researching and seeing how uh you can improve this part. I know this is something you and I have talked about on multiple occasions regarding the recruits as well as that two to five year which it's I think easier for them to move than someone that's been here for you know longer than that.

Um and you know you've heard me on multiple occasions before also have concern with compression when we raise the beginning salary. So, I appreciate you looking at everything in that and finding a way to utilize uh the salaries that you have, you know, unused salaries that you have there to be able to fund this. So, I just want to thank you for everything that you've done on it. Thank you very much. Councilman Chandler, you're recognizing. Thank you, Mayor. Well, you know where my heart lies, right? I think Huh. I think Well, I think there's three of you in here. I had something to do with hiring. Yes. Councilman Chandler, if you don't mind, pull your microphone closer to you. Thank you, sir. We want to hear every word.

Well, correct me when Yeah. You don't really want to hear everything I got to say. You lost your mind.

Uh, well, we wouldn't be sitting here if we were in the right mind. Uh my biggest concern is going to be next year's budget. And you know, right now, not just the city, not just the state, but our entire country is a big giant question mark. We really don't have any idea what our finances are going to be like. I've already had a meeting with the uh director of finance and if we do the you know I mean you're going to do this now

but that means you're still going to have to come back to us on a budget to ask us to increase it to cover it. I'm aware of that. Are you going to be able to willing to look at some say, "Well, we might need to cut this a little bit here to be able to get these salaries up."

Absolutely. I don't like coming to you all and asking for things. Uh I really don't. But I'm telling you, we need it. And um let me let me tell you this is that you know just as well I do the the value of experience. I'm losing five to seven officers that have the val the experience of knowing where to search warrant. the the experience of knowing the fourth amendment, knowing the fifth amendment, those that practice this and knowing it. The value of experience is you can't put a price tag on in my opinion. Number two is is that we understand that this is going to be impact next year's budget. And um according to my hiring plan that we've had is that we're we're just to get to where we want is 2.2 per thousand, which we're 47 short of that currently plus the 56 operational vacancies. Despite that, I'm not going to go to the table and asking for 15 officers from a hiring plant to help mitigate so we can get this done because I've got to retain officers. So, yes, there are there are certainly plans in place to help mitigate and we're already doing that right now with VCIF grant funds that Deputy Chief Lane, you know, you talk about what cost our money is is people and cars and we're started to try to get ahead of cars with their grants to go ahead and get a hold of some of these this fiscal year with our grants. So, yes to your question. Man, I have every faith in the world in you, Chief.

Thank you, sir. Just don't have any bullet holes. That's off the record. Thank you. Any more questions for Chief? Thank you, sir. Thank you, Chairman Lovado. Uh, thank you, Mayor. Um, last thing and then I'll have a full report next week. Um, tomorrow morning is Clarksville Fire and Rescue's pancake breakfast. It is from 7:30 to 9:30 at headquarters. The cost is $5 and proceeds will go to United Way and I think Chief Montgomery is going to be out there with his apron on.

All right. It's picture worthy. All right. Speaking of fire rescue, just as a reminder to the public and to the council in December, uh we implemented a pay improvement plan for Clarksville Fire Rescue. So this police department's not getting is not the only one getting it. So, we are also have also improved and you're executing that plan to perfection, Chief McGomery. Thank you. And we look forward to the same thing with Chief Birdine. All right. No pressure, sir. All right. Transportation, streets, and garage. Chairman Smith, you're recognized. Thank you, Mayor. I have a report on April 2nd, the Thursday before Good Friday. All right. Thank you. Thank you.

We are now ready for the two items under new business. Uh both resolutions from the designations committee. One, you see resolution 52, 202526, a resolution approving the designation of Spring Creek Parkway phase 1 uh in memory of Pastor Willie J. Freeman. Um any questions or comments regarding that resolution. And the next item is item B, resolution 53, 202526, a resolution approving the designation of Peters Mill Road from Tinytown Road to 101st Parkway in memory of the Reverend Alvin O. Oldm senior uh who was a sitting city council member as well. Any comment or question regarding that resolution? All right, we're now ready for public comments. We have three allow three people to speak to the council. Five minutes each. You can speak about any topic you wish except for zoning. Anybody wish to address the council. All right. Mayor and council member comments. Any council member have a comment? Councilman Chandler, you ready?

Quickly, mayor, I apologize for missing the designation committee meeting the other day. That's okay. You were missed. Well, when I you have a 97 year old mother-in-law you got to look after sometimes. Thank you. I understand. Thank you. Any more comment or question from council? Councilman Hollowman, you're recognized. Uh thank you, mayor. try to uh miss designations committee as well. Um I apologize. It was just a simple simple error. Um I was I was at work and my brain went to as many committees as we do that start at 4:30. My brain automatically went to 4:30 and so that's kind of kind of what happened. I apologize.

It's okay. You were missed as well. Any more comment or question from council? I have three items I want to bring to your attention. Members will be scheduling some special sessions over the next three to four weeks to take up two important issues. One is an ordinance that Chairman Lovato and the public safety committee approved this month, but according to state law, that measure can only be considered at special sessions. The other involves a truly affordable housing project that has been painstakingly developed through our neighborhood and community services department. Michelle Austin will be reaching out to each of you to schedule some time to review the proposal and answer your questions. So, please watch your emails from our city clerk regarding that. Also want to say congratulations to uh Councilman Marquee. She has completed through the Tennessee Transportation Assistance Program the following courses. Fundamentals of traffic control, enhancing pedestrian safety at signalized intersections and horizontal curve alignment and setting advisory speeds part one. U so congratulations to you for doing that and when Mr. Smith retires we'll have a place for you. And then finally, tomorrow is Councilman's Councilman Haywood's birthday. So, make sure you wish him a happy birthday on the way out. If there's nothing else, we will stand adjourned until next week. Thank you.