Town Council - Regular Meeting

Heat. Heat. I'm happy.

Good evening and welcome to the town council workshop for the March meeting to set our agenda for the April uh council meeting. Um before we move into our items for discussion tonight, we have a guest with us. Donna Barrett is going to talk about recycling opportunities and she is with Recycle Right Tennessee. Donna, if you'll come forward.

Thank you, Mayor. It's a pleasure to be here. Uh, and a great opportunity to wear another hat for our community. Uh, many of the faces I know on the council. Uh, and some of you are new faces to me. I'll begin by saying for 10 years I represented Smyrna as a state representative and during that time uh became familiar with some of the requirements and needs we have in our community. One of those is a state statutory request kind of mandate uh for 25% reduction in um landfilling or garbage disposal. Uh the state has uh has set a u a nice mandate please if you will uh for us to have 25% diversion either through reuse recycle um or anything other than landfilling or garbage disposal. By 2030 we expect that uh amount to raise to 50% from a federal mandate through EPA or federal requests through EPA. Um, Rutherford County and the state as a whole has done a very good job with our recycling efforts. Rutherford County consistently reaches at least the 25%. A lot of that is due in part with our private sector businesses that report theirs. Uh, so six months ago uh with the permission of the general assembly, we began a pilot program in this regional area which consists of Rutherford coffee cannon and war. It's a board that I serve as chairman on and our goal is to develop a multifaceted program uh to increase that diversion rate and first and foremost our efforts are going to center around education. That's our public facing aspect of this. Uh we have gotten away from any aspect of recycling education uh and we felt the need was to start there. So I'm going to introduce to you the program that we are showing throughout the community. Some of you have seen this program at uh the Smyrna Rotary when I presented there. And so we're out in the communities presenting

this to vendors at vendor fairs and to any groups that we can uh present before. So tonight I'm going to introduce you to recyclertn.com is the website, but this is our recycling program. Our mission is to answer two very critical questions for the beginning of of any type of program of this nature. Where do I recycle and what can I recycle? uh this the simpler we can make things the easier we can have it accessible and understandable the more successful we will be with our program. So we begin with what can I recycle our mantra is check the triangle. What we have seen happen or what has happened in all of the the packaging industry uh is a concentrated effort over several years to have labeling throughout all of the items in your household that comes packaged. Most people uh will come to a convenience center or um one of our private sector partners go I don't know what to recycle. The industry has made it very simple for us. On just about every packaging item in your household, there is a triangle. And that triangle will then tell you whether or not it's recyclable or not recyclable, whether it's cardboard, whether it's paper, whether it's plastic. It will be on your jars of ice cream. It will be on your uh the wrapping around your toilet paper, which is recyclable, saying that the wrapper is and the spool inside is. So they are getting very detailed in what they again the explanation here will show you the jar and the paper and the plastic that that are recyclable. Um and it's more than just water bottles. Most folks assume that when we talk about plastics at least uh we're talking about the water bottles. Actually there's something from just about every room of your house from your laundry room to your bathroom. you can find something in there that is recyclable in the acceptable plastics recyclable uh categories that we currently have which are ones and twos.

Just about every metal that comes through your household is recyclable. And based on our research, the average person has the opportunity to recycle more than 25,000 cans in their lifetime. That comes anywhere from your um your spray tan, your starch, one make you brown, the other make you stiff, whichever one you want. uh to all of your cans in uh food packaging cans, um aluminum cans for for drinks. So, when you think of all this, we're not just talking steel, we're talking aluminum, we're talking all types of metals uh that are recyclable. Um, and in an effort to help everyone get past that overwhelming and confusing, in addition to identifying the items, the marketing that helps you identify what's recyclable, we tell everyone focus on just the top five. Plastic swan and two, paper, cardboard, metal, and glass are the easiest to identify and the easiest to recycle. On based on the research we've done in the industry, 75% of what goes in your garbage can be recycled. Um, as indicated, the the industry has done a great job of labeling what can be recycled. Their symbols also will tell you if it cannot be recycled. Uh, so these here are some of the plastic labels we've seen. The top right is a um frozen biscuits. The bottom is Low um Krispies for salads. Uh, the white one is an Amazon packaging. And the other one is my go-to for traveling, Pringles. Everyone has to have those every now and then. So, as you see, it's a good mix of everyday household items that you're going to find anywhere. Um, we have now added, this is the second uh revision of our education. What happens to the items I recycle? Because we're here so many times, well, what does it become? What what's the purpose of it? Um, our recycled newspapers will go into making egg

cartons, uh, paper plastic cups and poultry, which those then become recyclable again. And then green sheetrock are just some of the things when you think outside the box of what what that product becomes in its next lifestyle or uh, next lifetime. Cardboard, if you make it into cardboard, again, it has a life life cycle of seven times. If you put it into paper bags, packaging, paper board, it's almost infinite. Um I stopped in the restroom coming here tonight and the brown paper towels, hand towels that can become that comes from recycled cardboard and again is infinite on that. uh when we think plastic bottles um obviously yes new Coke bottles and an interesting thing on that I just toured the Coca-Cola plant bottling plant in Nashville and if you haven't noticed when Sprite first came out it was in a green bottle well now it's a clear bottle with a white wrapper. The reason for that is the green bottle when recycled dingies up the plastic. They can't get the green coloring out of it. So, in order to be able to take that plastic, break it back down to another a smaller polymer that can then be remolded into plastic, they've turned all their bottles white and just changed the labeling on it again so they can participate in the program. Um, the clear clam shells that we utilize are recycl recyclable and made from recycles. When you think of your um your uh bottles that come from the from the laundry, those go into sturdier things. Um, we get at least one iteration out of those in in their life. Maybe not necessarily stadium seats and the poly lumber being recycled once again, but definitely something long-term use. Um, our glass when you're talking u drink bottles and food containers, um, crash down to sand and then go into tile. And the interesting part of that, we've got eight tile manufacturing companies in Tennessee. And one

representative from just one of them has indicated he'll take all the glass we can provide. Bad thing is I need 9,000 tons to start with. That's his first first order. But interestingly, the sand that it gets crushed down to replaces sand that we excavate out of river beds ton for ton. It doesn't have to be mixed with anything else. It goes down to clear sand. Uh so we have a a large environmental aspect on that end of it as well. when it comes to our streams and rivers. Uh the next item we address is where can I recycle in Rutherford County. We have 14 recycling centers. Uh convenience centers that also take recycling. Uh my goal is to get those changed to recycling and garbage disposal centers. Uh as a lot of folks don't understand what a convenience center, it's not the market to go down here and pick up your your late night caffeine. Um, for your information, the two closest to Smyrna, uh, the Smyrna Convenience Center out on G Street and then the, um, Leverne Center are our two highest active events, locations. We conducted a traffic study and Leverne receives about 6,000 visitors per week and Smyrna almost that at 5,900. Uh and I will tell you between the centers that we have open, Haley Road is currently closed now in the heart of Murphy'sboro, but of the centers that we have uh being utilized, 22% of our population utilizes that on a weekly basis. In addition to our convenience centers, which take the basics, the the top five that I've talked about, they take them there and truly are they truly are recycled. Uh we have 172 private sector partners that we've identified regionally in the four counties that we service. I will tell you everybody that we have listed and identified uh as a true either enduser or a broker that there is a end user meaning like Clark

Iron and Metal will be on our list. Well, they take metal and we know that they do recycle with it. Any of the private sector partners such as um um my mind's going to blank. Um um We're not going there. Um, Publix, they're one of our private sector partners. We have they have bins out in the front. Uh, and one of them takes cardboards and and brown paper and it it they have an they then take it to they collect it from all their locations and take it to a recycler in paper mill down in Florida. Interesting story about Publix. Um, I was going one day to drop off my recycling. And they have three bins, styrofoam, plastic wraps, and then cardboard. And I dropped off one set. The lady comes between me and the bins. And she goes, "What are you doing with that?" I said, "Well, I'm I'm recycling it." She goes, "Where?" Well, right on the other side of your buggy. She said, "I've been coming here for 20 years, and I never knew that we could recycle." So, as you see, our education is definitely needed in the community. Um, back to the private sector partners. Uh 74 in Rutherford County, eight of those are here in Smyrna. Uh be it Publix, uh Kroger, Batteries Plus, Staples, Lowe's, Riley's Auto Parts, AutoZone, those take something. Um so in addition to answer those questions uh and to identify our private sector partners, uh we have recycler.com. This is the homepage. Um and you we made it very simple. I wanted everyone to be where they need to be in two clicks, not going through 15 pages of text or 2,000 words just so I would get higher up on the the website notoriety. Uh we're simply doing this to make it clean and simple and easy to use. Um you click on recycle, right? You identify your county and I don't think this will take me

there. I should have had a screenshot, but you'll come to a database uh of commonly recycled items, whether it's clothing, whether it's um cardboard, batteries, they're all identified in different categories, and it will identif county has to go that way. Um and it gives driving directions to the blue link, uh hours of operation, and everything that they take. So it's a quick easytouse database that we have for that. We also have uh Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. They tell me I don't I only know what Facebook is. I don't want to know any of the others. Uh know enough already. But in those categories, we go in and provide additional information uh detailing what a if an organization provides us information like this uh whether it's uh staples technology items that they take or mid10 medal we provide that information to the community as well. Uh and again any other information that we get that will give direction whether it's Publix or Kroger's locations. Uh again Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We participate when there's inf um items going on in the community. We will host we will post those. Uh right now the hazardous waste are once or twice a year they do those. We're hoping to set up at the convenience centers where we can take those every day that we're open uh to increase the recycling of that make it easy. We provide this type of information as to what what different plastics are out there and which ones are recyclable and not just to provide some information to the public to help again make this easier to utilize. Uh and then we show them when we have an opportunity where what the process is. The call to recycle on the left shows what that company does with the batteries that are um submitted

to them and what all it can break down and go into. One note I will make on the batteries. Uh it is the leading cause of fires in our in our collection trucks, in our landfills, in uh the bins, wherever those are. The leading cause of fire. Uh so those are something that absolutely must not go into anything along that line. Anything along the just the u uh general trash disposal. So the next time you throw something away, check the triangle. and I will stand for any questions.

Well, thank you for information. I learned a lot. I totally agree. As a former teacher, I do think we need to get it back in the classroom. When we visited um Japan a couple of years ago, to see those children recycling from such a young age and it was ingrained into them that that's what they needed to be doing. I think that's where we have to start as well. I think from an early age, we've got to start training ourselves to do that. It's so hard as we get to be our age to retrain ourselves to do something, but um I appreciate you coming and sharing this, Heather. Hopefully there's some information there that we can get out to our citizens. Questions for Donna? Yeah.

Um I think I've asked this question before. Uh we have an internal debate at our house. Is a pizza box recyclable? Things have changed. Uh we've grown. Um yes, pizza boxes are recyclable. Uh I went and toured Pratt. It's a collection facility for um paper mill and I was told if the pizza box has a pizza in it, it goes in the front office. Anything else can go in the back office. So yes, the the the uh chemical ability to break that down has has changed dramatically. Grease is allowed. Uh, you know, the only thing they ask with anything that we're recycling, let it be empty. You know, don't throw away a whole bottle of mana, jar of mayonnaise or bottle of mayonnaise. Uh, it doesn't have to be squeaky clean. Again, those processes are very good. Uh, just use common sense. You know, would you would you throw it away in your garbage can to stink everything up?

So, yeah. So, who So, who won the argument? Uh, oh, he did. Oh, well, the last time I took it to the convenience center, they pulled out my pizza boxes. Oh, and I don't like to be called out.

Well, along that line, I I will say uh again, we focused on education. This is the public facing education of it. We do realize uh and we've had conversations with our solid waste director. There's other educational aspects of this that have to come along that is with the convenience center workers. you know, one center will take a bag of shredded paper, the other one won't. So, getting consistency on that, learning what the industry says, these are the standards, and you agree to take these if you're going to take recycling items. It's it's a learning experience on every level, front end, backend, forward facing, client facing. Um, in the school systems also, uh, I was amazed the other day, our our children don't drop off their own, um, food from lunch anymore. somebody walks around and picks up their trace.

If we're not teaching them where to throw those things away, great. But I digress. That's that's one of many issues we we've got to address on that.

Uh so again, this is one part of what we're doing. We're looking at the convenience centers. Um we're at every vendor event that we can be talking to every group we we can. We'd welcome information uh places to go. If you learn of businesses here that could be that are already doing this as part of their sustainability in their uh as as their work uh uh work efforts uh and public um information, we'd like to know that to be able to include them. This database stays current. Uh we we check it every quarter to make sure that the individuals that we have listed are still functioning and providing those services. So, uh we'd welcome the partnership from this community as well.

Great. Any other questions? I have a statement, two questions if that'll be all right with you, ma'am. Sure.

Okay. Um, it's no secret that I advocate for recycling and and uh the re the the origin of that goes back to when my children were in Smyrna Primary School literally 40 years ago and they had a teacher named Lely McCullum and she drilled recycling in them that long ago and it got over on me. What can I say? And and my new house, not my new house. The house I moved into had a had a uh trash compactor in it. So, all of the recycles go into that trash compactor. And then, you know, general trash gets washed and put in the regular trash can. I have the cleanest trash in town. But the thing about it is I only have to carry it off once every two weeks or thereabouts.

Mhm. And uh my point being is that teach our children just exactly like you said. You know, we saw those kids in Japan. They were taking the milk cartons and and uh flattening them out and and piling them up and such as that. I mean, you know, it's uh uh we really don't have any choice in this matter. This is something we're going to have to do. Um my other two questions, you didn't you didn't say single stream once tonight, but that's one of the things that makes recycling so attractive is that uh you know, you don't have to sort your stuff out anymore. or you just take it out to the to the convenience center and dump it in one big place except for certain items. Correct.

Um glass does not go in there. Correct. Correct. Okay. And I didn't realize that you could recycle styrofoam. I don't know that they have a place out there at the convenience center that takes styrofoam.

Uh let me address both of those in order. Single stream. Rutherford County's convenience centers do currently accept recyclables through single stream. Meaning your cardboard, your paper, your metal, your plastics, ones and twos can go into there and glass is a separate bin. Metals can't be combined with something like you got a metal lawn chair or something that would be mixed materials. Um that is the standard here in Rutherford County. I represent four counties and not all of them single stream. Um, and if we are successful with this education prospect, this will be something that goes statewide. So, we'll give everybody the opportunity to pick as they want. Um, if your vendor, your broker is single streams, that's that would be an option. In as a purist, in theory, uh, and in practicality for this, these items are commodities. You know, we're looking at them as something to keep out of the garbage. They have they they have a secondary market value to them. They are more valuable when it's not single streamer. Uh when they're clean, when it's when all the person has to do is pick up that bail it. You don't have to go through that second step of separating. It becomes more valuable commodity when they're not single streamed like that. If that's the convenience for the town and the county, then we we dictate or note that in the information. We're not promoting one way the other. I personally break I have seven bins in my garage. Uh, so everything goes in its own little bin and I am OCD enough that I take it to the convenience center that way, even if I have to dump them all in one bin. Um, and who knows what's going to change in the future. The next the next broker may come along and say, "Nope, I want everything broken down because I have more value of it if it's in individual bins." So the other question, uh,

styrofoam styrofoam right now, the only thing we there's two schools on that. the packing styrofoam. There actually is a place in Leverne that takes that. You go and drop it off there and we have that listed. So, it' be that the the compressed styrofoam that you would find in a TV box or something along that. The packing peanuts are not. Nobody wants those. Um the styrofoam for your egg cartons uh that our grocery stores collect and they take them back to their corporate office uh and all they tell me is it gets recycled. I don't know where it goes. They don't want to give me their secret, but they assure me with a letter of certificate that they do recycle it. So So that means Kroger and Pro those back. They'll take the egg cartons, the uh

the food containers, the cork containers. Yeah. Now the plastic lids are not recyclable through them, but the uh any styrofoam food container, white or black. Plastic lids will go in the regular recycling, won't they? Not all of them. You'll need to check the triangle.

Okay. Um, and you mentioned the other countries, Japan. I've traveled extensively and it's now become a joke uh that part of our pictures from travel include what recycling is going on in the different countries and it is just a given. I tried one pizza, we were out having lunch and I'm watching this little pizza place work and I keep seeing things fly off in different places. I said, I've got to go look behind the counter. So, I did and they had three different bins. one for food scraps, one for the glass, and one for the metal. And you look outside their back door and there are those three different bags and some each day is a different um truck that comes and picks those up. It is ingrained in them. Agreed. We just don't have We don't have that now. Our grandparents had that.

Yes. We don't have it. So, it's it's time to start again. Great. Other questions. Leave everybody with some of our palm cards we have. Yes, please. That'd be great.

Thank you. Okay, we will move into our items for discussion. But before we do that, Mark, will you do um prayer? And Mike Moss, will you do pledge? If you'll stand with us, please. Father in heaven, we just come to you again this evening, Lord, just uh thankful for everything that you give to us each and every day, the things that we take for granted even. And father, tonight we just ask for discernment and guidance as we do the town's business. And we pray for all the employees that service the town, all the citizens of our town, and those that look after us from first responders. Go with us now. Continue to bless us. Forgive us where we fail you. It's in these things we ask. Amen.

Amen. flagg to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Mark. Thank you, Mike. Amber, were you sick this week? Why? Why? Cuz there's only 10 items on the agenda tonight. I bullied everybody. Oh, you bullied everybody. Got it. Okay. Okay. Well, um I don't remember having this short of an agenda in a long time. I need to be careful. I'll jinx us. We even double checked and nobody spoke up, so I said this is what we're That's right. You did good.

You did good. Um item 1 through four are proposed consent agenda items. Um item one is approval of the terms of and authorization for the mayor to execute an amendment with Neil Schaefer for additional CI services associated with the IT phase 3, four and five project to oversee installation of the replacement fiber along Lowry Street.

Okay, Mayor Council, I appreciate it. Uh so this is the last item that we need to complete for the IT phase 34 and5 project. As I've discussed a few times before, uh there's an existing Murphy'sboro GIS fiber that runs along Lowry Street and it's been broken and spliced back together multiple times. Now it's at the point where there's almost no slack left in it. So T dot gave us approval to um include about $250,000 in the budget that we currently have for um our IT 34 and5 to replace that fiber. Uh but in order to attach it to Milton electric poles, we have to get measurement height measurements on all the poles that we're going to be attaching to. And uh so this CI contract is to oversee that work to get those pole height attachments, make that to Milton Electric and oversee the installation of this new replacement fiber and it'll go I'm sorry it'll go from Sam Griffin to town hall.

Okay. Questions on this? So it says this is going to save us expenditures in the future. How can you explain how what that means? What does that mean? Just as the fiber ages out and and becomes more brittle, breaks, uh we're replacing with new fiber. So that we're the existing fiber has probably been around for about 20 or 25 years. I'm not sure if Carl's here. 26 26 years. So, it's got a lifespan on it and eventually it might break. Um, so this is going to be brand new fiber running up through there.

Okay. And then we have a substantial completion date of August the 12th, 2026, including the 60 days for the burn-in period. Is this moving the completion date out three months because the pier said May? So, is that what this is explaining to us? Okay. Okay. I'm good. Other questions? Okay. Thank you, Tom. Item two, approval of the terms of an authorization for the mayor to execute addendum two with Kimberly Horn for the Old Nashville Highway sidewalk project.

So, this project is replace this this will be replacing the sidewalk along Old Nashville Highway from Enan Springs to Rock Springs Road. And as part of that, there are a few places where we identified, I think it's eight tracks that we identified that we need to acquire um some easements from to be able to um do that uh to do that work. And so this adds $19,500 to the budget that will allow us to get some boundary survey so that we can record how much easement we're going to be getting on certain properties and submit that to the county. Questions for Tom on this? Are we using any state funds on this?

Yes. Yeah, it's in I think it's part of it was a 9010 split and then they took away some money and gave some money back and I believe we're paying an 8020 split. Okay. Item three, approval of the terms of and authorization for the mayor to execute a contract from the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiqu Quincentennial for the Smyrna Greenway historical signage revitalization project in the amount of $23,482.

Good evening, council mayor. So, yeah, this is the new contract for $2,482. Um, so this is a new grant from Tennessee 250 to update the historical education sites along the greenway of Smyrna. Uh there's no match required with this one. So the town will replace 53 existing panels and install six new trail head markers as well. Um a lot of the information will stay the same, but some new information will be uh I believe it's a new map for the new greenway trails. Uh some stuff has been updated as the educational signs have not been updated in I believe 25 years I want to say. Uh we will also install two new panels about Liberty Hill and its use during Civil War and Revolutionary War grants that helped uh shape Smura at the very beginning. Uh procurement will proceed via three different uh procurement codes and fabrication is estimated around 6 to 8 weeks and delivery hopefully by late May or early June we hope and installation will be completed by town staff around uh June 2026. questions on this.

By any chance, does this include the signs for the roundabout for the art at the roundabout or anything like that? It can uh design and final details about what's going to be actually uh done is still going to be uh considered after this. Uh this is just for the contract, but anything is still up for uh discussion about what the signs are going to include. How are you making those decisions on what's going to be included? Is there a meeting or is it through parks or who is it going?

Yeah. So, uh we got together with uh parks and wreck and discussed it, but also we're all here to uh see if there's any input as well about what we kind of would want to change as well and it's completely open to the public as well to uh send us a message to what they might want to see, what might want updated or stay the same. Okay. And so the then you said there were six new markers. So what I have here is six new trail head markers and 53 existing panels as well on here. So the six trail markers are going to be on where on the trail. Mr. Moss addressed the the particulars about the actual signage. Um

thank you Dave. Uh we did get together with Dennis before and after we got the grant and basically what's in the scope of work right now is the greenway signs because when we met early on it was one of the suggestions that we were going to replace. We had four or five different ideas about it but we decided to go with the greenway signs um which which we put in in ' 05 or 06 somewhere in there but there's a lot of historical things. So that we took the u the scope of work from that original bid and put that into those numbers that you're hearing on quantity and the types and that type of thing. So if you decide to change some of those items, you're going to have to we may have to hold off on some of the greenway signs, you know, and they're 20 years old. Really, the lifespan lifespan back then was about 10, but the ones in the sun were worse than the ones in the shade, that type of thing. So, I think in your package included uh some of the photos of some that was in the the sun and some that wasn't. So, that's kind of how we came up with the quantity and the types. And um just did a good job grabbing that u that grant and hopefully we can implement

and so the six new ones are going to be along the trail in certain in new places along the trail. Yes, some will be at Lee Victory. Then I think we got to select where we're going to put them. Okay. For the, you know, Liberty Hill and some of those type things. Okay. So, you're still identifying some of those places. Yep. Yeah. Okay. And I think in the next couple of days, staff is going out to to locate all of them along the trail. We kind of have a map and make sure we have a map and decide on some of the others. But we had some um greenway signs we wanted to put up at Lee Victory Park and had some maps up there we wanted to do as well and just kind of, you know, make sure we place the ones that need it. and then identify the others. Okay. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Thank you guys.

Thank you. Item four is consideration and authorization of a list of items to be auctioned through online surplus sale with gov deals. Hey Sierra, good evening merit and council. We have a list of items that we are seeking to be declared as surplus. The list mostly includes computer equipment, but there's also vehicles and furniture. We intend to advertise the Murph Post, the town's website, and channel 3. The auction will be conducted on Gov deals, and it will begin April 21st and last for seven days. Any questions? Any items you can't live without? You're appropriate.

I know. Okay, we will put that on the agenda, Miss Sierra. Okay. Item five is um consideration for resolution revising the updated town of Smyrna logo.

Good. Good evening, mayor and council. Um as you can see on the screen here, these are the these are this is the top logo is our current logo and last fall you guys approved that logo. In January, um we rolled out just a commemorative logo for this year for the 250th and we had great feedback on that. So, we are proposing that we revise our logo where it includes the my in the green and the the more fluid line at the bottom. The swish. The swoosh. Yeah,

that's a good term for it. Um and and that is the proposed um it it's just a it's a minor aesthetic appeal, but it it just uh I do think it grabs your eye. I think it catches your eye where it says mine. I agree. So So for your consideration, any questions on it?

Perfect. Thanks, Heather. Okay. Item five is consideration of an ordinance relative to the annexation and PRD zoning of property located on tax map 45 parcels 20.00 20.01 and 3.04 requested by Catalyst Design Group on behalf of the property owners containing 102 acres. The properties are located at 7025 Dell Thomas Road. If you all will check your emails, I will um you should have each gotten an email stating that they have withdrawn this project. Did you get that? Just just like

30 minutes before the meeting started. Yes. So, we appreciate um the land owner as well as the developers trying to work with us to come up to an agreed upon project and um hopefully if that we can come to something in the future, we'll be able to look at something. But so, we will take that off of the agenda and we'll not move it forward. So, it won't not appear on the agenda.

Correct. Item seven is consideration of an ordinance amending the Smyrna Municipal Code Title 7 relative to the adoption of the 2024 International Fire Code and this is a second reading. Hey Christie, mayor council, thank you. This is the final portion of the 2024 international code council adoption. Uh this is for the fire protection part of the of the ordinance. And do you have any questions? Nothing's changed since last time. So, any questions on the adoption of this? Okay, we'll put that on the agenda. Item eight, consideration of an ordinance relative to an update to the sewer use ordinance. Mike, how are you? Yes, ma'am. I'm doing well. How are you? Great.

Um, if we look back just a brief time during the pre-treatment audit by Ted, these items were identified that need updating in the sewer use ordinance. U, the items are shown in red uh that you guys have. So that is the changes that TD deck needs made to the sewer use ordinance. And did we show them this prior to Okay. So we're good. Okay. Any questions on any of the changes?

Yeah. The only question I have, Mike, is is this going to address some of the I guess the pre-treatment um issues we've had from some of the industries as far as uh their requirements. Um this I think this is more as of just general language changes. For example, one of the changes was the um code that we were using. We were all we had already moved and were doing the updated code. We just hadn't reflected that in the sewer use ordinance. So these changes are more um on that end instead.

Yes, sir. And did it also add so the DWR is the division that now oversees this. I saw that in the new version it's now referencing that acronym. Yes ma'am. Okay. And we've taken out significant just left in industrial use which is what they asked us to do. Thanks Mike. There was one and I think that was the one that when I looked at it who determines that who determines whether it's enough to be reportable.

Um there's guidelines where when they like say they have a violation or exceed their permit that has to be run in the paper. All those guidelines were part of that audit that Tekk has said for that individual industry. Correct.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Um, any other questions on the sewer use ordinance changes? Okay. Item nine is consideration of an appointment of one member to the board of zoning appeals to serve a three-year term ending in 2029. So when we did board appointments last time, we had um a gentleman who had applied for the BCA and um he was currently on the sister city and we thought he was wanting to move from sister city to BCA and he was wanting to serve on both. And since we try to give everybody as many opportunities as possible to fill to have as many different people serving, he has asked to come off of the BCA to go back on to Sister City. there was not an opening on sister city and so Amy Wise has asked to resign from sister city and um so that's why there's also an opening for the sister city. So there will be a consideration of one appointment to the BZA and one appointment to the sister city. The young man who was on BZA is going to apply to Sister City, but we will have a BZA opening. Any questions on that? Clear as mud. Okay. So, that kind of took care of nine and 10. So, if you are interested in serving on BZA for a term ending in 2029 or serving on Sister City for a term ending in 2028, we encourage you to go online and apply for those boards. Okay. We are to our public comment period. This is the town's public comment period that shall be reserved for those citizens that have signed up to address the town council or border committee at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting

pursuant to the town's public comment policy. Speakers are limited to three minutes and additional comments may be submitted in writing. Amber, I'm assuming we had none tonight. I've got 12 people out in the line. Oh, are they all waiting? None tonight. Okay, perfect. Um Okay. Um, Carl, anything? Cameron? Nothing. Um, Mike, they're shooting daggers in your back. Be

quick. I know. Um, I have to announce an emergency purchase. This is for Guthrie sales and service. Uh, the cost is $39,866. So both of the flash mix units at the water plant have developed oil leaks. We have had them to IM and which is our maintenance contract uh multiple times for repair and they cannot repair these. So they're Kevin has them limping along right now. This is part of the pre-treatment process for coagulation. Uh he's got them limping along. So we got to get new units in here and get them replaced. Okay, perfect. Thank you, sir.

Yes, ma'am. Sierra, Casey, Christie, Mike, Kevin, Tom. Well, if you weren't going to do that, I was going to do it. So, I'm glad you're going to do it. Mayor Council, I just want to introduce Jason Taylor. Uh Jason started Monday this week and he's gonna be our new assistant puddle works director town engineer taking over for Charles. But uh just want to introduce him to you all tonight and tell us a little bit about yourself. Uh my name is Jason Taylor. I worked um I I graduated from LSU in 99. Oh, go Tigers. You said that because of him, didn't you? You

did. I did. I did. I I should speak Go Tigers. Um uh do we run this through Mike Strange at all? What's that? It's in the SEC. Um the Yeah. Can you cook? Uh very well. I've won cooking I've won cooking competitions. Okay, good to know. Chili gumbo and jumbol. Ah, okay.

So, um and well, I I I told them whenever I whenever I hired on that I'll ramble. So, I got to I got to um uh I was I worked for the city of Baton Rouge for a long time in traffic signals. Uh when I was a baby engineer, I worked for the sewer department. I was a chief engineer in Ascension Parish in um in Louisiana, which is a large community south of Baton Rouge, about 120,000 people. Um which I thought had a fast grow fast growth rate till I came here. They were at two and a half and y'all are three or above. So,

yeah. Um, I spent the last few years in private sector trying to pay for my daughter to go through private school and now it's time to get back to public sector and uh start serving again. So, well, we are glad to have you. We have plenty of work for you to do here. So, yes. Um, but I need to know um has anybody talked to you about the chipmunk costume that the new employee has to wear day? I would be happy to wear a chipmunk costume provided I can wear martyro with it. Oh, there you go. There you go. Um, I think the last one fit, Tom. I have I have no problems with that with Buckyy's outfit. I'm There you go. I'm I'm all for it. Uh, I Great. Uh,

glad to know you're a team player. I'm an artist at heart. So, there you go. Well, we are glad to have you and um, welcome to the team and um, I'm sure you will bring be bringing forth lots of stuff for us. So, yes. So, thank you. Thank you. Uh-huh. Um, okay. Tom, anything else from you? Okay, I asked Kevin. Todd, he chief presentation Amberlu Dave,

just a couple announcements this evening. Mayor. So, I didn't want to surprise anybody this evening, but as we move forward on our workshop and council agendas and the presentations that you see tonight, we've kind of rebranded the uh slide presentation a little bit to uh be in line with the commemorative uh Tennessee 250 and just wanted to show you that before you saw it at the council meeting. Um but uh there it is. If you have any Looks great.

Okay, great. And then I just want to congratulate uh Council Member Jerry Short who was um who received the the Good Scout Award um and recognizing his reflection and his steadfast commitment to public service and the betterment of our community. This event was held at SRM and uh we were able to celebrate that with him. I know all the council members were there and just again congratulations on that award. Council member Short. Great. Anything else? That is it. Jeffrey, nothing for me. Drum.

Yes. I've got a couple things. U got a slide. Um so, uh the my smrna app is your direct connection to the town. You can report issues anytime, track updates, and see your feedback in action. Town of smrna.org to sign up for the app. And I've used that app. Tom probably knows I've used that app quite a bit. And uh but it's a good way to report issues around town. And it previously I was getting phone calls, then I'd turn around and call Dave. Dave had to turn around and call the department head. This alleviates all that communication and it goes directly to the department head. So I think it's a excellent tool that we've implemented and I'd encourage you know the public to download this app and use it as well.

Well and it keeps us updated. That's that's the nice thing. I turned in two stop sign or two signs uh the other day and it immediately let me know that it had received it. Then it let me know that it had been assigned to somebody. So it lets the individual that turns it in know exactly where it is and you can track projects that's going on throughout the town. Y uh the other item was brought to my attention by um Steve John's. Everyone knows Steve John's Steve John's appliance.

Uh there was a traffic accident on Stewart's Valley at Rosemont Terrace. His neighbor, I think his name's Jeremy Rutherford, which is appropriate. I think a car knocked down his brick mailbox and as the fire department was wrapping up their response there, u they asked for some help from the um firemen to remove the brick mailbox out of the road. So, this wasn't in their job description, but it just goes to show that um you know how dedicated, you know, their employees are, not only the fire department, but all the um departments. Uh the firemen actually got out, helped them move that big brick mailbox out of the road into the guy's yard. So, I just want to give a shout out. uh reached out to Dave and the chief and the the response was by engine one which included Lieutenant Daniel Turner, engineer Brad Prader and firefighter Bryce Bowman. So I just want to give them a shout out and say thank you uh to that and Cameron if you talk to them tell them we really appreciate that and the citizens do too. Um, the other thing is talking about Stewart's Valley and I reached out to Dave and Tom. I've also got additional phone calls about when are the actual striping lane dividers going to be installed. It's my understanding that the stop bars have been installed, but there's um we still like the white lines and the center lines. And I think there's a lot of confusion going on at Stewartsboro Elementary since those line markings aren't in. So I just, you know, maybe we can get an update on that from from Tom. Um,

can you can you let can you if you don't know, can you send us an email and let us know? Give us an update if you don't know. Yeah, I know. Some of the striping has been done and I don't know if we're going to go back with white striping on the outside because when you have curbing you don't have to do the white striping but the double yellow especially on um uh Steuart Valley Drive will make sure that I think there was a lot of lane dividers at the intersection with Nashville Highway that needs to be done and at the school. Yeah, we're getting all that done. Perfect. Cool. Thank you, sir. Uh Raquel. Oh, wait. I'm sorry. Jerome, do you have anything else? Okay, Raquel.

Okay, I do have a slide. It's Easter time. The Smyrna Event Center is hosting an Easter buffet on April the 5th with two seating times from 11 to 12:30 p.m. and from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. Reservations are required. You can call 615459-444 or email karen.cawthortowns.org. or to schedule your reservation. The pricing is $29.95 for adults and for children ages 6 to 12, it's $17.95 and free for children five and under. So, please go ahead and get your uh buffet reservation scheduled. And um the other thing is I wanted to see if we could get an update on the lake farm area. I know things have been happening with that. Is it possible that we could get a update from Kevin or you?

I can give you the update. That's fine. So we um April 2nd we sent them a notification. Is it April 2nd or we received maybe maybe I do need Kevin. Sorry. April 2nd's next week. So March 2nd. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Yeah. Yeah. We sent the notifications and and all basically and we did hear back from them. We did get a response. Pretty inadequate response in our opinion. And so this past Monday, they were cited to court. I don't know exactly what the court date is. I know Christie. It's either It's either and I I'm not going to mess this one up. It's either April 23rd or 24th. I can't remember the exact date, but it was it was one month from the date of the citation.

Yeah. Okay. So, you haven't gotten they they have not provided an appropriate um response on correcting the lighting in the Right. They pretty much just said that's we own the property. That's the business's lighting and we're more or less we're kind of washed their hands of it. That wasn't something that they were that was that was their issue, not their that was the company's issue, their their tenants issue versus but they they're the property owner. So, okay. And they and they created the issue because they cut down all the trees on the adjoining property. This has nothing to do with the the tenant really. So, Jeff, legally is that all we can do?

That's just the first step really go through municipal court. Then, uh the next step would be injunction. And so, but this is just what our normal procedure would be is to go into municipal court first. And then to do an injunction, we'd have to go to chancery court.

Can we make sure because I mean obviously this is not fair to those homeowners that are out there. Can we make sure that we are doing everything possible, whatever steps we need to take and as quickly as possible. I know that there are timelines in regards to court and all that, but I definitely think it's been really unfair to those people that live out there. We're glad to see Crown was responding uh with which is not usual for a company that's not here, but it it was good good to see they were responding, but now I think as Kevin said, uh I hadn't heard that yet, but apparently it it's a landlord tenant issue. So now we need to get on the tenant here.

Well, I think it is the tenants's lighting. It is what it's on the building. I mean, it is, but you're saying that they're not taking ownership of it, right? But we'll still cite them. They will one way or another. Okay. Okay. But can we make sure after that court date if whatever is done that we don't wait another two weeks, three weeks if there's something else we can move forward and do? Sure. We'll ask for every day they're in non-compliance to Okay. Thank you. I appreciate it. G

um condolences to the Lee family. Miss Betty Lee passed away this morning. Uh she was the wife of Bill Lee and mother of uh former Councilman Lance Lee. She was a fine lady. Will be missed in the community. Uh and you know I can't let Jerome outdo me. You know how that goes sometimes. But uh I got a text this morning from one of our citizens and this person said uh got pulled over this morning on the way to school by one of your friends from the Smyrna PD. It was on us. My tag was expired and I forgot. But I wanted you to know that gentleman was so nice and so professional. And I think that's so cool. While my 15-year-old was sitting next to me, he got to experience exactly what you do the right way you do it and the outcome ends up being pretty good when you're just respectful and nice to our fellow officers. Way to go, Smarter PD. I thought that was really, you know, very cool the way she handled it and and, you know, let the the the the child see what happens, you know, and uh uh I don't have any idea which officer it was, but uh you know, I think that uh

see speaks well. You didn't outdo me. You didn't dig any farther.

That's okay. Well, I will talk about love where you live in a help keep smart litter free 2026. Let's don't throw our trash out the car windows or you know let's pick it up even around our house. Um, if you'll notice up in the right hand corner that there is the recycle emblem up there and uh uh as we have previously mentioned it is a big part um of the future of our communities or actually our world when it gets down to it. So, um, I'm going to ask Heather if she can add the recycle, right? Tennessee to my graphic here. So, each month I can do that.

I can do that. Um, uh, let's talk about shopping local. Um, now more than ever. Huh? Now more than ever, you want to do it? No, but now more than ever,

well, shopping local is I mean, we talk about it, we talk about it, we talk about it, but you know what we've got to do is be willing to put a little bit of effort into it and and uh uh and buy within our community. If we can buy with a uh um a local independent, it's it uh intensifies the effect and more of that money stays in our town. But the thing about it does is uh um our property taxes uh only cover a small percentage of what our overall budget is. Most of our budget is brought u to uh it's handled by the sales tax. So, if we can spend more local, get our sales tax rate up, then in the long run, hopefully we won't have to raise property taxes. Um, and let's be kind. That's all I've got.

HG, just follow up on that. You know, a lot of times when you're out getting gas, you don't think about, hey, do I have enough gas to get back to Smyrna? I do. you know, you know, get back to smurning by your gas. That's exactly right, Jerry. I think I have a slide.

Okay. Uh this Saturday, one of the uh fun events of the year, the Smyrna Fire and Police annual Easter egg hunt uh will be uh this Saturday again at 1:00 at the Lee Victory Recreational Park. Um, if you get there at 10:05, you will be too late. There will be nothing left. And uh, it look like a vacuum cleaner comes through there. But it is a very fun event. So, if you've got uh, children that are from what 1 to what I say 1 to 12. Uh, please come. The Easter Bunny is going to be on site for pictures. Uh, don't forget your basket. And this is sponsored by the Smyrna National Natural Gas Department. and we appreciate what they do as well. So, uh, if for some reason it rains it out on Saturday, the following Saturday, April the 4th, at the same time, 1:00, um, just as the HG said, um, my condolences to Bill and Lance and the family as well. Um, thank a lot of of them. So, um, thoughts and prayers are with them. Um Dave, I know you mentioned it, but I just want to say thank you to everybody that uh for the you guys coming out yesterday and supporting us um and supporting the Boy Scouts of America at uh uh and having a table and all. So we uh I very much appreciate that. That's all I got. Steve.

Um, I've also got a slide uh for the VA uh free tax prep which is going on right down at the back of Smyrna Town Hall at the NX. Uh it's volunteer income tax assistance program offering free in-person preparation in Smyrna for inid individuals and families earning under $84,000 in 2025. Um again it's at Smyrna Town Hall the annex which is around back uh January 31st through April 11th. They're Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays 9 to 1. Closed on April 3rd and 4th. An appointment is required. So if you're interested you can go to your localw.orgvita. And I don't see that on the slide but I bet that's on our website somewhere. Um, so book your appointment and get that

added. I bet that's on our website to the list.

My phone is adding it. Um, so there we go. You AI is taking care of it for you. Never mind, Heather. You don't do anything. Um, also uh, condolences to the Lee family. Um, they uh, Trey is my neighbor and um, saw a little bit of activity around there the last day or so. So um, condolences for the Lee family. I know it's tough to lose a loved one. Jerry, congratulations on the Good Scout Award. Um, I I don't want to say anything negative about previous winners, but um, this time I I the mayor spoke, she said that everything that a good scout was represented you. And I thought that was the most fitting thing she could have said because as she was reading through those, I hadn't thought of that. And she was reading through them and I was like, check, check, check. You checked off every one of those. So, congratulations. Um, and happy Easter. That's it.

I think I'll have a slide pop up here, too. So, for you ladies, women's self-defense course, Tuesday nights, April 7th through the 28th from 6:00 to 900 p.m. You can work on your flow and redirection techniques, your core striking techniques, ground defense basics, escape maneuvers, and situational awareness. Uh, join the Smyrna Police Department for a hands-on women's self-defense course designed to empower and educate. Learn practical techniques to protect yourself and increase situational awareness. And you can register at the town of.org to do that. Um, not to be outdone by Jerome or HG. uh this week uh noticed that we had a loose chicken and they were dressed in a chicken suit and they were twirling signs on the road. So as I drove by sent Chief Irving a text so we've got a loose chicken again and they took care of that chicken. So that's mine.

You know that that that can be positive or negative. A lot of people want chickens. Well, this chicken was dangerous. This chicken was out by the road twirler sign. So, thank you, chief, for that sign could have got loose.

Send sending some by to get the dressed up chicken out of what was almost the middle of the road. So, that's my story. Anyway, Jerome, we'll stick to it. I do want to give my condolences to the Lee family. I actually talked to Bill about a week ago on the phone and uh probably realized that, you know, some things were going to be taking place before too long. But to Lance and Christy and to Trey and Kim and Lana Day, all the family, uh I know Jessica put something on there today. Uh rest rest in peace Betty and you have our prayers and condolences to the whole family. I do want to say uh to Jerry, I think Steve hit it right on the head, Jerry, and and to be there yesterday and celebrate that with you. Sir, you are a class act. And that was definitely exposed into the group yesterday that already knew all that. But I want to tell you how much we're proud of you for being that kind of person, not just on this council, but as a person out in the community, as a family man. Uh you set the standard. So congratulations on that. Last but not least, Dave, I hope your mom's doing a little bit better. You had a little call today and we were worried for you, but glad you're back. Happy Easter to everybody.

Okay. Um, first thing is I've noticed that our some of our signs for um the developers have gone up for them to start. Is there a way we we could get a location of where those are. If y'all could just send us an email so that we know. Yeah. And we have a meeting with them next week because some of the locations which those signs been placed are incorrect. So, we're going to get make sure that that gets straightened out. Once we do, I'll be happy to send the map of that for you. Okay. Y perfect.

Also want to pass along condolences to the Lee family. Um they actually lived down the street from me growing up and um close enough in bicycle riding. Um and so Lance and I grew up together and there was not a finer lady than than Betty was. So condolences to them. Um, did anybody have pictures of the Sister City Chili Supper? Did we have any of that? So, that took place. It was a great event. It was packed and um, they did a really good job. Um, also want to pass along condolences to Thomas Tub. His wife Peggy passed away and um, was able to get by the funeral home and um, uh,

two good people. Two good people as well. Yeah. Yeah. Um excited about this weekend. I'm actually going to be participating in our first GNRC board of directors retreat. We will be getting together in Clarksville to talk about regional priorities and regional issues that we have going on. So, looking forward to that. Um council, don't forget tomorrow morning at 8:00 am for our um getting rid of Jeff meeting.

Yeah, getting rid of Jeff meeting. Um, no. Our our beginning of starting to look at who we are going to choose as our next town attorney. So, that'll start at 8. Um, you should have all of the information that you need. I've tried to make sure that you have all that and um hopefully we can get through that fairly fairly quickly. Last but not least, tomorrow is Mama's 81st birthday. And so, I want to wish Mama a happy birthday. Uh the last meeting, daddy said, "You forgot your mother." I said, "No, I didn't." I said, "We have another meeting before her birthday." So, um I just want to wish mama um a happy birthday. And she's been birthdaying all week. Daddy has taken her somewhere all week to eat out. So, um um last thing, Citizens Academy. Oh, sorry. Thank you. You I forgot. Thanks. Um I have two slides. Uh, our second and third week of Citizens Academy are in the books. Week two, participants heard from the town attorney, town clerk, public information officer, and finance director, gaining valuable insight into the essential roles these departments play in keeping our town running smoothly. Week three was definitely hands-on as the fire department staff led the class through an engaging sess session featuring ladder truck demonstration, an extrication demonstration, and a tour of fire station 4. Chief, if you're going to try to top it, you gonna have to have your work cut out for you. It was a good class.

Easy. Okay. Got it. Got it. Um I think I think this group is really learning a lot and having a good time. So um we we actually are going into week five. You forgot the water treatment facility. Yes. So it was actually week two, three and four. Four. Right. So week five is the next one. That Yes. Sorry. Yes. So this Monday night

next. Yep. Okay. And um last for me is I was honored to speak at Steuarts Creek High School for their National Honor Society ceremony this week. They inducted 240 students into the National Honor Society, juniors and seniors. It was unbelievable. And I was so excited because I actually got a National Honor Society medallion. Um, that is not something I ever earned when I was in school. I I would bet Raquel, I bet you were a National Honor Society. That's what I I bet. Curious. I was curious. HD. Yes. HD. He did. Yeah, they made me president. Steve,

I was in it. My He's a um vice president of the honor society at SM High School. I was in it for about one semester. I couldn't keep that up. Yeah. So, um it was very inspiring to see that many individuals that were inducted into the National Honor Society. So, thank you to them for allowing me to come out and speak to the group. Tell them what you said the GPA was. I think they said it was 3.7 is what it is for them. It's crazy high. Yep. Unbelievable. So, okay. Anything else? If not, we're adjourned. Okay.