City Council - Regular Meeting

OK, it's 5.55, and we have a public hearing tonight before our scheduled city council meeting. So we have two items for tonight's public hearing. If you would like to speak on either one of these items, when I read the item, please step to the podium, state your name and address. And we have three minutes to speak. There is a timer up there that'll give you an idea of how much time you have left. We do ask that if you want to speak, do not form a line. Just one of the first person sits down, then you can walk on up there. And we also do ask to treat every speaker with respect, no booing or che

I think I'm going to end up, I'm going back to America.

It's 6 o'clock, so it's time for my city council meeting. I will call the meeting to order. I ask Lee Clark to lead the invocation.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. We also have minutes to approve. The first are from the July 16th work session. Motion to approve. Moorhead, second by Councilor Crowe. Any discussion on those minutes? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Also from the July 21st regularly called city council meeting. Motion to approve. Okay.

All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Before we move to communication of citizens, as Councilor can see, we have some special guests here tonight. And so we have a proclamation to read in a few minutes, but I didn't tell them the order we're going to do this, but I'd like to ask Wayne Oakley, who is part of our local baseball and softball organization up here, to come and tell us who's here tonight.

Thank you, Wayne, and thank you guys for all the work you do, too, putting this league together and making it function. Without you guys, this never would have happened either, so we appreciate that. We do have a proclamation tonight for you guys, and so I'm going to step around the podium. I'm going to ask the council to come out there, too, and I'm going to ask the 12 and under players and coaches to come stand here in front of the dais, and we're going to read a proclamation.

We can't wait either, Wayne. Well, thank you all, and I do want to tell the softball teams and parents and coaches, you don't have to stay. You can leave if you want. We'll be here for a minute, so if you guys want to go, that's fine. If you want to hang around, that's fine, too. But we're going to move on with the rest of the meeting, but if you guys want to get up, that's fine.

Over there, this is not a good exit anymore.

I can't get to my car. It was either close, lost, or a route.

okay uh now it's time for communication from citizens so if you'd like to speak to to us tonight now it's time to do that uh you'll step the podium we have three minutes to speak and then there's a there's a countdown clock to help you keep up with your time there we ask you to state your name and address at the beginning and um and also we do ask that um that do not form a line at the podium when someone is speaking and sits down then just step up there at that point we also ask that uh We treat all speakers with respect, no applause, no booing, and those types of things. So if anyone would l

Your time is up. Thank you. Anyone else?

So, Mr. Pratt, you just basically said you want to hit somebody with your car. We're not going to listen to that, so your time is up. Yes, it is. Your time is up. You know what, Mayor? That's what we're calling for your resign.

That's what we're calling for your resign.

You are a decent mayor who does nothing more than talk, talk, talk. Anyone else like to speak?

Is this your time to talk about anything?

Well, your time is up, but let me see if I'm ever going to speak and then we'll come back to it. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else like to speak? Okay, seeing none. It is my time to communicate. I have a few announcements, but sir, just to let you know, that's something that none of us have heard about. I know you talked to the city planner. Josh, can you shed any light on that?

Okay. So we can discuss that more when we get that on the agenda. But what you said, so the issue they're discussing, if this passes two readings, it'll fix their situation.

So let's see how the vote goes tonight, and then we'll talk after the meeting. All right. I do have a few things to talk about tonight. Last week, we had a big week. We had the ribbon cutting for the splash pad in Don Fox Park. So I wanna thank TDEC for the grant. that they provided for that project. That was over $300,000 grant that came from the state. And I want to thank the council for supporting that grant and also supporting our matching funds. It was a 50-50 grant for that. I want to thank the staff who worked on it. The splash pad does come under the Jimmy Floyd Center, so it comes und

I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT EVERYTHING YOU SAID BECAUSE I WAS AT ALL THOSE EVENTS AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT WORKED ON THE SPLASH PAD. WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED WE HAD TO REDO THE POOL AND HAD TO RESURFACE IT AND IT CAME TIME THAT IT HAD JUST BEEN OUTDATED AND IT WAS TIME TO REPLACE IT WITH THE SPLASH PAD. AND IT WAS NICE. WE DONE THE RIBBON CUTTING INSIDE OF IT. IT WAS GREAT. SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE STAFF THAT DONE THAT. Sam's Club, of course, was one of the biggest grand openings that had tons of people. So I really want to thank all the staff, Rick and Sarah, for getting Sam's here. T

We did have a great week last week, and even I drove my son around today, and he said Lebanon is really looking good, Mom, and it is. You know, a lot of the things that the younger generation want, we're finally getting, and I'm glad to see that he's proud of this town and proud to be back. So it does make you feel good. that the work is being done and our tax dollars, you know, are going to work and we get to see them. Sometimes our dollars go to work on things that we can't see. And those aren't as fun for sure. It goes the same thing in your home. When you have to do plumbing, you don't get

Mayor, I want to thank you and the staff for everything that's been done. It's been not only a great week in the city of Lebanon, it's been a great week in Ward 4. because a lot of those projects that we just talked about have occurred in Ward 4. We're blessed to sort of parallel the interstate there and a couple of different exits, both at Hartman Drive and at 109. There's not only a lot of A lot of infrastructure improvements that are occurring in both of those corridors. There's more sales tax dollars coming in in those corridors. There's more jobs coming in in those corridors. And there's

Thank you, Mayor. You know, I've lived here all my life, and I don't know how many have lived. How many have lived and born and raised right here in Lebanon, Tennessee?

But I don't know if any of you are as old as I am, but I remember the square when nobody, I remember when the square was very vibrant in the 60s, believe it or not. That's where we went to shop. And then when the malls came in, they abandoned the square and it went down considerably for many years. and the square is now something we can be proud of i've never seen so much improvement uh and the events and the uh retail and restaurants and things that are down you know the breweries you know that never would have passed in the 60s uh i read an old article uh from a newspaper i was going through

I would like to welcome these new folks to the city of Lebanon. I hope your stay is wonderful. I hope you make this home and stay here for the rest of your life. And hopefully your kids, grandkids, whatever. I moved here eight years ago and got involved with the city and fallen in love. And this is my forever home. Not sure where I'll end up within town, but I'm going to plan on staying in town until they bury me. But last week was a big week. The only thing the mayor did miss was Ascension St. Thomas also did a groundbreaking right on 109 north of Lebanon Road for a new emergency facility tha

Thank you. We have one item of old business, Ordinance Number 26-7446, second reading, to approve a donation to Change Lives One Day at a Time, Inc., by Joy Carmack, Ward 1 Councilor. Motion by Councilor Carmack, second by Councilor Crowell, discussion. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Now, new business, order number 267448, first reading to amend Title 14 to change permitted wall and fence design standards replacing 14504D10, landscaping, screening, and buffering, request by staff. Second. Councilor Carmack, seconded by Councilor Morehead, discussion.

Or Joey. Josh. Yeah, Josh, come talk about that and... why it was put into the codes the first time and then how we're going to fix this.

Okay, so there is a difference, though, in our codes for commercial and for residential, right?

Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Morse code 267449, first reading to amend Title 14 to change 14303, residential zoning districts accessory building tables, 14304A, RPI, residential public institutional accessory building table, 14304B, UC University campus accessory building table, and 14503, supplemental bulk regulations for accessory buildings to establish uniform standards for accessory buildings, request by staff.

Councilor Crowell, seconded by Councilor Carmack, discussion.

Yeah, sorry. I think that's good to explain to the public.

All those say aye. Aye. Opposed? Thank you. Council confirmation of Pullman for Lex and Moscardelli to the Historic Preservation Commission by Mayor Rick Bell. Motion by Council Moorhead, second by Council Burdine. Discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Question number 26, 7451. First reading to approve a construction agreement with R.J. Coleman Railroad Company, Nashville and Eastern Railroad for railroad crossing improvements related to the grant-funded sidewalk project on North Calcites Avenue by Christian Rice, Executive Director of Engineering and Planning. Motion by Councilor Carmack. Second by Councilor Crowell. Discussion? All in favor say aye.

First reading to approve bids to award contract for TDOT 3R Sidewalk Improvements Project and to retain consultant engineering services TDOT PIN 129468 by Christian Rice, Executive Director of Engineering and Planning. Motion by Councilor Carmack. Second by Councilor Crowell. Discussion?

Thank you. Any further discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Orsmart 2674-53, first reading to authorize a budget amendment for the resurfacing of the South Hartman Drive playground. William Porter, Parks and Recreation Director. Motion to approve. Second. Councilor Moorhead, seconded by Councilor Crowell. Discussion?

Yeah, I mean, that's one of our newer ones. Has it been torn up, or what is the reason we're having to resurface it?

So, William's not here, so Lee, Kristen.

Is it the same kind of replacement that Dawn passed on?

Okay, any further discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. First one, 26-74-54. First reading to authorize a budget amendment for the gas department for the emergency replacement of an air conditioning unit.

Motion by Councilor Carmack. Second by Councilor Crowell. Discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. First one, 26-74-55. First reading to cancel the regular call city council meeting on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026 by Rick Bell, Mayor.

Motion by Councilor Carmack, second by Councilor Crowell. Discussion?

Yeah, I got a quick question. Are we just going to just only have one meeting that month, or are we going to move it to a different date?

That's typically what we've done in the past on election days, is just skip that one. Any further discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Question number 267456, first reading to amend Title IV, the Levin Municipal Code by Sylvia Reichel, HR Director.

Motion by Councillor Crowell, second by Councillor Carmack. Discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Registration number 262885 in support of the State of Tennessee Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicle Grant Program Application by Regina Santana. Motion approved. Motion by Councillor Moorhead, second by Councillor Crowell. Discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Resolution number 262886, to accept bids and award contract for electrical maintenance services for the wastewater treatment plant by Reg

Motion by Councilor Carmack. Second by Councilor Crowell. Discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Resolution number 262887 in support of Tennessee Department of Transportation's Multimodal Access Grant Transportation Alternatives Program Application by Christian Rice, Executive Director of Engineering and Planning. Motion by Councilor Carmack. Second by Councilor Crowell. Discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Rule number 262888, to authorize the C of 11 tree giveaway program by Christian Rice, Executive Director of Engineering and Planning, and Brian Temeke, Stormwater Coordinator. Motion to approve. Moorhead, seconded by Councillor Crowell. Discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. We are adjourned.