Board of Mayor & Aldermen - Regular Meeting

regular meeting of board of merit alman February 17 2026. Let's stand for the pledge of allegiance and continue standing for a moment of silence. I pledge algiance 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.

Let us pray. Eternal God, we thank you again for another day. We're so glad that this is a day that you have made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. We pray Lord for peace. We pray for stability. We pray for fairness throughout this country and throughout this city. We thank you for this great country. Lord, we pray Lord that you will give us a peace that passes all understanding. Let us remember one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. We pray Lord for our fallen leaders Lord. We pray that you strengthen their families. We pray for the leaders Lord as they make the decision Lord to consider Lord what's happening on the local level. We thank you again for being a great God. We thank you for this great country. God please continue to bless America. In your name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Our first item of business is approval of the minutes from regular meeting of board of mayor alderman held January 20th 2026. We have a motion by Vice Mayor Harris, a second by Alderman Greg. Any questions, comments? If not, let's cast our votes. Anyone care to change their votes? Would you tally the votes for us? Motion passes six to zero. Item 1.4. Before we enter our public comment period, we have Mr. Ray Stewart that has registered to speak to us tonight. Ray, good to see you, sir. Thank you, buzz.

You have two minutes.

Good to see all of you. May be of interest to you to note that the word ordinance and the word ordinance are basically the same word. The I got dropped out probably sometime in the 1700s. Unstressed vowels, stressed vowels in a complex way that that word ends. It happens. In general terms, government managed is what an ordinance means. The ordinances you deal with tonight, you are stuck with the eye in the middle because that's each of you. You're the eye in ordinance. The ordinance in military terms, ammunition and bonds. So, ordinances can be dangerous, too. You're biting off a lot that you expect Springfield residents to be responsible for years and decades into the future, 5, 10, 20 years from now. Ordinances, like I said, can cause damage. Like Vesper, like the water ordinance tonight. Ordinances can cause trouble. You're writing checks you expect other people in Springfield to fund for you years in the future. But who of you is going to be here in 20 years? Not many of you sitting up there tonight. Every Springfield taxpayer, homeowner is paying dearly in water and sewer bills when folks sitting in your chairs possibly 20, 30 years ago did not do the right thing and did not make the right boats that kept the sewer system alive. I ask you to slow down. You were doing things like you are Hendersonville or Murphy'sboro and you ain't all that. Don't go back on your boat on extending our water to those outside the area. Some of your buddies are expecting you to get them some water. Let them down easy if you would. You better be writing some tough legal language if Coopertown Savior doesn't come through or falls down on the job. Speaking of big things, do you have to annex every parcel to supply the greed presented to you? Surely not. I've represented a large builder for 14 years and I saw a lot of builders and big developers go out of business, go

bankrupt. A city cleaning up after them takes sometimes years. That's not where you want to be. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Stewart. That closes our public comment period. Moving on to our public hearing. Our first item of public hearing is ordinance 26-01, an ordinance amending the fiscal year of 2026 annual budget for the city of Springfield by amending certain general fund and utility fund operating budgets. Is there anyone here to speak to that? ordinance. Seeing none, we'll move to item two. Ordinance 26-02, an ordinance amending ordinance 24-17 relative to water service outside the urban growth boundary. Anyone here to speak to that item? Seeing none, we'll move on to the third. Ordinance 26-3, an ordinance amending title 16, chapter 6 of the Springfield Municipal Code relative to parades and special events. Anyone care to speak to that item? Seeing none, this time we will close the public hearing period, move into our legislative portion of our agenda. Item 2.1, discuss and possibly take action on ordinance 26-01 on second and final reading. An ordinance amending the fiscal year 2026 annual budget for the city of Springfield by amending certain general fund and utility fund operating budgets. We have a motion by Alderman Huard. We have a second by Alderman Bradley. City manager Ryan Martin, I believe you have something to share for that.

Yeah, thank you, Mayor. We would ask that this be amended to reflect the amended uh exhibit A in your packet. U there are this budget amendment consists of grants, insurance recoveries as well as an updated debt service uh payment interest payment for the series 2025 bond. So we would ask that you amend uh mayor to include the amended exhibit A in your packet. Very good. Any questions or comments? I moved to amend. Very good. We ready to vote? We got a second. Got have a second. He got a second. We got a second. We have to have a second. Okay. Vice.

Yes. So, no questions, comments. We're ready to vote. Let's cast our votes. This is only amendment. On the on amendment. Yes. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero. Item 2.2. Make motion. Did what? Made motion as amended. They voted on the amendment. So now it's amended. Any voting?

Okay. Voted on amendment. Now we go back to the original. We have Alman Hubard with the motion. A second by Alman Bradley. Any questions or comments? If not, let's vote. Anyone care to change their votes? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero.

Thank you. Item 2.2, discuss and probably take action on ordinance 26-02. On second and final reading, an ordinance amending ordinance 24-17 relative to water service outside the urban growth boundary. We have a motion by Alderman Greg, a second by Alderman Troder. Any questions or comments? Are we ready to cast our vote? This this is a period of one year from May of this year.

That's correct. It extends it instead of May of 20 May 1st of 2026 is to 2027. Any other questions? Let's cast our votes. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you tally the votes, please?

Motion passes six to zero. Item 2.3, discuss and possibly take action on ordinance 26-03 on second and final reading. An ordinance amending title 16, chapter 6 of the Springfield Municipal Code relative to parades and special events. We have a motion by Alderman Hubard, a second by Alman Bradley. Any questions? Any comments? Are we ready to vote? Let's cast our votes. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero.

Item 2.4, discuss and possibly take action on ordinance 26-04 on first reading. An ordinance a submitting the Springfield Department of Utilities Practice and Policies. We have a motion. Do we have a motion? We have a motion by Vice Mayor Harris. We have a second by Alman Hubard. City Manager Ryan Martin, I believe you have something to add on this item.

Thank you, Mayor. So, this is a pretty good update to our service practice policies for utility service. This will uh clean up some language in there, adds provisions to protect against fraud. Um does increase the service charges and reconnection fee that haven't been updated in quite some time. uh to make sure that folks that are that are getting service and and reconnected that the other customers aren't picking up the tab for that that customer picks up the tab for that. Uh it also proposing I think this is one of the greatest things we can do uh to help our customers that we are proposing in this particular update to our service practice policies and that is a leak adjustment installment plan. Currently, we have no authority under the uh the regulations now to really enter into an installment plan with anybody when they have a leak. And these water leaks that people have can sometimes result in a $2,2500 water bill, right? And so what we're proposing to do uh is for you all to approve us uh to administer a leak adjustment installment program. So, we have the leak adjustment program that you all have in place, which gives a 25% adjustment for two consecutive months. We would ask that you also allow us to uh establish an installment program, which is outlined in your packet. There it is on page eight. And it it's tiered based on the amount of the of the leak in the bill. If you between $300 and $499, it's two installment payments. If it's the leak uh is between $500 and $1,000 or $9.99, it's split into three installment payments. And if it's more than $1,000 or more, uh we can do an installment plan of up to six months because some of these residents and customers come in and uh and they have a a bill of u you know $2,500 and it's tough for them to pay a month or risk getting cut off. And so we would ask for that uh for that authority from you all. That's proposed in here as well. But I'll be glad to answer any questions or address

any of these items specifically if you if you need me to. Thank you, Ryan. Any questions? Any comments? Are we ready to vote? Let's vote. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you tally the votes, please?

Motion passes six to zero. Item 2.5, discuss and possibly take action on ordinance 26-05 on first three reading. An ordinance amending title 11 of the Springfield Municipal Code pertaining to non-complying buildings and other structures. We have a motion by Vice Mayor Harris, a second by Alman Bradley. Any questions or comments? Are we ready to cast our votes? Let's vote. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero.

Item 2.6, discuss and possibly take action on ordinance 26-06 on first reading. An ordinance reszoning property at 411 Memorial Boulevard from commercial services CS to core commercial CC. We have a motion by Alderman Hubert, second by Vice Mayor Harris. Any questions? Any comments? Let's cast our votes. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you tally the votes, please?

Motion passes six to zero. Item 2.7 discuss and possibly take action on ordinance 267 on first reading an ordinance amending the conditions of service manual relative to the time frame for water tap installation. We have a motion by Vice Mayor Harris, a second by Alderman Hubard. City manager Ryan Martin, you have something to add to this.

Yeah, thank you mayor. So this is uh from that strategic planning discussion that we had uh about water tap installation time frame. So the uh the sections that are at play here in municipal code are 18-204 and 18-216. The resolution that's proposed or or the the resolution to the issue that's proposed via the ordinance tonight is a 60-day time frame for installation after entering into a contract or purchase of a water tap as well as a one-time extension of up to 60 days where there is a a delay on the homeowner's part such as a septic approval. This is something the city attorney and I talked about at length. And then regarding the the future developments, those uh water capacity is uh contracts will remain valid. Water tap contracts will remain valid so long as the vesting rights of the development have not lapsed and state law pretty well governs that depending on the the nature of the development. With regard to after service has been established, a customer may disconnect service for an aggregate period not to exceed one year. After a customer reaches this threshold, service will automatically be connected and minimum charges will apply. After the one year has been met, a customer may request addiction disconnection period of up to 30 days in a calendar year for any reason. So, uh, as far as forfeiture of the tap goes, that would only apply where the structure has been demolished, where service is being uh issued. We wouldn't want someone to purchase a home that the the previous owner had forfeited the tab. So that would that service would remain there unless the structure was demolished. Um I believe that um I believe that covers it. That puts us on par with some of the other neighboring utilities with how they handle these issues. And again, these just haven't been um issues that we've encountered until recently.

Very good. Thank you, Ryan. Any questions? Just a comment. In previous years on the tap situation, we envision growth. We envision money to help us with our water services. And that's sort of the reason that it got a little messy. But we were trying our best in previous boards. Okay. We thought was doing the best for for the city because developers were not paying anything and people weren't paying their fair share. So, I'm glad we're cleaning it up. Okay.

Thank you, Mr. Hubard. Any other questions or comments? If not, let's cast our votes. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero.

Item 2.8, discuss and properly take action on resolution 26-02. Resolution declaring certain property surplus and authorizing the disposal of such property. Have a motion by Alderman Hover, a second by Alderman Greg. Any questions or comments? Hearing none, let's cast our votes. Anyone care to change their votes? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero.

We move into the administrative portion of our agenda. Item 3.1, discuss and possibly take action on the adjustment of the retail electric rates of Springfield Electric Department due to the wholesale fuel cost adjustment by the Tennessee Valley Authority. We have a motion by Alman Hover, a second by Alman Bradley, electrical electrical department director, Mr. Terry Reisha. What do you have for us, sir? Thank you, sir. Any questions or comments?

Comment. The ice didn't favor some of my citizens. Okay, complaining about the wheels. Are we ready to vote? Yes, sir. Let's cast our votes. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero.

Item 3.2 discuss and possibly take action on the adjustment of the monthly gas rates of the Springfield gas department. Have a motion by Alderman Hover, a second by Alderman Schroer. Gas department director, Mr. Vincy Davis, what do you have for us? PGA saw increase of 6.10%. Any questions or comments? If not, we are ready to vote. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero.

Item 3.1, discuss and possibly take action to ratify an emergency purchase from the fire department for repairs on engine number one. We have a motion by Alman Hover, a second by Alderman Bradley. Any questions? Any comments? What exactly happened to the engine? So, they were trying to use new technology with the camera. They was checking their mic. So,

they were utilizing the new camera on the truck and wasn't checking the mirrors. I backed into the just caught the edge of the bay with the truck. Okay.

Thank you, Jeff. Any other questions or comments? Let's cast our votes. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero.

Item 3.4, discuss and possibly take action on task order number five to the engineering services agreement with Griggs and Maloney Incorporated and change order number one to the construction contract with Smith Constructors Incorporated for the new wastewater treatment plant. We have a motion by Alderman Huard, a second by Alderman Greg. City Manager Ryan Martin, I believe you have something to share with us.

Thank you, Mayor. This is it's kind of a twoin one here. This is task order number five to our engineering services agreement with Griggs and Maloney, but also change order number one to our construction contract with Smith contractors for the construction of the new wastewater treatment plant. It balances $25,000 of increase to the engineering services, $25,000 decrease to the construction contract. And that was an agreement that was reached between the engineer and the contractor because of a change in the way we're going to do the wet wells. They were originally uh designed for uh pre-cast wet, concrete wet wells, but instead the contractor prefers them to be cast in place. So they got together, reconfigured it, and it's going to be a balancing change order. So the benefit to us is it's a net zero impact to to the overall expense of the plan. Just a change in both of those contracts that balance each other out.

Thank you, Ryan. Any questions? May I must make a comment. Years past, previous boards were were encouraged to get this done. it didn't happen and now we're into a good growth stage and we must support this and and it's looking out for stabilization the stabilization perh period for the for the growth of the city so I must apologize for the ignorance of which pass okay

thank you James any other questions or comments comments. That's a vote. Anyone care to change their vote? Would you please tally the votes? Motion passes six to zero.

Item 3.5, discuss and possibly take action on Eastman agreements for the Highway 257 waterline replacement project. We have a motion by Alderman Hub, a second by Alderman Bradley. Any questions? Any comments? If not, let's cast our votes. Anyone care to change their votes? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero.

Item 3.6 Six. Pursuant to TCA 9-21-134, a memorandum relative to the report on debt obligation for the 4,50,000 general obligation capital outlay note series 2026 issued on February 12th, 2026 for the electric department. No action is required. Any questions or comments? If not, we'll move on to our consent agenda. Mayor move to take his one. All righty. Second.

Have a second. Have a motion by Vice Mayor Harris. A second by Alman Troder. Any questions or comments? Are we ready to vote? Let's cast our vote. Anyone care to change their votes? Would you tally the votes, please? Motion passes six to zero. This time, city manager Ryan Martin will have his report.

Thank you, Mayor. First thing I want to do is um is praise our staff. Uh we had a lot of folks that worked extremely uh diligently and many, many hours through the winter storm response a couple of weeks ago. our uh our public works uh department does not get enough credit for what they the multitasking that they did uh through that uh winter storm to both clean the streets that that we could get cleaned and uh collect the garbage that needed to still be collected after we kind of got behind a couple of days. That was a difficult winter storm from a road clearing perspective because it came in as snow then laid ice and then snow on top of that. So once you got through one uh one layer, you had another layer to work on. A lot of folks, one of the most common things that I heard from people say, "Well, why did they drive down my road and they didn't have the plow engaged? They were just they were just spreading salt." And I said, "Well, that's cuz a rubber plow doesn't do much on ice except make it slicker, right? It takes all the traction and and polishes it up really really well." And so we had to let the ice mean the salt activate first on the ice and then try to plow what we could and then work on the sanitation routes. And so we appreciate our citizens patience on that while our folks worked hard. Want to compliment our electric department as well. We did have quite a few outages early on the first couple of days. I think we reached a little over a thousand outages of our 9,000 customers. And so and that's 9,000 meters customers. Uh and so they were able to get most of those outages back and restored within a within several hours. So a lot of folks were out. our our water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant folks uh 24-hour operations still had to maintain their operations during the winter storm as well as our police and fire departments. And we had a lot of other folks that helped. Want to give a shout out to those that that contributed to uh to the cause during that during that time. Larry's Restaurant, uh the depot, Grace Baptist Church, Walmart. A lot of those folks helped out. I hope I'm not leaving somebody out, but I might be. But thanks to everyone that um that helped out. I'm sorry.

Willie Mays.

Willie Mays. everybody that helped out during that um during that time to feed those that were working during the event. We really appreciate that. It meant a lot to our staff, but uh really appreciative to have a staff that shows up. They know it's they know that's what they signed up for. They know it's their call to serve and when those events like that happen, they know that that's that's their time to uh to go. So, uh you do have an updated strategic plan that will be coming your way after our meeting. Uh that will be updated based on the things that we discussed there. Budget prep has begun. uh talked to some of you over the last week or so kind of talking about that. Not sure what that looks like. It is going to be a difficult general fund budget year I believe based on revenue projections that are coming in so far and and not just revenue projections because we have a very healthy economy but it's it's the expenses that we're up against that that's shaping up to be uh somewhat difficult and also work is continuing downtown to repair the streetscape. We have our public works folks and various um departments working downtown to repair with streetscape, working on sidewalks and trees and maintenance. So, it's got our downtown a little messy right now, but they're working as quickly as they can. They did have a slight interruption with the winter storm, but they're back at it and hope to get wrapped up pretty soon. Mayor, that's all I have.

Thank you. Thank you, Ryan. Any other questions? Any other comments? I got a comment. Yes, sir. Like to thank the city manager for what he's done during all of this time. Absolutely. Absolutely. I thank everybody all our departments city manager rounds a round of APPLAUSE MR. MAYOR. Yes sir.

I know this is one of the best small cities in the state of Tennessee and we're holding our own. We're doing smart growth. We're We're not We're not overt taxing our people and we have a great vision and I want us to stay on track. I want to stay on track and I'm proud of this this city. If you look around, if you keep up with the news and stuff, you see Springfield is knocking it out of the park in a in a lot of ways. So, I'm proud of this this city. Proud of you, city manager. Proud of you boarding. proud of the employees and let's keep driving to make this to continue to be one of the best cities of 20,000 people in the state of Tennessee.

Very good. Very good. Anything else? Stand. I know we