City Council - Regular Meeting

call the uh June 17, 2025 meeting to order. Welcome everybody here. This is the largest crowd we have had in some time and you're always welcomed here. We say that and we mean that. So, I want you to know that uh if you would before we go any further, if you bow with me, we'll have a word of prayer. Our father in heaven, we're thankful for yet another day of life and for waking us up this morning, giving us the privilege to live on this earth and living in this community. We pray that you'll be with each one that's here tonight. Pray that you'll bless them and their families. We pray that you'll bless these public servants sitting around this table and those that have specialized jobs uh in our city government that you'll be with them and take care of them. Keep them safe. We ask now that you go with us. Help us to make the right decisions for the right reasons and forgive us of our sins. Amen. All right. Got a set of minutes from last time. Uh May 27. Hadn't been that long since we met, has it? Y'all okay with the minutes or we need to make any changes? I'll make a motion to approve it. Thank you, Caleb. Is there a second? Motion. Hold the house. Y'all have to remember that. I don't hear as good as I used to. All right. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. Minutes unanimously approved. I guess I should have announced at the start. We do have a quorum. We have perfect attendance tonight. So, it's good to see all of y'all as well. We'll go into We have a lot of items on our agenda tonight. So, we'll go into public business and comment. If anybody'd like to address us this evening before we get into our regular agenda, now is the time to do it.

Yes, ma'am. I'm Miss Dow. Hello. Are we signing in? Uh, I think so. This I'm Dena Dow. I'm the parade coordinator for the Fourth of July Independence Day parade this year. Please contact me. I have several applications. It's customary that they come in like 2 days before, but please come earlier and drop off an application. They're online at watertown.com. You can print them out and mail them to me or you can send them back on email or you can drop them off at the bank or with Miss Vicki at artisan insurance or the library. And uh we want to get you in this parade. We've had several entries. We've got several that are paid and some that are not. We're looking at maybe getting a Peter built to end this parade this year. They said to be announced, but boy, I hope they bring that. That'll be impressive. The parade will start at 4:00 on 4th of July. It's going to be starting at the Round Lake parking lot up here on Main Street and whatever that cross street is next to the elementary school, New Town. New Town Road. So, uh, if you can get there at 3:00, we'll get you lined up and get you going. I'll try and call you ahead of time so you know basically where you're going to be. Try to get you to time to come in so you're staggered a little bit and everybody doesn't hit at 3:00 and we have a traffic jam and I can't line you up properly. You're going to enter from Main Street, go up the side road, New Town Road, to the back area of the parking lot at Round Lake Church, and then we'll line you up from there because they're going to point down to Main Street from there and run you down the street right after our police and fire department sound the alarm. So, we look forward to having you. We're going to be having a lot of vendors this year. We did have an unusual one make a request. Cotton candy may be available this Fourth of July. So, I haven't heard back from him, but we may or may not have a cotton candy vendor. So, thank

you. Any questions? Anybody have any questions for Miss D? Yep. You're very welcome. Let's just hope I stay physically fit. By the way, I'm taking applications for a apprentice. Oh, Jim, Mr. Jim Amaro has agreed to be our grand marshal. grand marshal this year. So, God bless him. He has run this parade for years and years and he's in it this year and we want to make sure he does not get squirted and that he has a wonderful time. Uh hand him off some decorations for his ride. If anybody has a fancier ride, we're taking uh offers for anybody with a really fine car or a really super truck. Uh we'll we'll avoid the city dump truck, although it is an option. So, let me know. Good choice in my opinion. Done a lot for the community over the years and been a labor of love. Anybody else? All right, I'm going to close the public hearing then. And we'll move on. Police report Chief, you up first tonight. I thought I saw you coming. Yeah. Oh, this is great. Yeah. It's not a bad night to be first, I tell you what. All we got to do. Okay. Any questions on the stats? Reports. Uh, one of the things I I do want to add, um, we had two full-timers resign. Uh, we had a and, uh, we had another guy that we hired full-time and he resigned as well. So, that's three in two days, but not indicative of this. uh just the nature of the business I guess. Um but here's what really is the detriment to all this. Been in school this week, but

I've spoken with the TVI and basically they just eliminated our part-time program. So the only we only have four full-time officers to cover all the shifts. You know, we'll get through it, but I'm just making you aware so you'll know that there's only four full-time people right now. Why did the guys quit? One of them said money, the other one said family and retirement. I think it was a copout as of I do too because I explained to them what they'd make when they came here and you know some of my guys in the back don't even know you know what the new budget proposals are. So there's no way they would know if they were going to get a raise or not get a raise. Um, you know, I I I do think that when you have to everybody wants all the bells and whistles. You know, it's like I met with Michael Mullins and some of the other chiefs and, you know, they're paying $30 something dollars an hour. Some of them pay 33, but they're having retention problems, too, you know. So, um, I don't take it as a negative dive on Watertown or me. It's just it's just the way it is right now, you know. Where how long have these two guys been with us? two weeks. Good. They knew what they were making and they had a family, I assume, two weeks. Absolutely. And one of them hadn't worked in three months, but he was already certified, per se. And then one of them we were going to send to the academy, but as much as I hate to say it, you know, I feel terrible because it really is a a waste of resources, but sometimes that's all we got. You know, because you know, we got one more that he's been very upfront about him resigning soon. So, you know, and that'll leave us with three. You know, he worked and then we got another one that said he had worked two years and that's approaching, you know. So, I mean, so why does the TBI eliminate? So what

they did was they had the thing about running NCIC and and actually it's an FBI program that the TBI is a party administrator user for and then they allow us to use it under them through them. And I'm sure there was an audit and they come back and said, "Hey, your part-time people can only run instate tags." Um, and I mean we have 10 or 15 out of state tags every day to hit my OPRS. So they could never basically they couldn't pull over somebody that was from out of state. Uh and if they did, they would have to wait on a full-time officer to come. But if a part-time guy's working, he's the only person. So then you'd have to wait on the sheriff's department and you create too much liability and officer safety. So I just there's I don't feel comfortable working them. But this has nothing to do with us. It it it I sent you the literature and you know and it's not a not a negative mark. you know, we have one we had three positions, but we just had one guy that filled it, but you know, he he won't be able to work because our whole record or RMS, which record management system, is based on NCIC, so he could never even see it. Sounds like I need to put the sheriff's department on notice that we may need some coverage and they'll do it. Yeah. And I actually spoke with Mike Hail's the one that called me, told me about the newsletter, which I BJ sent it. And I mean, it's it's right there. And I even spoke with agent Carlita Scott. She's over it. She was nice, but she said, "Hey, it's the way it is." Let me ask you this, and people that worked on the boat talked about this. We have to do uh an officer has to go through a field. Yes, sir. They have to go through a psychological Yes, sir. We uh provide them uniforms. Yes. And we provide a bond.

And we do that when we hire them and then they quit after two weeks. Is there any reason we can't hire people and make them pay all that expense up front and if they stay with us a minimum amount of time then we'll reimburse them? Yes. Yeah. and and me and you spoke a long time ago and I had actually asked you about you know if we send somebody to the academy you know why can't we get them to sign a year or three year and I think you said something about the government entering into a contract with I'm not trying to get it but I'm just saying and uh in the chief's school this week there's some chiefs there that make people sign five-year deals now I don't well the deal can be done the problem becomes you got to sue somebody to Yeah. And I understand that as well and uh don't even though that's the way I make my living, I'm not really in the suing business with the city. But the uh you know, it bothers me to hire somebody and spend that money and two weeks later they say, "Well, I got a family." Oh, yeah. Surprise, surprise. U you're not paying enough. Well, you knew what you'd get paid the first day you took the job. So, uh, I'm I don't know that I'm going to be for hiring anybody else without them up paying their expense up front and then say after a year or so, we'll pay them back. They stay here a year, they'll get their money back. But that's just me thinking. We'll have to talk about that, right? Anything Anything else? Chief questions. All right. Appreciate it. All right. Uh, Chief, yeah, you knew you were next in line, didn't you? Yes, sir. Y'all getting this thing figured out, aren't you? Okay, fine. I don't have much for you. We responded to uh 32 calls last month. Uh over the

last month we've had about four applications of people interested and so we're in the process of getting them u processed and onboarding and hoping to start an academy here pretty soon for those. Uh outside of that, our fish fry is July 5th. And uh we've been reaching out to some local businesses. And what we're we'd like to do is uh kind of have a collaboration this month in July. Um have I think we've got uh someone bringing some produce, a local uh company, and maybe some coffee or ice cream, something like that. So, u trying to collaborate with some local businesses around and u help each other out. We'll see how that goes and might make it a yearly thing or kind of fill it out. But that's about all the news I've got for you. Is this um the numbers seem a little bit low. Is it because we just didn't have the calls or because others are covered? It's it's just because we uh didn't have the calls last this this this month. Last year in uh May of 2024 uh we had 37 and this month we had 32. So it's a a drop of five calls. So we're kind of tracking roughly where we were last year. No calls would be good. We talk about that often. Yes, sir. Any questions of Chief Hunt? Anybody? Okay. Thank you, Chief. Appreciate it. Where's Dale? There he is. Front row. What happens when you get here late? Ain't it? I don't mind sitting in the front. I We haven't had any major breakages or anything. Not Not anything serious to report this time, which is a good thing. So, um, if you guys have anything for me, anybody got any questions today? All right. Thank you, Dave. Yep.

All right. We'll go into several items of old business. We got um Christopher Darius. Christopher, first on the agenda is a public hearing on the proposed annexation and plan of services on Parkson Road. So we'll go into that public hearing now. And if you would like to comment, you want Why don't you read what I read? You have to read. Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm just No, you're fine. I'm won't go home eat supper. Notice is hereby given that the mayor and the city council of city of Watertown, Wilson County, Tennessee, will hold a public hearing at 6 PM or thereafter on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at Watertown City Hall located at 8630 Sparta Pike, Watertown, Tennessee for the purpose of hearing on second and final reading the public's comments as to make recommendation to annex into the corporate boundaries of the city of Watertown and to adopt a plan of services for approximately 71 acres of property located on Parkinson Road being part of parcel 58, Wilson County Tax Map 110. Also for consideration on second and final reading, resolutions to adopt building codes for commercial and residential property and and to increase building permit fees for further more complete information. Um this has been you may contact the Wilson County Planning Office at 228 East Main Street, Lebanon, Tennessee or Watertown City Hall. Um, this was posted in the Wilson Post on Wednesday, May 28th. All right. Now, we'll ask if anybody wants to comment on this, which this is a small piece of property up on Parkson Road owned by Miss Gina Parkson. Anybody comment? All right, we'll close the public hearing on that then and we'll present the uh annexation ordinance first for

that uh 0.71 acres. If we approve this, it's here tonight on second and final reading and certainly had no problem recommending it to you and the planning commission we voted unanimously didn't. We just recommend that. I make a motion for us to accept that annexation. Okay. Is there a second? I'll second. All right. Discussion around the table. Anybody? No. I did just want to make it known that Mr. Parkerson was here last meeting and voiced his um what he thought on this and he was in support of it. Yeah. Yep. I don't I haven't heard any opposition at all from anybody. All right. We ready to vote? All in favor say I. I opposed. That carries unanimously. Going along with that is a plan of services. Uh and I believe the plan of services said we'll provide what we need to within two years. Is that not right, Chris? That's correct. Yeah, we need to make that part of the motion as well. Yeah. Uh so if uh that'll be the recommendation that we approve the plan of services for a period uh to be done within two years. So is there a motion to do that? This is second and final reading. Also, I'll make a motion. We provide the services for contingent upon them getting them installed within two years. I think that's that's right the way it is. They have two years to get them to extend the water. Super correct. Yes, sir. Okay. Second. Got a motion and a second. Discussion around the table. All right. Hearing none. All in favor say I. Opposed. All right, that is done.

Uh we now need to have a public hearing on the adoption of codes, development regulations, and the proposed changes in the building permit fees. So, is there anything you need to say or No, I read it all at once. Um but when you go back into session, I need to talk on both on both of them before you vote. Okay, come on up. We can talk now. Unless you want to talk from back there. That's up to you. Okay. Um, which one are you going to do first? Uh, I've got on here the uh development regulations. Okay. As far as development regulations last month, there were two paragraphs at the very end of that resolution. Um, not bring extra copies. I don't know if they're in your agenda or not. Um they were talking about the fire marshall inspection and how we as the county work with that. Um have reached out to the fire marshal um he's willing to pick up that part of the review. He has his own fee base so there's nothing additional that the city of Watertown or um will have to adopt for that part because anything that goes through his office goes through his fee schedule. I mean the county doesn't dictate that. He has his own fee schedule. um and he works well with our current codes department um on commercial and the residential side. Um the other thing is that was in that part is the county currently omits um part of the fire code. Um the recommendation that I have from the chief building inspector and the fire marshall would be to admit that as well. I know that was the discussion that came up. There is discretion in there. Um TCA does give the fire marshall and the building inspector the authority to require those when they are needed. Um if you if you adopt it the way it is. If you adopt it and put it in there, it's required outright. Um but this kind of gives them the purview. Um if you have

any other technical questions, Daniel Brderick and Michael Cooper are here from the peritting office. They'll be able to answer the the down and dirty questions on that. I'm not familiar with what's reviewed at inspection time. Yeah. One comment because I know and Chief Han, please. I believe you're recommend that there was an option about requiring or not requiring sprinklers in multifamily buildings, town homes and whatnot. I I would be in support. That's I recall that you were in support of having the sprinkler systems. Is that part of the standard codes or is that part of the exceptions? That would that's part of the exception that is left out um of this of the county of what we enforce in the county. Sprinklers are not a mandatory requirement in town homes. So if we want them, we need to bring that in. Yes, sir. That would be um I'm going to have to default to Daniel or Michael on enforcing that part. Uh, you got that? Yeah. If um All right. If uh if you're not going to sprinkle multif family homes, uh you just got to have sufficient fire rating. I have to double check. So, basically, you'll need a 2-hour firewall and anything to make sure that nothing's going to spread from one unit to the next. So, that's if you don't have the sprinklers. if you don't have the sprinklers. I I'll have to double check. Let me double check on that, but I believe that's the regulation on it. I look at a lot less town homes than regular homes. So, but I'm almost fortunately that's the that's the trend and that's where the development is going is part of the reason I'm bringing this up. Right. And I've I've looked at I've looked at both. I know we looked at more of them when I was city of Mount Juliet. Um but um and some of those have both sprinkler systems and two twohour rated firewalls.

It just depends on the on the builder, but I'll have to double check, but I believe that only one or the other is required. Okay. Is there a certain number of units before it is requirement or is it just all or nothing? I tell you, let me double check on that one, too. I don't believe it is. I think it's all any multif family dwelling just in general. And again, that's just because, you know, you've got multiple units. Well, you don't want a fire in this unit spreading across everybody else's. you know, you want to be able to at best contain it to that unit and get that get that unit extinguished before it causes other damage or life of loss or or loss of life or anything like that. So, any other questions? Michael, you got anything you need to say? No. Dan and Chris cover all the commercial side. That's what that falls under. Anything residential, I'll be covering most of that in this area. So, uh y'all do adopt this. I probably done most of your inspections here. So, okay, Chief, how you were okay on the fire marshall part of it? Yeah. Okay. Uh, all right. What's the pleasure of the uh council? I want to make a motion that we adopt it, but that we require the two-hour firewall and the sprinkler system in multi-home structures. Okay. I think that's what our fire chief has recommended and I feel that's that's what we need for our community in terms of like I said, we all know what's on the books in planning to be built around here and uh I think we need to provide the hold your motion. Just I guess I got a little bit ahead of myself. We're in a public hearing. Okay. Does anybody else wish to speak on this? All right, we'll go. Now we're ready for your motion. Again, like I said, I'd like to make the motion that we require both the 2-hour firewall and the sprinkler system on the multif family

units and the standard code that's been discussed as far as uh single family residents. Okay. Did y'all say Blendon opts out of this? The the county opts out of this requirement. Yes. And the resolution that's in front of ordinance, apologies, the ordinance that is in front of you has the language that is opting out of it in there. So, I mean, if you if you're voting on that tonight, you need to make sure and we'll clarify that. We need to make sure that you're not opting out of that section. You're getting me the right one here before before I sign it, right? You'll make the change. Yeah, I would have to make all sign. All right. I'll second it. Okay. Got a motion and a second. um to approve these regulations with the addition of the two-hour firewall and the sprinkler system for town halls and the county's fire marshal doing that uh job for us discussion, questions, comments. If you got technical questions, please ask them while these folks are here cuz I know nothing about this stuff. The you'll have to have somebody amend the motion. The last thing you need to you need to place when this resolution is going ordinance is going to go into effect. Okay. Uh you want to make this effective July 1. Uh yes. I thought that was our plan all along to have those effective July one. Yes. Christopher makes a good point there that we do that. You good with that? Okay. So does everybody understand the motion? Okay. All in favor say I. I. I. opposed. That one carries. Now, the other one uh we have is u proposed changes to the building permit fees. It's here on second and

final reading. Our building permit fees here for years have been very, for lack of a better term, cheap. Um, this brings us into line with what the county charges and um, with some of the building that's going on here or will be going on here. We approve this on first reading and I certainly have no problem recommending it to you on second and final reading. I make a motion. Can we have some discussion? Yeah. Mayor, I know you and I spoke about this the first reading we were accepting the county rates as the county has been. So, mayor, you and I have had conversations with Mayor Huau about I mean, we're going to have to be paying the county for coming out and doing these inspections, and we don't exactly know what that cost is going to be yet, uh, because we don't know what the volume's going to be. So, in anticipation to make sure that we have ourselves covered to still collect a building permit and be able to pay the county, I think we need to have our rates slightly higher than what the county rates are. Um, my thought was either an additional 25 or 30 cents per square foot, which is a little that's 35 cents a square foot would be 50% of what the county is doing, but I'm thinking the 30 cents a square foot, which is what we originally charged. We need to keep that in addition to the county fee so that we can pay Mayor Huddle at the end of the year for the work these inspectors are going to do. Okay. Um okay Laura you will well first of all other discussion on that. Um

let me say if we do that this will revert what we did back to tonight being a first reading but we can do the second reading on June the 30th. So we won't we still put it in effect July 1 or do you have to run another public notice? Um, no, that's fine with me. Um, that doesn't affect anything I'm doing because it's still a public hearing. You only have to have one public hearing. So, that would work. It would just be you're having it on the first reading as opposed to the second. Um, the other thing is based off the ordinance that um, Miss April was able to dig up for me. I think the last time building codes was or building permit fees were addressed was 1962. Um, I want to say that fees have probably went up since then, but I don't know if it was done via ordinance. I'm fairly certain they went up at some point in time, but I think we were probably just sitting here one night and somebody said we ought to raise them. Okay, we did. Uh, so, uh, I don't have any problem with what's been proposed by Steve. Uh just everybody would understand if we approve it tonight, it' be on first reading and I'll put it on the special call for June 30 so we can still make it effective July 1 if that works for for y'all. So I'm open for a motion. I can't make it. I'll recommend it. I will make the motion. I thought we had already said that we were going to include both of these, but I think that was just me and I talking. Okay. So, so how much are you adding to it? Well, we kind of need to know what we're going to have to pay Mr. We won't know until we And we're not paying Mr. Hutto. We're paying Mr. Mr. Law. That's his department, right? We just got to get a formal agreement with Mr. Hutto at some point. Yeah. And our agreement is

to watch it for a year and see what comes in and who we'll Yeah. I included in our budget this year the same amount we paid in this current year. Okay. Next year. So, uh, so again, I need to know how much we're adding to it exactly per square foot. What? Yeah. What was the proposed increase? Well, I was thinking we need to have an additional 25 cents above what the county rates are that we talked about last time we met for residential and commercial. Okay. Um there's and then we can do that on the per square footage for residential and commercial. Like you have like flat fees like a swimming pool is just $100. Like do you want to make it $10025? No. No. The flat I was only thinking about prices because those are the larger structures and u most likely any inspections that are done are going to be I mean that's what we will be expecting. I don't know if too many people I mean if somebody puts in in a full big deal where you know I just need to know because when I write up this fee sheet for you all to put on the door and notify everybody. I just want to make sure I'm getting all the numbers whichever ones you want amended accurately. Yeah. Well, my my thought was 25 cents on the square footage rates for all permits and leave the flat rates where they are. Leave flat rates where they are. Okay. Is that is that a motion state? I can make that formal motion if that's what Okay. So, I'm going to I'm going to reiterate this because there's a few things on here. That's going to be all commercial buildings, all single family residential, new single family residential. Um it'll affect accessory

structure permits um that are over um 1,000 square ft. Um, and then it'll also ex it'll affect pools or decking areas that are over 1,000 square feet. So, anything other than that, cuz pools and accessory structures are currently 10 cents per square foot or $100 minimum. Um, if it's over 1,000 square feet, it's 10 that 10 cents per square foot. So, with that resolution, your your commercial buildings will start at a$1.15 per square foot. um and they get stairstepped down. Um single family will be 95 cents per square foot. Um accessories and swimming pools over 1,000 square ft would then be 35 cents per square foot. Does that make it clear as mud? So the swimming pools went from from 10 cents to 35 35 cents if they're over a,000 square feet. If they're,000 square feet or less, they're just $100 flat. Do you want to just keep swimming pools as we were or do you want to change them to Well, I mean, he's talking about the swimming pool debt. Yeah. Yeah. And swimming pools are bigger. Well, it's a it's a minimum $100 now. Yeah. And it was anything over,000 foot would be 10 cents. Yeah. I mean, that's a I mean, I don't I'm I'm good with what you Yeah, but I I think be consistent just keeping the extra 25% across the board on the square footage cuz I mean 1,000 foot deck around a pool is a pretty big debt. Most I mean, well, that would include the pool area as well. Yeah. All right, we got a motion. Um, you the man, Chris, got to understand it. Write it up. Yeah, I think I got it. Okay. Is there a second? I'll make a second. Okay. We got a motion and a

second. Is there discussion around the table? Okay. Hearing none. Are you ready to vote? All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Carries unanimously. Um, thank you guys. all of you on this uh annexation and development rigs and the building permit fees. What we've done here tonight in my opinion is pretty significant and will affect this town positively. I believe um you know we're going to have we have people sitting in this audience that build from time to time. Good people care about their community. But we we'll have more and more developers come into this community that will build stuff, make the profit, and go home. Uh this is our opportunity to make sure they do what they need to do for what we need them to do. So I think this is pretty significant to what we've done uh tonight and I appreciate it being a unanimous vote. So you got anything else you want? Not unless you've got other questions. Anybody have any questions of Christopher or the uh inspection guy? Okay. Thank you'all. Appreciate it. All right. Uh now we need to have a public hearing on the proposed increase to the water and sewer rates. So I'll open that up now if anybody would like to comment on that. Now's the time. All right. Y'all heard me say this before. My my theory on public hearings is if you want to speak, you better

speak pretty quick or I'm going to close it. So, I just closed that one. Um, so, uh, we're here tonight on the ordinance increasing the water and sewer rates for second and final reading. I hope that there's been a lot of, uh, information out there. there. I tried my best to get as much information out there as I could through my article and tried to explain the need for it. Um, you know, the building permit fees 62, the sewer lines 62, the water lines older than that. So, we're dealing with a lot of things here that perhaps should have been dealt with years ago, but nevertheless, uh, we can't arm share quarterback it. We got to deal with it going forward. I recommended the increase to you on first reading. I recommend the increase to you on second and final reading. Are we going to send out anything or no? April what? We decided we were going to put on the bills going out that this contains the new water rate. We we opted for that Caleb rather than doing the letter and doing the postage and all that. We have a CPR report on there because it was 3 months, but we can eliminate that on there for this month. Yeah. It'll just go out that one time though cuz we got to go back and put that report on. So, all right. Is there a motion? Y'all going to leave me out there by myself? One more thing. Are we going to wave the first month plate fees? I've given a lot of thought to that to that, Caleb. I can't I can't support that. Now, if y'all vote to do it, I'll certainly go along with it. But I think if we do that, all we're doing is encouraging people not to pay their

bills on time. And frankly, we need the money to bear debt. Uh that's just my thinking. I hope that doesn't sound harsh. don't mean for it to, but we uh I will say this that the uh next year's budget for water and sewer is based on 12 months of of receipts. So, you know, but if you want to make that motion, you feel I'm not trying to talk anybody out of making any motion. I just want you to know where I how I vote. So, don't be surprised. Okay. Yeah, I've got a question if I'm allowed to ask it this time about the water sir. Well, we're supposed to we just closed the public hearing. You go ahead and ask. I apologize. I wouldn't my second time here so walk up walk up here. I just had a question. I'm community. Um the water and sewer. Uh I know that the schools are all feeding, you know, they're taking water and they're feeding into the sewer. Is this going to impact the schools as well as like are the schools going to get that raised? Yes. Cost? Yes. Okay. Uh and the other question, the high school is on county water, but their sewer rates will go up. Their sewer rates, so they'll just pay more to get rid of it. Yes. Right on. Uh, and then the other question I'd asked around town, no one really knew. So, you talked about the um, you know, the exorbitant cost of this whole process. Did the county put in any on that? Because I mean, the schools are putting in I' mean they've got to be at least a third of the of the waste during the school year into the, you know, the system. So is the school or did the county put any money

towards this when they are putting in a bunch of the just their monthly bill? Just their monthly bill. Okay. I was just wondering since they're putting in a large amount. I didn't know if the county was also going to chip in on county doesn't even have a sewer system. So it'd be hard to get them to kick in on something they don't have. But I understand. I'm just saying because they use they they put in so much to it. Yeah. So, all right. That's that was Hope we hope we answered your question. Thanks. All right. Do we have a motion and a second or anybody make it? I I'll make a motion. All right. We got a motion to approve it on second and final reading. Is there a second? I'll second. Okay. discussion around the table. We ready to vote. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Okay. Carries unanimously. That will be effective with the bills that go out Friday or Monday. Um, okay. Let me give you uh some a report on uh all the projects we've got going and I promise to be uh as brief as I can. Uh let's talk about water first. By the way, I have my um my article in the paper. I promised this month I or this edition I'd do it on the water projects. So, I have and it should come out Thursday, I think. But let me read to you here on the water projects what I've gotten from the uh architect engineer. The water storage tank project has been bid and award was made to Currins

Construction. It is anticipated that the work on the tank will begin in August of 2025 and last approximately 45 days. Once complete, the water storage tank will will be returned to a light new condition. This will provide a 15 to 20 year service life for the storage tank. This is something that the state has gotten on to us about and that we had to get done. Uh that's the first water project we'll be doing. I'll circle back around to the cost so you know what it is here in a minute. The water system is preparing to issue documents for the selection of a firm to install zone meters within the distribution system to enable Watertown to more accurately monitor water flows. This will provide an enhanced leak detection system that will allow for timely identification and repair of repairs of leaks. This will enhance the capabilities of the water system and help to mitigate water loss. Ultimately, the program will help to reduce the long-term operational cost for the water system. We have been losing more water than we should for the last few years and what they call water loss. Now, some of that is things that are done without being build, like when the fire department puts water on a fire or that type of thing. But, uh, some of this water is water we've been pumping, and it cost us money, of course, to treat it, pump it, and hopefully that's going to mitigate this loss. The state, uh, forced us to hire somebody to do this study, and Ry Engineering is doing that. The zone meters will be placed at select portions in town, select locations in town to try to identify

where the leaks are predominant. So, uh, and that's leaks on on our our part, our alliance. And then finally, the city is awaiting approval from TD Deck, Tennessee Department of Environment Conservation, for a project to make improvements at the water treatment plant. This project will replace old equipment and improve the overall reliability of the water system. Um, all of these projects will be covered in a grant that we received for $899,000. The city is responsible for 25% of that, which is just a few dollars less than $225,000 of that. The rest of that will be free to us and our users. Um we have that money in our reserves. We've been anticipating that so we can cover that. The um new water rates of course will help us to replace our reserves as well as pay debts. But uh we have that money. So that's there's no no future water and sewer rate increases coming that I'm aware of and I don't intend to make any. So that's an update on the water. Do y'all have any questions about that? Okay, let me go to the sewer project if I could. Um, we got our most recent pay request in. This was pay request number 11. the uh out of the $5,419,000 project, they have now completed $2,863,840 of the work. And um we have the money, of course, on deposit. We we took the the money we

borrowed, put it in the local government investment pool where it's drawing some interest. Not drawing near as much interest as we'll have to pay over the life of it, of course, but it's offset some. But, uh, that's where we are on that. I am very hopeful that we are going to get Commerce Avenue back open soon. Um, there's been some discussions with the contractor and some of the people down there that live there have had some pretty brisk discussions with them too, I think. So, I hope they've gotten the message it's time to get that done. Um, street paving, we can't do anything, of course, until we get these things in the ground and repaired, but that will be a future project. I'll remind you that we do have a million dollars waiting from the federal government to do that. That's the good news. The bad news is it's not going to pay near everything what we need to, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Finally, I do have some good news on the turntable. Of course, y'all know we got the grant. Uh we have a private donor who is kicking in $315,000. The county approved their budget last night which has another 300,000 in it and Mayor Hutto has written Mayor McConnell or Connell I guess whatever his name is in Nashville and since they will benefit from the turntable and running the excursion train out here he's asked them for $300,000. So um at any event we we will have the money to do the project uh whether it comes from them or from uh other sources. There's still some private sources out there uh that we can uh approach and will approach. So those are updates on our on our four major projects. Do uh anybody

have does anybody have any questions about those? Okay. I knew I know I ran through that pretty quick, but u and then you have tonight an ordinance um that we need to approve on first reading. We spent some money during the year, some of our ARP money. We gave bonuses to employees, welldeserved bonuses. They kept the city going during the time when everything else pretty much shut down. We bought some equipment. uh police department took advantage of uh getting some things that benefiting this town. We bought a new mower for the for the uh parks and uh we did some work for water and sewer. So you have that ordinance putting the money back in showing it as revenue to this year's budget. It's uh for those out there $135,569.73 in general fund, $5,000 in parks and recreation, and 50,947 in u water and sewer. So that will bump up the revenues on the side that of the report that you have. And we'll need to adopt this on two readings. Tonight be the first reading. And I recommend this to you certainly since we've already spent the money. I'll make a motion to approve the ordinance as previously stated. Is there a second? I'll second. Okay. Appreciate that. Any discussion? We still have some money. hadn't calculated exactly to the penny what it is, but we'll need to spend that by April 2026. So, it will show up in the

next few months. Uh, all in favor say I. I opposed. That carries unanimously. That gets us through the old business. Uh, new business. You have a budget tonight in front of you and an appropriation resolution. Uh let's let's do the thing that everybody always watches. Let's do it first. And that is the property tax rate. There is no property tax increase being proposed. Property tax rate will remain as it has for several years at 6027 or basically 60 and a4 cents for $100 of assessed value. So there should be no property tax increase uh on your bill until they perhaps when they do the uh reappraisal. But our rate will remain the same and it it's obviously a part of our budget to help fund the budget. So I recommend it to you on first reading. I thought everybody want to make a motion to say property tax ain't going up. I'll make a motion. There you go. Jump. I'll take the motion. Any discussion? Okay. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. That passes. You'll see this again on June the 30th. Uh second of all is our uh ordinance to adopt the budget. Let me just make some statements here. Um the budget obviously incre in water and sewer depends on the water and sewer rate increase that we just did. The budget does include a dollar per hour raise for all employees beginning July 1. Let me say before I go any further and thank Laura and Steve for their help on this. They were very helpful not only in bringing some ideas to the table but in allowing me to bounce some things off

and getting their opinion on it. So this budget while the law requires me to present it. It is a combination of of all our work. It includes a dollar per hour rose for all employees. My goal at the start had been to try to get a dollar and a half. We can't do it right now. I don't feel comfortable right now. But I will tell you that I'm agreeable to looking at it in 6 months through the year. And if our revenues are holding up or coming in, we'll try to get that other 50 cent raise for the balance of the year. As I said in my letter to everyone, that's not a commitment to recommend it, but it's a commitment to take a look at it with the hope that we can. Um, and that's pretty much there are little in incremental things in things along the way, but nothing that's earthshattering. And frankly, most of what's in there won't even affect the people that are sitting out here. Sure. That's a budget I'm proposing as required by state statute that I do and I recommend it to you on first reading. I'd make a motion to accept it. Okay. Discussion. Okay. All in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Okay. Thank you. Now I'm going to do something else that may sound crazy, but I have to do it out of abundance of precaution. I'm going to recommend to you a continuing budget and tax rate for the fiscal year beginning July 1 on first reading. Excuse me. The only way this would come into effect is if we don't approve our budget on second reading on June the 30th because we can't open up on the first day of July without having a budget in place. And the law does allow us to do a continuation budget should that happen, although the comproller does not like

it. If you'll recall, we did it last year because we had some things that we had to wait to see how they were going to turn out. So, I'm going to recommend that to you tonight on first reading. If we approve our budget and tax rate on second reading on June 30th, you won't will not see this one again, but I need you to adopt it on first reading tonight. I'll make a motion. Okay. Second. Uh, any discussion? Okay. All in favor say I. I I Okay. Uh that's approved unanimously. Uh we talked about last time and I don't really have a proposal for you, but I'd like to talk about it just a little bit. somebody I think maybe Laura or maybe I don't know who did but we charge $500 for the video shoots that come here to Watertown and we put that money in the parks and recreation fund just to have a little money for them to be able to to do some things outside of what the ball teams do. Um I think we ought to take a look at increasing that and um if y'all think so we'll do it. If not it's okay too. We'll keep it at 500. But I think uh didn't you say chief that that seems to be like a drop in the bucket for them or they don't really buck an eye at that? Nobody's ever said that's too much. I think I asked this but just refresh me. When y'all are called to help in that situation, do they pay you guys to or is part of their fee given to us helping to pay you guys? on that they we are separate completely separate but the mayor and the city has allowed us to use our cars cuz we have to have blue lights and then if it's uh something that requires something to be shut down that's like a major something and we

brought before the council to have the council do it but we've had several that were just like an alleyway on a Sunday uh or just I mean we've had probably six or seven that didn't involve anything uh like that. So, so when you're not on duty, the people that they hire are not on duty policemen. Oh, no. It's our guys. So, you're on duty on the pay for the city? No, we don't allow private. Yeah, I meant like who's on the clock. Is it the person that's on the clock doing? So, they're getting double. No, we never do that. Okay. I just wanted to make sure. Yeah, somebody that's not on the clock. Okay. So that fee is directly going to the parks and recreation. None of that's having to go back to them. It does not pay their fees. And it we can direct it to go anywhere you want. That's fine. As long as they're getting their money for that person that's outside of you. So the extra police involved if they're involved, you're invoicing directly to the video production people and they're paying you directly in the police department. Yes, sir. That's what Thank you. Then I would like to address of us increasing that. I don't have a number right off, but I think that we need to to make a little more. You want to bring that back in July with a number or you want somebody to throw a number out there. I don't know how you would research like what the going rate for that is. So we can call Murphy'sboro or anywhere else. Yeah. coming from the business. I would recommend you charge $1,500 per fee $1,500. Okay. Cuz we kind of I like the way you think a thousandish, but I wasn't sure. Okay. Then I'm I would say at a minimum it needs to be a,000, but I have I'm would not oppose the 1500 cuz we have

discussed several times it being a,000. Um, and uh, I went to Nashville and did something for the city with one of our vehicles that got us some exposure. It's unbelievable what they have to pay for there. And it's all by time. Like they allowed them to shut down something for 30 minutes and in 30 29 minutes three officers were there like, "Hey, let's go." So, you know, I'm not saying we're that we had discussed $1,000 a year or two ago and then we were going to talk about it and you know, I'm not opposed to what he said, but you know, a minimum that should have been a,000 in my opinion. And this would be per day if it's a multi-day shoot that would do. That is accurate. Okay. And on top of that, you know, they have to pay us. So that's one of the things when we do that because it gives back to our men and the rate is substantially higher than what we make per hour. Yep. Yeah. Okay. I would like for it to go to 1500 then motion is to increase it to 1500 per day. 1500 per day. Yes. And they still take care of our police privately. Yes. Yes. you you may want to put that piece in there that just when you make this theure because I mean I already make sure they do this as an additional insured that I don't know if you need to have that language in the motion or whatever but that they provide insurance. Yeah, I think that's already in place. We did that several years ago. Yeah. Yes, it is in place but I didn't want the new motion would negate that. I'm just you included. Yes. Yes, we're going to increase the fees to 1,500 and make sure that they are insured and our police present um does not include is not included in that 1500. Okay. Is

there a second to that motion? I'll second. Discussion. All right. All in favor say I. I. Thank you, Mr. All right, that is all the items I have tonight. I hope you're sitting there thinking that's enough. Um, cuz I am. Uh, let me just mention a couple things. I've mentioned two or three times. We'll I'll call a special meeting on June the 30th at 6:00. We'll hold a public hearing and then vote on the second and final tax rate budget appropriation ordinance and the continuing budget ordinance if necessary and hopefully it's not. Uh next regular meeting will be the third Tuesday in July July 15 I believe at 6:00. And if that calls true like it has so many times it'll be on the night of the Allstar game. But So be it. And uh Miss Dean has already mentioned the Fourth of July parade at 4:00 and we will have fireworks here that night, weather permitting. Um that is a Friday night. We try to start them or we do start them at 9 unless we get uh we depend on the chief and others to let us know if there's rain in the area or whatever. Uh, and sometimes we have had to start them like 10 minutes early or whatever to get them in. And our rain date, April, is July the 6th, Sunday night, I think. Yeah, they they were already tied in on Saturday night to people do it. So, our rain date would be July the 6th. And that would be, of course, after dark after the churches are are uh done with their services.

So, I'll go around the table. Hi, I've got a small thing. The old funeral home down there. Yep. At Stevens, uh, Air had placed a chain fence on the city side or the street side, the sidewalk evidently so people can't park there. They're not, you cannot block a sidewalk in this. I think his ordinance says that somewhere in there. So I would like for the maybe the police to go by and ask them to move that so they can be park in there on the side of the street like it's wherever. Okay. All right. That's all. Anything else? No. See, I don't have anything else. Water. Mhm. Oh, I could say stuff, but I might. No, no, you already had you checked. Okay. Um, did we want to talk about the parking thing or we just going to let that thing go? It's not on the agenda for tonight. So, um, we if you want to talk about, but we we can't do anything with it tonight. Yeah. I didn't know. I You got that sent that email? I did. So, I didn't know if we were Yeah. It's open. You know, I would not have bet any amount of money. No, you don't. Yes, I really do. Okay. I just want to say thank you to everyone when we have issues. I love hearing from everybody. I I really do because that's what we're here for. And I love getting emails even from our community members about parking tickets

or whatever how how I talked up here or whatever. I do enjoy hearing from our community cuz we serve you guys. So thank you. And I feel that way. If you like what we're doing, I love to hear too. You don't like that. Uh, and I neglected a while ago. John, is there anybody out there in TV land that got any questions or comments or anything? Uh, no comment. Oh, we have 23 viewers right now. We have 42. Wow. You're going out with a bang. Mr. John last night here to do our uh our work here and we appreciate he and the school providing us people to do this so that we can get this out. So do we have John's replacement yet? Mr. I went to class I went to Zach thanked me I went to class one day and I said John how are we going to replace you and Zach said I won't all right I'm ready for a motion make motion to everybody get up and go home Very happy.