Clarksville, TN – Below you will see the agenda for the Executive Session of the council, which is scheduled for tomorrow, January 3rd. There are several items that are of concern. Probably the top issue is the mayor’s version of a new city charter (Resolution 33-2011-12). In an earlier article, I wrote some of the concerns I saw with the approach the mayor has taken.
Next in the agenda list is Resolution 28-2011-2012 which has the city entering an agreement with the county to have another committee determine what the city should do in terms of future growth. As you will recall, the city spent several hundred thousand dollars with input from around 200+ citizens and reviewed just about every plan that had ever been developed (and usually sitting in a shelf getting no action) to come up with ideas on where the city should plan its future.
We received a report with many potential ideas and plans for the city to ponder. This would appear to be the time that city leadership should review all of those options in the different areas of review and make a list of which to tackle first and devise plans to get them implemented. If you recall the East-West Corridor was a major plan that the Smart Growth study was indicating we needed to take action and the Mayor would not support it after initially telling me she would.
Are we assured the mayor or council would support anything from this new committee based on the reactions from the past effort on the corridor? However, the mayor wishes to form another committee to make suggestions that I see as a council responsibility and leadership role.
I will not support this new committee recommendation. We spent your tax dollar to get an expert study with sound recommendations. I would fully expect that you believe the council and departments heads could figure out these priorities without the help of another committee. The agreement also states the need to possibly devise a budget for this new committee. So this likely would mean splitting any costs 50-50 with the county, which leads me into my next concern.
If I recall correctly it was around 2005 that the city finally make some decisions regarding 50-50 payments on functions and actions tied to the county. This was one of my council platform issues when I attempted my first run for a council seat in 2003. A 50-50 split in costs with the county is NOT a fair cost distribution for the city taxpayer. The city taxpayer, unlike a county resident that lives outside the city, pays property taxes to both the city and county.
So not only does the city taxpayer pay the city’s portion of any 50-50 arrangement, they also pay for the county’s portion. Back in 2005 the city and county eliminated many of the 50-50 pay arrangements. Until this year, the airport is probably the last major arrangement that takes money from both governments, which still means the city taxpayer is paying the brunt of the new airport construction.
Several months ago the city entered into an agreement to help pay the salary of a county employee that is running an energy program for the benefit of both public and private entities in the county. The county also pays a portion which means the city taxpayer contributed to both financial pay functions. If the new committee for Smart Growth comes about and requires a budget you will pay twice for that.
In Resolution 31-201102012 the mayor want to have the city sign an agreement that it will pay half of pauper burials. From information given it appears the county had assumed this responsibility, but the city may have been helping with paying half in the past.
The information we have is poor and several questions arise on this. What does state law say on who is responsible? If it is a county responsibility then the issue should not require any further action….they pay in full. If it is to be split then you get to pay twice again.
My concern is why the mayor is leading the city back into the problem of 50-50 financial arrangements after the city reduced that issue about seven years ago?
Please note Ordinance 45-2011-2012 which amends the code on garbage can control. A number of you in my ward (other council members have also had complaints) have had problems with cans and containers being left in the street before and after pickup, with cans being left at the street all the time due to laziness on the part of the home or business owner not taking them back, or they are left turned over or on the sidewalks.
I had been waiting for the city legal office’s workload to lessen so I could get this researched and written. However, the workload hasn’t let up so I researched and wrote it myself. It will give the city Codes Department more power to control and cite those who do not comply. It will come up for it’s first vote this week. I appreciate resident’s patience on getting this done.
Editor’s Note: This article contains the view points of Councilman Bill Summers and may not represent the views of the rest of the City Council, the City of Clarksville or ClarksvilleOnline.
CLARKSVILLE CITY COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE SESSION
JANUARY 3, 2012, 4:30 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
106 PUBLIC SQUARE
CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE
AGENDA
1) PLANNING COMMISSION: PUBLIC HEARING
1. ORDINANCE 46-2011-12 (First Reading) Amending the Zoning Ordinance
and Map of the City of Clarksville, application of L.E. Wilson, Jr., John
Arrington-Agent, for zone change on property at Excell Road & Old Excell Road
from R-1 Single Family Residential District to C-5 Highway & Arterial
Commercial District (RPC: Approval/Approval)
2. ORDINANCE 47-2011-12 (First Reading) Amending the Zoning Ordinance
and Map of the City of Clarksville, application of Helen L. Vick, Richard H.
Swift c/o NAI Clarksville-Agent, for zone change on property at Madison Street
& Irene Drive from R-1 Single Family Residential District to C-5 Highway &
Arterial Commercial District (RPC: Approval/Approval)
3. ORDINANCE 48-2011-12 (First Reading) Amending the Zoning Ordinance
and Map of the City of Clarksville, application of the Trustees of Maplewood
Baptist Church, Billy J. Mace-Agent, for zone change on property at Tiny Town
Road & Clearwater Drive from R-1 Single Family Residential District to R-2
Single Family Residential District (RPC: Approval/Approval)
2) CONSENT AGENDA
All items in this portion of the agenda are considered to be routine and non-controversial
by the Council and may be approved by one motion; however, a member of the Council
may request that an item be removed for separate consideration under the appropriate
committee report:
1. ORDINANCE 41-2011-12 (Second Reading) Authorizing extension of utility
services for Rollow Lane; request of Weakley Brothers Engineering/Arthur
Reynolds)
2. ORDINANCE 43-2011-12 (Second Reading) Amending the Zoning Ordinance
and Map of the City of Clarksville, application of Kurt Brogger, et al, Deborah
Toothman-Agent, for zone change on property at Old Ashland City Road &
Circle Drive from R-2 Single Family Residential District to R-4 Multiple Family
Residential District
3. Approval of Minutes: Regular Session – December 1st
4. Approval of Board Appointments:
Audit Committee: Al Irby (reappointment) and Tim Hurst (replace Mitch
Robinson-term expired) – January 2012 through December 2013
Museum Board: Nick Steward (replace Bill Summers-term expired) – January
2012 through December 2012
Parking Authority: Wallace Redd (reappointment) – January 2012 through
December 2012; Charlsie Lankford (replace Jeff Robinson-term expired) –
January 2012 through December 2015
Two Rivers Company Design Review Board: Sally Castleman (fill unexpired
term of Pam Powell-resigned) – January 2012 through June 2013; Steve Girskey
(replace Charles Foust-resigned)
Board of Zoning Appeals: Reid Poland (replaced Mitchell Ross-resigned) –
January 2012 – March 2013; Bill Powers (replace Gary Norris-resigned) –
January 2012 – March 2015; Lorilee Rager (replace Elaina Johnson-resigned) –
January 2012 – May 2015
3) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Marc Harris, Chair
4) FINANCE COMMITTEE
Joel Wallace, Chair
1. ORDINANCE 38-2011-12 (First Reading) Amending the FY12 Parking
Authority budget for various capital expenses (Finance Committee: No
Recommendation)
2. ORDINANCE 40-2011-11 (Second Reading; Proposed Amendments)
Establishing a cell phone usage policy (Finance Committee: Approval)
3. RESOLUTION 29-2011-12 (Postponed December 1st) Requesting an
amendment to the Official Charter relative to conflict of interest (Finance
Committee: Approval)
4. RESOLUTION 31-2011-12 Approving an interlocal agreement with
Montgomery County pertaining to sharing of costs of pauper burials (Finance
Committee: Approval)
5) GAS & WATER COMMITTEE
Jeff Burkhart, Chair
6) PARKS & RECREATION
(Parks, Recreation, General Services)
Deanna McLaughlin, Chair
7) PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
(Building & Codes, Fire, Police)
Geno Grubbs, Chair
1. ORDINANCE 45-2011-12 (First Reading) Amending the Official Code relative
to placement of garbage cans (Public Safety Committee: Approval)
8) STREETS & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
James Lewis, Chair
9) NEW BUSINESS
1. RESOLUTION 28-2011-12 (Postponed November 3rd) Authorizing an
interlocal agreement with Montgomery County regarding establishment of a
Smart Growth Commission (Mayor McMillan)
2. RESOLUTION 33-2011-12 Requesting the Tennessee General Assembly to
enact legislation to amend the Official Charter of the City of Clarksville (Mayor
McMillan)
10) MAYOR AND STAFF REPORTS
11) ADJOURNMENT
12) PUBLIC COMMENTS
