Elizabethton’s three retail package stores can continue to operate after City Council unanimously approved renewing the certificates of compliance for each business.
The certificates were reissued for Carl Nidiffer and Charles Bridges for Doe River Wine and Spirits; William Armstrong for Eastside Liquor and Wines and Billy Chappell for Lighthouse Wine and Liquor.
The certificates were up for renewal after expiring from their first two-year terms. The certificates were first issued on Feb. 1, 2013, when the first permits were issued allowing package stores to operate in the city.
Councilman Bob Cable made the motion for renewal, which was seconded by Sam Shipley. The renewal was unanimously approved and will take effect Feb. 1.
Council deferred a decision on making changes to the city’s retirement plan after Mayor Curt Alexander suggested the board wait to allow all members more time to gather information on the change.
The proposed alteration would change the city’s Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System from a regular defined benefit plan to a retirement plan.
Alexander said he personally had a few items he needed clarification on and felt other members would need more time to research before making a decision.
Richard Tester made the motion to defer, which was seconded by Bill Carter. The motion was unanimously approved.
In other business, councilman Jeff Treadway asked City Manager Jerome Kitchens for an update on how sidewalk maintenance and new construction was currently handled in the city.
Treadway explained that after Tuesday’s planning commission meeting he wanted to clarify what the sidewalk process was. He said some commissioner left the impression they did not believe the city was doing anything for sidewalks, and he knew that was not the case.
Kitchens said the current plan is for the street department to address maintenance issues as they come across them. He said there has not been any funds budgeted for new sidewalk construction because it had been set aside for street paving.
Kitchens continued city staff had been discussion sidewalk construction, specifically connecting areas of sidewalks that were not connected to anything else. He said a prioritized list would be made and funding designated for those projects.
“Our No. 1 goal right now is that our sidewalks be ADA compliant,” Kitchens said, referring to the Americans with Disabilities Act. “I see sidewalk repair taking place. You will find a broken sidewalk here and there but it is not because we are not trying.”