City Council set to meet in regular session… New business, recognitions on agenda for Thursday, July 9th meeting

Published 4:29 pm Monday, July 6, 2020

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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR STAFF
The Elizabethton City Council will be meeting in their regularly-scheduled July meeting on Thursday, July 9th inside the Council meeting room at Elizabethton City Hall.
 
On the agenda for the meeting are several items from the recognition of a couple of Elizabethton City Police officers for a Medal of Distinguished Service and Silver Cross, presentation of Certificate of Service to an Elizabethton resident, communications regarding special events – BBQ, Blues, and Brews Festival, and the Roan Groan Bike Race, along with six pieces of new business that the council will be taking a look at.
 
Items of new business include:
A. Consideration and action on a resolution to approve the release of funds and certification for the Elizabethton Housing and Development Agency, Inc.
 
The purpose of this resolution is for the city to obtain funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and to do so the local housing authority must show they are in compliance with all rules and regulations in regard to the environment.
The Housing Authority is requesting funds from the Capital Program Fund for dumpster/enclosures, interior doors, gutters and downspouts, and an array of different improvements.
 
B. Consideration and action on a resolution to approve the fiscal year 2020/21 disbursement of allocated funds to non-profit charitable and civic organizations.
If approved, the resolution will authorize the disbursement to non-profit charitable organizations for the funds which were appropriated and budgeted for their use.
The total amount of disbursements total $113,500.
C. Consideration and action on a resolution to approve an agreement with Elizabethton City Schools for school resource officers for fiscal year 2020/21.
The Elizabethton City School system informed the City of Elizabethton that they intend to continue to fund the Jr. High and Elementary SRO positions with funds available through the Safe Schools Grant and State SRO Grant.
The City of Elizabethton will fund the EHS officer which has been done for the last 21 years and will provide the matching funds needed for the three officers needed to staff the elementary schools. This provides an officer at each of the City’s schools.
If approved the total financial impact to the city will be $102,108 annually which is the full cost of the High School officer and the three elementary officers’ costs at 25 percent match.
D. Consideration and action on a resolution to approve a pricing agreement with Transunion TLOxp for the Elizabethton Police Department.
The Elizabethton City Police Department has used TLOxp database since 2011 and provides a valuable service to the police department as an investigative tool.
Initially, the program was free but in 2014 the service came at a rate of $110 per month. In 2019, the service increased once again by $165 on an annual basis.
That price remained the same for the 2020 year coming in at $660 per year which was included in the 2020/21 budget with approval needed to keep the service provided by this resolution.
E. Consideration and action on the first reading of an ordinance to amend the Municipal Code, 2015, to prohibit camping on public property.
The history of this ordinance comes from reports of Elizabethton Police Department officers who are finding homeless individuals who are pitching tents and developing improvised campsites on public and private property.
On private property, the property owner can be contacted to determine if the individuals are trespassing and advise them to move from the property.
However, on public property, there is no owner to contact.
If the ordinance to the Municipal Code is approved to prohibit camping and or building shelters on public property, the officers will have authority under law to act to resolve and prevent these situations.
When officers currently encounter these individuals, they are referred to the numerous agencies and organizations from which they could receive housing or other assistance.
F. Consideration and action on a resolution to approve a bid and contract with Tri-City Locating for utility service location requests.
Water Resources uses a locating services contractor to handle about 2,500 utility service location request per year through the TN One Call System in compliance with the TN Underground Utility Damage Prevention Act.
The current contractor’s contract is expiring at the end of June 2020 and bids were issued to procure a new service contract from qualified bidders.
A recommendation to the City Council to approve Tri-City Locating at a flat-fee rate of $36,120 has been submitted for approval and will run for three years with a possibility to renew for three more years at the end of the initial contract.
Social distancing will be observed during the meeting which begins at 6 pm.

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