Norris City Council Minutes Monday September 14, 2009 BE IT REMEMBERED THAT THE CITY OF NORRIS CITY COUNCIL MET IN REGULAR SESSION ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2009 WITH THE FOLLOWING COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: CHRIS MITCHELL, TOMMY MARINER, JACK BLACK, LOY JOHNSON, AND JOY WILSON. MINUTES 1. Council Member Jack Black moved to approve the August 10, 2009 Council Minutes and August 10 Public Hearing minutes as written. Seconded by Council Member Joy Wilson. Motion carried by voice vote. OLD BUSINESS Mr. Hester provided an update on the Public Safety Building addition. The timber frame truss has been installed and looks great! Weather permitting; the truss will be stained and top coated within the next week. At that point, the remaining soffits, gutters, and lighting will be installed to complete the project. The project is on budget. Mayor Mitchell discussed that there are currently no appointments to be made on City boards or commissions (although there are some openings remaining). Mayor Mitchell acknowledged that the Community Development Board needed to define when member’s terms would end and at that point Council would need to consider whether or not to expand the current membership. Mr. Hester provided an update that the MTAS review of Norris Fire protection is scheduled to begin in November. CITY MANAGER REPORT Charter Update. A planned update of the Norris City Charter has begun with the help of MTAS. This is a normal process for Tennessee Municipalities to align their charters with current State Law and also include any appropriate changes made over the years by Ordinance. After initial review by MTAS and myself, an updated/proposed charter will be presented to Council for review. We should plan for a workshop meeting regarding this at the end of October. Margaret Norris of MTAS has confirmed that she is available to join us for the initial review on October 27th @ 7:00pm. A Council Workshop should be scheduled accordingly. After review, it was decided that November 5 was a better date. 2. Council Member Joy Wilson moved to schedule a Council Workshop meeting for November 5, 2009 @ 7:00pm. Seconded by Council Member Tommy Mariner. Motion carried by voice vote. 2008-2009 Budget review. Final review of the 2008-2009 is complete and final adjustments have been made. Actual total revenue was $1,203,045 against total expenditures of $1,200,481. Undesignated General Fund Balance as of July 1, 2009 was $186,000. Of this, $66,843 is designated for the TEA-21 Sidewalk Grant match, $2,778 for accounting software, and $2,335 for Lion’s Club Pavilion security cameras. Thus the available July 1 balance was $114,043. (Council also approved $3,500 for an Energy Audit this fiscal year, for a current available balance of $110,543.)The 128 Solid Waste general fund balance as of July 1, 2009 was $24,992. This is $16,000 above what is needed for Solid Waste operating funds. It is recommended that Council vote to transfer $16,000 from the 128 Solid Waste fund balance to the 110 undesignated fund balance. It was noted that the fund excess had accumulated over the last 3+ years. No change in rates was recommended since the possibility exists that the difference might be needed to cover a fuel surcharge if diesel prices continue to rise. 3. Council Member Jack Black moved to transfer $16,000 from the 128 Solid Waste General Fund to the 110 Undesignated General Fund. Seconded by Council Member Joy Wilson. Motion carried by voice vote. 2009-2010 Year to Date (through August) Budget. Through August, revenues and expenditures are tracking to budget. Property tax collections for the year are at $505k ($34k short of budget, but on pace with last year’s collections). At this point, no issues are foreseen with property tax, local option sales tax, or state sales tax revenue. TML Safety Grant awarded. Norris has received the matching TML grant for $1000.00. The grant match money will be shared between Public Works and Norris Water Commission. 2009-2010 insurance renewals are complete. Employee medical insurance has been renewed through United Healthcare. The City now offers Dental and Vision coverage as Optional Insurance choices through United Healthcare and Employees have taken on the responsibility for their own Dental and/or Vision coverage. This action will keep City insurance costs in line with the budget. Vacation Dates. City Manager Hester plan to be away on vacation October 12 through October 17. This corresponds to Anderson County Schools fall break. Council Member Wilson will also be away on vacation during this time with her family and both will miss the October 12 Council meeting. Energy audit to support application for an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant. Per the East Tennessee Development District, no decisions have been made regarding the application period for this grant. Hopco has been contracted and we plan to proceed with the energy audit late September or early October. NEW BUSINESS Discuss scheduling of a Council Workshop meeting for area Utilities on Tuesday, October 6. Clinton Utilities Board, Powell – Clinch Utilities, and the Norris Water Commission have confirmed their availability to attend a council Workshop meeting to discuss services offered and answer questions about same. 4. Council Member Joy Wilson moved to schedule a Council Workshop for Tuesday, October 6 @ 7:00pm. Seconded by Council Member Jack Black. Motion carried by voice vote. Resolution No. 7-2009 in support of Keep Anderson County Beautiful. Resolution read. Council Member Mariner asked if there would be any cost to the City as a result of the Resolution. City Manager Hester replied that there would not be. 5. Council Member Tommy Mariner moved to adopt Resolution No. 7-2009. Seconded by Council Member Loy Johnson. Motion carried by voice vote. Ordinance 509 to amend the Norris Zoning Ordinance, changes to verbiage in the S-1 zoning district. Mr. Hester noted three changes that had been discussed at the last Planning Commission meeting: remove planned unit development language from the S-1 ordinance, to change the front setback from 50 feet to 30 feet (since a requirement for a landscaped buffer had been added) and to change “may” to “shall” in the statement about buffer zones so that the statement reads: “S-1 zoned property shall be subject to the provisions for buffer zones....” 6. Council Member Jack Black moved to pass Ordinance 509 on First Reading. Seconded by Council Member Joy Wilson. Motion carried by voice vote. Ordinance 510 to amend the Norris Zoning Ordinance, changes to Signage requirements in S-1 zoning district. Planning Commission recommended the changes to the signage regulations in support of the S-1 Zoning District. Mr. Hester reported having measured signs at the Lenoir Museum and the square footage limitations were based on existing signage on Hwy 441. An encouraging statement is also included that all signs in the S-1 district are to be consistent with the historic character of the community. 7. Council Member Joy Wilson moved to pass Ordinance 510 on First Reading. Seconded by Council Member Tommy Mariner. Motion carried by voice vote. Ordinance 511 to rezone parcels on Highway 441 from FAR to S-1. Planning Commission has recommended that the S-1, Scenic Highway Zoning District, be applied to include the Threshing Barn, Grist Mill, and Lenoir Museum along Hwy 441, and that the S-1 zone be extended to West Norris Road along Hwy 441, taking in land on both sides of 441, and on River Road to the Norris City limits (see attached map). Except for the land occupied by Island Home Baptist Church and the adjoining cemetery, all the property affected is part of a single tract owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority. All the land is presently zoned Forest, Agriculture and Recreation (FAR), a category that permits more residential and commercial uses than the new S-1 category. 8. Council Member Jack Black moved to pass Ordinance 511 on First Reading. Seconded by Council Member Tommy Mariner. Motion carried by voice vote. Discussion held on scheduling a Public Hearing for Ordinance 509, 510, 511. Dates suggested were October 6 or 12. 9. Council Member Joy Wilson moved to schedule a Public Hearing on Ordinance 509, 510, 511 for October 6 @ 6:00pm. Seconded by Council Member Tommy Mariner. Motion carried by voice vote. BILLS PAYABLE There were only normal expenditures for the month. Mr. Hester did note the payment to SunTrust as the beginning of the purchasing card process, and that the number of payables would reduce as a result. MINUTES AND REPORTS Mayor Mitchell noted the comment in the NWC minutes that the F-150 truck was due to be replaced this fiscal year and asked if there was a policy on vehicle replacement. Mr. Hester replied that typically vehicles are replaced every 10 years, but are kept in service longer if running well. 10. Council Member Joy Wilson moved to adjourn @ 8:00pm. Seconded by Council Member Loy Johnson. Motion carried by voice vote.