MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF

THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF EAGLEVILLE, TENNESSEE

December 4, 2008  7:00 PM

            The Mayor and City Council members met in regular session in the Eagleville City Hall, City of Eagleville, Rutherford County, Tennessee, December 4, 2008, at 7:00 pm with Mayor Nolan S. Barham, Sr. presiding.

COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT

            Mayor Nolan S. Barham, Sr.              Vice-Mayor Ronnie Hill

            Councilman Harold Vincion               Councilman David Rigsby

            Councilman Alan Ball                          Councilman Sam Tune

            Councilman Wes Fitzgerald

STAFF

            Colleen Adams, City Recorder                        

GUESTS

            David Turner                                        M.A. Smitty

            John E. Turner                                      Glenda Dyer

            Phil Williams                                         Debbie Ryan

            Donna Jenson                                      Bridget Fitzgerald

            Keith Crowson                                    Gloria Hill

CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Nolan S. Barham, Sr.

ROLL CALL

Roll was called by City Recorder, Colleen Adams.  All Council-members were present.

INVOCATION

Led by Councilman Harold Vincion.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Led by Councilman Alan Ball.                        .

MAYORS WELCOME

Mayor Barham welcomed everyone in attendance to the meeting. 

ADOPTION OF AGENDA  

Mayor Nolan Barham stated a motion was in order to approve the Agenda.  Councilman Sam Tune asked the City Council members to respect the citizens that speak during citizens input, and listen to them, and that he is donating a Timer to the City, for Citizens Input, and now will not need to keep up with the time.  The timer was given to City Recorder Colleen Adams to begin keeping time, and asked Mayor Barham exactly what he was asked to approve on the agenda, and questioned the work “recommend” from the agenda. A motion was made by Councilman Harold Vincion to adopt the agenda, striking the word “recommendation” from Vice Mayor selection item and was seconded by Alan Ball.  After a vote taken by City Recorder Colleen Adams, the motion passed 6-0.

CITIZEN INPUT

 Keith Crowson stated he was new to Eagleville and this is his first City Council meeting, and would soon be opening a Dry Cleaning store and wants to be more involved.  Mr. Crowson also asked what was going on with a Septic System.  Mayor Barham replied to Mr. Crowson by stating he would respond to that later in the meeting. 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

            Mayor Barham welcomed all the new City Council members in their first City Council meeting. The minutes for the November 20, 2008 City Council meeting was presented.  A motion was made by Councilman David Rigsby and seconded by Councilman Alan Ball for approval.  The motion passed unanimously after a vote taken by City Recorder Colleen Adams.

PARK UPDATE

            Vice Mayor Ronnie Hill stated he had talked the lady representing the state who was helping to make sure everything is correct with the grant and she told him the application was now “upstairs and was being processed” after resending it to them since they stated they did not have it, and would let him know when payment will be issued.  Councilman Alan Ball asked how much money could be expected, and where the money would go.  Vice-Mayor Ronnie Hill stated $35,000.00 would go back to General Funds, with the balance of the approximate $45,000.00 staying in the Park account.  Councilman Harold Vincion asked if any money would go back to Street Aid, and was told by Vice Mayor Ronnie Hill that the paving was paid for from Street Aid, and that the Walking Trail was funded from General Funds, and that if the City Council voted to pay any funds used from Street Aid back to that account he would do so.  Mayor Barham stated that the grant money would end with this final payment and that the interest on the Park Bond stayed at 4.9%, and, the sewer loan previously taken out for the sewer bond had been paid off before beginning payment on the Park Bond.                

OLD BUSINESS

            Mayor Barham stated that Attorney Adam Dodd would not be present and Mr. Dodd  wanted the Council to know that there was no official word on the Michelle Bennett case, and he was still working on the items discussed at the last City Council meeting and would hopefully have answers at the next scheduled meeting.

            Councilman Alan Ball asked about the status of the Employee Loss claim filed by the City.  City Recorder Colleen Adams stated she had spoken to the claim adjuster from Travelers Insurance and they had requested more information which she provided to them, and now the claim is complete and being processed.  Councilman Sam Tune asked Ms. Adams to let him and the other City Council members know when the Insurance money was received from the claim. 

            Councilman Sam Tune spoke and stated the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce told him the “After Hours” event held at his home was the most successful one they had all year and Eagleville was again asked to host the event in August 2009.  Mr. Tune also thanked the EagleRoost Smokehouse & Grill for doing such a good job with the food and stated he had received several “Thank You” letters from people who attended.

Councilman David Rigsby made a motion to give $250.00 to the Eagleville Commerce & Merchants Association for expenses bought for the October Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce “After Hours” held at Sam Tunes home.  The motion was seconded by Councilman Ronnie Hill and after a vote taken by City Recorder Colleen Adams the motion passed 6-0.     

NEW BUSINESS

            Councilman Wes Fitzgerald made a motion to develop a committee to assess the employees of the City and procedures.  Mayor Barham stated that City Attorney, Adam Dodd would need to review any motion before a vote should be taken.  Councilman Alan Ball suggested residents to be on the committee, and Councilman Sam Tune stated that Council members and not residents should be on the committee.  After discussion it was determined that the committee members could not make decisions, but could make recommendations to the Council.  Councilman Harold Vincion suggested to Councilmen Ball and Fitzgerald to give current City Recorder Colleen a chance.  Mayor Barham stated again the City Attorney would need to be involved.  Councilman Wes Fitzgerald stated there was confusion over employees, and made a motion to for a Personnel Committee for Oversight of Policy and Procedures for City Employees for current and in the future, and that the policies recommended would need to funnel through the committee and not the City Council.  Mayor Nolan Barham stated to Councilman Wes Fitzgerald that he wished this issue was brought up prior to approving the agenda.  After discussion and explanation to Councilman Fitzgerald on the procedure of the agenda, a motion was made to suspend the rules to allow this new item on the agenda, and after a vote taken by City Recorder Colleen Adams the motion passed 6-0.  Councilman Fitzgerald reopened the motion made regarding the Oversight Committee, and Councilman Alan Ball seconded the motion. After a vote taken by City Recorder Colleen Adams, the motion passed 6-0.

            Councilman Wes Fitzgerald made a motion to appoint Councilman Alan Ball and Councilman Sam Tune as the Oversight Committee members, agreeing to stay until the resigned, left office, or the City Council removed the member or dissolved the committee, and was seconded by Vice Mayor Ronnie Hill.  After a vote taken by City Recorder Colleen Adams, the motion passed 6-0. 

VICE MAYOR SELECTION

Councilman Alan Ball made a motion to re-elect Vice Mayor Ronnie Hill as Vice Mayor and was seconded by Councilman David Rigsby.  After a vote taken by City Recorder Colleen Adams, the motion passed 5-0, with Vice Mayor Ronnie Hill abstaining.   Mayor Barham stated that he appreciated all the hard work Vice Mayor Hill had done, and that it was a thankless job.

RESOLUTION 08-06

            Mayor Nolan Barham stated a motion was in order for an ordinance to enable the City to get on the list for codification of City Ordinances.  Councilman Sam Tune asked what the time frame was, and City Recorder Colleen Adams stated MTAS representative Gary Jaeckel had told her the waiting list was approximately six months.   Councilman Sam Tune questioned the location of the Ordinances, and was told by Mayor Barham the TBI has possession of the current Ordinance book. After discussion, a motion was made by Councilman Harold Vincion, and seconded by Councilman Wes Fitzgerald, to begin the Codification process for the City of Eagleville Ordinances to MTAS.  After a vote taken by City Recorder Colleen Adams, the motion passed 6-0.   

POLICE REPORT

            Vice Mayor Ronnie Hill stated, with the Mayor and Council’s blessings, he would like to take over the discussions with Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department regarding a sub station locating in Eagleville.  Mayor Barham agreed.       

CLOSING REMAARKS

            Mayor Barham thanked all for attending, and stated that Mr. Doyle Wood was in contact with the State of Tennessee regarding the septic issues he is facing.  Councilman Alan Ball asked City Recorder about the Verizon Cell phone bill, which she stated she had recently renegotiated and had reduced the monthly bill by $80.00.  Mayor Barham invited all Council members and City employees to the EagleRoost Grill for a Christmas gathering. Councilman Sam Tune reminded everyone about the Christmas Parade this weekend.  Resident Debbie Ryan also reminded everyone about the Christmas Parade of Homes this Sunday.  Councilman Wes Fitzgerald asked about the Investigation and the City’s role in decision making.  Mayor Barham stated that the District Attorney is handling the case, and Vice Mayor Ronnie Hill stated in spite of rumors, no agreement had been reached by the DA and Ms. Bennett’s attorneys, and that City Attorney Adam Dodd is working with the DA to make certain that repayment of funds not recovered by the Bonds would become a part of the settlement.  

            A motion was made by Councilman Harold Vincion to adjourn and seconded by Councilman David Rigsby.  With a unanimous “Aye” vote, the meeting ended at 8:18 pm.  

__________________________            __________________________

    Mayor Nolan S. Barham, Sr.                Colleen Adams, City Recorder