City Council meets in May

All members of the Hohenwald City Council were in attendance for the May 5, 2020 meeting held at the EOC Emergency Operations Center on Oak Street.

Mayor Danny McKnight called the meeting to order and recognized guests.

Approval of the minutes from the last meeting, March 10, 2020, was unanimously accepted with motion by Councilman Scottie Bass, seconded by Councilman Cody Mitchell.

Reports from Chief of Police Kip Kelsey, Fire Department Chief Steve Vineyard, Building Codes Inspector Brad Rasbury and Economic & Community Development Coordinator Helen Ozier were accepted unanimously with a motion by Vice Mayor Don Barber, seconded by Councilman Kevin King.

In New Business, the Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to request a Local Government Support Grant in the amount of $65,366 “for a project in...Capital Maintenance,” and $46,000 for a project in the “category of Utility System Upgrades.” Motion to approve was made by Vice Mayor Barber, seconded by Councilman Mitchell.

Mayor McKnight told those in attendance he was entertaining input and thoughts on how to spend the funds.

The annual Budget and Tax Rate were unanimously approved on the first of three readings with a motion by Vice Mayor Barber, seconded by Councilman Bass.

Amendments approved included a General Fund balance credit of $35,000 which was transferred to the Fire Expenditures budget for “nothing in particular,” City Recorder Kyle Hamm stated when asked following the meeting. The funds are for estimated overages in the budget, he added.

Also transferred from the General Fund was $3,000 to the Swiss Cemetery Fund for mowing, and $15,000 for estimated overages from the Solid Waste Revenues payroll account to miscellaneous costs in the Sanitation Expenditures line of the budget, Hamm explained.

Year End Budget Amendments for the fiscal year 2019-20 were approved with a motion by Vice Mayor Barber, seconded by Councilman Mitchell and unanimous support.

Vice Mayor Barber made a motion to approve a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract for engineering to explore and recommend options to correct storm water drainage in the Edgefield subdivision, as reported last week. A second to the motion was received from Councilman Bass and the resolution was unanimously adopted.

Fire Department Report

Members of the Hohenwald Fire Department responded to three motor vehicle accidents, one dumpster fire, one structure fire, one alarm call and three medical calls during the month of April 2020.

Building Codes Report

During April, there were 24 building inspections, 17 permits written, 12 property maintenance violations and six citations issued.

EC&D Report

The EC&D Coordinator reported providing “intensive assistance on water meter change out,” time spent on planning summer concert series, social media, and a “Hometown Heros” video. Also she assisted with food distribution, listened in on phone conferences with Commissioner Rolfe twice, with John Hatfield of TNECD, and with Governor Lee and elected officials. She also held video meetings with Brenda Brock of Hickman County ECD and with Michelle Scarboro of TNECD, assisted with planning the Class of 2020 Senior Walk and worked on Project Woody, a “confidential prospect,” she explained Tuesday of this week.

Police Report

Chief Kelsey reported his department issued 36 total citations, responded to a total of 259 reports ranging from motor vehicle accents, noise complaints, shooting, shoplifting, stolen vehicle, suicide, theft of property, trespassing, vandalism, threats, traffic stops and reckless driving.