Clinton City Council receives update on Jaycee Park pool, other projects in city
Katherine Birkbeck, program director of Historic Down- town Clinton, addresses the Monday, Sept. 25, meeting of the Clinton City Council. She informed the council of some of the coming events her organization is sponsor- ing. Upon Birkbeck’s recommendation, the city voted to apply for a $100,000 grant to be used to construct a pavilion downtown. (photo:Pete Gwada )
Houck said bids for the splash pad at Jaycee Park would be opened on Oct. 19. He said that on Sept. 21, Aspen Contracting had been awarded a $50,000 contract to repair the roof on the public works building.
Houck also said Studio 4 Design was awarded $52,000 for a design service agreement on the old armory. In addition, the Police Department has been awarded a $20,953 grant to pay for 20 body cameras.
Houck told the council that the Rogers Group would be paving Main Street and Clinch Avenue next week.
The way Clinton citizens elect their council members could be changing under recently passed state legislation, according to Houck. Currently, city councilmen are elected at large.
Under the new law, only those people living in a ward can vote for the councilman representing that ward. Houck said the new law would also affect school board elections.
Houck said he was confused about how the new law would be administered. He said it was “about as clear as mud.”
He had contacted different attorneys and received conflicting information, he said. He recommended a joint workshop with the school board to consider the issue.
The city’s finance director, Chris Phillips, said that at two months into the budget year, revenues, expenditures and the fund balance were at the expected levels.
The council took two housekeeping actions that will improve the administration of city government.
It passed on second reading an ordinance to revise parts of the city’s municipal code. The ordinance makes administrative changes and updates the city code, and eliminates some sections that are outdated.
The council also passed on second reading an ordinance that would make the city’s zoning regulations a separate document. This will make zoning regulations more manageable and easier to change and update.
Mayor Scott Burton proclaimed the month of September to be Suicide Prevention Month in Clinton.
The proclamation stated that Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has made suicide prevention one of his top priorities, and that three lives a day are lost to suicide in Tennessee.
Kelly Johnson, director of schools, informed the council that the schools system is working to replace key access with fob access as part of the security system in the schools.
She also informed the council that Jason Glashauser, music teacher at North and South Clinton elementary schools, had won a “Music Teacher of Excellence” award.
Katherine Birkbeck, program director of Historic Downtown Clinton, announced that her organization has placed a total of 36 signs on the city’s walking tour.
Upon her recommendation, the council voted to apply for a $100,000 grant to be used toward a downtown pavilion. She said there would be more discussion to determine the location of the pavilion.
Birkbeck noted that without a pavilion, her organization currently has to pay $4,000 for a stage and tent for outdoor downtown events.
Because of the Christmas holidays, the December City Council meeting was moved to 1 p.m. Dec. 15.