Hickman County TN

Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34

County Commissioners · Meeting · Nov 25, 2024

Mon, Nov 25, 2024

The elected legislative body for Hickman County. Sets county policy, adopts the budget, and represents residents across the county’s districts.

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Outline

This outline was generated by an LLM from a transcript and may contain errors or inaccuracies. Prefer the original recording when available.

The commission approved a series of financial and budget actions without dissent, including reclassifying ARPA grant funds, adding $50,000 to Solid Waste for a medical insurance shortfall, moving $40,000 from the sheriff’s drug fund for vehicle purchases, and authorizing $150,000 in interest-bearing capital outlay notes for renovations at the East Convenience Center. Members also approved a resolution supporting Dixon Electric’s internet expansion as competition to Comcast and authorized soliciting bids for surplus county land, with edits to the solicitation language and a deadline extended to February 28, 2025.

Other notable threads included an update on the animal shelter site and sewer constraints, a Pinewood EMS station project issue involving a required sprinkler system, notice that proposals will be sought before the current A.P. Pavilion memorandum of understanding expires in March, planning meetings tied to the land-use plan, notary approvals, a bridge naming in memory of Jimmy Cisco, and the mayor’s announcement of a pending appointment to the Bon Aqua Utility District board and a job offer for the economic/community development director role.

Call to Order, Agenda, and Minutes 0:20

  • Quorum established with 11 present and 3 absent. 0:45
  • Agenda approved without objection. 2:28
  • October meeting minutes approved without objection. 2:53

Elections, Appointments, and Confirmations 3:22

Notaries 3:22

  • 3:31 Eight notary applicants were presented: Sheila Batini, Terry Hubber, Scott Husbands, Kenda Lynch, Freida Marr, Stephanie Renee Matthews, Shane Michael Norell, and Diane Jurgen.
  • 3:56 Motion to approve the notaries; roll-call vote passed 11–0, with 3 absent. 4:12

Department / Official Reports

County Mayor Jim Bates 4:45

  • 5:01 Animal shelter update: the sewer line at the proposed Solid Waste site was located, but it is too small to tie into, so the project would need to connect back to Skyview instead; the mayor said that is still feasible. Surveyors were on site the previous Thursday preparing for the proposed building. 5:25
  • 5:39 The mayor asked for commission approval to pursue sale solicitation for county surplus land described on a handout, identified as 23.47 acres intended for residential housing. 5:58
  • 6:49 A motion was made to allow the mayor to proceed with the solicitation; during discussion, members said the draft should remove language implying the county would provide underground utilities because that conflicted with later language and was not something the county would guarantee. 7:05
  • 7:50 Members also revised the proposal deadline several times, concluding that the original timeline was too short because of holidays and due-diligence needs for buyers. The final deadline was changed to Friday, February 28, 2025. 10:48
  • 10:14 Additional caution was raised that the property is currently zoned R-2 and cannot be developed under that zoning without sewer service; buyers would need either a zoning change or some other workable sewer solution.
  • 10:56 Members clarified that this action only authorized soliciting bids on already-declared surplus property and did not accept any bid yet.
  • 11:11 Motion carried by voice vote; the mayor received approval to proceed with the revised solicitation.
  • 11:34 Pinewood EMS station update: the mayor said he had hired project manager Eric Bell and that the project is moving forward, but the fire marshal is requiring a sprinkler system, which is currently being worked through. 11:50

Committee Reports 12:24

Planning Commission 12:24

  • 12:33 The chair said several community engagement meetings had been held successfully and their results will be discussed by the Planning Commission in December.
  • 13:04 Members noted a special called planning and zoning meeting tied to the land-use plan, with engineers expected to present gathered public-input information; this would affect the normal monthly calendar. 13:13

Solid Waste Committee 13:32

  • Minutes were in the packet.
  • A later resolution concerning Solid Waste financing would come before the full commission. 13:40

Health, Safety, and Property Committee 13:48

  • 14:10 A memorandum of understanding for the A.P. Pavilion expires at the end of March 2025.
  • 14:26 Members were warned not to let the expiration sneak up; the county will need either to renew the MOU or consider other proposals.
  • 15:16 The committee chair suggested any interested proposals should be submitted by the March Health, Safety, and Property Committee meeting, the first Monday in March, so action can be taken in time for the March legislative body meeting. 15:25
  • 15:40 Members discussed how notice was handled previously; they recalled placing a newspaper legal notice and agreed that public notice should be run again to seek proposals. 15:48
  • 16:11 A prior extension had been granted when a new mayor and four new commissioners came in; members said the current two-year period is now ending, making renewal/re-bidding timely. 16:19

Finance Committee 16:46

  • 17:03 Motion to approve the October 2024 financial summary.
  • 17:19 Roll-call vote passed 11–0, with 3 absent. 17:25

Budget Committee 17:41

  • 17:58 Budget Amendments 2526 and 2527 were presented together as ARPA grant reclassifications totaling $575,000 and $579,000.

  • 18:29 Motion to approve both; roll-call vote passed 11–0, with 3 absent. 18:38

  • 19:07 Budget Amendment 2528 for the Highway Department moved $1,929 into longevity pay.

  • 19:15 Motion to approve; passed by roll call 11–0, with 3 absent. 19:23

  • 19:50 Budget Amendment 2529 appropriated $4,493 to fund the economic development position.

  • 20:05 Motion to approve; passed by roll call 11–0, with 3 absent. 20:20

  • 20:50 Budget Amendments 2530 and 2531 were presented together for the Board of Education:

    • 2530: $167,800.56 for miscellaneous grants, donations, and insurance recovery; the presenter noted the debit column in the packet incorrectly showed 18 cents and should read 56 cents. 21:00
    • 2531: $4,225 to reclassify grants. 21:23

  • 21:38 Motion to approve both; passed by roll call 11–0, with 3 absent. 21:54

  • 22:19 Budget Amendment 2532 added $50,000 for Solid Waste to cover a medical insurance shortfall.

  • 22:28 Motion to approve; passed by roll call 11–0, with 3 absent. 22:36

  • 23:08 Budget Amendment 2533 appropriated $40,000 from the sheriff’s drug fund to purchase vehicles for the sheriff’s department.

  • 23:23 Motion to approve; passed by roll call 11–0, with 3 absent. 23:42

Public Records Committee 24:17

  • The committee had met the previous month; minutes were included in the current packet. 24:26

Board of Zoning Appeals 24:26

  • No meeting was held, and none was expected in December. 24:33

Opioid Settlement Committee 24:39

  • 24:48 The committee has suspended meetings until the next round of funding arrives.
  • 24:57 Members expect the next funding to hit the county account around March 8 or late Q1/Q2, at which point meetings would resume.

Board and Committee Minutes 25:15

  • 25:23 Motion to place committee minutes into the main record; approved by voice vote. 25:29

Announcements and Meeting Schedule 25:37

  • 25:37 December schedule changes:
    • No Solid Waste Committee meeting on December 2.
    • Health and Safety would still meet.
    • Finance and Budget would not meet on December 9.
    • Board of Zoning Appeals would not meet on December 9.
  • 25:47 The Solid Waste cancellation was tied to discussion that Jordan Sachs could proceed on an EPA grant matter without needing a committee meeting.
  • 26:19 A special called Planning and Zoning meeting on the land-use plan was set for 6:00; members stressed it was important because it would be the report-back from public engagement and online input. 26:28

New Business / Agenda Items 27:03

Resolution 2426 — Solid Waste capital outlay notes 27:03

  • 27:12 Resolution 2426 authorized issuance of interest-bearing Solid Waste Department capital outlay notes.
  • 27:34 Sponsors explained that after approval of the renovation contract for the East Convenience Center, an additional loan amount of $150,000 was needed to complete the project.
  • 27:51 Roll-call vote passed 11–0, with 3 absent. 28:01

Resolution 2427 — Support for Dixon Electric internet expansion 28:24

  • 28:24 Resolution 2427 expressed support for Dixon Electric System investing in essential internet infrastructure.
  • 28:40 Supporters said the expansion would increase competition with Comcast and could help check rate increases while improving service options alongside what Meriwether Lewis already offers in parts of the county. 28:58
  • 29:15 Roll-call vote passed 11–0, with 3 absent. 29:22

Resolution 2428 — Jimmy Cisco Bridge naming 29:44

  • 29:44 Resolution 2428 named a county bridge in memory of Jimmy Cisco.
  • 30:02 Sponsors said the bridge at Mordecai Hollow and Cane Creek would be named for Cisco, who worked for a bridge construction company, poured concrete, helped build many county bridges, and lived within about two-tenths of a mile of this bridge. 30:27
  • 30:27 The Highway Commission had recommended the naming unanimously.
  • 30:43 Family members were recognized in attendance.
  • 30:52 Roll-call vote passed 11–0, with 3 absent. 31:01

Announcements 31:22

County Mayor announcements 31:30

  • 31:30 The mayor announced an upcoming appointment to the Bon Aqua Utility District board; one term is expiring.
  • 31:48 He said he would appoint Lori King, described as a civil engineer with water and sewer knowledge, to that board.
  • 32:03 The mayor said interviews had been conducted on Thursday for the economic/community development director position.
  • 32:10 He announced that a job offer had been extended to Carla Moore, who would respond within the next few days. 32:17

Commissioner discussion 32:25

  • 32:25 A commissioner asked about pricing for computers for commissioners.
  • 32:34 The mayor said staff were still working on numbers for 14 computers and that he expected to provide those figures later by email. 32:50

Adjournment 33:17

  • Members noted there was no full county commission meeting scheduled in December.
  • 33:35 Motion to adjourn approved by voice vote. 33:42

Key figures and statistics

Figure Type Context / topic Timestamp
11 present Attendance Commissioners present at roll call 0:45
3 absent Attendance Commissioners absent at roll call 0:45
8 Count Notary applicants considered 3:31
11–0 Vote Approval of notaries 4:12
23.47 acres Acreage Surplus land proposed for residential-housing bid solicitation 5:58
Friday, February 28, 2025 Deadline Final proposal deadline for surplus land solicitation after revisions 10:48
R-2 Zoning Current zoning of surplus property discussed with sewer limitation 10:14
end of March 2025 Expiration date A.P. Pavilion memorandum of understanding expires 14:10
two-year Term length Length of the current A.P. Pavilion arrangement being renewed/rebid 16:19
October 2024 Reporting period Financial summary approved by commission 17:03
$575,000 Budget amendment BA 2526, ARPA reclassification 18:04
$579,000 Budget amendment BA 2527, ARPA reclassification 18:21
11–0 Vote Approval of BAs 2526 and 2527 18:38
$1,929 Budget amendment BA 2528, Highway longevity pay reclassification 19:07
11–0 Vote Approval of BA 2528 19:32
$4,493 Budget amendment BA 2529, funding the economic development position 19:57
11–0 Vote Approval of BA 2529 20:20
$167,800.56 Budget amendment BA 2530, Board of Education grants/donations/insurance recovery 20:50
$0.18 Correction Incorrect cents amount shown in packet for BA 2530 debit column 21:00
$0.56 Correction Correct cents amount for BA 2530 debit column 21:00
10/22 Approval date Board of Education sign-off date referenced for school amendment 21:16
$4,225 Budget amendment BA 2531, grant reclassification for Board of Education 21:23
11–0 Vote Approval of BAs 2530 and 2531 21:54
$50,000 Budget amendment BA 2532, Solid Waste medical insurance shortfall 22:19
11–0 Vote Approval of BA 2532 22:44
$40,000 Budget amendment BA 2533, sheriff’s drug fund for vehicle purchases 23:15
11–0 Vote Approval of BA 2533 23:42
March 8 Expected date Anticipated opioid settlement funding arrival 24:57
Q1/Q2 Time period Expected window for opioid funds and resumed meetings 24:57
December 2 Meeting date Solid Waste Committee cancellation 25:37
December 9 Meeting date Finance/Budget and BZA cancellations 26:09
6:00 Meeting time Special called Planning and Zoning meeting 26:28
$150,000 Loan amount Additional Solid Waste borrowing for East Convenience Center renovation 27:34
11–0 Vote Approval of Resolution 2426 28:01
11–0 Vote Approval of Resolution 2427 29:22
two-tenths of a mile Distance Approximate distance from Jimmy Cisco’s home to the bridge being named 30:27
11–0 Vote Approval of Resolution 2428 31:01
14 Count Computers being priced for commissioners 32:34

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