Hickman County TN

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

County Commissioners · Meeting · Mar 25, 2024

Mon, Mar 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.

Highlights:

The commission’s substantive actions were concentrated in a few items: it amended the agenda to move Resolution 24-5 forward, unanimously approved that resolution honoring the Hickman County High School boys basketball team, waived the adequate facilities tax for a replacement home on Middle Lick Creek Road after discussion of the parcel’s family ownership history and storm loss, approved two interdepartmental budget amendments totaling $9,878, approved an amended MOU with Shelter Friends for an animal shelter project after concerns about site flexibility and committee authority, and adopted Resolution 24-04 supporting a CDBG grant application for EMS cardiac monitors after a prior lease-style financing approach was rejected.

Other notable threads included the Pinewood EMS station bid timeline, county occupancy planning for the Harbison/Harble building and interim archives relocation, a pending $600,000 housing grant application, tourism sign work including Ag Pavilion and Banana Pudding Festival signage, uncertainty around a Solid Waste convenience center expansion bid, and Industrial Board discussion tied to a possible $177,000 per acre sale to Nation’s RV plus upcoming board vacancies.

Call to Order, agenda, and minutes 22:57

  • 22:57 Regular meeting called to order for March 25, 2024; roll call showed 12 present and 2 absent.
  • 24:56 Motion made to amend the agenda to move Resolution 24-5 to immediately after approval of minutes; amendment approved by voice vote.
  • 25:48 Agenda as amended approved by voice vote.
  • 26:14 Public comment period opened; zero speakers signed up.
  • 26:27 February meeting minutes approved without recorded opposition.

Special recognitions 26:52

Hickman County High School boys basketball resolution 27:00

  • 27:00 Resolution 24-5 honored the Hickman County High School boys basketball team for a standout 2023–24 season; sponsors emphasized the rarity of the achievement and the team’s sportsmanship and representation of the county.
  • 29:13 Resolution recited season accomplishments including a 22–10 record, TSSAA Class AA substate championship, state tournament berth in Murfreesboro, district and region titles, and recognition for player Elijah Puckett as district regular-season MVP and a regional honoree.
  • 31:28 Resolution declared the team’s season a historic county achievement and directed that the resolution be spread on the minutes as a lasting tribute.
  • 35:22 After photo remarks and presentation, the commission formally approved the resolution by voice vote.

Elections, Appointments, and Confirmations 35:56

Notaries 36:19

  • 36:25 Four notary applications were presented and approved together by voice vote: Maryland Baker Arnold, Tabitha M. Bailey, Jacqueline Lee, and Cheryl Don Scriptor.

Department / Official Reports 37:14

County Mayor 37:14

  • 37:22 Pinewood EMS station project update: the mandatory pre-bid meeting had been held and bid opening was set for April 2; the mayor said the project was about a week behind but otherwise on track.
  • 37:54 Update on the county-purchased Harbison/Harble building: target occupancy was around April 15 after interior work, cleaning, exterior work, and grounds improvements by maintenance staff.
  • 38:46 Sheriff’s detectives were expected to use the upstairs area; public use would wait until an elevator is installed, with the mayor saying the rest of the building was already compliant.
  • 39:09 Archives would need to move because the current building owner planned to rent that property out; the county expected to use a temporarily vacated building associated with South Central or UT.

Committee Reports 39:50

Planning Commission 39:50

  • 39:58 Planning Commission minutes were noted as included in the packet.
  • 40:06 Commissioners were reminded of a 6:30 meeting at the Justice Center with consultant Bridgestone/Brinston Smith as part of work on a land-use plan; the chair described the land-use plan as a major and important undertaking.
  • 41:08 A commissioner raised a site-specific request for 9148 Middle Lick Creek Road, where a home had reportedly been destroyed by a storm about 11 years earlier and not rebuilt.
  • 41:41 Motion made to waive the adequate facilities tax for Damian Stewart, after explanation that the property had remained in the family and had transferred from Jackie Stewart to his son on May 5 of the prior year; the argument was that the tax should be waived because this was effectively replacement use on family-held property, even though the ordinary rebuild window was said to be 3 years.
  • 42:35 Roll-call vote approved the waiver 12–0, with 2 absent.

Solid Waste 43:08

  • 43:14 Solid Waste committee minutes were in the packet.
  • 43:24 The expected final value-engineered bid for expansion of the convenience/recycling center had still not been received; staff reported no response to emails or voicemails from the bidding company or engineer Daryl James.
  • 43:46 If no response arrived by the end of the week, that bid path would be considered off the table, likely forcing the county to revisit the project and consider a revised approach using existing facilities.
  • 44:10 Commissioners were warned this uncertainty could affect another agenda item later in the meeting related to shelter siting and property use.

Health, Safety, and Properties Committee 44:19

  • 44:26 Committee minutes were in the packet.
  • 44:33 Animal shelter issues had been discussed there, but detailed discussion was deferred because Shelter Friends appeared later under new business.

Finance Committee 44:55

  • 45:03 Motion made to approve the February financial statement.
  • 45:13 Roll-call vote approved the financial statement 12–0, with 2 absent.

Budget Committee 45:43

  • 45:52 Budget Amendment 24-45 presented for $6,378, described as moving money between department accounts.
  • 46:11 Motion approved by roll-call vote 12–0, with 2 absent.
  • 47:06 A second item, Budget Amendment 24-46, was added after an initial omission.
  • 47:12 Budget Amendment 24-46 moved $3,500 for Solid Waste through an interdepartmental transfer.
  • 47:28 Motion approved by roll-call vote 12–0, with 2 absent.

Agriculture Extension / Public Records / Economic and Community Development / Zoning / Industrial Board 48:08

  • 48:08 Foundation/agriculture extension minutes were noted as in the packet.
  • 48:21 Public Records had no need to meet.
  • 48:30 Economic and Community Development did not meet in March but gave updates:
    • 48:45 The county applied for a $600,000 home grant through the Tennessee Housing Development Authority.
    • 48:53 The application went in at the end of February, with expected notice around June or July.
    • 49:02 40 homeowners had already expressed interest in using the grant.
    • 49:08 Tourism grant work would fund signs for the National Banana Pudding Festival, the Ag Pavilion, and replacement of 1996 girls basketball signs.
    • 49:33 Planned sign placement covered entry corridors on Highway 100, Highway 50, Highway 48, and 230, with 8 signs total.
  • 49:41 Board of Zoning Appeals did not meet for lack of a quorum.
  • 49:59 Industrial Board report:
    • 50:07 A prospect identified as “Lace Guard”/unclear in the transcript did not purchase property and backed out.
    • 50:16 A proposed sale to Nation’s RV remained under discussion, including disagreement over whether a prior vote was procedurally correct.
    • 50:25 Upcoming Industrial Board vacancies were announced: 1 at-large, District 2, District 4, and a later District 6 vacancy due to a move.
    • 51:46 A commissioner reminded the body that, under a 2010 resolution, the county legislative body makes Industrial Board appointments and terms are not perpetual.
    • 52:12 Discussion emphasized that the Highway 7 industrial property ultimately belongs to the county, though held for Industrial Board disposition.
    • 52:40 A contract from Nation’s RV was described as offering $177,000 an acre for the property.
    • 52:48 Motion made that the county legislative body encourage the Industrial Board to facilitate that sale.
    • 53:17 Roll-call vote approved the encouragement motion 12–0, with 2 absent.
  • 54:01 Committee and board reports approved by voice vote.
  • 54:20 Commissioners were asked to review the April meeting calendar and report changes to the mayor’s office.

New Business / Agenda Items 54:56

Amended MOU with Shelter Friends for animal shelter project 54:56

  • 55:02 The commission took up an amended MOU between Hickman County and Shelter Friends that had been included in the packet; discussion referenced concerns raised at an earlier meeting.
  • 55:10 A commissioner said the version before the body had been revised in response to prior concerns.
  • 55:52 With no objection, Ray Linder of Shelter Friends addressed the commission.
  • 56:14 Shelter Friends said they had limited opportunity for input on the memorandum but appreciated the county’s cooperative posture and wanted to move quickly on a much-needed county resource.
  • 56:38 Main concern: flexibility if the project site changed. Shelter Friends said they were open to any mutually acceptable property and wanted the MOU not to lock the project into one venue.
  • 57:01 Second concern: the role of the committee mentioned in the MOU. Shelter Friends wanted that body understood as advisory only, arguing that construction by committee could become difficult and that the group already had shelter, humane-society, foster, and architectural planning experience.
  • 58:25 A commissioner noted the earlier MOU had not passed Public Safety in that form and moved adoption of the amended MOU.
  • 58:53 Discussion connected the MOU to uncertainty at the East Convenience Center site; one commissioner suggested Jordan Sachs had identified a possible alternative location inside the Solid Waste gate if the convenience-center issue persisted.
  • 59:32 Further explanation for the site-language change: no one wanted the MOU to bind the county to the East site because Solid Waste plans there were uncertain, and extending road/sewer to that location without outside help could add roughly $100,000 to project cost.
  • 1:00:17 Roll-call vote approved the amended MOU 12–0, with 2 absent.

EMS cardiac monitor grant resolution 1:00:51

  • 1:00:58 Resolution 24-04 sought commission endorsement for a Tennessee CDBG application to purchase cardiac monitors for Hickman County EMS.
  • 1:01:23 Discussion explained that an earlier financing structure proposed by Allen Livengood had not been accepted after review; Finance Director Crystal Fitzgerald said the state considered it a capital lease and rejected the approach after multiple rounds and attorney review.
  • 1:02:10 Because the lease route failed, the county turned to the CDBG grant path.
  • 1:02:19 The goal stated was to get at least 4 monitors paid for through the grant.
  • 1:02:39 Roll-call vote approved Resolution 24-04 12–0, with 2 absent.

Announcements 1:03:01

  • 1:03:01 No substantive announcements were recorded.

Adjournment 1:03:13

  • 1:03:13 Meeting moved toward adjournment without additional business captured in the transcript.

Key figures and statistics

Figure Type Context / topic Timestamp
12 present Attendance Roll call attendance 23:27
2 absent Attendance Roll call attendance 23:27
24-5 Resolution number Basketball team honorary resolution 25:04
2023–24 Time period Basketball season recognized in Resolution 24-5 27:00
22–10 Record Hickman County High School boys basketball season record 29:22
Class AA Classification TSSAA substate/state tournament reference 29:22
11AA District designation District championship cited in resolution 29:41
6AA Region designation Region championship cited in resolution 29:51
4 Count Notaries approved 36:25
April 2 Date Pinewood EMS station bid opening 37:31
about a week behind Schedule variance Pinewood EMS station timeline 37:31
April 15 Target date Occupancy target for Harbison/Harble building 37:54
6:30 Time Land-use-plan meeting at Justice Center 40:30
9148 Address number Middle Lick Creek Road parcel for tax waiver 41:08
11 years Time period Time since storm destroyed prior house on parcel 41:08
May 5 Date Prior-year transfer date to Damian Stewart mentioned in waiver request 41:25
3 years Policy time period Typical rebuild window discussed for adequate facilities tax issue 41:49
12–0 Vote Adequate facilities tax waiver approved 42:35
24-45 Budget amendment number Interdepartmental transfer amendment 45:52
$6,378 Budget transfer Budget Amendment 24-45 45:52
24-46 Budget amendment number Solid Waste interdepartmental transfer 47:06
$3,500 Budget transfer Budget Amendment 24-46 47:12
$600,000 Grant amount THDA home grant application 48:45
end of February Date reference Home grant application timing 48:53
June or July Expected decision window Home grant response timeline 48:53
40 Applicant count Homeowners expressing interest in home grant 48:53
1996 Year Girls basketball signs to be replaced under tourism grant 49:17
8 Count Planned total new tourism/entry signs 49:33
1 at-large Vacancy count Industrial Board opening 50:25
District 2 Vacancy Industrial Board opening 50:33
District 4 Vacancy Industrial Board opening 50:41
District 6 Vacancy Future Industrial Board opening due to move 50:49
2010 Year Resolution/year establishing appointment structure discussed for Industrial Board 51:46
$177,000 an acre Proposed sale price Nation’s RV offer for industrial property 52:40
$100,000 Estimated added cost Extra site-development cost if shelter tied to East site without outside help 59:48
24-04 Resolution number EMS cardiac monitor grant resolution 1:00:58
4 Equipment count Cardiac monitors hoped to be funded by grant 1:02:19

External vendors, brands, and software

Name Type Context / topic Timestamp
Tennessee Housing Development Authority Company Home grant application for housing rehabilitation assistance 48:45
Ag Pavilion Brand Tourism sign project context 49:17
Nation’s RV Company Proposed industrial property purchaser at $177,000 an acre 50:07
Daryl James Individual Engineer/vendor contact tied to unreturned value-engineered Solid Waste expansion bid 43:39
South Central Company Temporary county building-use discussion related to archives relocation 39:17
UT Company Temporary county building-use discussion related to archives relocation 39:17

Personnel changes

| Name | Role / office | Change | Context / topic | Timestamp | |---|---|---|---| | Damian Stewart | Property owner | Tax status relief granted | Adequate facilities tax waived for replacement home on family property at 9148 Middle Lick Creek Road; approved 12–0 | 42:35 |

Laws and policies

| Citation / name | Level | Type | Context / topic | Timestamp | |---|---|---|---| | Resolution 24-5 | County | Resolution | Honorary resolution recognizing Hickman County High School boys basketball team | 25:04 | | adequate facilities tax | County | Policy | Waiver approved for replacement home on family-held Middle Lick Creek Road property | 41:41 | | Resolution 24-45 | County | Resolution | Budget amendment moving $6,378 between department accounts | 45:52 | | Resolution 24-46 | County | Resolution | Budget amendment moving $3,500 for Solid Waste | 47:06 | | 2010 resolution on Industrial Board appointments | County | Resolution | Discussed as basis for county commission authority to appoint Industrial Board members and enforce terms | 51:46 | | Resolution 24-04 | County | Resolution | Support for CDBG application for EMS cardiac monitors | 1:00:58 | | CDBG | Federal | Program | Grant route used after capital-lease approach for cardiac monitors was rejected | 1:00:58 |

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