It was an evening of motions and amendments as the BOC (Board of Commissioners) weaved their way through three hours of business meeting and 10 agenda items.
Meeting at City Hall tonight (5.14.20) with no audience because of COVID-19, commissioners tangled with each other about volunteer boards, the new budget and parks.
Link to agenda: https://tn-lakeland.civicplus.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/928
Link to Livestream: https://livestream.com/lakeland/events/9132000
Design Review Commission appeals
First up to be approved was an ordinance and final reading on appeals from the Design Review Commission to the BOC. The changed language now reads any action on appeal shall require a minimum of three affirmative votes of the BOC instead of the previous supermajority four votes. Commissioner Richard Gonzales Jr. said this ordinance was a slap in the face to the MPC (Municipal Planning Commission/Design Review Commission). He said it cuts the great job of the MPC. The ordinance passed 3-2 with Mayor Mike Cunningham and Commissioner Gonzales voting no.
Ordinance to current budget
Next up was another final reading on an ordinance amending the Fiscal Year 2019-20 budget. This passed easily on a 5-0 vote.
Ordinance for new budget
The third ordinance was a first reading to adopt the annual budget and tax rate for Fiscal Year beginning July 1. Dr. Ted Horrell, Lakeland School System superintendent, gave a general overview of the school budget which is part of the city budget.
Vice Mayor Josh Roman and Commissioner Gonzales offered changes they would like to make to the budget. Michael Walker, human resources and finances, asked that all changes be presented tonight so they could be incorporated in the next budget presentation and second reading.
Commissioner Gonzales questioned budget expenses for Parks and Recreation, particularly playground equipment for Oak Ridge Park and paving and a driveway for the Dog Park. Mayor Cunningham made a motion to transfer $250,000 from the Dog Park to street paving. The motion was seconded and then defeated on a 2-3 vote with Vice Mayor Roman and Commissioners Michele Dial and Wesley Wright voting no.
The next motion for the new budget was made by the Mayor to remove goals from the budget document. That motion was seconded and then approved 5-0.
Vice Mayor Roman then made a motion to reallocate $100,000 for additional softball and baseball expenses and hire a third Parks and Rec employee. The motion also included using $1.3 million in fund balance for U.S. Highway 70 athletic field. The motion was seconded and passed in a 3-0-2 vote. The Mayor and Commissioner Gonzales abstained.
The amended ordinance, first reading, on the new budget passed on a 4-0-1 vote with the Mayor abstaining.
New to the BOA/SWBOA
Byron Ledbetter was appointed to serve on the Board of Appeals/Stormwater Board of Appeals.
He is a six-year resident of Lakeland and works with Regularity and Quality Solutions as a principal regulatory affairs specialist. He has a B.S. Cum Laude from the University of Memphis, Herff College of Engineering.
Final site plan for the Lakeland Athletic Complex
A resolution to approve a final site plan for the Lakeland Athletic Complex was approved in a 3-2 vote with the Mayor and Commissioner Gonzales voting no. A motion was made and seconded to send the plan back to the MPC which did not approve the plan at their April meeting. The motion failed in a 2-3 vote with Vice Mayor Roman and Commissioners Dial and Wright voting no.
Vice Mayor Roman asked City Manager Shane Horn what formal reason was given to City staff for the MPC not approving the site plan. Mr. Horn said the property owner across the street had concerns. Emily Harrell, city engineer, asked for a reason but didn’t get a good response, said Mr. Horn.
The Mayor, who appointed himself to sit on that Commission, launched into a lengthy reason why he voted against the plan. He said the April MPC meeting was by telephone and during the pandemic and members had little time to digest the plan documents.
In addition, he said he wanted the citizens to know the first proposal for that property at 9661 Memphis Arlington RD was a fabulous park. Then environmental studies determined that was a no-go so a second proposal was made. It was not the greatest, he said, but acceptable.
The plan provided for the April MPC teleconference was not good enough for our kids, he said. To Lakeland citizens he said this is goat field with a parking lot. He said it should be sent back to the engineer. He suggested that other property in the City be considered and money should not be piddled away on a little piece of property which is questionable.
Commissioner Dial said the original six fields would not work because of wetlands. But the proposed fields will be a safe and secure area to have practice and coordinate with fields coming at Lakeland Preparatory School. “This is going to work. It is something the kids will appreciate. The fields will be wonderful, just not as many. When the school fields come on line, we will be good.”
She said the property was first considered during the Scott Carmichael administration, when the land was purchased. “We can’t afford to lose that grant funding we have (for phase 1 of the Complex). It will not be junky. It will have lighting and parking. This will give a solution to a problem we have now.”
Resolution for analysis, plan, budget and concept for the Complex
The engagement of Ritchie Smith Associates for programming and site analysis, preliminary concept plan and budget and final concept plan and budget for the Complex was approved in a 3-0-2 vote (Mayor Cunningham and Commissioner Gonzales abstained).
Letter of intent for land
A 3-0-2 abstention vote approved a letter of intent to purchase 22 acres from Jones Gilliland Group, LLC along U.S. Highway 70 for athletic fields.
Other resolutions
Approved 5-0 were resolutions for Oakwood Grove Phase 5, Oliver Creek Sanitary Sewer interceptor and a playground for Zadie E. Kuehl Memorial Park.
And the rest of the meeting
Commissioner Wright made a motion to authorize $7,000 for the City Manager to work with St. Paul’s United Methodist Church for a second food pantry program in Lakeland. It was approved on a 5-0 vote.
Mr. Horn said the Declaration of Emergency for Lakeland will be extended another seven days tomorrow. On May 18th, city staffing will return to normal staffing levels. Evan Johnson has been hired as a Parks and Recreation Department supervisor. There is movement on constructing a new gateway sign on U.S. Highway 64. Bulk waste pickups in Lakeland have increased during the pandemic from 111 pickups in January to 332 in April and likely a record number for May. The website redesign for the City rolls out Friday morning.
The Mayor said in his Thursday morning call with mayors, there was discussion but no decision on whether Phase 2 of the Back-to-Business Framework will begin Monday as the first two weeks of Phase 1 ends. He said he asked Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris if the County hazardous waste facility could be reopened. It has been closed during the pandemic.
… Photos by Jim Willis, Lakeland Currents
