Meeting for a called session tonight (4.19.18), the BOC (Board of Commissioners) reversed a decision by a volunteer board earlier in the evening and debated expenditures for next year’s budget.
Link to agenda: https://tn-lakeland.civicplus.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/762
Mayor Wyatt Bunker was unable to attend the beginning part of the meeting and missed the conversation and vote on an ordinance amending Lakeland Development Regulations. At stake were decisions on brick size, type of windows and shingles.
The MPC/DRC (Municipal Planning Commission/Design Review Commission) voted earlier tonight to approve only a portion of the ordinance dealing with type of shingles, from three tab to architectural. They removed the parts of the ordinance dealing with king sized bricks and simulated divided lite (SDL) windows.
Before Mayor Bunker arrived at the special BOC meeting, Commissioners voted to table the ordinance even though a temporary moratorium on building permits was set to expire tomorrow (4.20.18)
When the Mayor arrived at the meeting, he was updated about the Regulations vote and said he wanted to revisit the ordinance. He said he had confidence in the ordinance but was amenable on delaying a vote on the types of windows. He said smaller brick size results in a higher quality appearance of a house.
Vice Mayor Josh Roman asked City Planning Director Cory Brady, PLA, AICP, how would a regulation about brick size work and would it recreate new permitting. Mr. Brady said that would add another layer to the permitting process.
Mayor Bunker said the MPC/DRC gave a recommendation tonight but he would not base his decision on their recommendation. He noted he is not impressed with Oakwood Grove which was approved by the MPC.
Commissioners approved an amended ordinance amending Lakeland Development Regulations removing the section on windows but keeping the stipulations on brick size and shingle type. The ordinance also includes the language that the larger brick, king sized, can be used only if the brick is painted or slurried.
The BOC approved a resolution authorizing an application to Tennessee Emergency Management Agency for a flood control project in North Lakeland. Emily Harrell, P.E., CPESC, city engineer, said the application is due tomorrow and of the estimated $600,000 cost, the share for Lakeland will be 12 ½ percent or about $75,000.
The final item to be discussed was Fiscal Year 2019 budget priorities. Jim Atkinson, city manager, noted it was an initial discussion of the budget and there would be an upcoming meeting for a budget workshop.
He presented slides showing 2020 Vision Support projects like the fire department, economic development and schools. Mr. Atkinson also provided a slide showing other priorities, as suggested in recent weeks by commissioners: security, Municipal Court and City aesthetics.
Mr. Atkinson said there is some flexibility in the proposed budget, that it is a lean draft with no fluff but some wiggle room.
The Mayor challenged the concept of “wiggle room” and said those are taxpayer dollars. If the City doesn’t need the money, it should go back to the taxpayers. “We should use everything we need and the rest should be returned to taxpayers,” he said. “I am upset we said wiggle room.”
Jessica Millspaugh, CMFO, CMC, city recorder and finance director, said the budget reflects using City reserve money for fire department start-up fees. Lakeland is scheduled to take over fire services from Shelby County in July 2019. The start-up costs are estimated to be $1.463 million.
Mr. Atkinson said either reserve money or a loan must be used to start the fire services. Once the new department is started, the money can be returned to the reserve fund. Commissioner Matt Wright said the same thing happened when Lakeland started its municipal school system in 2014. Upfront investments were required although state and county tax revenue would not be collected for another year.
The Mayor agreed that using reserve money for fire and reimbursing the fund is no big deal to him. City Attorney Will Patterson said both Lakeland and Shelby County can’t both collect fees for the fire services at the same time. Lakeland will not start receiving the fire fees (which currently go to Shelby County via charges on MLGW bills) until next summer when the switch is made. In the meantime, said Mr. Patterson, costs must come out of reserve funds.
Mayor Bunker reiterated there is no wiggle room. “We are committed to schools, parks and fire,” he said. “These are our top priorities,” he said. “We then need a zero-based budget and spend what we need.”
He also said the grant writer for the City should be looking for more grants. “I haven’t seen that from the grant writer. We really need to get busy. This is money we can use.”
Vice Mayor Roman noted the City staff didn’t bring projects and ideas to the BOC. He said they are just trying to understand everybody’s positions.
The Mayor said he never discourages ideas, but “It doesn’t sound like we’re there yet” referring to a host of ideas.
One of the suggestions was for the City to purchase Stonebridge Golf Club. Commissioner Matt Wright said he thinks there is a good buyer for the Club. He agreed with the Mayor about the top three priorities for 2019.
Mr. Roman spoke of the elephant in the room, referring to the expectation of the current Board to complete the school system for Lakeland by building a high school for grades 9-12 adjacent to the new middle school. He said he wanted residents to know the City is scaling back in some areas because of defending the City in court. Two Lakeland residents filed suit against the City in December 2017, claiming it is not the right time financially to add more debt to the City by building the school.
A joint motion to dismiss or for summary judgment, based on mootness, will be at 10 a.m. May 25 in Shelby County Chancery Court.
Link to City livestream of the meeting: https://livestream.com/lakeland/events/8167417
… Photos by Jim Willis, Lakeland Currents.
