The Board of Commissioners (BOC) met for a work session Thursday night (5.7.20) at City Hall via Livestream without an audience because of COVID-19.
Link to Livestream: https://livestream.com/lakeland/events/9122226
Link to agenda: https://tn-lakeland.civicplus.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/927
Although there were no votes on any items because of the work session, there was plenty of conversation about the annual budget and tax rate, and a final site plan for the Lakeland Athletic Complex. A project to recognize Lakeland graduating seniors was suggested by Commissioner Michele Dial.
Attending in person were Vice Mayor Josh Roman and Commissioners Dial, Richard Gonzales Jr. and Wesley Wright. Mayor Mike Cunningham attended remotely by phone, noting he wanted to see what citizens experience utilizing the phone for the meeting.
City staff on hand were City Manager Shane Horn and Parks and Recreation Department Director Pat O’Mara. Remote staff members included Emily Harrell, city engineer; Will Patterson, city attorney; and Michael Walker, finance and human resources.
Annual budget and tax rate
For agenda item #3, a first reading adopting the Fiscal Year 2020-21 annual budget and tax rate, Commissioner Gonzales said he had never seen a budget so long. It is 155 pages. Link: https://www.lakelandtn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9045
Mr. Horn explained that he and Mr. Walker wanted to make a budget that would qualify for the GFOA ((Government Finance Officers Association) designation. He said language was taken from the 2016 economic strategic plan with goals and missions. “This is our document which gives us direction,” said Mr. Horn. “It says what we would like to accomplish.” 
Mr. Walker said the document includes goals and visions, information about the City as a whole, not just financial goals. He said the budget could be shortened but visions and goals should be included.
Mayor Cunningham commented about using 2016 goals, saying things have drastically changed in the last six to eight weeks. He said he has almost daily calls with area mayors and it’s very apparent they are looking at different ways to look at city services. He said they are considering contracting out city services as it is too costly to do them in-house.
He said it is not known how COVID will affect the City from the state perspective and cautioned not to have much of a stretch on vision. He suggested paring down the budget.
Commissioner Dial said she saw the five-year-plan as a road map to evolve as the City evolves. “It’s always good to have a vision and goals,” she said.
Vice Mayor Roman asked of the Mayor, “Are you suggesting we are moving too fast?” He was referencing page 8 of the budget dealing with personnel costs. “What do you mean?”
The Mayor replied bringing services in-house is very costly. He said he hears other mayors saying that is too expensive,
The Vice Mayor asked for an example of a costly expenditure in the budget.
Mayor Cunningham cited the goal of evaluating the feasibility of a Lakeland Post Office and ZIP Code. “Things like that are great. But I don’t see it happening in the next five years.”
Commissioner Dial explained she had heard from citizens completing the Census 2020 forms of the confusion that Lakeland addresses were listed as Arlington. “At least citizens would know we would like it (a post office and separate zip) in the future.”
Commissioner Wright said he agrees with the visions. “As a town, we are more flexible than Bartlett and Germantown. He said those towns rely much more on sales tax revenue than Lakeland. “We are a lot more nimble. Our budget is lean.”
Mr. Walker added he thinks the BOC is used to seeing a one-year budget. The proposed budget includes more long-term goals. “It doesn’t mean dollars are appropriated for Fiscal Year 2021.
Mr. Horn said any of the goals would have to come to the Board. “Without that vision and goals, we are lost in day-to-day stuff. Let this become our guiding light.”
The Mayor then said, “You validated my point. There are pie-in-the sky items in the budget.”
Vice Mayor Roman said readings on the budget are an opportunity to talk about the budget. “We are five to six weeks away from passing the budget.” As part of the budget discussion, the Vice Mayor talked of Lakeland sports and fields and increasing the minimum salary for Lakeland to $14 an hour.
“Parks and Recreation is a person short. And the $14 an hour minimum salary, I am 100% in agreement with that.” He said the tax rate proposal is to continue at the current $1.24. If revenues come in lower, he said, there could be a need to dip into savings or unassigned fund balance.
Commissioner Dial said schools and parks are the City’s largest amenities. “Our rec programs are right up there with that. We are a young community in comparison to other cities, on the cusp of large developments. Parks are very important to Lakeland. Yes, they do come with a large dollar sign.”
The Mayor countered by saying you don’t dip into savings during uncertain times. “You can’t over promise and under deliver. We can’t have everything we want.”
Final site plan for the Lakeland Athletic Complex
Commissioner Gonzales said of agenda item #7, relating to the Complex planned for 9661 Memphis Arlington Road, that he questioned the cost of the project and said the MPC (Municipal Planning Commission) should go back and look at the egress and ingress issues to the park. He said the plats were small and hard to follow.
During an April 16th meeting of the MPC, members voted 5-2 against approving the plan. A tenured Lakeland resident spoke of his concerns of the placement of the eastern entrance to the Complex which fronts his driveway. A suggestion was made to make the eastern egress one way as an entrance with the western egress only an exit. Commissioner Wesley Wright (liaison to the MPC) said he thought that was a good compromise and Todd Laessig, MPC member, agreed.
At the same April meeting, the Mayor, who serves on the MPC, made a motion to defer a decision to the next meeting but later withdrew his motion. When the vote on the project failed, the MPC members were asked how the plan should differ when it comes back to the MPC. Susan Mitchell, chair, said there should be consideration of being good neighbors to long-term residents. She said someone’s idyllic home should not turn into a traffic jam. “That’s the biggest concern.”
During Thursday’s meeting, Vice Mayor Roman agreed with Commissioner Gonzales there is a lot of legalese in the plats and requested a staff presentation at the business meeting next week (May 14th).
The Mayor said what was presented at the April MPC meeting was not up to Lakeland standards. He said it should be the absolute best. He said he is very in tune with having things done right. “We can do better. I believe our kids deserve better.”
Commissioner Dial said,” Yes, we would all like paved roads (at the Complex) but that is too far out of our reach.” She added, “It’s been the slowest project in history. We need to move forward. We can pave in Phase 2 or Phase 3.”
Vice Mayor Roman asked if the issue was gavel versus paving and requested a price to pave the roads in the park. Mrs. Harrell said there will be ADA parking spaces which are not gravel.
Other business
There was discussion on a contract with the Jones Gilliland Group LLC for a contract on 19 acres south of Lakeland Middle Preparatory School facing U.S. Highway 70 to use for ball fields. The Vice Mayor said he hoped to have a contract next week for a vote. The possible close date on the property would be July 31st.
Vice Mayor Josh Roman asked about repaving Glen Birnie Lane in Stonebridge. He said it is crumbling and asked Mrs. Harrell for details. She said the last paving was in 2016 and she is aware of the base failure. She said there was a similar issue in Sterling Place. She said she hopes to have money to do the Stonebridge work from the current paving project. The Vice Mayor asked should there be a change in the code to revisit asphalt and building. She said it is not a code issue. She said the Stonebridge streets came into Lakeland with only 2” of asphalt compared to 3½” on other streets in the City.
Commissioner Gonzales asked about streets in poor condition in his neighborhood. Mrs. Harrell said the proposed budget will have a pavement assessment update with the work done this summer if approved. “I can pave as much as you can fund.”
The final discussion item of the evening was a proposal by Commissioner Dial to recognize Lakeland senior high school students who had their school year shortened and memories dashed because of the pandemic. She suggested a time capsule to be filled with memories contributed by the students to be opened in 10 or 20 years. The capsule could be buried at a city park or City Hall. Perhaps the area could have a bench, trees and bricks with names of the students, she said. The estimated cost of the project would be about $1,000, she said, and she expected companies would want to donate and families would be willing to pay for the bricks.
Vice Mayor Roman said to expedite the project, he would commit $600 from his company.
The Mayor said he would be honored to sign a proclamation noting what the students have endured this year. “I support that 100%.”
… Photos by Jim Willis, Lakeland Currents
