A resolution dealing with due diligence on financing for a possible Lakeland high school was approved in a 3-2 vote tonight (3.20.19) by the BOC (Board of Commissioners) but was preceded and ended with disagreement and unhappy words.
Meeting in special session at City Hall, the BOC convened to approve or disapprove a “Resolution of intent to proceed with due diligence on a Capital Outlay Note (CON) of $38 million for a new Lakeland high school.”
Link to agenda: https://www.lakelandtn.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/830
Link to Livestream: https://livestream.com/lakeland/events/8609114
Public discussion or not
The 22-minute meeting started as Mayor Mike Cunningham opened the floor for public discussion. Commissioner Michele Dial called a point of procedure to stay with the order of the day. She was referring to the published agenda which did not specify any public comments. Her motion was seconded and the Mayor noted there was a motion and second to not listen to what the public had to say.
Commissioner Richard Gonzales Jr. said, “This is a slap in the face to the citizens who’ve come to express their opinions which some people don’t want to hear apparently.” He continued by saying he thought the decision should be reconsidered because the integrity of the body is in question.
The Mayor then said there were two cards pulled for comment and asked who wanted a third. Vice Mayor Josh Roman called for the question. A roll call vote was taken on Commissioner Dial’s motion and it passed 3-2.
Resolution
The resolution was read to the Board by City Recorder Debra Murrell. The Vice Mayor said as a matter of procedure, the resolution had already been adopted.
He said he asked for the meeting tonight to amend the resolution to give better direction to city staff, to financial advisors and any other professionals helping the City try to determine exactly what the tax rate might be.
Vice Mayor Roman then read his list of eight parameters the BOC would like City staff to use, he said. The list is printed below:
Discussion on resolution
Following the presentation, Commissioner Gonzales asked would there no longer be work on Lakeland roads? “That’s nuts,” he said. “This meeting started off pretty poorly so I’m not in a good mood.”
Commissioner Gonzales then questioned #4 dealing with not including future City Hall operations in this project and withdrawal from the New Canada Road project.
Commissioner Dial asked for clarification on the amount budgeted for roads in next year’s budget,
The Mayor said, “I agree we’re strapping the City’s ability to do what is in the best interest of all our citizens by strapping our road budget down 700 grand.” He noted that people know what the roads are like in Lakeland and that’s the subject on which he receives the most complaints.
He added that on the New Canada Road project, the City stands to lose $20 million from the State and will have to pay for it five years before reapplying for the project.
The Mayor said not giving the people of the City a vote on financing for a school is the absolute lowest he’s ever seen in his life.
Commissioner Gonzales said the integrity of the Board was in question at the meeting. He said the Board has a bad habit of ignoring the people.
Vice Mayor Roman concluded the comments on the resolution by saying when he showed the presentation, he was using exact numbers that it would take to get to the .54 or .58 tax hike. He said there were certain parameters to get as close to the possible tax increase.
“I have to have those parameters in place so when figuring the possible tax rate, they understand they are not just my parameters. But those were actual policy decision by the Board.”
He said projects throughout the City were ranked in order of importance. And the only way to do that was with an amendment that allows the Board to speak.
“Tonight this is a vote in the right direction for basic, very much needed infrastructure for our City, a path for our children to be able to complete their K-12 education in Lakeland and that allows flexibility of staff and financial advisors to be able to bring this project in importance with other projects,” said Vice Mayor Roman.
Vote
The vote was then taken on the resolution and approved 3-2.
https://vimeo.com/325572676
Public Statement
Before adjourning the meeting, the Mayor said he would make a public statement. He said he would have a prepared statement at the next BOC meeting. “And I will assure you, it’s going to raise some eyebrows,” he said.
Directing his comments to Shane Horn, city manager, and Kyle Wright, finance and human resources director, he said that going forward, as Mayor, he would add a public comments section to every agenda as long as he is sitting in the Mayor’s chair.
Vice Mayor Roman said he would like to make some comments but the Mayor asked for a motion to adjourn which Commissioner Gonzales seconded. There were no nays to the motion and the meeting was ended.
Post-meeting
The conversation didn’t stop with the bang of the gavel. Immediate comment from the audience was heard, asking the Vice Mayor if he was taking money under the table.
The Vice Mayor was being interviewed by Michael Waddell, a local reporter, and the two were approached by resident Michael Green. In an attempt to find a private area, the Vice Mayor and reporter headed to the conference room.
Meanwhile, there was a crowd of angry people in the hallway outside of Commission chambers which was being monitored by a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) deputy.
The unrest escalated as the Vice Mayor said he and other residents had been threatened trying to leave the building. The Vice Mayor asked for SCSO to intervene. One resident was asked to leave City Hall by SCSO and deputies directed the Vice Mayor to stay in the building.
https://vimeo.com/325573929
When the Vice Mayor started to walk away, the deputy told him he had no choice but to stay. If he left, he would be arrested. Ultimately the Vice Mayor asked that a SCSO supervisor be called to the scene.
After about an hour of SCSO and City officials talking back and forth, all were able to leave City Hall. Lt. Anthony Buckner with the SCSO said there were no reports filed or arrests made.
Updated: According to Vice Mayor Roman, Supervisor Bartlett arrived on the scene and confirmed there was no reason for the deputy to tell Mr. Roman he could not leave and he was free to leave whenever he liked. He also confirmed he was aware of the rhetoric used at recent meetings and he provided a phone number to call should there be any issues at city meetings in the future.
… Photos, videos by Jim Willis, Lakeland Currents
