In addition to approving a municipal splash park at the Jan. 27 meeting, Bartlett’s city board also agreed to help two households with serious flooding problems and also change who serves on the city’s beer board, among other business.
Flooding relief
In a 4-2 split vote, the city board approved applying for grants from the FEMA Hazardous Mitigation Program to buy out two homes severely affected by the city’s flooding in May 2010 and September 2014. These homeowners met the criteria of having flood insurance and repetitive instances of flooding within a 10-year period:
- Judy Bricknell, 2810 Alfaree St.
- William and Linda Ricci, 3673 Thistle Valley Lane
If they are approved for the grants, the program will cover 75 percent of the cost, with the state covering 12.5 percent, and the homeowners responsible for the remaining 12.5 percent local match, to be deducted from their equity payout.
The mayor and a majority of the board approved making the application. Aldermen W.C. “Bubba” Pleasant and Bobby Simmons voted against the measure.
If the applications are approved, funding for the $171,000 and $250,500 grants will be available within approximately 24 months, city engineering director Rick McClanahan said. (These are estimates and are subject to adjustment when final appraisals and final scope of work is established.)
The city also will be applying to modify the Ricci site and construct a detention basin there once the house is torn down.
Beer board change
The Bartlett Beer Board will soon be staffed by five Bartlett citizens, not politicians. The mayor and city board have served in the past, but they are changing to a citizen-led model this spring.
The first reading of Ordinance 15-01 was on Jan. 27, amending Title 8, Chapter 3, Section 8-301 of the city’s ordinances to require the appointment of the beer board.
Next will be the second reading on Feb. 10 and then a public hearing/third reading on Feb. 24, followed by appointments to the beer board. Mayor Keith McDonald said the process should be completed in March or April. That will allow time for citizens to contact him and express their interest in serving.
These are non-paying positions, and the appointees would serve two-year terms and may be reappointed. To achieve staggered terms, the initial appointments will be two members for one year and three members for two years.
It’s a step that a number of other cities have taken, McDonald said, noting that there is a popular belief that a non-political group may be more evenhanded at handling beer board issues.
The beer board’s duties are to regulate the selling, storage, distribution and manufacturing of beer within the city.
Tax write-offs
The city board also had the first reading of a routine resolution to delete uncollectable property taxes, interest, penalties, and associated costs from the City of Bartlett tax rolls. The city does this once or twice annually, and the current write-offs are for 65 parcels with taxes totaling $8,285.61.
Dick Phebus, Bartlett director of finance, explained the process: Bartlett collects current property taxes November through February, when they become delinquent. The city continues to collect them until the following year’s taxes are set, and then the collections are turned over to the Shelby County Trustee.
The trustee continues collection efforts until it’s determined the debts are not collectable for various reasons, such as a business closing or the debt being past the statute of limitations for collections.
Other business
In other business, the city board:
- Accepted the best bid from Pyro Shows Inc. of LaFollette, Tenn., for $20,000 to provide the city’s annual fireworks display on July 2. The city also has the option to renew at the same price annually through 2018.
- Accepted the only qualified bid of $719,500 from Sunbelt Fire Inc. of Fairhope, Ala., to buy an aerial ladder fire apparatus (fire truck) for the Bartlett Fire Department. This one has a 78-foot aerial ladder, ground ladders, the ability to carry and pump water, and other features, and it will replace a vehicle that is currently 20 years old, fire chief Terry Wiggins said. It will be built and delivered in about one year.
- Accepted the lowest bid from Motorola Solutions to provide eight mobile car radios for the Bartlett Police Department. The cost was $2,042.50 each for a total of 16,340.
- Accepted the lowest bid from Tag Truck Center to provide a 2015 day cab tractor for Bartlett Public Works at a cost of $91,650. This replaces an older vehicle.
- Accepted the lowest bid from Auto Nation to provide a 2015 regular cab F550 truck with dump bed for Bartlett Public Works at a cost of $52,621.00. This replaces an older vehicle.
- Made the following appointments: Keith Whaley, Historic Preservation Commission; and Paul Ireland, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
Written by Carolyn Bahm, Express editor. Contact her at (901) 433-9138 or via email to bartlett.editor@journalinc.com.
This is not true. Bartlett had a vote and voted against paying their 12.5% to help the flood victims.
What this article states is that the city ONLY gave the victims the information to apply to FEMA for help.
They in no way are helping these poor people.
Actually, the homeowners would not even have been eligible to request for the 87.5 percent FEMA funding that is available to them, if the city had not agreed to apply on their behalf. City personnel worked with them for weeks, if not months, during the process. Mayor Keith McDonald said the board decided that the 12.5 percent local funding (that will come from the homeowners’ equity) should come from sources other than the taxpayers.