Bartlett’s city board took a big step toward enforcing environmental violations at its Sept. 13 meeting, along with saying yes to park improvements, a new parks director, a $10,000 monument donation and other business.
The board passed a resolution approving an agreement between Bartlett and Shelby County in connection with Division 14 General Sessions Court for enforcement of city ordinances involving environmental violations.
Jim Brown, director of code enforcement, explained, “In our courts, the city courts, unfortunately, they’re only able to fine for each individual case and apply court costs. With the environmental court, utilizing Shelby County, we’ll be able to get full compliance. As it is, if someone pays the fines, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to go ahead and comply. With an environmental court, this will ensure that compliance.”
The measure passed unanimously.
New parks director
The city also appointed its first female director for the Parks and Recreation Department. Mayor A. Keith McDonald lauded Shan Criswell as the best qualified for the job and swore her in.
She thanked him and the aldermen and addressed the crowd gathered. “I really appreciate this honor,” Criswell said. “And I promise you I will do the very best I can to be the director of Parks and Recreation and make this department the very best I can make it be.”
She started her career with the City of Bartlett in 1988 as director of Singleton Community Center and was promoted to assistant director of the Parks Department in 2014. She became a Certified Leisure Professional in 1999 and has kept the certification current through obtaining continuing education credits through the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Criswell completed the NRPA Supervisors Management School in 1994.
She has held several positions with Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association over the years of her career. Through TRPA, she received the Maynard Glen Award twice for Most Outstanding Recreational Programming for the state in 1992 and again in 2004. She has served as Executive Board secretary, West District chairman on the Executive Board, Municipal County chairman on the Executive Board, secretary one year and vice chairman another on the Tennessee Recreation and Parks Education Foundation (TRPEF).
Among her duties in Bartlett, she will be overseeing road and parking area improvements at W.J. Freeman Park. At the Sept. 13 meeting, the board also approved a $74,000 contract with Dalhoff Thomas Design Studio for Phase 1 of that project.
Monumental donation
The Lawful Sons Motorcycle Club overwhelmed a municipal committee organized to raise funds for a First Responders Monument in Bartlett. The group donated $10,000 raised from a recent “poker run” and raffle they organized.
The group is made up of current and former law enforcement officers, fire fighters, emergency medical personnel, military personnel and civilians with a high regard for law enforcement.
Alderman Emily Elliott, who chairs the committee, thanked the group for the generous donation. Once enough funds are secured, the monument will be erected on a flat stretch of land off Appling Road, on the southeast side of Appling Lake and the Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center (BPACC). It will take an estimated $200,000 to create the monument planned.
Mayor’s Youth Council Class of 2017
The mayor introduced the 19 area students chosen for the 2017 Mayor’s Youth Council. They include:
- Appling Middle School: Kenneth Burnett, Tia Dubose and Leo Osborne, all in eighth grade
- Bartlett High School: Livia Claire McGhee and Rachel Stephens, both in 10th grade; Paige LaPorte and Trent Wicker, both in 11th grade; and Zachary Bishop, 12th grade
- Bon Lin Middle School: Chinua Madu, Holden Rogers, Maddy Wicker and Olivia Williams, all in eighth grade
- Bartlett 9th Grade Academy: Nathan Mobley, Keri Perkins, Annie Steward and Conner Venckus, all in ninth grade
- Elmore Park Middle School: Nicholas Betts, eighth grade
- Faith Christian Heritage Academy: Reagan Wallgren, ninth grade
- St. Ann Catholic School: Penny Rosenberg, eighth grade
The MYC consists of Bartlett residents in grades 8-12 who are selected through an application and interview process. They will work with the mayor and four other adult liaisons to study problems facing today’s youth, learn about city government, think of community service projects and recruit other teens in their efforts.
Other city business
In other business, the city board:
- Heard the mayor’s announcement that he approved an emergency expenditure of $12,778 roof repairs at the Bartlett Recreation Center. When other work was being done, it became evident there was damage above the original cost estimates.
- Authorized the purchase of two right-of-way tracts to widen Old Brownsville Road between Austin Peay Highway and Kirby Whitten Road. The total cost will be $80,821.
- Approved a contract with Ross Witt PLLC for design services to document the existing conditions as necessary for roof replacement at Singleton Community Center. The cost should not exceed $23,300.
- Accepted the lowest qualified bid of $145,775 for a day cab tractor with a dump trailer. The bid went to Tag Truck Center.
- Accepted the lowest bid of $74,587 for a walking floor transport trailer from Spector Manufacturing.
- Authorized the purchase of seven WatchGuard in-car video cameras for new police vehicles. The city will buy these at a cost of $ $36,190. WatchGuard is a sole-source provider.
- Authorized the purchase of wireless access points and a server so the WatchGuard videos can be automatically downloaded from police patrol cars. The city will buy these at a total cost $23,005.
- Authorized the purchase of seven Stalker dual radar units for new police vehicles. The city will buy these at a cost of $10,815 from Applied Concepts Inc. on a state bid contract.
- Accepted the lowest bid of $24,644.36 for a crew cab pickup truck with a 6.5-foot bed. The bid went to Premier Automotive for a 2016 Dodge Ram.
- Approved the purchase of another Dodge Ram truck for $24,644.36 from Premier Automotive and to amend the FY2017 operating budget for the purchase. The truck will be used for park and school grounds maintenance.
- Accepted the lowest bid of $22,046 for an extended cab pickup truck with a 6.5-foot bed. The bid went to Homer Skelton Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
- Accepted the lowest bid of $19,995 for a riding lawn mower with a 104-inch deck from Bartlett Small Engines. This mower will be used for maintenance at Bartlett City Schools.
- Approved the city’s usual $20,000 annual payment to Shelby County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility, as approved in Resolution 4305.
- Approved a special seasonal event permit for Big Jim’s Christmas Trees and Pumpkins. The permit granted to Jimmy Wade is for 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sept. 20-Dec. 20 at 6777 Stage Road.
- Approved a special event permit for the Memphis Euro-Fest Car Show on Oct. 1 at Youth Villages, 7410 Memphis Arlington Road. The British Sports Car Club of Memphis is presenting the event in support of Youth Villages. Registration will be 6-10 p.m. Sept. 30 and 8-10 a.m. Oct. 1. The show will be 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 1 with the awards presentation at 3 p.m. For the registration form and cost information, see bit.ly/Euro-Fest2016.
- Approved a special event permit for the Fall Festival and Craft Sale to be held 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 22 at Ellendale United Methodist Church, 7205 Centralia Road, Bartlett.
