Bartlett passes budget, sets June 13 hearing date

The Bartlett city board passed its 2017-2018 budget at the May 23 meeting, with only the June 13 public hearing as the final step.

The certified tax rate came back at $1.48 rather than the anticipated $1.50, according to Vice Mayor Jack Young. The city is still supporting a 35-cent property tax increase, so the new property tax rate will be $1.83 for each $100 of assessed valuation.

The city board passed this tax rate increase, and the public hearing will also be on June 13.

The Shelby County Tax Assessor’s 2017 figures indicate a 13.6 percent increase in actual assessments over 2016 because of the reappraisal of all property within Bartlett. (New growth in property assessments is less than 2 percent over 2016.)

The budget covers the General Fund, Street Aid Fund, Solid Waste Fund, General Improvement Fund, Drug Enforcement Fund, DEA Enforcement Fund, Drainage Fund, Parks Improvement Fund, Bartlett City School Fund, Utility Fund, Debt Service Fund and Capital Improvements Fund Budgets.

The budget, including the Bartlett School Fund, is $153,624,298. The budget includes $73.5 million for the city school district. The Bartlett High School renovation project will require a separate bond issue of about $44 million.

Among other actions at the meeting, the board also:

• Accepted the lowest bid for the Yale Road water tank. It went to Phoenix Fabrication & Erectors Inc. in the amount of $2,059,505, plus a contingency amount of $4,994 for a total cost of $2,064,499. Contract administration will be provided by Fisher Arnold for $40,000. The total project cost will be $2,104,499.
• Approved the final change order for the Fletcher Creek Greenway. This included an increase of $8,048.20 in the VuCon contingency amount and $14,600 for additional erosion work, as well as a decrease of the Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon purchase order by $14,600 to cover this additional cost.
• Authorized the mayor to sign a $500,000 grant contract between the State of Tennessee and the City of Bartlett for capital projects related to W.J. Freeman Park.
• Approved a contract with Dalhoff Thomas Design on design services for W.J. Freeman Park. Phase 2 capital improvements. The cost is $100,300 and will be covered using Local Parks and Recreation Fund Grant Funds.
• Approved an $11,000 contract with Lorrie Morgan and a $12,000 contract with Michael Martin Murphy for the upcoming season of the Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center. (Editor’s note: See the detailed story on Page 2 of this issue for the full lineup of artists.)
• Accepted the lowest bid for coffee service for FY2018. The bid went to Lambert’s at an estimated cost of $37,481.20.
• Authorized the payment of $20,000 to the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis for the purpose of supporting the Bartlett Parks Foundation Fund. These are funds received from Shelby County Government for the park system.
• Approved entering into a lease purchase agreement on behalf of the Bartlett City Schools district to purchase computers, as well as an agreement with the Bartlett City Board of Education to make those lease payments. The board also approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Bartlett and the Bartlett City Board of Education.