REGULAR MEETING

         5/05/08                 

THE GRAND JUNCTION BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN MET ON 5/05/08.  MAYOR CURTIS LANE PRESIDED WITH ALDERMEN JOHN BARRY, FRANK BELL, NICK EDWARDS, CHERYL SMITH, AND JERRY SMITH IN ATTENDENCE.  ALDERMAN  PERRY LANE WAS ABSENT.  AFTER THE ROLL CALL, JERRY SMITH OPENED THE MEETING WITH A PRAYER. 

MINUTES FROM TWO APRIL MEETINGS WERE READ AND APPROVED.  BILLS PAYABLE WERE APPROVED ON A MOTION MADE BY BARRY AND SECONDED BY BELL.

DEPARTMENT REPORTS:

WATER-SEWER:  FRANK BELL EXPLAINED SOME EXPENSES AND COMMENDED THE EMPLOYEES AND THE CONTRACTORS ON THE JOB THEY DID TO REPAIR THE SEWER COLLAPSE.

POLICE DEPARTMENT:  PAT RYAN  READ STATISTICS.  RESPONDING TO A QUESTION FROM CHERYL SMITH, RYAN SAID THAT SOME ARRESTS WILL BE MADE IN CONNECTION WITH A RECENT FIGHT AT THE CITY PARK. 

FIRE DEPARTMENT:  MIKE BRYAN REPORTED ONLY ONE FIRE, A CAR FIRE. THE DEPT. HAS RECEIVED A $4000 GRANT FROM THE STATE.  THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN A LOT OF TURNOUT GEAR FROM ANOTHER FIRE DEPT.

CODE ENFORCEMENT:  MIKE BRYAN TOLD ABOUT THE EXPENSES INVOLVED IN GETTING HIS BUILDING INSPECTOR’S LICENSE. IT WILL COST A TOTAL OF $556.50 TO BUY 2 BOOKS AND TAKE 2 TESTS AND GET A CERTIFICATE.  HE CAN TAKE THE FIRST TEST IN JUNE.  MAYOR LANE ASKED BRYAN TO PROCEED WITH BUYING THE MANUALS AND TAKING THE TESTS. 

ALDERMEN REPORTS:

BARRY WILL SOON ATTEND A SCHEDULED LIBRARY BOARD MEETING.

EDWARDS SAID MOST LAWNS WERE LOOKING GOOD. AN EXCEPTION WAS THE PARHAM  HOME ON MADISON STREET.  THE NORTH TIPPAH AND HIGHWAY 368 RIGHTS OF WAY COULD STILL USE WORK, AS WELL AS THE LOT EAST OF THE CAR WASH.

CHERYL SMITH WILL TALK WITH BILL CROSS AND,  AFTER MIKE BRYAN GETS CERTIFIED, WORK WITH THOSE TWO TO GET THE PLANNING/ZONING BOARD ACTIVE AGAIN.

BELL ASKED THE CITIZENS TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT IMPROVEMENTS THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT THE PARK.  HE ALSO STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THE PARK SAFE FOR THE CHILDREN.

OLD BUSINESS:

MAYOR LANE READ FROM THE TENNESSEE CODE ANNOTATED CONCERNING COLLECTION OF OLD FINES.  THE CITY MAY PASS AN ORDINANCE AND THEN HIRE AN OUTSIDE SOURCE TO COLLECT THE FINES THAT ARE OVER SIXTY DAYS OLD.  THE CITY CANNOT PAY MORE THAN 40% OF THE AMOUNT COLLECTED TO THE COLLECTOR.  JO TREESE HAD PRESENTED A PROPOSAL TO THE MAYOR AND RECORDER FOR COLLECTING THE DEBTS, BUT HER CHARGES EXCEEDED THE 40% ALLOWED. MAYOR LANE SAID HE WOULD TALK WITH HER AGAIN.

NEW BUSINESS:

THE MAYOR READ A PROPOSED RESOLUTION FROM THE FAYETTE COUNTY AMBULANCE SERVICE.

MOTION BY CHERYL SMITH TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION TO ALLOW FAYETTE COUNTY AMBULANCE SERVICE TO ANSWER CALLS WITHIN THE CITY.  SECONDED BY JERRY SMITH.  THE MOTION PASSED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE WITH FIVE AYE VOTES. ALDERMAN PERRY LANE WAS ABSENT.

THE 2008-2009 BUDGET WAS PRESENTED FOR THE FIRST READING.  THE SECOND READING WILL BE IN JUNE AND THE THIRD READING WILL BE IN JULY.  MAYOR LANE SAID THAT THE CITY’S FINANCIAL PICTURE APPEARS BETTER NOW THANKS TO DECREASED SPENDING, ESPECIALLY IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 

MOTION BY BARRY TO ACCEPT THE 2008-2009  BUDGET ON THE FIRST READING.  SECONDED BY BELL. A ROLL CALL VOTE WAS TAKEN WITH THE FIVE ALDERMEN PRESENT ALL VOTING AYE.  ALDERMAN PERRY LANE WAS ABSENT.

COMMUNITY CONCERNS:

BARBARA SWEENEY ANNOUNCED THAT THE LIBRARY IS SPONSORING TWO MOVIE DAYS FOR THE CHILDREN IN MAY AND WILL START A WEEKLY READING PROGRAM IN JUNE.  THE BIRD DOG MUSEUM WILL ALSO BE HAVING A READING PROGRAM.

MAYOR LANE SAID THAT GRAND JUNCTION WILL HAVE A TEAM PARTICIPATING IN THE COUNTY RELAY-FOR-LIFE.  KAREN VINYARD IS IN CHARGE.

THE MAYOR COMMENDED THE RURITAN CLUB FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN PICKING UP LITTER AND HELPING TO CLEAN UP THE TOWN.

THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED.

MAYOR                                                                                                                                     RECORDER