[0:00] Okay.
>> Welcome everyone here this evening. We
[0:03] call this meeting to order. Please stand
with us for the Pledge of Allegiance and
[0:07] the prayer.
>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[0:11] United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation
[0:16] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
[0:21] » Robert will you lead us in prayer,
please?
[0:23] » Yes, let's bow our heads.
Dear [clears throat] heavenly Father,
[0:26] we're thankful for this day that you've
given us for bringing us up to this
[0:30] point. We pray God that you bless the
meeting tonight. We pray that all the
[0:33] business and activities God would be in
accordance with your will. We pray that
[0:37] you give wisdom and guidance to our city
commissioners and
[0:42] city leaders God and our administration.
God, we just ask that you just help
[0:47] bless each home that's represented here
God and keep us all in your will and in
[0:50] your care. In Christ's name we pray.
Amen.
[0:53] » Amen.
>> Thank you, Robert.
[0:57] Item two, approval of the minutes of the
regular meeting of June 16th, 2020. So,
[1:02] I hear [clears throat] a motion.
>> Motion.
[1:04] » Second.
And any discussion?
[1:07] With none, all in favor say I. Any
opposed say no. Item three, petitions
[1:12] and communications of the public and
items from the audience. None this
[1:15] evening. Thank you, Seth.
Reports of boards and committees.
[1:19] None this evening.
Number five, city manager's report.
[1:23] » Thanks, Mayor. I would like to announce
that the Gholson Community Center will
[1:26] be closed from July 27th through August
2nd for the annual maintenance week at
[1:31] the facility. The center will reopen at
6:00 a.m. on Monday, August 3rd. During
[1:36] maintenance week, the wood floors will
be cleaned and refinished and painting
[1:40] will be done throughout the facility as
needed in addition to various other
[1:44] maintenance jobs.
All of this work is performed internally
[1:47] by the recreation department. Second, I
would like to invite everyone to attend
[1:51] a special dedication ceremony
for the pavilion at Mills Park following
[1:56] the conclusion of the meeting this
evening. We will have a short ceremony
[2:00] to officially dedicate the pavilion in
honor of Mr. Pledge Profit. That's all I
[2:04] have, Mayor.
>> Thank you, sir.
[2:07] Uh item six old business A ordinance
number 2654 an ordinance to amend the
[2:11] Gatlinburg zoning ordinance being
ordinance number 830 and further being
[2:15] an ordinance to reclassify parcel 18 tax
map 118 located on Glades Road
[2:21] in the city from R-1 low-density
residential district to C-5 crafts
[2:27] commercial district public hearing and
second reading passed first reading 6 16
[2:32] 2026 and planning commission 5 21 2026.
Do I hear a motion?
[2:39] » So moved.
>> Second.
[2:40] » Motion and a second. I'll open the
public hearing. Any comments?
[2:44] » No, sir.
>> Okay, with that I'll close the public
[2:48] hearing. Dalton, go ahead.
>> Yes, sir. Uh this request seeks to
[2:51] rezone the parcel from R-1 low
residential density uh to C-5 crafts and
[2:56] commercial as you have mentioned to
facilitate a residential planned unit
[2:59] development. Uh transitioning this
property to the specialized restrictive
[3:02] commercial zone uh permitting uses such
as single-family, multi-family
[3:06] dwellings, arts and craft shops, antique
shops, restaurants, bed and breakfast,
[3:10] and wedding chapels. Uh this will also
increase their allowable FAR, finished
[3:14] floor area ratio.
>> Okay, awesome. Any comments, questions?
[3:19] With that, all in favor say aye. Aye.
Any opposed say no.
[3:24] Item seven new business A ordinance
number 2655 an ordinance to amend
[3:29] sections
411.701
[3:32] and 706 of the Gatlinburg zoning
ordinance being ordinance number 830 and
[3:36] further being an ordinance to prohibit
the use of QR codes or other digital
[3:41] scanning technology in single and in
signage and further [clears throat]
[3:46] being an ordinance to modify the
regulation of tourist residence. First
[3:50] reading passed planning planning
commission 6 18 2026. Do I hear a
[3:55] motion?
>> So moved.
[3:56] » Thank you.
>> Motion and a second. Go ahead, Don.
[3:58] » Yes, sir. The planning commission has
requested and recommended to you all a
[4:01] text amendment updating tourist
residency standards located in section
[4:05] 411-701 and 706 to explicitly prohibit
QR codes, barcodes, or other electronic
[4:12] scanable technology on tourist
residency's name and address signs. This
[4:17] request is rooted in public safety
intended to prevent visitors from
[4:20] stopping or slowing down suddenly to
scan roadside QR codes that can lead to
[4:25] bottlenecks and collisions. Lastly, it
should be noted that in the proposal in
[4:29] front of you all today, it does require
a mandatory compliance period of 180
[4:33] days of this adoption or upon their
renewal of their annual TR permit.
[4:39] » Okay, good deal. Any comments or
questions? Go ahead, Mr. Mayor.
[4:43] » With none, all in favor say I.
Any opposed say no. Item B, discussion
[4:47] and consideration of approving the usage
of the aquarium parking garage
[4:51] by the Friends of Tennessee's Babies
with special needs on August 26, 2026.
[4:56] Do I hear a motion?
>> Motion.
[4:57] » Second.
>> Any discussion?
[5:01] With none, all in favor say I.
Any opposed say no. Item C, ordinance
[5:05] number 2656, an ordinance to amend
sections 7-501.2
[5:11] and 7-502
of the Gatlinburg Municipal Code at
[5:14] further reading, an ordinance to include
sparkling devices
[5:19] in the
definition of fireworks and to prohibit
[5:23] the retail sale of fireworks in the city
of Gatlinburg. This is the first
[5:27] reading. Do I hear a motion?
>> Motion.
[5:28] » Second.
>> Motion and a second. Any discussion on
[5:31] this?
I think it's pretty clear they just
[5:35] can't sell fireworks in the city.
>> That's correct. Yes, and our attorney
[5:39] Bob Vance has looked over this and and
that is exactly. It's prohibited to uh
[5:45] uh
use fireworks within the city. This
[5:47] would prohibit the sale of them.
>> Very good.
[5:51] Okay, all in favor say I.
>> I.
[5:53] » Any opposed say no. Item D, resolution
uh number 1043, a resolution declaring
[5:59] certain city-owned rescue vehicles to be
surplus property and authorizing their
[6:06] disposition
uh in trade-in toward the purchase of
[6:10] new rescue vehicle. Do I hear a motion?
>> So moved.
[6:14] » Second. [clears throat]
>> Any discussion on this?
[6:17] » Robert, will you only give it just a
little summary? That way they'll
[6:20] understand as the fire chief if you'd
come to the podium also.
[6:22] » I'll just go ahead and stand up here for
the next couple of days. Yeah, normally
[6:25] when we surplus property, we surplus it
to sell, but if the city
[6:30] uh deems it more advantageous to trade
something in, which we really feel
[6:34] strongly in this case that we get a
better
[6:37] uh financial benefit by trading these
two pieces of equipment in on new
[6:40] equipment, we've already got a
guaranteed trade-in value, which will be
[6:44] a lot better than what we did if we sell
it. So,
[6:46] uh
for the comptroller's direction if we
[6:49] just y'all just pass a resolution, we
can trade it in on the purchase of a new
[6:53] piece new piece of equipment.
>> my question is is one of these are a
[6:56] 2024 vehicle that's fairly new. Why are
we trading that in?
[7:00] » I'll let Chief speak to that. I'm not
sure about the uh PS model.
[7:03] » 2024 model is a small truck and we're
we're trying to upgrade our rescue
[7:08] program to enhance that capability by
adding one big truck bigger truck and we
[7:14] won't need the two smaller rigs and
they've offered us a pretty good
[7:17] trade-in value. We paid
about $400,000 for that truck and we've
[7:21] used it a little over a year year and a
half two years and they're offered us
[7:25] $385,000.
>> Oh, that's a fire.
[7:28] » That's a pretty good
>> [laughter]
[7:29] » good deal.
>> Yes.
[7:30] » And they're going to let us continue to
use it until we get delivery of the new
[7:34] truck.
>> And they're still going to give you that
[7:35] price while we're driving it?
>> Yes.
[7:38] » That's a good that's a good deal all the
way around.
[7:40] » I want [laughter] to do business with
this firm. Who who is this company?
[7:43] » And and what the idea is and and chief
had spoke to us about it is
[7:49] we can have less manpower and it be
stationed or staffed with personnel like
[7:55] at station two where it can always be
ready to roll to anywhere in the city
[7:59] instead of having multiple vehicles that
we have to buy to doing the same kind of
[8:03] thing.
>> Yeah, we currently have three vehicles
[8:05] that's carrying all this equipment.
We're going to go to one
[8:08] that will carry all the rescue
equipment. And it won't carry any water
[8:12] or hose or any of that stuff. It'll just
be strictly a rescue truck that will
[8:16] service the entire city multi-role
multi-function.
[8:20] » And and also they're going to add some
of the as you those same jaws of life
[8:24] that pops doors and new things onto our
engines so they can be more utilized in
[8:29] all different aspects for fire and
rescue also.
[8:32] » Yeah, the two engines that were in the
process of
[8:35] bidding they've been bid out and and in
the build process, they're set up to be
[8:40] rescue engines where they'll have
multi-role capability too. So, we're
[8:43] going to enhance the city's ability in
the services the fire department
[8:46] provides by doing this.
>> Very good.
[8:49] » You all are good negotiators.
[8:53] » Thank you both you guys. Thanks.
>> Any other questions or comments? First
[8:58] time all in favor say [clears throat] I.
Any opposed say no. Item eight ordinance
[9:02] number 2657 a property tax leveling
levying ordinance for the city for the
[9:07] fiscal year beginning July 1st, 20 26
and ending June 30th, 2027. This is the
[9:12] first reading. Do I hear motion?
>> Motion.
[9:15] » Second.
>> Greg, we have a little discussion on
[9:18] this.
>> Yes, Robert.
[9:19] » Yeah, this is the property tax ordinance
which we do every year. This year was a
[9:23] reappraisal year. So, because obvious
assessed values have increased
[9:28] significantly, we have to decrease our
mill what's called millage rate down
[9:33] from 12.57 cents per $100 to 6.91 cents.
That's the certified rate that the tax
[9:41] that the state provided with us that I
got from Thomas Paul King. So, this is
[9:47] we have to decrease the rate to achieve
about the same amount of revenue as we
[9:51] have in previous years. So, so we can
basically say that we do not have a tax
[9:55] increase.
>> Cindy, did you get that?
[9:59] » [laughter]
>> They're doing that across all counties.
[10:03] » Okay.
>> Any discussion or [clears throat]
[10:05] comments?
>> And I think Robert that this is a good
[10:07] point to make. I think there are
possibly, and I may be wrong, there's
[10:11] about five municipalities across the
state that has zero uh property tax. Is
[10:16] that correct?
>> Well, I know I know before this we were
[10:19] the sixth from the bottom.
>> Yes. So, so to that point I would think
[10:24] that we're probably in the top one or
one, two, or three lowest in the entire
[10:27] state
>> we're we're we're way down.
[10:30] » Yes.
>> before this.
[10:31] » Yes. Yes.
>> And in the county.
[10:34] » And and so so
>> [laughter]
[10:36] » as far as counties go now, but
>> Okay, any other comments or questions?
[10:40] With none all in favor say I.
>> I.
[10:42] » Any opposed say nay.
>> Thank you, Robert.
[10:47] » Ordinance number 2658 an ordinance
making a fiscal and annual appropriation
[10:51] for the several departments of the city
of Gatlinburg for the fiscal year
[10:54] beginning July 1st, 2026 and ending June
30th, 2027 and carrying forward
[11:00] appropriations for the prior years
encumbrances. This is the first reading.
[11:04] Do I hear a motion?
>> Motion. Second.
[11:07] » Robert, do you want to comment on this?
>> Well, this is our annual budget
[11:11] ordinance, our first reading, which you
know after this reading will require
[11:15] two more readings. And the next the next
reading will be our public hearing. So,
[11:18] we will uh get the information ready for
a public notice that goes in the paper
[11:22] after this. But, I will say this that uh
I don't usually give my opinion much,
[11:27] but but we've done a lot done a lot of
budgets. Been been part of a lot of
[11:30] budgets, and I'm I'm really more excited
about this one than anyone I've I've
[11:35] seen. Because I think I think it's I
think it it gets us to a level of
[11:40] service in a lot of different ways that
I'm really excited about.
[11:43] » That's awesome. We met yesterday at
budget all day and you and Greg did a
[11:48] fabulous job. We appreciate it.
[11:52] Okay, with no other questions or
comments, all in favor say I.
[11:57] Any opposed say no. Item 8 and scheduled
items and we'll start with Commissioner
[12:01] Horner.
[12:03] » I just, you know, HL Oakley's passing
his family. I just wish that everybody
[12:09] would
keep them in
[12:11] their prayers and thoughts and
really hate that for Mike and and all of
[12:15] them actually, but
that's the ones I know the most. So,
[12:19] good luck with that.
I'd like to go
[12:23] compliment the guys on
their
[12:25] budget yesterday, the
conference and
[12:29] you could tell a lot of what hard work
and effort went into it.
[12:34] And I want to make sure that we go up to
Blazes and see him and and
[12:41] enjoy the fellowship with the
home grown people.
[12:45] » Yep. Yep.
Commissioner Brackins.
[12:49] » I have none other than that.
He took care of it.
[12:53] » Commissioner Reagan.
>> Yeah, I mean, the budget process
[12:56] yesterday was great. The detail was
wonderful.
[12:59] Appreciate everybody that got up and
spoke, all the department heads,
[13:02] everybody, all the employees, not just
Greg and Robert and Nathan and everybody
[13:07] here. So, just thank you.
>> I agree with that. Thank you very much.
[13:12] It was a good day.
[13:16] » And I'll just echo what everybody has
said already and uh
[13:21] everybody try to make it out to Blazes.
It's going to be good.
[13:24] And as for a motion to adjourn.
>> So moved.
[13:28] » Second.
>> All in favor say I.
[13:30] » I.
>> We are adjourned.
[13:32] » And Mayor, we have a beer board.
>> We do have a beer board meeting and I'll
[13:36] call
the beer board meeting to order and item
[13:40] two is approval of the minutes on May
19th, 2026. I'll entertain a motion to
[13:44] approve.
>> So moved.
[13:46] » Second.
>> Motion is second. Any discussion on the
[13:48] minutes?
Hearing none, all in favor indicate by
[13:51] saying I.
>> I.
[13:53] » Item three, old business, there is none.
Item four, new business, item A,
[13:56] discussion consideration of approval of
special event beer permit for the
[14:00] Gatlinburg Songwriters Festival to be
held August 20th through the 22nd, 2026.
[14:05] Is there a motion to approve?
>> So moved.
[14:07] » Second.
>> Motion and a second. Any discussion?
[14:11] Hearing none, all in favor indicate by
saying I.
[14:13] » I.
>> Motion has passed. Five, adjournments.
[14:17] Is there a motion to adjourn?
>> So moved.
[14:19] » Second. All in favor of adjourning
indicate by saying I.
[14:22] » I.
>> We are adjourned.
[15:49] » Yeah.