[0:00] um learning about the city and so um they're going to be here for the council

[0:04] meeting as well. >> Mayor, would you allow the proud parents

[0:08] to stand up? >> Yeah. Parents of a youth council council

[0:11] member stand up, recognize you as well. Yes. [applause]

[0:21] » All right. I think that's all the pictures, guys. Y'all can sit down now.

[0:25] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[0:36] » [clears throat] >> Now we have a recognition for a West

[0:38] Beamis Middle School student.

[1:02] Read your speech. >> Okay.

[1:03] » You read your speech. >> Read your speech.

[1:06] » Hello, I am Adrian Kunis. I attend West Beamis Middle School and I am in eighth

[1:11] grade honors classes. A child is not born with a closed fist.

[1:15] They are taught to clench it. While youth is traditionally viewed as a

[1:19] period of growth and potential, this promise is increasingly fractured by the

[1:24] reality of youth violence, a complex public health crisis involving

[1:28] individuals aged 10 to 24 who use force or power to threaten and harm others.

[1:34] From the digital harassment of cyber bullying to the devastating impact of

[1:38] physical assault, these acts are rarely isolated incidents. Rather, there are

[1:44] audible echoes of systemic neglect and unjust trauma.

[1:48] This cycle of aggression does not exist in a vacuum, but is instead fueled by a

[1:53] mix of environmental stress, social pressure, and a lack of accessibility to

[1:59] mental health support. In this essay, I will explain the causes of youth

[2:03] violence as well as what people can do about youth violence. First, all acts of

[2:08] youth violence must have a reason. Some of these can be started by being in a

[2:12] stressful situation. These can include environmental stress, social stress,

[2:18] digital status stress, and more. At its core, youth violence is often an

[2:22] explosive reaction to overwhelming stress. When a young person is under

[2:27] constant pressure, whether from dangerous neighborhood, family problems,

[2:30] or the always on world of social media, their brains stay in a state of high

[2:35] alert. without healthy ways to manage this pressure. The internal way of

[2:39] stress eventually boils over into outer regression.

[2:45] Another cause of youth violence can be the absence of positive role models.

[2:49] Some people have a role model they look up to or are a role model themselves. If

[2:53] someone is stuck with the decision of whether to follow his or her role

[2:56] model's footsteps or to choose a separate way of living, it can cause

[3:01] someone to act out of character. When a youth lacks a mentor to provide a sense

[3:05] of security and a vision for the future, they are more likely to seek validation

[3:09] from high-risisk peer groups or gangs that offer a false sense of family. In

[3:15] these environments, aggression is not just a choice. It becomes a requirement

[3:19] for belonging, leaving the individual trapped in a cycle of harm simply

[3:24] because they had no one to show them a different path. Finally, people must

[3:28] find ways to prevent youth violence before it begins. On an individual

[3:32] level, simply being a consistent and positive presence for a peer can break

[3:36] the cycle of aggression. By modeling how to handle frustration with words instead

[3:41] of force, a mentor provides a blueprint for emotional maturity. Furthermore, we

[3:46] can act by advocating for better mental health resources and after school

[3:50] programs that give young people a safe place to belong. These programs offer a

[3:56] constructive outlet than for energy that might otherwise be spent in conflict.

[4:01] Communities must also prioritize teaching deescalation skills to ensure

[4:05] that minor disagreements do not turn into phys physical altercations.

[4:09] The most effective tool against violence is ensuring that no young person feels

[4:13] they must fight alone to be heard or protected. In conclusion, this essay

[4:18] explained the causes of youth violence as well as what people can do about

[4:21] youth violence. While youth is traditionally viewed as a period of

[4:24] growth and potential, this promise is increasingly fractured by the reality of

[4:29] youth violence. a complex public health crisis involving individuals aged 10 to

[4:34] 24 who use force or power to threaten and harm others. From the digital

[4:39] harassment of cyber bullying to the devastating impact of physical assault,

[4:44] these acts are rarely isolated incidents. Rather, there are audible

[4:48] echoes of systemic neglect and unjust trauma.

[4:52] [applause]

[5:01] » [applause]

[5:06] [applause]

[5:14] » Good morning everyone. >> Good morning.

[5:16] » Adrien Brancumis is a national ambassador for Do the Right Thing in

[5:20] Jackson, Tennessee. Adrian is a student at at West Phoenix Middle School. He

[5:25] traveled to Washington DC this summer for the National Summit and he

[5:29] represented Jackson, Tennessee. Well, this program has been in Jackson for 19

[5:33] years and we he's a published author. His essay was printed in the Library of

[5:37] Congress this summer. And so that essay was a blessing to everybody that heard

[5:42] it and it was also offered solutions to youth violence. So I'm the local chair

[5:46] and we're proud to be here this morning. Mr. Daryl Wells is his educator. Uh,

[5:50] Miss Boys also, would you please stand? Miss Bo, the educator of West Middle and

[5:54] also his mom is here. Miss Jennifer, would you please stand? And we have an

[5:59] autograph copy of this local uh presentation for Mayor Conger.

[6:04] » Oh, thank you. >> And thank you for your support for this

[6:06] program. >> What about the council? [laughter]

[6:11] » We can it be a traveling copy. We'll share. [laughter]

[6:14] » We'll bring you copies as well. >> But that's really good. [applause]

[6:24] Good job, young man.

[6:30] All right, next up we have a audit committee's annual report.

[6:51] Good morning, Mayor Conger, members of the city council. Uh, I'm Dr. Martha

[6:56] Robinson, chair of the audit committee, and we're pleased to present our annual

[7:00] report as um required by our bylaws. And this is Miss Christy Cruz.

[7:11] Uh we wanted to uh just kind of review the role of the audit committee for

[7:15] those of you who might not be as familiar with it.

[7:21] Uh the audit committee and hopefully you can read that better than I uh but the

[7:25] audit committee's uh role is to provide support to the audit function. uh

[7:31] basically helping to ensure that uh the audits are reviewed in a timely fashion

[7:37] and that we look to seek to identify any findings uh and address those findings

[7:43] and so that is a role that we have uh played over the last few years. We also

[7:49] uh this uh position also um oversees the internal audit uh position.

[7:57] Next slide please. like to uh introduce uh the members of

[8:02] the audit committee. Uh as I said, I'm Martha Robinson. I serve as chair. Uh

[8:07] Miss Marta Wallace, who's city council [clears throat] member. Uh attorney

[8:11] Richard Donnell. Mr. Larry Laurant, also a city council member. Uh Miss Christy

[8:17] Cruzen, CPS CPAs. Uh Mr. Gary Jenkins, who's an entrepreneur, a business

[8:22] leader, and a retired military personnel. And Mr. Ross Perie who is an

[8:28] administrator with Jackson Credit uh with Leaders Credit Union.

[8:40] Okay. Uh so over the last year we had a very successful year and we are very

[8:45] appreciative of the support that we receive from the administration uh and

[8:49] from uh our citizens who often um set in on our meetings. But we have been very

[8:55] productive and this report provides a highlight of our challenges and

[9:00] accomplishments for the year. Uh city council has received a detailed report

[9:04] but if you require additional details we'll be happy to supply those. Uh

[9:08] during the year we were busily engaged in reviewing the audit findings from the

[9:13] FY24 audit. We also looked at identifying solutions for the findings

[9:18] that were identified. uh we worked on reviewing and developing a plan of

[9:23] correction uh with the uh office of the city recorder and we spent quite a bit

[9:29] of time surveying those uh impacted departments those departments that might

[9:34] have had some findings uh linked to them. So we invited them to come to our

[9:38] meetings to help identify what those issues were and to see how we could be

[9:43] of assistance in addressing those and so we felt that we made great progress in

[9:47] doing that. The departments were extremely cooperative and I think by

[9:51] working together we came up with some workable solutions. Uh our overall goal

[9:55] is to prevent repeat findings. Um I've yet to see a clean audit uh anywhere. Uh

[10:02] but the goal is to make sure that you don't have the same findings repeating

[10:06] themselves year after year. So that's what we have been working towards. And

[10:11] when we identified those uh findings and those uh what we looked at as

[10:16] contributing factors, we looked to apply corrective actions so that you know

[10:21] again we could help mitigate those findings. Slide please.

[10:26] And so, uh, again, you know, during the the past fiscal year, we, um,

[10:34] looked at, uh, completing, uh, the FY24 audit, uh, and we, uh, helped to develop

[10:40] a corrective action plan, which is, you know, pretty standard. This is what we

[10:43] needed to do. Uh, we looked at, uh, monitoring the progress of, uh,

[10:49] resolving any audit findings, uh, and strengthening those, um, uh, procedures.

[10:55] So, we met with uh uh the city recorder and others monthly to kind of get an

[11:01] update on the progress in terms of reviewing those audit refining those

[11:06] audit findings. And we're very pleased to report that the city recorders office

[11:10] has worked diligently to try to resolve and rectify those findings. Uh we also

[11:16] spent time evaluating uh and uh leading a comprehensive report or review of the

[11:23] city's ethics uh ordinance and looking for uh an opportunity to uh introduce or

[11:31] reintroduce a a complaint process that would be anonymous. We felt it was

[11:35] extremely important that employees uh city employees as well as the general

[11:40] public feel comfortable uh lodging any complaint that they might have without

[11:45] fear of reprisal. Uh we also spent time evaluating and recommending that

[11:51] anonymous reporting system and so we're pleased that uh the committee um voted

[11:56] to approve that measure and we're in the process now of identifying and

[12:01] onboarding the firm that we had identified that would uh uh serve us

[12:06] best in this uh area. uh that firm is very costefficient and we looked at uh

[12:12] economies of scale where we would save additionally by having them work with

[12:15] other departments as well. Uh so we're very pleased with that. We're also uh

[12:21] developing uh the city's uh internal audit uh program where we're looking at

[12:27] uh increasing efficiency so that we operate a little bit more efficiently

[12:31] and effectively. uh and so we did a complete review of that function uh and

[12:36] looked at where we needed to augment uh various uh activities or various

[12:41] responsibilities in order uh to give the best results uh to the city. Uh we also

[12:47] worked on uh establishing uh plans um that would uh help again increase

[12:54] accountability and improve uh transparency because we feel that's

[12:58] extremely important. I think this administration has done an excellent job

[13:01] of trying to uh have a transparent uh governance system and so we're looking

[13:07] at ways to further enhance that. Okay.

[13:15] [clears throat] Uh you move to the next spot. Again, we

[13:18] felt comfortable with the process that our uh external audit uh review process.

[13:24] Uh we felt that we're on track uh to um you know get on and maintain a good

[13:30] schedule for those reviews. We had a little catchup to do, but we feel that

[13:34] we're in a good position moving forward. Next slide, please.

[13:39] Enter.

[13:49] Yeah. Well, at any rate, uh, and I think that's the crux of the report. We're

[13:53] having a few technical difficulties, but overall, we felt that we had a very, uh,

[13:57] productive year. Uh, we felt that we were able to, um, initiate and implement

[14:03] uh, some measures that would not only increase efficiency, but uh, allow for

[14:08] greater transparency. And we think that's always very important. Uh we will

[14:12] continue to work towards you know reviewing uh preparing again for the

[14:17] next audit uh onboarding uh the internal auditor and working uh collaboratively

[14:24] with them and other departments to ensure greater uh effectiveness and

[14:29] efficiency. Are there questions?

[14:33] » Not a question. I just like to just go on the record to uh commend [snorts] you

[14:36] for your leadership of the committee. You've done an excellent job on it and I

[14:39] want everybody to know about it. Thank you.

[14:41] » Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Dr. Robinson. The audit

[14:43] committee had a lot of work ahead of you. Uh you've come a long way and so we

[14:48] appreciate the work that you're doing and the committee is doing um every

[14:51] month. >> Thank you.

[14:54] » Thank you so much. [applause]

[14:58] [cheering]

[15:06] Next up, we have invitation for public comment. And I will start with Mr. Paul

[15:12] Taylor.

[15:20] » Good morning, mayor and council. How are you all this morning?

[15:24] » Uh, first I want to recognize and appreciate the recent work of the

[15:27] planning department and the city as well. uh as they continue their efforts

[15:31] to enforce our existing sign code uh and address old, abandoned, and dilapidated

[15:36] signs throughout our community. Those efforts are important and I appreciate

[15:40] the attention being given to improving the appearance of our commercial

[15:43] corridors. Also recognize that portions of our sign code are dated and need to

[15:48] be revised. So my concern this morning is not about the idea of updating the

[15:52] code. My concern is with several provisions in the amendment before you

[15:57] and whether we understand fully their impact before adopting them. I want to

[16:02] focus today particularly on the SC1 planning uh which is a planned

[16:06] commercial development district. SC1 is specifically intended for shopping

[16:10] centers and multi-tenant commercial developments. The current code

[16:14] recognized the unique signage needs of those properties and allows a

[16:18] multi-tenant freestanding sign of up to 250 square feet and 35 ft in height. The

[16:24] amendment before you, however, places SC1 in a table showing the maximum sign

[16:28] area of only 16 square ft and a maximum height of 25 ft while at the same time

[16:34] referencing the existing SC1 provisions. That creates a very basic question for

[16:39] me. Which standard applies? If the existing multi-tenant standard remains,

[16:44] the ordinance needs to say that clearly. If the intent is actually to impose the

[16:48] 16 square foot limitation, then we should be then we would be making a

[16:52] zoning district designed specifically for shopping centers, one that is more

[16:56] restrictive than any commercial district in Jackson for signage. I think that

[17:00] deserves more review before it becomes our ordinance.

[17:04] I'm also concerned about the proposed design review language. The amendment

[17:08] would allow additional requirements or restrictions beyond the numerical

[17:12] standards contained in the code, but it does not establish a clear objective

[17:17] criteria on how those additional restrictions are to be applied. That

[17:22] introduces a significant degree of subjectivity to what should otherwise be

[17:26] a predictable permitting process. In fact, the existing sign code itself

[17:31] recognizes that aesthetics and design quality can be difficult to regulate

[17:35] because of individual opinions and how they vary. Finally, I previously

[17:40] participated in a multi-industry stakeholder group, which I've emailed

[17:43] you before on this topic that reviewed the city's earlier efforts to revise the

[17:47] sign code. That group provided comments and recommendations to the planning

[17:51] department. Uh however, that group has not uh been made aware of all of these

[17:56] changes and has not had an opportunity to review these uh the amendment that's

[18:00] now before you today uh or evaluate its potential impacts.

[18:05] Again, I support updating the sign code and I appreciate the work that's gone

[18:10] into it, but these are substantive changes that could affect businesses,

[18:14] property owners, redevelopment, and future commercial investment. I would

[18:18] respectfully ask that the council table this amendment today and allow my uh my

[18:23] stakeholder group to have an opportunity to review and complete the proposal uh

[18:27] with planning before it comes for adoption. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[18:31] » Thank you. >> Almost perfectly three minutes.

[18:32] » I know a little.

[18:41] Next up, we have Steve Little.

[19:01] Hello everyone. >> Hello.

[19:03] » I'm glad you're here. >> Appreciate the opportunity to speak on

[19:09] behalf of the Legends of Tennessee Music Museum at the Carnegie. And uh we're

[19:15] here to address the situation with the Tourism Museum grant that you guys have

[19:21] put out there for an opportunity that we might be able to to use that. Um uh we

[19:28] have some of our board members here. I want to make sure that everybody knows

[19:30] that they're here. We have representation.

[19:33] We uh I only have three minutes. Is that is that what I got?

[19:37] » Okay. Well, >> we have now now less than that, right?

[19:40] We have a we hit a bump in the road with the museum. Okay. This has been several

[19:47] months ago and we've been addressing that ever since. And once we hit that

[19:52] stumbling block or that that bump in the road, we had to kind of back up and

[19:58] reassess the where we were with the museum. And what we decided was we were

[20:02] going to take this as an opportunity, not as a stumbling block, not as a bump

[20:07] in the road, but an opportunity to make the museum bigger and better and refocus

[20:14] what we really wanted in the museum. when we put that museum together back in

[20:18] 2015 and the guys the people that are

[20:21] representing or were here with me today, they were a major part of all of that.

[20:26] Uh, and there's a couple people that are not here that had a major part as well.

[20:31] So, our goal is to make this museum bigger and better. We got to be all

[20:37] inclusive. We we focus primarily on Carl Perkins and uh Denise Lasowl and people

[20:44] like that. We did the people that were really rich in the music history, but

[20:48] there's it really goes deeper than that. We had a lot of local groups that

[20:53] performed around here in this area for years, a long, long time. And we're

[20:58] going to make sure that we pay attention to the local groups that made an impact

[21:04] on music. And I'm talking to people like the Jonians,

[21:09] uh, uh, Sunny Boy Williams, which he was early,

[21:14] he was back from the 30s, but we're going to focus on people like that. It's

[21:19] going to be an opportunity for us to share that rich music history with

[21:23] everybody. Um, anyway, so I would appreciate that you would consider

[21:29] voting for this this grant. We need it. We need it in order to be able to put

[21:34] the museum back together because it was kind of disassembled to some extent, but

[21:40] uh and I welcome you if you vote on it. Even if you don't vote on it, we're

[21:43] going to put it back together somehow. And we we appreciate the opportunity to

[21:48] talk to you today. >> What members are here with you? I'd like

[21:52] to see what they look like. [laughter]

[21:57] » Very close. >> You know, I'd like to see that, too. I'm

[21:59] not sure [laughter] what y'all stand. I'm not sure where Derek Grit stands.

[22:04] » There he is. >> The board stand. [laughter]

[22:08] » Can the board stand? >> Y'all stand up.

[22:10] » They did. >> They're requesting you to stand again,

[22:13] please. There we go. >> Yeah, they need to stand up. I want to

[22:15] make sure everybody knows that. >> Yeah. We also have Hope McGregor on the

[22:19] board and she's a music person. Everybody is involved in music that's on

[22:25] our board. So, they they have a passion just like uh that I'm trying to express

[22:29] to you guys. And so we we all love the museum and it's a it's a really really

[22:34] important for Jackson, Tennessee. >> Thank you very much.

[22:37] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[22:38] » Thank you.

[22:42] » Moving on to first reading. Uh >> item one is proposed budget amendment to

[22:48] recognize and appropriate $1,562 for insurance recovery for the building

[22:54] department. >> So moved. Second.

[22:56] » Motion to second. Discussion from council. Council, please vote.

[23:01] Motion pass 9 to zero. >> Item two is proposed budget amendment to

[23:04] recognize and appropriate $22,26.93 cents to insurance recovery for a storm

[23:10] water vehicle. >> Motion.

[23:11] » Second. A motion to second. Discussion from council. Council, please vote.

[23:17] » Motion pass 9 to zero. >> Item three is proposed budget amendment

[23:20] to appropriate $20,000 in e from the e citation fund for software licensing and

[23:26] equipment upkeep. >> Motion.

[23:29] a motion to second discussion. >> Yes, sir. I'd like uh whoever to speak

[23:33] on that, please. >> So, several uh good morning, mayor and

[23:35] council, youth, council, >> morning.

[23:37] » Um several uh uh years ago, a couple of years ago, you guys adopted uh provision

[23:42] that uh established a electronic citation fee on uh certain cases that

[23:48] are handled through city court. uh those fees are split between uh the court and

[23:54] the city and the portion that comes to the city is actually used for the

[23:58] maintenance of the electronic citation system. A special fund was created and

[24:02] the only uh use for any of the funds in uh in that designation are actually for

[24:08] the maintenance of that system. And so those funds have been building up for a

[24:11] couple of years. There's about $26,000 in that fund. Uh right now there are I

[24:15] understand Chief Corley a couple of maintenance needs and a couple of

[24:18] software upgrades. And so this is basically appropriating fund balance

[24:22] from that special fund for those purposes.

[24:25] » Thank you, sir. >> Four and a half minutes.

[24:30] » Sorry. Any further discussion? Council, please vote.

[24:35] » Thank you. >> Motion pass 9 to zero.

[24:36] » Sorry, I got you all the way up. >> No, thank you.

[24:40] Item four, proposed budget amendment to appropriate $889,515.72

[24:46] in FY26 VCIF grant funds. >> Motion

[24:50] » second. >> Motion second discussion.

[24:52] » Just somebody explain what G VCIF >> violent crimes intervention fund.

[24:56] » All right. Thank you. And I do that for the benefit of the young people who are

[25:00] here today primarily. Yes. >> But everybody else as well

[25:04] » because we already know but they don't. >> Any further discussion? Council, please

[25:08] vote. >> Motion passed 9 to zero.

[25:14] » Item five, consideration of an ordinance to amend the text the city of Jackson,

[25:17] Tennessee sign code ordinance. [clears throat]

[25:22] » Motion

[25:25] have a motion. >> I'm going to second it for purposes of

[25:29] discussion. >> All right.

[25:32] » All right. So, um, you had the materials pertinent to this sign code amendment.

[25:36] Um the

[25:43] uh the section that that Paul referred to was a was a error that we gave you

[25:48] the right version uh before in your packet. So you have it was a cold over

[25:53] from the the district in front of it. So uh as we said in pre-aggenda, we were

[25:59] making some housekeeping changes but weren't changing uh anything uh in the

[26:04] sign code. So that was a that was an error and we corrected that. So that

[26:08] we're not applying a 16 square foot standard to the SC1. It just refers to

[26:12] the section that governs the SC1 as it does now. So that's uh that's not

[26:17] changing. Um as outlined in pre-aggenda, there's there's only a few changes that

[26:23] we made. Um I'll just kind of summarize them. One was um the design review

[26:28] section that that Paul referred to. um that's always been in place since 19

[26:33] from from 2024 when y'all adopted design guidelines for the city of Jackson. So

[26:39] that has always been a part of that. So we're not adding anything. uh that has

[26:44] always been. But you can see in that textual uh change that where we just

[26:49] recognize that uh it says May and and that's just there because there could be

[26:55] instances where um there could be some additional but in most cases the signs

[27:00] are judged by the requirements in the sign code ordinance. So, um, the permit

[27:07] fees, they, uh, were changed because we adjusted all of our fees because we

[27:11] hadn't adjusted them in so many years and they were way behind. Uh, so that

[27:15] was a change. Um there was a change in who was

[27:20] responsible in terms of notice on signs in terms of inspection and that

[27:25] basically was just changed uh to uh recognize that uh it was the uh sign

[27:32] owner uh to notify if there was a change to the administrator. Um there was a

[27:38] change to um one change to the signs uh for future development and that was a

[27:45] again um something that is a small change but not really a change. Uh the

[27:50] signs that were out there development signs that were not on site were

[27:55] offremise signs and were illegal anyway. So, we just basically reiterated that

[28:00] when there's future development signs, as long as they are on the site that's

[28:04] being uh advertised for future development, then that's fine. It's on

[28:08] premise. It's not off premise. Um the table that um that Paul referred to

[28:15] where we um basically took the O standard and put it in SC1 and we made

[28:19] that change. Uh that was just a a change to try to make it look better and to

[28:24] organize it better. So, no uh change was made to the requirements. Um let's see.

[28:32] [clears throat]

[28:34] Um there was one section where um in the current sign code it prohibited sandwich

[28:41] boards. Well, we have sandwich boards all over downtown. So, we just basically

[28:45] made them permissible. Um temporary signs, that was the big one. uh because

[28:50] as Paul said, we've been going after uh a lot of this clutter that we had on our

[28:55] rideways and uh along in our commercial developments and temporary signs were

[29:00] originally in the exempt uh section which means they could put them out. We

[29:04] wouldn't know when they put them out and we wouldn't know how long they had been

[29:08] there. So now temporary signs have been moved uh to the permitted side so that

[29:14] when they want to put up temporary signs, they can permit them. We'll know

[29:17] when they've been permitted so we can track how long they've been out so that

[29:21] we can then enforce them if they've been out past the time that they're allowed.

[29:25] » Is there a fee for the temporary? >> Um there would be a sign code. Uh it'd

[29:30] be a a fee just like the rest of the sign code. There would not be uh it

[29:34] would not be a huge fee, but it would be a sign. Okay.

[29:39] » Uh I mean it would be a fee. Um under the old section it wouldn't be because

[29:44] we weren't tracking. They weren't permitted. uh but it's minimal. Um

[29:49] we also dealt with election signs because of changes rulings by the

[29:53] Supreme Court and changes [clears throat] in the law. Um election

[29:57] signs are kind of giving a been given a wide birth when it comes to where they

[30:01] can be placed and and and and uh we uh recognize that because in our sign code

[30:07] uh it said that you couldn't have any signs on the rightway, but when it comes

[30:11] to election signs, you can because they've ruled that is the public square.

[30:15] So, so we had to take that and change it to where election signs weren't bound to

[30:19] that. So, uh, all other signs, commercial speech is different. Uh, if

[30:24] you got some furniture for sale, don't put it on the rightway. Um, but other

[30:28] signs in terms of election signs are are not uh uh restricted in that way. Um,

[30:36] the other um I don't that was the last one that I

[30:41] know of. So again, all these were uh housekeeping measures. They weren't

[30:45] intended to make changes to how things were regulated, but just reflect how

[30:49] things are enforced uh the way they are now and also reflect the design review

[30:55] process that already existed and been in place since 24. So we just wanted to say

[30:59] that so that people were clear. I'd be happy to answer any other questions you

[31:03] have. >> Wallace.

[31:05] » Yes. Good morning. Um if you will say out loud the change first of all the

[31:10] amount of what we changed the the cost

[31:15] » in terms of the fee. >> Yes.

[31:18] » Um

[31:21] let me get to that section. >> These are things that I would want to

[31:26] know if I was in the public. I've got three or four of these.

[31:29] » All right. So, um you've got in the in the new section, you've got

[31:35] the fee for all signs not exempt from this fee shall be $15.

[31:40] uh plus $1 for the square footage of the surface display. So it's a $160 per

[31:45] square foot. So again, these signs are not huge outlays there.

[31:50] » Okay. And will you say the actual size of what is permitted now?

[31:55] » Um in terms of the size of the the flags, um it doesn't really regulate um

[32:03] temporary signs. >> Are you talking about the flags council

[32:05] member? You talking about talking about the SC1,

[32:07] » right? You had said it was going to be 16

[32:10] What is that really going to be? >> Yeah, the SC1 now just refers to the

[32:14] section that governs SC1. Originally, it had repeated uh the O section right

[32:20] above it. Now, it says for requirements refer to section 1454052,

[32:26] which is the signs that regulate the SC1 as we regulate it now. So, uh you can

[32:31] see as you see below that um it it keeps um

[32:39] it keeps uh the get to that. >> Okay. And then

[32:45] » the 300 square feet and the height and all that in the SC1 has remained the

[32:49] same. >> Okay. And then the last question because

[32:51] I've seen some emails that we were trying to do a committee uh get together

[32:58] about the signs. What committee is the signs going to be under? The planning

[33:04] commission. >> The sign code is still administered by

[33:08] the building department, but we we helped them with enforcement.

[33:12] » Okay. So, that will not be under the planning committee because I know at one

[33:16] time we were trying to have >> we're still working toward those the

[33:20] future amendments. Uh but right now we're just trying to to change those

[33:24] things that are problematic in the existing code as it exists today. So, so

[33:28] that's what this represents. >> Okay.

[33:31] » Does is Paul Taylor still in the audience?

[33:36] » Paul, does this answer some of your questions

[33:40] as a commercial?

[33:44] » Uh, yes. Glad to hear that we won't be regulated to a 4x4 sign. No [laughter]

[33:50] future tense. >> Yeah. But what I would ask is uh given

[33:53] that there are errors and that the the the language that is going to be

[33:58] considered today was not included on the on the city's website that you give us a

[34:03] month to review that uh and and provide any comments. I I uh Stan knows this.

[34:08] We've talked quite a bit about all this. Uh I agree with much of the direction

[34:13] that this is going. Uh but I would like to see the final uh revised corrected

[34:19] document uh before you take it take it further.

[34:22] » Dan, is that what we have? >> That's what you have. I mean basically

[34:25] the only thing that changed was that before we for pre-aggenda we got it to

[34:30] you in the form that it was going to be addressed today. So um and I I don't

[34:35] know that um postponing the month's going to change the fact that we didn't

[34:39] change anything. So, I mean, we'll be happy to if that's what you want to do,

[34:44] but the the text was an error. You got the error revised before you considered

[34:49] it today and and basically you haven't voted on it. So, nothing's been

[34:54] implemented um in terms of the error that was made. So, basically what you

[34:59] have now is that that there's no change. >> I would move to table it just for the

[35:04] sake of transparency with the public for the people like myself. I have a

[35:09] question. I want to know. You said you you agree with most of it.

[35:14] » What do you know from right now that you don't or that you see to be problematic?

[35:20] » Well, we'll come back to you. I got a motion to table. You need to get a

[35:22] second. You got a second. Okay. >> Now, we can discuss that. So, go ahead,

[35:26] » Council. So, >> one, I I became aware of this last

[35:30] night. >> Uh, and so I pulled the document and

[35:33] obviously the document had an error on it, right?

[35:36] » I pulled the document, reviewed it. uh this group uh that that I have been

[35:41] working with that reviewed this when there was a wholesale overhaul that was

[35:45] proposed uh they are not aware one of them had notified me so what I would ask

[35:51] is that we allow them the opportunity to see the revised corrected document uh

[35:56] and provide have an opportunity to provide any input today I just happen to

[36:00] have time to be able to come up here today

[36:02] » was there anything in there that like the change and cost or anything like

[36:05] that that you felt No, I I'm fine with the change in in fees. I think it's been

[36:10] underassessed uh lately. It's it's not it's not like

[36:14] this is an annual assessment. Um the I agree with a lot of the the temporary

[36:21] signage and the and what they're doing in in order to start to regulate that. I

[36:25] think that will clean up. Uh obviously there are problematic areas in town

[36:30] » and as I said in my prepared statement that

[36:33] » they have done uh a significant job in correcting those and they continue to do

[36:37] that work and it is not easy work. >> Yeah.

[36:40] » Uh to call somebody and say you got to take your sign down because it's

[36:43] dilapidated or >> or abandoned. Uh but but they are

[36:46] working on that. So I commend them on that. But I would like an opportunity to

[36:50] share the corrected version with the group uh to get any other feedback.

[36:54] Councilman Lawrence, >> I don't think we're supposed to be

[36:56] debating us to table something, but we could if we passed this today and Mr.

[37:02] Taylor, if you came in had some problems next meeting, we could revise it next

[37:06] meeting by just doing those addressing those issues, right?

[37:09] » Yeah. I mean, if we again, I have no problem with tableing a month. I mean,

[37:14] um, but >> that's it.

[37:18] » That's all you got to say. Let >> them finish. Finish. [snorts] But but

[37:21] the reason why we didn't bring the committee together is because we weren't

[37:24] making any changes that were drastic like we did before when we were going to

[37:28] change where it was going to be placed, who was going to be doing what. This was

[37:32] just housekeeping things that basically just put us online so that these

[37:36] temporary signs that we were battling day after day after day. Every weekend

[37:40] we got a new set of them. It gives us the [clears throat] abilities to now ask

[37:44] them to permit them so that we can track them. And so, uh, I don't mind waiting a

[37:49] month, but again, if we had had substantal changes, if we were changing

[37:52] things that were going to impact what they were being used to, I would have no

[37:56] problem with it. But again, we were doing housekeeping things. Changing the

[38:00] election signs was important. Uh, so again, it's up to y'all.

[38:04] » Sure. >> I got a motion to table. Motion second

[38:06] to table. Uh, this is the you're voting on the motion to table right now. So,

[38:10] council, please vote. >> Motion pass 8 to one abstain. All right.

[38:17] That bad thing right there. Okay. Uh item six is consideration of an

[38:22] ordinance to amend the text the official zoning ordinance of the city of Jackson,

[38:25] Tennessee, article 5, specific district regulations section 18, office center

[38:31] district C uses permitted as special exemptions. Nope. Um I skipped down one.

[38:36] I'm sorry. Consideration of an ordinance to amend the tech special zoning

[38:39] ordinance article 5 specific district regulations. There we go. Relative to

[38:43] restaurants. >> All right. So, uh, you have the

[38:45] materials pertinent to this text amendment. Um, all that's changing is

[38:50] under the current zoning, uh, in the OC's district, it it allowed

[38:55] restaurants, but as a special exception, but it wouldn't allow them to have a

[38:59] drive-thru. Well, uh, as you know, after the pandemic, drive-throughs became very

[39:03] important, and they continue to be a big portion of restaurants uh, business now.

[39:09] uh as dining rooms slowly uh get smaller and drive-throughs become more

[39:14] important, uh restaurants uh have decided and have have seen that they

[39:18] could lower their overhead and and still do good business. So, we're just uh

[39:23] reflecting the times and just amending this to take the exclusion out for

[39:27] drive-throughs. >> Motion.

[39:29] » Have a motion. Second >> and a second. Discussion. Council,

[39:32] please vote. >> Motion pass 9 to zero.

[39:37] » All right. Thank you, St. Thank you, mayor and councel.

[39:39] » Item seven is propose ordinance to amend city code of ethics.

[39:46] » See a motion. >> Second.

[39:47] » Motion a second. >> You want to go over what we're amending?

[39:50] Sure. >> There we go. Thank you, mayor and

[39:55] council. Uh this proposed ordinance is one of the action items that you heard

[40:00] Dr. Rob Martha Robinson explain in the audit committee's annual presentation.

[40:05] Um, as part of the audit committee's role is the to investigate city

[40:09] processes and find areas for improvement. They work with the city

[40:13] ethics committee to make some tweaks to your code of ethics ordinance and that

[40:18] is what is before you. It essentially does three changes. The first is that it

[40:23] expands the definition of personal interest uh to include more

[40:28] relationships. So the group thought that in today's day and age we have um more

[40:34] family living situations and so it includes grandparents and grandchildren

[40:40] as a relationship you could have a personal interest in. Also adds domestic

[40:45] partner as well. Uh we use the federal I believe IRS definition for domestic

[40:51] partner for that. The second is is it adds a reasonable person standard. Uh I

[40:57] am not a lawyer so I'm not going to get into what exactly that means. Maybe uh

[41:00] Councilman Donell can explain that if there's more questions. Uh and then the

[41:05] third is you heard around anonymous complaints. Uh originally your code of

[41:10] ethics allowed everyone to do so. Um there was concerns that allowing anyone

[41:16] and everyone to do an anonymous complaint led to kind of abuse and

[41:19] politicization of that. And so years ago, you changed the ordinance to

[41:23] mandate that everyone essentially do a notorized

[41:27] um submission. And the group kind of felt that that the pendulum had swung

[41:32] too far in the opposite direction. And so there was an attempt to find a middle

[41:35] ground between those two extremes. And what the audit committee recommended to

[41:40] the ethics committee and the ethics committee ultimately agreed with was to

[41:43] allow employees to do so because um there may have been fear of retribution

[41:49] as an employee for submitting an ethics complaint. And so that uh this code this

[41:54] ordinance change allows employees to submit anonymous complaints. before we

[41:59] brought the ordinance before you, we wanted to make sure that that was

[42:01] technologically feasible because uh how could you um there was initial

[42:06] challenges with verifying someone's an employee if it's anonymous and so we

[42:10] found a way to do that and so now that is why this is before you now.

[42:14] » Thank you, Ron. Any further discussion? >> Council, please vote.

[42:19] » Motion pass 9 to zero. >> Item eight is a proposed ordinance to

[42:23] amend title 13 regarding environmental court.

[42:27] Thank you, Mayor and Council. Oh, should I want to wait for a motion? Okay. Um,

[42:32] this and the next two ordinances all deal with, you've heard a lot about how

[42:35] we've moved our code enforcement department over to HNS and as part of

[42:40] that are looking to modernize and give them more tools to address code

[42:44] violations throughout the city. Uh, this is the first ordinance as a way to kind

[42:49] of strengthen and bolster those efforts. What we are doing is copying Memphis's

[42:54] code of ordinances around ecort. Currently, our ordinance says that if

[42:59] someone um no shows their hearing in court or fails to remedy the violations,

[43:05] the judge may issue um a contempt of court and a violation for that. This

[43:12] adopts me Memphis's provision where if someone no shows for their day in court

[43:17] uh or fails to remedy the order of the judge, they shall be held in contempt of

[43:23] court and then assess the fine. >> Is there a motion?

[43:26] » So move second. >> Motion second discussion.

[43:29] » Yes, sir. The um it appears to me that by changing this language from

[43:35] about being held in contempt from shall be held in contempt rather than may,

[43:39] you're taking some power away from the judge. The judge now has the city court

[43:43] judge now has the discretion to determine whether or not a person is in

[43:46] contempt or not. And this language would take that power from him. And I can

[43:52] imagine situations where a person cannot show up in court for legitimate reasons.

[43:56] You know, now I know some people just going to come and they just give all

[43:59] these bogus excuses, but some people do have legitimate reasons for not being in

[44:02] court and this would harm them because they would be held in contempt. And uh I

[44:07] I I I don't think we ought to take that discretion from the judge because I

[44:13] think that one size doesn't fit all. And I would submit that the judge should

[44:18] have the discretion to uh determine whether a person is in contempt or not.

[44:22] And I wouldn't like to take that power away from the from the judge.

[44:26] Thank you for your concerns, Councilman Donnell. One of the things that um

[44:31] understanding [clears throat] that what I've found is that sometimes judges want

[44:35] that discretion and sometimes it's helpful for them to be able to say this

[44:39] is the law. This is what it says. Um and like I said, Memphis has been very

[44:45] successful with this provision and we ran this provision by um city judge. Um

[44:51] » have you discussed it with our judge? >> Yes, we did. He was saying he was very

[44:54] appreciative. He was appreciative of the effort.

[44:56] » So, I think I think Councilman, I understand your concern, but so we get

[44:59] to environmental court, it's not like a a traffic ticket. Environmental court,

[45:03] there's a notice, there's a summon, there's a 30-day remedy. There's a lot

[45:07] of steps that go into environmental court before they get there that they

[45:10] can remedy before going to court. And so, it's not a not a citation court date

[45:15] uh scenario. >> Yeah. I was just going to say, as mayor

[45:18] said, they they have multiple opportunities before they even have to

[45:22] appear at court to do that. So, >> and that is a critical

[45:26] » issue in our city. >> Mr. Chairman, correct me if I'm wrong,

[45:30] Ron, you may be able to speak to this, but would the judge still have the

[45:33] authority in the event that there is some legitimate reason why someone

[45:36] couldn't make it to court that day, would the judge then have the ability to

[45:39] wave the fee, the fine, whatever was assessed.

[45:42] » Uh, if they reached out to the judge, they probably could have the hearing

[45:45] reset, but this is prescriptive. It says shout. So, if they no show,

[45:50] » if the judge calls her name in court and they don't show, then then they're

[45:53] justifying. call it and get it reschedled for.

[45:56] » So there's no remedy in the event that someone does have legitimate

[45:59] » emer prescriptive >> and this environmental court.

[46:03] » Yes. >> Only environmental court.

[46:07] » Any further discussion? Council, please vote.

[46:13] » Motion pass eight to one. >> All right. Item nine is proposed

[46:16] ordinance to clarify violation of title 12 building codes.

[46:21] » All right. The next one. Thank you, mayor and counsel. Um, at the state

[46:25] legislature, they would commonly refer to this as a cleanup bill. All we are

[46:28] doing with this is changing one word from chapter to title. Um, it is quite

[46:34] frankly a misprint in your city code of ordinances. Uh, this is found in title

[46:39] 12 and dealing with violations of that title. However, it says of that chapter

[46:45] and so we are just reflecting that the sections of violating that title, we're

[46:49] saying any violation found in that title. That's literally if you look it

[46:53] is the 14th word. That is all we are doing.

[46:57] » So as part of that kind of revamp and review of all of our code enforcement

[47:01] ordinances we just noticed this error. >> Is there a motion?

[47:05] » Second. >> Do we have a motion?

[47:06] » Motion [clears throat] motion second. >> Any discussion from council? Council,

[47:11] please vote. >> Motion pass 9 to zero.

[47:14] » Item 10 is proposed ordinance to amend title 13 concerning the collection of

[47:18] expenses for property maintenance violations.

[47:22] Thank you, mayor and council. So, this is the third one for today that deals

[47:25] with code enforcement. We have two titles that deal with code enforcement

[47:30] in our city. Title 12 is around what [clears throat] I would call the

[47:32] structure itself. Uh dilapidated building, unsafe building. Title 13 is

[47:38] what I would commonly refers to those violations outside the home. So, this is

[47:42] trash in the yard, overgrown lots, uh a car parked in the yard. Okay. So, in

[47:48] Title 12, we have the ability to, let's say someone um refuses to remedy the

[47:54] violation, uh doesn't pay any kind of the the fine that they're assessed, we

[47:59] can go as the city and clean up that violation,

[48:04] uh ourselves and then bill the property owner and we can actually put that bill

[48:11] on their property tax role. So when they go to pay their property taxes, they

[48:15] will see the cost that we have assessed to them for cleaning up their own

[48:19] violation. We do not have that ability in title 13. All this ordinance does is

[48:25] copies that existing provision in title 12 dealing with violations of the

[48:29] building itself and adding it to title 13. So I'll give you an example. Let's

[48:34] say someone um has a yard or trash in their yard. Uh refuses to clean it up as

[48:42] part of that code violation process. Uh they're assessed a fine. They still

[48:46] don't do it. We say this is becoming a health and safety vi uh issue. It's

[48:51] attracting pests, rodents, whatever. We go as a city and clean it up. Now, what

[48:57] we can do only if they don't pay uh that cost once we build it to them is put a

[49:01] lean on their houses. As you can imagine, that can take years if not

[49:05] decades to collect that money. Now, we would be able to add it on their

[49:09] property tax bill at the end of every year. So, we expect it to lead to a

[49:13] higher collection rate or at least a faster collection rate.

[49:17] » All right. Now, help me >> get a motion in a second. Then we have

[49:21] motion. >> Second.

[49:22] » Motion second. Okay. Councilman, >> help me help me understand and primarily

[49:27] uh help um um Miss Charlotte Price, who is one of my constituents,

[49:33] » understand what's the timeline of this. >> Say for instance, if a person, and this

[49:38] happens in my district a lot, >> you know, people come to my district and

[49:42] dump stuff and be trying to catch them, but uh they dump stuff. It's the

[49:48] eyesore. It looks real bad. And I'm trying to look out for the residents who

[49:53] have to see it every day. Sure. Stay across the street from it.

[49:56] » If they call in and say that u this big pile is there and you come see it and

[50:02] it's it's awful. >> What's the timeline, the average

[50:06] timeline you would imagine? I know you don't know exactly, but just imagine

[50:09] from the time that's reported to the time the city picks it up. Austin

[50:13] Leilani, one of y'all want to come up here.

[50:21] from the time the the person calls in and say this is horrendous until the

[50:25] time the city can come and pick it up. >> Obviously, uh with codes moving under

[50:31] public works, we're still developing our processes. Um I would love to give you a

[50:38] specific answer at this moment, but like I said, we're still under development of

[50:41] » All this way. It's been in the past that uh when a situation would happen like

[50:47] that, the uh codes department would send a letter

[50:51] » and then the letter goes to them and certified mail or whatever and then it

[50:55] then it it's not signed and it comes back

[50:58] » and that's a week or 10 days. >> All right. Then it's resent again

[51:02] » and and and then it something else happens

[51:06] » and the neighbors looking at all this crap

[51:08] » right in front of their house and they're tired of it. So now, u based on

[51:12] some research that was previously done, uh we're leaving courtesy notices. So if

[51:17] we identify an issue at a residence, we hang a door hanger that says, "Hey,

[51:21] you're in violation of this specific code or ordinance. You have 5 days to

[51:24] make correction or else we'll be sending out official notice to you. Um that

[51:29] official notice is another fiveday um timeline. So we're looking at a total of

[51:34] 10 days until that summons." Now, the reason why we want to do that courtesy

[51:37] notice is to give people the opportunity to make those corrections voluntarily.

[51:41] » Sure. >> The less people we take to ecort, the

[51:44] better. We hope to have more compliance from folks just on a voluntary basis.

[51:49] So, >> okay. And help me with this. Another

[51:50] thing that I was told some time ago that the the notice of all of this trash

[51:56] being there, it has to be sent to the owner. If it's rental property, why

[52:01] can't we send it to the renter, the one that's actually in there doing State law

[52:04] requires us to send it to the property owner.

[52:08] » One of the things we will be doing, council ment,

[52:10] » why can't we help state law and and send it to the renter anyway?

[52:14] » I agree. >> Why can't we do both? [laughter]

[52:17] » Can't we do that? >> Why Why can we not do both? Why can't we

[52:20] not send it to the owner and then put another notice to the tenant house?

[52:23] » Yeah. >> I know you're doing one notice.

[52:26] » You can notify the tenant, but the the state law requires us to notify the

[52:31] property owner. Now, one of the things that we will be doing, spoiler alert,

[52:34] you'll have another ordinance coming to you next month, is changing what we do

[52:38] to notice the property from that certified mail that you mentioned to

[52:42] regular first class mail. And so, we expect that will speed things up as well

[52:46] as lower our costs because you're right, currently, right now, you know, if you

[52:50] can't get a hold of that property owner or they refuse to sign it, be sent back.

[52:53] Um, and so that leads to delays in the process. Now, that we can show that,

[52:57] hey, we mailed this through first class mail. Um, and that will serve as

[53:00] effective notice. mean

[53:02] » and one more thing go knock on the door >> and just say look you you you're in

[53:07] violation >> now if we have the property owner

[53:10] specifically >> to because we're going to have sort of

[53:13] like a ticket book where we can show up at the house and physically tell them

[53:17] sign this you've been notified that is the best and proper notice that you can

[53:21] get from a from a but it still has to be the property owner to remedy that

[53:25] situation. Did we not approve an ordinance that if

[53:29] this is a um they often this happens very often that

[53:35] the second time once we do a notice that we can go and immediately pick up the

[53:39] garbage then >> and they're notice one time per calendar

[53:42] year in a 12 month cycle. Yeah. So this is it's a repeat offense same property

[53:46] once that property owner is noticed once. So we can go do that and then

[53:49] attach the leans if you all approve this attach the leans to the property tax

[53:53] payment. >> Good.

[53:56] That'll speed it up. >> Okay. But I want to make sure I'm clear

[53:59] on this and I hate to delay this, but what I hear you saying, and I hope I'm

[54:04] not I hope I'm hearing you wrong. If that the notice that you would give,

[54:10] you won't give it to the renter. You give it to the property owner who's

[54:14] often times is out of state. >> Correct.

[54:16] » Who says he doesn't know he or she doesn't know anything about it, but the

[54:19] renter just >> gets scot off scotch free.

[54:22] » The [clears throat] courtesy notice is now given to whoever's at the property.

[54:25] If that's the renter, >> but we don't act though based upon that

[54:28] cursing notice is given to the renter. Right.

[54:30] » Correct. We can't. >> We don't act on.

[54:32] » Correct. >> But there's 10 days.

[54:35] » Yeah. >> And it's taken care of.

[54:36] » Days they have a right to go. >> Yeah. So the notice the notice change

[54:39] will be different. So once we send the mail, then that is considered the start

[54:43] of the timeline on the notice. You all get that next month. But state law

[54:47] requires that we do notice the property owners. There's no way around that for

[54:50] us at this point. But we're going to make contact at the home and we're going

[54:55] to put out so both people get >> Yeah. So you will though what you just

[55:00] said you will still notify the renter. >> Yes.

[55:03] » Correct. That's with the courtesy notice.

[55:04] » Right. But we are required regardless to to send notice to the property owner

[55:09] regardless of where they live. >> And you will put a little fear in that

[55:12] renter [laughter] >> that you're going to do something.

[55:14] Right. I think you need

[55:20] » I was going to suggest that we send Richard to

[55:23] » let's get him a vest notepad and then go to and I have done it already.

[55:27] » We can do [laughter] that. Call me. >> All right.

[55:32] » Council, please vote. >> Motion pass 9 to zero.

[55:37] » All right. >> All right. Thank you guys. Move on to

[55:39] second reading. Item one is proposed budget amendment to reappropriate

[55:42] $24,183 to fund FY26 airport capital invoices.

[55:47] » Motion second. >> Motion second discussion. Council,

[55:50] please vote. >> Motion passed 9 to zero.

[55:53] » Item two, propose budget amendment to recognize and appropriate $160,381.31

[55:59] insurance recovery for sports plex wind damage.

[56:02] » Motion second. >> Motion second. Discussion. Council,

[56:05] please vote. >> Motion pass 9 to zero. Item three is

[56:08] proposed budget amendment to roll $17,000 in FY26 F bond funds for tennis

[56:14] court rehab. >> Motion second. Motion second.

[56:18] Discussion. Council, please vote. >> Motion pass 9 to zero.

[56:22] » Item four is proposed budget amendment to recognize $25,430

[56:26] in grant revenue from FY26 and to roll $78,29211

[56:32] in unexpended FY26 grant funds to FY27. So move second motion second discussion.

[56:39] » Yeah, explain that to somebody. Explain that please

[56:44] » for the public.

[56:49] » That's item four.

[56:56] » So we had several grants uh that were awarded in FY26.

[57:00] Uh some of those grants had actually um we had received the revenue for them

[57:04] already. uh and some of the grants we have not yet received the revenue but in

[57:07] in all cases those grants you had a budget amendment in FY26 recognizing the

[57:12] revenue and appropriating that money uh for expenditure as as it happened as we

[57:17] closed out FY26 like I said there was uh some of that revenue we had received but

[57:22] had not yet spent which is why the expenditure is higher than the revenue

[57:25] recognition >> all right

[57:26] » and then in some cases we had not received the revenue or spent any of the

[57:30] money which is why there's both revenue and expenditure on that budget amendment

[57:34] Okay, I'm satisfied. >> All right, any further discussion?

[57:37] Council, please vote. >> Motion pass 9 to zero.

[57:41] » Item five, proposed budget amendment to appropriate 20,000 for repair and

[57:45] maintenance at fairgrounds. So move. We have a motion. Second discussion.

[57:50] Council, please vote. >> Motion pass to zero.

[57:53] » Item six, proposed budget amendment to reappropriate 276,000 for purchase of

[57:58] mowers and anti- ice upgrades. >> Motion second. Two motions, two seconds.

[58:03] Uh discussion. Council, please vote. >> Motion pass 9 to0.

[58:07] » Item seven is proposed budget amendment to recognize and appropriate $86,31.90

[58:12] insurance recovery for sports flex for wind damage.

[58:15] » So move. >> Motion second. Discussion. Council,

[58:19] please vote. >> Motion pass 9 to zero.

[58:22] » Item eight, proposed budget amendment to appropriate $95,000 for purchase of

[58:26] Govwell permitting and code enforcement software.

[58:30] » So move. >> Second.

[58:31] » Motion second. Discussion. Council, please vote.

[58:35] » Motion pass 9 to zero. >> Item nine is proposed budget amendment

[58:38] to reappropriate $90,000 from donations to fire building capital for fire

[58:43] station one duck work. Motion >> second.

[58:45] » Motion second. Discussion. Council, please vote.

[58:49] » Motion pass 9 to zero. >> Item 10 is proposed budget amendment to

[58:52] amend [clears throat] definition of gender to comply with public chapter

[58:55] 938. >> So move.

[58:58] » Have a motion. >> Second.

[59:00] » Second. Discussion. Council, please vote.

[59:03] » Motion passes 90 to zero. >> Move on to new business. Item one's

[59:08] consideration of a resolution to support application for Tennessee Department

[59:11] Tourist Development Tourism Enhancement Grant.

[59:13] » So moved. >> Second.

[59:14] » Motion second. Discussion. >> I want discussion.

[59:17] » Yeah. Um so the the car tell me what this is going to do.

[59:22] » Sure. >> Yes. So the uh plan for this grant is

[59:28] essentially twoprong. first is to make some upgrades to the Carnegie Center

[59:32] that we think will best allow us to uh better maximalize the space. Right? So,

[59:37] you spend some time in the Carnegie. There's obviously the upstairs museum

[59:40] and then there's the theater downstairs as well as a classroom. The initial plan

[59:45] for the funds for this grant is one to do some needed upgrades to the theater

[59:51] as well as do a a refresh of that basement and including building in a

[59:56] concession stand. So currently, for example, let's say there's a play, a

[1:00:00] theater, or a show down there. Um we have no way or space to sell drinks,

[1:00:06] snacks, popcorn, things like that. This will be built into that space. Uh and

[1:00:11] then the second uh portion is what I would call is helping to drive foot

[1:00:15] traffic to the Carnegie as well as other places downtown. In May, this body

[1:00:20] reviewed and approved uh wayfinding signage throughout downtown from Jackson

[1:00:25] Downtown Development Corporation. And so part of the funds from this grant will

[1:00:29] help to actually pay for those signs that y'all have already reviewed and

[1:00:32] approved. So the idea of this is to really let's say someone comes in from

[1:00:37] another county downtown to the farmers market. Turn that one hour visit and say

[1:00:42] hey they see these wayfinding signage for things like shopping, retail,

[1:00:46] tourist attractions and have them spend instead of an hour maybe two to three

[1:00:50] hours downtown. That turns into maybe a lunch downtown. And so increasing that

[1:00:54] tourism spending dollars one by making more people aware of what we have to

[1:00:59] offer downtown and then also appro uh improving particularly the Carnegie as a

[1:01:04] as an attraction to spend time at. >> Okay. So I had mentioned before council

[1:01:08] to you and u Mr. little um that is a great entity and sight for the city and

[1:01:17] I've been somewhat disappointed with the there's just to me I thought after we um

[1:01:24] brought in Aaron and it's not a knock against him but that more events and it

[1:01:30] would be highlighted and there'd be more traffic and so I guess my thought is if

[1:01:37] we the city council approves this, it's going to be how much money and am I

[1:01:43] going to now be able to see y >> that you know explosion of tourists and

[1:01:51] you know foot traffic because of the upgrades that you're going to do.

[1:01:54] » Yeah, that's a great question. Uh so the grant funds that we are applying for is

[1:01:59] 100,000 and then as part of that our match is 30% which turns out to be about

[1:02:03] 42,500 and some change. Um that idea of better

[1:02:09] maximalizing that venue as well as our other city venues is totally understood

[1:02:14] and that's actually why um took the opportunity with Mr. Black retiring from

[1:02:20] parks and wreck to split tradition what I would call traditional parks from our

[1:02:23] public venues. And so now Jason Compton is over all of those venues to include

[1:02:28] Carnegie, Fairgrounds, Civic Center, the Ned, and Sportslex to help think more

[1:02:34] strategically about how do we maximalize these assets and I know he's here. He

[1:02:38] can talk more about those efforts, but we now have someone um who's over all

[1:02:42] these because you know um Conger Park is not like the Carnegie, right? They're

[1:02:47] they're very different. And so how do we make sure that we are using those to

[1:02:51] drive more tourism in our city? And so that is we now have [clears throat]

[1:02:55] someone whose basically sole focus is driving that at all of these venues.

[1:02:59] » And now we're we're also looking at the Legends Museum of taking it back to and

[1:03:02] then enhancing what what Steve talked about uh that music history to drive

[1:03:07] those tour buses and bring things downtown.

[1:03:10] Didn't the social media actually cease >> and there hasn't been

[1:03:16] » marketing going too and so like this is going to be part of it to be able to

[1:03:19] push this forward because if people don't know that it exists there's no way

[1:03:23] to come in >> right

[1:03:25] » so >> well you had mentioned that Ron that

[1:03:27] part of this was going to help enhance the marketing too

[1:03:30] » absolutely perfect

[1:03:32] » good morning mayor councel um over the last

[1:03:35] » now two months since uh I came into this role Uh we have been almost immediately

[1:03:41] when that started was when this period of transition kind of started at the at

[1:03:45] the Carnegie um and have been able really to dive into to the the building

[1:03:51] itself, but also uh what we can and the opportunities uh that that we should be

[1:03:56] capitalizing on. Um, we've been going through and we have just hired a new

[1:04:00] director. Um, Ebony Taylor, who was at the NED under David McCall for the last

[1:04:05] several years as the office manager and one of the creative uh, directors there

[1:04:09] at the NED is now our new director. Uh, her first day on the job was yesterday.

[1:04:14] Um, so going through that interview process uh really allowed uh and and and

[1:04:21] Ron was able to set in with that along with Beth Anne Simpson and uh and Miss

[1:04:25] Merryweather uh to to really talk about the ideas that we have for that building

[1:04:30] but also for the buildings that for the ideas that we have for our venues as a

[1:04:34] whole as we want more collaboration especially with our downtown venues. the

[1:04:40] the Carnegie itself uh is a historic I mean it's built in

[1:04:44] 1901 as one of the Carnegie free libraries and it and we we're lucky

[1:04:49] enough here in Jackson to have that here and then what the legends of uh music uh

[1:04:55] board and the and the Legends of Music Museum is doing up top and uh the revamp

[1:05:00] and and kind of relaunch of it is really exciting. But what we're able to do in

[1:05:06] the basement in that theater, uh I think uh in as late or as early as just in

[1:05:12] June, uh there were four soldout shows of Matilda that uh Lights Up Theater

[1:05:18] Company did in [clears throat] that basement. I mean, it was an amazing uh

[1:05:23] week of shows and it shows what we can do. Now, there's some TLC with an a

[1:05:28] building that is 125 years old and that and that theater wasn't always a

[1:05:33] theater. It was a multi-purpose room uh that was renovated into a theater uh in

[1:05:38] in the recent past. But in just looking at some things, new curtain and wanting

[1:05:43] to utilize that space with a new projector [clears throat] and a movie

[1:05:48] screen that if nothing else, we can show movies. We can have a lot of things

[1:05:52] going on in that space all the time. Now, it's 72 seats in the theater. So,

[1:05:58] it's never going to be something on the on the same line as the NED or what we

[1:06:03] could do at the civic center, but it's something that can be done in that space

[1:06:08] and whether it's a collaboration with what we're doing there and then they

[1:06:11] flow over to the NED and then flow over to the Carl Perkins Civic Center that we

[1:06:16] could do in conjunction with a lot of different things. Um, and then with

[1:06:20] what's going to happen up top, with what Steve and his group are going to be able

[1:06:23] to do to renovate and just relaunch the Legends of Music Museum. Um, but as Ron

[1:06:29] said, I mean, we're talking about, you know, just some paint and and and some

[1:06:34] just a little bit of renovations down there, an awning or something that we

[1:06:38] could do on the outside on the Church Street entrance that makes it look like

[1:06:42] there's a theater there, that something is going on all the time. And and that's

[1:06:47] the goal. not just at the Carnegie, but for all of our venues.

[1:06:50] » And the reason why we chose the Carnegie to pair um in this grant is kind of what

[1:06:54] you mentioned. It is such a unique asset and kind of underutilized. And so the

[1:06:58] whole point of this is how to better maximalize the space and then also how

[1:07:03] to tell people that it's there. And that's what the wayfinding signage

[1:07:07] component is and help drive people to not only that venue, but other things

[1:07:11] downtown, both city venues and um general restaurant, shopping, things

[1:07:16] like that. This [clears throat] is a kind of a

[1:07:19] sidebar. Some things disappeared from the Carnegie. 125 year old building and

[1:07:26] 12 25 year old checkout desk. Very unique.

[1:07:30] The checkout desk has disappeared. Other things have disappeared. Are we able to

[1:07:36] find those things that just magically >> disappeared?

[1:07:40] » Disappeared. >> This is the first I'm hearing of it. So,

[1:07:43] I mean, we're working on it. Yeah. Any further discussion on the item? Go

[1:07:48] ahead, Councilman Lawrence. >> This is an excellent project. We're

[1:07:50] lucky to have a great board working on this, but little housekeeping. Uh,

[1:07:54] [clears throat] this is a grant 30% match, which is $42,000, which was not

[1:07:58] budgeted. I mean, I'm going to vote for this, but why was it not budgeted?

[1:08:02] » Uh, to be honest with you, the grant just opened three weeks ago.

[1:08:05] » Good reason. >> So, we had no clue that it was

[1:08:07] available. >> Yeah, good reason.

[1:08:09] » And this would come to from the fund balance. Yes, we you would have to the

[1:08:12] match the 42,500 would be from fund balance in order to take advantage of

[1:08:16] this. Um I will tell you that uh also uh the deadline was last Friday. So the

[1:08:23] state department of tourism enhancement only had given three weeks to apply for

[1:08:26] this. I called and said we have a potential project. Um our council

[1:08:31] wouldn't be able to vote on it prior to next Friday and so they were willing to

[1:08:34] give us an extension to give you all the opportunity to consider this resolution.

[1:08:39] » Any further discussion? Council, please vote.

[1:08:42] » Motion pass line. >> All right. Thank you, gentlemen. Item

[1:08:46] two, consideration of a contract with Govwell for software services for public

[1:08:50] works, building, and planning. >> So, vote. Motion is there. Second.

[1:08:55] » Second. >> Second.

[1:08:55] » Second. Discussion. Council, please vote.

[1:09:00] » Motion passed 920. >> Item three is consideration of a

[1:09:03] temporary lease agreement with Shell's Barbecue, Soul Food, and More at the

[1:09:06] Farmers Market. >> So, move second. Motion second

[1:09:10] discussion. >> Yes.

[1:09:13] » Uh is anyone here?

[1:09:18] » You want discuss? >> She had a question about the lease.

[1:09:25] [clears throat] >> No one from the city here.

[1:09:28] » Several people from the city here. >> I mean from the department.

[1:09:32] » Uh Bruce Zack, you know.

[1:09:46] for Zach. Can you give us the explanation of the contract then let her

[1:09:51] speak? >> So, um Bruce spoke on this at agenda

[1:09:55] review. This is just a temporary lease. Uh there was confu confusion on the

[1:09:59] contract term and this is per Bruce, this is their busiest season of the

[1:10:05] summer. So instead of having us an empty slot, this is a temporary lease with the

[1:10:10] existing vendor till wintertime which we will put out another RFP looking for

[1:10:14] another person. So this is just a temporary thing till the uh next RFP

[1:10:19] goes out. >> Let me ask this. Is my understanding and

[1:10:23] and uh you and Miss uh give it I call her Miss Given. What's the last name?

[1:10:28] » Moore. >> Moore. You can help me out on this. Uh

[1:10:32] that was a lease entered into by by Shell's barbecue with the city for how

[1:10:36] long of a period of time? What was the term?

[1:10:38] » Um it's two terms. So two years. >> For two years.

[1:10:42] » Yes. >> All right. And then at the end of the

[1:10:45] second year, toward the end of the second year, a new lease was prepared by

[1:10:50] the city to give to Shell's Barbecue to enter into a third year. And after that

[1:11:00] new lease was signed by the owner, it was determined by the city that that was

[1:11:05] a mistake. That the city should not have done that uh because the term was up and

[1:11:11] and an RFP had to be issued. Is that right?

[1:11:14] » That's correct. >> Okay. And

[1:11:19] by the third lease that was prepared that was signed by her once that was

[1:11:26] signed and she was told that uh that was a error. It's my understanding ma'am

[1:11:33] that you wanted to continue the lease for a year but the city said let's do it

[1:11:39] to October to try to mitigate it to handle it. Is that right?

[1:11:44] » That's correct. Yes. Okay. So, the city wants to go to October, but you want to

[1:11:50] go to next June. Is that right? And then I'll let you explain, but is that right?

[1:11:55] » July. >> July.

[1:11:56] » Yes, sir. >> All right. That's okay. All right. Now,

[1:11:58] anything you want to say? >> Uh, good morning, mayor, vice mayor, and

[1:12:02] council. Um, I have did due diligence at the location at 70 New Market Street

[1:12:08] since 2024 July. Um I um did not have an notice to vacate uh my premises. I have

[1:12:19] uh did the honor of serving the um farmers market, serving all the amp um

[1:12:26] concerts. Uh any other event that's held in our um park that's adjacent to my uh

[1:12:33] restaurant. Uh my busiest peak season starts in [clears throat] October for

[1:12:39] holidays and um knowing that the economy is where it is now. It's a a a

[1:12:48] true death sentence to my business to not have anywhere to go right now. This

[1:12:53] is my livelihood. I've done great by the city of Jackson. I have no issues or

[1:12:58] concerns with anyone uh here. I don't have any police reports. I do great with

[1:13:04] my people all the way from uh South Africa, uh Europe. I have people that

[1:13:10] come all over for my business and I have nowhere to go right now. And uh this

[1:13:16] would do a a a great hardship to my business to just close up. October is

[1:13:22] sufficient for the farmers market and the amp concerts but is not sufficient

[1:13:26] for Shell's barbecue soul food and more because I still need to uh accommodate

[1:13:31] my customers in a timely manner. I have not seen a lease. I did not agree. I did

[1:13:37] not ask for a lease to October. That was untrue that I saw in agenda meeting. Um,

[1:13:43] but I did ask for them to give me at least a year to find a location for my

[1:13:50] business. And I I didn't This is the first day I've seen Zach probably about

[1:13:54] a year and a half, but I've had no communication with anybody but Mr. Bruce

[1:13:58] Bun. And so I would just like you all to do the right thing by my business,

[1:14:02] please. >> And one other thing, the make sure I got

[1:14:07] it right in my mind. preparation of the lease that was submitted to her that

[1:14:11] should not have been done. That was the city's fault.

[1:14:15] » Yes. That's on the farmers market. Yes. I'm speaking on behalf of them. Yeah. I

[1:14:19] was out of the loop of this and just brought into it.

[1:14:21] » Okay. And when it was taken to her, she signed it

[1:14:26] » from what I recall Bruce saying. >> Did you sign it?

[1:14:29] » Yes. I signed it 20 minutes later. He came back and said Zach said it was

[1:14:33] invalid. >> All right. Thank you.

[1:14:36] So, some context and history. So, this was done as a RFP.

[1:14:40] » Okay. >> The term of that bid was two years.

[1:14:43] Bruce misunderstood the contract term.

[1:14:47] » Yeah. >> Pre-prepared at least to get signed.

[1:14:50] Brought it back up to our office and said there was no more terms to sign. He

[1:14:54] had adequate time to know, hey, this needs to go out

[1:14:58] for RFP again. In working with Bruce, it's his peak season as he stated that

[1:15:04] he wanted to do a temporary lease. That way, it gives her a place to to be, but

[1:15:08] in that winter month, we will be putting it out or if he had to look for another

[1:15:11] vendor. >> Okay.

[1:15:13] » I can't I can't make I can make a motion, but I would

[1:15:16] » Yeah, I'd like >> I would encourage a motion to be made to

[1:15:18] extend the lease >> to the full term since it was presented

[1:15:21] to her and then we can do the RFP. >> That's where I was going. That's where I

[1:15:24] was going. I make the motion. >> Okay. Got a motion. to amend to amend

[1:15:28] the lease to the full year as opposed to October.

[1:15:30] » Yes. >> Yes.

[1:15:31] » Okay. >> Yes.

[1:15:34] » Questions on the motion to amend? >> Yes. Does that satisfy you and help you?

[1:15:38] » It does. I just I just wanted to make sure my business stays in standing until

[1:15:42] I can find a location. >> Okay. And

[1:15:46] » that would be lease in July or lease in June.

[1:15:48] » It >> end of July or end of June?

[1:15:50] » It's the end of July. July. >> So I I want to make sure that we're

[1:15:53] clear on that. So we're not >> So moved to the end of July.

[1:15:56] » Yeah. Thank you, Councilman Lawrence. >> I'm for this, but can we legally do

[1:16:00] that, Zach? >> Or should I ask?

[1:16:04] » The initial term came from the RFP and we're essentially establishing another

[1:16:08] year without competitive procurement. Um, the terms Bruce came up with the

[1:16:14] temporary till October was kind of a common sense approach to it. We need to

[1:16:18] have somebody in there for her to run her business. Um but

[1:16:24] it gives a competitive fair chance to others to also be part of that that

[1:16:28] vendor. But >> but the reason why you can do it is

[1:16:33] because you already did it. You extended it from whenever to October. So you

[1:16:38] established that you can do it. >> Yes.

[1:16:40] » This would just be establishing the term.

[1:16:42] » That's correct. You're you're essentially

[1:16:45] » recommending an update to what that contract term is till we put it out for

[1:16:48] RFP as well. You're extending the term of the lease ultimately.

[1:16:51] » Call for questions, Mr. Mayor. >> All right. Call for questions. All we

[1:16:54] got the motion to amend uh to to the end of July for the lease for Shell's

[1:17:00] Barbecue. That is that is what is on the motion to amend the So, we're not voting

[1:17:03] the whole thing. We're just right now we're just voting to amend the lease

[1:17:06] terms to that and then we'll come back and vote on the amended one. Okay. So,

[1:17:10] council, please vote. >> Motion pass 8 to one.

[1:17:14] » Okay. [snorts] >> A to zero.

[1:17:15] » All right. Yes. Councilman Hold Lisa. Now we're we're voting on the lease

[1:17:20] agreement as amended is what we're voting on right now.

[1:17:25] » Council, please vote. >> Motion pass 8 to zero.

[1:17:29] » All right. >> Thank you.

[1:17:30] » Thank you, council. >> Thank you.

[1:17:32] » That explained adequately. Everybody understand what we voted on? Okay.

[1:17:36] » No mistakes here. Item four is consideration of a resolution.

[1:17:40] » That's right. Right. Councilman, [laughter]

[1:17:43] » where's our tasting? Approving consolidated annual performance and

[1:17:46] evaluation report 20252026. >> Motion.

[1:17:52] » We have a motion. >> Second. A second. [clears throat]

[1:17:57] » Come on up here.

[1:18:08] » Good morning. >> Good morning.

[1:18:11] » Good morning. Um, as a recipient of HUD funding, we

[1:18:16] are required to submit to HUD um, a consolidated annual performance and

[1:18:22] evaluation report within 90 days of the close of our fiscal year, which was June

[1:18:26] 30th. So, this report is due to HUD by September 30th. Uh

[1:18:32] so for the fiscal year um 2526 we committed it committed and budgeted a

[1:18:38] total of $2.5 million that includes CDBG funding, home funding, uh car's act

[1:18:44] funding and home art funding. Of that 2.5 million, we expended a total of

[1:18:50] $851,57.

[1:18:54] Uh we expended these monies to work towards uh accomplishing our goals that

[1:18:59] we uh have in our action plan which are improved quantity and quality of

[1:19:03] affordable housing, expanding economic opportunities, providing suitable living

[1:19:08] environments, and expanding the capacity of homeless providers. With the $851,000

[1:19:14] um dollars expended, we worked with nonprofit agencies that we subfund

[1:19:20] um such as Boys and Girls Club, RIFA, West Legal Services, Financial

[1:19:25] Empowerment Center, um Jackson Center for Independent Living, Joan Affordable

[1:19:29] Housing, Southwest Resource Agency, uh to provide services and housing

[1:19:35] opportunities to uh the city of Jackson's low-income individuals and

[1:19:40] households. and we were able to serve $1,767,

[1:19:47] excuse me, households and individuals through public services and provide

[1:19:51] housing uh rehab or accessibility modifications or acquisition to for 25

[1:19:56] housing units um for the year. Any questions on the report?

[1:20:02] » What is defined as services? >> Excuse me.

[1:20:05] » What is defined as services? Public services could be um employment training

[1:20:11] um like Boys and Girls Club. They have after school and summer programs. Rifle

[1:20:16] does the snack backpack program. Legal services does advocacy and counseling

[1:20:20] for fair housing, things of that nature. >> We have another question. Another one.

[1:20:24] » No, I just want to say thank you for what you're doing. That was really

[1:20:27] great. >> Thank you. We appreciate you all support

[1:20:29] with it >> all around the area.

[1:20:32] » Yes. >> Around Central.

[1:20:33] » Mark, we appreciate you too. [laughter]

[1:20:37] very much. >> Any further discussion? Council, please

[1:20:41] vote. >> Motion pass 8 to zero.

[1:20:45] » Thank you. >> Thank you all.

[1:20:46] » Good work, T. [laughter] >> You look good.

[1:20:50] » Item five is consideration committee and board appointments, Jackson Housing

[1:20:52] Authority, reappointment of Mandy Henderson.

[1:20:54] » So moved. >> Second. Motion second. Discussion.

[1:20:57] Council, please vote. >> Motion passes 8 to zero.

[1:21:02] » Housing Commission, the appointment of Jim Hullbrook and reappointment of Dr.

[1:21:04] Vicky Lake and Adam Johnson. >> Motion.

[1:21:06] » Second. >> Motion.

[1:21:07] » Second. Discussion. >> Quick.

[1:21:08] » Quick. Quick. Quick. [snorts] >> Do you Do you have to live in Jackson to

[1:21:12] be on the boards? >> Okay. So, I don't know. I mean, Mr.

[1:21:16] Hullbrook, it shows his address in Humbult. So, I was just curious, did it

[1:21:20] change? >> He lives in Madison County at Smith

[1:21:22] Road. >> That's okay.

[1:21:23] » It's Madison County. >> And the reason is is he's the CFO for

[1:21:27] JA. And with JA's impact on infrastructure costs of housing, that's

[1:21:31] why he was nominated. As long as it's Madison County, that's opportunity.

[1:21:36] » Thank you. >> Right. Uh council, please vote.

[1:21:40] » Motion pass 8 to zero. >> All right. Item six, budget amendment

[1:21:43] sunshine less than 10,000. Item seven, consideration of invoice over 10,000.

[1:21:47] » Motion second. Motion second. Discussion.

[1:21:49] » Council, please vote. >> Motion pass 8 to zero.

[1:21:54] » Before we adjourn, I just want to say thank you. It's a testament to these

[1:21:56] young people, parents. I see a bunch of parents that started the meeting that

[1:21:59] are finishing the meeting with us. You didn't leave when youth council was over

[1:22:01] with. So, thank you for that. [applause]

[1:22:07] » No further business coming before the council. This meeting is adjourned.

City of Jackson, TN September 1, 2026 City Council Meeting

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