[0:00] So, we're meeting for the month of August.

[0:03] 8 months down and 3 more to go, hopefully.

[0:06] Maybe December we supposed to be, like, solid, but who knows.

[0:11] So I've asked Commissioner Evans to do the pledge, and I'm going to do the prayer.

[0:17] Will y'all please stand, please? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[0:22] My Heavenly Father, once again we come assembling to represent you,

[0:27] that you use us to do the things that you'll be well pleased with.

[0:32] Father, bless this meeting tonight. Bless everyone in this room.

[0:37] Bless all of our families, dear Lord. Bless our children, dear Lord.

[0:42] Bless our school system. Bless our first responders.

[0:46] And bless our young men, women, boys,

[0:49] and girls in the military on foreign soil as they protect us and allow us to be able

[0:56] to assemble freely as we do.

[0:58] Father, we pray that you would just use us to do what's right and let us do the

[1:04] things that you'll be well pleased with,

[1:07] because we can't do anything unless you let us do it.

[1:11] And the things that we do, Lord, We know if we're doing it for you,

[1:17] then it can't be nothing but right.

[1:19] And Lord Jesus, we ask a special blessing upon those that are going through maybe

[1:26] bereavement, sickness.

[1:27] And Father, things that I fail to ask you for, please fail not to grant.

[1:33] These and all blessings we ask and we pray in your name, the mighty name of Jesus.

[1:39] Thank you, one eternal God. Amen.

[1:42] Amen.

[1:43] Please join me in the salute to the flag.

[1:45] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

[1:51] United States of America and to the Republic

[1:51] for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible,

[1:55] with liberty and justice for all.

[2:00] Thank you all for that.

[2:06] Let's see. Let the meeting reflect all members are here tonight.

[2:12] And, uh, can I get approval of the agenda?

[2:16] Commissioner Hollinsworth, can I get a second on that? Commissioner Evans.

[2:23] All in favor of the agenda, let it be known by the sound of aye.

[2:29] Aye.

[2:29] I have heard the motion passes. The agenda is approved.

[2:33] Have we all had a chance to look over the minutes?

[2:36] From the prior meeting of July?

[2:38] We did.

[2:38] What we'll do is just let those minutes stand

[2:45] as read. Public comments.

[2:48] Is anybody signed up for public comments back

[2:54] there? Okay. Nick Beck.

[2:58] What would you like to speak on, Mr. Beck?

[3:04] I'd like to speak on the county park project.

[3:06] I don't have a whole long-winded speech.

[3:09] If it would be better for me to wait till right before the agenda item,

[3:13] I can do that.

[3:14] Uh, either way, if you want to do it, you can speak now or wait to the end,

[3:18] whatever you want to do.

[3:20] Uh, I'll wait till then. Okay.

[3:24] All right, sir. That's all.

[3:25] All right, so I'm going to read this about the public comment since we got someone

[3:30] speaking on public comment.

[3:32] To provide public comment germane to a specific agenda item,

[3:36] please complete and return a public form available in person immediately prior to

[3:41] the scheduled meeting.

[3:42] Additionally, there are 2 defined public comment periods for county business

[3:47] comment periods for county business whereby

[3:47] no sign-up is required.

[3:49] At the discretion of the chairperson, public comment is limited to 30 minutes.

[3:54] Aggregates With 3 minutes per speaker distributed across 3 sessions:

[3:58] the outset of the meeting, during specific agenda items,

[4:02] and at the conclusion of county business.

[4:04] All comments shall be addressed to the body rather than any one member,

[4:09] and there will be no rebuttal thereafter. As we move forward, Health Department, Mr.

[4:14] Kenny.

[4:14] Good evening, everyone. I just have an MOU with Murray Regional Medical Center.

[4:19] It's non-monetary. Simply,

[4:21] this is allowing us to send staff to their mom and baby unit to allow us to complete

[4:27] women, infants, and children visits.

[4:29] This assists in not having a mom who needs these benefits come into the health

[4:34] department physically with a new baby, possibly postpartum C-section,

[4:39] so we can complete the visit in the hospital in the unit while they're there.

[4:44] So all this MOU is stating is that we're allowed in there and following their

[4:49] security protocols Okay, we just need to move that forward. Yes, sir.

[4:54] All right, can I get a motion to move that forward, please?

[4:57] Commissioner Strand, seconded by Commissioner Hollinsworth. All in favor?

[5:02] Any questions? We're moving it forward.

[5:05] Thank you.

[5:06] Also, we do have a date on our Fight Flu Tennessee event.

[5:08] This is statewide every year.

[5:09] Health departments across the state offer free flu shots.

[5:12] It's going to be October 20th. That's a Tuesday.

[5:14] As soon as we get more information and locations determined on where we will be

[5:17] locations determined on where we will be in

[5:18] the community to offer this, I'll get that out to everybody.

[5:23] All right. You got an announcement as well? Is that your announcement?

[5:29] That's it, yeah.

[5:29] Okay.

[5:30] That's it? That's it? Okay. Any questions for Mr. Kinney?

[5:35] Anyone?

[5:37] Madam Mayor?

[5:38] I just wanted to remind him that the announcement is on here for the Regional

[5:42] announcement is on here for the Regional Health

[5:43] Office open house.

[5:44] Oh, sorry.

[5:45] Thank you for reminding me.

[5:49] Friday, is it August 21st? I don't have the address memorized, but Honey Farms

[5:54] the address memorized, but Honey Farms Way.

[5:54] So it's 2 buildings down from the McDonald's on Highway 31.

[5:58] Our new regional health office,

[6:00] which has been across from Hospitalets Daycare right next to the hospital urgent

[6:05] care for the last 30-plus years, they finally got a new building and are

[6:09] finally got a new building and are relocating.

[6:10] Moving week is current right now,

[6:12] and the ribbon cutting and grand opening will be the 21st.

[6:16] And I was— I sent the flyer and we can share that with everyone, but all is

[6:21] share that with everyone, but all is welcome.

[6:21] Thank you.

[6:22] All right, sir. Is there any question for Mr. Kinney other than that? That's it, Mr.

[6:29] Kinney?

[6:29] Thank you.

[6:30] Thank you, sir. Solid Waste, Mr. Turner.

[6:35] Good evening.

[6:43] Good evening.

[6:45] Just want to provide a couple updates.

[6:48] We did finish cleaning up our brush, so that is all gone.

[6:51] And then we took 672 tons of material that we diverted from a landfill from that.

[6:56] And I calculated some numbers up for some of the diversions for what we did last

[7:01] fiscal year. I emailed those out, and I did notice I missed one item on there,

[7:06] which is clothing. So I'll send out a revised on that.

[7:09] So we have those America Thrift Stores drop box at the centers.

[7:13] And they are basically goodwill at the center.

[7:15] So I'll revise this and send that back out.

[7:18] But I did want to highlight,

[7:20] after purchasing that burner box just from this one event,

[7:23] saved the county about $32,000 versus disposal of that wood waste.

[7:27] So other items that are larger quantity would be cardboard and metal has continued

[7:32] to be very lucrative items for us,

[7:34] and we're going to hopefully see that going forward.

[7:37] A new one for us this go-around that we started a couple months back is e-waste,

[7:42] and it's— I'm not going to say it's going to be a high-dollar item,

[7:46] but it is working out to be a lucrative item,

[7:49] and it's making sense for us to do that.

[7:51] So, going forward, just kind of continuing with the true-up for last fiscal year,

[7:56] convenience centers took almost 15,000 tons of waste that was processed through

[8:01] tons of waste that was processed through our

[8:01] transfer station, which took a total of 30— almost 32,000 tons of waste.

[8:06] For the last fiscal year.

[8:07] And then continuing with what I presented last time I was here, the financial data—

[8:12] I sent that out as well— continuing to trend upwards.

[8:15] So I think that if we keep this up for another couple of months, we'll

[8:20] another couple of months, we'll essentially—

[8:20] hopefully, if we keep the trend we're going—

[8:23] almost catch up with what we were doing before the city left.

[8:27] So everything seems to be moving in a pretty, pretty good direction there.

[8:31] Good deal. Is that all you have, Mr. Matthew?

[8:35] Pretty much, yeah.

[8:37] Is that it?

[8:39] Yes, sir.

[8:40] Any question from Ms. Matthew? Okay. Um, any question from the committee?

[8:45] No from committee. Commissioner Sumner?

[8:47] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[8:49] Is the burn box better than a grinder? I'm, I'm asking for Mr.

[8:53] Evans' benefit. No, I want to know if the burn box is better than the

[8:57] grinder.

[9:00] Mr. Turner?

[9:00] Personally, I believe so, yes.

[9:01] That is my opinion.

[9:02] Thank you.

[9:03] All right. You're on for this guy. Commissioner Grody?

[9:09] Is there any way that in the future you—

[9:12] are we still adding new customers every month?

[9:16] Like, if you could have like a sentence about how many new customers we add every

[9:22] month, that would help. Okay.

[9:25] I think we might have added one this last thing.

[9:27] That's probably why I didn't include it.

[9:28] Just a running total maybe, or running monthly total that we add. Thank you.

[9:36] All right. Thank you. Mr. Burkhardt.

[9:38] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[9:40] Matt, did I understand you to say your metal waste that you're selling,

[9:45] it's pretty lucrative right now? Did I hear— did I understand that?

[9:50] We just put that out for rebid with the new fiscal year.

[9:53] We're getting 9 cents a pound for the metal.

[9:54] 9 cents a pound?

[9:55] Correct.

[9:56] Is, is that a yearly contract?

[10:00] Yes.

[10:00] It is a yearly, and who got that?

[10:03] Waste Solutions of Tennessee.

[10:05] Okay, where are they located at?

[10:08] The facility is located in, I believe, Williamson County. It's up Carter's Creek.

[10:12] It's the old B. Miller location.

[10:13] Okay, so do you have to haul it to them?

[10:17] Yes, we do.

[10:17] Okay, and you put that out to bid?

[10:22] That's correct, yeah.

[10:22] Okay, okay, and I was just wondering if it would have been—

[10:26] I guess you've got to go with the high bid because it seems that's—

[10:30] I don't know what you were getting for it, where you were taking it to.

[10:35] Bids from last year were 6, 6.5 cents, so it was more.

[10:39] We did factor, you know, Last year when we did this, we did factor in travel time.

[10:44] This year there was a mix-up and some confusion from some of our previous people

[10:50] confusion from some of our previous people who

[10:50] bidded, and there was only one bidder, so that kind of tied our hands.

[10:55] Oh, yeah. So you only had one bidder this year?

[10:58] That's correct, yep.

[10:59] Oh, wow.

[11:00] Okay.

[11:01] All right.

[11:02] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[11:03] All right. Matthews, I think that's it.

[11:05] Nobody else has chimed in, so— You're good to go, sir.

[11:09] Thank you.

[11:09] Thank you. Water Department, Mr. Schultz. I don't see him.

[11:13] There he is back there, hiding on us tonight.

[11:17] You was not in your usual spot.

[11:19] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a brief update on our water connection with HBNTS.

[11:26] We are, you know, on schedule with that to be through by the end of September.

[11:34] September.

[11:35] And with that, I'll answer any questions anyone may have.

[11:39] Anyone have any questions for Mr. Schultz?

[11:42] Anyone on the committee? Anyone, commissioners?

[11:46] Yes, Commissioner Burkhardt.

[11:48] Mr. Chairman, Todd, you say you are on schedule for

[11:53] that connection there out on 431, that's correct?

[11:57] Yes, sir, that's correct.

[11:59] Okay.

[12:00] When—

[12:02] I know where you're going to be putting the water tank there on Jim Warren.

[12:06] When is that going to start? You start seeing something there?

[12:09] That could be—

[12:10] we're hoping to bid that tank by fall.

[12:13] We've got plans in review right now to be sent off to TDEC.

[12:17] You know, all of that has to be done,

[12:20] and then the bidding process will start once those are approved.

[12:25] So, and you're looking at probably Probably an 18-month construction period

[12:31] Probably an 18-month construction period on the,

[12:31] on the tank itself.

[12:33] And that's going to be a 2 million gallon tank?

[12:35] Yes, sir, that is correct.

[12:36] And your tank on Ash Hill is 200,000?

[12:39] That is correct.

[12:40] Are you going to keep them both?

[12:41] I would think once everything is in service, that's going to be, you know,

[12:48] a good period of time, but that the 200,000 gallon tank would come down.

[12:54] Okay.

[12:55] And, you know, be replaced completely by the 2 million gallon tank.

[13:00] Because I, I see something going on around the tank there, and that may be the, uh,

[13:04] the golf course doing that. I didn't know what that— whether that was you or them.

[13:09] That is the golf course.

[13:11] They own all of the property around the existing tank.

[13:14] Okay, so is your 2 million gallon tank gonna make the calendar Hope so.

[13:21] Okay, thank you.

[13:25] Thank you.

[13:25] Is that all you got?

[13:25] Yes, thank you.

[13:26] Anyone else? That's about it, Mr. Ray— I mean, Mr. Schultz.

[13:32] Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

[13:33] Thank you.

[13:34] All right, Mr. Ray, Parks and Rec.

[13:47] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[13:49] While Wayne's hooking up a presentation,

[13:53] I'll be glad to try to answer any questions anybody might have,

[13:58] if you have any. And the presentation pertains to the agenda item.

[14:04] Mr. Redding, hold on just a second.

[14:05] Sure.

[14:06] Mr. Beck, you ready to speak now? Yes, sir.

[14:10] Well, I'm going to yield to Wayne. He's going to do this presentation.

[14:15] We were here in May and showed you an overview of what we were looking at at

[14:20] overview of what we were looking at at Murray

[14:21] County Park. We've narrowed that down to a first phase,

[14:24] and that's what you'll be seeing. And I will step aside.

[14:28] Okay.

[14:29] Thank you.

[14:29] Would you like Mr. Bick to speak now?

[14:34] Yeah, go ahead if you want to.

[14:36] I'm happy to go after Wayne.

[14:37] Okay, that'd be fine. Go ahead, Wayne.

[14:39] All right, so as Mr.

[14:41] Ray said, if you remember, we came to Budget Committee in May,

[14:46] asked for some funding.

[14:48] We presented you with a, um,

[14:50] with a 35,000-foot view plan of improvements to Murray County Park.

[14:56] And, um, so you guys approved that.

[14:59] Uh, it was a $300,000 ask, and that was to bring you back a GMP.

[15:04] Well, we got to work quickly on that.

[15:07] Soon after that, I got with Jamie Spencer with Hewlett Spencer, Bell Construction,

[15:13] George Neuberger, and said, hey guys,

[15:16] can we get a GMP to this commission by the first week in August?

[15:22] And they all passed out, and once they came to, they said, yeah, we'll do our

[15:28] came to, they said, yeah, we'll do our best.

[15:28] So kudos to all those guys. They worked really hard.

[15:33] And we had a call from 9:00 to 10:45 this morning kind of wrapping this up,

[15:39] but we got to that. So if you— so as Mr.

[15:42] Ray said, we have to phase this project because we have to get rid of something to

[15:49] make space for something else, and we'll talk about that in a minute.

[15:54] But Phase 1 Is relocation of the parks maintenance facility and then relocation

[16:01] maintenance facility and then relocation of

[16:01] Little League complex. And we'll do an overview of all of that shortly.

[16:07] But if you remember in that plan that we presented,

[16:11] our maintenance facility sits right here in this building.

[16:16] And so Part— the biggest part of that plan was cleaning up this whole area.

[16:22] The senior center sits here, our park office here, Baker Building,

[16:27] maintenance facility.

[16:29] And then this area here is where we store our equipment and things of that nature,

[16:35] right beside Columbia Central High School.

[16:39] So part of phase 1 is relocating this maintenance facility and this equipment

[16:45] storage area all the way back here to Casey Lane.

[16:49] Okay.

[16:51] The park property runs all the way back to the sharp curve on Casey Lane.

[16:55] For those of us that have been around a while,

[16:57] that's where the old driver testing center used to sit before it was torn down.

[17:01] Mm-hmm.

[17:01] So that property is actually part of Murray County Park property.

[17:06] So to get our shop, our maintenance facility,

[17:09] our storage facility out of the front of the park so that you guys don't have to

[17:14] drive by it anytime you come in the park,

[17:17] Anybody that comes to Columbia Central has to drive by that.

[17:21] We thought it would be better to get it moved back here, kind of out of sight,

[17:27] out of mind, and give a better appearance to the front of the park.

[17:31] So that's part of phase 1.

[17:33] And again, for us to clean up this whole area in the front of the park,

[17:38] we've got to get rid of something first.

[17:41] So we have to get rid of that maintenance facility.

[17:44] And we have to have somewhere to go before we get rid of it.

[17:48] So that's why we included it in Phase 1.

[17:51] As I said, the maintenance shop and equipment storage currently sits there,

[17:56] and then we're proposing to relocate it to the rear of the property.

[18:01] That way it makes way for future park improvements and in a less visible area.

[18:06] So this is just a real quick view of the proposed maintenance facility.

[18:11] It's a 40 by 80 building with 2 20-foot side sheds.

[18:15] It's the exact same size as the maintenance building we have now.

[18:19] So we didn't try to come in and design some type of Taj Mahal or something like

[18:25] that. Gravel parking area for employees.

[18:27] This road right here indicates the drive that goes to the back of the park,

[18:33] and Casey Lane will sit out here. So it's pretty simple. It's a 2-bay shop.

[18:38] Okay.

[18:38] With one small office, a break room, and some storage area.

[18:43] And so we'll house our equipment under the 2 side sheds,

[18:48] and then we'll have the 40 by 80 shop area there.

[18:52] So then that's the small item, but the bigger item, the Little League complex—

[18:58] and I'll show you some pictures in a minute— but it is— It's a big deal.

[19:03] It is just a facility that's lived its life.

[19:07] And it— to put it nicely, somebody in here maybe can say how old,

[19:12] what year it was built, but in the '60s.

[19:15] '64.

[19:16] '64. So if my math is correct, it's 60 years old this year.

[19:22] So—

[19:22] 62. 62. So my math wasn't correct.

[19:26] So—

[19:26] I'm only 45, so I don't— So it was long before me.

[19:30] But that's a facility that there's minimum amount of funds that come out of our

[19:35] budget that go into that facility. The league is pretty much self-sufficient.

[19:41] I'm not sitting here and saying that we don't help them out from time to time,

[19:46] but the help they get from us is minimal,

[19:49] that they're able to operate that facility.

[19:52] In 2010, we applied for a grant To put in new lighting.

[19:56] But beyond that, that's the only big-ticket item that's ever came from us.

[20:01] So for the most part, what you see there is what the community has done themselves.

[20:06] So moving that complex,

[20:08] it provides a facility that's safer and more user-friendly for everyone.

[20:13] And I'm going to show you some pictures,

[20:16] and a lot of you guys have spent some time there,

[20:19] and you know what I'm talking about when I say that.

[20:23] Yes.

[20:24] That is not a very user-friendly facility. Its accessibility is horrible.

[20:29] We can— I can make a whole list of things that aren't good about that facility,

[20:34] but it has served a purpose and it served a purpose for a long time.

[20:39] The 3rd bullet there provides safer and more parking areas.

[20:43] When we first started talking about this,

[20:46] Al and I got together and we looked and we said, you know, we can do some things,

[20:52] maybe we can make some things better.

[20:54] We could spend a bunch of money to try to improve it at its current site,

[20:59] but then we still have a parking problem.

[21:02] And anybody that's spent any time out there knows as well,

[21:06] on a Monday night during baseball season, that parking is horrendous and we're all—

[21:12] We're all in agreement.

[21:14] Blessed and grateful that we haven't had a tragic event out there with young kids

[21:19] because there's, there's really no designated parking.

[21:23] They just park where they can park.

[21:25] And we could fix it on its site, we could spend a bunch of money,

[21:30] but we still wind up putting lipstick on a pig.

[21:33] So we, we decided we're better off to move somewhere else.

[21:37] And then the last bullet,

[21:39] a new complex allows us to generate some tax dollars through tourism.

[21:44] And we would be able to host—

[21:46] lease that facility out for people to host tournaments on the weekends,

[21:51] bringing people in. Those are the kind of tax dollars we like.

[21:55] Somebody else comes, spends their money, and then they leave and go back home.

[22:00] So that allows us that opportunity.

[22:03] So just a few pictures if you haven't been around.

[22:06] And these were taken just last week.

[22:09] You know, people with mobility issues have trouble in the gravel areas.

[22:16] It—

[22:17] everything there needs replacing, from the fences to the dugouts.

[22:22] For a while, I said everything there needs to be gone except the lights,

[22:28] and then we realized that time gets away from us and the lights themselves are 15

[22:34] years old. So it— If you look,

[22:36] this is going up to the front steps from the parking lot.

[22:41] This old drain doesn't work most of the time.

[22:44] Again, access to the area—

[22:46] this is how you access the concession stand from the parking lot.

[22:51] Nothing compliant about any of it. This sidewalk— Mr.

[22:55] Provetti might remember this, but last year Called and said, hey,

[23:00] you guys need to go look at something down there. And we did. What was it?

[23:06] There was a crack right here, that little white area,

[23:10] where the sidewalk is falling away.

[23:13] And we went in and patched it best we could, but it's falling away for a reason.

[23:19] It's because all that concrete has deteriorated to the point where there's

[23:25] deteriorated to the point where there's really

[23:25] not much you can do with it.

[23:27] So right beside that,

[23:29] you can see this sidewalk is falling away from the Concession stand.

[23:34] So we without a doubt have stability issues.

[23:37] And then this is the ramp on the Major League side,

[23:41] another access point to get to the bleachers and to the concession area, but

[23:47] bleachers and to the concession area, but again,

[23:48] nothing compliant about it.

[23:50] The restroom facilities that were built a few years ago through The league were able

[23:56] to raise those funds.

[23:58] They did the best they could do with them,

[24:01] but no accessibility to get to those as well.

[24:05] We are— we hold our breath every day waiting on the ADA lawsuit that's coming

[24:10] because of this place.

[24:12] So this is the proposed— if you remember, and maybe I need to Back up to remind you.

[24:19] But if you remember, this is the current Little League complex.

[24:24] And in that plan we presented in May, we proposed that we,

[24:28] we take this complex and go and move it to this area of the park.

[24:33] And for those that have been around a while, what used to be the softball

[24:39] while, what used to be the softball complex.

[24:39] So we handed this off to architects, engineers, and said, hey,

[24:44] see if you can make this work in this area.

[24:47] And this is what Joe Haddix with Heritage Civil came back with.

[24:52] And so a 3-field complex with just a concession stand.

[24:58] There—

[24:58] this little square here represents an existing restroom facility that has been

[25:03] there. We would still be able to utilize that,

[25:06] so we don't have to build restrooms to accommodate the area.

[25:09] Okay.

[25:10] So just the concession stand, storage area,

[25:14] a small dressing room for officials would sit in that building,

[25:19] and then a 3-field artificial turf complex that,

[25:23] that gets rid of all of our maintenance, ongoing maintenance for that facility,

[25:30] allows us to avoid rainouts,

[25:32] allows us to spend more time playing and less time working.

[25:37] So this— that's— We would put in 8 handicapped parking spots in this area.

[25:43] One difference from this drawing,

[25:46] that is the fairgrounds where the carnival sets up for the fair.

[25:51] That would remain as a gravel lot, which would accommodate parking,

[25:57] but we would have hard surface handicapped parking here for those that need it.

[26:04] And then the stadium, the football stadium that sits here, there could be parking.

[26:11] They could park there and actually walk across as well.

[26:15] So that is a really quick overview of what we're proposing tonight.

[26:21] And before they— before Jamie comes up with his part,

[26:26] I'll take any questions anybody may have.

[26:29] Okay.

[26:34] What did you say the cost of that was?

[26:35] I'm going to let Jamie break it in and tell you.

[26:38] Okay. Okay. All right.

[26:40] We're going to go with the committee first,

[26:43] and then we'll get the rest of the commissioners to voice their opinion on

[26:48] commissioners to voice their opinion on this.

[26:49] Commissioner Strand.

[26:50] Thank you, Chair.

[26:54] I've got a couple questions.

[26:55] One of them was the cost of the 40 by 80, but we'll talk to Jamie about that one,

[27:00] huh? The other question is,

[27:02] I've been working with developers in the neighborhood on a proposed development

[27:07] between the railroad track and the big curve on Casey Lane,

[27:10] right where you're going to put your maintenance thing.

[27:14] Is that—

[27:15] will the entrance be off Casey Lane? Well, there's an entrance there now.

[27:18] Yeah, there is one now.

[27:20] Yes, sir.

[27:20] And so you'll be using that entrance to get in there. How much traffic is it?

[27:25] How much traffic? Yeah, will you be—

[27:27] So that entrance would just be used by our maintenance staff.

[27:31] So you're, you're not going to have vehicles coming in and out of there?

[27:36] We will, but so we have 9 full-time maintenance staff year-round and then

[27:40] maintenance staff year-round and then another 9

[27:41] or 10 more during the— Insignificant number of that, right?

[27:45] Any big trucks or any of that kind of thing?

[27:48] No, sir, I wouldn't— I'm going to hear this question again.

[27:51] No, obviously, if we were to have deliveries, you know,

[27:55] which are very rare in what we do, we may have some big truck come in there,

[28:00] but that would, that would not be enough to even worry about.

[28:04] Okay.

[28:04] Thank you.

[28:05] Thank you, Chair.

[28:05] Uh, we kind of broke protocol here. We were supposed to let Mr.

[28:09] Beck go after you got through speaking. So, Mr.

[28:12] Beck, you can speak now, sir.

[28:25] Chairman, do you want me to hit my time button here or let you—

[28:28] You have to take care of it.

[28:29] Okay, perfect. Thank you for my 3 minutes.

[28:32] I'm currently the secretary for the Columbia American Little League Board of

[28:37] Directors. I have a number of my colleagues with me.

[28:41] This represents about a third of the board.

[28:44] I'd like to recognize Nathan McBroom,

[28:46] head coach of the 8U state champion coach-pitch team, and his son Crosby

[28:51] coach-pitch team, and his son Crosby McBroom.

[28:52] You know, Columbia sheds a lot of light across the state as far as Little League

[28:57] baseball is concerned. I'd like to second everything Mr.

[29:01] Lindsey just said about the ballpark and accessibility issues.

[29:06] If we had Some pictures from a week or so ago when we got those 3 inches of rain in

[29:11] about an hour. Even more of that gravel floats up and moves around,

[29:16] gets onto your grass infield, does those things. Mr. Bilbo and Mr.

[29:21] Wooliver take great care of the ball field and make it look as good as they can.

[29:26] The best thing about the ballpark is the playing surface.

[29:30] If we could take that playing surface and move it somewhere to a more accessible

[29:36] area, that would be fantastic.

[29:38] Thank you.

[29:38] But we just can't do that.

[29:40] The area around it, when I see— when we host state tournaments,

[29:45] which we do almost annually,

[29:48] it's embarrassing when somebody's grandparent in a wheelchair that wants to

[29:53] grandparent in a wheelchair that wants to come see

[29:54] their son or granddaughter come play at the ballpark,

[29:58] and you just kind of grit your teeth from far away, watch them struggle,

[30:04] try to get up.

[30:05] I agree.

[30:06] to where they, they possibly can.

[30:08] And heaven forbid they have to use the restroom while they're there.

[30:13] It's, it's borderline impossible.

[30:15] So they usually just end up parking on the road up there, kind of across from 4-H,

[30:21] and, and watch the games from there when, when they can. As far as what, what Mr.

[30:26] Lindsey said about being able to host things on the weekend,

[30:31] I think all of us take our children on the road For travel ball tournaments.

[30:36] We— there's nothing for baseball in Columbia.

[30:39] You know, Ridley Park is now hosting a significant number of events for softball,

[30:44] for baseball. We routinely go to Tullahoma, Muscle Shoals, Murfreesboro.

[30:49] We recently participated in the 11-year-old state tournament in

[30:54] 11-year-old state tournament in Murfreesboro.

[30:55] I drove there 5 consecutive days in a row to play.

[30:58] 11 innings worth of baseball because of rain.

[31:01] If we could have pivoted to a turf field,

[31:04] we could have had this thing done in 2 days.

[31:07] You could have had 8 teams from all across the state playing ball.

[31:11] And with these fields, I have no doubt that we'll host one, if not several,

[31:17] Little League state tournaments annually,

[31:19] with teams coming from as far as Johnson City and Upper East Tennessee.

[31:24] I think this project is a worthwhile Solution, 1964.

[31:28] It's been plenty of time to build another ballpark. Thank you for your time.

[31:33] Yes, sir. Thank you. Commissioner Kuzawinski, I jumped over you.

[31:41] Thank you, Chairman. A few questions for you, Mr. Lindsey.

[31:44] Kind of following up with what Commissioner Strahan was talking about

[31:48] Commissioner Strahan was talking about with the

[31:48] entrance being over there off of Casey Lane.

[31:51] You're right in the heart of my district over there,

[31:54] and how noticeable is that maintenance building going to be from Casey Lane?

[31:58] Are my constituents going to call me and tell me, you know,

[32:01] why do we have an ugly building over here?

[32:03] And so that's a big concern of mine I've got on there.

[32:06] Right, understandable. That was one of the first issues we addressed with Mr.

[32:13] Neuberger, our architect,

[32:15] as we began to talk about this and realizing that The question would be

[32:22] realizing that The question would be brought.

[32:23] We would hide that building with vegetation, arborvitae, some type of large

[32:30] vegetation, arborvitae, some type of large plants,

[32:30] basically. We would use the landscape to kind of hide that building.

[32:36] City of Columbia is not fond of metal buildings, but it will be—

[32:42] it will not be an eyesore.

[32:45] Okay.

[32:46] And we'll make sure of that.

[32:47] And you had mentioned earlier that there may be occasional deliveries coming

[32:51] may be occasional deliveries coming through

[32:51] there, but obviously that is— that's already posted.

[32:54] You're not supposed to have big rigs coming through there and stuff like that.

[32:58] That's something that my constituents have already complained about with enforcing

[33:03] that. So putting the entrance back there and still having deliveries,

[33:06] it seems like that's going to create an issue that I'd like to head off before we

[33:11] can—

[33:11] And if that's it, so The number of deliveries we get from big trucks is, you

[33:15] deliveries we get from big trucks is, you know,

[33:16] you can count on one hand how many we get in a year.

[33:19] So we'll still have entrances off of Line Parkway.

[33:22] So if that were an issue, we can always take care of it from that way.

[33:26] OK. Another question, and you kept on mentioning it with the ADA compliant.

[33:30] Will this project— are you looking at making this 100% ADA compliant through

[33:35] making this 100% ADA compliant through every

[33:35] aspect of it, or are there still going to be some areas that we're—

[33:40] No, it'll be absolutely ADA compliant. All right.

[33:45] Um, another question I had, um, just with my business,

[33:48] I get to travel around and get to see different ball fields.

[33:52] We used to do an event up at Charlotte, which has pretty nice ball fields out

[33:56] which has pretty nice ball fields out there.

[33:56] Uh, is, is 3 fields, will that be enough?

[33:59] Will that be adequate for if we're talking about expanding and hosting things or You

[34:04] know, they've got 4 out there and it's a small area, Charlotte,

[34:08] but it's a huge draw out there and I've seen what kind of crowds come with that.

[34:12] Is a 4th field necessary or are 3 going to be adequate on there?

[34:16] So I know the director of schools is sitting behind me and she doesn't know

[34:22] sitting behind me and she doesn't know this

[34:22] yet, but our plan would be to partner with the school system and possibly use their

[34:28] softball field as the 4th field.

[34:30] It's in close proximity to Very— I mean,

[34:33] within walking distance of our proposed site here.

[34:36] But without disrupting the fair, Mule Day, things like that,

[34:41] 3 fields was pretty much our max for that area.

[34:44] So that was why we landed at 3 fields.

[34:47] Okay.

[34:48] And then last question is kind of frivolous,

[34:50] but with the concession stand and everything like that,

[34:52] do y'all plan on putting the announcer's booth above the concession, I'm assuming,

[34:56] and being able to—

[34:57] Oh, so actually, our plan is not to have an announcer's booth,

[35:02] and everybody's going to gasp,

[35:04] but our plan is actually to have a scorekeeping area at one end of the

[35:09] scorekeeping area at one end of the dugouts.

[35:10] These guys know if you go to travel tournaments,

[35:14] they don't even use scoreboards anymore.

[35:17] So instead of spending the money to go up top, finish the area, Yeah.

[35:22] We'll put the scorekeeping area down at field level so,

[35:26] so we can keep a one-level building for the concession stand.

[35:30] Okay, that's all my questions for now. I appreciate it. Thank you, Chairman.

[35:34] Yes, sir.

[35:34] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[35:38] Um, immediately, just parallel off, what if somebody wants to video a game?

[35:42] Would there be a platform or a roof where they could get up there to put a tripod

[35:46] and a camera if somebody were going to broadcast a tournament or something like

[35:50] that?

[35:51] If they've got enough money, we'll rent scaffolding, I guess.

[35:55] Okay, well, you've already switched laptops,

[35:57] but I wish you could go back to the other one for a moment.

[36:01] I've got several questions.

[36:02] So first of all, youth sports are some of the most important parts of a kid's

[36:07] development. I mean, they, you know,

[36:09] that's how young men learn a lot in life that way,

[36:12] and having first-rate facilities are paramount to that. And seeing Mrs.

[36:16] Johnson here tonight, I've always known her as Mrs. Johnson. She's always Mrs.

[36:20] Johnson to me, but Cindy's here tonight.

[36:23] Back 12 years ago, when I was first elected to the commission,

[36:26] she was the principal of Central High School.

[36:29] And, you know, we were real big with pushing to get Central High School built.

[36:33] And one of the things that I used to say a lot, because we had no growth back then,

[36:38] we were, we were fairly stagnant. back in 2014.

[36:41] And one of the things that I talked about is that, you know,

[36:44] when you present to people that want to come to Columbia,

[36:48] you set out your best centerpiece.

[36:49] You know, when, when a company's coming over,

[36:52] it's the way my mom used to do it for the holidays.

[36:55] And I used to apply that logic to the new Central High School,

[36:59] that if we get this new Central High School,

[37:01] that's going to be the centerpiece of Columbia to bring in and look at all the

[37:06] growth we've gotten since then. So.

[37:08] Anyhow, that said, this ball field can apply to that same logic,

[37:11] that this is that centerpiece for the City of Columbia to have that, because you're—

[37:16] if you have the tournaments, they will come and they will stay at your hotels,

[37:21] even though it's all the way out at the interstate. That's another problem.

[37:25] But they'll stay and they'll eat at your restaurants.

[37:28] And so that's some of the best tax revenue there is.

[37:31] The question I wanted to ask is that, you know, having—

[37:34] Yes, sir.

[37:36] And if you're from here, you spent your life at that Columbia American League

[37:40] life at that Columbia American League field.

[37:40] And I wish you could bring up a picture again of it,

[37:43] but down in that hole is where all the little kids that didn't want to watch ball

[37:47] played catch and run around and played tag and chased each other.

[37:51] Where is that going to be for this facility?

[37:53] Where are those kids that don't care about what's going on but want to sit there and

[37:57] play and do their own thing while their big brothers are playing ball?

[38:01] Where is that in this?

[38:02] So if you're familiar with this, the fairgrounds area, here's a,

[38:09] here's a grassy area that goes all the way to Casey Lane if they want to.

[38:16] We got 241 acres.

[38:17] No, I hear you, but I mean, but the thing about it is,

[38:20] is that you were there and your mom knew you were right there and she could turn

[38:23] around where she was sitting and there you are.

[38:25] I don't see that here because there's a concession stand in the middle of it.

[38:29] So there's 60 feet between all of the fields.

[38:32] So beyond here, this denotes concrete, but then there'll be grassy areas.

[38:38] We actually— we still have some work to do on some of this,

[38:43] but we're going to eliminate this 10-foot-wide sidewalk.

[38:47] So there'll be grassy areas down the—

[38:50] That's the one thing that concerns me, because, like, for, you know,

[38:54] you look and there's your kid and And so now that little hole is not going to be

[38:59] there anymore. To the bathroom section, so if you've got 2— if you've got, you know,

[39:04] 6 teams and all the spectators and everything else, how big is that bathroom?

[39:09] That restroom now is— I'm going to use a crude term— as we call it,

[39:13] a 4-holer on each side.

[39:15] So it's 2 urinals, 2 toilets on the men's side, 4 toilets on the women's side.

[39:20] Is that big enough? Does that legally meet the requirements? It does.

[39:24] It's 4 times the size of what they have now, so.

[39:26] Okay. Okay.

[39:29] All right. And my last question— I've got the same concerns everybody else does—

[39:33] has about the building on Casey Lane.

[39:36] That's not my district, but I've driven that road my entire life.

[39:40] It's my side of town.

[39:41] And all the residents around there,

[39:43] I guess you need to come up with something that's going to be physically appealing

[39:48] to them that's not going to deter, you know, You know, to get them riled up.

[39:52] It will look better than it looks today.

[39:54] I mean, you know, everything's—

[39:56] anything's going to look better than the TDOT location that's, you know,

[39:59] a 60-year-old building right there at the railroad tracks.

[40:02] But this will be— okay.

[40:05] All right. Well, that's all I had. Thank you for bringing this.

[40:07] I think this is a great idea.

[40:09] I mean, I want to hear the price tag and the sticker shock.

[40:11] This is the last month of this commission, so we're done.

[40:14] So you may have to start all over again next month, but—

[40:16] Well, hopefully we won't.

[40:17] Hopefully you won't. Anyway, thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[40:19] Commissioner Markham.

[40:20] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[40:23] Al, are these 200-plus feet fields? They're all 200 feet. I should have said

[40:28] They're all 200 feet. I should have said that.

[40:29] Our plan is to build them all flat, no mounds,

[40:32] so that we can accommodate both baseball and softball.

[40:36] We would play baseball off portable mounds.

[40:39] That's not something that These guys aren't used to doing as you travel around

[40:45] places. So we would make it a multi-use facility for both baseball and softball.

[40:50] But a grass infield?

[40:52] Or—

[40:52] but it's going to be carpet, really?

[40:54] I mean, carpet, synthetic or whatever.

[40:56] Correct. Okay.

[40:57] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[40:58] Commissioner

[41:02] Burke-Hawthorne.

[41:07] Not yet.

[41:09] Push it.

[41:11] Tell him to push it again. Yeah, put—

[41:20] push it again.

[41:21] Does it go green when you press it?

[41:25] Mm-hmm.

[41:26] Push it again.

[41:26] I'm talking to it.

[41:28] For some reason mine's on. I don't know why.

[41:41] Okay, thank you, thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[41:45] Wayne, you said all 3 fields are going to be

[41:48] identical, right?

[41:50] Yes, sir.

[41:50] There won't be like a junior field like they have now?

[41:53] No, sir.

[41:53] The names, will they trend? Like Mr.

[41:56] McFarland, will he— will that one of those fields still be

[42:01] named after Tom McFarland?

[42:04] So that's a question for our park board.

[42:06] I would hope that they would still think,

[42:09] think about doing that because I may even have a bathroom named after me down there.

[42:16] I'm not sure, but I may.

[42:18] But I, but, but, uh, I would hope the park board would still honor Mr.

[42:24] McFarland because he,

[42:26] he was a vital part of that park when I was When I was down there every night,

[42:32] and some of the best years of my life was spent down there at that old park and

[42:39] everything. I had a question for Jamie, but I don't— oh, the construction.

[42:45] I mean, you won't tear the old fields out till this new one's built, right?

[42:52] Correct.

[42:52] So it won't be any interruption?

[42:54] No, sir.

[42:55] Okay. Well, I think Columbia's been missing the boat on this for a long time.

[43:01] I think this should have happened years ago,

[43:05] and I would even like to see it a 4-field complex myself because I know we played

[43:12] Little League, but then once we got up to the Babe Ruth, we went to travel.

[43:18] And nowadays, these parents are spending tons of money on this travel ball.

[43:24] Yes.

[43:25] And Columbia is missing out on a lot of revenue there by not having a baseball

[43:29] complex to host some of these baseball tournaments. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[43:33] Yes, sir.

[43:36] You know, that—

[43:37] just to comment, and I hate to tell war stories, but I have a 12-year-old

[43:41] stories, but I have a 12-year-old daughter,

[43:41] and I've spent way too much time in North Alabama in the last 2 months on Saturdays

[43:46] spending money that they're reaping.

[43:48] And when I— when we couldn't stay here, you know, we wake up on Saturday mornings,

[43:53] drive an hour and a half to a complex in Moulton, Alabama,

[43:57] when we could have stayed here in Columbia and spent our money.

[44:01] All right, Commissioner Brandon Baum.

[44:05] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[44:06] I— the couple questions I had have been answered by other commissioners,

[44:10] but I do want to make a, a comment in support of this.

[44:14] It reminds me of when we first moved down here, and I raised 4 daughters.

[44:18] Didn't have a son, so baseball wasn't in our family.

[44:21] I will say this, I don't want to ruin his reputation, but Mr.

[44:24] Beck is my son-in-law,

[44:26] and that's my grandson sitting there that played on the 11-and-under All-Star team

[44:30] over in Murfreesboro.

[44:32] And I'm going to use some pride here and let everybody know that.

[44:36] And so we have spent a lot of time in the baseball fields over the last 2,

[44:40] 3 years because his little brother plays over there as well.

[44:43] I remember the days in Riverside.

[44:45] The Inman Rose Tournament, the, the league games my daughter's playing down there,

[44:50] and how miserable that place was in the last few years that we were there.

[44:54] And, and I don't mean to be insulting to the neighborhood,

[44:58] but when you had 80 teams come in for the Inman Rose,

[45:01] there just wasn't anywhere to put them.

[45:03] It took us over 10 years to get Ridley Park built,

[45:06] and the last year I was the president of the board, was the year that it got built.

[45:11] So the next year it went in. That was 12 years ago, I think it was.

[45:15] We're in the same situation here. This place needs to be replaced.

[45:19] I know the history is wonderful,

[45:21] but I can attest to the ADA problems that we have down there,

[45:24] because even if you get your wheelchair up on the stand where the concession stand

[45:29] is, there's only room for 3 or 4 of them.

[45:31] And when you get a lot of people in there, they're just—

[45:35] there's just nowhere to put them. And it's unsafe, and I can go on and on and on.

[45:39] Thank you.

[45:40] The promotion we have with Ridley was that it was going to bring tournaments,

[45:44] and there are softball tournaments out there every weekend,

[45:48] and I see the players in town, and they're staying in the hotels,

[45:51] and they're eating at the restaurants, and they're doing everything else.

[45:56] This is a springboard into that type of economic prosperity as far as the tax

[46:00] revenues and those kind of things are concerned.

[46:03] Baseball families and softball families travel, and they travel well,

[46:07] and so this is a long time coming. I fully support it.

[46:10] I know Jamie's going to blast us with a price here in a minute,

[46:13] and we're all going to pass out and try to catch our breath,

[46:17] but I will tell you that I fully support this. I think it is a long time coming.

[46:21] It needs to be done.

[46:23] All of the safety features that have been mentioned,

[46:26] all of the tax revenue that's been mentioned, all of everything else for

[46:30] mentioned, all of everything else for these kids,

[46:30] we need to provide them with a primo place to play.

[46:33] Thank you.

[46:34] and to grow up and frankly to get them out of the living room,

[46:37] get them out of the house, and get them outside where they, where they need to be.

[46:41] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[46:42] You're welcome. Commissioner Brody.

[46:44] Thank you, Chairman.

[46:46] I don't know much about the timing of Little League weekend contest or whatever.

[46:54] So tell me what from Friday at 3:00 to Monday morning, is that when they are—

[47:02] is that when they play on these courts? When will they play?

[47:08] Local leagues will play throughout the week, Monday through Friday.

[47:11] But I'm talking about a whole big crowd, you know, a lot of parking, a lot of cars.

[47:17] When will that happen?

[47:18] Monday— I mean, every day except Wednesday and Sunday.

[47:23] Okay, so Jamie, can you look up— can you put Back up.

[47:28] There were 2 red dots. Your map.

[47:32] The first map that you showed us that had buildings on them.

[47:44] Okay.

[47:44] See those red dots? It looks like one of those is the Parks Office and the next one

[47:48] is the Senior Center, right?

[47:50] Yes.

[47:50] And it looks like it's right next to our parking lot.

[47:53] What's going to keep all these thousands of cars— you say a whole bunch of cars—

[47:59] from parking in the senior parking lot?

[48:02] Because the fields look pretty close to that.

[48:05] Can you point to where the parking lot is for these ballparks?

[48:09] Right here.

[48:10] Okay. So they wouldn't park for the senior—

[48:12] Well, I mean, I can't say that they wouldn't,

[48:15] but senior center is usually not in operation.

[48:17] 3 o'clock is when they all go home.

[48:19] They usually don't start till 5:30.

[48:21] Okay. That's what I—

[48:22] that was the first question is what are the hours that this is going to have Yeah,

[48:27] weekday afternoons and then weekdays. But after 5:30 on weekdays?

[48:32] Week— weekend days, correct.

[48:33] After 5:30 and then any time on the weekend days?

[48:35] Correct.

[48:36] Okay, that helps me. Thank you very much.

[48:38] All right, so then carry on.

[48:41] I'm gonna let everybody catch their breath.

[48:45] Take a recess.

[48:47] I'm gonna let Jamie have it. Mr. Strahan.

[48:53] Thanks, Chairman. I'll keep this short because I know on the time,

[48:57] get to the price here.

[48:59] The relationship with the Murray County Parks and Rec Department and Hewlett

[49:03] Parks and Rec Department and Hewlett Spencer

[49:04] speaks for itself. We've been working with these guys for a while on several

[49:08] projects, as you guys know.

[49:10] Yanalli, Miracle Field, Kalioka Park that we just had the ribbon cutting on.

[49:15] So when Wayne And Al asked us to do this and take it on.

[49:18] And then he gave us the timing that he wanted this GMP tonight.

[49:22] We almost got a divorce.

[49:24] I'm pretty sure we were close to thinking that.

[49:25] Mm-hmm.

[49:26] But we, uh, we have a contractor at, at Bell, as you guys know,

[49:30] that has a pretty good stable of contractors and subcontractors that really

[49:35] contractors and subcontractors that really jumped

[49:35] in on this and, and,

[49:37] and got involved and tried to make this work for the Parks and Rec Department.

[49:41] This is our breakdown sheet that just got literally finalized earlier today.

[49:46] That's how this thing has gone down pretty quickly. Get your pencils out.

[49:51] The guaranteed maximum price on this project has come in at $7,669,842.

[49:55] $7,669,842 is the guaranteed maximum price on this.

[49:59] As Wayne said, there are some things on the plans and specs from George Neuberger

[50:04] that we are probably going to value engineer a little bit to try to help us on

[50:09] engineer a little bit to try to help us on cost.

[50:09] We've identified some of those already.

[50:11] You know, we are conscious about making sure that when we have a GMP like that,

[50:16] that we, you know, we get competitive bids.

[50:19] All these disciplines, you can see,

[50:21] these have all been bid out through contractors and subcontractors to put this

[50:26] together. There are a little level of drawings that we still need to get to with

[50:31] drawings that we still need to get to with the

[50:32] architect. So you can see in here that we even have a,

[50:35] what's called a design contingency to kind of fill some of those gaps that we don't

[50:40] have yet, but we all feel really good about this price.

[50:44] It comes from educated numbers, educated subcontractors that knew,

[50:48] that saw the plans of what we have and do work for us every day here in this

[50:53] community. So we feel good about presenting that number to you tonight.

[50:57] And with that said, I'll answer any questions that you have on the pricing.

[51:04] Commissioner Summers.

[51:06] Commissioner Kuzawinski,

[51:08] did you have anything else to add to that?

[51:11] Did you have— were your lights on?

[51:13] I had a question for him after the presentation.

[51:15] Okay. Commissioner Summers.

[51:18] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[51:21] So this question is for Al or Wayne.

[51:25] Not necessarily a question on the cost,

[51:30] but when you presented this idea, was it 2 months ago,

[51:37] 3 months, May?

[51:38] May.

[51:40] And it was $300,000 in your budget.

[51:42] That was to pursue the GMP,

[51:43] and we're not going to spend that much because it's coming out of our fund

[51:47] because it's coming out of our fund anyway,

[51:47] if you recall. So we hope we don't spend that much.

[51:50] How many, how many phases of this park project are there going to be?

[51:54] To get To where we showed you.

[51:57] Yes.

[51:57] Which would include a rec center.

[51:59] Right.

[52:00] That's 2 phases.

[52:01] The next phase would be the last phase.

[52:04] Is the rec center.

[52:05] And that would include the senior citizen center as well.

[52:07] And that they are included in the center. And I spoke with Steve.

[52:11] I don't know if he's had a chance to speak with his board yet.

[52:15] I'll be glad to meet with them.

[52:17] And but when we start programming that, we'll sit down with them.

[52:22] To—

[52:22] And any other user groups, stakeholders,

[52:25] and we will gather information in our updating of our master plan to shape this

[52:32] thing. So I did go over to meet with Steve last week, and we talked about it.

[52:38] He understood all of that.

[52:40] They made their improvements out, you know, their restrooms now are great.

[52:46] Mat is to be commended.

[52:48] I had not seen them yet until last week, and they were hideous,

[52:53] as y'all mostly know, and they're really good now,

[52:57] and that's taken care of them such as it is for a while, but they are—

[53:02] this clears the spot for that.

[53:05] Right, for phase 2.

[53:06] Exactly.

[53:07] Okay.

[53:07] Yes.

[53:07] So my question is for the chairman of the building committee.

[53:12] Uh, do they— does the,

[53:14] the Health and Environment Committee need to pass this to the Building

[53:20] Committee tonight for just for discussion on the cost and the price?

[53:26] It needs—

[53:26] it's on the agenda. It's already on the building. That's okay.

[53:32] Okay, perfect.

[53:33] All right, thank you.

[53:33] Without Commissioner Sumlers, Commissioner Kuzawinski.

[53:39] Thank you, Chairman. Um, I just want to be very clear on the Phase 1 on this.

[53:44] I guess it's for Jamie.

[53:45] That number includes the maintenance building and all the ball fields?

[53:50] That's everything?

[53:53] All right.

[53:54] That was my only question. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Chairman.

[53:56] All right. Commissioner Markham.

[53:58] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[53:59] I just want everyone to note that where those ball fields are was 3 softball

[54:05] those ball fields are was 3 softball fields.

[54:05] So although there will be some civil work to do,

[54:09] that's That's level for ball fields now.

[54:11] It's not like you got to go move 4 feet of a berm somewhere, you know.

[54:16] It's in— you know, I mean, you got to clear the grass and put the surface down,

[54:22] but it won't need a lot of civil work there. I just want to comment on that.

[54:27] There's numerous reasons we picked the site, but electricity would come from

[54:32] site, but electricity would come from here.

[54:33] Main sewer line is here. Water is here.

[54:36] I mean, it's the best site because all our utilities are sitting within 150 feet of

[54:41] where we need them. So,

[54:43] so it's the most cost-effective site that we could have picked anywhere.

[54:48] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Wayne.

[54:51] Okay.

[54:53] All right. As we move forward,

[54:54] what's the will of this committee to move it forward to the building committee?

[54:57] Commissioner?

[55:00] Evans, and seconded by Commissioner Hollinsworth.

[55:02] All in favor of moving this forward to the, to the Building Committee,

[55:05] let it be known by a sound of aye.

[55:07] Aye.

[55:07] Any questions? No questions.

[55:11] We're moving it to the Building Committee. Thank you, sir.

[55:17] Animal Shelter, Ms. Rathoff.

[55:26] Good evening, everyone.

[55:27] I'm keeping mine simple because I feel like I blinked and I was just here last

[55:33] month. Lots and lots of animals have come in this month.

[55:37] We've had 420 animals that have come in. 484 have found homes.

[55:42] I did send out the slides to everybody so you had those ahead of time because I was

[55:48] running— I had an emergency later this afternoon on my presentation, so Website,

[55:54] our new website should be completed August 10th.

[55:57] We're really looking forward to that because everything will be online for

[56:03] because everything will be online for forms for

[56:03] rabies microchip clinic, spay and neuter.

[56:07] This Wednesday we have 300 people registered for the rabies microchip

[56:12] registered for the rabies microchip clinic.

[56:12] Yeah, I know, I'm trying not to freak out, but it's going to work out.

[56:17] Everything's going to be fine. It always is.

[56:21] Last month we did it, everybody in their vehicles.

[56:24] It was hot, but it actually was a really good system,

[56:28] and we're going to continue to do it that way. We have had 162 animal control calls.

[56:34] We were up 30% this month. It's just kind of how it works, peaks and valleys.

[56:40] Inventory, we have 185 cats still in the shelter, and we have 74 dogs.

[56:45] So we last week had 140 adoptions at PetSmart, and we had a really successful

[56:51] PetSmart, and we had a really successful week.

[56:51] It was fantastic. That being said,

[56:54] our length of stay is 16 days because of the quarantine.

[56:58] We're still up a little bit. We hope to have that down.

[57:02] Volunteers banked 1,212 hours,

[57:04] and I will note that does not include all my volunteers that are up at PetSmart

[57:10] because they're off-site and they're there 7 days a week to do adoptions.

[57:15] Wow.

[57:15] It's unbelievable. It's the only thing that has been keeping this moving

[57:20] that has been keeping this moving constantly.

[57:21] And thank you to everybody who attended the groundbreaking ceremony on the animal

[57:27] shelter. Everybody is very excited about that,

[57:30] and we cannot wait to have proper quarantine in areas that we should.

[57:34] That being said, does anybody have any questions?

[57:38] Is there any question from the committee for Ms. Raphael?

[57:42] Any commissioners? Ms.

[57:43] Raphael, I think you get away early tonight, looks like.

[57:47] I did have one other item on my agenda concerning our vet and adding

[57:53] benefits. She's looking to add a day coming to the shelter.

[57:58] Her pay is not looking to increase.

[58:02] She's just had a change in her situation where she needs medical

[58:08] benefits, and that would constitute to $16,641 for the year.

[58:13] Could you repeat that? $16,000 what?

[58:16] $16,641. Last year I did not have a 4th animal control all year.

[58:21] I also did not have a medical assistant,

[58:25] so those salaries sat vacant for the whole year.

[58:29] This vet has come in, she has organized things, she is available 24/7.

[58:35] She has done a fantastic job.

[58:37] Had I had this during budget committee, I would have put it on my budget,

[58:43] but sometimes life circumstances happen, and so that is why I'm bringing it.

[58:49] Okay, Commissioner Strahan.

[58:54] Thank you, Chair.

[58:56] I'm of the understanding she's going to add a day a week to her—

[58:59] She'll add a day a week, yes. No increase in pay.

[59:04] So then the $16,000 is pretty much level ground if we're looking at an

[59:10] extra day's work from a professional person.

[59:14] So I think it's a no-brainer.

[59:17] I would—

[59:18] I guess we would send this to budget.

[59:23] I believe it would go to admin, correct?

[59:25] Thank you, Chair.

[59:28] Commissioner, let's see who it is. Commissioner Wilver.

[59:35] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[59:38] Doug, what's the number of hours that we have to have

[59:45] for a person to be full-time?

[59:49] 29 or less is a part-time employee with no benefits.

[1:00:00] And I understand that this person is supposedly going to not get an increase in

[1:00:07] pay for this extra hour.

[1:00:09] They would get paid for One extra hour a week,

[1:00:13] but they're not going to get a raise or anything other than eligibility for

[1:00:19] benefits?

[1:00:20] I don't know how many part-time employees we have across the

[1:00:26] county, but if we start making all of them full-time employees,

[1:00:33] that old, that old tax dollar is going to get smaller and

[1:00:40] smaller.

[1:00:42] And the tax levy on our citizens is going to get bigger and bigger.

[1:00:47] Thank you.

[1:00:48] Commissioner Peretti.

[1:00:51] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:00:53] I was just going to say this is a matter for the admin committee,

[1:00:56] so we'll hear it tomorrow night then.

[1:00:58] All right.

[1:00:59] Thank you, Chair.

[1:00:59] So this don't go to budget right immediately, huh?

[1:01:11] Okay.

[1:01:12] Can I get a vote on this from this committee to move it to the admin

[1:01:17] committee to move it to the admin committee?

[1:01:18] Commissioner Sumner— I mean, Strand, Commissioner—

[1:01:22] it's already on the admin committee? We still got to vote on it, don't we?

[1:01:27] No.

[1:01:32] Well, why did he bring it here?

[1:01:36] I guess we'll do something else.

[1:01:40] Just information.

[1:01:43] Okay.

[1:01:44] All right. Mr. Dobbs, you got anything to say about that?

[1:01:46] Uh, no, Chairman.

[1:01:51] I think, I think we're okay since it's already on the admin.

[1:01:54] Okay. Thank you, sir.

[1:01:55] You're very welcome, sir.

[1:01:56] All righty. Okay, we're moving along then. We're moving this to the admin.

[1:02:01] It's already on admin committee, so we're just—

[1:02:04] And I just brought it up because I wanted everybody to hear the reasoning behind it,

[1:02:10] because like I said, she is adding a day.

[1:02:12] You know, we looked for this person for a long time.

[1:02:16] She's done a really good job for us. So thank you.

[1:02:19] You're welcome. Let's see, Dr. Ventura.

[1:02:23] Schools, tell us how it was on the first

[1:02:27] day.

[1:02:28] It was fantastic. Yes, today was our first day.

[1:02:31] We welcomed 12,294 students into our buildings. That was the count at about

[1:02:37] buildings. That was the count at about 1:00 PM.

[1:02:38] I don't know who registered after that.

[1:02:41] Our current enrollment sits at 12,974,

[1:02:44] so we're looking at about 680 absent students on the first day of school.

[1:02:50] And that may be misleading.

[1:02:52] Some of them may have enrolled elsewhere and just haven't told us.

[1:02:57] Those are numbers that will materialize as we go through.

[1:03:01] Also, please remember that the 12,294 that I just mentioned that did attend does not

[1:03:08] include pre-K. And we typically have about 300 pre-K kids.

[1:03:13] So pre-K will start not next week, the week after.

[1:03:17] Our first full day of Kindergarten will be a week from Wednesday,

[1:03:22] so that does not include all of our kindergartners as well attending.

[1:03:27] That's how many actual faces we saw today, and we were excited to do that.

[1:03:33] 125 buses ran. We had 141 routes, so that's about 16 that had to double up.

[1:03:39] I just got a text that I have 2 buses still out,

[1:03:43] but everybody else is back in the barn and safe. So that is wonderful.

[1:03:48] We had 1,958 employees show up for work today, so that's great.

[1:03:53] Probably have about 25 teacher vacancies right now.

[1:03:57] We're kind of going through that silly season of people who committed to work for

[1:04:03] season of people who committed to work for us

[1:04:03] but then took jobs elsewhere and getting resignations and all of that.

[1:04:09] I do want to— the men that sit behind me, just to give them a huge shout-out.

[1:04:15] SROs were there this morning and again.

[1:04:18] Thank you.

[1:04:19] that 1,958 does not include Sheriff Rowland's employees,

[1:04:23] but they are the best of the best.

[1:04:25] And to see them welcoming children,

[1:04:27] and we got a lot of big men and women that squat down and help a child get to a

[1:04:32] first-grade classroom, and it always just warms my heart. I was at E.A.

[1:04:37] Cox and Randolph Howell this morning and just can't say enough good things about my

[1:04:42] employees as well as Sheriff Rowland's employees and just I just wanted to say

[1:04:48] employees and just I just wanted to say thank

[1:04:48] you. I just happen to be sitting behind you, and, you know,

[1:04:52] I think it really is wonderful that we do have a sheriff that was an SRO at one

[1:04:57] time, and it shows in the men and women that he gives to me.

[1:05:01] But I don't know what questions I can answer,

[1:05:04] but I'd be happy to answer anything you've got for me. It is literally day one.

[1:05:09] Any questions? Just a second. Commissioner Privetti.

[1:05:16] Thank you, Ms. Chairman. Thank you for being here tonight.

[1:05:18] The summer meals program,

[1:05:19] can you tell us how many meals were distributed over the summer?

[1:05:22] I cannot, but I can email you that information. I have not—

[1:05:28] we—

[1:05:28] I have not gotten the tally yet, and I just haven't really asked.

[1:05:30] There's no reason the kids should go hungry, and I'm just—

[1:05:33] No, and we are serving lettuce in cafeterias.

[1:05:36] For just those of you— we do not get lettuce from the vendor that has created

[1:05:41] lettuce from the vendor that has created this.

[1:05:41] The number one question I got today was, will there be lettuce served in

[1:05:46] will there be lettuce served in cafeterias?

[1:05:47] And yes.

[1:05:48] I'd like to know how many we actually were able to help with that.

[1:05:50] Okay.

[1:05:51] Yes.

[1:05:51] I will.

[1:05:51] Thank you, Chair.

[1:05:52] Ms. Ventura, that's it.

[1:05:54] All right.

[1:05:55] Thanks, y'all.

[1:05:55] All right.

[1:05:56] Thank you. Dr. Chaney. Is he here tonight? Dr.

[1:06:01] Chaney is not here. All right. We can move along then.

[1:06:08] So we don't have a report from the hospital tonight,

[1:06:14] so we're going to move right along. Old business.

[1:06:20] Any old business? Any new business? Mr. Peretti.

[1:06:26] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:06:27] When Al Ray gave his report earlier,

[1:06:29] I had my light on and I wanted to speak to this,

[1:06:31] but I just wanted to congratulate the Park Board On the Coleoca Park. I mean, bravo.

[1:06:36] It, uh, you know, it really, it really is something down there.

[1:06:39] Um, I'm hearing nothing but compliments.

[1:06:42] People that I don't even live anywhere near it, but they're coming to me saying,

[1:06:46] hey, that park is fantastic.

[1:06:48] Uh, the playground setup and, uh, the, the track and everything.

[1:06:51] And it was just a great event.

[1:06:53] It was good to see, uh, former Commissioner Turner, uh,

[1:06:56] be able to cut the ribbon on that, and she was a big proponent of that.

[1:07:00] So Just congrats. Well done. Very well done. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:07:03] Thank you, Parks and Recreation Department, and Mr.

[1:07:08] Spencer and his organization for developing it and everything.

[1:07:13] And the Park Board, Mr. Bolton back there. All right. Okay. That was new business.

[1:07:20] That was old business. We're going to public comment.

[1:07:24] Anybody still signed up back there? No sign-up for the public comments.

[1:07:30] Okay, can announcements— all members' committees—

[1:07:34] committee members' term will expire in September. Mark that on your calendar.

[1:07:41] Building committee meeting at 5:45. Can I get a motion to adjourn, please?

[1:07:47] Motion, Mr. Evans, and second by Ms. Hollinsworth.

Regular August 2026 H & E and Education Meeting

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