[0:09] Well, it's 6:00 and I'm going to call this meeting to order

[0:13] and u thank you.

[0:25] Our father in heaven, we are grateful for this new year and grateful for the

[0:30] opportunity to meet in this city council meeting. We pray for the thy spirit to

[0:33] attend us as we discuss the needs of our community that we will be able to be

[0:39] guided by the spirit and the decisions that we make. We are grateful under thee

[0:44] for this free land that thou has given us to live in for the liberties and

[0:49] freedoms that thou has granted unto us. Please bless us that as we make

[0:53] decisions that we will keep those liberties and freedoms in mind.

[0:58] Guide and direct us in our affairs. We pray in the name of thy beloved son

[1:02] Jesus Christ. Amen. >> Still remain standing with those

[1:05] pledgiance

[1:10] to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it

[1:15] stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

[1:21] for all. >> Thank you.

[1:24] » All right.

[1:29] » Okay. M, you call the role, please. >> Alex Jones,

[1:33] » he's running about 20 minutes late. >> Cameron Calbert

[1:36] » here. Dave Doug Brown >> here.

[1:42] » Adam Borders >> here.

[1:44] Stables >> here.

[1:47] here. >> Let the record reflect we do have enough

[1:50] to have a forum. Next item, I'm going to kind of go a

[1:55] little slow, give Alex time to get here, but the next item is to adopt the

[1:59] agenda.

[2:03] » Motion to uh motion to adopt the January 15th agenda.

[2:08] » Second. >> Motion's been made by Council Calbert,

[2:12] second by Councilman Brown. Is there any discussion

[2:24] hearing? None. All in favor signify by saying I.

[2:27] » I. >> All oppose the last item.

[2:34] And the next item is the September 2025 financial report.

[2:42] Hope everybody's had a chance to look up.

[2:46] I'll entertain a motion. >> I make a motion to accept the September

[2:51] 2025 financial report. >> I second.

[2:56] Let the record show Councilman Staples made motion.

[3:00] Second by Councilman Borders. Is there any discussion on this?

[3:09] Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I.

[3:12] » I. All oppose like sign hearing. None.

[3:18] It passed. Now to October 2025 financial statement.

[3:28] Now there motion there.

[3:33] I make a motion that we accept the October 2025 financial report.

[3:40] » I'll second. Let the record show that Councilman Staples made a motion to

[3:44] accept the October 2025 financial report. Second by Councilman Borders. Is

[3:50] there any discussion on this?

[3:57] Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I.

[4:00] » I. >> All oppose I sign

[4:04] that the record reflected passed.

[4:10] Okay. the now November 2025 financial report. I'll entertain a motion for that

[4:16] one. >> Motion to approve the November 2025

[4:20] financial report. >> I second that motion.

[4:24] » Let the record show Councilman Calbert made motion to pass November 2025

[4:29] financial report. Second by Councilman Staples.

[4:34] Is there any discussion on this one?

[4:40] Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

[4:44] » All oppose would like sign. Pass unanimously.

[4:51] And next is October 16, 2025 minutes.

[4:57] I'll entertain a motion for that.

[5:04] I make a motion that we accept the minutes from October 16th, 2025.

[5:12] » I'll second. >> Motion's been made by Councilman

[5:16] Staples, second by Councilman Borders. Is there any discussion on this?

[5:26] Hearing none, all in favor signify by saying I.

[5:29] » I. >> All oppose would like sign

[5:32] that the record reflected passed unanimously.

[5:36] Now the special call meeting for December the 2nd, 2025

[5:41] minutes.

[5:45] I'll entertain a motion for this very short minutes.

[5:53] I make a motion that we accept the meeting special call meeting minutes for

[5:57] 12 2025.

[6:02] » I say it. Let the record show that Councilman Staples made a motion pass

[6:06] the special call meeting for 12225 second by Councilman Calbert. Any

[6:14] discussion on this?

[6:19] » Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I.

[6:22] » I. >> All oppose by sign

[6:25] that the record shows it passed unanimously.

[6:29] Uh next item is public comment. So, nobody signed up for public comments

[6:33] either, Kelly. Okay. So, did you have a sheet do that and put on there? Nobody

[6:40] Nobody showed it up for it. And next, uh I want to entertain a

[6:47] motion to suspend the rules for the purpose of uh discussion and voting.

[6:54] » I'll make a motion to suspend the rules for that purpose. Second. Let the record

[7:00] show that Councilman Brown made a motion to suspend the rules for the purpose of

[7:04] discussion and voting. Second by Councilman Calbert.

[7:12] » Would you call the role please car?

[7:16] » Yes. >> Brown.

[7:18] » Yes. >> Yes.

[7:22] » Yes. That the record will show that it passed

[7:26] unanimously.

[7:29] Now we'll go into old business and the first item there is a second

[7:34] reading of ordinance 012 excuse me ordinance 0102

[7:44] 025-2

[7:47] and that's a ordinance uh amending the zoning

[7:53] ordinance of the city t city of West Morning to

[7:58] adjust and reszone timelines required to reflect current TCA language.

[8:06] I'll entertain a motion from there.

[8:12] » Motion to approve ordinance 0102025-2.

[8:20] » Second that motion. Let the record show that Councilman Caler made a motion and

[8:26] second by Councilman Staples. Miss Kick call for vote, please.

[8:32] » Brown, >> yes.

[8:35] » Yes. >> Staples.

[8:37] » Yes. >> Yes.

[8:39] » Record show that it passed unanimously. Second item on our second reading on

[8:45] ordinance 01 02025-3

[8:52] ordinance amending the zoning ordinance of West Morland, Tennessee to adjust

[8:58] permitted and conditional usage in the R2 zoning

[9:04] district. I'll entertain a motion for that.

[9:10] Since we suspended the rules, can we have catch me up on that one? Is that

[9:16] possible to do that Mr. Mayor to give us a give me a a background on that of that

[9:22] reading of that ordinance? >> Do we have that?

[9:26] » Everybody should have a copy of >> It's in my I've got it here. So,

[9:33] » should

[9:45] This is the one that had to do with um changing it from

[9:53] there's a line where it said like a tax residential dwelling in it multifamily

[9:59] residential dwelling and it was the wording was confusing as to whether or

[10:04] not it was like a duplex could be there. It's just more or less clean cleaning

[10:08] this up, >> cleaning the language up,

[10:10] » making sure the language in each section matches

[10:13] » and attachment A goes along with that ordinance,

[10:17] this ordinance. >> Yes. If you'll look at um well, in the

[10:23] in part A, there's some some lines that are struck out of it.

[10:27] » And then also in B and C. So that's what it's doing to make it a whole

[10:32] » the ones you see that lines struck through, they'll be taken out.

[10:35] » Okay. that will match up with TCA codes also.

[10:39] » Okay.

[10:42] » That's just simply part of this because we don't allow duplexes, right?

[10:46] » Yeah. >> And so they had to mark all those out.

[10:49] » Yeah. And that continues on to the next page where it marks it out.

[10:52] » Yes.

[10:57] » Thank you for that background. >> Any more discussion?

[11:04] I'll make a motion then to approve ordinance 0102025-3

[11:11] for second reading. >> Second that motion

[11:16] » that the record show that uh Councilman Brown made a motion to pass ordinance

[11:21] second reading on ordinance 0102 025-3

[11:28] second by Councilman Staples. Is there any discussion on

[11:33] this? Any more discussion on

[11:38] hearing? None. Miss Kelly call for the vote, please.

[11:41] » Borders. >> Yes.

[11:43] » Brown. >> Yes.

[11:44] » Staples. >> Yes.

[11:47] » Albert. >> Yes.

[11:53] » Record sto unanimously.

[11:59] All right. On to new business. If Alex don't hurry up here, we're going

[12:03] to be done. >> Yeah.

[12:07] » Uh, first reading on ordinance

[12:11] 12025-1

[12:15] budget amendment for 2025 26 budget community room building repairs. And

[12:24] that was repairable on this building here. Right.

[12:27] I make a motion to approve the ordinance 112025-1.

[12:36] » I will second that motion. >> Let the record show that Councilman

[12:40] Border made the motion to pass ordinance on first reading for 112025-1.

[12:48] Second by Councilman Brown. Is there any discussion on it?

[12:58] Hearing none. U Miss Kelly call the vote please.

[13:02] » Staples. >> Yes.

[13:05] » Yes. >> Brown.

[13:06] » Yes. >> Yes.

[13:09] » The record reflected passed unanimously.

[13:15] And the next item is resolution R012026

[13:23] monthly meeting dates for 2026. We should have a copy of that in here or

[13:29] not.

[13:42] It's just set for the third Thursday of each month.

[13:53] » We just got to get it passed so we can get the paper.

[13:59] We're going to forego the first month meeting, first week meeting.

[14:06] » Do what? >> He's asking how are we going to continue

[14:10] to do what you've been doing lately and combine

[14:12] » the meetings with the study or >> the advertisement is just

[14:17] » Okay. All right. All right. I I'll make a

[14:21] motion that we uh pass resolution R012026.

[14:26] This is the monthly meeting dates for 2026.

[14:29] » I'll second that. >> Okay. Councilman Brown made a motion to

[14:33] pass resolution R 012026

[14:39] second by Councilman Borders. Is there any discussion on this?

[14:44] » I I'll bring up up the discussion again just to and again I know this is just to

[14:48] pass them for the but have you had any thoughts Mr. Mayor? How just just out of

[14:52] curiosity since this does have something to do are you going to combine the work

[14:56] studies. You are you going to continue to have the work studies the first of

[14:58] the month? >> I think we're going to continue to have

[15:00] it. If necessary, we'll have to call it off. Then we can combine them

[15:04] » if something happens. >> Think we all got to have habit there for

[15:07] a while. I'm just curious to like >> It's been It's been It's been a while

[15:12] since we I mean Well, >> there there's something to be said about

[15:15] both. There's pros and cons of both, but >> and I think Portland they they have

[15:21] their work studied immediately through the voting, don't they? They don't have

[15:25] it every every month. It's just occasionally they have that.

[15:30] » Okay. Is there any more discussion?

[15:36] » Hearing none. M call for the vote. >> Yes.

[15:40] » Brown. >> Yes.

[15:41] » Borders. >> Yes.

[15:43] » Yes. The director reflected passed unanimously

[15:48] and the miles marriage mileage. I don't I didn't have nothing to turn in because

[15:52] everybody cancel the meetings. I mean this council had I had one that I went

[15:58] to at the ECC but it wasn't really a meeting. It was a celebration

[16:02] and I'm not going to count the mileage on that.

[16:06] And did you have something there that you need to bring up or not?

[16:11] » Uh I do. Yes sir. Okay. So the uh

[16:18] » shortly short >> filter box at the uh treatment plant um

[16:26] has froze again and busted. Um I've been uh working on trying to get some plans

[16:32] together uh to have a building built. I apologize. I was going to send that to

[16:37] y'all today, but I got called and I had a dump truck. So I went and got a dump

[16:42] truck. just pulled in in it. I just got it back. Um but uh u we're going to have

[16:49] to build a building around that because it keeps freezing and busting and uh

[16:54] that's uh it makes like three times and this time it completely busted the the

[17:00] pump on the outside. So we're going to have to have it welded plus have the

[17:04] pump fixed or get a new pump. So um we did approve it. It wasn't last year's

[17:10] budget or this this this current budget we did y'all did pass to get one bill,

[17:15] but uh I'm I'm working on that. So, I wanted to bring that up to y'all's

[17:21] attention. I'll be trying to get that put out to be in the middle of this so

[17:24] y'all just be looking for an email hopefully

[17:28] tomorrow or Monday and I'll try to get that to y'all so y'all can look at it,

[17:32] look over and there you can think of that I need to add to it before I put it

[17:36] out. Okay. This is up at the

[17:40] » This is the head works. >> No,

[17:43] » that's freezing up. Or is it the >> No, this is the actual filter at the end

[17:47] right into the disinfection. >> Okay. Cuz we had that stuff at the head

[17:52] where freeze up and spill water and stuff all over the place, too. So, I

[17:56] just >> I I actually need a building up there.

[17:59] Um, but I don't know exactly how that's

[18:03] going to work because of the the way the head works. design, but uh I do need to

[18:10] get a building built up there as well. Right now, we're running a blow heater

[18:15] all day and all night when it's below freezing uh to keep the the headworks

[18:20] off. So, we're we're having to come up here and fuel it up after after hours to

[18:27] keep it running through the night. But, um yeah, we will have to uh address that

[18:33] as well. And like I said, I just things I wanted

[18:37] to talk to y'all about. But uh >> is this a design?

[18:41] » Yes. Yes, sir. What what they told me is it

[18:45] was supposed to get this cold cold enough to freeze anything like that in

[18:49] Tennessee. So >> where do they live?

[18:54] » Yeah, that's what I >> We showed them.

[18:58] » Yeah. Prove them wrong. But yeah, that's that's the reason why

[19:02] they didn't put a building around either one of them because our temperatures

[19:06] don't get cold enough to freeze anything like that they see. But there's several

[19:11] things that freeze right now that should have been encased and I've got part of

[19:16] it to take care of some of the valve, but

[19:21] some of these like these buildings are going to be, you know, 30 40,000

[19:26] at a time. So,

[19:30] So, do we have enough do we have any design for the add

[19:36] additional stuff that we want to add to the plant so that we don't build a

[19:40] building that's going to be have to be torn down because it's in the way of

[19:45] » the new addition? >> I've not seen anything yet.

[19:49] Bryant has talked to me just very briefly. We've done a little

[19:55] bit of walk through, but I don't think that they've got to the actual

[20:01] make the datas of designing yet. I think they're mainly right now still trying to

[20:05] get all the peritting and things done through the state to be to figure out

[20:11] what size we can actually build before we do.

[20:13] » You may want to keep >> I just I'd hate to spend a whole lot of

[20:18] money building a building around it and then have

[20:21] » pay to tear it down so that we can >> Yeah. rebuild it.

[20:24] » That that was one reason why I haven't done anything with the head works, but I

[20:29] will say the filter um I'm planning for that. I'm making it um to where there's

[20:35] a a garage door on one side because the pad is already designed for an

[20:42] additional filter to be put on when the new plant comes on. So, um, having that

[20:47] building designed to be able to put that filter in there without messing the

[20:52] building up or tearing the building up or anything like that.

[20:55] » So, I have I am planning for that and also where we can service them. It'll

[21:01] have a door on each side where we can lift it up and if we had to, we can pull

[21:06] it out with forklift or whatever or work all the way around.

[21:11] » Okay. >> We need we don't need vote on that

[21:14] tonight. Wait, get the bids back. >> Yes, I I'll get the bids back. Um,

[21:19] unless y'all have to vote on business. >> I don't think we have to vote on

[21:25] » just just once we get the bid. >> Make sure you put it on paper.

[21:30] » Yeah. Yeah, I'll do it. I'm gonna send it to all of you all first. That way you

[21:34] can look at it and if there's anything that anybody sees that they might need

[21:38] to add, think I let me know. Um,

[21:44] If anybody wants to come down there and look at we walk through and talk about

[21:47] it be great too. So, >> and then this is a work study slash

[21:51] regular meeting. Uh Aaron has he's fully licensed now to

[21:58] operate the sewer plant. >> Yes, sir.

[22:00] » And I don't think we need Penny Southern anymore. I think in her contract we've

[22:06] got to give her Did you have you seen her contract?

[22:08] » Uh so I met with Penny today. she could not um come up with her contract. Um she

[22:15] said that she might have it in an email with Jerry Kirkman, but she thought that

[22:20] u she had given it to him and she didn't have a copy of it handy. Um but she did

[22:28] ask if if we would want to keep her on as an advisor. Um and she said, you

[22:34] know, maybe for like $500 a month or something. Um,

[22:41] I I'm going to leave that up to y'all. Um,

[22:46] I've tried to meet with her three months in a row and today was the first day

[22:50] that I've actually got to sit down with her. So, um,

[22:55] I'm not getting a lot of advising at this time.

[23:00] » We we're paying her what, $600 something dollars a week?

[23:02] » 68250 a week. >> 68250 a week. And my opinion, we don't

[23:09] need her no more. And I would suggest we send her a 30-day

[23:14] notice just to make sure because she thinks she has a has a 30-day notice.

[23:19] » She does. >> And uh

[23:22] I would request that uh we vote to uh have Meredith or Aaron want a 30-day

[23:29] notice termination.

[23:34] » No need to vote. mayor can just tell you to write the letter. You didn't know.

[23:38] » But what I was saying is we don't have anything else on the agenda.

[23:42] » Yeah. I didn't know what you were doing when you suspend the rules. I lost. I

[23:46] don't >> We don't need to vote on it.

[23:48] » You don't need to vote. Just ask you to write your letter.

[23:51] » Is that all you got? >> That's it.

[23:55] » What was

[24:02] that? >> That was water leak.

[24:05] I have the world to find and we finally found it

[24:13] fourth day we worked on it finally. Um, one night we were we tore the whole

[24:19] driveway up because I I knew it was in the driveway. I would have bet my

[24:22] paycheck on it because I've dug it on both sides and

[24:27] but once I got into it and found out on the lower side um it's the line is

[24:35] lower. So it was underwater on the upper side the line gradually went uphill um

[24:43] and got shallower. It was 10 foot deep on the right hand side of the driveway

[24:47] and 5 foot deep on the left hand side of the driveway. So when I dug it up on the

[24:51] left hand side of the driveway, there was no water around it. I had to dig two

[24:55] foot under the pipe to find water. But that was after I'd already destroyed the

[24:59] driveway and um look for it all night till 3:00 in the morning.

[25:05] So then we started digging further up. Um found a a wet spot in the in the

[25:14] ground. Thought that was it and dug that up. And You got down about six inches.

[25:21] It wouldn't wet anymore. Come back down the hill, dug some more, and then

[25:27] finally found it the third time after that. So, it was uh it's very hard to

[25:33] find that >> water leaks can have water,

[25:36] » especially on the side of a hill. >> Yeah. And it does funny stuff. And all

[25:40] that road, I did not know this, but there's actually a road up there. About

[25:45] 10 foot underneath that road, there's black top. And it was hitting that black

[25:50] top and following that black top all the way down, coming up at the ditch past

[25:54] NCTC. But we didn't know there was road even

[25:58] under there, but the road the water lines about that high off of the old

[26:01] road. >> They built the water line on top of the

[26:05] road. I never had even knew there was another

[26:09] » but it's full of shop rock and everything so the water was traveling

[26:13] and where it's a duct to iron line it sounded a lot it sounds loud it's not

[26:18] like PPC when you listening for a leak it's really loud and

[26:24] I I like I said I would have bet money that I would found it that first night

[26:29] but I didn't sorry about that >> that's all I Mary, you got something?

[26:36] » I have a couple things. The budget was approved from office. We did get that

[26:42] approval after the meeting on the second. And then something I'd like to

[26:48] all thank you is budget meetings. We're going to have to have budget meetings

[26:53] this year after last year.

[26:57] Y'all were going to input a lot. So, just been thinking about that.

[27:06] coming up start.

[27:11] » All right. >> All right. Nobody got anything else.

[27:15] I'll entertain that final motion. >> I'll make a motion.

[27:20] » Make a motion to adjurnn. It's not debatable. All in favor signify by

[27:24] saying I. I.

Wesmoreland City Council Meeting 1-15-2026

Transcript