Graysville Board of Mayor and Commissioners
Graysville Municipal Building
June 17, 2010 7:00 p.m.
Call to order by Mayor Doss
Prayer led by Commissioner Beene
Pledge led by Commissioner Davenport
Roll Call:
Mayor Ted Doss Present
Vice Mayor Jimmy Massengill Late
Commissioner Andy Beene Present
Commissioner Robbie Davenport Present
Commissioner Charles Kaylor Present
Commissioner Thomas Levi Absent
Commissioner Dennis Miller Late
Public Hearing Ordinance 2010-01 Water Usage Rates
Mr. Mike Oldman questioned why the connection fee for renters is $75.00 and non refundable even if bill is paid. Mayor Doss explained due to past tenants moving and not paying the balance on their account past boards felt it necessary to have non refundable connection fees.
Public Hearing Ordinance 2010-02 Mobile Home Regulations
Mayor Doss reminded everyone they had 3 minutes to speak
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Shipley stated they inquired about building requirements in May and were not informed a change may take place or they would not have purchased the property.
Mr. Mike Knox said he served in the military fought for freedom and this board is taking his freedom away. He said Graysville has 294 houses, 344 mobile homes and city hall is unfriendly to citizens. Citizens pay taxes and the board adds more burden; if you have a home worth $150,000 in a flood zone the cost of flood insurance is at least $1,500 a year. If you pay $10,000 for a mobile home you don’t have to carry insurance on it.
Mr. Jerry Burton is against this ordinance the planning board said this would held the poor people but this only puts a burden on the poor people. All mobile home park owners are not slum lords and all people who in live in a mobile home are not lower class than this board.
Mrs. Fredia Gadd voted for this board and now is sorry about that; stating she is not a slum lord and has poor people who rent from her. She questioned if this new ordinance would affect her current mobile home park. Mayor Doss explained it would not her current mobile home park will go by the ordinance that was in place when the mobile home park was created as long as she meets the current flood requirements.
Mr. Brent Keylon asked what if a house burns; he can’t afford to build a house back what is wrong with putting in a mobile home? Mayor Doss said he should have enough insurance on the house to cover replacing it. Mr. Keylon said if he wanted to tear down a house and put in a mobile home he should be allowed to do so; he has mobile homes in better shape than some of his rental houses.
Mrs. Linda Miller asked if any one on this board or the planning board knows how many houses are for rent? When was the ordinance changed to an acre and what is the reason it was changed to one and a half acre?
The crowd began speaking out of turn and Mayor Doss reminded them they were not to speak out of turn.
Mrs. Michele Yearwood had a petition signed which shows she is not the only citizen who feels there are enough mobile home parks in the town. Each mobile home park has vacant homes that could be rented if they were repaired they have stated they care about the poor people fix up the vacant mobile homes and rent them out if they are livable. She has a neighbor with a beautiful mobile home she doesn’t have an issue with people living in a mobile home she just doesn’t want 5 or 6 mobile homes next door.
Citizens began speaking out of turn; Mayor Doss used his gavel and Police Chief Thomas Mahoney told everyone this didn’t happen when they were speaking and Mr. Yearwood had the same right to speak as everyone else.
Mrs. Yearwood continued everyone on the petition does not want mobile home parks next to them or new ones in the community; some have lived here since the 50s. People who own there homes are invested in the community and the citizens don’t want another mobile home park here.
Mrs. Linda Kaylor said she doesn’t want a mobile home park next to her either. She also voted for each person on the board and the city has been moving forward even received an award for the progress we’ve made. The board needs a vision for this town; if serving on the board you are here to do what is best for the town and not for someone to make a dollar.
Mr. Johnny Harwood look at all the trailers and say thank you for helping pay the taxes. The trailers are helping to pay taxes and enabling able to live in a town I love. The town is 60% trailers and 40% houses.
Mr. Mike Oldman I live in a trailer park and I’m not trailer trash. Jimmy keeps his homes up; just because I can’t afford a house doesn’t make me trash. No one wants to build a house in a flood zone to be washed away.
Commissioner Kaylor said he nor anyone on the board has called anyone trailer trash.
Mr. Bob Harrold poor people need a place to live too. When he purchased his property there wasn’t any restrictions on it and he didn’t have to ask about putting something on it.
Mr. Mike Oldman began speaking out of turn and Mayor Doss asked him not to continue to speak out of turn.
Ms. Kay Thurman if you live in a trailer and can’t depend on the electricity not burning you up, you pay double for water, your landlord will not fix the problem and you pay good money for it I’m here for you. If you own a mobile home park and this is happening then you are a slumlord; if this is not you then you are not a slumlord however if you rent housing that is unsafe and collect good money for it you are a slumlord.
Approval of May 13, 2010 minutes
A motion to approve the May 13, 2010 minutes was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Davenport. Motion carried
4 – 1; Commissioner Miller voting no.
Communications from Mayor and Commissioners
Mayor Doss explained MTAS submitted Graysville for a small town progress award and several traveled to Gatlinburg Tuesday to receive the award. We received the award for the work done at the park, getting a new fire truck, water system progress and the creation of the Historical and Beautification Committees. It takes everyone working together from the part time employees to the Board and he thanked everyone for their hard work.
Consent Agenda
A motion to accept the consent agenda as presented was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Beene. Motion carried
5 – 0.
Old Business
Appalachian Quilt Trail
Commissioner Beene will ask Audrey Burton to attend a meeting to give an update on this project.
Employee Handbook
A motion to accept the new employee handbook as presented was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Beene. Motion carried 5 – 0.
Budget Workshop
Budget workshop scheduled for June 28, 2010 at 7:00 pm.
Ordinance 2010-01 Water Usage Rates
A motion to approve Ordinance 2010-01 Water Usage Rates was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Mayor Doss. Motion carried
5 – 0.
Ordinance 2010-02 Mobile Home Regulations
Mayor Doss would like to add a section requiring mobile homes to be no older than 5 years.
Mrs. Veronica McGinnis has a 16 year old daughter and the new ordinance will make it more expensive for her to have a place to live. If her house was to burn she could not afford to replace it with a mobile home no older than 5 years old. She was raised in Graysville; her kids were born and raised here in Graysville if something was to happen she would be ran out of town; her kids will be forced to move away from their friends and family in order to afford somewhere to live. The citizens voted for the board to help them and they are not helping.
Commissioner Miller asked if this was changed about 3 years ago; and if the board was trying to get rid of all the trailers and not allow any more in? If so why not vote no more trailers in Graysville? There isn’t much land in Graysville and we can’t keep adding more acreage.
Mr. Bob Harrold bought his property and did not have restrictions on it he doesn’t understand why the board thinks they have the authority to tell people what they can do on their land.
Citizens started speaking out of turn
Commissioner Kaylor said there had been enough interruptions.
Chief Mahoney told everyone if anyone interrupts without the Mayor giving the consent to speak they would be escorted out; he asked everyone to follow the rules and conduct this in an orderly fashion.
Mrs. Linda Miller asked why was it waited until the middle of the meeting to add the 5 years?
Mayor Doss explained it was passed from the planning meeting to this board with the 5 year restriction listed however City Recorder Horton took the 5 year restriction out thinking it was not legal since that time we have found it is legal so we are adding it back in.
Citizen speaking out of turn – citizens where escorted out of the meeting.
Mr. Jerry Burton asked the board to search their own hearts and do what is right; there is no reason for us to have hard feeling against one another we are all trying live. The issue he has is mobile homes are not good enough; he has sold them for years and set them up he doesn’t know where people would live without them.
Mayor Doss withdrew the 5 year restriction.
A motion to accept Ordinance 2010-02 was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Mayor Doss. Motion carried 4 - 1 Commissioner Miller voting no.
Any properly presented old business
No properly presented old business
New Business
Fire Works for July 4th
In the past the park used funds in there budget and from fund raisers during the year. City Recorder Horton explained to Fire Chief Mike Miles this was a possibility. $1,000 is cost of the event. A motion to allow City Recorder Horton handle this expense was made by Commissioner Beene; 2nd by Commissioner Kaylor. Motion carried 5 – 0.
Mr. Jimmy Shipley asked if he was grand fathered in? He was told by Howard UpChurch he was grand fathered since he had purchased the property prior to the change. City Attorney Barron asked what business transaction had taken placed? Mr. Shipley said he came to city hall got a copy of the current requirements; bought the property and then the next week the board changed the lot size required. City Attorney Barron asked if any improvement have been made to the property? Mr. Shipley said the only thing he had done at this point was purchase the property. Ms. Barron said Mr. Shipley will need to appeal to the board since he was caught in the cross hairs of the ordinance. Mr. Shipley said if he was told they requirements was going to be changed he would not have bought the property.
Ms. Barron asked what the procedure is for getting a building permit? City Recorder Horton explained they must pick up a building permit packet and meet the requirements which Mr. Shipley had not done and when creating a mobile home park they must appear before the planning board which Mr. Shipley has not done. Ms. Barron explained to Mr. Shipley since he only purchased the property and did not receive a permit he would need to get on the agenda and appeal to this board. Mr. Shipley said he had an acre and could place at least 2 mobile homes there however they would not like what he put in them; said he was selling out to a black man. Commissioner Kaylor said there was nothing wrong with black people living in Graysville. Mayor Doss asked Mr. Shipley if he had said he was going to move people in rent free; Mr. Shipley said he may do that. Mayor Doss asked Mr. Shipley about him saying he would move in someone who would rape the children of Graysville; Mr. Shipley stated he did not say that but you can’t rape the willing.
Any properly presented new business
A motion to allow mobile home permits to be issued under the new ordinance guideline was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Beene. Motion carried 4 – 1. Commissioner Miller voting no.
Mayor Doss we have a grant / loan for the annex he asked when we could but out for bid. City Recorder Horton explained she was waiting to hear from David with the Development District.
Vice Mayor Massengill came in said he was confronted outside the building; he doesn’t have the privilege to leave his job in the middle of a route to come to an important meeting. He has served this town for 16 years and doesn’t do so just to get jump on for a bunch of non sense. The ordinance is important; several citizens who are against the ordinance have served on this board and made hard decisions before which made people mad you can’t please everyone but you have to do what is right. He voted against the ordinance the first time and was planning on voting against it tonight or coming up with a compromise. If Mr. Shipley would be allowed to place mobile homes on the property he purchased he would have voted yes for the ordinance. There is a petition with people against the mobile home parks also have a gentleman who went to the property assessors’ office who said property values did not go down due to a mobile home park. He is not convinced the mobile home parks are running down the property values in the town he feels the property values are going down due to the creek. He feels the town needs to go through zoning if we are going to make something out of it this section for trailer parks; this section for business when is the last time a house was build it has been a while cause we are in the flood zones. He had plans to be here but his route was missed and could not leave until it was corrected. He feels Mr. Shipley was done an injustice and should be able to put trailer there on the property.
Mayor Doss explained the parks and police department are willing to split the cost of surveillance equipment; there have been drug buys at the park. The $948 system comes with cables and connecters which is expensive.
Commissioner Kaylor said once you buy the cables and connecter for the $644 it would be as expensive. The cost does not include installation it is a plug and play system Chief Mahoney, Let Redden and Commissioner Kaylor are willing to give of their time to install it.
The system is internet ready which means if you have the code you can pull up live feed from home; it comes with 8 cameras. This will be helpful in court having video of a drug deal. Park Chairperson Crissy Panther said the board is willing to split the cost. Police Chief Mahoney said he is willing to pay $700 on the system. If you want the park to be watched from an remote location you will need to have internet connection which will have a monthly fee. Even without the internet connection you can pull up the video to see what had taken place.
Question was asked if the neighbors had been approached about calling and reporting crimes taking place at the park. City Recorder Horton will check prices on internet connection. A motion to purchase the $948 system was made by Commissioner Beene; 2nd by Commissioner Kaylor. Motion carried 6 – 0.
A motion to allow Mr. Shipley to put trailers on the property he purchased was made by Vice Mayor Massengill. He knows everyone has there mind made up; we need to stand behind the majority of the people of the town and he is standing behind him but feels Mr. Shipley did what he was suppose to do. The board doesn’t need to be bull headed and closed minded.
City Recorder Horton explained she did give Mr. Shipley a copy of the current guidelines; the planning board had met and voted for an ordinance to be introduced to the Mayor and Board of Commissioners
before Mr. Shipley asked for the guidelines. Mr. Shipley said it would be years before anything was done on the property if he did not turn around and sell it since he got a good price on the property he could make a profit off it right away. In my option Mr. Shipley did not plan on doing anything with the property he told me it would be years before he could do anything due to a project he was working on the mountain; when Mr. Shipley learned changes were possible he became enraged.
Vice Mayor Massengill said Mr. Shipley had told him the same thing; City Recorder Horton explained Mr. Shipley came to city hall one day and was upset because he is a family member and felt she should have called him and told him about the changes. Horton feels if she had told Mr. Shipley about the ordinance and he did not purchase the property due to a possible change and it did not pass he would also be upset and say she had given him bad information.
Vice Mayor Massengill said this is an unpopular ordinance and he hopes he doesn’t loose any friends over this. Right is right and wrong is wrong.
A motion to adjourn was made by Vice Mayor Massengill; 2nd by Commissioner Beene. Motion carried 6 – 0.
____________________ ____________________ _________
Mayor, Ted Doss City Recorder, Michelle Horton Date
Graysville Board of Mayor and Commissioners
Graysville Municipal Building
May 13, 7:00 p.m.
Call to order by Mayor Doss
Prayer led by Commissioner Davenport
Pledge led by Commissioner Kaylor
Roll Call:
Mayor Ted Doss Present
Vice Mayor Jimmy Massengill Present
Commissioner Andy Beene Present
Commissioner Robbie Davenport Present
Commissioner Charles Kaylor Present
Commissioner Thomas Levi Absent
Commissioner Dennis Miller Late
Approval of April 8, 2010
A motion to approve the April 8, 2010 minutes was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Davenport. Motion carried
5 - 0.
Communications from Mayor and Commissioners
Commissioner Beene has located quilts the Gray family once owned; they have been taken to Audrey Burton. Mrs. Burton has taken pictures and will match up with a pattern in the quilt book.
Commissioner Beene recently went on a community connection a part of the 3 Star program. Several officials from Rhea County visited with Whitwell County; they will visit Rhea County tomorrow and be in Graysville at 2:00 each year counties do a community connection.
Commissioner Davenport thanked Public Works Director Gary Doss and his crew for all the hard work they have done at the ball field. The infield of the ball field has undergone some needed maintenance and dug outs are currently being installed.
Commissioner Kaylor congratulated the police department on being the 2nd highest in county on percentage of salving crimes.
Vice Mayor Massengill joined the meeting.
Consent Agenda
A motion to accept the consent agenda as presented was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Beene. Motion carried
6 – 0.
Old Business
Charter Change
We have received Private Chapter Number 55 House Bill Number 3971 Private Acts of 2010 changing from a 7 member board to a 5 member board and changing our name from Town of Graysville to City of Graysville. The bill passed the house and senate on April 15, 2010 and was signed by Governor Phil Bredesen on April 30, 2010. To complete the change ¾ of current membership will need to accept this as well. A motion to accept the changes listed in Private Chapter Number 55 House Bill Number 3971 Private Acts of 2010 was made by Commissioner Beene; 2nd by Commissioner Kaylor. Motion carried
4 - 2. Vice Mayor Massengill and Commissioner Miller cast no votes.
Easement at Seventh Day Adventist Church
We have been in contact with Susan Goldblatt with the Development District and if the City can stay at least 20 feet from the old school foundation they are willing to donate the property for the easement.
Appalachian Quilt Trail
Commissioner Beene will ask Mrs. Burton to attend a meeting a report her findings.
Employee handbook
City Recorder Michelle Horton asked everyone to look over the new employee handbook and let her know of any typing errors or other changes needed. Due to the timing of the new handbooks going out the board will vote on during the June meeting.
Budget Workshop
Due to everyone’s schedule Monday’s at 7:00 would be the best time for the workshop.
Any properly presented old business
No properly presented old business
New Business
Appointment of New Library Board Member
The library board recently voted Mr. Mike Knox to their board. Since Mr. Mike Knox was not presented for the board to ask questions this
was tabled.
Officer Tracey Montgomery 90 day review
Vice Mayor Massengill asked how may years of law enforcement Mr. Montgomery has; Chief Mahoney explained this is his first position. Commissioner Miller stated he has seen Mr. Montgomery out patrolling more than any other officer. A motion to hire Officer Montgomery and increase his pay rate to $10.00 an hour was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Beene. Motion carried 6 – 0.
Ordinance 2010-01 Water Usage Rates
City Recorder Horton explained the increase in rates would not affect the customer with low consumption or the churches; the last time changes were made to the rates was in 2000. A motion to accept ordinance 2010-01 was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Davenport. Motion carried 6 – 0.
Ordinance 2010-02 Mobile Home Regulations
This ordinance was passed from the Planning Board who has been working on regulations for several months. A motion to accept ordinance 2010-02 was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Davenport. Motion carried 5 - 1 with Vice Mayor Massengill casting a no vote.
Any properly presented new business
A motion was made not to issue any mobile home building permits unless they can meet the requirements of ordinance 2010-02 by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Davenport. Motion carried 5 - 1 with Vice Mayor Massengill casting a no vote.
Citizen Input
Mr. Roger Jaquette has been working on getting liquor by the drink on the ballot; he will turn all signatures into the election committee next week to have the signatures verified if approved will be on the November 2010 ballot. Mr. Jaquette asked the board if they are ready for new business with infrastructure?
Mayor Doss explained the Planning Board is currently working on zoning and sewer lines.
Mrs. Connie Williams came before the board 2 months ago and still has not gotten a solution. Her landlord is currently speaking with an attorney about what he needs to do to have her drive way made a private drive. Her neighbors presented their case before Judge McKenzie who order the driveway remains open and to thru traffic and not a private drive Mrs. Williams would like the drive way repaired if it is a city road. Commissioner Beene would like City Attorney Barron to look at this issue. City Recorder Horton explained at current time it is tied up in court and is more of a civil issue than a legal issue; due to land loss during the past floods the property lines are hard to determine without the owners getting a survey completed.
Adjournment
A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Commissioner Kaylor; 2nd by Commissioner Beene. Motion carried 6 – 0.
____________________ ____________________ _________
Mayor, Ted Doss City Recorder, Michelle Horton Date