Staff Reports
For almost an hour the fate of whether or not the City would have ornaments for its outdoor Christmas tree; whether the transportation center would have usable tables; and if a new coffee maker was needed at the transportation center, hung in the balance as Council discussed making a decision to purchase the items.
The three items, originally a part of the Consent Agenda, were moved to Action items by Ward 1 Alderman Richard Turner. Turner was concerned about the whether or not multiple bids were received for the items and if the City had budgeted for them.
Tourism Board President Colleen Taylor was on hand to discuss the items following her quarterly report on the activities of the Tourism Board.
“You approved these back during the budgeting process,” Taylor told Turner. “And I have three different price options for them. I was still working on them over the weekend as I’ve been out of town until recently.”
Jefferson Mayor Rob Baker confirmed the items were part of the 2022-23 City Budget under either Building Maintenance Tourism or Building Supplies Tourism line items in the General Expenses Budget.
“We can make an additional ‘Miscellaneous Tourism’ line item if you want however,” said Baker.
Turner’s attention then pivoted to why the bids for the items were not included in the Council Packet, and if they weren’t ready when the packet was created then they shouldn’t be on the agenda. Another item on the agenda, which Turner and Public Works Director Allen Whatley worked on, had received multiple bids but only one was supplied to Council as a part of their packet.
“We’re not following the process,” said Turner. “We [indicating Council members] need to know exactly where the funds are coming from before approving expenditures.”
Baker acknowledged that the process, if it existed, may not be being followed, but it was not limited to just these three items. He also said the budget line item for each expenditure could easily be added to Council packets and that he would be looking at both of those items moving forward.
Ward 3 Alderman Robin Moore raised concerns about how the proposed tables would be cared for as the current ones are in poor condition and frequently left dirty.
“At a recent event we had to clean the tables before using them as they were just gross,” Moore said.
Taylor assured Moore that the tables are cleaned by a cleaning company after large events, and maybe her usage came before the cleaning company arrived.
“Considering the current tables were purchased 14 years ago, I think they’ve held up really well,” said Baker.
Taylor also said currently the City does not have anyone employed with the responsibility to check the tables after they’ve been used for damage or cleanliness.
“Neither Danielle, nor myself, can lift the tables by ourselves to check them once they’re put up,” Taylor said. “We don’t have any storage racks for them, so once they’re stacked up, we can’t move them.”
Turner pointed out that movable storage racks should have been requested with the new tables to make it easier to move them and review them for damage.
“I didn’t ask for those during budget, so I didn’t request them now,” Taylor countered. “And the amount of space they take up means we won’t have enough space in the storage room to get them in there.”
Baker, and Turner both agreed that if there were racks, the amount of space required to store the tables would drastically increase.
“That’s a whole separate discussion,” said Baker, “and we need to sit down as a group and discuss the options.”
The cost of the 65 tables was a proposed $5,875.
The $1,100 in Christmas Tree ornaments, which have already been purchased and delivered, are needed to replace the original ornaments which were donated by various business owners, said Taylor.
“We don’t have any ornaments right now,” said Taylor. “The ones we have were not made for outdoor use and with the rain, they’ve gotten ruined over the last several years.”
Turner asked why, with the City’s Annual Christmas Show being filmed next week, was Council just now seeing the request to purchase the new ornaments.
Taylor said they were requested back during the budgeting process, and that with the activity of starting a new budget year, combined with her being out of town, and people being sick, she couldn’t get the request to the City any sooner.
Moore asked about where the ornaments and the City tree was stored.
Taylor said she did not know about the tree, but in previous years Anna and Cliff Bode have stored the decorations for the City.
Baker said there are several storage buildings by the water treatment plant and the tree has been stored there.
The decision on whether or not to approve a $325 expenditure to replace the leaking coffee pot in the transportation center took a similar tract of debate.
Turner was concerned about why there were not multiple bids supplied in the council packet. Taylor again stated the three different prices she had gotten on the item.
Ward 2 Alderman Will Thomas asked if a coffee pot was needed in the building.
Taylor said there are a number of events which take advantage of there being a coffee maker in the building. She said when the current one started leaking she purchased a 40-cup percolator type maker, but that it takes approximately an hour to make the full pot. She said a recent weekday event from TxDOT in the building needed coffee, but the attendees did not want to wait an hour for it to make. She said the commercial Bunn type coffee maker would make a pot as soon as the water was added. Bunn’s take approximately three-minutes to brew a full pot.
“It’s expected to be in a visitor’s center,” Taylor said.
Turner said that while he was not opposed to purchasing a replacement, he wanted to know what the threshold was for getting multiple bids on items.
“Ten years ago, it was $250,” Turner said. “Of course, $250 then is not $250 today.”
Turner went on to suggest the need for a $500 threshold on purchases to require multiple bids or price points.
Ultimately, after almost an hour of discussion, all three items were approved for purchase.
Council also moved a discussion, at the request of Moore, about a $5,437.50 expenditure to repair improper drainage at 207 N Alley Street, from Consent Agenda to Action Agenda.
Moore said she wanted it moved so she could be informed of what was going on as it was in her Ward.
When the item originally came up for discussion in early 2022, Council had tabled the item while bids were received for the work.
The issue is there are drainage ditches on East Clay Street and where it joins North Alley Street there is curb and gutter drainage. The transition has caused the driveway at 207 N Alley to be washed out over the years and the current owners wish to redo their driveway but not before the issue is fixed.
“This has been kicked down the road for the last 20 years,” Turner said.
Turner said a bid of over $12,000 had been received from David Lawler, but was not provided in the Council packet.
Lastly, Council discussed “realigning the 1st of the month special council meeting/workshop.”
Turner and Moore led the discussion indicating how the meeting had grown into a regular meeting with a workshop attached to discuss handbook and ordinance issues, instead of staying focused on just the handbook and ordinances.
“I don’t want to be here for four and five hour meetings,” said Ward 3 Alderman April Taylor Johnson. “This is efficient and gets us out of here by 7-7:30 (p.m.)each time. I’m not going to be here until 10-11 o’clock at night.”
Moore and Turner both said they felt the meeting had strayed from its intent.
“We can have a meeting when it’s needed and there is something to work on,” Moore said.
“Most of this can be done at the regular meeting,” Turner said.
Baker said when the meetings were established it was to primarily focus on the employee handbook and to review and modify ordinances, as well as to get timely items done so citizens didn’t’ have to wait a month for approval on things like building permits and event applications.
“That’s not what I remember,” Turner said.
Ultimately, Council voted to dissolve the regular first Tuesday of the month special meeting unless there was something for them to work on regarding the employee handbook or city ordinances.
“I can call a meeting whenever I want to,” said Baker, “because I can.”
The only other item approved during the meeting was the one remaining Consent Agenda item which was to approve the Engagement Letter from McMinn, Pope, Woodfin & Shaw, PPC, Certified Public Accountants to perform the City’s fiscal audit for the year ending September 30, 2022.