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City board approves resolution on loans; Mayor gives update on tire dumping
By WILLIAM NORTHCUTT
Staff reporter
The City of Dyersburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen met Monday, September 17, and approved resolutions allowing the city to begin the process of getting a $4M loan for the purchase of two fire trucks and for the completion of the Future City Gymnasium. Additionally, the board approved a beer permit for a special event at the Dyer County Fairgrounds. Finally, Mayor John Holden reported on an ongoing problem with a resident’s tire hoarding.
Attending were Holden, Aldermen-at-Large Edward Burks, Rick Crawford, and Vanedda Webb, as well as Aldermen James Baltimore, Willie Cole, Joey Harrison, and Dennis Moody. Alderman Ricky Hammond was absent. Also attending were Dyersburg Police Department (DPD) Chief Thomas Langford, Dyersburg Fire Department Chief (DFD) Chief Brett Sipes, City Recorder Scott Ball, and City Treasurer Steve Anderson.
Burks offered a prayer, saying, in part, “We thank you for this beautiful day...and the recent rains that you've also given to us. We thank you for the opportunity we have to come together and conduct the business of our city help us to make decisions that are in the best interest of our citizens.” Minutes were approved with a motion by Crawford and a second by Cole.
The board held a public hearing for a beer permit request from Dogwood Brazilian Jujitsu, applied for by Juan Perez, at the FLC Building at the Dyer County Fairgrounds. Langford noted that all documents were in order and investigations satisfactory. He recommended granting the permit. Crawford asked whether the November event would have a police presence. Langford replied that it would not but that the DFD will be there. Webb motioned to approve and Harrison seconded. The motion carried unopposed.
Anderson presented two resolutions. The first, Resolution 09162024, an “initial resolution authorizing the incurrence of indebtedness by the city of Dyersburg, Tennessee, of not to exceed $4M by the execution of the public building authority of the city of Clarksville, Tennessee of allowing agreement to provide funding for certain public works projects.” The resolution allows the city to borrow money to pay for two new firetrucks and to help fund the building of Future City Recreation Center’s new gymnasium. Moody motioned to approve the resolution, and Cole seconded, with the motion carrying.
The next resolution 09162024A allows the city to sign all documents, take the loan, and repay it. Crawford motioned to approve, Baltimore seconded, and it was passed unopposed.
Burks asked about the cost of the trucks, and Anderson answered that they amounted to $2.8M. Burks also asked about the interest rate, and Anderson replied that it sat now at 5% but by the time of signing, the figure might drop. Burks noted that the Fed’s interest rates were set to cut later in the week.
Anderson presented a report from the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury office approving the refunding of bonds. Burks sought clarification. “It says the maximum is $13M and says the total refunded principal $9.3M roughly and $800,000 in refund costs, so is $10.1M about right?” Anderson answered that it was.
He said that when this was originally done the amount was actually a little more we've actually made the principal payment on both of those since that time, so it's...gone down on one of them the 2018.” He further explained, “The 2013 was already fixed rate but it was it was high so we're lowering that rate and then we're converting the 2018 from the variable to the fixed rate.”
No action was necessary on the comptroller’s report, but because of a change in underwriter from one company to D.A. Davidson and Co, the resolution 03182024 had to be amended. Baltimore motioned to approve, Burks seconded, and the motion carried.
The next actionable item on the agenda concerned an amendment to the city’s stormwater ordinance. Ball explained that every year the city has to make a report. He said that the state mandated change says that “After you build something, if you have detention, it's going to be recorded in the deed that the owner is required to maintain that detention area and or outflow.” He said the state wanted clarification in the ordinance. Baltimore made a motion to amend the ordinance, Moody seconded, and the motion passed.
During the Aldermen’s Reports and Mayor’s Communication segment, Baltimore thanked the DFD for their work in putting out a fire, saying, “There were there in just a few seconds.”
Burks had noticed that the State Gazette had not mentioned his presence at the last two board meetings and asked the reporter to let citizens know that he was indeed at the meetings on August 19 and September 3. [The State Gazette affirms that Burks attended the meetings, and we apologize for the omissions.]
Cole thanked Langford and his department “for taking care of those speed signs for us and our community.” He said, “We appreciate the hard work.”
Crawford asked whether there had been an update about the problems with junk tires at Leslie Toles’s property on Bowen Lane. Holden said that he has forwarded all information to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) which included the judge’s approval for the city to get onto the property, a letter from the owner of adjacent property allowing entrance to that property, and a letter to the Johnson family informing them of noise during the removal of the tires, and Holden said, “The city would do everything it takes to help clean up the area.” He added that the issue is going through TDEC’s attorneys now. [The State Gazette reported on the meeting of citizens, the Holden, the alderman, and residents in an online article on August 14, in print August 15: https://www.stategazette.com/story/3050046.html]