Soddy Daisy Police Chief Phillip Hamrick told the Soddy Daisy Commissioners on Thursday night that their investment to fight crime in the city is paying off.
Four or five years ago the commission decided to invest in law enforcement in order to reduce crime, he said. The chief gave statistics to verify the positive changes. He said in 2001 the city had 429 crimes against persons, such as assaults.
In 2016 there were just 99. In 2001 there were 100 burglaries during the year. That number was reduced to 55 in 2016. The Soddy Daisy Police Department averages 65 to 75 percent in clearing cases (or jailing people) per year, which is a high percentage, said Chief Hamrick. Saying the support from this commission has been outstanding, he thanked the commissioners and the city for taking care of the police.
An agenda item that was approved by the commissioners on Thursday was an amendment to the classification and pay plan for city employees for fiscal year 2016-2017. The change, said City Manager Janice Cagle, is that the commission gave approval to add a couple more police officers. They have just been hired and are already on the streets, said Chief Hamrick, and have hit the ground running.
A public hearing and first vote on an ordinance will allow Higgins Construction to expand a new housing development that is planned along Sequoyah Road. The city owns an irregularly-shaped sliver of right-of-way on the north side of Sequoyah Road, parallel to 9616 Lovell Road. Brad Higgins asked the city to abandon that right of way. With the additional property, there will be enough square footage to allow for additional septic system field lines. The property then will support six to seven houses. Without that right-or-way, he could build only five houses in the space.
City Attorney Sam Elliott said if it is abandoned by the city, it would go to the adjacent landowner who is Mr. Higgins. The city still would have enough right-of-way, he said.
Mr. Higgins said this would essentially be free money for the city of Soddy Daisy. The land he owns now brings $811 per year in property taxes. With the development, the city will collect $5,100, if the vote is to approve giving up that land. The city would also benefit by reducing maintenance costs for that 1,000 feet of right-of-way that would be abandoned. Mr. Higgins also plans to put in a water line and fire hydrant at his expense.
Nobody came to the public hearing to speak in opposition to the abandonment. The planning commission had given approval, previously, and the commissioners voted to abandon the property.
Approval was given to accept the $23,153 donation from the Red Bank and Soddy Daisy Charitable Foundation, and to agree to the terms of the gift. It was given to be used for partially funding the replacement of the Fire Hall #3 and for no other purpose. Until it is spent, the city must keep the money segregated and in an interest-bearing account.
Commissioner Gene Shipley said that the Kids Club Park is growing again with more people participating in the activities there. He said on any night during the baseball season there will be 800 people in the park. As the season is beginning, he said some maintenance issues needed to be addressed. The girl’s bathroom has drainage issues, the boy’s parking lot needs to be striped and lights need to be added on the girl’s field. A request has been made for adding two new changing tables in the boy’s locker room, and flashing lights need to be put on Durham Road to slow traffic. Last year, he said, several people were hit by balls, and so he would like to put up nets. The problem, said City Manager Janice Cagle, is that the back stops were not designed to support the weight of the nets. Mr. Shipley said that the cost for all the work is probably within the spending limits of the city manager, but he wanted to bring the issues to the attention of the commissioners.
Also discussed was the need for additional parking spaces at the Big Soddy Gulf Park. Commissioner Rick Nunley said that on pretty days cars are crammed into the 26 spaces. He also suggested adding more gravel to the driveway leading into the park.
City Manager Cagle said that police have found a 2015 Ford Explorer with just 6,689 miles. It had been used as a demo and already has $10,000 of equipment. The only additions that would be needed are a radio and city markings. The cost is $28,005. The commission gave approval to buy the SUV this budget year and remove one of the two vehicles scheduled for purchase from the next budget.
Ms. Cagle has scheduled fiscal year 2017-2018 budget workshops for April 13 and 27 at 5:30 p.m. that will be open to the public.
She was given approval to contract with Johnson, Murphey and Wright to do the annual audit for $25,940.
Events of interest in Soddy Daisy are coming up. Pioneer Days will be held on May 13 in front of Poe’s Tavern from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The historical committee, the organizers of the event, is looking for musicians and vendors that do old-timey crafts.
The Wall of Honor ceremony at Veteran’s Park is approaching. Mayor Robert Cothran asked for citizens of Soddy Daisy to submit names of veterans or members of the city’s fire and police departments to be added to the wall. Applications are available at city hall or on the city’s website.