Retiring Soddy Daisy Police Chief Phillip Hamrick, left, is shown with longtime Commissioner Jim Adams
photo by Gail Perry
Soddy Daisy Police Chief Phillip Hamrick announced his retirement to the board of commissioners on Thursday night, saying this would be his last commission meeting. He told the commissioners that he was very appreciative for the 20 years that he has worked in the police department, the last 10 as chief of police. The only current commissioner who was on the board when Chief Hamrick was hired is Jim Adams, who has been on the commission for 23 years.
Curtis Cecil came to the meeting to give the commissioners an update on the new community library.
When it was started in spring 2018, the library had 6,000-7,000 books. There are now 12,000 titles as well as videos and DVDs that can be checked out and information about genealogy is available. A collection of American Indian arrowheads will be on display until mid-October.
There are also programs available for children at the library including story times twice a week and a Leggo dump. Free workshops are held for painting, sewing, quilting and cursive writing among other things. Recently added, said Mr. Cecil, are class sets that are available for use in the middle and high schools. Other educational resources are 15-hour training programs for technology using Chrome books. The library and services are all provided by volunteers. The city’s participation has been tremendous, said Mr. Cecil.
Another update was given about the water problem that residents on Friendship Lane have been experiencing since road construction began on Dayton Pike. Public Works Director Steve Grant said Wiser Consultants has determined that the amount of water has not increased, but the velocity has, with an increase of impervious surfaces. The city has agreed to try to remedy the problem by putting 24-inch drainage tiles at each driveway and making the open ditches beside the road deeper. Each homeowner will be required to sign a letter giving permission for the work in front of their property.
City Manager Janice Cagle said that cost estimates are being done for improvements at the South ball fields. No significant work has been done on them in 20 years, she said. The cost for new dirt and coating is $9,965 and the cost to haul it to the fields will be done by a low-cost construction company. Most of the actual repairs will be done in-house, she said.
Purchase of a new SUV has been authorized for the motor pool sergeant. The cost is $30,600, which was included in the police department budget this year.
Approval was given for a new social media policy that has been worked on for the past two months and which has been reviewed by both City Attorney Sam Elliott and MTAS. Violations could mean termination, depending on the severity, said City Manager Cagle.
On second and final reading, the commission voted to accept an extension of Main Street as a publicly dedicated city street. This will allow property at the end of the street to be developed.
Also given final approval was an ordinance that rezoned 331 Durham St. from R-2 Urban Residential, to C-2 Local Business District. The owner of the property had made the request in order to return the lot to the original zoning designation so that the commercial building there can be used for a business.