At the beginning of the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the Collegedale commissioners are thinking of ways that the city’s policies and ordinances need to be updated. The commissioners set the standards and it is up to the management to enforce them, said City Manager Ted Rogers. Upon recommendation from the commission, Mr. Rogers made small changes to the city’s personnel manual that were approved at the commission meeting Monday night.
Vice Mayor Tim Johnson asked that a policy be created that would prevent overnight and/or extended parking in city parks and on city property.
He noticed that one van, along with a car, has been parked at the same location for about a month. City Attorney Sam Elliott said that the city, acting as a property owner, can put up a sign that specifies overnight and long term parking is prohibited. With posted signs, the police can enforce it because it would be considered trespassing.
The vice mayor also suggested that the city be prepared in the event that what has become a common problem in some places might also occur in Collegedale. He said he has read about people who work in restaurants contaminating food served to police. He suggested the owner should be held responsible. He asked Attorney Elliott to research what could be done.
Commissioner Tim Garver said he noticed that political signs had been left up longer than usual after the recent election. The understanding that they be removed quickly is not in writing. The city attorney warned the council to be careful concerning signs other than those on city right-of-ways. The current ordinance specifies that signs posted on city-owned rights-of-way need to be removed within 15 days. Signs for candidates that are in run-off elections are allowed to remain. He said that signs that are on private property is a First Amendment right, and the city does not have the right to remove those. Currently, signs are allowed to be put up two months prior to an election.
Commissioner Debbie Baker suggested that Collegedale add a splash park as an extension to the city’s playground. Mr. Rogers said the city did not receive a grant for which it had applied, previously, for a water park, but said he would reapply.
The financial report for July is for the first month of the fiscal year and all looks fine, said the city manager. A surprisingly large amount was received from the Hall state income tax. With a population approaching 12,000, Collegedale received $781,000 from this tax. “It is a substantial of revenue for the city,” he said, “but it will be going away.”