Tim Thornbury
Red Bank City Manager Randall Smith has submitted a letter of resignation that will become effective immediately.
City Attorney Arnold Stulce said at the commission meeting Tuesday night, that there is a mutual parting of ways and that management decisions are made and handled as a business matter. A settlement and severance agreement has been negotiated, and the commissioners voted unanimously to accept the terms.
The city’s charter specifies that neither the mayor nor the board of commissioners run the city on a day-to-day basis. In the absence of Mr. Smith, an interim city manager must be appointed. Tim Thornbury, Red Bank’s public works director, is assuming the position on a temporary basis.
Mayor John Roberts said that infrastructure projects are getting underway in the city. The commissioners approved an agreement with Talley Construction Company in an amount not to exceed $1,137,481 for paving secondary roads as well as Morrison Springs Road and Ashland Terrace.
An agreement with Wiser Consultants, LLC was also approved for transportation improvements. The current engineering contract for the design phase will be amended to include overseeing construction of the project until completion. Wiser will also engineer the box culvert repair at the corner of Ashland Terrace and Dayton Boulevard and repair an eroding stream bank at Fair Street. Ashland Terrace will be closed August 22 when the work is scheduled to begin and a new traffic pattern will be established. Large trailer tractor trucks will be re-routed differently than cars that will use secondary roads.
Work has also begun on the building that will become the new Red Bank City Hall. The purchase and installation of a security access and video monitoring system for the building, from Johnson Controls Security Solutions was approved in the amount of $20,732.
The fire department will be receiving a new breathing air system consisting of a compressor, fill station and cascade system that will be used to refill air tanks and bottles. The cost of the new system is $34,199 which is a budgeted item. The old equipment was declared surplus.
The Red Bank Police Department was authorized to acquire military grade miscellaneous equipment such as helmets and riot gear through a program with Tennessee Homeland Security.
City Recorder Ruth Rohen was appointed administrator for new financial accounting software that will be used by city employees.
The developer who has applied to rezone three parcels of property on Lullwater Road failed to appear at the public hearing for the rezoning. The request is to change property from R-1 and R-1A Residential zones to R-T/Z, Residential Townhouse/zero lot line. The matter was tabled until the commission meeting on Sept. 4.
The departure of the Red Bank city manager comes just after East Ridge City Manager Scott Miller said he was retiring prior to the end of his current term.