Final approval was given by the Signal Mountain Town Council on Monday to amend the alcoholic beverages municipal code that will remove some restrictions and make it easier for small businesses to sell beer. The ordinance change will also allow the sale of beer at publicly owned properties for approved events. Those events will require a permit. This will allow beer at fundraisers and special events that are held in parks and buildings that the town owns.
The town of Signal Mountain has been working on an Americans with Disabilities Act transition plan that is being required of all municipalities.
The goal is to identify everything that is not in compliance and prioritize work to fix the problems. The small, less expensive projects that can be done quickly will be done first. Then decisions will be made about which large projects are the most pressing.
A contract for a LPRF grant (Local Parks and Recreation Fund) from the state of Tennessee has been received by the town. The money will be used for improvements to Marion and Driver Fields. The total cost that has been budgeted for the work is $880,000. With the 50/50 grant, Signal Mountain will be responsible for $440,000 of the total. At the next council meeting City Manager Boyd Veal will review the scope of the project.
Council member Cheryl Graham gave an update to the Mountain Arts Community Center. She said that volunteers have been working long hours on the theater for the first event that will be held since the renovation began. Lighting has been re-done, the old wooden seats have been cleaned and repaired and will be reinstalled on floors that have been cleaned. On Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, three classic radio shows will be performed. Admission is free and the shows begin at 7 p.m.
Police Chief Mike Williams told the council that a group of insurance companies has recently named the town of Signal Mountain as one of the safest cities in Tennessee. He said that is based on FBI statistics that the police department submits each year. The town has been in the top three for the last five years. This year it is in second place.
Years ago, the Signal Mountain Lions Club built a pavilion with barbeque grills in Althaus Park. Over time, the grills, which have not been used in years, deteriorated. Instead of those grills, the Lions bought and have been using portable smokers. Town Manager Boyd Veal authorized removal of the grills and now the club is asking permission from the town to enclose the pavilion with two roll-up doors so there will be a place to store the smokers. They have budgeted for the work which also would also include a commercial wash basin and storage shelves for equipment.
Because the pavilion was built on public land and the Lions Club does not have control over the building, approval must come from the council. Mayor Dan Landrum said that he hopes there is a solution other than enclosing that structure because an enclosed building would obstruct views in the park right next to the playground. Plans would be to use the same siding as on other buildings in the park, the council was told, but there were concerns from some council members about the aesthetics.
One possibility that could help with aesthetics would be to modify and add to the old pool house which sits toward the back of the property, instead of using the pavilion. The council has asked to see drawings of the proposed building and a materials list, and there is a possibility that it might require approval from the Design Review Committee. More discussion will take place at future council meetings.
Mr. Veal received approval to apply for a property conservation grant which would be used to protect city-owned property and could include buying security cameras and installing security lighting. If it is received, the town will be responsible for matching the amount received for the grant.
The Water Department will be getting a new backhoe to replace one that is 15 years old. The cost to repair the old one was $10,000 and the town manager said it did not make sense because it was at the end of its useful life. Authorization was given to spend no more than $95,000 for a new one with hydraulic attachments. This was not included in the current budget, but a new dump truck was. Funds will be shifted from the dump truck to cover the cost of the backhoe.