The Signal Mountain Council wants to improve the town’s appearance by providing design standards to use as guidelines. Discussion with the chairman of the Design Review Commission for how to go about the review process took place at the council meeting Monday night. The DRC is responsible for establishing the standards with the intent of determining what the city will look like. Members of the community and business owners will be included in creating a palette of acceptable colors among other design features that are intended to “reflect a woodland community.”
The council agreed that the town’s beer ordinance is in need of updating.
As it is currently written, the sale of beer is limited to an alcohol content of five percent. The beer industry has evolved and now hardly any craft beer is five percent, said Mayor Dan Landrum. This prevents selling any craft beer and could prevent businesses from locating in Signal Mountain. Another provision that is being looked at is the requirement of a $250 permit for both a temporary or full beer license, so that one event such as a fundraiser for the school or for the MACC is the same as for a business. The council members will each weigh in with ideas for revising the beer ordinance at the next council meeting.
The application for a beer permit for a fundraiser for Signal Mountain Elementary Preservation Fund could not be considered because the timing of the request did not allow reasonable notice for a public hearing at a regularly scheduled meeting. This is another example of circumstances that do not fit in the mold of the code’s intent, which is to regulate selling beer at a business, said Town Manager Boyd Veal.
The council is not satisfied with the $1 million road work recently completed on James Boulevard. Mayor Landrum said the issues include a bumpy surface, dips in the pavement and no edging. Engineers have also addressed the bumpiness that is not the way low speed residential roads should be constructed. The matter was tabled until the next meeting where concerns will be discussed further.
Replacement of the HVAC system in the theater at the MACC is needed. It needs to be done before new ceiling tiles can be installed so they will not warp and so scaffolding can be used for installation before seats are replaced. There has been $35,500 raised for a new HVAC which will cost $64,000 for equipment and electrical work. The council agreed for the town to pay the balance of $27,000 which will be reimbursed from donations as fundraising continues.
A strategic plan for the MACC is being created that will define a primary vision. The plan will be put on the town’s website for review before the next council meeting when it will be considered.
Signal Mountain will enter into an agreement with the Humane Educational Society for animal control at the cost of $9,900 for the coming year. The cost has been reduced significantly because the town has agreed to keep dogs for several days to help find their owners.
Several resolutions were passed by the council for the purchase of equipment for the police and fire departments. A new Ford SUV was approved in the amount of $33,845 for the police department, and tasers for $6,000 annually for a period of five years. The purchase of seven portable digital Motorola radios for the fire department was approved in the amount of $35,800. They will replace obsolete radios that can no longer be repaired. The town manager will look for grants that could pay a portion of the cost.
The Tennessee Municipal League Risk Management Pool encourages the establishment of a safe workplace by offering a safety partners grant program to cities and towns in the state. Signal Mountain has previously received this grant that helps provide a safe and hazard-free workplace for all employees of the town. The council gave the approval to again participate in this program. The matching grant will be used for items that the town customarily purchases.
Andrew Hodgson was appointed as a member of the town of Signal Mountain’s Tree Board.