Collegedale Vice Mayor Tim Johnson, who said he has a passion for greenspaces, told other Collegedale commissioners on Monday that he has some ideas for the city’s greenways.
He will form a small working group of Collegedale residents for the purpose of discussing those and other ideas for greenways. There will be no workshop in December, so this working group will give a report at the January workshop.
The city of Collegedale is amending the municipal code by adopting new editions of building, plumbing, gas, property maintenance, mechanical, fire and residential and commercial energy codes.
The codes adopted on first reading Monday night are the 2018 versions and will be consistent with what Hamilton County, Chattanooga and Cleveland are doing, said Building Codes and Safety Director Andrew Morkert. Collegedale is being pro-active and making the updates and not waiting to be notified by the state to do so.
At the commission meeting, a contract amendment for the Apison Pike sewer project in conjunction with the TDOT expansion, was approved. Changes were needed to the design contract that will cost an additional $126,293. The work will piggy back on the TDOT contract and the cost will be reimbursed to Collegedale from the state.
The city has changed the carrier for its employee medical insurance to Cigna. An option for choosing a higher deductible will be offered this year. The city will incentivize this option by making contributions to a health savings account for the employees which will reduce premiums and overall should save money for the city.
A driver ran a traffic light a few weeks ago and hit a Collegedale police officer who was in a brand-new car. The officer was not injured but the car was totaled. City Manager Ted Rogers told the commissioners that insurance has already paid the city $32,751 for the car. Mr. Rogers got permission at the meeting, to replace the vehicle for an amount not to exceed $35,000. The city will have to pay about $2,000 out-of-pocket for the replacement car.
Insurance reimbursements have also started to come in for costs the city incurred relating to the tornado that came through Collegedale on Easter night. Expenditures from the Public Works department are high, said he city manager, because that department did the bulk of the repairs from the tornado damage.
Mr. Rogers told the commissioners that he believes that the federal government may take steps to help municipalities make infrastructure improvements in the future. In anticipation of this, he said Collegedale has funds ready and available and is in a position to participate in the grants if the new president and congress develops a recovery act.
Resident of Collegedale Johnny Hoskins, came to the meeting to ask if the commissioners would consider lighting the dog park. The peak times for use of the park is 5-7 p.m., he said, and during fall and winter it is dark by that time. Discussion of this idea will be put on the agenda for the next commission workshop.
Mr. Hoskins, who ran for a commission seat in the 2020 election, congratulated Mayor Katie Lamb, Vice Mayor Tim Johnson and Commissioner Debbie Baker for running honest and clean campaigns, and for winning their races to continue to serve as Collegedale commissioners.