Collegedale Commission Meets To Nearly Empty Room; Chairs Spaced Far Apart

The Collegedale City Council met Monday evening in an almost empty room. It was likely one of the last local public meetings held as residents retreat to their homes away from the spreading coronavirus.

 

Chairs in the meeting room were spaced far apart. Only one citizen showed up in the normally crowded room. Some staff members were at the rear.

 

Collegedale is implementing procedures for keeping employees and citizens safe while at the same time keeping the city running.

At the commission meeting, City Manager Ted Rodgers updated the commissioners on how operations will be adjusted due to the health threat from the coronavirus.

 

• The city will be practicing social distancing, evidenced by the new seating placement in the council room where chairs are spaced three to four feet apart.

 

• The police department will be handling calls by phone versus responding in person to citizen calls when possible.

 

• With schools and day care centers closing, Collegedale is setting up its own day care center in a room at city hall for use of employees. This is a creative way to get people to come and be able to stay at work, said the city manager.

• The library is staying open but all programs have been cancelled. Books can be checked out online and picked up and dropped off at a drive-through.

• The bathrooms, handles and surfaces that are often touched in city hall will be cleaned several times each day.

• If needed, key managers will be able to work from home on laptops provided by the city.

• The administration will continue to look at every operation and review and discuss how to best continue to keep the city going.

Upon recommendation from Vice Mayor Tim Johnson, the meetings of all social clubs such as Kiwanis, that regularly meet at city hall will be canceled until mid-April. The commission meetings and workshops which are used for discussions of city business and for planning upcoming commission meetings, will be cancelled until the end of March. The city manager will have the ability to call a meeting if there is urgent business that needs a vote to carry on operations. Meetings of the Collegedale Planning Commission, likewise will be cancelled if there is no business.

 

The city’s policy for sick employees was also discussed. The city manager has told employees to stay home if they are sick. He said they have a liberal amount of sick days, but if someone has no days remaining, they should talk to Mr. Rogers. Employees will have to provide confirmation that they have been tested and are legitimately sick in order to be off work. It is sad, said the city manager, that people have to be taken care of, but that he also has to take care of the city and guard against abuse of time off from work.

 

In regular business Mr. Rodgers reported that at two-thirds of the way through the fiscal year, 53 percent of revenue has been received. March, when property taxes are due, will show an increase in revenue. Expenditures are now at 65 percent, which is “on track,” said the city manager. He also told the commission that the bank has recently stopped attempts to steal from Collegedale’s bank accounts with fraudulent checks. Now the checking accounts are being checked every day, he said.