The Collegedale Municipal Airport is currently operating on a conditional license from the state of Tennessee due to obstructions on both ends of the runway. Chris Swain, director of airport operations, asked the commissioners on Monday night to approve an $88,200 state grant that will put the airport in compliance. The grant will provide 95 percent, or $83,790 with the city of Collegedale required to put in five percent, or $4,410, to get an unrestricted license.
Mr. Swain said that amount has been budgeted for the work.
Trees on both the north and south ends of the runway that are not on city property need to be cleared, which will require obtaining easements through four properties. The grant will pay for the preliminary part of the design and easement acquisition but not the actual purchase of it. Help from another grant will be available for the next step, which will be the purchase. The work is expected to be done by the end of the fiscal year 2021.
On Monday night, the commissioners also approved a change of insurance for city employees. Quotes from Cigna, the current insurer, came in with a 16-1/2 percent increase for 2022. A quote from Blue Cross Blue Shield gave the best rates for the same coverage. When the employees were provided information about the change, they were pleased to return to BCBS, said Commissioner Ethan White. The rate increase will be about $5 per employee per pay period and about $13 per pay period for family coverage.
The Collegedale Police Department has been conducting compliance checks of businesses in the city that sell beer. In the recent sting operations, two restaurants sold beer to underage, undercover buyers who were both younger than 18.
On Sept. 27, Los Potros Mexican Restaurant, 9408 Apison Pike, served a beer to two underage customers. The sale was made without asking for an ID. The officers in charge of the compliance check issued the server a citation to court and the license holder was cited to the Collegedale Beer Board which is composed of the commissioners. A motion passed to fine the business $500 for their first violation, and to send the server to professional training in sales by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission within 15 days. If proof of training is provided to the city manager, the fine will be reduced to $400.
The Ooltewah Whistle Stop Café made an underage sale to two minors on Oct. 12, commissioners were told. Again, the server was cited to court as well as terminated on the spot. She told the owner of the business that she looked at the licenses but did the math wrong. The penalty given to the restaurant is a $500 fine.
Vice Mayor Tim Johnson warned that for a second violation, he would always ask for a suspension of the beer license to be scheduled on a weekend.