At the Signal Mountain Town Council meeting Monday night, two contracts were awarded for repairs to water and sewer infrastructure. Authorization was given to Interim Town Manager Jim Smith to accept a bid of $286,390 as the best of four bids to relocate the water main starting at the entrance onto Palisades Road from Signal Mountain Road. Although the cost was higher than originally projected, the project needs to move forward since it is being done in conjunction with a TDOT emergency repair of a retaining wall.
A second contract for pipe slip lining on Fox Run Drive was awarded at a cost of $25,850, the lowest bid for that work. The disintegrating pipes are starting to cause the road to collapse. Public Works Director Loretta Hopper told the council that slip lining is a cheaper option than installing new pipes which would cost more than double that amount to replace in addition to tearing up the road.
In the effort to gain all potential revenue, the council unanimously approved an ordinance that will put a four percent occupancy tax on hotels and motels in the city. This tax will pertain to any space designed for occupancy by transients for lodging or sleeping and includes short term rentals in addition to hotels, inns, tourist camps and cabins and campsites. Proceeds received will be designated and used to promote tourism.
Mountain Arts Community Center board member Dick Graham gave a monthly update on the facility. He told the council that the art and farmers market at the MACC on April 2 had around 700 attendees. It was a good community event, he said, and the next market is scheduled for May 7. This coming Saturday starting at 1 p.m. will be an Easter Egg hunt for all ages with over 7,000 eggs including camouflaged eggs hidden in the wooded area for adults. On April 22 a performance of the musical group, The Irish Brothers, will start at 7 p.m. and a free CSO Concert and coffee will be held on May 13. There are still some available spaces left for summer camp, he said.
A temporary beer permit was again approved for Paul Smith to sell beer from his truck equipped with multiple taps. The markets are scheduled through December, and the council discussed how a beer permit could be issued for longer than 30 days which currently is the maximum for a temporary special event permit. An application for a beer permit costs $250 which is used to pay staff for doing the background check on the applicant. The council voted to waive this fee for subsequent applications by Mr. Smith through December 2022 since the background check has already been done. However, until the ordinance can be amended, he will have to return to the council for a new permit each month. More discussion will take place at the next meeting about changing the ordinance.
When the tennis courts behind the town hall were built 45 yeas ago, the ground under the upper two courts was not compacted adequately resulting in cracks. Talks about how to improve the tennis courts have been ongoing since 2017. The best of two bids to remove and rebuild the upper courts was $172,000. Another quote last year for $400,000 was to replace the upper two and resurface the other four courts.
Jarred Thompson, director of parks and recreation, said that other options include building four more courts at Althaus Park where there already are two. But, he said, that the space would need to be widened 25 feet to have room for six courts built there, and the basketball court and a play area would be lost. Additionally, lighting would need to be added at an estimated cost of $150,000.
Although he has heard a lot of complaints about the tennis courts, Council Member Andrew Gardner said not a single complaint he heard was not related to the high school, adding that competition sets a higher standard for the courts. They are used by other people in the town, but 90 percent of the use is from students, he said. The town can charge the school to use them and help with maintenance if Hamilton County Schools does not build their own, said Mayor Charles Poss. By the May work session, Mr. Thompson expects to have costs for several options relating to the tennis courts, after which discussions will be held with the school for getting help.
In the town manager’s report, Mr. Smith said that during April the fire department will be available to look at and check smoke and fire alarms inside homes. Alarms will be provided by the state fire marshal at no cost. He congratulated the Signal Mountain Police Department for the recognition of being re-accredited.
The council amended their scheduled meetings. Regular meetings of the council will be held on the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. The second meeting each month - held on the fourth Monday at 6 p.m. - will become a work session beginning this month. April this year will also have special meetings that are scheduled for next Monday and Tuesday for the purpose of interviewing four candidates for the vacant town manager position, two each day. The public is welcome to attend the interviews as well as a reception to personally meet and talk to the candidates on Tuesday after the interviews. A special called meeting of the council to discuss the candidates and fill the position will be on Friday, April 22, at 5 p.m.