The ribbon cutting for a new playground in Red Bank beside the Community Center was held on Monday afternoon. The commissioners each praised the city’s public works department for their help to build the playground that was made possible by a donation last year, from the Red Bank/ Soddy Daisy Charitable Foundation. Commissioner Ruth Jeno said that it fulfilled the vision of the late past Mayor Joe Glascock who sketched out the park 13 years ago. The play area is ADA compliant for children with disabilities.
The city received more grant money this year than usual, said Finance Director John Alexander. It was enough to trigger the need for a single audit that is required by the state of Tennessee when the value of grant expenditures exceeds $750,000 a year. “We rarely trigger the need for this audit,” he said. The commissioners authorized an agreement with Johnson, Murphey and Wright for the annual audit in the amount of $37,500 and additional $5,850 for the single audit.
The 2021 operating budget that started July 1, 2021 and that will end June 30, 2022 was amended Monday night to appropriate unbudgeted expenses and grant funding in the amount of $1,459,877. Mr. Alexander said this will account for the city’s latest round of TDOT projects done with transportation improvement program (TIP) grants which pay 80 percent when the city agrees to match it with 20 percent of the cost of the project. TIP grants are a “good buy,” said Mr. Alexander. Several annual grants were also received by the police department this year that were 100 percent funded and needed no match from the city.
Another budget amendment was approved that will appropriate carry-over encumbrances and grant funding from the last fiscal year. The balance is available to spend until the money is all used, he said.
Red Bank also will receive $3,513,087 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to help municipalities recover from the effects of the COVID pandemic. The council voted to accept the spending strategy for the money that was developed by the financial director and city manager with input from all the department heads. The first use of the money is planned for giving employee bonuses, however Mr. Alexander said that before actually spending it, the city would prefer to get a formal approval from the state, that the planned uses are acceptable for the conditions this money comes with.
In his report, City Manager Martin Granum said since October, the city, with help from MTAS (Municipal Technical Advisory Services) has been doing a wage and compensation study for Red Bank. That has been completed and Mr. Granum said that information will help to create the city’s new budget that will include competitive wages. The city will also be updating its personnel manual this year. Mr. Granum attended the Tennessee City Manager Association meeting recently and said he learned of the importance of staying stay vigilant about how state level decisions will affect Red Bank. He said there is a need to stay engaged with organizations such as the small cities coalition, the Tennessee Municipal League and Tennessee City Manager Association to be aware of information that affects small cities. Red Bank is already taking steps to increase engagement with the community, he said, citing the recent open house held at city hall and the new monthly newsletter available to residents.
The city manager is renegotiating the cell tower lease and when it is presented to the commissioners, he said that it will include a new user. He announced that the planning commission meeting planned for Thursday has been cancelled due to the lack of issues ready for action.
The Red Bank Jubilee will be held Saturday, May 7, from 3-8 p.m. Commissioner Pete Phillips said there will be 42 vendors and five food trucks and there is room for more of each. There will be live music throughout the afternoon and evening, children’s activities, and a good time for all. The commissioner thanked all department heads for putting in so much time to benefit the city. He said they are who do the well-thought-out work, and the commissioners only approve it. He also thanked the public works department for helping build the new playground and for ordering a beautiful day for the ribbon cutting to open up the park.
In her report, Mayor Hollie Berry said voting locations on election day may be different than in the past. There are three in Red Bank, the Joe Glascock Community Center, 3620 Tom Weathers Dr., Calvary Baptist Church, 5201 Dayton Boulevard and the Disabled American Veterans building at 619 Memorial Drive.
She said the next food pantry will be Thursday at Red Bank United Methodist Church.
Vice Mayor Stefanie Dalton invited citizens of Red Bank to join in the city-wide cleanup day from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday. Food and coffee will be available for the volunteers.