An ordinance to revise purchasing limits was approved by the Collegedale Commission after state law recently changed to allow it. Previously bidding was required for any purchase above $10,000. Now purchases between $10,000 and $25,000 can be made without a bid, which will save time and expense. The commissioners, however, will still have to give the approval to spend the money. It was noted that the city manager’s spending limit still remains at $10,000 and that the money that is spent still needs to be in the budget.
A public hearing for this revision will be held on Sept. 19.
Approval was given at the meeting Monday night to buy new E-ticket software and hardware for the police department. Some of the old equipment that is currently in use is beyond warranties and cannot be upgraded. Five hand-held writers and 10 in-car printers will be purchased for $20,104. They were included in this year’s budget. The equipment comes with a three-year warranty and there will be a reoccurring fee for maintenance and upgrades each year. With the new E-readers, the department will have 15 total that will allow some to be charging while the others are in use.
Ryan Byford, interim director of the Collegedale Municipal Airport, told the commissioners that he had only received a single bid for repairing an electric hangar door which includes removal and disposal of the old components. He was authorized to spend $12,880 for the work.
He was also given authorization to apply for a maintenance grant from the state of Tennessee for the airport in the amount of $15,000. He said Collegedale has applied for this grant every year in the past.
As the city prepares for winter, Public Works Director Eric Sines told the commissioners that salt, which is purchased through a state contract, is $116.24 per ton this year, including the delivery charge. Collegedale will put in an order for 150 tons that can be delivered as needed. The total contract price for the order this year is $17,436.
Collegedale will be getting a new K9 police officer, a Belgian Malinois, who will come with his handler, so that the two who have trained and worked together for three years can stay together. He will be sent for certification along with the city’s other police dog Goose, a German Short Haired Pointer.
At the last commission meeting Commissioner Ethan White was appointed to the Collegedale Planning Commission. On Monday, the board of commissioners voted to give official approval of the appointment.
Wayon Hines, city manager, gave the commissioners a heads-up that two large projects will be discussed at the next meeting of the Collegedale Planning Commission.
Larry Hanson has been appointed to complete the term of past Commissioner Phil Garver, who resigned. Commissioner Hanson said that he had been on the commission for two terms in the past and was glad to be back now for the next three months.