The town of Signal Mountain received $2,553,616 from the American Rescue Plan Act intended to support municipalities through the COVID pandemic. The money must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026, but has to be allocated by the end of December 2024 or it will have to be returned.
Signal Mountain has $537,133 remaining that has not yet been allocated or spent. The money must be used for projects and equipment that meet certain specified requirements to support safety, infrastructure and operational capacity of the town.
At the first council meeting in October, authorization was given to allocate the remaining amount. It will be used to rehabilitate the pool and to make bathroom repairs at various locations in city owned properties. Solar traffic and message board trailers and school lights will be bought for the police department and the fire department will get safety equipment. New siding will be put on the public works facility and the IT Department will get laptops, computer cameras and other equipment from the ARPA money.
In 2017 Signal Mountain entered into a $3 million loan agreement to pay for a new fire station. The contract included an option that the bank could adjust the interest rate in 2024 which was done. At the last council meeting, the current council determined it would cost less to prepay the outstanding loan and issue and sell General Obligation Refunding Bonds to pay the outstanding debt of $2,132,981with a higher interest rate.. After receiving the state comptroller’s report on the plan of refunding, the council on Monday rescinded the plan they adopted on Sept. 23 and replaced it with a bond refunding plan that complies with all the legal and procedural requirements laid out by the comptroller.
Police Chief Mike Williams was authorized to apply for a grant from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office for $25,000. If received it will pay for equipment and overtime for law enforcement activities aimed at reducing speeding, aggressive driving, driving under the influence and the use of seatbelts.
The parks and recreation department had two vacancies and two applicants to fill the positions. Both Brandi Hubbard and Tim Stafford were appointed to that board, and Jordan Gianos was appointed to the town’s tree board.
The tree board’s mission “is to preserve the natural beauty of the mountain through tree advocacy and education.” But it also advocates for other environmental components in the town. Chairman of the tree board Jim Webster told the council that the board wants to educate residents about the newest campaign to “leave the leaves.” The tree board’s goal is to let as many leaves as possible remain on the property where they fall. There they can be used either as mulch or compost. That enriches the soil and is beneficial for insects. He asked the council to encourage this practice.
It has also come to the attention of the tree board that a pest control company that was contracted to treat city owned properties has been using poison bait stations for rodents. That is a huge problem, said Mr. Webster, because predators eat the rodents and then the poison goes up through the food chain killing whatever wildlife that those predators eat. Those bait stations have been picked up as they are found, and Mr. Webster is asking to add restrictions to the town ordinance addressing what is not allowed in pest control on town property.
Interim Town Manager Matt Justice reported that a drug take-back day will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. He said it is important because that will keep drugs out of the town’s water supply. And on Nov. 2, the Lion’s Club will have its semi-annual Shred Day at the town hall.