Matt Trollinger is sworn in as wife, Alexandria, watches
Monday night’s council meeting was the first for new Town Manager Matt Trollinger. His first meeting was a work session to discuss items on the upcoming council meeting agenda on May 13, when the issues will be voted on.
Much of the discussion was about a project that has been on-going for a long time, which is replacing the sidewalks in the Old Towne neighborhood. A grant was received from TDOT many years ago to help pay for the work, but it has been delayed by the many requirements that came with the grant and inflation. Public Works Director Wesley Stokes said that he believes the best way to proceed now is to focus on the amount of the sidewalk replacement that can be done with the money that the town has, which is $1.2 million. He suggested identifying the areas that are hazardous and the ones which could be safely moved to a year or so from now. If all of the 3.3 miles of sidewalks are replaced now, the cost would be $2.25 million and the town would be responsible for what the grant does not cover.
For those that areas of sidewalks that would be delayed, he said costs for doing the work in-house can be considered because the cost would be less because it would not be subject to all the regulations that are required if TDOT money is used. TDOT will allow for the city to decrease the scope of the work.
Mr. Stokes has been working on various organizational charts to increase efficiency in his department and the council will vote on a plan at the next voting session. The proposal is for the public works department to have two divisions, including one that would be responsible for parks and recreation including the gym and pool and maintenance of the grounds. The other would be in charge of anything involving environmental services, including stormwater.
This plan allows the department to focus on the areas they are assigned to. Each would be headed by a supervisor and there would be the addition of several part-time employees. Because Mr. Stokes said he needs more staff right away, this plan may be implemented as soon as it is passed by the council before waiting for the next budget.
Department heads notified the council about needs and requests for their departments. The public works department is asking for several items, including a new Bobcat skid-steer loader. The department has one that is in good condition but it is only capable of light work such as moving leaves and brush piles. It could be traded in for a new heavier duty vehicle that would be more versatile. Mr. Stokes said the town already owns attachments for the old loader, which could be used on the new one.
Director Stokes would also like to trade in a Ford Explorer, which he said has a history of mechanical problems, for a mid-sized Toyota four-door truck which is available from a dealership now. It would be used as a support vehicle, not for heavy duty work.
He reported that a second inspection has been done for the shop’s four-post lift, which concluded that it is not usable and cannot be repaired. Mayor Charles Poss asked Mr. Stokes to figure how much the town would save by buying a new one versus other solutions such as sending vehicles out to have them repaired. The old one will be sold for scrap. The importance of maintaining the town’s equipment to keep it in good shape was emphasized.
The purchase of four vehicles for the police department has already been approved but Police Chief Mike Williams said it would be a year before they could be delivered. He had been told that four vehicles have become available so they could be delivered to Signal Mountain in May. The previously approved resolution specified the cars would be 2025 models so only the model year will need to be changed to 2024 models on a revised resolution. He said that radios and cameras can be moved from the old cars to the new ones. The chief also asked for the commissioners to approve buying wrap around bumpers for the new cars that can prevent damage to the vehicle if there is a collision with a deer. The cost for four would be $3,600.
The Signal Mountain Fire Department would like to replace its engine #2, which Chief Larry Sloan said is in bad shape. It will need expensive maintenance to keep it in service for 18 months, which is the amount of time before a new engine would be delivered. That cost will need to be included in the new budget that is now in process of being developed. The council is considering leasing the new equipment rather than buying a new truck that will cost close to $1 million. The council will take into account the annual and long-term cost differences in lease payments and the amount of interest that would be paid if the truck is purchased.