A larger crowd than usual was at the Soddy Daisy Commission meeting, and some apparently expected discussion on the current controversy in the city's police department. It was not mentioned, but a couple of residents did tell the commissioners that they were not happy with their experiences after getting in trouble with the police department.
The first man to come to the podium said that he had passed out from a fentanyl overdose and 911 was called. The Soddy Daisy Fire Department was sent along with an ambulance. They firefighters/paramedics provided lifesaving treatments and the man was later transported to a hospital in the ambulance. His “beef with the police department,” he told the commission, was that the police confiscated his phone and he believes that they violated his “civil and constitutional rights” by taking the phone without having a warrant. In the end, the man was given back the phone, however, he stated that he was going to sue the police department.
The second speaker said he was arrested while driving on the Interstate a year and a half ago. He said “I was p---ed off and called the police officer a stupid b----.” Then he was arrested and taken to the police department, and the man said he was “treated like crap.” He said that for an hour and a half he begged to make a phone call because he knew his dog that had been left inside needed to go out. “They violated my civil rights and human rights," he said.” When he was not allowed to call someone to let the dog out, he said he “cried like a baby.”
Another resident came to the meeting for help. He told the commissioners that he had bought a storage container so he could store his personal belongings, because it would cost less in the long run, than a storage unit he had been renting. When he bought the container, he was not aware that the city of Soddy Daisy does not allow the shipping containers to be used on residential property. He asked for a variance to be able to keep his. A variance cannot be given for that, City Attorney Sam Elliott told the man. His problem now, the man said is he does not know what to do with it.
The city has to have guidelines or those shipping containers would end up everywhere in the city, said Commissioner Marcus Keith. And without the rules, he said, "You might end up with five or six stacked up in just your yard.” They are already cropping up all around the city, he said.
Attorney Elliott suggested allowing 60 days for the city to make a decision, with the advice of Building Inspector and Public Works Director Steve Grant, on whether or not the containers will be allowed. Depending on that decision, residents who have them in their yards will be given a certain amount of time to remove them.
Also, approval was given to purchase vehicles and services needed by the city. Fire Chief Dusty Morgan received authorization to add equipment to two fire engines that the city has already ordered. He told the commissioners that some items were removed from the original specs to reduce the cost. He recently met with engineers at the company which is building the trucks, for final review of the vehicles before they are built. It was determined that what had been eliminated earlier, is actually needed to make the trucks more functional and safer. The cost of each engine was $667,000 when ordered and the commissioners have approved an additional $21,00 for each truck to add back the equipment. One of the fire engines has already been paid for using American Rescue Plan funds.
The public works department will be getting two new trucks, a Ford F-250 heavy duty cab 4x4 pickup truck that was previously ordered, is now available. The cost is $50,116, just $116 above the budgeted amount. A bucket truck that has been needed for several years has also been found to replace the 1989 truck that is currently being used. The $59,500 cost of the 2012 truck that the city will buy is less than the $90,000 budgeted for it.
Additionally, a new security system for the city hall and public works buildings will be purchased for $40,089. These new locations will be part of the city-wide security system that includes the other buildings and parks.
The city will have the same fireworks show as the one last year, and will cost the same amount, $14,850. The fireworks display will be held on Saturday, July 6.
An audit agreement with the accounting firm Johnson, Murphey and Wright was also approved for an amount up to $42,350.
Vehicles that have been seized by the city were approved to be salvaged. The fire department plans to use them for training.
Past Commissioner and Mayor Robert Cothran announced that on Saturday, May 4, the annual ceremony for adding names to the Vietnam Veterans Wall of Honor will take place in Veterans Park.
Community Volunteer Cindi Sanden with Keep Soddy Daisy Beautiful, told the commissioners that the recent Cleanup Challenge, organized by the organization, was a big success, with 288 volunteers participating. They filled 611 bags with trash they collected along with a large number of tires and large items. And the following week the city participated in the North Hamilton County Recycling Event. In Soddy Daisy nearly 2,700 pounds of unwanted electronics were collected that included computers, TVs, printers, software copper wire and small electronics. Thee were also 40 mattresses, 1,457 tires, 20 pairs of sneakers, 50 pounds of batteries and 40 inkjet cartridges that have now been safely managed.
Ms. Sandin said the goal is to make it easier for residents to legally get rid of unwanted items and that future recycling events will be scheduled and plans are to provide sites to dispose of things between scheduled events.
Mayor Steve Everett said he agreed with a resident who spoke to the commissioners about educating the public about the way that government in Soddy Daisy works. She said most citizens do not understand the process and it might increase public participation if they did. She suggested occasionally holding community education events. The mayor agreed to get the word out when meetings are held in order to get more people interested in attending and participating.