Collegedale’s Katie Lamb Library has been expanded and renovated this summer. Collegedale Commissioner Laura Howse, who is also on the city’s library board, facilitated the application and acceptance of a grant up to $200,000, from the state of Tennessee that will go toward paying for the upgrades. At this week’s Collegedale commission meeting, a library construction contract for the grant was approved on the second and final vote. During the construction, some materials were moved out of the building and the library continued to operate from city hall. This week, the ribbon cutting and open house for the renovated space took place and the move back into the library will begin. It will be closed several days because of the move, said City Manager Wayon Hines.
Thomas Cook, Collegedale’s new records and IT coordinator, has discovered the city has been using hardware that is outdated and that needs to be replaced. That was unexpected according to the city manager, because one of the things that CDW-Government was hired to do was to ensure the city’s technology was up to date. The company has a five-year contract with Collegedale including doing an inventory of IT equipment for a period of five years, but that may be shortened. A system upgrade is coming at the end of October.
The commissioners approved the city’s application for and acceptance of a public safety grant that will come from the Public Entity Partners, the city’s insurer. The grant is for $2,000 to use for safety equipment. If Collegedale is awarded this grant, the money will be used for safety boots that have already been purchased.
Public Works Director Kris McAloon was authorized to purchase a new self-propelled hydrostatic multi-purpose machine for the department. When the budget was created, a front-end loader was included for public works. That changed after Mr. McAloon was introduced to this new machine made by Aspen. Various attachments for it are available for different uses. To begin with it will be used for mowing, and because of the design with a reach of 30 feet, it can mow from the street, behind the rail. And it might be possible for a single person to operate the machine, said Mr. McAloon. One of the other attachments that can be bought will adapt it to clean roadside ditches. The price that was approved in this year’s budget for the front-end loader was $225,000 but the commission approved an additional $7,000 for this versatile machine. The director said the department will rent a front-end loader if it is needed.
Financial Director Michelle Toro told the commissioners that as of July, at eight percent of the way through the new fiscal year, the city is almost exactly at the same place it was, financially, at the same time last year. She said four percent of expected revenue has been received and nine percent has been spent.
The city manager reported that the Imagination Station playground had been hit by the flood on Aug. 12, but the equipment was not damaged. It has been cleaned up and reopened. Cleaning up the greenway, which is prone to flooding, followed.