Dandridge Board of Mayor and Aldermen Work Session
The Town of Dandridge Board of Mayor and Aldermen met in a regular work session on May 6, 2014 at the Dandridge Public Works Facility. The meeting was called to order by Mayor George Gantte. The board had several items to discuss on the agenda, beginning with three items concerning the Beer Board. The board heard from Dandridge Police Chief Carson Williams concerning beer sales to minors. Two local businesses were recently cited and both agreed to better education for their employees concerning the identification needed to purchase beer. The next item was an ordinance consideration in regard to alcohol sales near places of public gatherings. City Attorney Jim Gass stated that the existing ordinance could be amended to allow for alcohol sales within 300 feet of public gathering places in the Dandridge Historic District. Questions were raised regarding the application of the ordinance in regard to residential dwellings and the board decided that more discussion was needed. The sale of beer at special events was also addressed, with David Jones offering a beer garden concept. Questions regarding safety issues, cost of security and the overall impact of allowing beer sales were discussed by board members, with some voicing concerns of tarnishing the family friendly atmosphere of Dandridge while others considering it a potential revenue boost.
Town Administrator Melissa Peagler presented a report regarding the refinancing of loans for the Dandridge Waste Management Facility. She reported that unless the city was willing to refinance with a variable rate loan, refinancing would not provide any real savings. After some discussion, Ms. Peagler stated that she could provide some specific numbers concerning the refinancing at a later date. She also addressed the Fiscal Year End 2013 Annual Financial Audit, stating that a new audit finding showed that the city of Dandridge was under- collateralized, a problem associated with the bank used by the city. She said she is working to correct the problem.
Contract approval for the Silver Sneakers program was discussed. The program is sponsored by Medicare and promotes exercise programs for senior citizens. The appointment of Lynn Hixon to the Library Board was also addressed. Hixon will replace Bill Black whose term is expiring in June.
Re-creation of the Parks/Recreation Tourism Committee was on the agenda for discussion. The board discussed possibly expanding the existing Parks Committee Board, or starting from scratch with new members. They also considered a road closure request from Dandridge Community Trust and Dandridge Mainstreet Association for July 19, 2014.
Andrew Riley, Fire Chief, Dandridge Fire Department, briefly addressed the board regarding unexpected insurance recoveries and asked that those funds be used by the fire department to purchase items previously cut from the present budget. Parking lot repairs and drainage issues at the Fire Department were also discussed.
The budget for the fiscal year 2014/2015 was a topic of consideration for the board, with paving projects being a much discussed item. The board discussed temporary fixes for the fire department problems versus the cost of complete repair, along with the other paving and road projects that are a high priority for the city. Various non profit groups were discussed and Carson Williams stated a need for a new part time position at the police department. He said he needed someone who could be trained to handle the various administrative jobs. Various other budget items were discussed, and board members were also provided with April month-end reports from each city department, as well as an activity report from the Dandridge Fire Department.
The Dandridge Board of Mayor and Aldermen will act upon some of the many items discussed at the next scheduled meeting.
