During city council public comments, Autumn Spencer opined it was unfair that the three percent tourism tax was levied only on tourist lodgings and restaurants. She said the tax should be the same for everyone and maybe reduced.
Josh Clark encouraged the city and eventually the entire county to pursue an Internet cooperative that would reduce the cost of Internet access for everyone and possibly induce a Silicon Valley company to relocate here. He also insisted the City Advertising and Promotion Commission was defunct and ineffective.
Fergie Stewart told council the proposed increase in water and sewer rates would unduly impact economically-challenged individuals.
Final items
- Alderman Bob Thomas had distributed a sample Code of Conduct at the Feb. 13 meeting, and moved that council assign the accompanying resolution a number and read it for passage. Council unanimously approved Resolution 703 and thereby adopted the Code of Conduct.
- Council also approved the third reading of Ordinance 2252 which vacated unopened alleys adjacent to property owned by Barbara Dicks on Dairy Hollow Road.
- Aldermen approved Resolution 704, which authorized disposal of city property through an auction. Mayor Butch Berry said some of the items were boats in disrepair from Lake Leatherwood City Park, and another was a ladder truck that was no longer usable as a fire department vehicle. Berry said the auction would be held Saturday, April 22.
- When discussing a proposed resolution that would reallocate city property among departments, Thomas noticed the Building Department was giving a pickup to Parks. He said Parks already has vehicles but the Cemetery Commission does not. Berry suggested aldermen remove that item from the resolution, and he would see if Parks had a vehicle it could reassign to the Cemetery Commission. Council then passed Resolution 705.
- Alderman Peg Adamson brought up an unsubstantiated claim that a child had been given a ride in an ambulance, so she asked about a policy of private use of city vehicles. Berry quickly pointed out he had already investigated the rumor and had been assured it was untrue. He said two city employees, Police Chief Thomas Accord and Public Works Director Dwayne Allen, drive city vehicles to and from home because they might have to respond to an emergency. Fire Chief Nick Samac has permission to do the same but chooses not to. He said it was not only city policy but a state law prohibiting private use of public vehicles.
- Berry said he is still looking for alternative sites for city meetings that would be more accommodating to citizens.
- James Weaver was approved to sit on the Parks Commission.
Next meeting will be Monday, March 13, at 6 p.m.