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A number people have resigned their positions on city boards and commissions and Mayor Kim McMillan says that Clarksville is missing the opportunity to have the benefit and service of qualified and talented board and commission members.
The vote was 8-5 with Councilmen Nick Steward, David Allen and Bill Summers and Councilwomen Deanna McLaughlin and Kaye Jones casting votes against the proposal. The charter revision plan did not pass the council by a 2/3 majority vote which is not required but is recommended when a resolution is being sent to the Tennessee State Legislature.
The resolution must be sent to and passed by state lawmakers and then it will be returned to the Clarksville City Council for a final vote and that is when it must pass the council by a 2/3 majority. The Tennessee General Assembly is reportedly unlikely to pass or even accept a measure if it hasn’t received a 2/3 vote by the governing body the first time. The resolution also passed the council at their January 5 meeting but like Thursday it was not by a 2/3 majority vote.
After the meeting Mayor Kim McMillan talked about the City Council’s vote. “I’m very disappointed that the council did not
pass by the 2/3’s that the legislature has requested to move forward. We’ll have to go back and think again and as I said before I think this is an extremely important issue to the citizens of our city in order to move forward with our boards and commissions,” McMillan said.“I have tried my best. I have put it before this council twice in order to try to get this rectified and they have chosen not to do that. We’ll just have to take a step back. As I said before I don’t give up easily so I’m going to keep looking for some way that we can rectify this problem,” said McMillan.
Councilman Bill Summers has been one of the opponents of Mayor McMillan’s charter revision plan involving citizens serving on city boards and commissions. “I’ve probably gotten several dozen emails from my constituents. They feel that maybe the issue has been overblown, that there are good viable people with the skills and they’re asking, ask us we would like to participate,” Summers said.
“The other thing is I’ve told my ward and I’ve stuck to my guns, I’m not going to piecemeal changes to an old worn out charter. This is just one of many items that are actually in conflict. We need to get back get the whole charter reworked and send up one good charter, said Summers.
The issue of an amendment to the city’s anti-noise regulations was another controversial subject that was postponed to their next regular session of the City Council. The ordinance covered rock quarry operations and limited their operations which caused unreasonable noise between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Several people addressed the City Council about the proposed ordinance during the public comments session which was held before the City Council Meeting.
One person who spoke to the council was Carl Van Hoosier with Vulcan Materials Company who spoke against the anti-noise proposal. “I want to let you know that Vulcan Materials Company has worked very hard and we have done a real good job to keep our noise level down to a minimum for our employees and our neighbors,” Hoosier said.
Hoosier went on to talk about the equipment at Vulcan Materials Company and how it is kept operating at maximum levels to reduce noise. He also pointed that the company regularly conducts sound tests at areas surrounding the facility and those tests have shown noise levels are within required limits. Chad Swallows, Vice president and General Manager of Winn Materials spoke next and echoed much of what was said by Van Hoosier.
Two citizens who were in favor of the proposed anti-noise ordinance also came forward to express their opinions to the City Council and offer their side of the issue. Ramona Reece is a resident who lives near the Winn Materials quarry on Barge Point Road and talked about the noise.
“It used to be tolerable even at night because it was more of a low hum but at some point something changed. The level of noise which is especially noticeable at night it really intensified. It’s much louder and it seems to run for longer durations often through daybreak,” said Reece. Another Clarksville resident, William Fields said when the Winn Materials rock quarry is running he can hear it through the walls of his home.
On first reading the council passed an amendment to the City Code concerning the placement of garbage cans. The ordinance states that garbage cans or containers must be stored no closer than the front building line of the main structure facing a street, sidewalk or other public place when not placed at the curb side for scheduled pickup.
The ordinance also says it shall be unlawful for any person to place or store any garbage can or container in or along any street, sidewalk or public place of the city so as to block or interfere with traffic or in any other way that would cause a public hazard or nuisance. The Clarksville Building and Codes Department will now have more authority to manage and control issues related to the location garbage cans.
In other action Thursday the City Council passed on first reading an ordinance to amend the current Clarksville-Montgomery County Regional Airport budget to complete construction of the new airport terminal. The council also approved adopting a debt management policy and a resolution to authorize an interlocal agreement with Montgomery County on the establishment of a Smart Growth Commission.
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