Brownsville council approves annexation, zoning amendment, grants, budgets and routine appointments

The Brownsville City Council on Feb. 11 approved a set of routine and programmatic items, including first readings of a zoning amendment and an annexation ordinance, multiple grant applications and budget amendments, the purchase of solid-waste equipment, and several board appointments.

Among the formal actions the council approved:

- First reading of Ordinance No. 1033 amending Chapter 4 (Central Business District) to recognize and permit existing medical service uses in the Central Business District except those that generate biochemical waste; the ordinance was approved on first reading.

- First reading of Ordinance No. 1034 beginning the annexation and zoning process for a 3.24-acre parcel (Haywood County tax map referenced in the packet) owned by Walter Mann Jr.; the item will return for a second reading and related service-resolution actions next month.

- Acceptance of an Industrial Development Board (IDB) commitment of $1,000,000 toward the Brownsville Resource Hub, with an IDB schedule described by staff (a $500,000 disbursement by the end of 2025 and the balance no later than Dec. 2026); council accepted the commitment.

- Approval of Resolution No. 1077 to apply for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program; staff noted the program requires a local match (6 percent) and that project-specific matches will be reported if and when grant awards are made.

- Approval of Resolution No. 1080 to apply for an asset-enhancement grant of $1 million for the community resource center; staff said the local match for that grant would be $52,631.58 if the grant is awarded.

- Approval of Resolution No. 1081 to purchase front-load solid-waste equipment; the contract amount cited in the meeting was $389,458.68, with an estimated trade-in value of $230,000. Staff said the expenditure will come from the Solid Waste Fund and does not affect the general fund balance.

- Two budget amendments: an amendment adding three grants to the general fund (body-camera grant $16,000, a $4,995 donation from Southwest Electric to the fire department, and the asset-enhancement grant) totaling $1,020,995; and a solid-waste budget amendment to cover the truck purchase that increased capital outlay by roughly $186,000.

- Several appointments: Vincent Harwell was approved to fill a vacancy on the Industrial Development Board (six-year term) and Ray Jones was reappointed to the Brownsville Housing Authority for a term beginning Jan. 10, 2025.

- Approval of a road closure (rolling parade permit) for Main Street for the Mardi Gras event to be held March 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., contingent on proper insurance and permits.

- Authorization to proceed with body-camera replacement funded by a $16,000 grant; staff said the grant requires a 50 percent match and will replace aging cameras and docking stations.

Council also received routine departmental reports, including a finance report showing the city had spent about 58 percent of its budget year to date, a TVA-related utility update presented by Autumn Bishop, and a brief report on youth leadership and the fire department’s apprenticeship program. No formal public-comment items altered the council’s actions on the listed items.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance No. 1033 (CB District medical uses) — first reading — approved on first reading (motion and second recorded; vote recorded as aye in meeting transcript).

- Ordinance No. 1034 (Annexation, first reading) — approved on first reading.

- IDB $1,000,000 commitment — approved.

- Resolution No. 1077 (CDBG application) — approved.

- Resolution No. 1080 (Asset enhancement grant application) — approved; local match $52,631.58 if awarded.

- Resolution No. 1081 (Solid-waste equipment purchase) — approved; contract amount cited $389,458.68; funds from Solid Waste Fund.

- Budget amendments (general fund grants and solid-waste capital) — approved.

- Appointments: Vincent Harwell (Industrial Development Board) and Ray Jones (Brownsville Housing Authority) — approved.

- Mardi Gras road closure permit (Main Street, March 1, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.) — approved.

These items were presented with staff documentation in the meeting packet; where the transcript did not include roll-call tallies, the minutes record simple approval votes. If the council receives grant awards or final contract numbers, staff said those items will return to the council for final approval and documentation.