Loudon City Council approves grant applications, budget amendments and equipment surplus

Loudon City Council on Jan. 27, 2025 approved a set of routine motions including a resolution to apply for a Historic Preservation Fund grant with the city providing the remaining 40% match, declared fleet equipment surplus, and voted to seek federal Assistance to Firefighters grant funds for portable radios.

Mayor Jeff Harris called the meeting to order and said, “It's my intention to, as your chair, to create a space where everyone feels seen, heard, respected, and valued.” The meeting included retiree recognitions and a mix of informational reports; most action items passed on voice votes or by a brief roll call.

The votes affect city operations, capital and equipment replacement plans and grant-funded purchases. Council members approved budget amendments and several departmental requests that the city said were already budgeted or will be matched by city funds.

Votes at a glance:

• Adoption of the meeting agenda — Approved (voice vote). Motion and second recorded; no roll-call recorded in the transcript.

• Approval of minutes from Dec. 16, 2024 — Approved (voice vote). Motion and second recorded; no roll-call recorded in the transcript.

• Resolution authorizing application to the Historic Preservation Fund and committing matching funds — Approved (voice vote). The council recorded that if the grant is awarded the remaining 40% of the project cost will be provided by the city.

• Declare fleet equipment surplus — Approved (voice vote). The item as described in the packet was to declare 32 pistols (Glocks) surplus for trade-in; the transcript notes replacements are already budgeted.

• Regional grant application to FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for 2024 assistance to firefighter program — Approved (voice vote). The application is for 26 portable band radios; if the grant is awarded the council said a $23,000 match would be appropriated in next year’s fiscal budget.

• City of Loudon Section 125 cafeteria plan for employees — Approved (voice vote).

• Budget amendments for the fiscal year (packet supplied by Director Huskins; fiscal year not specified in the motion text) — Approved (roll call). Recorded roll-call votes in the transcript: Vice Mayor Dixon — Aye; Council member Newman — Aye; Council member Cardwell — Aye; Council member Ridings — Aye; Mayor Harris — Aye.

• Acknowledgment of a utilities debt obligation report related to an $8,000,000 grant or revenue bonds — Not an action for council approval; the council only acknowledged the report to be included in the minutes.

In addition to formal motions, Mayor Harris reported that the landfill expansion had been approved by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) the prior week; he said Public Services manager David Hollinshead was scheduled to present details but did not attend the meeting.

Utility and department updates reported to council included a similar set of routine approvals taken earlier by the utility board: authorization of LJA Engineering for a comprehensive sanitary sewer master plan and for sanitary sewer rehabilitation phase 2 engineering services; authorization of Johnson, Miriam & Thompson for survey services around the Roberson Springs Booster Pump Station; authorization of OHM Advisors for electrical design of a standby generator at the Roberson Springs Booster Pump Station; awarding a contract to USG Water Solutions for the Corinth ground storage tank rehabilitation; and a notice that the natural gas rate had been set at 182 (up from 117) in the utility report provided to council.

Public-safety recognitions began the evening: Director of Public Safety Brubaker presented four retired officers and one current officer for recognition and noted one officer had received a 2024 speed enforcement award from the Tennessee Highway Safety Officers.

Two community notices were announced near the meeting's close: a citizen-organized community cleanup scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1, meeting at the Lions Club Pavilion at noon (the city is not sponsoring the event), and a meet-and-greet for the city manager and his family at the Lyric Theater on Grove Street at 5:30 p.m. the following night to welcome Kevin Goins.

The council recessed briefly and then adjourned after the remaining items were handled.