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Council considers $25,000 road assessment, sign‑making equipment and equipment purchases in Public Works budget
Summary
In a May 27 work session the council reviewed Public Works spending, including a proposed $25,000 I‑works road evaluation, a $12,200 sign‑making machine (kept in the draft but not to be spent now), equipment requests, uniform changes and vehicle replacement fund adjustments.
Signal Mountain’s Town Council spent the bulk of its May 27 special meeting reviewing Public Works budget lines spanning administration, streets, shop and facilities maintenance.
Town Manager Matt Johnson and Public Works Director Wes walked council through administration costs, benefits and a range of capital requests. Councilors flagged numerous spreadsheet allocation issues for staff to reconcile—particularly salary splits between departments—and asked that staff send corrected wage and allocation tables before the next budget meeting.
Streets and paving dominated discussion. Staff proposed a $25,000 I‑works road assessment and recommended the council decide whether to budget that amount now or bring it as a supplemental request after final revenue figures are known. The council did not authorize spending during the session; staff clarified that budgeting a line does not automatically authorize expenditure and that actual projects will require resolution and bids before funds can be spent.
Council members and staff also debated a $12,200 capital request for an in‑house sign‑making machine. Staff said the equipment would reduce outside sign repair and replacement costs and allow the town to produce standard MUTCD regulatory signs and simple vinyl branding signs. Councilors reached informal agreement to keep the $12,200 request in the draft budget but instructed staff not to spend that money immediately; no purchase was approved at the meeting.
Several requests were presented to increase in‑house capability and reduce outsourcing. Those included a $5,300 A‑frame hoist for engine and heavy‑component work, a quoted tilt trailer (for the water mini‑excavator) discussed later in the water budget, and a proposed waste‑oil heater for the shop that could use recycled oil if a $10,000 grant is secured. Wes described an enclosed trailer request to safely transport hazardous materials (paint and other household hazardous waste) to regional handling facilities; staff said the existing trailer is not road‑safe and the enclosed trailer would provide secure containment for transport.
The council discussed uniform policy changes for Public Works: rather than contract laundry/uniform services, staff proposed purchasing uniforms in‑house and allocating an amount per employee for replacement shirts/pants, with employees responsible for laundering. Councilors asked that any change be incorporated into the personnel policy and dress code.
Members also discussed the vehicle replacement fund and capital accounting. Staff said the town has been catching up on a backlog of replacement funding and will continue to reassess useful life and replacement costs; one parks and recreation mower replacement was budgeted at $12,100 with a vehicle purchase shown in the capital schedule, and a spare garbage‑truck rear‑end repair was discussed (individual line figures were provided by staff for repair vs. replacement). Solid waste and recycling lines include anticipated costs under a new draft contract with Waste Connections; staff indicated the contract is in draft and scheduled to begin July 1.
Councilors asked staff to deliver a cleaned, reallocated wages table and to clarify which capital purchases are to be held in the budget but not spent until council authorizes them by resolution. No formal votes were taken at the session.
