Commission approves airport layout plan work order after attorney recommends contract revisions

The Collegedale City Commission on April 21 approved a work order to update the airport layout plan, authorizing a consultant—identified in the packet as Garver—to proceed after the city attorney requested several contract clarifications and the commission voted to adopt the work order with those recommendations.

City staff said the total fee shown in the packet for the consultant work related to the grant portion is $265,200; staff stated the city's local share is $14,035 (described in the meeting as 5%). The commission record shows the original agreement was executed June 16, 2020; staff said earlier work, including a kickoff meeting dated March 18, has already occurred and that property changes tied to a separate Sky Boss study will be incorporated as the consultant conducts the updated layout plan.

Commissioners and the city attorney discussed redactions or deletions in the contract packet. The city attorney said some removed language commonly concerns venue or indemnification and observed that indemnification provisions are "illegal under Tennessee law" for the city. The attorney asked for insertion of statutory compliance language the city requires and noted the contract will need additional clauses because the work amount exceeds $250,000. Specifically, the attorney told the commission the contract requires the state's procurement disclosures related to contractors (described in the meeting as a law requiring contractors with contracts over $250,000 to state they are not participating in certain disinvestment activities related to Israel) and anti‑collusion language.

Staff and the city attorney said the redacted items appeared to be standard administrative changes to compensation or attachments and that the consultant is a Tennessee firm, reducing venue concerns. Commissioners asked whether the contract must be updated because a prior staff director (Chris Swain) is no longer in the same role; staff said signature blocks and an attachment will be updated before execution.

City Attorney recommendations were added to the motion; the commission approved the work order by roll call (Commissioner Baker, Commissioner House, Commissioner Johnson, Vice Mayor Sadler and Mayor Lloyd recorded yes votes). The city attorney and staff said the agreement will be returned as a clean copy with the attorney's requested clauses included; staff said those additions will address indemnity/venue language, required disclosure clauses for contracts above $250,000 and standard anti‑collusion provisions.

Ending: The approved work order will proceed with the city attorney's recommended contract language inserted and with the consultant to incorporate any property changes identified by the ongoing Sky Boss study.