Cookeville council approves series of contracts, rezoning measures and park projects

The Cookeville City Council voted to approve a package of contracts, purchases and first‑reading ordinances at its meeting, authorizing traffic‑management equipment, professional engineering services, park amenities and several rezoning and mapping changes.

The council approved a purchase of five Curex Vision AI systems for intersection detection — a smart city traffic platform intended to optimize signal coordination across corridors — for $77,693, a budgeted item that city staff said is expected to be installed at five intersections in the Jefferson or Willow corridors. The council also approved professional and construction contracts and purchases that included engineering for City Hall electrical service replacement, a consultant for substation projects, a lagoon clean‑out renewal, a waterline change order and contracts for GPS and forward‑facing cameras for city vehicles.

Why it matters: the approvals cover near‑term capital work and tools the city says will improve operations (traffic signal timing and vehicle routing) and add recreational amenities at Cane Creek Park. Several items will require construction, installation and coordination with state agencies and outside vendors before their benefits are realized.

Most consequential operational items

- Traffic detection system: Public Works recommended buying five Curex Vision AI units — cameras, server/software and accessories — through the BuyBoard cooperative at a total cost of $77,693. Staff said the system uses cameras and AI to count and classify turning and through movements and to provide corridor‑level analytics that can be shared with the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The council approved the purchase 4‑0. City staff said lead time for delivery is six to eight weeks.

- City Hall electrical engineering: The council authorized an engineering agreement with Moffett Loftus Engineering for design, bidding and construction administration to replace the building’s main electrical service; the contract amount is $14,500 and was approved 4‑0. City staff reported the building’s switchgear and breakers are original and failed during generator testing.

- Vehicle GPS and cameras: The council approved a statewide contract with Samsara to provide GPS hardware for 235 vehicles and forward‑facing dash cameras for 42 vehicles (excluding the police department, which maintains a separate system). The multi‑year contract includes an initial partial‑year payment of $13,038.91 and annual costs of $46,778.40 thereafter; the council approved the contract 4‑0.

Park projects

The council approved purchases to add a custom splash pad and a new playground at Cane Creek Park. The packet lists the splash pad purchase price as $1,344,388.79 (packet wording; audio phrasing in the meeting was unclear) to be procured via Sourcewell cooperative contract with Landscape Structures and Recreational Concepts; staff described a circular layout, shade structures and age‑segmented water features that recirculate treated water. The council approved the splash pad purchase 4‑0.

For the playground, staff presented two proposals: equipment and installation at $292,620.12 and ForeverLawn artificial turf surfacing at $151,574.30, for a combined installed price of $444,194.42. The council approved both purchases 4‑0.

Land use and first‑reading ordinances

The council advanced on first reading amendments to the official street map (ordinance O25‑0301) that add roughly 4,135 linear feet (0.78 miles) of new streets and remove about 1,136 linear feet (0.22 miles), reflecting construction completed in 2024. The council also approved on first reading two rezoning requests: one to rezone properties on West Broad Street and Ridgedale Drive from RS‑20 (single‑family residential) to CL (local commercial) (ordinance O25‑0302), and another to rezone property at 211 South Jefferson Avenue from CR (regional commercial) to CG (general commercial) (ordinance O25‑0303). Each ordinance was moved, seconded and passed on first reading by a 4‑0 vote.

Other contract and service approvals

The council approved the following items (motions carried 4‑0 unless otherwise noted): renewal of the 2021 lagoon clean‑out contract (original bid $500,000), a change order for the 2023 South Jefferson Avenue waterline project adding $222,900 (adding 21 days and bringing the contract price to $6,573,948), engagement of Thomas M. Barnes PE for substation engineering (not‑to‑exceed $35,000), renewal of banking services with Regions Bank for a four‑year term, authorization to award multiple municipal bids (bucket truck, lawn maintenance), and approval to engage Blankenship CPA Group for the FY2025 audit (base fee $58,600) and to purchase Curex cameras through BuyBoard.

Appointment and hearings

The council confirmed the mayor’s appointment to the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport Board; the packet and audio referenced the nominee with inconsistent surnames (packet lists Martin Ewing; meeting audio variably referenced Martin Dean); the council voted to confirm the appointment 4‑0. A public hearing on a surplus parcel at 125 Chestnut Avenue, requested by Cookeville Regional Medical Center (CRMC), was opened and closed; staff recommended postponing final action until a full council could attend because the CRMC private act/charter requires unanimous council approval to surplus hospital property. No city action was taken on the surplus at this meeting.

What council members said

Staff and several council members described the Curex purchase as an ‘‘engineering platform’’ the city can expand and use to provide continuous 24/7 traffic counts to TDOT and to improve signal operations in corridors; staff and council emphasized this is an iterative, learning deployment rather than an immediate fix. In the meeting, Tyler Maroney of the Tennessee Division of Forestry congratulated Cookeville for 36 years as a Tree City USA: "Congratulations to the city of Cookeville for being recognized as a Tree City USA for the 36th year in a row," he said.

Next steps and timing

Approved purchases and contracts will move to procurement and project scheduling; several items (electrical service replacement, Curex installation, playground and splash pad construction) require design, permitting and vendor delivery. The surplus property request from CRMC will return for council action when the full council is present, per the governing charter requirement.

Votes at a glance

- Confirm mayor’s appointment to Upper Cumberland Regional Airport Board (nominee referenced in packet as Martin Ewing; audio variably referenced Martin Dean). Motion: confirm mayor’s appointment. Mover: Councilman Boggi. Second: Councilman Walker. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Ordinance O25‑0301 (amend official street map) — first reading. Motion: approve first reading as recommended by Planning Commission. Mover: Councilman Boggi. Second: Councilman Gilbert. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: advanced on first reading. - Ordinance O25‑0302 (rezoning West Broad/Ridgedale: RS‑20 to CL) — first reading. Motion: approve first reading. Mover: Councilman Boggi. Second: Councilman Walker. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: advanced on first reading. - Ordinance O25‑0303 (rezoning 211 S. Jefferson Ave: CR to CG) — first reading. Motion: approve first reading. Mover: Councilman Walker. Second: Councilman Gilbert. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: advanced on first reading. - Amendment to Tennessee Central Rail Trail Authority bylaws (add ninth member) — Motion: approve bylaws amendment. Mover: Councilman Walker. Second: Councilman Boggi. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Moffett Loftus Engineering contract for City Hall electrical service design — Motion: approve contract ($14,500). Mover: Councilman Boggi. Second: Councilman Walker. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Curex Vision AI traffic system purchase (5 intersections) — Motion: approve purchase ($77,693). Mover: Councilman Gilbert. Second: Councilman Walker. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Thomas M. Barnes PE professional services (substation projects) — Motion: approve not‑to‑exceed contract ($35,000). Mover: Councilman Gilbert. Second: Councilman Boggi. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Lagoon clean‑out contract renewal (2021 contract renewal) — Motion: approve renewal (original contract $500,000). Mover: Councilman Gilbert. Second: Councilman Boddy. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Change order No. 2 for South Jefferson Avenue waterline project (add $222,900; +21 days; new contract $6,573,948) — Motion: approve change order. Mover: Councilman Boggi. Second: Councilman Gilbert. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Regions Bank selected for city banking services (4‑year agreement) — Motion: approve city manager to execute agreement. Mover: Councilman Boggi. Second: Councilman Gilbert. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Audit engagement for FY2025 with Blankenship CPA Group (base fee $58,600) — Motion: approve engagement. Mover: Councilman Gilbert. Second: Councilman Walker. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Samsara GPS/camera contract (235 GPS units, 42 dash cameras) — Motion: approve contract (initial partial year $13,038.91; annual $46,778.40). Mover: Councilman Gilbert. Second: Councilman Boggi. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Cane Creek Park splash pad (packet lists $1,344,388.79; audio phrasing unclear) — Motion: approve purchase via Sourcewell. Mover: Councilman Gilbert. Second: Councilman Walker. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved. - Cane Creek Park playground equipment ($292,620.12) and ForeverLawn surfacing ($151,574.30) — Motion: approve purchases. Mover: Councilman Walker. Second: Councilman Boggi. Vote: 4‑0. Outcome: approved.

Ending

Most items approved at the meeting were routine authorizations for procurement and first readings of land‑use ordinances; several denote project starts that will require follow‑up for design, permitting and construction. The surplus property hearing on a CRMC parcel was held but action was postponed because the hospital’s private act/charter requires unanimous council approval and a full council was not present.