Kingsport board adopts budget and multiple ordinances, approves grants and contracts; wine-sales certificate passes 6-1

The Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a package of budget adjustments, ordinances, grant agreements and contracts during its April 1 business meeting, with most measures passing unanimously and a single contested consent item on retail wine sales.

The board gave final approval to amendments to the city's fiscal 2025 budgets and approved an ordinance authorizing condemnation proceedings for public works projects. They also ratified a $28,000 matching award from the Tennessee Department of Transportation under federal Section 5307 for transit preventative maintenance and renewed multiple operating contracts, including the city's school crossing guard contract.

Why it matters: the measures reallocate and authorize spending across municipal funds, permit the city to secure state and federal grant dollars for transit and library services, and establish purchasing/contract authority for fleet, maintenance and school services that affect day-to-day city operations.

Board action highlights

- Final adoption of ordinance amending various fund budgets for fiscal year ending June 30, 2025: approved 7-0. The action adjusts allocations across multiple city funds and includes a reallocation tied to upcoming water-line work on Memorial Boulevard.

- Ordinance authorizing condemnation proceedings for certain public works projects: approved 7-0. The ordinance directs the city attorney to initiate litigation as needed to acquire property or easements along project routes.

- Ordinance amending the general purpose school fund and general projects fund budget for fiscal 2025: approved 7-0. The item was submitted by the Board of Education.

- Resolution to accept matching Section 5307 TDOT capital grant funds (transit preventative maintenance), TDOT amount $28,000: approved 7-0. The board authorized the mayor to execute the grant documents.

- Resolution renewing purchase authority (blanket order) with NAPA Auto Parts under cooperative contracts for fleet parts: approved 7-0.

- Resolution renewing award of bid for school crossing guard services to All City Management Services Inc. (formerly Cross Safe), ratifying the mayor's signature on a consent assignment agreement and authorizing an additional year of contract with an approximately 2.96% consumer price index adjustment: approved 7-0. The police department budget will cover the local match.

- Resolution to apply for and participate in a regional digitization hub project with the Tennessee State Library and Archives to digitize 37 bound volumes: approved 7-0.

- Resolution ratifying the mayor's signature to apply for the 'Training Opportunities for the Public' grant to buy six Wi-Fi hotspots, accessories and one year of service (20% local match funded from the Kingsport Public Library operating budget): approved 7-0.

- Resolution to purchase two 2025 Alamo Tracts remote-control mowers via the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing agreement (one for grounds maintenance, one for Kingsport City Schools): approved 7-0.

- Appointments: two commission appointments taken as one motion, including appointment of Alan Hobbs to fulfill an unexpired term on the Bays Mountain Park Commission: approved 7-0.

- Consent agenda: certificates of compliance allowing specified retail food stores to sell wine (addresses listed in the packet): approved 6-1 (Alderman Baker voted no). The second consent item, an opt-in agreement with Anderson County Schools and United Data Technologies, passed 7-0.

Debate and context

Alderman Baker spoke at length during consideration of the certificate to allow retail wine sales, saying the local role in the process is limited and that the council's function is largely to verify two state-mandated check boxes. "If our only role in this process is to verify a couple of check boxes, then either the state should be handling this process entirely or we should be given greater authority to ensure these decisions reflect our community needs and expectations," Alderman Baker said. He voted no on the certificates of compliance.

Mayor Paul W. Montgomery and staff described the routine nature of many items and noted that several actions, including the TDOT grant and contract renewals, are part of ongoing operations. Nick Shepherd of Tennessee Donor Services accepted a proclamation recognizing April as Donate Life month and thanked the board; Shepherd said the proclamation would help encourage registration.

Library- and community-related items

Library staff reported progress on the library's relocation to a mall site and said the city has received a $2,000,000 Connected Community Facilities grant; construction at the mall location is expected to be substantially complete in early May. Staff said the actual public move will follow a competitive bid process and estimated the public closure during the move at roughly two to three weeks. The board approved the hotspots grant and the digitization resolution, both aimed at expanding access to library resources.

Procurement and cooperative purchasing

City staff explained that several purchases were made using cooperative (Sourcewell) contracts to reduce internal procurement time and secure government contract pricing. The board approved purchases and contract authority for fleet parts, remote-control mowers and other routine supplies.

What passed unanimously: the fiscal 2025 budget amendments, ordinances authorizing condemnation, the school fund amendments, the TDOT and library grant-related resolutions, contract renewals, and cooperative purchases. The only non-unanimous vote was the wine-sales certificates, which passed 6-1.

Votes at a glance

- Appointments: Alan Hobbs to Bays Mountain Park Commission; motion by Alderman Hooper; second by Alderman George; vote 7-0; outcome: approved.

- Budget ordinance (final/adoption) amending various funds for fiscal year ending 06/30/2025; motion by Alderman George; second by Alderman Phillips; roll call 7 ayes (Baker, Cooper, Duncan, George, Mays, Phillips, Montgomery); outcome: approved 7-0.

- Ordinance authorizing condemnation proceedings for public works projects (second/final reading); motion by Vice Mayor Duncan; second; roll call 7 ayes; outcome: approved 7-0.

- Ordinance amending general purpose school fund and general projects fund budgets (second/final reading); roll call 7 ayes; outcome: approved 7-0.

- Resolution to accept Section 5307 TDOT capital grant (transit preventative maintenance), TDOT $28,000: motion by Vice Mayor Duncan; second by Alderman Phillips; vote 7-0; outcome: approved. Document authority: Tennessee Department of Transportation Section 5307 grant.

- Resolution authorizing blanket purchase order to NAPA Auto Parts via Sourcewell cooperative purchasing agreement: motion by Alderman Baker; second by Alderman Phillips; vote 7-0; outcome: approved.

- Resolution renewing award for school crossing guard services to All City Management Services Inc. (formerly Cross Safe), ratifying mayor's signature and authorizing agreement with CPI adjustment (~2.96%): motion by Vice Mayor Duncan; second by Alderman Baker; vote 7-0; outcome: approved.

- Resolution to participate in regional digitization hub project (Tennessee State Library and Archives): motion by Alderman McPhillips; second by Alderman George; vote 7-0; outcome: approved.

- Resolution ratifying mayor's signature to apply for Training Opportunities for the Public grant (Kingsport Public Library) to purchase six Wi-Fi hotspots and one year of service, 20% local match from library operating budget: motion by Alderman George; second by Alderman Cooper; vote 7-0; outcome: approved.

- Resolution to purchase two 2025 Alamo Tracts remote-control mowers using Sourcewell for grounds maintenance and Kingsport City Schools: motion by Alderman George; second by Alderman Baker; vote 7-0; outcome: approved.

- Consent: certificates of compliance for retail food stores to sell wine (addresses in packet): motion by Alderman George; second by Alderman Cooper; roll call 6 ayes, 1 nay (Alderman Baker); outcome: approved 6-1.

- Consent: opt-in agreement with Anderson County Schools and United Data Technologies (ratify mayor's execution): vote 7-0; outcome: approved.

Other board notes and announcements

Mayor Montgomery briefed the board on approved plans for a controlled burn of approximately seven acres at Bays Mountain Park, overseen by state officials with the fire department in a backup role and with planned community training opportunities tied to the activity. The mayor also noted ongoing downtown redevelopment efforts, progress on street paving planning and the city's work on economic-development grants for Main Street properties.

Ending

Most items on the April 1 agenda were routine approvals needed to continue city operations and to secure state and federal grant funding. Board members underscored the importance of process for some matters'notably the wine certificate procedure'and directed staff or legislators to consider changes where authority is constrained by state law.