Sweetwater workshop reviews memorial-tree donation policy and Parks & Rec rules changes

City staff presented a Tree Board policy and a set of Parks & Recreation rule updates and answered commissioners’ questions during the workshop.

Jessica (city staff) said the Tree Board’s policy would let donors pay $300 for a memorial tree placed in city parks; the board would purchase a Tennessee-native tree, arrange installation (likely via parks staff), and replace it if it dies within the first year. Jessica said, "If the tree dies within the first year, the tree board will replace it. After that ... the donor would have to replace it again," and that responsibility for vandalized plaques would rest with the donor.

On Parks & Recreation rules, staff proposed shifting the authority to designate no-parking areas and to maintain locks and key codes to the parks director, setting a 5-mph speed limit inside complexes, and allowing the parks director to close parks for emergency or safety reasons. City attorney (S6) and commissioners discussed whether violations should be described as city-code violations rather than misdemeanors and how enforcement and restitution for vandalism would be handled.

The board did not take formal action at the workshop; staff said the memorial-tree policy and parks rules amendments are scheduled for the March agenda for potential adoption and that, if approved, the $300 fee would have to be added to the citywide schedule of fees.