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Quarterly reports: library art show, police fraud recoveries and fire response times highlight Signal Mountain updates
Summary
Library, police, fire, public works, finance and water departments presented quarterly updates: library reported strong summer programming and an art show, police said $15,563 was recovered for fraud victims, fire reported 173 incidents and a 90th-percentile response time of 8:38, and public works and finance reviewed infrastructure, stormwater-fee corrections and budgeted billing totals.
Department heads at Signal Mountain’s Town Council meeting on Oct. 14 delivered quarterly overviews that spotlighted community programming, public-safety operations and infrastructure work.
Library director John told the council the library’s summer series and fall programming remain well attended, citing a community art show that drew more than 100 submissions and strong turnout. He thanked staff and volunteers and described several small renovation projects funded by the Friends of the Library, including new ceiling fans and a custom exterior book drop intended to improve circulation and curbside returns.
Police Chief Williams reported the department recovered $15,563 for two internet-fraud victims after recent investigations and described several personnel milestones: multiple officers completed crisis-intervention training and the department received reaccreditation through the Tennessee Law Enforcement Accreditation program. “...recovered $15,563 in stolen funds from some of these Internet frauds...,” Chief Williams said.
Fire Chief Larry Sloan told council the department answered 173 incidents in the quarter, including three fires, and provided an operational breakdown: 47 rescue/EMS calls, 23 hazardous-condition calls and multiple mutual-aid responses. He reported the department’s 90th-percentile response time as 8 minutes, 38 seconds (slightly above the NFPA 1710 target of 8 minutes), noting that many calls are nonemergency citizen assists that affect response-time metrics.
Public Works Director Stokes updated the council on personnel (new supervisor Chris Register), sidewalk repairs on Tennessee and Georgia avenues, a recent guardrail repair on Mississippi Avenue, and a stormwater-fee reassessment that found 36 properties had been assessed the incorrect fee and were adjusted. Stokes said the department is preparing for leaf season and advertised a right-of-way tree-removal bid.
Johnny from finance reported the department is fully staffed and bringing financial reporting back in-house after issues were resolved with the accounting system; he provided billing figures the town is preparing to mail: property taxes being billed at about $6,037,688 (budget projection $6,051,583) and stormwater billing of $548,781 (projection $550,044). He said 3,741 hard-copy statements will be mailed.
Town Manager Matt Justice also updated the council on water-utility work, noting bacteriological sampling results were in compliance and ARP-funded work at the booster-tank site near the library has entered construction. Justice and staff announced several community items: a Dahlia Playground benefit concert with proceeds going to the playground, a retirement celebration for Lt. Don Pace, a drug take-back day on Oct. 25, a townwide food drive through Nov. 15, and USDA oral-rabies baiting flights in the area the week of Oct. 14–30.
Council members asked questions about digital library memberships, sidewalk timing, and dispatching practices for medical calls at local care facilities. Several department heads said they would follow up with more detail where requested. The council adjourned after scheduling a work session for Oct. 27.
