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Signal Mountain council approves grant application and pay-scale changes, advances FEMA-required floodplain ordinance
Summary
The Signal Mountain Town Council voted to authorize a driver-education grant application and amend the FY25–26 pay scale, and it gave first reading to a floodplain ordinance required for participation in federal flood insurance programs; all measures passed by voice vote and a public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled at the next meeting.
Signal Mountain’s Town Council on Oct. 14 approved a resolution authorizing the town manager to apply for a small driver-education reimbursement grant and adopted an amendment to the municipal pay scale for fiscal year 2025–26, then held a first reading of a FEMA-approved municipal floodplain ordinance and scheduled a public hearing.
Town Manager Matt Justice described the Public Entity Partner (PEP) James L. Richardson driver-education matching grant as a way to fund an annual driver-safety program for town employees and to satisfy an insurance-provider requirement. “It is for the year,” Justice said of the program’s funding; the grant reimburses roughly $2,500 against an estimated $3,000 cost, Justice said. Council moved and approved the resolution by voice vote.
Council also unanimously approved changes to the FY25–26 pay scale. Discussion centered on where to place a planned Community Development Director within the new grade structure; one council member urged considering a higher grade, while Justice said the grade as proposed aligned with the budgeted salary. “Grade 10 is where the salary that I proposed for the budgeting portion fell,” Justice said, noting the pay scale allows flexibility based on experience.
On land-use regulations, the council held the first reading of a municipal floodplain-zone ordinance required for Signal Mountain to remain eligible for federally backed National Flood Insurance Program coverage. “This is pretty much required that we pass this in order to allow people to continue to get flood insurance in the town,” a council member said during the discussion. The first reading passed and a public hearing will be held at the council’s next meeting.
All three items moved forward without roll-call tallies recorded in the meeting transcript; votes were taken by voice and announced as “aye,” with no members recorded as opposed. The driver-education item will fund an annual safety-training program aimed at reducing vehicle risks and aligning with the town’s insurance recommendations. The pay-scale amendment is intended to implement the council’s budget decisions for FY25–26 and to give hiring flexibility for the new director position. The floodplain ordinance is required by FEMA to preserve residents’ access to federal flood insurance.
The council will again convene for a work session on Monday, Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. and will hold a public hearing on the floodplain ordinance at its next regular meeting.
