Bartlett board approves procurement agreements, accepts donated K-9 and updates public-records policy

The Bartlett Board of Mayor and Aldermen on March 24 approved a series of routine but consequential measures, including participation in a cooperative purchasing program, acceptance of a donated police service dog and an update to the city's public-records policy.

Finance Director Dick Feebas told the board the city would join Omnia Partners, a public-sector cooperative that lets municipalities use competitively awarded contracts; he said the arrangement is authorized under state law and will streamline purchasing. The board unanimously approved Resolution 09-26.

The board also adopted Resolution 10-26 to amend the fiscal-year 2026 general fund to accept training-related funds from the Tennessee Commission on Firefighting. Feebas said the department has 96 eligible personnel (67 firefighters and 29 emergency medical technicians) and that the grant provides an $800 benefit for eligible staff; the board approved the measure unanimously.

On Resolution 11-26 the board accepted a donated, trained police service dog named Rip from Shelby County Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Patrol Officer Casey Knight, Rip's handler, told the board Rip is about a year and a half old and approximately "90%" trained as a dual-purpose patrol and explosive-detection dog; Knight said the dog has been used for patrol tracking, explosive sweeps and gun-recovery training. The board approved acceptance of Rip by motion.

Assistant City Attorney Will White explained amendments proposed in Resolution 12-26 to the city's public-records policy. White said the primary purpose of the update is to direct requesters to the newly implemented public-records portal as the preferred method for requests and communications and to update the rule that prohibits using personal equipment to make copies produced under public-records requests. The board voted unanimously to adopt the updated policy.

Chief Jeff Cox asked the board to approve purchase and installation of 11 AISDI bullpen-style workstations for lieutenants at the police station. The contract with Officecapes Incorporated totals $39,936; the board approved the purchase by recorded vote.

Other procedural actions included approval of the March 10 minutes (recorded vote 4–1) and routine consent-agenda items covering a special-event permit for the Bartlett Bayou Bash, a wastewater treatment-plant rotor gearbox purchase, a commercial site plan for Dutch Brothers, and an audit-fee schedule from Watkins Uberall PLLC (consent agenda approved 5–0).

What's next: the resolutions carry implementation items handled by staff (purchase orders, grant receipts, K-9 integration and public-records portal administration). The board did not schedule further public hearings on any of the approved measures during the meeting.