Dickson Council: Budget, property rezoning approved on first votes
The Dickson City Council at its June regular meeting conducted a public hearing and unanimously approved on first reading adoption of the city’s fiscal year 2022-2023 budget and set the property tax rate at 77.35 cents per $100 of assessed value.
At the June 6 meeting, City Administrator Rydell Wesson said the property tax rate is unchanged from the current budget and the $40 million budget includes a 9 percent cost of living adjustment for employees and over $15 million in ongoing projects. Nobody spoke during the public hearing. The ordinance faces a second and final vote at a June 20 special session and, if approved, goes into effect July 1.
$2.3M, American Recovery Plan
The council unanimously approved on first reading amendments to the current budget and scheduled a second and final vote for the June 20 special session.
City Administrator Rydell Wesson said the amendments include more than $2.3 million in unanticipated revenue consisting of the $2,310,656 first payment from the American Recovery Plan Act, two $5,000 grants for the Dickson Senior Center, a $1,000 donation to the Dickson Senior Center and partial payment of a $20,000 Tennessee Highway Safety Office grant for the Dickson Police Department that were not included in the budget approved in June 2021.
Unanticipated expenditures in the amendment include over $350,000 for the $1,500 supplements given to employees mid-year, over $200,000 for the purchase of property at 201 West Walnut St., over $100,000 for the first payment in a project to convert all of the city’s streetlights to LED, an additional $4,300 for a required stream outfall mapping project, adjustments to the salaries and benefits of the mayor and council members caused by an increase in the county mayor’s salary, over $11,000 for the settlement of a lawsuit brought by former Municipal Court Judge Reese Holley and a $33,531 amendment to the Department of Safety Drug Fund to purchase a vehicle to replace a wrecked patrol unit for the police department.
Rezone property
The council conducted a public hearing and approved on first reading an ordinance to rezone property on Oak Park Drive from R-1 (low-density residential) to R-2 (medium-density residential) requested by Joseph Walker.
Planning and Zoning Director Jason Pilkinton said the rezoning is consistent with a previous change made to the adjacent property and the lot in question is large enough to accommodate two residences. Nobody spoke during the public hearing. The council approved the ordinance 6-0-1 with Councilperson Kyle Sanders (2nd Ward) abstaining. The ordinance faces a second and final vote at a June 20 special session;
The council conducted a public hearing and unanimously approved on first reading and ordinance to rezone property at 2020 Highway 70 West from R-1 (low-density residential) to R-3 (high-density residential) requested by Pat Semore.
Pilkinton said the rezoning is consistent with a previous change made to the adjacent property to the west and the existing zoning of the property to the east. Pilkinton said the rezoning will make all the property between the Crosby Terrace and Madison Ridge apartment complexes consistent.
Nobody spoke during the public hearing. The ordinance faces a second and final vote at a June 20 special session.
The council approved on second and final reading an ordinance to rezone property on Livestock Road from B-4 (heavy commercial and warehousing) to B-3 (highway commercial) requested by HUD’s Inc.
Planning and Zoning Director Pilkinton said the council held a public hearing and approved the ordinance on first reading Jan. 3 to change the property to its previous classification, but the second reading was deferred at the owner’s request while contract issues for a potential sale were addressed;
Demolish structure
The council unanimously accepted the bid and authorized the mayor to sign a contract with ABS Construction for the demolition and removal of an abandoned home on 515 North Main Street for $12,500.
Pilkinton said the owner of the home died and homeless people had taken up residence and used much of the interior as firewood. Pilkinton said the heirs for the property are not willing to make the repairs necessary to comply with codes and were unable to find a buyer for the property. Pilkinton said a lien will be placed on the property for the cost of demolition and the city will recover its costs when the property is sold.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dickson Council: Budget, property rezoning approved on first votes
