BMA HighlightsPlease find below highlights from the Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting on Tuesday, May

3, 2016.

L to R: Keith Wilson,  Matthew Lane, Ted Como, Mayor Clark

 

Kingsport Times News Celebrates 100 YearsCongratulations to the Kingsport Times News for bringing us news over the last 100

years. Times News has served the people of the area since April 28, 1916, one year

before Kingsport was incorporated as a city. On that day, founder and publisher Cy Lyle 

and his editor R.D. “Bob” Kinkead issued 500 copies of the first issue and today the

Kingsport Times News weekly print audience has grown to over 217,000.

The Kingsport Publishing Corporation, the local division of Sandusky Newspapers, was

formed in 1962 and today publishes the daily newspaper and six associated websites

with a weekly audience of over 500,000 people in the Tri-Cities region.

The Kingsport Times News provides local news coverage for Sullivan, and Hawkins

counties in TN and Scott, Lee and Wise counties in Virginia. Cities covered in addition to

Kingsport are Church Hill, Mt. Carmel, Rogersville, Blountville, Weber City, Gate City and

Norton. Their longest serving publisher and longest serving managing editor in the

history of the paper are currently in their posts. Keith Wilson has been Times-News

publisher for 29 years while managing editor Ted Como has been at the newspaper 33

years.  We would also like to recognize Matthew Lane as he has been diligent in

reporting fair and accurate articles about our city for 18 years and attends all BMA work

sessions and meetings.

The City of Kingsport counts on our news organizations to keep the public informed

within our community. For 100 years, the Kingsport Times News has allowed local

residents to receive timely information and numerous quality of life enhancements

including entertainment, advertisements and coupons. The newspaper has been

recognized for its news coverage annually both in the Tennessee Press as well as the

Associated Press competition for excellence in news writing and editorial positions.

L to R: Police Chief Quillin, Public Information Officer Tom Patton and Alderman Olterman

 

Above and Beyond - Tom Patton

After joining the Kingsport Police Department in 1995, Officer Tom Patton served in

many capacities, such as a Patrol Officer, D.A.R.E instructor, Field Officer, and headed

up the Community Relations and Crime Prevention Unit.

In 2013, Patton was appointed as the department's first full-time Public Information

Officer. He has since found his niche with the department in this position. He has created

a solid social media platform for the department using programs such as Facebook, KPD

Blog, Twitter and YouTube. He's posted over 120 clips of surveillance video footage to

the KPD YouTube channel resulting in over 750 anonymous tips by citizens leading to

dozens of arrests.

He's also established strong working relationships with the local media outlets and their

personnel. Writing nearly 700 press releases to date, Patton educates citizens about

everything from major arrests to weather emergencies to crime prevention.

Along with building relationships with the media, he's also building them in the

community. Patton facilitates the department's highly acclaimed Citizens Police

Academy. He's been coordinating it since 2004 and has conducted 36 academies with

over 600 graduates.

Officer Patton has also taken the initiative to help battle the prescription drug epidemic in

our area with his "Project: Drug Drop Zone." Working with the Federal Drug Enforcement

Administration, ETSU's Gatton College of Pharmacy and the KPD Evidence and

Property Unit, a drug collection box was donated and permanently installed in the lobby

of the Justice Center. To date, over 6,000 pounds of drugs have been incinerated.

Thank you Officer Tom Patton for all you do and for making Kingsport a better place for

all citizens!

L to R: Fire Chief Craig Dye, Public Education Officer Barry Brickey and Alderman Mitchell

 

Above and Beyond - Barry Brickey

In 2006, Kingsport Fire Department hired a former radio host to be their Public Education

Officer. He immediately started re-energizing various programs and building relationships

with the local schools.

After being on the job for 6 months, Brickey was named the 2006 Fire Educator of the

Year in Tennessee.  There have been multiple confirmed saves through the public

education efforts, and in 2013 Kingsport achieved a record of over 6 ½ years without a

fire fatality.

Brickey is also the voice of Sparky the Fire Dog, helping to connect with the local schools

that take a field trip to the Kingsport Fire Department. Through the field trip tours, parents

and children are learning about fire safety, calling 911, Stop Drop and Roll and Exit Drills

in the home. He also visits local senior centers to talk with seniors about fire and fall

safety.

Since Brickey's employment, over 3,000 have had their child passenger seats checked

by the KFD "car seat guy," with 349 being done this past year. In 2015, there were over

32,600 adults and children that participated in the 360 KFD presentations and activities.

Brickey also helped to distribute almost 500 smoke alarms to homes in Kingsport.

Thank you Barry Brickey for your dedication and time spent making all generations in

Kingsport aware of fire safety!

L to R:  Alderman Parham, Kari Matheney, Chris McCartt

 

National Water Safety Month Proclamation

The month of May has been deemed Water Safety Month by Governor Haslam, in

conjunction with the national recognition. May will be dedicated to education about water

safety and safe water practices. Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental injury

or death worldwide.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, every day, about 10 people

die from unintentional drowning. The Kingsport Aquatic Center offers swimming lessons

to individuals of all skill levels and parents can see what level their children test at during

the Water Safety Day event.

Citizens can learn more about how to be safe around water at the Kingsport Aquatic

Center's celebration of National Water Safety Day event on Sunday, May 15 at 10:30

am. The first 50 swimmers receiving a special edition Aquatic Center bag full of safety

swim items such as sunglasses and sunscreen. It will be a day long event and we hope

to see everyone out there for a great day of fun in the water!

Capital Improvement Process

Jeff Fleming gave a budget update for capital improvements and revenues. The capital

improvement projects for FY17 will be funded with debt roll-off, Project Inspire/Reinvest

(as planned), prior-year budget surplus (one-time), and new power franchise fees. The

process followed the above graphic regarding a hierarchy of needs, starting with a

foundation in taking care of what we have (foundational fundamentals), then parks,

neighborhoods and transit, and the final amount dedicated to culture, arts and

beautification. This graphic shows a balanced approach to capital improvements. 

For more information regarding the CIP, please click here.  

ONEKingsport Update

The next step in the ONEKingsport process is funding, which follows prioritization of

year-one recommendations. At the work session, staff presented the top seven big ideas

with estimated costs that came from the prioritization team and BMA input. Now that

costs have been presented, the BMA will determine the best way to move forward with

implementation, which will require new revenue. 

The city is looking to be visionary over the next five years to achieve the ONEKingsport

Summit Goal of attracting and retaining new and existing residents, visitors, businesses

and developers. 

For more details regarding the top priorities and respective cost estimates, please click

here.

Over $2 Million Saved by Refinancing Bonds

The Finance Department took advantage of an opportunity to refinance bonds that will

result in a savings of approximately $2 million to the city over time. This does not extend

the life of the bonds. Thanks to Jim Demming, city recorder, and staff for capitalizing on

money-saving opportunities.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Public Hearing for the 2015 Annual Action Plan for Community Development and

Fiscal Year 15/16 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds

o $123,733 for Kingsport Alliance for Home Revitalization

o $20,000 for learning centers at Kingsport Housing Authority

o $6,000 for Court Appointed Special Advocates for Kids (CASA)

o $15,000 shared funding for HOPE (Help Our Potential Evolve) and

o South Central Kingsport Community Development Corporation and Sons &

Daughters of Douglass

o $39,000 to bolster city’s code enforcement (ONEKingsport initiative)

o $70,000 ongoing repayment for Riverview/Sherwood/Hiwassee project

o $68,433 for program administration

o $122,509 rehabilitation & reconstruction of housing

o $20,000 homeownership program

B. BUSINESS MATTERS REQUIRING FIRST READING

$2,000 grant for Riverview Community Garden at V.O. Dobbins Center $88,114 funding for field lighting at V.O. Dobbins Sr. Complex

C. BUSINESS MATTERS REQUIRING FINAL ADOPTION - All Approved

$2.9 million contract for the Water System Improvement - Phase 2 Project

o Pond Springs

o Double Springs

o Melrose/Rock Springs @ I-26

o Fort Henry Dr at CSX crossing

o Midway

o Post Oak

Transfer $108,865 to Police seized vehicle storage

D. OTHER BUSINESS

$37,500,000 bond refinancing with estimated savings to City of $2,353,000 Re-engage Brown Edwards as auditors for FY17 with renewals through FY21

Economic development incentive for potential purchaser of Heritage Glass

E. APPOINTMENTS

Reappointment to the 2016 Sullivan County Board of Equalization

o Millard Burton

CONSENT AGENDA

$258,685 maintenance contract for designated state highways (Stone Drive, Center

Street, Fort Henry Drive, Lynn Garden Drive, Industry Drive, Wilcox Drive, Memorial

Blvd) and $20,385 for mowing and litter on John B Dennis

$4,332 VDOT contract for transit planning Issuance of Certificate of Compliance for Retail Food Stores to Sell Wine

o KenJo Market #17, 2209 West Stone Drive

$400,000 grant application to leverage $4,000,000 for Phase 2 of the new Transit Center on East Main St (a bus storage and maintenance building)

What's Happening:The Kingsport Aquatic Center Outdoor Park - Opens May 9!

 

CALLED BMA WORK SESSION -- Monday, May 10, 2016, 2:00pm, City Hall-City Operating Budget

NEXT BMA WORK SESSION -- Monday, May 16, 2016, 4:30pm, City Hall- Budget discussion 

- ONEKingsport Update 

- Projects Status

NEXT BMA MEETING -- Tuesday, May 17, 2016, 7pm, City Hall(Watch Live on Charter Channel 192)