At its regular session Nov. 4, 2024, the Dickson City Council:
• Unanimously approved the minutes of the Oct. 7, 2024, regular session with Councilperson Dwight Haynes (4th Ward) absent
• Conducted a public hearing and unanimously approved on first reading Ordinance #1559 to rezone property at 110 Livestock Road and a portion of an unaddressed adjacent property from B-4 (heavy commercial/warehousing) to B-3 (highway commercial). Office of Planning and Zoning Director Jason Pilkinton said Livestock Hotel Partnership LP requested the rezoning to build a 60-room hotel. Pilkinton said a portion of the property in the rear will remain B-4. Nobody spoke during the public hearing. The ordinance faces a second vote Dec. 2
• Unanimously deferred until Feb. 3, 2025, first reading on Ordinance #1555 to rezone a portion of the property at 382 Gum Branch Road from A-1 (agricultural) to R-3 (high-density residential) to allow time for TDJ Properties LLC to update the traffic study previously requested with new traffic counts since the Alexander Drive extension has opened. The council voted in July to require a new traffic study after the road opens, which it did in September. Councilperson Brett Reynolds (1st Ward) noted that the traffic counts contained in the updated study presented by TDJ contained traffic counts from the original study conducted in 2020. Developer Joe Lahood said the traffic study is based on estimated traffic counts from the plan to construct 59 residences on the 10 acres and the traffic counts the area roads and intersections are engineered to accommodate. During the public comment section of the meeting, Middle Tennessee Lumber owner Bill Joyce and two of his employees spoke against the ordinance. Joyce said he has a “real concern about the future of our company” if the rezoning is approved, calling it “death by a thousand cuts” if residential development is allowed to squeeze out the company. Bryce Moser of Burns said he has a “fear of possibly not having a job one day” and that the infrastructure of Gum Branch/Lime Kiln Road from Highway 46 to Highway 96 can’t handle the increase in traffic. Josh Green of Franklin said even with the improvements to Alexander Drive, Gum Branch “is still a dangerous road.” Dawn Dorland of Wyburn Downs said residences in her neighborhood are “under a cloud” of silica dust from quartz manufacturing at a nearby plant, presenting several health risks. Kevin Horn of Wyburn Downs said the neighborhood has “one way in and one way out” on Gum Branch Road and an additional development will increase traffic. After a motion and second were made to approve the ordinance on first reading, they were withdrawn and the motion to defer three months for a new traffic study passed unanimously
• Unanimously passed on first reading Ordinance #1560 to amend the Dickson Municipal Code Title 8 regulating alcoholic beverages to match certain elements of Tennessee statutes, standardize punishments for violations and make issuing licenses contingent on the properties and structures meeting all zoning and building codes in lieu of distance requirements. The ordinance faces a second vote Dec. 2
• Approved Resolution #2024-18 to approve and authorize the mayor to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Dickson County Family YMCA for the management and operation of a proposed aquatic/recreation center in Henslee Park. Assistant City Attorney Ross Smith said the MOU is non-binding and the project is still subject to approval of designs, funding, construction and a lease agreement, with either party able to withdraw at any time. Acting City Administrator David Travis said the MOU is the foundation in the process that includes hiring an architect for the design process, obtaining bonds for up to $30 million, finalizing lease and management agreements and building the facility. The MOU has been approved by the YMCA’s Board of Directors. The council approved the resolution 6-0-1 with Councilperson Michael Outlaw (4th Ward) abstaining
• Unanimously approved Resolution #2024-19 accepting the dedication of permanent slope and temporary construction easements from CAPPO Properties on the Victory Nissan site for improvements being made at the intersection of Alexander Drive and Highway 46, including the addition of left-turn lanes and new traffic signals. Administrator Travis said work is expected to start within a week and be completed by mid-December
• Unanimously amended and approved Resolution #2024-20 to ratify and confirm Health and Educational Facilities Board Resolution #2024-3 authorizing financing notes of up to $55 million for ECG Beasley to acquire, construct and equip 198 apartments to be called Beasley Flats on a site behind the Dickson Electric System yard on Beasley Drive. During the Oct. 29 Health and Educational Facilities Board meeting, Elmington Capitol Group representatives said the project will be 100 percent for residents whose household income is below 60 percent of Dickson County’s mean income. Attorney Jerry Smith recommended the resolution be amended to replace “bonds” with “notes” at the request of ECG’s bond counsel because the bonds for financing are to be purchased by a financial institution
• Unanimously approved Resolution #2024-21 to refinance a 2019 bond in order to keep the interest rate down. Administrator Travis said the $2 million bond was for the purchase of property and site work for Dickson Fire Department Station #3, design work for the Splash Pad and Playground at Henslee Park, construction of the parking lot at the corner of East College and Church streets, design work for Phase I of the J. Dan Buckner Park renovation project and construction of the Skate Park. As of Nov. 14, the lender has the right to adjust the interest rate from 3.03 percent to a rate equal to the five-year Treasury Rate plus 1.46 percent, which Travis said would be about 5.58 percent. By refinancing the $1,595,983 bond balance to be purchased by TriStar Bank, Travis said the interest rate will be 4.29 percent
• Approved employee insurance proposals for 2025 from Cigna for health insurance, Blue Cross/Blue Shield for vision and dental and Mutual of Omaha for life and long-term disability. The Council approved the insurance recommendations 6-0-1, with an abstention by Councilperson Kyle Sanders (2nd Ward), who works as a consultant for the city’s insurance broker, Benefits Inc.
• Unanimously approved a project order with Kimley-Horn and Associates to assist with the preparation of an application for the 2025 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program for $34,750 under the master agreement for continuing professional services. Administrator Travis said the city plans to apply for a 100 percent grant to widen and improve Beasley Drive from Highway 48 to Highway 70;
• Unanimously approved a project order with Kimley-Horn and Associates to assist with the preparation for selecting an architect and preparing layout schematic drawings for the new aquatic/recreation center in Henslee Park for $39,300 under the master agreement for continuing professional services
• Unanimously approved a bid of $130,000 from Reynolds Electric to repair and upgrade the high-mast lights at the Interstate 40/Highway 46 interchange
• Unanimously approved and authorized the mayor to sign a contract with Smith, Seckman, Reid Inc. for survey, design, environmental and construction engineering and inspection services for Phase VII of the Downtown Dickson Revitalization project for $286,585. Phase VII includes pedestrian and other improvements on Frank Clement Place and West Railroad Street from Center Avenue to South Charlotte Street. The city has received a $1,365,254 Transportation Alternative Program grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation for the project
• Unanimously approved change order #2 to add $200.89 and seven days to the contract with FTM Contracting for Phase I of the renovation project at J. Dan Buckner Park. The change order adds three motorized dampers, a time clock for exhaust fans, backflow heater and a change to a 200-amp service with some of that additional cost offset by savings in changes in the fixtures in the restrooms of the new pavilion under construction.
Mayor Don L. Weiss Jr. scheduled the council’s Finance and Management Committee meeting for 6:00 pm Monday, Nov. 18, and announced the next regular council session will be 7:00 pm Monday, Dec. 2, in the Council Chambers at Dickson City Hall, 600 East Walnut St. All meetings are open to the public.
The Mayor also scheduled public hearings for Dec. 2 for:
• Ordinance #1561 to amend the city’s zoning ordinance to expand the area defined as The Downtown Park Zone, under which properties are not required to provide off-street parking
• Ordinance #1562 to rezone property at 704 Highway 70 East from R-1 (low-density residential) to B-3 (highway commercial). Dickson County has bought the property formerly home to Orgain Insurance at the corner with South Hummingbird Lane and plans to build a new county health department
• Ordinance #1563 to rezone property at 635 Barbeque Road from R-3 PUD (high-density residential planned unit development) to R-3 (high-density residential).
Under Communication from the Mayor, Mayor Weiss informed the council:
• The Tennessee Office of the Comptroller has officially accepted and approved the city’s Fiscal Year 2024/25 budget
• The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation notified the city Oct. 22 its application for a $4 million Local Parks and Recreation Fund grant for Phase II of the Buckner Park project has been awarded. The city must provide a 50 percent share. The project consists of reconfiguring some of the ballfields to add more playing surfaces, a covering batting cage facility, a new playground and more parking
• The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development notified the city Oct. 15 its application for a $200,000 Historic Development grant for roof and interior repairs to the War Memorial Building has been awarded. The city must provide a 70 percent share and included $150,000 in the current budget
• After consulting with the directors of the city’s emergency response departments and Office of Emergency Management Director Todd Christian, the administration has decided to implement the Code Red emergency messaging system, which will allow residents to sign up for free weather, traffic, emergency and other notifications by text, email or phone call. Mayor Weiss said he has no recommendation regarding the proposal presented previously for outdoor warning sirens. “If anyone on the council would like to make a recommendation, if you’ll let myself or Mr. Travis know, then we will put whatever your recommendation or proposal is for the council to consider,” Mayor Weiss said. The Mayor said he also is looking into the possibility of reviving the Seconds Matter! campaign that started providing free address markers for city residents in 2016 and expanding it to include free weather radios, smoke detectors from the Dickson Fire Department and gun locks from the Dickson Police Department.
With no other business to come before the City Council, Mayor Weiss adjourned the meeting at 8:15 pm without objection.
Dickson City Council regular sessions are broadcast at 8:00 pm Thursdays and Saturdays on the Community Access Channel (Comcast 19).
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter!
