The LaFollette mayor and council were presented with this invoice at the Tue. meeting by a South Knoxville contractor.

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – When the City of LaFollette and surrounding areas faced epic rain amounts last June they sought out someone complete assessments on city property repairs.  WATCH HERE.

In the search they found Jim Emmert, a Knoxville based contractor. Emmert was at last night’s LaFollette City Council meeting wanting to be paid for his services.

Emmert alleged  he was contacted by Lafollette City Administrator Jimmy Jeffries who asked him to come to LaFollette and complete assessments on damaged properties. Emmert said he spent two days looking at properties and an additional two days in his office preparing estimates. The bill totaled $2,800. During his more than 30 minute address on the city hall stage, Emmert passed out copies of the bill to the council.  Mayor Mike Stanfield told Emmert this was the first time he had seen this bill.

After several minutes of discussion, City Attorney Reid Troutman requested supporting documents to the invoice, before the city paid it. Council agreed to take the issue up at next month’s workshop in April.  Council member Mark Hoskins asked Emmert to get the documents to council before the workshop so they could review it.

Councilman Bill Archer continues to be an advocate of cleaning up the city. Last night he a made a motion to send two people, one from the recreation department and the other from the street department to Anderson County to be trained for working with the trustee program. Hoskins seconded the motion, all were in favor. Once certified the city can utilize the trustees from the Campbell County Jail to clean up the city.

Ralph Sharp was at the meeting seeking answers about the work on Cherry Street. Sharp told council that he was scared to death somebody was going to run off Cherry Street and land on the Co-op building. Sharp was referring to an area of the road where during the summer rains the bank had washed away. The city has placed a large load of rock on the slide in attempt to stabilize the ground. Jeffries told Sharp that the city had applied for a grant to fix the issue. Hoskins proposed until the repairs could be made that the city make it a one-way street. The council decided to look at the road before deciding.

Jim Rogers was appointed to the E-911 board, to fill a seat of a outgoing member Vinnie Stanfield.

Ordinance 2020-01 amending the ordinance on Title 8 alcoholic beverages privilege tax had a first reading. The ordinance will amend the City of LaFollette code on alcoholic beverages. The privilege tax is imposed on the business of selling, distributing, storing or manufacturing beer. The annual privilege tax is $250.
Resolution 2020-06 amending the original budget. The amendment includes a $14,100 repair to fire engine 105, the city has already paid for $41,000 in repairs on this year truck this year. Also, on the amendment is the purchase of six bridge lights to go on the Viaduct bridge totaling $26,000. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 03/04/2020-6AM)