LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – The City of LaFollette City Council met yesterday afternoon for the monthly workshop where the storage building issue continued. Tony Johnson and Brandon Johnson previously appeared before the planning commission last week to amend their site plan for storage buildings. The plan previously had four buildings and they want to add an additional two units. The planning commission previously denied the site plan. The Johnsons came to the workshop to appeal the decision. After a lengthy discussion, it was decided the item would be on the agenda for next week’s meeting and come up for a vote by the council.

Under the administration section of the agenda, the council discussed declaring April Clean Up Fix Up month; this is done yearly. Jeff Robbins spoke to the council on behalf of Coolidge Ridge Missionary Baptist Church to request permission to gather in the rear parking lot of city hall for a monthly prayer meeting.  The church will need to fill out an event permit to be presented to the council for a vote next week. Calvary Baptist Church spoke to the council about issues they have had since work was in process and completed on the bank behind the church. The church alleges drains were stopped up by concrete and a shed was destroyed in the process. City Attorney Reid Troutman advised the council to try to set up a meeting between the contractor and the church to discuss issues.  

The council will vote on amending the personnel policy for bereavement time at the next council meeting. The council discussed advertising signs per Councilman Wayne Kitts requests. Kitts shared with the council that an electronic billboard could produce revenue for the city. After a brief discussion it was decided that Councilman Chuck Queener, Councilman Stephanie Solomon and City Administrator Stan Foust would look further into the issue.  The beer ordinance needs to be amended to read park entrances need to be 500 feet from an establishment that sells or serves beer. The ordinance previously read park boundary lines must be 500 feet from the establishment.

The police department will have two items to vote on at the monthly meeting, promoting Briana Tiller to a full-time dispatcher at a salary of $29,130 effective April 15 and approving the Body Cam Policy for the police department.

The public works department has two bid items on the agenda for approval beginning with accepting the bid for CSX crossing paving at Gibson and Brantley Lane and soliciting bids for street paving. Promoting Cole Hembree to a full time sanitation worker at a salary of $28,601.04 effective April 15 will also come up for a vote.

Two ordinances will have a final reading and vote at next week’s meeting. Ordinance 2023-04 pertaining to camping, loitering, panhandling within the City of LaFollette will have a final reading. The ordinance prohibits camping or camping activities unless in a designated area. Ordinance 2023-05 pertaining to event permitting will have a final reading. The ordinance states any event or gathering organized and publicized on city property has to obtain a permit for the event no later than 30 days prior to the scheduled event. The organizer of the event has to disclose the date, purpose and location of the event. There is not a charge for the permit. The council will vote on Resolution 2023-06 to apply for the 2023 Public Parks and Recreation Grant Cycle at the next monthly meeting. Bids have been received for the portable concession stand and restrooms for the recreation department, the council will vote on whether to accept the bid or not at the next meeting.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 03/28/2023-6AM)

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