LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – Security cameras are coming to downtown LaFollette. Yesterday afternoon the City of LaFollette met for the monthly meeting and voted to purchase and install the cameras.  The cameras will be located at Sergeant Park, Freeman Corner, in the parking lot behind city, the breezeway beside the Bowman Jewelry Building, the alley between the Royal and Lindsay’s Furniture, Central and N. Tennessee, Beech Street and S. Tennessee Avenue.

The police department had two items to be voted on at the meeting. First was amending the Use of Force Policy and Procedures for the LaFollette Police Department pertaining to Tasers, this was approved.  Next was promoting Isiah Lloyd to full time patrol officer at a salary of $36, 663.78, City Administrator Stan Foust and Police Chief Steve Wallen recommended the item be tabled until next month. Foust stated that they were awaiting answers to some questions they have. Lloyd is a former Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper who resigned several years ago under a cloud.

An event permit for a haunted house at 201 W. Central Avenue (former Agee & Walters Bldg.), LaFollette, was denied. Hank Hamblin spoke to the council last week at the workshop about the permit, he was told at that time it would need to pass fire codes before the permit could be approved. A letter from Fire Chief Jimmy Pack details there are insufficient exits and safety equipment such as emergency lighting, fire extinguishers and exit signs. There also needs to have another exit door installed that would need to go before the planning commission for approval. The Coolidge Ridge Missionary Baptist Church event permit was approved.

The council approved applying for the Blue Cross Healthy Place Grant, the city will not know if they get the grant or not until the end of the year.  If the grant is awarded a new park would be constructed at Liberty Park where the skate park/splash pad are located. The skate park would be removed and replaced with tennis and pickle ball courts.

Two items were approved for the public works department beginning with reallocating $10,000 from a capital outlay note from wet weather conveyance to other street projects and a bid from Rogers Group $46,232 for the new street at Brantley Lane and Old Jacksboro Hwy.

The agenda was heavy with resolutions and ordinances beginning with Resolution 2023-14 for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation, then Resolution 2023-15 authorizing the City of LaFollette to participate in the PEP Risk Management Pool (Safety Partners) property conservation matching grant program and Resolution 2023-16 amending the 2023-24 budget. Funds from the grant could be used toward the purchase of cameras. Ordinance 2023-11 amending the City of LaFollette court fees had a final reading. Ordinance 2023-12 and Ordinance 2023-13 abandoning a portion of unopened streets within the City of LaFollette had a first reading. Ordinance 2023-14 amending Title 17 Chapter 1 Refuse and Trash Disposal had a first reading. The ordinance changes the way debris will be picked up. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/06/2023-6AM)

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