[1) CALL TO ORDER]
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>> I PRAY FATHER AS WE PREPARE TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET THAT YOU JUST GIVE US THE WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR ENDEAVORS AND CARRY OUT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CONSTITUENTS IN MOVING THE CITY FORWARD FOR MUCH-NEEDED PROJECTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I GIVE YOU GLORY, HONOR AND PRAISE FOR YOUR WORTHY.
PLEASE REGISTER YOUR ATTE ATTENDANCE.
MADAM CLERK, TAKE THE ROLL. >>CLERK: ALL MEMBERS ARE
[5) FY22 GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET]
PRESENT. >> MAYOR PITTS: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT AND FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ORDINANCE 130-2020-21 AMENDING THE FY 21 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS FOR ADOPTING THE FY 22 OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGETS FOR THE GOVERNMENT FUNDS AND ADOPTING TAX RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2021 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2022. A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS? COUNCILPERSON BUTLER, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> TRISHA BUTLER: I WILL BE ONLY PERSON.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I HAVE ONE FINAL STATEMENT BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS. TODAY ONE CONTACT FROM MY CONSTITUENCY SUPPORTING THIS INCREASE IN TRANSPORTATION P PLAN. EVERY OTHER CORRESPONDENCE I RECEIVED FROM WARD 12, AND OTHERS FROM OTHER WARDS, BUT OTHER WARDS, SUPPORT OF VOTING AS I HAVE ON THIS BUDGET.
I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A RESIDENT YESTERDAY TO SPECIFICALLY STATED SHE WAS RETIRED AND A SENIOR CITIZEN LIVING ON A SMALL RETIREMENT FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND SOCIAL SECURITY WHO -- AND THESE ARE QUOTES, DRAWS TOO MUCH FOR THE HOUSE PROPERTY TAX FREEZE.
HER REQUEST TO ME, I AM QUOTING HER VOICEMAIL AND I HAVE IT IF YOU WANT TO HEAR IT. WE NEED OUR COUNCILMEN'S HELP, OUR CITY'S HELP TO STOP ALL OF THIS BEFORE SHE ASKED A VALID QUESTION. WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING? THE ONE PERSON THAT I HAD REACH OUT TO ME IN SUPPORT, THEY JUST WANT TO, LIGHT, A REQUEST I RECEIVED A DOZEN TIMES IN THE PAST MONTH. WE HAVE GOT PEOPLE WILLING TO PAY WHATEVER EXTRA ON TAXES BECAUSE THEY WANT ONE IMPROVEMENT THAT BADLY. IT IS GUT WRENCHING TO ME.
I FEEL ALMOST LIKE WE ARE HOLDING THEM HOSTAGE RATHER THAN REPRESENTING THEM. CLARKSVILLE FUNCTIONS ON A BARE-BONES BUDGET DURING COVID AND THAT MEANS THERE ARE PLACES WE CAN CUT. THERE IS A PLACE BETWEEN THE COVID BUDGET AND THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY GIVE THE CITIZENS WHAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR.
TIGHTENING THE PURSE STRINGS MIGHT HURT, BUT IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE. WE HAVE GOT TO GET A GRIP ON THE FACT THIS IS NOT OUR MONEY. IT IS THEIRS.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE ARE FAILING THEM.
LAST THING, NEXT YEAR WILL NOT BE A TRIAL BY FIRE.
I WILL BE MUCH BETTER PREPARED AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IS COMING.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR PITTS: COUNCILPERSON
STREETMAN. >> STACEY STREETMAN: I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS AMENDED BUDGET TWO NIGHTS AGO. AS I SAID THE OTHER NIGHT THIS IS IMPERATIVE FOR OUR COMM COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND THIS PLAN DOES EXACTLY THAT.
IT ADDRESSES THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE CLARKSVILLE FORWARD. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR CITY WAS ABLE TO LIVE ON A BARE-BONES BUDGET FOR THREE MONTHS, ASKING THEM TO DO THAT ALL THE TIME IS NOT SOMETHING THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO. WHAT THEY DID IN ORDER TO GET US THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH AND ALL OF US WERE GOING THROUGH. BUT, AGAIN, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING FOR US TO DO. HIS SOME COMMENTS WITH REGARDS TO INCREASING IT THAT WEREN'T POSITIVE, BUT I HAD MORE THAT WERE POSITIVE THAT THANKED ME AND THE REST OF US FOR PASSING THIS ON THE FIRST READING AND THEY WERE HOPEFUL THAT WE WOULD PASS THIS ON THE SECOND REA READING.
ALSO I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE GET THIS BUDGET PASSED. WE ARE SITTING HERE AT JUNE 30.
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TOMORROW WITH JULY 1. WE MUST HAVE A BUDGET IN PLACE WHERE WE DO STAND TO BE IN BREACH OF CONTRACT THAT WILL COST US MILLIONS DOLLARS AND SET US FURTHER BEHIND.I ASK YOU TO PLEASE CONTINUE SUPPORTING THIS AMENDED ORDINANCE AND LET'S MOVE CLARKSVILLE FORWARD.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR PITTS: COUNCIL PERSON
KNIGHT. >>JASON KNIGHT: THANK YOU, MAYOR, I WANT TO SAY REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME, THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ACTUAL WILL HE HAD A TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT ADDRESSES INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS IN JUST ABOUT EVERY WARD.
I HAVE HAD COMMENTS FOR AND AGAINST.
AND HIS INDIVIDUALS TELL ME THAT THEY WOULD BE FOR IT.
INDIVIDUALS AS A MATTER OF FACT WHO WEREN'T NECESSARILY FOR TAX INCREASES BUT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY BE FOR THIS IF IT GOES DIRECTLY TO INFRASTRUCTURE. AND I -- I PRETTY MUCH AGREE WITH MOST OF THAT INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO ME.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR PITTS: COUNCILPERSON HOLY HOLERMAN HOLE HOLE I HAD A CONSTITUENT THAT, AND FIRST THING IT IS A TRAFFIC COMP COMPLAINT.
I GET MORE TRAFFIC COMPLAINTS THAN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS.
THAT'S MY CO-WORKERS. THAT IS EVERYBODY.
SOME PEOPLE ARE HESITANT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE, BUT ONCE I EXPLAIN, LIKE, WHAT EXACTLY IT IS GOING TOWARD AND THE HISTORY OF US NEEDING THIS, THEY ARE ACTUALLY OKAY WITH IT.
I THINK TRANSPORTATION 2020 PLAN IS A GOOD PLAN.
AND THIS IS ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF CLARKSVILLE REALLY.
WE ARE GROWING LIKE A WEED. AND WE HAVE BEEN -- THE GROWTH HAS BEEN OUTPACING WHAT WE CAN KEEP UP WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND A GOOD STEP TO CORRECT IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR PITTS: COUNCILPERSON REYNOLDS, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL I WOULD LIKE TO --
>> I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER THAT IT HAS BEEN MOSTLY POSITIVE. THEY ARE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN BUT THE CONCERN IS HOW TO PAY FOR IT.
MOST OF MY CONSTITUENTS ARE FOR THIS PLAN AND THEY LIVE WITHIN THE CITY, PROBABLY ONE OF THE MORE -- LESS DIVERSE ECONOMICALLY AREAS THAN SOME OF YOU.
SO -- BUT I DO WANT TO JUST SAY SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD. AND THE DIVIDE HAS BEEN A LITTLE UNSETTLING FOR ME PERSONALLY.
FOR INSTANCE, A PREVIOUS SPEAKER YESTERDAY COMPARED -- YOU KNOW WE KEPT TALKING ABOUT FIRE AND SAFETY CUTS.
AND A 1% BUDGET CUT OF A -- FROM 60 MILLION TO 59.5 MILLION OR 500,000 WOULD CAUSE US TO HAVE TO FIRE POLICE AND FIRST RESPONDERS. THAT IS JUST NOT TRUE.
AND I HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR CONSTITUENTS AND PRESENT OUR CASE, THAT WE AT LEAST TRY TO BE FACTUAL. WE ALSO MISLED THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE ON TOP OF THE BUDGET, THE FIRE AND SAFETY ARE ALSO GETTING A $7 MILLION INCREASE ON THE BACK END WITH COVID MONEY. SO I JUST -- IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A CASE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AT LEAST WE CAN BE HONEST WITH THEM AND TRANSPARENT. THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
SO WE -- I WILL VOTE FOR THIS. BUT I STILL FEEL LIKE WE ARE -- INSTEAD OF TAKING A DIME, WE ARE FLEECING THEIR POCKETS FOR A DOLLAR, AND WE COULD DO BETTER.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR PITTS: COUNCILPERSON
ALLEN, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. >> COUNCILPERSON AL LEN:
>> I THINK THE MOST DISAPPOINTING THING FOR THIS TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE NEVER AN ABILITY TO MEET IN THE MIDDLE. THERE WAS NEVER AN ABILITY TO SAY LET'S LOOK AT THIS DEEPER, LET'S LOOK AT THIS BUDGET AND SEE WHAT WE ARE SPENDING OUR MONEY ON AND SEE WHAT WE CAN STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY ON. VOTE -- THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN IS NOT GOING TO BE VOTED UP BY ME TODAY.
I KNOW IT IS GOING TO PASS, BUT I AM NOT VOTING FOR IT BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, WE HAVE TO STOP LOOKING AT WHAT I WANT VERSUS WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THE CITY WANTS VERSUS WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, AND WE HAVE TO START TRYING TO MEET EACH OTHER IN THE MIDDLE. THAT'S HOW WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD. THAT IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO LET EVERYBODY INTO THE CONVE CONVERSATION. SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED THIS TRANSPORTATION PLAN. I HAVE BEEN FOR THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN SINCE IT HAS COME OUT.
IN FACT, MOST OF THE TIER 1 PROJECTS EFFECT MY WARD.
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BUT WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO MEET EACH OTHER AT THE TABLE.WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO SAY I WILL SACRIFICE JUST LIKE WE ARE ASKING YOU TO SACRIFICE. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR PITTS: COUNCILPERSON REDD.
>> WALLACE REDD: I WOULD LIKE TO CALL FOR THE QUESTION.
IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTION. >> MAYOR PITTS: NO OBJECTION? ALL RIGHT, LET'S VOTE. AS SOON AS MADAM CLERK GETS THE BOARD OPEN, WE WILL VOTE. OKAY.
ALL MEMBERS CAST YOUR VOTE. HANG ON.
HANG ON. THIS IS THE MAIN QUESTION.
EVERY MEMBER VOTED? ANY MEMBER WISH TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE? MADAM CLERK, TAKE THE VOTE.
ZERO BE A SANE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.