Mayor and Board of Alderman Meet

Adoption of ordinances and a new resolution highlighted the agenda of the Town Of Woodbury Mayor and Board's regular monthly meeting Tuesday night at City Hall.

After approving the July minutes, the Board sprung into action adopting ordinance number 432 on first reading which was an ordinance adopting the 2006 edition of the International Building Code. Rutherford County also has adopted this edition. Building codes have to be adopted every 7 years and although there was a 2009 edition since the same inspector inspects both Rutherford County and Woodbury buildings, he suggested to adopt the 2006 version. Board Member Lois Larimer made the motion, Faye Knox seconded the motion and the motion passed.

The Board and Mayor reviewed Ordinance number 433 which amended the Town of Woodbury Municipal Zoning Ordinance, regulating development within the corporate limites of Woodbury, to minimize danger to life and property due to flooding. Also to maintain eligibility for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. Board member Dottie Duggin made the motion to adopt the ordinance, Shade Cason seconded the motion and the motion passed.

Guy Alexander addressed the board regarding property maintenance regulations. Alexander previously addressed the matter during a board member a few meetings ago. Since then he made a power point presentation to bring before the board. However, Alexander says that progress is being made by Mayor Harold Patrick and Police Chief Tony Burnett to keep the properties in the town of Woodbury maintained according to City Ordinance. A motion was made and passed to put out advertising reminding Woodbury property owners about maintenance and what the City ordinances are concerning the upkeep of these properties. Progress will continue to be made in regards to the issues.

Lana Jones of the Cannon County Basketball Boosters requested a road block Friday September 3rd from 3 pm to dark to raise funds for the basketball teams trip to Florida over the Christmas holidays. The roadblock was approved.

Woodbury Mayor Harold Patrick brought up the signs at Brown-Spurlock Park. The cheapest bid they have gotten for the new signs is $10,000. This money because it was not figured into this years budget would have to come out of the fund balance. Mayor Patrick reminded the board that the fiscal year is going into its second full month and they have already taken $19,000 out of the fund balance to pay the bill for the development of the town square that was not supposed to be paid for by the grant money. Mayor Patrick advised the board to defer the sign proposal until next budget year.

Board Member Faye Knox introduced a resolution to expedite a remedy for issues affecting the residents of the Town of Woodbury.

The resolution read as follows:

Be it resolved that a resident of Woodbury has a more direct and expeditious avenue to address an issue than appearing before the Mayor and Board Of Aldermen.
The function of the Mayor and Board Of Aldermen is to make policy and oversee the budget for the town of Woodbury and not to act as an enforcement body. Therefore be it resolved that any persons residing in Woodbury should bring their concerns to the proper Department Head. Ther are ordinances and processes in place to address issues and to secure a remedy. If a resoloution is not satisfactorily reached then the issue should be brought to the attention fo the Mayor for further action.

The department heads representing the Town of Woodbury are City Recorder, Charlene Odom, Public Works Director Alan Paschal and the Chief of Police Tony Burnett Be it resolved from this day forward any issue covered by an existing ordinance will be directly addressed to the proper Department Head and will not be an item for the Mayor and Board Of Aldermen to consider.

Faye Knox made a motion to pass the adoption of the resolution, Charlie Harrell seconded the motion and all were in favor.

It was reported at the meeting that Woodbury Fire Chief is currently in St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville. Test results revealed 40% blockage in an artery while other scans will be performed Wednesday.

Cannon County Chamber Of Commerce director Carolyn Motley asked the board if they had given any more thought to extra funding above the $1,000.00 At the meeting last month, the Board asked her to come back after seeing if the county would give more than the $50 they budgeted for the Chamber.

The County refused to give any more money than the $50 they initially budgeted.
Mayor Patrick and the Board expressed interest in helping with more than the $1,000 they have budgeted for but it was nearly impossible with revenue figures down. Mayor Patrick requested that Carolyn come back around November to see how revenues were looking and possibly then they could help.

Woodbury Police Chief Tony Burnett reported that July has been a real busy month for the Police department. The department has made 17 arrests in 7 different burglaries. He praised his fellow police officers for the hard work in solving these burglaries.