FRIDAY - Monroe County Tennessee News, Monroe County ...

Page 6 - The BUZZ
Vonore
(Continued from pg 1)
2012.
Mayor Summey requested
that a few amendments
be made to these
minutes. Some language
relating to the recent voting
ordinance (in which
Vonore’s voting date
would now coincide with
the general elections held
in November) had been
left out, and Mayor Summey
asked that the
amended minutes contain
the reasoning behind the
decision. He also asked for
the minutes to note that a
copy of the tape of this
December meeting would
be in the files alongside
the amended minutes.
With these amendments
in mind, Alderman
Evans made a motion to
accept the minutes. Seconding
the motion was Alderman
Brown, and it
passed with all ayes.
Shirley Brown took to
the floor next, with a report
from the library and
museum. The library report
covered the first half
of the year. The figures
were good, she was
pleased to say. The current
circulation of the library
was 8,813, a huge increase
from a mere year ago.
Computer use was 2,183,
while the library had 101
new patrons. Museumwise,
Ms. Brown reported
the board is preparing to
send out a letter to veterans,
regarding the plagues
going up at the Veterans
Memorial.
Following Ms. Brown’s
report, both Mayor Summey
and Alderman Evans
told her they were pleased
to have her back.
“I’m glad to be back,”
she said. “Thanks [to
everyone] for standing by
me.”
The city board then
moved on to reports from
the individual departments.
Alderman Garren
was absent, so there was
no official report from the
Public Works Department.
However, Mayor
Summey did have a few
bits of news. He informed
those gathered that the
department was continuing
to check into a few
troublesome manholes,
and have found a company
that can spray-line them
(as has been done in
Madisonville) to prevent
future leaks. The Public
Works Department has
also worked on several
pumping stations
throughout the city.
Mayor Summey expected
everyone would now see a
big difference on how
water moves through the
sewer system.
Alderman Brown followed
with a report for
the Vonore Fire Department.
During the month
of December 2012, the fire
department answered the
following calls: 11 first responses,
five false alarms,
one vehicle wreck, one
house fire, and one Life
Star landing. In total, the
fire department answered
19 calls. Alderman Brown
also reported the department’s
lighter truck now
boasts some new tires.
Alderman Evans, with
the Parks and Recreation
Department, had little to
report on Tuesday night.
The next Parks and Recreation
Board meeting will
be held at the first of February,
he said. They are
looking into getting everything
organized for the
grant the department has
its eye on.
The final report came
from Alderman Hammontree,
who updated the
board on the recent goings-on
of the Vonore Police
Department.
Everything is going well,
said Hammontree. However,
the department did
have a busy month of December.
Chief Kirkland
and Officer Miller took
out a meth lab, arresting
the man responsible in the
process. The department
also worked more wrecks
than usual. Finally, reported
Alderman Hammontree,
all the officers
recently traveled to every
school in the county. This
way, the officers now
know where each one is
located, in case they need
to respond to an emergency.
There were no grievances
to come before the
board, so Mayor Summey
took a few moments to
make a comment or two.
He reported he had been
quite busy the past few
days, especially when it
came to finding folks to
donate funds for the Veterans
Memorial. Several
have offered up their support,
including Volunteer
Federal who has committed
a great deal. Mayor
Summey was also pleased
to say the Food City construction
was coming
along extremely well.
There was only one
order of Old Business to
come before the board on
Tuesday night. This was
the second reading of an
ordinance to change the
city’s election date, so the
new one coincides with
the general elections held
in November. Not only
will this change save the
city of Vonore money, it
may also encourage more
voter turn-out in the future.
Alderman Evans
made a motion to pass the
ordinance on its second
reading. Alderman Brown
seconded the motion. The
measure passed with all in
favor.
There was no New
Business, but Mayor Summey
did ask that the board
January 11, 2013
re-affirm a commitment it
had made not so long ago.
It was this: that the
agenda for the monthly
meeting will be set in
stone at the monthly
workshop, i.e. the first
Tuesday of each month.
With no more to discuss,
Alderman Hammontree
made a motion to
adjourn for the evening.
Alderman Brown seconded
the motion, and
the meeting ended at 7:26
p.m.