McMinnville Mayor Jimmy Haley announced committee appointments Tuesday night. After the appointments, he gave each committee a to-do list to get things started.
The city has six standing committees, those being Finance, Building and Grounds, Water and Wastewater, Street and Sanitation, Parks and Recreation, and Safety, with three board members on each committee with one named as chairman.
With the Tuesday night appointment of Alderman Ken Smith, board members include Vice Mayor Ben Newman and Aldermen Jimmy Bonner, Mike Neal, Billy Wood, and Rick Barnes.
Committees:
• Finance — chairman Smith, Newman, Neal.
• Building and Grounds — chairman Newman, Barnes, Smith.
• Water — chairman Wood, Bonner, Smith
• Street and Sanitation — chairman Barnes, Wood, Bonner.
• Safety — chairman Bonner, Neal, Barnes.
• Parks and Recreation — chairman Neal, Wood, Newman.
Haley encouraged each committee chairman to get to work.
“Each one of the committee chairmen should be working with department heads and with the city administrator to facilitate action on part of the city so we can move forward on several projects,” said Haley. “Being on the old board, there are several things we need to address as a new board. I have written those down.”
Finance Committee members were asked, among other items, to discuss capital improvement projects and how to fund those, determine what to do about a “glitch” in the donations to nonprofit organizations this year, and consider changing the way aldermen are paid.
“We had a glitch in our donations this year,” said Haley. “When we funded some of the groups, there was a group that existed for a short while but has disbanded. We allotted $2,500 to that group. Of course, it will not be given. We have had several organizations to request those funds.”
Haley says one alderman has asked him to have alderman pay linked to attendance.
“That is something I want finance to look at,” Haley said.
Currently, aldermen receive $400 a month regardless of the number of meetings they attend.
Parks and Recreation Committee members were asked to look at the city’s involvement with the youth baseball league, greenway expansion, a new park at Sallys Alley, placing RV hookups at Pepper Branch Park, and future renovations at Riverfront Park.
“The baseball league is, basically, be going out of business soon,” said Haley. “Dell Watson has been performing a wonderful duty for the city by coordinating some of those activities, but the city is going to have to step up to the plate.”
Streets and Sanitation Committee members were asked by Haley to take a look at the installation of lights on and the naming of Beersheba Street Bridge, beginning a recycling program, re-installation of some street lights, and parking in Westwood.
“We have been asked to take a look at parking on the streets in Westwood,” said Haley. “Apparently, there are some dark places that are creating a hazard when people park on the street, particularly Ben Lomand Drive.”
Water and Wastewater Committee members were asked to look into whom should be administering a grant recently received by the city and dedicating the city’s new water facility to the former Water Department director Carl Davis, who was killed in a motorcycle accident.
Building and Grounds Committee members were asked to work out an agreement with Park Theatre Group and determine what to do with the Blue Building.
Safety Committee members were asked to look into a location for McMinnville Police Department, find a new location or consider upgrades to Fire Station 1, and get an update on filling the vacant fire chief position.
Committees make recommendations to the full board for its consideration. No committee meeting dates have been set.