This Tuesday is going to be a busy night for members of the McMinnville Board of Mayor and Aldermen.  A wide array of items are on the agenda, from setting rental fees for Park Theatre to reviewing proposed changes to personnel policies.
Parks and Recreation Committee members are meeting at 5:55 p.m. to consider bids received for athletic field renovations and discuss rental fees for Park Theatre.
A proposed rental agreement for Park Theatre includes:
For-profit groups: weekly $5,500; daily $750 for weekdays and $1,000 for weekends; half days $500 for weekdays and $750 for weekends.
Civic groups: weekly $3,800; daily $500 for weekdays and $750 for weekends; half days $350 for weekdays and $500 for weekends.
Safety Committee members will be meeting at 6:15 p.m. to discuss going out for bids on a new firetruck and what to do with the rescue boat that sunk last year.
Alderman Mike Neal, who is chairman of the Safety Committee, called the meeting at the request of McMinnville Fire Chief Kendall Mayfield.
“Kendall asked me to call this meeting,” said Neal. “He has been working on bid specs for a new firetruck. We are going to look at what he has come up with on bid specs and see if the Safety Committee wants to go out for bids.”
In October 2013, officials rejected a bid for two new firetrucks. The cost was $877,886, which included an engine truck at $318,967 and a quint truck at $558,919. While some officials voiced a desire to purchase an engine truck, others wanted to go with a quint. The measure split the board and it failed on second read.
In regard to the boat, Neal said, “I think we are going to discuss selling it and giving it a new home.”
The boat was purchased by city of McMinnville to be used by the Warren County Rescue Squad. However, a test in deep water of a boat designed for shallow water resulted in the boat tipping over and sinking in July 2013 at Riverfront Park. Firefighters were simulating a river rescue in deep water, with two men in the boat attempting to pull one man out of the water, when the boat tilted to the side, filled with water and sunk. Firefighters pulled it from the water.
Finance Committee members will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. to discuss a $300 request from Katie Tubb to purchase a salute page to her in the Miss Tennessee program book, discuss a proposed $500,000 tax rebate, and review proposed changes to personnel policies and procedures.
McMinnville city taxpayers need not get their hopes up for a one-time tax rebate, says Finance chairman Everett Brock.
“The Tennessee Comptroller says we absolutely, positively cannot do it,” said Brock. “We do have some members of the board who still believe we can offer a rebate. We are meeting to discuss it so we can all get on the same page.”
According to the state, the city cannot refund property tax proceeds in the form of a rebate. Comptroller contract review audit manager Sheila A. Reed, CPA, says the city should consider a property tax rate reduction, with is legal, over a one-time rebate.
The regular session of the board begins at 7 p.m. On the agenda is consideration for a zone request change for 245 Durham Street and announcement of appointments to boards and commissions by Mayor Jimmy Haley.