1988

ADMINISTRATION

Mayor Warner Hodges III, Vice-Mayor Wayne Addison, Aldermen Wanda Goodman, Sam Massey, Bill McGaughey, and Charles Salvaggio.
City Judges were Ray Clift and Olen Batchelor.
The Board recognized Martin Luther King’s birthday as a holiday for the city.
Mayor Hodges made a “State of the City Address” for 1987 and touched on the following items. The population had reached approximately 32,000, and the city had grown to almost 13 square miles. The city floated a five million dollar bond issue and received a Triple A bond rating, the only city in the state and one of the few in the country which had this rating. Germantown Road had been designated as a state road. The city had also worked out a landswap with the County Board of Education on a site for a new high school. The city received a four-acre parcel containing a fire station.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cloyes presented the city with a plaque in memory of Virginia Stivers. Mrs. Stivers was the first chairman of Germantown’s Historic Committee. The plaque along with pictures of her are to be displayed in the Historic Room in the Municipal Center.
Two athletes from Germantown High School were recognized. Chip Stearns, a junior at Germantown High School at the time, won the TSSAA State tennis championship. Janis Rose, a senior, received the award for the top Class AAA female athletic and as the best girls’ soccer player.
A tribute was given to the late Dick Jordan. Mr. Jordan had served as the Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor in the City’s Public Works Department from March 1982 until his death following cancer surgery. The Board made comments on his great enthusiasm, sense of humor, vitality and spirit of cooperation.
Once again, Memphis and Shelby County were considering consolidation and had attempted to form a Metropolitan County Charter Study Committee. The Board passed a resolution in firm opposition to the formation of the committee and to consolidation itself, citing negatives such as the bigger government gets, the less it seems able to respond to citizen needs and that services would not improve. County residents had voted down consolidation twice before and many studies had been completed which failed to show any significant benefit to consolidation.
A tribute was given to the late Edgar McHenry. He had been in business at Germantown Hardware since 1946, served in World War II, had served as Scoutmaster, chairman of the Germantown Kiwanis Club, and past president of the Germantown Business Association. The Sons of Confederate Veterans placed four cannon balls from the Civil War and a plaque in the Municipal Center as a memorial to Mr. McHenry.
Mr. Patrick Lawton, Germantown’s current City Administrator, was hired as Assistant to the City Administrator. The City Administrator at the time was Jim Holgersson.
A big issue for 1988 was that of impact fees. Impact fees for instance, are the developer’s costs for road improvements, utility connections, etc. The state was working on an impact fee bill (known as the Bushing Bill) that Germantown felt was pro-developer and anti-municipality. A resolution was passed to enact a private bill for an impact fee, giving the Board the flexibility to decide if an impact fee was desired, and if so, to be structured and passed by the Board at a later date, and to exclude the City of Germantown from Senate Bill No. 2176 and House Bill No. 1956. The Board was informed that if a general act were enacted before a private act, then the municipality would be locked in. This issue was not resolved in ‘88, however. It was decided that more information was needed before moving forward. It was stated that Germantown had impact fees, but under a different name, and that the cities exceptional financial health can be attributed to these fees.
The Germantown Charity Horse Show celebrated its fortieth year. Queen of the show was Miss Bonnie Hollabaugh.
The Mayor executed applications for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Energy Efficiency Grants. The grants were state funds with the purpose of conducting an energy audit of Germantown’s municipal buildings. The audit was to increase energy efficiency measures in government buildings, including lighting, insulation, efficient boilers and energy management systems.
The Board recognized Frank Bluestein, Chairman of the Germantown High School Fine Arts Department, and the High School CATV group for winning two first place awards in the Hometown USA video contest. Cable programmers from across the nation competed for these awards.
Alderman Wanda Goodman was elected president of the Tennessee Municipal League Bond Fund. Alderman Charles Salvaggio was elected to the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Municipal League. City Administrator Jim Holgersson was elected president of the 1988-89 Tennessee City Manager’s Association and was also on the Tennessee Municipal League Board. Three members from one city on the TML Board is very rare.
After a four year attempt, the City of Germantown’s golf team had finally won the Germantown/Collierville floating trophy. The participants included aldermen, staff and commission members.
The Board accepted Mr. Rhodes’ recommendation of employing John Costonis, the Dean of Vanderbilt Law School, to make a study of the city’s review process by the various boards and commissions in an effort to alleviate duplication. He recommended that guidelines be established for the concept of design for Germantown. He also stated that a design manual would allow both developers and administrators to have an up front view of what is to be expected. Mr. Costonis added that Germantown already had the capability of imposing impact fees.
The Board approved Ordinance No. 1988-24, which placed regulations pertaining to the elevation requirements for mobile homes. Even though Germantown’s regulations did not include mobile home parks, the Federal Management Agency mandated that all cities adopt these regulations for continued eligibility in the Flood Insurance Program.
Mr. D.W. McGaughey was reelected to another term as Alderman.
David Halle and Robert L. Parrish, Jr. were elected to their first terms as Aldermen.

DEVELOPMENT

Discussion was initiated for improving the emergency warning system.
The Board approved Project Development Contract No. 916. The contract proposed for the United Methodist Church to build a 23,200 square foot Life Enrichment Center located on a 4.36 acre site bounded by Second Street on the north, West Street on the east, McVay Road Extended on the south, and existing McVay Road on the West. The contract was approved, even after debate on traffic issues and whether the Church or the city would be responsible for extending McVay. It was decided that the city should construct the road, since it already had appropriated funds for the project in FY89.
The construction contract for the Civic Center was awarded to Flintco, Inc. for $9,499,435. The possibility for a Civic Center had been discussed on for many years. The discussion for the current center began in 1984; however, discussions had been taking place since the Civic Club was formed and the original civic center was constructed at C.O. Franklin Park. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Center was held on July 23, 1988.
White Contracting, Inc. was contracted for improvements to the intersection of Stout Road and Germantown Road and for the connection of Stout Road from Germantown Road to Cross Country Drive. The cost for the project was $693,978.90. Issues included the impact of the road on Cloyes Park and traffic from the Middle and Elementary Schools.
The Board amended the Zoning Ordinance to allow churches, schools, public buildings, country clubs, parks, etc. in the R-E district. The R-E district is residential estate with a two-acre minimum lot size. The aforementioned buildings were allowed in other districts. The phrase that would have allowed for such buildings in the district was accidentally omitted when the R-E district was created.
Project Development Contract No. 917 was approved. This plan called for Germantown Community Hospital to build a three-story, 36,000 square foot medical office building on its grounds. A special condition for this contract was for assurance that a number of trees remain.
Traffic caused by the High School was dealt with. There were three exits that students could take out of the school; Poplar Pike, Riggs Road and Arthur Road. Many residents wanted to close Riggs Road at the high school access. It was decided to place 25 mph speed limit signs on Riggs and Arthur Roads, put a patrolman at Riggs and Germantown Road and to install a gate at the end of Riggs to be locked at 3 p.m. in the afternoon.
The Board approved Project Development Contract No. 918, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Phase I. The church proposed building a 700 seat worship building and 6,000 square feet of additional building space. The contract included an agreement to dedicate the right-of-way for the future widening of Poplar Avenue.
The land swap agreement between the city and the County was finalized. The city received four acres of land containing a fire station (currently fire station #4) and community theater on Forest Hill-Irene, south of Poplar Avenue. The County received land on which Houston High School was built. The agreement was based on many years of work and Alderman Salvaggio stated that this was the one of the best things that has happened since he had been in office.
The Board authorized the Mayor to negotiate and execute an agreement with Shelby County for the construction of Farmington Boulevard to Dogwood and the extension of Kimbrough to Germantown Road. There were intense debates about this project with issues such as the future placement of Wolf River Boulevard, preservation of wildlife areas, projected traffic flows, car counts and security issues.
The Board approved Development Contract No. 919, First National Bank of Collierville. The proposal was for a two story, 4,000 square foot bank building on a 0.83 acre site on Forest Hill-Irene Road.
After intense debate, a motion to amend to the Zoning Ordinance failed. The amendment was to establish an OG-1 Preservation district for the City. The proposed purpose of the district was to encourage the preservation, rehabilitation, enhancement and adaptive reuse of historic buildings and/ or properties. Some people felt the ordinance went beyond what it should have by allowing for commercial use of property in a residential area.
In 1971, the Germantown Civic Club pledged $85,000 toward construction of a Community Center for the City. The Club paid the note in increments of $5,000 annually since that time. The final payment was made at the November 14th Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

The Board passed Ordinance No. 1987-46. This ordinance established an eleven member Ground Water Quality Control Board on which Germantown will have representation. The Board’s responsibility was to protect the ground water, with the main emphasis being well and well drilling areas in private sectors only. The Board also undertook the review of all surface mining or dump or fill activities. Mr. Wayne Langley was Germantown’s first representative on the Water Board.
The City contracted Allen & Hoshall to provide a utility distribution system update and a sewer and water rate study. There was a need for a twenty-year projection of sewer and water rates based on the capital improvements planned, operating costs, and increases associated with the operating costs. The distribution study updated a 1981 study. The cost of the two studies combined was $35,600.
In keeping with Germantown’s urban forestry program, the Mayor proclaimed March 10th as Arbor Day.
The City experienced a drought during the month of June. The Mayor made the following statement:

Due to the continuing drought, residents of the City who have an odd number street address are asked to use water only on the odd days of the month, even numbers will use it on even number days of the month. Please try to spread your water usage during the week to assure adequate pressure for possible fire fighting needs. We ask your cooperation in complying with this watering schedule. Please use our water resources wisely to ensure you continued supply for both domestic and fire fighting purposes.

FINANCE

Once again, Germantown won an award for Financial Reporting Achievement by the Government Finance Officer Association.

FIRE

The Fire Department was complimented for its handling of an explosion in the Storm Sewer on Brachton, the result of a citizen mixing two chemicals that caused an explosive reaction. The Fire Department, immediately upon arrival, determined what chemicals were used and got the situation under control.

PARKS AND RECREATION

Pat Meehan was recognized as Employee of the year for 1987 for the Parks and Recreation Department.
The dedication ceremony for Poplar Estates Park was a success.
In ‘87, the Board passed an ordinance that required a developer to either dedicate land for park use or make a payment in lieu of land. In ‘88, they amended the ordinance to have the payment in lieu of parkland be based on the appraised value of the property rather than the assessed value. It was determined that the assessed value was much lower than the actual value of the property.
Harvey Faust, Parks and Recreation Director, was recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association for his strong active support of the Association.
The Board made several amendments to the Parks and Recreation Ordinance. These amendments included establishing a procedure for park closing hours, prohibition of solicitation in parks and limiting parking in parks to park users.

PERSONNEL

After review by the Personnel Advisory Committee, two reclassification requests in the Public Works Department were approved. These requests were:
To upgrade the proposed Street Supervisor’s position to Maintenance Supervisor and,
To change the title of the Administrative Assistant to Supervisor of Public Works Administration to more clearly align the job title with its content.

POLICE

The City entered into an agreement with Chief, Inc. and IBM Corporation for purchasing a new Police computer system. The proposed system would provide information on alarms in business, arrest charges, calls for services, investigative information and analysis, improvements to the record information system, and traffic and warrants information. The system should also eliminate the possible chance of human error in the dispatch area in terms of assignment in emergencies, addresses and directions thereto. The system bid was for $137,430 and included a five year equipment maintenance contract for the system.
With the rapid growth of the City, it was advised that the number of police personnel be increased. The plan called for three new officers to be added by May 1, 1988 and three more by July 1. Those officers would be trained and on the street by October and December, respectively.
Police car #357 was severely damaged. A Chevrolet was purchased as a replacement from Chuck Hutton for $13,280.83.