the history that has shaped Germantown, Tennessee

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  5. 1999

1999

Administration | Development | Environmental Services | Finance | Fire | Parks and Recreation | Personnel | Police

ADMINISTRATION

  1. Mayor Sharon Goldsworthy, Vice-Mayor Frank Uhlhorn, Aldermen John Drinnon, John Niven, Robert Parrish, and Gary Pruitt.
  2. The City’s 1999 population was certified at 39,279 persons. Updating the city’s population figure avoids huge losses in state funds the city receives from state-shared taxes that are distributed according to population. The state was paid $3,927.90 for certification based on the state’s requirement of $.10 per person for the total population requested for certification.
  3.       The Board adopted a policy agenda for the next year as well as the next five years.

Policy Agenda to the Year 2004
Top Priority

  • Personal safety and security for our residents: “Safest City in the Southeast
  • Quality development consistent with Germantown character and standards
  • Financially sound city government
  • Leisure, cultural and educational amenities for all ages: “The Reason for Living in Germantown”.

High Priority

  • Attractive Community- ‘Pride in Germantown”
  • High quality residential neighborhoods
  • Range of housing opportunities in a lifetime
  • Active partnership with citizens

Policy Agenda 1999

Top Priority

  • Drainage protection
  • Boundary and annexation strategy
  • Major road projects
  • Zoning Ordinance/Land Use Plan Review

High Priority

  • A proactive program on drugs
  • Boards/commission review
  • Capital plan for city

 

  1. City Administrator Patrick Lawton was chosen to be president of the Tennessee City Managers Association, which gave him a voting position on the Tennessee Municipal League.
  2. Germantown resident David Gossett was crowned U.S. Amateur Golf Champion. He was named to the Walker Cup Team, which represents the United States. 
  3. A new Mutual Aid Agreement was executed between Germantown and Bartlett. This was to reflect the election of Ken Fulmer as Mayor of Bartlett.
  4. The Board passed an ordinance adopting a new code for the City. Ordinances are organized under common categories and indexed. Organizing individual ordinances into a coherent book is called codification. Tennessee Code Annotated spells out how codification is made effective. The procedure includes publishing notice of and holding a public hearing on the proposed code, adoption in accordance with charter requirements, publishing notice of adoption and placing a copy for public inspection in the City Clerk’s office. The last time this was done was in 1986.
  5. Dr. Barry Orton was contracted to audit the city’s franchise agreement with Time-Warner Communications to insure that the city had received the proper franchise payment from Time-Warner based upon their reported gross revenues, and that the capital contribution costs reflect the proper subscriber base. That number is used to determine what Time-Warner donates to GHS-TV.
  6. Several amendments to the Zoning Ordinance were passed. These amendments included requiring the Planning Commission to review and approve subdivision private restrictions and covenants, requiring of a sketch to be submitted with a rezoning application, and the discontinuance of non-conforming uses and structures. Also, the following changes were made to the Board of Zoning Appeals:
    1. Increase of membership from three to five;
    2. Change of quorum requirement from three to four; and
    3. Two newly-appointed members to three year terms.
  1. A fourth student exchange took place between Germantown and her Sister City Konigs Wusterhausen, Germany.
  2. A 500-unit apartment complex to be located on the south side of Winchester, east of the TVA easement, was in the process of approval. Although not in Germantown, the complex would put a strain on Germantown schools, which were already over capacity. The Board opposed the project and made the position known to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners. 
  3. The Board passed several regulations, ordinances, fees, and resolutions regarding sexually oriented businesses located in Germantown. These regulations were deemed necessary because of the secondary effects of the businesses including increased crime and negative effects on property values. 
  4. An amendment to the Sign Ordinance was adopted. The amendment allowed for temporary yard signs that advertise an event, which takes place entirely, or partially in Germantown and which is held for a charitable or non-profit organization.
  5.     The Board passed the following resolution:

“…that the City of Germantown, Tennessee, resolves to commit the City’s resources to preparing for Y2K and five years beyond, in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens through the adoption of a Y2K Preparedness Plan”.

The purpose of the Preparedness Plan was to provide a smooth transition into the millennium and insure a minimum of obstructions in order to provide critical services and to facilitate business continuity.

  1.     The Board declared the year 2000 as “Germantown 2000- The Year of Service”.  

DEVELOPMENT

  1. Tischler & Associates gave their Fiscal Impact Study, which was done to provide necessary support and justification for defining the city’s urban growth boundaries to be in compliance with Public Chapter 1101, the Growth Policy, Annexation and Incorporation Law. The study looked at reserve areas around the surrounding municipalities. As a result of this study, the city entered into new reserve agreements with Memphis and Collierville. The Board also adopted the Urban Growth Plan for the city. This plan would be sent to all local governments in Shelby County for ratification. 
  2. Developments for 1999 included the Forest Hill Retail Center, UT Medical Group, New Bethel Baptist Church, Bouldien Office Building, Trezevant Office Building, Evangelical Christian School, and Faith Presbyterian Church.
  3. GRW Aerial Surveys, Inc. was contracted to perform aerial photography for the Wolf River Boulevard extension alignment. The design for the road was in 1999’s CIP. The cost of the photography was $10,245.
  4. An agreement was executed between the city and the Tennessee Department of Transportation for intersection improvements at Poplar Pike/Arthur Road/Germantown Road. The improvements will include the addition of a travel lane on the north side of Poplar Pike and the installation of a traffic signal that will be interconnected to the signal at West Street. TDOT fully funded the $180,000 construction costs.    

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

  1. The Environmental Services Department received the 1998 Award of Excellence in Adult Public Education from the Tennessee Department of Transportation /Clean Tennessee Program in recognition of the Environmental Reporter.

FINANCE

  1. The FY00 Budget was approved for a total of $55,572,200. A significant change to the budget document was capping the city’s Contingency Fund at $250,000.
  2. The city passed a resolution adopting the Capital Improvements Program for the fiscal years 2000-2005. The amount budgeted for the FY00 CIP was $18,860,000. Projects for 2000 included Johnson Road Phase III, sidewalks for Farmington Boulevard, and Miller Farms drainage.
  3. After a comprehensive review of fees, rates and revenue structures was made during the budget process, it was recommended that the Sanitation Fund rate be increased from $18.20 to $21.75 for homeowners and from $10.92 to $13.05 for condominiums.

FIRE

  1. Mirabile Investment Corporation donated $5,300 for the purchase of a “Pluggie the Fire Plug™” for use by the Fire Department for fire safety and public education programs.
  2. The Germantown Fire Department’s HAZMAT Team was recognized for a mutual aid response in Oakland, Tennessee, after an explosion in a munitions reloading facility.
  3. A contract was approved for Fire Station #1 on the corner of Cross Country and C.D. Smith Road. The contract was for $1,592,000.  

PARKS AND RECREATION

  1. Lisa Piefer was awarded the “Bob Crawford Young Professional of the Year” for exceptional leadership in Parks and Recreation by the National Recreation and Park Association.
  2. Boyle Investment Company donated 39.91 acres of land adjacent to the Wolf River Nature Area. The city now had 70 acres of land in that area for the greenway.
  3. The Parks and Recreation Commission recommended renaming Poplar Estates Park to the Wolf River Nature Area.
  4. Lose & Associates were contracted for architectural and engineering services for the Wolf River Nature Area and the Germantown Greenway, Phase II. The contract was for $64,750 and was budgeted in the CIP for FY00. 
  5.     The following policy changes were made for the Germantown Centre:
    1. Prohibiting tobacco products in the facility;
    2. Prohibiting diving from the bulkhead; and
    3. Prohibiting solicitation.

PERSONNEL

  1. The City entered into an agreement with the Memphis Business Group on Health for the city’s participation in their Employee Assistance Program entitled “CONCERN”. The program allowed city employees to receive confidential psychological and dependency counseling and referral to other agencies if necessary. The previous provider of the program had been Shelby County. 

POLICE

  1. A “mock hostage” situation was held at Houston High School. It was a combined exercise of the City of Germantown, Town of Collierville, Town of Rossville, City of Memphis, FBI, Secret Service, ATF and Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. It was coordinated through the City of Germantown’s command post. The Department was thanked for its professionalism and dedication.
  2. A joint narcotics investigative unit between Germantown and Collierville was created. Information revealed that residents of Germantown sometimes travel to Collierville to purchase or sell drugs and vice versa. The investigative unit would allow for the sharing of resources and intelligence to effectively fight the activity. 
  3. New legislation allowed municipalities to impose certain fees on vehicles seized and impounded by local police departments. The following fees were established:
    1. $300 administration processing fee;
    2. $10 per day storage fee; and
    3. $80 towing fee. 
  1. The Department was commended for its work regarding the bank robbery at the Bank of Bartlett.
  2. Police Chief Jim Fortune was dismissed due to health reasons. Richard Hall was appointed Acting Chief of Police during the interim.