Prior to the Council’s approval of additional changes in the Community Development and Engineering Services Department, City Manager Janice Casteel introduced Haun, who is replacing Chuck Atchley.
Haun’s promotion was announced in Tuesday’s edition of the Cleveland Daily Banner.
Atchley retired Nov. 1, with 30 years of service. His retirement comes after undergoing hip surgery earlier in the year. Haun has been serving as interim chief since April 6.
The new chief is also a 30-year veteran of the department. His career in firefighting began April 7, 1981. He was promoted to lieutenant in April 1996. He was promoted to interim captain in September 1996 and permanently advanced to that rank in March 2007. He was promoted to deputy chief Jan. 1, 2008.
Haun is a 1977 graduate of Charleston High School. He is married to Jamie Liner Haun and the couple have two children, Chad, who is also a city firefighter and Malorie Cissom, who is employed by Life Care Centers of America, and three grandchildren, Carter, Cannon and Emmalyn.
Casteel said she appreciated Haun’s leadership over the past six months and looks forward to his continued service.
About 15 Cleveland firefighters were in attendance to support their new chief.
Casteel also announced the recent reorganization of Community Development and Engineering has resulted in the elimination of the job of a senior planner assigned to transportation planning.
Larry Stokes moved from Atlanta in April to fill the position of transportation planner vacated by Lindsay Smart. The position will be terminated in January. Casteel said a review of the Community Development and Engineering Services Department determined the senior planner post could be eliminated.
She said since August, when Stormwater Coordinator Jonathan Jobe was named director of the merged department, Community Development Director Greg Thomas has more time to spend on projects and will shift to MPO coordinator, and senior planner Paul Corder will become the MPO planner. Thomas and Corder will also continue in their traditional roles.
The Council approved reorganizing the two departments Aug. 8 in an effort to improve customer service.
Other changes announced by Casteel include moving engineering technician Tonya Young into the role of senior planner in the plans review process.
Drafting technician Josh Holder will assume the duties of stormwater technician and the current stormwater technician, Chris Broom, will assume the duties stormwater coordinator. Those duties were previously performed by Jobe, who is now director of Development and Engineering Services.
Casteel said the change in stormwater personnel was necessary because Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation requires municipalities under the MS4 stormwater program to be fully staffed. She said a city the size of Cleveland requires two positions.
The recently added position of Building Inspector Bryan Turner has also been reviewed. Casteel said no change in staffing is recommended because of the workload on that division.
The Cleveland City Council approved the following consent agenda items by a unanimous vote:
- Accepted a bid from KDH Defense Systems, Eden, N.C., for protective vests for the Cleveland Police Department in the amount of $1,599 each. Protective vests are replaced on an as-needed basis for each of the 90-sworn police officers.
Other bids were received from United Shields International, Traverse City, Mich., for $2,091 each; and Operator Safety Solution LLC, for $1,600 each.
- The city sold a total of five vehicles for a net amount of $2,267 on GovDeals.com. Two of the vehicles came from Parks & Recreation, two from CPD and one fleet vehicle previously declared surplus by the City Council.
- Declared several items surplus to be sold on GovDeals.com with the minimum bids: A burned up 2000 International truck, Public Works Department, $500. The following items are from Parks and Recreation: 1992 Morbark chipper, $2,500; John Deere mower, $500; 1998 bunker/baseball field rake, $300; Goossen chipper, $500; Toro Sandpro, $1,000; and a 1998 Club car golf cart, $300.
- Approved final passage of Zoning Ordinance 2011-22 to rezone about 2.74 acres located at 105, 415 and 425 25th St. N.W., and 2417 and 2419 Chambliss Ave. N.W., from Professional Institutional (PI) to Commercial Highway (CH).
- Final Passage of Zoning Ordinance 2011-23 to rezone approximately .85 acres at 4060 North Ocoee St. N.W PI to CH.
- Final passage of Ordinance 2011-24 to amend the Zoning Code to allow development to meet a portion of the green space requirement on adjacent properties. The change is rooted in a July 26 request by Mouse Creek Crossing developer Bassam Issa. Issa asked planning commissioners to amend the PUD2 zoning district by reducing the size of the vegetative buffer at the east entrance on Mouse Creek Road. Issa proposed reducing the buffer zone on the development by five trees, but the size of the vegetative barrier would be maintained by planting five trees on the adjacent property and maintaining them in perpetuity. The amendment was approved by the planning board on the condition of a contract between Issa and an adjacent landowner.
Under unfinished business, the Council unanimously approved a motion to deny Ordinance 2011-21. Had the ordinance been approved, the city would have abandoned an unopened alley running from Jordan Avenue N.W. to Chambliss Avenue N.W. between 17th Street N.W. and 18th Street N.W. The property owners requested the item be denied after it became clear the city needed to maintain the utility easement, which would prevent building a fence or make other improvements to the property.
Under new business, the Council unanimously approved each of the following by unanimous vote:
- Resolution 2011-104 authorizing a Debt Management Policy for the city of Cleveland. The policy is a written guideline affecting the amount and type of debt, fixed or variable rate, that can be issued by the city; and the process issuing and managing the city’s debt.
The city currently has $62.335 million of debt. Of that amount, $21.335 million (34.23 percent) is variable rate. The amount of variable rate debt cannot exceed 50 percent of the total. If desired, the council could reduce the percentage of variable rate debt.
The purpose of the 27-page debt policy is to improve the quality of management and legislative decisions, and to provide justification for the structure of debt.
It is also the intent of the city to signal credit rating agencies, investors and the capital markets that the city is well-managed and prepared to meet its obligations in a timely manner.
The debt policy was required by the state before Jan. 1.
- Resolution 2011-106 authorized Mayor Tom Rowland to send a letter of intent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake a flood control study for the city of Cleveland.
- Passed a motion authorizing a contribution to the Greenway Phase IV lighting project in the amount of $60,000 from the Sales Tax Fund contingent upon Bradley County contributing $38,000 for the project.
- Passed a motion authorizing the city manager and finance director to use the services of Miller & Martin law firm for legal advice related to debt issues and related financial matters.
Under announcements, city offices will be closed next Thursday and Friday (Nov. 24-25) in observance of Thanksgiving. Offices will also be closed Dec. 23 and Dec. 26, for Christmas; and Dec. 30 and Jan. 2, 2012, for the New Year’s holiday.
