The Council authorized Cleveland Utilities to borrow up to $3.75 million in variable rate debt from the Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund for a water line extension project. The 20-inch water line is under construction between the Eldridge Drive water tank to Benton Pike. In the future, the line will extend to the Hiwassee Utilities Commission plant in Charleston and provide additional transmission capacity into the Benton Pike area.
Mars Chocolate announced a two-year project in April 2011 that is expected to add 38 full-time positions to the existing 493 jobs, resulting in a total annual payroll of $40.5 million. The Council approved a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement covering all personal property acquired in connection with the installation of two new assembly lines for its M&Ms and Twix products, and to expand an existing line for its newest candy, Pretzel M&Ms.
The agreement reduces the manufacturer’s annual tax payments 50 percent on the new equipment for the seven years between Jan. 1, 2012, and Dec. 31, 2018. The reduction results in taxes owed to Bradley County in the estimated amount of $652,588 and $542,755 to the city of Cleveland.
The PILOT is a standard agreement in Bradley County. The unabated 50 percent is the portion designated for public schools.
In other action, the Cleveland City Council:
- Accepted a bid for a knuckleboom truck from Lee Smith, Chattanooga, in the amount of $133,700. Public Works will use the knuckleboom to pick up bulk trash. The bid was the lowest of four bids submitted by CMI Equipment, Nashville, $142,937; Cherokee Truck Equipment, Chattanooga, $136,700; and Stringfellow Inc., Nashville, $135,733.
- Accepted a bid for uniforms for the Public Works and Parks and Recreation departments. Bids were received from Apparel Embroidery only. City employees in both departments receive $300 each in uniform allowance. Bids were also sent to Aramark, Beatrise, Tritex Services and Corporate Imaging. Those companies all submitted “no bids.”
- Accepted the donation of property on Mohawk Drive from Judge Andrew and Nancy Bennett without any restrictions. The property will be used to extend the Cleveland/Bradley County Greenway north from The Home Depot.
- Reappointed Eddie Cartwright to the Cleveland Board of Public Utilities for a four-year term to expire July 2016.
- Reappointed Mark Smith and Bill Hobbs to the Beer Board for an additional year-year term to expire July 2014.
- Approved Ordinance 2012-15 to amend Title 20 of the Municipal Code to add a new chapter establishing the Office of Municipal Administrative Hearing Officer.
- Approved Zoning Ordinance 2012-16 to rezoning property at 3901, 3905, 3917 and 3925 Michigan Avenue Road from Commercial Highway to Light Industrial.
- Approved the first reading to Zoning Ordinance 2012-17 to rezone property at the corner of Victory Street S.W. and Arnold Drive W.S.W. from High Density Residential to Planned Unit Development 1O for a Habitat for Humanity Development.
- Approved Ordinance 2012-18 designating LIC North and LIC South as Cherokee Gateway. The name must be approved by the Bradley County Commission on Monday.
