Dickson’s City Council approved at its Jan. 9 meeting a resolution to support the rehabilitation of two apartment complexes in Dickson that provide housing for low-income and elderly residents.
The project is included among financing of 13 different multifamily residential projects with up to $42.8 million in Tennessee Housing Development Agency bonds.
City Attorney Jerry Smith said two of the projects are located in Dickson — Dickson Village and Pleasant Valley Village on Barbecue Road — and the remaining 11 are in various municipalities and counties in Tennessee. Smith said the developers, Housing Associates, LP and BTT Development IV, LP, are seeking bonds through the city of Dickson’s board because some of the other municipalities do not have similar boards and state statutes allow one board to issue bonds for other locations. Smith said there is no liability to the city of Dickson should the developers default on the bonds.
The board and council granted preliminary approval and when the applications are completed for THDA they will be presented to the board and council for final approval.
Public Works Director David Travis said the stormwater drain replacement project on Sylvis Street has been completed and after two recent rain events there have been no reports of flooding or drainage problems.
Travis also reported that the concrete work and playground equipment installation at Henslee Park is about 95 percent complete. The contractor was to begin installing splashpad features the following week and the building is about 85 percent complete while recent weather has hampered paving. He said he anticipates a mid-February completion if the weather cooperates.
Travis also reported that the new park was recently vandalized when someone spray painted graffiti on some of the playground equipment, but the contractor was able to remove most of it.
Council members also voted unanimously voted to reject on second reading an ordinance that would have created restrictions for on-street parking throughout the city by prohibiting parking anywhere that would force traffic to cross the center line of the street to pass.
The ordinance passed previously at the council’s May 2, 2022, meeting, but had since been deferred three times after facing opposition, particularly from residents of Poplar Street.
In his motion to deny the ordinance, Councilperson Kyle Sanders requested Mayor Don L. Weiss Jr. appoint a special committee to review the parking issues and consider possible recommendations. Weiss later appointed councilpersons Dwight Haynes, Stacey Levine, Sanders and Betty Lou Alsobrooks to the ad hoc committee.
The council also approved a proposal from and authorized the mayor to sign a contract with S&S Construction and Pools to remove the outdoor pool, equipment and pool-area fence at the new Dickson Senior Center and backfill the site in exchange for the pool form, equipment and fencing.
Mayor Weiss said Senior Center Director Joan Rial has determined the outdoor pool will not be utilized as much as the indoor pool and that location can be converted into a pickleball court.
In other actions, the City Council:
• Approved an off-premises beer permit for Sachin Shah, the new owner of Dickson Minimart at 2417 Hwy. 46 S., by a 7-0-1 vote with Haynes abstaining.
• Created the City of Dickson’s Office of Emergency Management.
At the Dec. 19 Finance and Management Committee meeting, Dickson Police Department Chief Jeff Lewis presented the proposal to create the office that will coordinate the city’s response to any natural or man-made disasters within the city.
• Authorized the mayor to sign a contract with Wold | HFR Design for $43,500 to provide architectural, engineering and planning services to complete the programming and conceptual design for an aquatic recreational complex.
City Engineer Bret Stock said the company will prepare preliminary concepts and cost estimates for an aquatic center that the city hopes will include an indoor pool facility.
• Approved an amendment to the contract with Greater Nashville Regional Council adding $7,787 to the grant for the Dickson Senior Center that includes the Transportation Program.
• Authorized a contract with the Tennessee Department of Transportation for Phase I of a Multimodal Grant project to make pedestrian and other improvements on West College Street from North Mulberry Street to Walker Street.
Projects Director Chris Hooper said the grant is the first phase of projects identified in the city’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan that include sidewalk improvements on West College Street from downtown to Henslee Park.
• Approved a contract with the Tennessee Department of Transportation for a Surface Transportation Block Grant project that consists of reconstruction and improvements to the traffic signals at Highway 70 West and Beasley/Weaver drives near J. Dan Buckner Park.
Projects Director Chris Hooper said the grant will reimburse the city 80 percent up to a total project cost of $635,000, with the city’s share being $127,000.
Mayor Weiss withdrew a vote on a contract with TDOT for a grant for Phase VI of the Downtown Revitalization Project because the city has not received the contract. The Transportation Alternative Program grant has been approved for pedestrian and other improvements on Church Street from East College Street to East Rickert Avenue.
Mayor Weiss also withdrew an appointment to a vacancy on the Planning Commission because he was not ready to make a nomination.
Due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 16, Weiss said there will not be a Finance and Management Committee meeting this month. The next regular meeting of the City Council will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 6, in the Council Chambers at Dickson City Hall, 600 East Walnut St. All meetings are open to the public.
