Several weeks ago, city manager Ed Craig directed the public works department to change the speed limit on East Depot Street from 45 to 30 mph due to the large amount of accidents that were occurring at the intersection of Depot, Bethany Lane and Coney Island Road.

However, according to city attorney Ginger Shofner, before such a change can be made on a state highway, there must be a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) traffic study and the matter must go before the city council for a vote.

None of that happened, and several council members wanted answers from Craig. The city manager had said such things had been done before, but if the council wanted the speed raised back to 45, he would do it.

A discussion then ensued about possibly installing a traffic light at the location and there were also questions about the legality of lowering the limit without the council's approval.

Members voted to restore the speed limit by a vote of 4-2, with council persons Kay Rose and Randy Vernon voting against restoring it and Al Stephenson, Jo Ann Holland, Fred Harrison and Lee Roy Cunningham voting for it.

The issue of retirement and medical care for city employees was once again before the council but not before some discussion of how it was to be paid for.

Vernon wanted to table the motion and have a special meeting to figure out how to pay for it.

Vernon said that the city would either have to make some cuts from the budget or raise property taxes. He made a motion to defer the action and Rose seconded it. However, they were the only two who voted to table the motion, so the council then addressed the issues.

The council approved setting the retirement age for police and firemen at 60 and other city employees at 62, which will increase the city's annual costs for the change in age and true-up for the retirement plan to $180,830.

The council approved an expenditure of $3,581 to cover one half of exterior maintenance costs of the Child Development Center. According to a 1997 agreement between the CDC / Community Development Center, and the county and the city, the two governments are jointly responsible for exterior maintenance at CDC's site on Eaglette Way.

The council voted to sponsor a federal grant for the Center for Family Development that will provide a "safe place" for children.

The city will partner with the Center by applying for a $300,000 grant for a program called Safe Haven Supervised Visitation, which would go toward a location that can be a safe place to conduct supervised visits and where the safe exchange of children can take place between parents.

Changes were approved to rules governing use of city parks by sports leagues. The changes have been approved by the park board. Leagues using city owned or controlled facilities must have an established working bank account solely for league use, and a copy of the league's monthly bank statement will be provided to the recreation department.

If city facilities are to be used for concessions, department staff and league officials will conduct a walk-through prior to usage, with a final walk-through after the period of use, with the league being responsible for maintaining the facility and equipment.

The only types of tournaments permitted will be league or league-sponsored tournaments, tournaments sponsored by a team in a department-approved league, tournaments sponsored by a league tournament team and tournaments sponsored by a non-league team with a majority of its members from Bedford County.

A $100 dollar deposit and a $50 administrative fee would be required, with a field fee of $50 per day for league tournament teams and $100 for non-league tournament teams.

The council approved a motion to authorize expenditures for disposing of a condemned dwelling on Plum Hill Road which is due for demolition. The cost will run in the neighborhood of $4,000 and the city plans to recoup the money by placing a lien of the property after the house is knocked down.

Also approved was a motion to authorize the purchase of two replacement police vehicles. A motion to ratify a new zoning map of the city was also passed

Changes to the city's investment policy were approved, authorizing ING Investment Management to transfer assets between funds.

An amendment to Shelbyville's Greenway Plan was was approved by the council which gives a change in the estimated completion date and a change in the project title.

The revised agreement between the city and TDOT states that the city agrees to complete the project, now called the Shelbyville Greenway Plan and Trails, on or before Dec. 31, 2013. If the city does not complete it by that date, the agreement with would expire unless an extension was requested from Shelbyville.

In other business:

* A rezoning request made by Jeffrey Bush was approved on first reading for 0.22 acres at 912 Sevier Street from C-2 (highway service district) to I-1 (light industrial). The facility will be a small operation making replacement joints for patients.

* Another rezoning request, made by Kathy and Milford Prater, was also approved on first reading for 800 Union St, 802 Union St., and 103 Dover St, consisting of .85 acres from R-3 (medium density residential) to C-2 (highway service district).

* Approved on second reading was an ordinance that amends the city's zoning ordinances to make it easier to develop apartments on the square. The change would allow C-1 (Central Business District) and C-2 (Highway Service District) zones for multi-family uses, or apartments.

* Also approved on second reading was a rezoning request for 1909 Madison St. and an adjoining lot from R-1 (low density residential) to C-2 (highway service district), which takes up about three acres. Stephenson, who made the rezoning request, recused himself from voting.

* A rezoning request for 705 Ridgeway Ave., consisting of 0.3 acres, from R-3 (medium density residential) to C-2 (highway service district) was also approved on second reading.