City chooses new names for Harris landmarks

Shelbyville City Council voted Thursday for a name change to pieces of property still in use for sports practices.

The council approved a recommendation by the city's park board to refer to the old Harris Middle School gym and the adjoining fields as the Elm Street Sports Complex and Central Memorial Gym.

The gym is currently used for basketball practice, along with meetings and events, while soccer and football practices are held at the fenced-in football field behind the building.

Another area of open space behind the building, which was an outdoor track at one point, is used for soccer and baseball practice.

Field Lighting

The council also approved a motion to remove rotten light poles at the baseball fields at H.V. Griffin Park, replace them with metal poles and upgrade the lighting.

An estimated $64,500 will have to be spent on the project if there are to be night games played at the park this season.

Swimming pool

Other action involving the recreation department dealt with taking bids to bring the city's swimming pools into compliance with federal law.

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act went into effect last December, which mandates that all public pools in the country update their drain covers and/or drain systems to meet new, stricter standards.

Unless the outdoor pool is retrofitted with new equipment by May, the city will not be able to open it for the summer.

The lap pool indoors was closed at the end of 2008 after the Spa Safety Act went into effect. Only the shallow pool has remained open with just one or two lanes roped off for lap swimming.

Airport study

Also, the council approved spending money for a Phase I Environmental study for property at the Shelbyville airport.

Last week, Walt Wood, CEO of the Shelbyville & Bedford County Chamber of Commerce, told the council that a firm that manufactures small jet aircraft is looking at locating here, but the study will be required for the site to be seriously considered.

City manager Ed Craig said that the city's engineering firm, Griggs & Maloney, could conduct the study for an estimated cost of $1,700 to $2,100, much lower than the $2,900 estimated last week.

Notes

In other council business:

• The council approved a motion to expend funds for the installation of street lights on Quintec Road and to repair a street paver for the Public Works department.
• The public works director was authorized to repair a drainage problem at Express Lube on Madison Street.
• A motion was also approved authorizing the mayor to execute an industrial power contract with Duck River Electric Membership Corp. and spend $4,150, a reimbursement
• The council approved an amendment to the city's defined contribution and 401K plan that will add Roth provisions.
• The council voted to renew the lease for the Senior Citizens Center and to apply for a $7,000 federal grant for the fire department for training.
• A resolution passed will authorize the mayor to submit an application for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development for $500,000 to rehabilitate the sewer system in the Chestnut Drive/Madison Street basin area.
• A rezoning request by Stephen Feldhaus was approved on first reading to change 500 Highland Court from R-3 (medium density residential) to C-2 (highway service district, commercial).
• Joseph, Linda and Shane Roberts had their rezoning request approved on first reading for a parcel located off Morton Street to be rezoned R-3 from R-2 (low density residential).
• An ordinance was passed on first reading to amend Ordinance #863 to insert language requested by the state of Tennessee.
• The mayor delayed making an appointment the city's planning commission to fill the expiring term of member Earl Pewitt.