Shelbyville City Council meets in regular session 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, at Shelbyville Recreation Center. There are several items on the table to be discussed and some which Council have indicated they’ll approve.

Child obesity grant

The City of Shelbyville is set to approve a letter of support for an obesity program in conjunction with Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines diabetes as a long-lasting health condition that affects how the body turns food into energy. When a person eats food, much of that food is broken down into glucose and released into the bloodstream. Under normal conditions, when blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas will release insulin, which unlocks the abilities of that blood sugar so the body’s cells can use it for energy.

Individuals with diabetes do not make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin as they should. Cells sometimes stop responding to insulin. In each of these instances, too much blood sugar stays in the bloodstream, leading to serious health problems.

Doctors have identified three main types of diabetes: Type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. About 90 to 95 percent of people with diabetes have type 2, which is when the body doesn’t use insulin well, says the CDC. Typically, a healthy lifestyle or lifestyle changes can help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is an often temporary form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy.

Type 1 diabetes, though rare, may be most concerning because it is thought to be an autoimmune condition. Also, it must be managed throughout life. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs because the pancreas produces little or no insulin.

Very often it appears during childhood or adolescence, which is why it was once known as juvenile diabetes. Some experts think the body attacks itself by mistake, resulting in the body’s cessation of insulin production. Type 1 diabetes has no cure.

During its session Tuesday, Council members discussed a new lease agreement with the Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce in regard to the current building on Cannon Boulevard.

The recommendation is that the existing 99-year lease agreement from 1964, with the City of Shelbyville, be terminated and the City approve a new 20-year lease.

The City plans to regain its control of the building and property and the Chamber officials will occupy one office.

City Attorney Ginger Bobo Shofner recommended to Council a 60 day turnover of possession. She added that there are no lease payments but she entered for the City a $1 amount that’s for general consideration. She said this new lease is still pretty standard.

Lacey Deeds, Chamber executive director, asked whether the City would provide any liability insurance for the director’s office.

“I understand content, but is there going to be a requirement . . . . for liability insurance. If something in my office catches the building on fire, I need to have some liability insurance and vice versa. So is there a requirement on a City leased building of what the liability limits are for insurance?” That issue remains on the table.

Deeds told the Times-Gazette that the Chamber board will be meeting soon about the City’s proposed lease agreement. The Chamber will lease the “office on the left” down the main hallway of the building within the new lease. The City also discussed use of common spaces (parking lot, etc.)

The Chamber will manage the meeting space area. City Recorder Lisa Smith added that there will be a “common calendar”—one maintained by the City—for the Chamber meeting room.

The City will therefore have priority for scheduling the meeting rooms and the Chamber gets secondary rights, Shelbyville City Manager Josh Ray said.

As for a “jump out” or perhaps “kick out” clause,” the recommendation was for both parties for give 6 months to a year notice. Council was leaning toward the 6 months at the close of Tuesday’s meeting.

Attorney Shofner said she would prepare the lease, based on those Council preferences, and have it ready Thursday evening for Council approval.

“For Council purposes, the existing lease agreement is in the agenda packet . . . . [you] can look at that agreement.

Shelbyville City Manager Josh Ray said, “As the City attorney said, we’re ‘effectively terminating that agreement’ with this new lease and we would forward with a new document.”

The City was following up with the liability issue with its insurance provider and will bring that information back to Council at Thursday’s monthly meeting.

City park improvements

Shelbyville Parks and Recreation is likely to receive new lockers for its gym and pool area. With no dissension on Tuesday, Council will approve at a cost of $9,822 (from capital funds.)

Regarding bids for a dog park fence for the recreation area, one of two bidders, the lowest actually, was disqualified, City Manger Ray told Council.

“There are requirements that a contractor has to do if a construction project’s over $25,000 . . . this contractor did not meet those standards, so it is not a valid bid. It was disqualified.” So Council now technically only has one valid bid, $38, 795 for the dog park fence.

“You will recall we had $10,000 revenue allocated for this dog park . . . $25,000 in a grant. We did not receive the grant, so initially we had the revenue at $10,000; we had the budget allocated item at $35,000, so we would have to utilize additional funds to satisfy the additional dollars needed to balance.”

So other capital projects have been reviewed within the parks department and he told Council there are adequate funds available from other project savings, within the parks department, to reward this solo bid for the dog park fence.