January City Council Meeting agenda includes New Clerk, Handle Mill property and Inn of the Cumberlands.

The Crossville City Council holds their First regular meeting of 2018 Tuesday, January 9, and as part of the agenda, new city clerk Valerie Hale will be sworn in.

With the retirement of long-time city clerk Sally Oglesby, city manager Greg Wood appointed Hale as the new Clerk. Hale has served as the assistant city clerk since 2010.

Valerie Hall, Crossville city clerk

The council's evening starts with the Audit Committee meeting at 5:15, followed by the beer board at 5:45 then a public hearing on the 2018 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The regular council agenda gets underway at 6:00 PM.

In addition to a decision on submitting an application for the CDBG, the council will discuss the possible purchase of the remaining property from the old handle mill next to the Art Circle Library. Councilman Danny Wyatt has proposed that the county help with the purchase of the site and the city would pay for the development the property into parking and a possible park area. The vote would authorize the city manager to begin negotiations with the county and the property owner.

The possibility of a change in the city's charter to add two more council members was also discussed at the council's work session and is on Tuesday's regular agenda. The action proposed by council member Pamala Harris who said the change could give the council a different dynamic. Harris added that it could give more people a chance to be represented as well as giving more women a chance to serve on the council.

Council member Danny Wyatt was less supportive of the proposed change saying, “More ducks in the puddle and the muddier it is.” Wyatt said he would only support the proposal if it would be put on a referendum for voters to decide.

Council will also consider the addition of a part-time fraud examiner position requested by police chief David Beaty. Beaty told the council in last week's work session that the position would help with the increasing reports of fraud cases and the proposed employee is a retired certified fraud examiner who would work part-time with no benefits. The expected annual cost for the position is $17,000.

Condemned Inn of the Cumberlands

Listed under the city attorney's report is possible action on the Inn of the Cumberlands building that the city condemned over 2 years ago and nothing has been done by the property owners. Another item is a lease breach for a hanger at the Crossville Airport.