November 2014 - City of Belle Meade

C I T Y
Belle Meade
O F T E N N E S S E E
COMMISSIONERS: James V. Hunt, Sr., Mayor • Cathy Altenbern, Vice Mayor • Gray O. Thornburg, Steve Rick,
Ed Freeman • Beth Reardon, City Manager/Treasurer • Tim Eads, Chief of Police • Linda Berner, City Recorder
City Hall (615) 297-6041 / Police Dept. (615) 297-0241 / www.citybellemeade.org
NEWSLETTER TO RESIDENTS OF BELLE MEADE NOVEMBER 2014
®
FROM THE COMMISSIONERS
Annual Employee Fund Request
We are thankful for many things—our families and friends,
living in a beautiful city and for the city staff who are dedicated
to making sure our residents are safe and providing the many
services that make this community such a desirable place to live.
During the year, but most often during the holiday season, residents wish to show their gratitude to employees who so conscientiously carry out their duties. The Belle Meade Commissioners
encourage residents to participate in The Employee Fund.
Employees do not receive bonuses other than through this Fund.
The Fund was established so that all contributions are permissible
under the law and carry no weight with any particular employee or
group of employees. All donations to the Fund are equally distributed among all City employees.
The Employee Fund is administered by the employees of the
City of Belle Meade and managed separately from other City monetary accounts. The Fund will purchase gift certificates and sponsor
events during the year in which all employees participate. The Fund
also purchases floral arrangements and fruit baskets when employees have a death in the family, have a new baby or are hospitalized.
Your generosity in the past has been overwhelming and the
City employees are truly appreciative of the support from the
residents. Gifts should be made payable to “Employee Fund” and
sent to Belle Meade City Hall, Attn: Employee Fund, 4705 Harding Road, Nashville, TN 37205
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEWLY ELECTED COMMISSIONERS
Bob Weigel
Boyd Bogle Gray Thornburg
The new commissioners will take the Oath of Office at the monthly commissioners meeting on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at 4pm. They will immediately begin their official duties by participating in the election of the Mayor
and Vice-Mayor, and the completion of the remaining agenda items. All are
welcome to attend this public meeting.
Many thanks to the outgoing commissioners, Steve Rick and Ed Freeman.
Their dedication and commitment, coupled with their professional expertise
has made a difference in our city. We will miss them!
RECAP OF BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING
The Commissioners took action on the following
items at the October 2014 regular meeting:
• Awarded the 2014-2016 Contract for weekly Chipper Service,
Brush & Leaf Collection to The Parke Company. They were
the low bidder at $12,700 annual cost.
• Approved Change Order #1 to the Signal Hill Drainage Improvements Contract in the amount of $4,300, for changes
made to the new catch basin being installed at the corner of
Glen Eden Drive and Lynwood Boulevard.
• Deferred appointment of City Judge until next month.
• Approved the appointment of Mr. Charlie Atwood as a continuing member of the Municipal Planning Commission and
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as an alternate member of the Board of Zoning
Appeals.
Approved the purchase of 140 evergreen holiday wreaths
from the Boy Scouts, Troop 6 in the amount of $3,010. Payment will come from the Beautification Fund.
Approved Ordinance 2014-7 on first reading. This Ordinance
imposes a time limit on a building permit and requires continuous construction of improvements
Approved Ordinance 2014-8 on first reading. This Ordinance
regulates temporary uses in connection with the construction
of a structure.
Approved Ordinance 2014-9 on first reading. This ordinance
amends the Zoning Code regarding Playhouses.
Belle Meade Newsletter
FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT – CHIEF TIM EADS:
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us to all of
you! Please remember Belle Meade Boulevard
will be closed on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday November 27th, for the Boulevard Bolt.
The partial closure will begin at 6:00 a.m. and it will be completely closed by 6:40 a.m. The race begins at 7:00 a.m. and we
are usually able to re-open by 10:30 a.m.
Daylight Savings Time just occurred at the beginning of the
month. This is a great time to replace the batteries in your smoke
and carbon monoxide detectors if they are battery powered or
battery backed up. While on the topic of Fire Safety, make sure
your chimneys have been inspected and are clean before building
a fire in the fireplace. We encourage the use of fire extinguishers
and this is a good time to check to see if the charge is full. Inspect
all electrical holiday decorations for frayed or exposed wires before hanging and keep those live Christmas trees well watered.
During the busy Christmas shopping season please remember to Park Smart everywhere you go, including when you are at
home. Locking your vehicle and removing or hiding any items
of value is a proven deterrent to auto burglary. Stay alert to your
surroundings while out shopping and keep your handbag with
you at all times. Thieves are looking for any opportunity to steal
a wallet or take the whole bag when a person is the least bit distracted. Always have your vehicle keys in your hand and ready
to unlock your vehicle when you get to it. If you have a large
amount of items, do not hesitate to request assistance from the
retailer with loading. If you see folks loitering around the area
you are parked, request assistance from store/mall security for
an escort. Be prudent (not paranoid) and enjoy the holidays.
There are numerous scams going on that occur year round
and here are a few tips to avoid these. Never release personal information of any kind to phone
solicitors that have called you requesting such or
attempting to sell you something. These types of
scams are on the increase everywhere. Be cautious when making
internet transactions as well and stick with trusted sites that you
have done business with in the past. There are also several versions
of a scam that trick people into buying what is called a Green Dot
MoneyPak Card. This type of card is not a pre-paid debit card; it
is a money transfer type of financial instrument that appears to not
be regulated adequately. The con-artist has a story of some type
in which the victim is conned into loading money on the card and
then providing the criminal with information from the card so they
can take the money off the card without ever meeting the victim
or having physical possession of the card. Typical story lines for
this scam include stating that you have a warrant for your arrest
for an unpaid fine or missing jury duty, request for donations to a
charity using this payment form, or they will send you a letter with
a cashier’s check and offer to pay part of the funds for you to be
a secret evaluator/shopper. The scam methods are numerous. The
bottom line is never release information by phone, internet, or in
writing to anyone unless you have initiated the transaction yourself
and have verified that you are dealing with an actual business or
government agency. Actual businesses and government agencies
can verify legitimate collection of information or transactions if
notified beforehand, so never hesitate calling the entity to verify
that they in fact have attempted to contact you.
Remember to call in suspicious activity to the police department at 615-297-0241 immediately or if we can assist you in
any way.
Happy Thanksgiving to all Belle Meade Residents!
CITY HALL OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED THURSDAY
AND FRIDAY, NOV. 27 and 28 FOR THE
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
IN CASE OF SEWER, TRAFFIC, OR OTHER CITY EMERGENCIES DURING THE HOLIDAY, PLEASE CALL THE POLICE DEPT. AT 297-0241 AND DISPATCH WILL CONTACT
CITY STAFF.
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY TRASH AND
RECYCLE PICKUP:
THE THURSDAY ROUTE HOUSEHOLDS WILL BE PICKED
UP ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH, AND THE FRIDAY
ROUTE WILL BE PICKED UP ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER
29TH.
DRUG COLLECTION BOX
GOODWILL DONATION DRIVE
The Goodwill truck will be accepting donations in the city hall
parking lot on Saturday, December 13th, from 9 am until 5 pm.
Acceptable items include clothing, household items, furniture,
books, linens, and small, portable appliances and electronics that
are in good working condition. Goodwill cannot take computers,
large appliances, or mattresses.
A Drug Collection Box is available 24/7 for the free, safe, and confidential disposal of any unused or expired medication. The box is
located in the lobby of the Belle Meade Police Department at city hall. This free service includes all prescription and over-the-counter medications, pet medications, sample meds, pills, capsules, ointment & patches
and vitamins. We cannot accept needle/sharps or liquids. We ask that you peel or mark over any labels that
may have your personal information in print. Loose
pills should be bagged in a clear plastic bag.
Belle Meade Newsletter
WELCOME TO THE CITY OF BELLE MEADE BUILDING CODES DEPARTMENT
“DO I NEED A BUILDING PERMIT?”
The Office of the Building Codes and Zoning is responsible for
ensuring that construction activity and land use complies with
the City’s zoning code and ordinances. The zoning ordinance,
as well as our zoning map, building permit application, Board
of Zoning Appeals (BZA) application, and other frequently used
documents are on our website at www.citybellemeade.org.
Our primary responsibilities include:
• Providing guidance on proposed projects
• Issuance of construction use permits and review of plans
• Inspection of structures and review of land uses to ensure
compliance with the zoning code. Inspections include- foundation of any poured concrete footer, framing, insulation, final and issued permits. (Plumbing, mechanical, and electrical
inspections are coordinated through Metro Nashville/Davidson County Codes Department.)
• Initiation of appropriate actions when zoning or code violations exist
• Insuring proper adherence to the approved stormwater plan
(Swimming pools, underground piping of stormwater and 1/4
acre or more of land disturbance require submitted stormwater plans).
• Receiving, filing, and forwarding applications to the BZA
for Conditional Uses, Special Exceptions and Variances, and
other matters on which the Board is required to act.
• Receiving, filing, and forwarding applications to the Planning Commission for lot consolidations, and sub-division of
lots.
Most all construction, repair or rebuild activities within the City
will require a building permit and the permit fees double for
projects that are started without a proper permit. Please contact
the Building Official before starting any project to determine if
a permit is required.
Most Common Code Violations
• Repair of property without proper permit
• High weeds and grass
• Exterior House Maintenance
• Signs in yards and public right of way
• Street obstructions (Parking)
• Replacing fence or a portion without permit, replacement/repair of decks and terraces without permit.
• Resurfacing of asphalt drives
If in doubt give us a call.
We are more than happy to assist you with your permit.
Building Official—Phil Buma (615) 297-2364 ex. 15
Building Inspector—Lyle Patterson (615) 297-2364 ex. 29
FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT:
Holidays and Trash—We all have extra trash to dispose of during the holidays—gift and delivery boxes, regular household
trash, wrapping paper, and more boxes! Follow these tips to rid
your house of excessive trash:
☞ NOTE—the City will have extra dumpsters on site during
the Christmas holidays. More about specific dates in the December newsletter and email blasts!
☞ Cardboard boxes—Please Recycle! Flatten them and set
them alongside your recycle can for pickup. Don’t throw
them in the dumpsters—they will end up in the landfill!
☞ Household trash—place in WHITE, CLEAR OR GRAY
BAGS. Up to (3) 32-gallon containers are allowed for weekly pickup. Please do not dispose of hazardous chemicals,
paint, used medical supplies, etc. This is dangerous for the
waste collection employees!
☞ Recycle—place in BLACK bags, inside of the marked recycle container. Acceptable items include newspapers, magazines, office paper, junk mail, cardboard, milk/juice cartons,
food boxes (clean – no food), water bottles, soda bottles,
milk jugs, yogurt and butter tubs, etc. For a complete list, see
the website—www.citybellemeade.org.
☞ Dumpster trash—acceptable items include household discards from attic, closet or garage clean outs that are too big
for the weekly pickup. DO NOT put paint, batteries, medical
waste, yard waste, mattresses, large furniture, appliances,
TVs, computers or construction debris in the dumpsters.
Signal Hill drainage improvements project update—
After a delayed start due to the availability of the boring machine,
the project is proceeding smoothly, and the contractor estimates that
the majority of the work will
be complete by Thanksgiving. We appreciate the patience of the residents during this time of construction
and temporary road closures.
This stormwater project will
collect a good portion of
runoff from a 20 acre watershed into the new storm
sewer piping and carry it to
the receiving stream east of
Lynwood Boulevard.
Belle Meade Newsletter
Society of Ceres Donations –
REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS
DECEMBER 2014 & JANUARY 2015
BELLE MEADE CITY HALL
Municipal Planning Commission
Tuesday, Dec 16th at 5:00 pm
Tuesday, Jan 20th at 5:00 pm
Board of Building Code Appeals
Tuesday, Dec 16th at 6:00 pm
Tuesday, Jan 20th at 6:00 pm
Board of Zoning Appeals
Tuesday, Dec 16th at 7:00 pm
Tuesday, Jan 20th at 7:00 pm
Board of Commissioners
Wednesday, Dec 17th at 4:00 pm
Wednesday, Jan 21st at 4:00 pm
Agendas are available online at www.citybellemeade.org
CITY OF BELLE MEADE
4705 Harding Road
Nashville, Tennessee 37205
return service requested
Through Oct. 31, 2014
Mr. & Mrs. Lawson C. Allen, Mary Lauren
and Lawson Allen Family Fund of
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Mr. & Mrs. Ross Evans, III (The Gause Foundation)
Mr. Vaden Lackey
Dr. & Mrs. Harry Ransom
Memorial Contributions
Karin Dale Coble
Mr. Neely B. Coble Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Brendan Finucane
Mrs. Elizabeth Proctor
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Kitchel
Mrs. Elizabeth Proctor
Mr. & Mrs. Edgar W. Stuart
Mrs. Elizabeth Proctor
Mrs. Fred Tarkington
Mrs. Elizabeth Proctor