Woodbury Seeks Grant To Improve Tennis Courts

TONY STINNETT, Courier Co-Editor


The Woodbury Mayor and Board of Aldermen voted 5-2 Tuesday to adopt Ordinance 443 on second reading and final reading to approve the annual budget and tax rate for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012 and ending June 30, 2013.

The new budget includes a raise for the incoming mayor and board.

The new budget includes a $6,000 annual salary for the mayor and $2,000 for the aldermen. The mayor earned $3,000 annually and the aldermen earned $1,200.

Aldermen Faye Knox, who served on a committee to study the salaries, made the motion, which was seconded by Lois Larimer. Joanne Davis and Charlie Harrell voted against the new budget, which does not take effect until January, 2013.

“I want to make it very clear that this does not affect this board; it affects the board that will be coming into office in January,” Knox said. “It has been at least 12 years since the mayor and the board has received an increase. The city is requiring more and more of our time. (The committee) discussed this and it is our recommendation that the mayor’s salary be raised to a level of $6,000 and the aldermen be raised to a level of $2,000 per year.”

All current positions on the board are up for election in November.

The Board also unanimously approved adoption of Resolution 02-12, to apply to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for a Local Parks and Recreation Fund Grant.

Patrick said the grant will help resurface one tennis court, the basketball court and allow the city to add bleachers to the tennis court area at Brown-Spurlock Park. It is a 50/50 matching grant.

“Our high school tennis team plays their matches there and we have visiting teams from all around,” Knox said. “We have a great tennis team and we have a lot of great athletes in Cannon County. I think it is our responsibility to make accommodations for them so they will be proud for teams to come here. I believe it is wonderful opportunity to get these funds.”

Patrick said cost for the work should be approximately $28,000, of which the city will pay half.

The Board voted to send Ordinance No. 444 back to the planning commission for further study. The ordinance would amend the zoning ordinance of the Town of Woodbury to add residential parking regulations within the zoning ordinance. One sticking point for board members was off-street parking.

“I have a problem with the single-family dwelling being limited to three vehicles,” Knox said. “It is my opinion that if a homeowner makes accommodations to park four, five or six vehicles and they are not on the street or lawn, then who are we to restrict them from having four cars? This formula does not work in reality. If we are going to have an ordinance restricting parking then we need to have an ordinance that addresses all of the problems, not just a few.”

Patrick made the motion to install interim police chief Kevin Mooneyham as police chief. Mooneyham had previously served as assistant chief but was named interim when Tony Burnett resigned to take a position with the Governor’s Office. The Board unanimously voted to remove the interim label and Mooneyham assumed position of Chief of Police Friday (June 8).