City postpones fireworks vote

The Lebanon City Council on Monday postponed the second reading for an ordinance that would allow fireworks sales and use within city limits.

“[Councilor Kathy] Warmath is not able to join us tonight, and she requested that the fireworks ordinance, number 12-4252, be withdrawn until after the first of the year,” said Mayor Philip Craighead. “Really, even if it passed, we wouldn’t be able to get the logistics done to be able to set it up and all for this coming year, so I told her that we would withdraw that and bring that up at a different time when she would be able to join us.”

With the fireworks ordinance removed from the agenda, councilors moved quickly through the agenda with minimal discussion.

Fred Burton, Ward 2, announced plans to form a neighborhood assessment board for his ward.

“I’m getting some people to sit on that board to give information to me that may need to be addressed, and I will bring it to the council,” said Burton. “I have a lot of security problems within the second ward. We have areas where we have a lot of senior citizens living that they’re feeling that they’re not getting adequate police patrols…These are areas that we need to get addressed as soon as possible.”

Council members nominated Joe Hayes to serve as mayor pro tem and Fred Burton to fill Haywood Barry’s former position on the Joint Economic Community Development Board.

In other business, council approved:

• an ordinance to rezone approximately 3 acres of property at 3970 Highway 109 North from agricultural to highway business

• an ordinance to modify the city’s Major Thoroughfare Plan

• an ordinance to add “Powder Coating” as a permitted use on appeal for the highway business zoning district

• an ordinance to authorize the purchase of a multifunction system for the Engineering/Planning/GIS department

• an ordinance to approve a contract with TDOT for resurfacing, restoring and rehabilitating various roads within the city

• a resolution to hire a police officer to replace an officer who resigned for medical reasons

• an ordinance to approve transfer of ownership of the retired police canine, Cheyenne, to its handler, Kevin Ragland

• a resolution to hire up to three part-time replacement “rec aids” for the Jimmy Floyd Recreation Center.

Council will meet Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. at City Hall.