City Council rejects budget, calls for transparency, Pitts defends takeover of Ajax Turner Senior Center<\/a><\/p>\nMayor Pitts apologizes to Clarksville City Council on \u2018lack of communication\u2019 <\/p>\n
At the beginning of the special session meeting on Tuesday, Mayor Pitts addressed the council and those in attendance.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me begin our meeting with an apology, to take a moment and address our last meeting. In a moment of clarity after the meeting (on Thursday), it was abundantly clear to me that I am responsible for the anger and animus from some regarding the proposed amendments to the budget ordinance. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur department heads, who are the best people that I have ever worked around, were following my directive and calling and talking about any and all proposed amendments to discuss the impacts on their operations. Something we\u2019ve always done prior to budget consideration. We\u2019re not playing shell games, resisting change, nor are we looking for another hit of taxpayer money to fund this government. We are simply following a process that\u2019s been in place since I\u2019ve been in office.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pitts proceeded to apologize to each member of the City Council for the \u201clack of communication on his part.\u201d <\/p>\n
Updated budget proposal starts with $1.08 property tax rate<\/p>\n
Once the City Council began the conversation over the budget, Pitts said based off the City Council\u2019s feedback, he submitted a new proposal ahead of the meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cI gave you last night through the clerk\u2019s office the list of reductions we made,\u201d Pitts said. \u201cWe did keep all of the amendments that were passed last week in the failed first attempt first reading. So that is the basis of this start. We start at a $1.08 on the tax rate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amendments introduced to reallocate funds to Ajax Turner non-profit<\/p>\n
Councilman Eric Claunch introduced an amendment that looked to remove $1.28 million from the Parks and Recreation Department and give more than $847,000 to the nonprofit that is the Ajax Turner Senior Center.<\/p>\n
Claunch said regarding the comments made last week, he feels convicted that this is in the best interest of moving forward. \u201cForward for the senior center, forward for the seniors that I have spoken to, all sides.\u201d<\/p>\n
Councilwoman Ambar Marquis then introduced an amendment to the amendment. \u201cThere is just a difference in numbers,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s the same idea, but I am instead restoring $776,000 because that is there 2026 actual numbers.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though we budgeted more, that is the actual (number) that they received from the city \u2026 Therefore, it would give us a little bit higher of a tax reduction if we eliminated the rest of that,\u201d Marquis said.<\/p>\n
Streetman said her stance hasn\u2019t changed since last week. \u201cIt\u2019s been very chaotic over there, and you can really say on all sides,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s not been an easy situation for members going there, and I cannot see where doing this is going to be a good move, because right now they can\u2019t have the adult day center. And we\u2019re already moving forward with getting the adult day center reopened.\u201d<\/p>\n
Streetman said the city\u2019s proposal for a senior center under the city\u2019s control is a way to stabilize the chaos that\u2019s been continuing to go on. She also questioned using taxpayer money to fund the operations of a non-profit.<\/p>\n
Councilwoman Keri Lovato said she will be in support of the Marquis amendment; however, she is not in support of the original. \u201cThis council has been provided with enough information, not just from the mayor, but from members and members of their families, that there is mismanagement over there.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven the things we\u2019ve heard from this podium is evidence of the mismanagement. So, either this money goes to Parks and Recreation, or I think they should get $0,\u201d Lovato said.<\/p>\n
Pitts said that the City Council is making a fundamental mistake with city finances if the original amendment is approved and adopted. \u201cIt was said at the last meeting, and I\u2019m paraphrasing, that government could mess up a two-car funeral procession. Not in the case of our Parks and Recreation Department. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey are a nationally accredited department, one of only two in the state of Tennessee. They got a perfect score on their accreditation, the first go around, and they continue to operate in excellence,\u201d Pitts said. \u201cI would ask you not to approve an amendment that would fund the non-profit that operates and allow us to stabilize and provide a safe, nurturing organization at our senior citizens center, because they deserve it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claunch said a grace period should be put in place to reevaluate the operations of the nonprofit. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf we set it up for six months, and the parameters are established, and they don\u2019t meet the criteria, and it\u2019s transparent to the members and the community, then I will 1000% be with you on this,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel at this point and time sir, that there has been enough communication from the community to say let\u2019s try and meet in the middle with this issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would just feel better if we gave them one last opportunity with something that was transparent to all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amendment to reallocate $776,000 to non-profit Ajax Turner approved<\/p>\n
After approving the amendment to the amendment 11-2, the City Council narrowly approved Claunch\u2019s amendment 7-6 for the reallocation of $776,000 to the non-profit that is the Ajax Turner Senior Center. <\/p>\n
Voting in favor of the proposal were council members Claunch, Carlos Peters, Tim Chandler, Marquis, Wanda Smith, Travis Holleman and Jerry Haywood. Voting against were council members Brian Zacharias, Jimmy Brown, Streetman, Joe Shakeenab, Lovato and Pitts. <\/p>\n
If the amendment goes on to pass the first and second reading, the terminated lease of the Ajax Turner Senior Center will have to return to the City Council for approval, according to previous reports.<\/p>\n
Additional Claunch amendments save more than $88,000<\/p>\n
Claunch introduced another amendment that went on to be approved 7-6, that saved $22,000 in the city\u2019s budget. The proposal dealt with reducing the number of life cycles budgeted for the city\u2019s number of computers and laptops.<\/p>\n
Another Claunch amendment approved reduced the regional airport operating budget by more than $21,500. Lovato asked about the validity of the amendment due to the City of Clarksville being contractually obligated to match the funds Montgomery County gives the airport annually.<\/p>\n
Pitts said it is proper and legal, and he suspects if the city reduces their appropriation, then the county may as well. The amendment was approved 7-6. <\/p>\n
Claunch and Streetman collaborated on an amendment that ended up reducing the City of Clarksville\u2019s Human Resources Department\u2019s budget by $45,000. The amendment was approved 9-3.<\/p>\n
Letter from Tennessee Golf Foundation president talks public-private partnership<\/p>\n
Councilwoman Ambar Marquis introduced several amendments on the night, including one with a letter from the Tennessee Golf Foundation President saying that they are willing to enter into a public-private partnership with the City of Clarksville.<\/p>\n
Marquis said part of the public-private partnership would be the golf foundation helping run the city\u2019s golf courses at their own expense. \u201cSo, eventually, the city taxpayer would no longer be paying for the golf courses while they still remain open,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
With her proposed amendment, she removed capital project funding that was meant for the Mason Rudolph Golf Course, as well as the Swan Lake Golf Course renovations, which together would have saved more than $1.3 million in the FY 2026-27 budget.<\/p>\n
Streetman said she is against the amendment since they are unsure what the end result would be at this point and time. \u201cI\u2019m not saying we can\u2019t find some middle ground, but we don\u2019t know what the middle ground is based on an email saying they are ready to engage in productive dialogue,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
The City Council voted to separate the question; however, the amendments were both voted down. <\/p>\n
Marquis amendments approved on Tuesday<\/p>\n
Another Marquis amendment motioned for approval was for the removal of funds from the IT department that had been meant for three different business conferences. The City Council went on to approve the removal of funds after a 7-6 vote.<\/p>\n
Marquis brought forth another amendment that looked to save funding that was meant for the replacement of the fountain at Public Square. She said the request came from some of the different community members she has spoken with, and the amendment was approved 10-3.<\/p>\n
Additional $64,000 saved after Streetman amendments<\/p>\n
Streetman introduced some proposed amendments next, with one pertaining to the removal of $51,000 from the Clarksville Police Department.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is where after their budgets were submitted, they were able to renegotiate their contract to reduce their Verizon cell phone costs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Chief of Police Ty Burdine clarified that they didn\u2019t renegotiate, rather, they chose a different plan based off cost-savings. The Clarksville City Council approved the amendment unanimously. <\/p>\n
Streetman also introduced an amendment that proposed the removal of funds across several departments due to redundant fleet tracking equipment that added up to more than $13,000 in savings. The City Council also passed it unanimously. <\/p>\n
\u2018That is the biggest out of pocket tax increase to our taxpayers in 27 years\u2019<\/p>\n
Before voting on the budget, Lovato addressed the council and said at a $1.08, the property tax rate in Clarksville would be raised $123 for the average home that is valued at $309,000.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is the biggest out of pocket tax increase to our taxpayers in 27 years,\u201d she said. \u201cThe other most recent one was in 2010, when the out-of-pocket cost increased by $103. That wasn\u2019t the total, that was just the increase.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, yes, it does feel like we are nickel and diming, and I understand why, but my concern is that we go through these budget processes, and we are talking a lot about operational lines, but we aren\u2019t asking enough questions and getting enough information on the debt. In how that is processed, when it is going to be paid, and how that is going to affect us year after year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lovato said while she isn\u2019t trying to tell the council which way to vote on the first reading of the budget, she says the council needs to keep those numbers in mind, because inflation is at an all-time high.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, we are in a situation where a $10 increase, $20 increase, $30 increase, it matters to the average family right now,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
City Council reduces budget by $697,000, brings down proposed tax rate to $1.07<\/p>\n
Pitts said before final comments and voting on the first reading of the FY 2026-27 budget, he wanted to take a five-minute recess to receive the budget adjustments following the amendments that were approved. \u201cWith the understanding those numbers are subject to change between now and the next reading, until we can get in a quiet room and verify all of the numbers,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Upon returning from their recess, with the amendments approved on Tuesday night, the City Council was able to approve more than $697,000 in total reductions. \u201cWe\u2019ve reduced our rate effectively by a penny. We\u2019re a shade over but not by much because a penny is $676,000. So, we right now stand at $1.07,\u201d Pitts said.<\/p>\n
City Council rejects first reading of budget for a second time<\/p>\n
When it came time to vote on the second first reading of the FY 2026-27 budget, despite the reductions made and amendments passed, it was voted down 5-8 with council members Zacharias, Claunch, Peters, Marquis, Smith, Haywood, Shakeenab and Lovato voting against.<\/p>\n
Voting in favor were council members Chandler, Holleman, Brown, Streetman and Mayor Pitts.<\/p>\n
When previously asked what happens if a budget isn\u2019t approved by the end of June, which needs first and second reading approval, City CFO Christen Wilcox said that according to city code, the City Council would have to continue to meet until a budget has been approved.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso, after June 30, our budget will stay the same as it is currently right now. So, our 2026-27 budget would become what is our 2025-26 budget at the moment,\u201d she previously said.<\/p>\n
The City of Clarksville will announce in the near future when the City Council meets again so they can continue their conversation over the first reading of the FY 2026-27 budget. <\/p>\n
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