Board of Mayor and Aldermen Regular Meeting – June 23, 2025
Board of Mayor and Aldermen Regular Meeting – June 23, 2025
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen of Germantown, Tennessee held its regular meeting on Monday, June 23, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building at 1930 S. Germantown Road. The meeting opened with an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and a moment of silence honoring FedEx founder Fred Smith. Key actions included the adoption of the FY26 budget, a property tax rate increase, and approval of a six‑year Capital Improvements Program. All votes were unanimous.
Special Recognition
- Beautification Commission Business Award (June 2025): Presented to the Wolf River Professional Center, managed by EZR Management, for professional landscaping featuring azaleas. The award was presented by Commissioner Larry Cooley.
- LEAD Program Graduation: 27 team members from the Spring 2025 LEAD (Leaders of Excellence and Ambassador Development) class completed the six‑month program. Individual awards were given: the Coin Chaser Award and Team Challenge Award (both to Billy Freeman of the Fire Department, who also received the Leadership Award).
- Neighborhood Grant Program Recipients (FY25): Five neighborhoods received grants: Dogwood Grove (decorative signage), Green Leaf Condos (pond restoration), Grove Park (tree removal), Lansdown Place (landscaping), and Village of Wicklow (lighting upgrades).
- Retirement of Tony Fischer, IT Director: Fischer was recognized for a 30+‑year career, including 13 years with the city. Key accomplishments include managing the city’s IT response during a cyberattack, launching the Germantown Alerts system (15,859 users as of the meeting), and serving as FEMA Communications Specialist with Tennessee Task Force One.
Discussion Items
- Ordinance 2025‑1 – Year‑End Budget Adjustments (Third & Final Reading): Senior Budget Analyst Takisha Fonden presented six year‑end adjustments, including costs for the Wolf River–Germantown Road intersection project (100% reimbursed by Memphis MPO), public safety overtime, disposal of obsolete inventory, and a transfer to the CIP for cash flow on state‑funded projects. Alderman Ulickey noted that up to $500,000 would be added to the pension fund. Approved unanimously.
- Ordinance 2025‑2 – GMSD Year‑End Budget Adjustments (Third & Final Reading): Budget Manager Sherry Rowell presented one additional adjustment for a board contribution to the health insurance fund. The GMSD board had previously approved the adjustments. Approved unanimously.
- Ordinance 2025‑3 – FY26 Budget Adoption (Third & Final Reading): Director Royals summarized the budget process, noting it had been presented at eight public meetings. The budget includes a property tax increase after reappraisal: the certified tax rate was rolled back to $1.4987 per $100 assessed value, and a 29.13‑cent increase was added, resulting in a rate of $1.79. Alderman Salvaggio stated that his eight proposed amendments had failed but that he supported the budget because public safety and schools had what they needed. He proposed holding quarterly performance budget updates. Alderman Ulickey supported returning to separate capital and budget work sessions. Vice Mayor Gibson praised the partnership with GMSD. Approved unanimously.
- Ordinance 2025‑4 – Real and Personal Property Tax Rate (Third & Final Reading): Director Royals explained that property tax funds approximately 55% of general fund revenues. The adopted rate of $1.79 per $100 assessed value aligns with the five‑year financial plan. Approved unanimously.
- Resolution 25R01 – Resolution on Revenues: Budget Manager Rowell presented the resolution, which sets fees, fines, and other revenue sources (excluding property tax and stormwater) for FY26. Changes were noted in a red‑line copy. Approved unanimously.
- Resolution 25R06 – CIP Sunset Provision: CIP Manager Tiffany Howlett requested a waiver for four delayed projects: Dogwood and Duntriss drainage improvements, On the Hill Cove drainage, Somerset detention improvements, and McVay Road Bridge replacement. Approved unanimously.
- Resolution 25R07 – Capital Improvements Program (FY26–31): Howlett presented a six‑year plan totaling $110,898,000, funded by reserves (39%), state/federal grants (44%), and bonds (16%). Top investment areas: parks (27% of CIP), major roads (25%), utilities (14%), and GMSD (9%). Approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
The consent agenda, containing 19 items, was approved en bloc without discussion. Items included:
- Agreement with Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER)
- Agreement for Shelby County Milton Community Enhancement Grant
- Appointments to Education Commission and Library Board
- Contract for Riverdale Park Reinvestment Phase II
- Contract for Water Treatment Plant Chemicals
- Contract extensions (water tower maintenance, street sweeping, holiday decorations, library operations, public safety uniforms, street maintenance)
- Declaration and disposal of obsolete warehouse inventory
- Emergency purchases for storm repairs at city facilities
- Payment for 3G Schools operating agreement
- PSA for Southwest Water Main Design and Easement Agreement
- Purchase of cement treated base mix, vehicle GPS monitoring services and dash cameras
- Supplemental Amendment No. 1 for Cameron Brown Park and Bob Hailey Athletic Complex
Key Outcomes
- All ordinances and resolutions were approved unanimously by the five members present (Aldermen Sanders, Gibson, Hicks, Ulickey, Salvaggio).
- The FY26 budget was adopted, increasing the property tax rate to $1.79 per $100 assessed value.
- A joint work session with the Germantown Municipal School District Board of Education was scheduled for July 16, 2025, to discuss future phases of Houston High School projects.
- Alderman Salvaggio’s proposal to hold quarterly performance budget update work sessions was noted for future consideration.
- The city’s first responders were publicly thanked for their service, particularly during a recent storm response.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, folks. Welcome to the Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting, the regular scheduled meeting for Monday, June 23rd. We welcome all those that are here participating with this with us this evening. We've got a lot of folks here. Um we've got many different uh special recognition items. So we've got our lead leaders here tonight. They're gonna graduate, and we've also got beautification award, and we've got some very eager neighborhood leaders that are getting big checks tonight, I believe. So we welcome all those. So a few highlights about our meeting uh this evening. As I mentioned uh prior to the meeting started, we have an item called Citizens to Be Heard. It comes as item six on the agenda, and we, contrary to uh belief, we love it when people come forward and speak to their fellow neighbor, the community, and those elected folks as well. So if you fill out one of those sheets, you've got time to do that now and get it to one of the officers at either side of the DS, and they'll get that sheet to Clerk Betty, and we'll recognize you as item six on the agenda. As I mentioned, we've got uh three special recognition items. I will point out that items eight through fourteen all are associated with the annual budget, so those seven items are associated with the FY26 budget. If you're scoring at home, generally the consent agenda is prior to the regular agenda, except one time during the year, the third and final reading of the annual budget. A few of those consent agenda items require um different things like fees, associated fees, and those will be approved during the regular agenda, and so the consent agenda goes afterwards so that it um it goes in the proper sequence. Uh, this evening um our community and economic development director, Cameron Ross will lead us invocation. Vice Mayor Mary Ann Gibson will lead us in the pledge. Prior to the invocation uh this evening, I would like to spend uh a moment of reflection and uh honor uh the life and uh memory of uh FedEx chairman and founder of Fred Smith. Uh I think um there's no need to go into a lengthy description at this time of what uh Mr. Smith meant to the greater Memphis region. So this evening, when we rise here in a moment, we will take a moment to uh lift him up in your own special way. So at this time, please rise for the invocation in a moment of silence. God, as we begin this meeting tonight, grant us the wisdom to truly understand what needs to be expect accepted and the discernment to clearly see what we can and should change. Give us the patience to endure what we cannot change without losing heart and the courage to act decisively on what we can, and bless us with the deep compassion to approach both our efforts and our acceptance with kindness for ourselves and for others, recognizing that every journey is a blend of all these things. Amen. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. You may be seated. Thank you, Director Ross, for leading us in tonight's invocation. Thank you, Vice Mayor Gibson, for leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Vicemor Gibson, you'd like to be recognized. You're recognized. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor and I appreciate the moment of silence for a man such as Fred Smith. Bear with me. Fred Smith was persuasive. He was powerful. Fred Smith was indelibly important to Memphis and to every single person fortunate enough to walk beside him as a valued member of his FedEx, his federal express family, as part of our Federal Express family. He believed deeply that if you treated people well, they would rise to deliver extraordinary service. And they did, day after day, year after year. The service FedEx came to be known for absolutely positively overnight, was not just a slogan. It was a promise that was kept 24-7, 365 days a year. People, service, profit. That wasn't just a mission statement. It was Fred's philosophy, both personally and professionally. It was the foundation of the company he built and the culture that he cultivated. He brought with him the discipline, commitment, and honor instilled in him by the United States Marine Corps. Standards he upheld throughout his life. Professionally and personally.
openpublica.com