Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen Regular Meeting – November 10, 2025

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen met on Monday, November 10, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included citizen comments about a recurring internet cable issue, approval of a consent agenda with 13 items, a first amendment to a land use agreement with the school district, and third/final readings of two ordinances. The board also held a first reading of an alcoholic beverage ordinance and set a public hearing for December 8, 2025.

Consent Calendar

• Change Order No. 3 – Miller Farms Ditch Improvements: $194,400
• Change Order No. 3 – Riverdale Park Reinvestment Phase II: $129,459
• Contract Extension – Michael’s Tree and Loader – Tree Removal and Mitigation: No dollar amount specified
• Donation – Parks and Recreation: $2,500 from Germantown Legends
• Donation – Scholarship Funds: $757 from the Police Chiefs Association for Germantown Police Department
• Donations – Germantown Neighborhood Preservation Commission: $4,350 from multiple sponsors
• PSA – Somerset Area Detention Project: $90,305
• Purchase – Playground at C.O. Franklin Park: $350,000
• Purchase – GPAC Orchestra Lift Elevator Modification: $57,351
• Purchase – Jail & Dispatch HVAC Replacements: Approximately $160,000
• Purchase – Portable Dimmer Rack: $52,845 (stated as "almost $53,000")
• Purchase – Sewer Combination Truck: $663,000
• Renewal – Property & Casualty Insurance: No dollar amount specified

All items were approved unanimously on a single motion without separate discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Wetzel (2598 Overlook Drive) and Carrie Walsh (8247 Scruggs Drive) both spoke about an Xfinity cable line that was laid across Scruggs Road approximately 45 days ago. Mr. Wetzel stated that the cable is repeatedly run over, requiring replacement every 8–10 days, causing internet outages that disrupt his work-from-home and his children’s homeschool. He reported that Xfinity said they are waiting for city approval to bury the cable. Ms. Walsh added that the cable is covered by plastic speed bumps that come loose, creating a noise hazard ("thump thump thump") and a tripping hazard on sidewalks. She said she opened two city cases that were closed as completed but the issue remains. The Mayor apologized and stated that staff would follow up after the Veterans Day holiday (Wednesday, November 12).

Discussion Items

• First Amendment to Land Use Agreement (Item 8): City Administrator Jason Heisman presented the amendment, which revises the 2020 agreement between the City and Germantown Municipal School District (GMSD). The original agreement gave the city primary use of two southernmost softball fields behind Houston High School. GMSD plans to redevelop those fields into a multipurpose synthetic turf field with a track, stadium lighting, and seating. The amendment removes the city’s ongoing right to use those fields after construction begins, with 120 days’ notice required. The city will relocate programs to alternative sites, including Cameron Brown Park. The school board approved the amendment. The board voted unanimously to approve.
• Ordinance 2025-7 – Germantown Education Commission (Third and Final Reading): Chief Communications Officer Ms. Crockett presented the update to the commission’s purpose statement, last revised in 2002. The new language broadens the focus to include all education sources in Germantown and aligns with the Germantown Forward 2035 strategic plan. The Education Commission and the board approved it on first and second readings. Alderman Hicks noted upcoming events: Battle of the Brains at Houston High School on Saturday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to noon (50 teams competing), and American Education Week starting November 17. The board voted unanimously to approve.
• Ordinance 2025-8 – Stormwater Advisory Commission (Third and Final Reading): Director of Engineering Jennifer Allen presented changes to the commission’s membership structure: replacing the Engineering Director as voting chair with a citizen appointee, making the Alderman liaison non-voting, and adding a non-voting liaison from the Technology Commission. The ordinance was approved on first and second readings without changes. The board voted unanimously to approve.
• Ordinance 2025-10 – Alcoholic Beverages (First Reading and Set Public Hearing): City Attorney Goodman outlined changes to Chapter 3, Articles III and IV, including: removing newspaper publication requirement for beer permits, clarifying background checks for publicly traded companies, strengthening temporary beer permit requirements for city property, requiring liquor stores to provide a copy of any proposed lease and have a local manager within 100 miles, allowing liquor stores to be open on Sundays (consistent with state code change), and aligning retail food store (grocery) wine hours with liquor store hours. He noted that Section 3-81-B4 (one-year citizenship requirement for beer permit applicants) was not included in the ordinance but should be struck based on a Tennessee Attorney General opinion. The board voted unanimously to approve on first reading and set the public hearing for December 8, 2025.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.
• First Amendment to Land Use Agreement (Item 8): Approved unanimously.
• Ordinance 2025-7 (Education Commission): Approved on third and final reading unanimously.
• Ordinance 2025-8 (Stormwater Advisory Commission): Approved on third and final reading unanimously.
• Ordinance 2025-10 (Alcoholic Beverages): Approved on first reading and public hearing set for December 8, 2025, unanimously. City Attorney will add a strike of the unconstitutional citizenship requirement before the next reading.
• Citizen Cable Issue: City staff (Alderman Sanders) will follow up on Wednesday, November 12, to address the Xfinity cable problem.

Announcements

• Deadline to apply for boards and commissions is November 30, 2025. Applications online at germantown-tn.gov. Appointments are made in late December for January start.