Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen Meeting – June 22, 2026

The Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen met on Monday, June 22, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting marked the final day of the fiscal year and included the third and final readings of the FY2027 budget and related ordinances, special recognitions, public comments, and a retirement announcement from Mayor Palazzolo. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

• Approved items 14A through 14ZC as read into the record, including: Annual Agreement with U.S. Geological Survey ($12,604); Appointments to Education Commission and Library Board; Authorization for Competitive Sealed Proposal for Library Operations; Bid Rejection for Riverdale Park Drainage Improvements ($94,500); Budget Adjustment – Milton Community Enhancement Grant ($7,500); Budget Adjustment – TN Department of Health Grant ($30,300); Change Order No. 2 – Advanced Meter Infrastructure ($506,000); Contracts for Beaver Loop Greenway Trail Improvements ($257,554), Hot Asphalt Mix ($218,000), Mowing, Landscaping and Irrigation Services ($798,000), Widening of Dogwood Road and Duntreath Road ($75,774); Contract Amendment and Extensions – Water Treatment Plant Chemicals ($81,330); Contract Extension No. 1 – Cement Treated Base Mix ($124,400); Contract Extension No. 2 – Herbicide, Fertilizer, and Lake Maintenance Treatment Services ($159,467); Contract Extension No. 2 – Parks Wayfinding Sign Program (no fiscal note); Contract Extension No. 2 – Street Sweeping ($548,645); Contract Extension No. 2 – Tree Removal and Mitigation (no fiscal note); Contracts for Fire Uniforms ($81,000) and Police Uniforms ($167,151); Easement Acquisition – Wildwood Farms ($86,000); Purchases for Annual Network Switch Replacements ($65,000), Annual Server and Storage Upgrades ($65,000), Police Patrol Rifles ($45,680), Toro Workman ($37,375), Trimax ($46,371), Zero Turn Mowers ($54,422); Reimbursement – Overtime Police FY26 ($47,874); Development Contract No. 1242 – Glasgow Planned Unit Development, Phase 1 – Amendments 1 & 2 (no fiscal note).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dr. LaSanya Hall, candidate for Shelby County Clerk, expressed her platform of efficiency, transparency, and accountability. She committed to working with the city to restore a physical or kiosk-based clerk presence in Germantown to eliminate the need for residents to travel to downtown Memphis or other sites for vehicle tags, titles, and licenses.
• Ed McKinney, attorney, introduced two judicial candidates: Chancellor Jim Newsom (appointed by governor) and Circuit Court Judge Chris Fruela (appointed last August). He expressed strong support for both, citing their qualifications and fairness.
• Chancellor Jim Newsom spoke about his 47 years of law practice, 10 years in public service, and 3 years on the Chancery Court bench handling adoptions, domestic matters, and local government issues. He emphasized fairness and impartiality.
• Judge Chris Fruela described his role in Circuit Court handling personal injury, divorce, medical malpractice, and government tort liability cases. He stated that he left private practice to serve Shelby County and urged voters to keep qualified judges on the bench.

Discussion Items

• Special Recognition included three categories:
  • Beautification Commission Award – June 2026: Presented to Hyatt Place (9169 Winchester Road) for its polished landscaping, mature magnolia trees, and colorful garden beds.
  • Germantown Lemonade Stand Day Award Winners: Recognized third annual event held June 13, 2026. 42–44 stands raised over $12,000 for the Germantown Education Foundation (GEF) and other charities (St. Jude, Le Bonheur, Germantown Animal Shelter). Winners: Best Decorated – 1st: Giant Cookies for a Giant Cause, 2nd: Lemmy Nade Stand, 3rd: Ivy's Sunshine Lemonade; Most Money Raised – 1st: Holton's Hercules Super Squeeze ($1,100 for GEF), 2nd: Giant Cookies for a Giant Cause, 3rd: Ivy's Sunshine Lemonade; Neighborhood with Most Money Raised – Grove Park ($1,643.61), receiving a $500 grant from the Neighborhood Preservation Commission. A special thanks was given to Shelby County Commissioner David Bradford for underwriting event expenses.
  • Neighborhood Grants Winners – FY26: The city awarded $25,000 in grants from 24 applications. Six winning neighborhoods were announced (names not individually read, but recipients came forward).
• Ordinance 2026-1 – Year-End Budget Adjustments (Third and Final Reading): Presented by Budget Analyst Takisha Fonda. Eight additional adjustments to close FY26, covering change orders, public safety overtime, utilities, and pension true-up costs. Approved unanimously.
• Ordinance 2026-2 – Germantown Municipal School District Year-End Budget Adjustments (Third and Final Reading): Presented by Budget Analyst Clayton Carter. One additional amendment for the school district's budget. Approved unanimously.
• Ordinance 2026-3 – Ordinance to Adopt the FY2027 Budget (Third and Final Reading): Finance Director Adrian Royals presented the $242 million total budget across all funds. General fund: $82.6 million, with 42% for public safety. Key items: $7 million for legacy pension (ADC), $10 million bond for Houston High School, $760,000 recurring debt service, $3.5 million transfer to State Street Aid. Enterprise funds: $32.6 million (utility, solid waste, athletic club, stormwater, Great Hall). Capital: $10 million bond for schools, $3.9 million for roads, leveraging $5 million city match for $23 million in state/federal grants. Cost mitigation: flattened management, reduced landscaping scope, LED streetlight savings redirected to paving. City Administrator Mark Heisman updated on discussions with state officials confirming TISA compliance, maintenance of effort, and local spend rule compliance. The board also approved a friendly amendment (Alderman Ulicky) to increase the GMSD federal project fund by $49,000 to reflect revisions from the GMSD school board on June 16. Approved unanimously.
• Ordinance 2026-4 – Real & Personalty Property Taxes (Third and Final Reading): Presented by Budget Manager Sherry Rowell. Adoption of certified property tax rate of 1.7825 (recapture rate) for tax year 2026. Approved unanimously.
• Resolution 26R01 – Resolution on Revenues: Sherry Rowell presented changes to fees, fines, and revenues (excluding property tax and stormwater) based on market conditions, cost of living, and inflation. A red-line explanation was provided. Approved unanimously.
• Resolution 26R07 – Capital Improvements Program (CIP): CIP Manager Emily Zimmer presented the six-year plan (FY2027–2032) totaling $101,667,000. Funding sources: 35% federal/state grants, 16% bonds (FY27 and FY29 for Houston High, Athletic Club, drainage), 27% general fund reserves, 23% enterprise reserves. First year appropriations already approved. Approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• All ordinances and resolutions (items 8–13) passed unanimously on third and final reading.
• The consent agenda (item 14) was approved unanimously with no items pulled for separate discussion.
• Mayor Palazzolo announced his retirement from public service at the conclusion of his current term, effective at the end of the term. He expressed gratitude for 30 years of service, including 12 years as mayor, and committed to a cooperative transition.
• The meeting adjourned after closing remarks and a recognition of a Boy Scout from Troop 64.