Commerce council passes budget, overlay zoning district

The only delay came when a motion by Ward 4 councilman Steve Perry to table the vote on the overlay district failed when Mayor Clark Hill broke a 3-3 council tie in opposition to the vote. Seconds later Ward 1 councilman Archie Chaney made a motion to approve the overlay district, with Hill again breaking a 3-3 council deadlock, this time in support of the motion.

Chaney, Ward 5 councilman Johnny Eubanks and Ward 2 councilman Darren Ownesby voted in favor of the motion, while Perry, mayor pro tem Keith Burchett and Ward 3 councilman Mark Fitzpatrick voted against the motion.

Even those votes generated no discussion among council members. Nor did anyone from the public offer a comment when Hill invited public comment at the beginning of the meeting.

But while there was no discussion Monday night, there was plenty in previous meetings as the council struggled to balance the 2012-13 budget and wrestled with the implications of the overlay district.

Budget Issues

By Monday, all of the council members had reached a consensus on the rate and tax increases, having hashed them out over numerous work sessions. The amount of the millage rate increase will not be known until the tax digest is finalized, probably later this summer, but numbers from 1.35 to 1.5 mills have been used in prior discussions.

The electric rate increase is expected to cost most residents of Commerce less than $2 a month, and officials have speculated that a $1.50 increase in the natural gas base rate and the 25-cent per unit increase in the gas rate could be offset by falling commodity prices for natural gas.

Overlay District
After the meeting, Perry explained that he made the motion to table action on the overlay district because he thought the ordinance needs more work, pointing out that no elected officials had participated in its creation and suggesting that with all the major decisions facing the council that members had not had sufficient time to consider the implications of the new regulations.

The council had conducted a lengthy discussion about the plan at its June 4 work session following a public “information meeting” at the Commerce Civic Center on May 31.

Interim City Manager

Likewise, the council had much earlier reached a consensus to retain consultant Tom Berry as interim city manager pending the hiring of Clarence Bryant’s replacement.

Bryant brought the matter up Monday night.

“On July 1, the position of city manager will be vacant,” Bryant observed. “I recommend the council appoint Tom Berry as interim city manager July 1 if that’s your intention.”

Chaney made the motion, which was approved unanimously with no discussion.

Berry, with Underwood and Company, will take applications for the job through Friday. After that, he will narrow the list down to a handful of finalists to be interviewed.