Natural Resources Board and Park and Recreation Board appointments planned

Applications for appointment to the new Natural Resources Board will be available after April 4. There are expected to be six positions available for appointment by the Board of Commissioners. In addition, applications will be available for appointment to any vacancies created on the Park and Recreation Board due to current members on the PRB who may be appointed to the Natural Resources Board.

The Natural Resources Board was formerly combined with the Park and Recreation Board. Due to the increasing activity in Natural Resources and Parks and Recreation, the Board of Commissioners adopted an Ordinance establishing a separate Natural Resources Board.

Application forms are being revised and are expected to be available after Friday, April 4. Persons applying for appointment to either Board will have an opportunity to appear before the Board of Commissioners at the Work Session (due to a conflict with meetings, the Work Session has been tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, April 22) or the Regular Meeting on Thursday, May 1. Meeting dates will be confirmed after the April 3 BOC Regular Meeting.

The Natural Resources Board will be an advisory body to recommend policies and procedures to conserve and manage natural resources in Lakeland. The Lakeland web page, http://www.lakelandtn.gov/, has information on activities in the Natural Resources areas as well as Park and Recreation activities.

Applications will be available at http://www.lakelandtn.gov/ or can by requested at CityHall@lakelandtn.org or by calling City Hall at 867-2717. Applications specific to each Board are being prepared and are expected to be available by Friday, April 4.

I encourage Lakeland residents with an interest (and especially training, experience or other background) in Natural Resources to apply for an appointment to the Natural Resources Board and residents with an interest in parks and recreation to apply for appointment to any resulting vacancies on the Park and Recreation Board.

Planner Question and Answer sessions available

Questions about the new Land Development Regulations? Growth Management Director J. Higbee and Planner Jim Atkinson realize many residents may feel reluctant to attend a public meeting and comment on the new Land Development Regulations, so the "Planner Q & A" sessions have been established.

Residents are encouraged to visit City Hall and "ask a Planner" questions about the new Land Development Regulations or any other Planning matter. Comments are also welcome! Documents will be available for review. If possible, please call city hall ahead of time (867-2717) and schedule a time with the Receptionist so you won't need to wait too long!

March "Ask a Planner" meetings are:

-Thursday, March 27, 2008: 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

=Thursday, April 3, 2008: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

-Thursday, April 10, 2008: 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

-Thursday, April 17, 2008: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

-Thursday, April 24, 2008: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

I encourage residents to take advantage of these opportunities! Additional times for May and future months will be announced soon!

Land Development Regulation meetings set

Growth Management Director J. Higbee announced the following meetings for residents to comment and obtain information on the revison of the Land Development Regulations.

Public meetings at which the new Land Development Regulations will be presented and discussed include:

-April 8, 2008: 6:30 p.m. Regular Design Review Commission meeting

-April 15, 20o8: 6:30 p.m. Special Called Meeting is planned to discuss the Land Development Regulations.

-April 22, 2008: 3:00 p.m. Builders/Developers meeting. Builders and Developers are especially encouraged to attend this meeting.

-April 23, 2008: 6:30 p.m. Public Meeting. All residents are encouraged to attend., listen and comment!

-April 28, 2008: 6:30 p.m. Board of Commissioners Work Session

Residents are encouraged to attend, learn and comment. The development of the new Lakeland Development Regulations is extremely important to Lakeland's future development-be a part of it!

Canada Street Mailbox moved

The U.S. Postal Service mailbox formerly in front of Club Windward has been moved south to a safer location in front of the area by Tiger Cleaners.

I have heard this mailbox referred to as the "Magic Mailbox" since payments and mail deposited at that location always seem to arrive on time! (No guarantees though!)

We appreciate the assistance of the Arlington Postmaster in arranging to have this mailbox moved.

What are They Thinking?

Lakeland residents and visitors are encouraged to respect public and private property. With the arrival of Spring, I have received a disturbing number of calls from residents on the following actions that show gross disrespect for private and public property. I know the vast majority of Lakeland residents and visitors are appalled by such actions. I hope to call attention to this problem so the few violators will be reported.

-I was advised a golfer saw a resident removing dirt from the Stonebridge Golf Course and moving it to their own property! The Stonebridge Golf Course is privately owned and their rules and regulations on trespassing should be respected. This includes walking the golf paths etc. without permission, dumping leaves, grass clippings and yard debris on the golf course, which I have personally observed and stealing (yes it is theft) dirt, plants and flowers from the golf course.

-City parks are for public use during open hours. Flowers, plants and trees are for public enjoyment and removal of items is theft!

-Private and public property has been severely damaged by trespassers with dirt bikes and 4 wheeler type vehicles. In addition to the damage to property, it is also disturbing that such persons also appear to have a completely ignore the rights of residents to have a peaceful environment. Such off-road vehicles are always prohibited on all public property, streets and roads and is prohibited on private property without the express consent of the property owner.

-Illegal dumping of yard waste and junk items is becoming a serious issue. Dumping on City Streets, parks, other private property (such as the Stonebridge Golf Course, roadsides, vacant property etc) is illegal!

Yes, the Shelby County Sheriff will be contacted in such cases and they may issue citations and even have the authority to confiscate the equipment under some conditions. However, it would be much better if residents (and visitors to Lakeland) respect public and private property and other residents.

I have received a number of calls, e-mails or personal conversations on this problem just in the past week. I am disturbed that there appears to be such disrespect for the rights of others. I encourage all residents to respect public and private property and the rights of residents to enjoy their homes. If you notice such violations, I encourage you to contact the Shelby County Sheriff immediately at 379-7625.

I am reminded of the title of a song “What was I thinking”, except I have to think “What are they thinking?” when someone actually steals a plant or dirt etc., dumps trash or grossly trespasses on public or private property.

Be Prepared

One of the best known mottos' is "Be Prepared". The individual resident who is prepared for an emergency is one of the best Emergency Management measures that can be taken.

The Lakeland Emergency Management Plan is at www.Lakelandtn.gov and there is very helpful information at the Memphis/Shelby County Emergency Management Agency at www.mscema.org The Memphis/Shelby County EMA web site is very valuable as a source of information on steps to take in emergency management preparation and also lists excellent CERT classes and other sources of information.

The Board of Commissioners looked at Emergency Management from the perspective of preparing residents, City personnel and City officials for an emergency. Some action steps included:

-Insure that all emergency numbers are in the new Lakeland Phone Book

-Prepare an “emergency kit” for Board of Commissioners, other city officials and designated Community Response personnel so quick action can be taken by the City. This would include all phone numbers, information needed in the event of an emergency.

-Review the City Emergency Management Plan and publicize it.

-Develop a localized “Emergency Management Resource”, which will identify and coordinate the resources available in the Lakeland community in the event of an emergency. (For example, public buildings, churches, schools, etc.) Prepare for responses as feasible. This will include plans to coordinate with community (and regional) resources, including private businesses radio operators, governments, neighborhood associations, educational and public agencies, and churches on preparation for response to disasters. This could provide for areas of responsibility in emergency preparedness, communication, emergency shelters, food, medical needs, transportation etc.

-Coordinate with County on Emergency Management awareness, schedule periodic publicity on need for self-reliance, actions to take in emergency to maximize emergency preparedness.

-Publicize the programs offered by the County Emergency Management Agency etc. (such as the CERT program) to develop a quick citizen response and information on survival until emergency help arrives.

-Continually search and apply for appropriate grants and contracts for programs on homeland security and security, as well as other programs. This could include surveillance programs, increased security at City Hall and municipal buildings, fire and police stations and similar projects as appropriate with projects.

Prepared and knowledgeable residents are a key factor in response to emergencies. We encourage residents to participate in emergency management, at a minimum in personal preparedness.

Fire Protection alternatives

(This is a summary of possible alternatives for a Lakeland Fire Department. This was prepared as background information for the Lakeland Board of Commissioners. The information is based on estimates and averages for projecting costs. This is for informational purposes.)

Fire protection services for the City of Lakeland are currently provided by the Shelby County Fire Department. Lakeland residents pay fire fees to the Shelby County Fire Department. This has provided excellent protection for Lakeland residents and we do not foresee any changes in the near future. However, for planning purposes, we have to consider what would happen if the Shelby County Fire Department should be disbanded or merged. Our current contract provides for a one-year notice.

If the City of Lakeland is required to provide fire protection, or the BOC decided to proceed with a Lakeland Fire Department, there are several alternatives, including:

a. -A paid Fire Department

b. -A paid Fire Department supplemented by volunteers

c. -Volunteer Fire Department

d. -A private Fire Department

e. -Contract with another City for Fire services

While all of the alternatives have their advantages, I will present information on a paid full-time Lakeland Fire Department. I believe we could also supplement this Fire Department with volunteers. The demographics of Lakeland have changed, and I believe we now have the demographics of residents in the right age group to support volunteers and possibly even a volunteer fire department.

The cost of a full-time paid Fire Department in Lakeland is substantial, primarily due to our geographical shape and current transportation arteries. A general average figure I found is $125 per capita for fire fighting costs indicating a total cost of approximately $1,356,000. This includes a per capita ratio of 1.70 firefighters per thousand, or 19 firefighters. This does not include the cost of dispatching services.

However, due to our geographical structure, our Comprehensive Plan indicates we will need 4 fire stations. Several sources have indicated that a rough cost of $1,000,000 per station for yearly operations (not including capital costs), which would mean a total yearly cost of $4,000,000 or approximately $1,000 per household. Realistically, this is not likely, as we can use existing stations and alternatives to reduce costs. Currently, the “fire fee” from Lakeland residents and business raises approximately $1,400,000 per year.

As with Police Departments, Fire Departments have substantial capital costs. In addition to the construction of the Fire Station, the cost of fire fighting vehicles, protective equipment etc. easily is in the range of $1,000,000 per station (depending on decisions on what equipment is based at the station). Fire Departments also are high in personnel costs, including training costs, protective gear etc. In considering the high personnel costs, I recommend we again consider alternatives to avoid high personnel costs.

Some approaches we may wish realistically to review are as follows:

-Use of Volunteer Firefighters as a supplement to the full-time Firefighters.

-Developing Interlocal agreements with surrounding fire departments to mutually fill gaps in coverage to minimize fire stations.

-Consider contracts with other governmental entities as well as private enterprise to supplement gaps.

AMBULANCE SERVICE:

Currently, ambulance service is provided by a private ambulance provider (Rural Metro) through Inter-local Agreements with Shelby County, Arlington, Germantown and Collierville.

Due to economies of scale, this is probably the best alternative for the City of Lakeland to provide ambulance service.

In the event the City of Lakeland needed to provide ambulance, I would recommend that the Lakeland Fire Department take over the ambulance service. The salary for Paramedics is (base salary) around $47,000 per year plus benefits to start (some agencies are offering bonuses for new personnel), so this would be a very expensive proposition.

Recommendations:

I recommend a site be selected for Fire Station # 2 and consider a site for Fire Station # 3. Basically, the Site for Fire Station # 2 will be recommended for an area to serve the housing developments north of highway 70 and on the eastern portion of Lakeland as well as the developments by Chambers Chapel, Highway 70 etc. The BOC decision on a possible municipal complex will influence the final location decision. Based on our current situation, I do not recommend we consider constructing Fire Station # 2 unless we have an agreement with the Shelby County Fire Department to staff and equip the station.

Stonebridge Golf Course -What is allowed in Agricultural zoning

Many residents have questions about what is allowed in Agricultural zoning, which is the zoning of the Stonebridge Golf Course.

Uses are highly restricted and changes in zoning require notification of the property owners in the area and at least one Public Hearing before the Board of Commissioners.

For informational purposes, City Planner Jim Atkinson prepared me a chart of the exact requirements and eligible uses in an Agricultural Zone. Again, any changes require approval both by the Lakeland Municipal Planning Commission and the Lakeland Board of Commissioners. Also, any residential or business use of any tract requires some frontage or access to a public street.

Detailed information on eligible uses in Agricultural zoned property is available at http://www.lakelandtn.gov/government/planning.htm#News

What would a Lakeland Police Department cost?

The Lakeland Board of Commissioners requested the City staff to review the alternatives for a Lakeland Police Department if this should become necessary.

I emphasize there are currently no plans to start a Police Department, but the Board of Commissioners wanted to be informed as to the possible costs of a Police Department.

I have assumed a “full-scale” Police Department. A smaller Police Department is also an alternative. This report assumes “averages”, which may or may not be the case if Lakeland starts a Police Department.

Some basic costs and considerations based on averages are as follows:

· -Twenty-two police officers would be required based on an average of 2 officers per 1000 persons for a full-scale Police Department.

· -In general, the cost of a Police Department operations for one year for cities average about $200 per capita, obviously this can vary widely. The annual budget would be $2,200,000 per year, based on $200 per capita for Lakeland’s population of 10,848. (I assumed 11,000 for the purposes of this analysis.)

· Since Lakeland has no Police infrastructure, the City would also incur startup costs including:

o -At least one station, probably in the range of $1,500,000

o -Police vehicles, on average, 8 vehicles at an average cost (fully equipped) of approximately $30,000. Many Police Departments utilize one car per officer and allow “take home” vehicles, especially if they live in the City limits. My experience has been that, in the long run, it is better to assign an Officer a car and make the Officer responsible for the car. This would require 22 cars, assuming 22 officers, with an initial cost of $660,000.

o -Uniforms, computers, communications equipment, personal equipment (this varies greatly)

o -Establishing a Lakeland Court System, which we could do with a part-time Judge

o -Establishing contracts with the County or other cities for jails, dispatching etc. I think it would be impossible for us to consider our own jail. For example, If we had to do our own dispatching, qualified dispatchers receive on a general average of around $3,000 per month plus benefits. Assuming we would need four to five dispatchers, this would increase costs by approximately $220,000 per year. Larger departments recommend having a separate dispatcher for police and fire, but at our size, one dispatcher would suffice.

The analysis indicates that when the City of Lakeland needs to establish our own Police Department, it could be extremely expensive. Obviously, we would be unable to fund a Lakeland Police Department with our current resources.

I again want to emphasize that there are no plans to start a Lakeland Police Department in the immediate future. The Board of Commissioners felt it was prudent to review the matter.

Lakeland named 4th Year Tree City USA, and Growth Award

The National Arbor Day Foundation has named Lakeland as a 2007 Tree City USA and a Growth Award recipient.

This is the 4th consecutive Lakeland Tree City USA designation and the third as a Growth Award recipient.

Tree City USA is a recognition for cities that have proven their commitment to an effective, ongoing forestry program. Lakeland has met the four standards to become a Tree City USA community-a Tree Board or department; a tree care Ordinance; a community forestry program; and an Arbor Day observance. (The 2008 Arbor Day Observance is at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 8 at City Hall Park.)

The Tree City USA Growth Award is presented for demonstrating progress in community forestry programs in the following areas:

-Education and Public Relations
-Local Awards Program

-Planning and Management

-Tree Inventory and Analysis

Congratulations to Natural Resource Director Eric Bridges and Natural Resources Technician Nick Bridgeman and the Park and Recreation Board/Natural Resources Board on their outstanding work in these awards.

The Lakeland web page (www.Lakelandtn.gov) has a substantial array of information on trees and tree care.