Sewer, first responder funding discussion at Kingsport BMA meeting

KINGSPORT — The Kingsport Board of Mayor and Alderman approved resolutions to push forward funding benefitting first responders and for sewer upgrade projects. One resolution approved a supplemental agreement between the city and the Emergency Communications District of Kingsport, supporting the addition of a dedicated ECD manager, additional funding and other tasks. Based on the agenda action for the item, the supplemental agreement calls for implementation of the following: A public relations educational campaign on the proper use of non-emergency (246-9111) and emergency (911) calls A phone tree to facilitate proper routing of incoming calls Removing background check tasks from ECD personnel In the past, management duties were reported by the city to be performed by a designated police officer. ECD's reimbursement to the city would increase by $87,142.25, from $390,000 in previous years to $477,142.25 for fiscal year 2026. On the consent agenda, Kingsport BMA approved a $20,000 grant from Enbridge that would help send three Kingsport Fire Department personnel to a liquified natural gas training at Texas A&M University. This would train local firefighters to better handle LNG plant/pipeline emergencies, agenda documents state. The grant covers travel expenses, class fees and backfill. KFD was also authorized to purchase $51,877.61 worth of equipment for its new ladder track. Total costs for the equipment are expected to be approximately $88,000, the city estimates. Funding will be available in an account set up by the city's budget division. Kingsport Police Department was approved by the BMA to receive a $28,157 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance to purchase equipment and/or technological improvements. Water, sewer projects The board approved a resolution to enter into a $190,000 agreement with LDA Engineering to provide engineering services for the replacement of Lakeside and Lakecrest sewer lift stations. According to the item's agenda action form, the city owns and operates 101 sewer lift stations. Lift stations are expected to last between 20 to 25 years before needing to be replaced; these lift stations were installed in the 1980s. A resolution for a $276,000 agreement with Barge Design Solutions for bidding and construction services was approved Tuesday. The agreement will cover the Reedy Creek Trunk Sewer Replace project from Lovedale Drive to Clinchfield Street. The project is expected to increase capacity while also reducing infiltration and inflow. It includes approximately 21,000 linear feet of 36-inch sewer line replacement from Lovedale Drive and ending near the west side of John B. Dennis Highway (State Route 93). A separate resolution approved a $1,072,879 contract with Morgan Contracting for complete rehabilitation of several sewer mains in the areas of Belmeade, Ransom, Fort Henry, Indian Trail, Linville, Stratford, Lomax, Stadium, University, Suffolk, Union and Rock Springs. A $611,474 bid will be awarded to JTB Construction for the Ridgefields Sewer Rehab project, after the resolution was approved during Tuesday's meeting. The project will replace 72 sewer taps and laterals, as well as replace approximately 330 linear feet of 8-inch sewer line, 20 linear feet of 12-inch sewer line and other necessary accessors for the Ridgefields area of Kingsport. BMA members approved for the city to enter into a $518,458.91 contract with Traxon Construction Inc. for a waterline extension in Washington County along Kincheloe and Good Roads. The funding is being provided by Washington County. Public hearings The BMA held several public hearings for properties with requested rezoning at Tuesday's meeting. One that drew the most conversation was a .45-acre property along Fairview Avenue looking to be rezoned from residential to the B-3 Highway-Oriented Business District. The property up for rezoning is directly across from the Walgreens at 1420 W. Stone Drive and is situated near the intersection of Fairview Avenue and West Stone Drive. The agenda action form for the item states the Kingsport Regional Planning Commission unanimously voted at the September 2025 meeting to send a negative recommendation to the BMA. In January, the applicant submitted a revised development plan with added landscaping and restricted access on Fairview Avenue and requested reconsideration of the rezoning. After agreeing to rehear the request, the Planning Commission voted 4-3 at the March meeting to send a positive recommendation to the BMA. One resident was on record at the March meeting to have brought up concerns about the type of business that could locate there, potential for increased traffic on Fairview Avenue and possible impact to nearby property values. In the standards of review portion of information included in the BMA agenda packet, it states the proposed rezoning "does not appear to be suitable" for the location, since the surrounding area is primarily developed with single-family homes. The rezoning is also said to not conform with the adopted land use plan, with the current proposed use being commercial business. The Future Land Use Plan Map recommends single-family residential use. Two community members spoke on the subject of the rezoning. Patty Teague, who identified herself as a resident of the lower Sevier Terrace area of Kingsport, said she knows many residents near the rezoning who would be "very troubled" if the property was to be rezoned from residential to B-3. Aaron Rose, who identified himself as one of the property owners for the property proposed for rezoning, shared further context on the potential use of land. He said the property was initially bought as three separate lots. One of the lots had not had a home there for "at least 20 some years" when it was purchased, according to Rose. "When we purchased that property, the house had 250,000 gallons of water going through it," he said. "It was completely destroyed, it was a nuisance to the community. The neighbors complained about break-ins, constantly having to call police and worrying because they had some small children there." He said no neighbors of the property had expressed concerns to him, with the exception of one man who stopped by a Kingsport Regional Planning Commission meeting to get more information about what was going on with the property. "When you turn, coming off I-26 on Fairview, you cannot turn into our property," Rose said. "There will be a right only turn into there. So it's only going to be traffic that's heading up to Stone Drive that can access. The exit will be through a public alleyway, which we have sought the advice of a site plan engineer, and he has spoken to TDOT about and got verbal approval that we can use that alleyway if we do expand that by improving it." Alderman Darrell Duncan said in the case, the land use plan helps protect citizens and residents from what he called "spot zoning" that would allow commercial business like fast food to appear in that area. For Alderman Betsy Cooper, she said she struggled with deciding on how to vote on this rezoning request. "You stand in the front of the lot and look, and it's a business. It definitely is," she said. "But if you turn around and look back the other direction, you're looking into residential. So this one is really tricky, because it just depends on the way you're facing." Alderman Morris Baker said he understood how high traffic of an area that part of Stone Drive is, while stating he had trouble seeing the property being used as residential again in the future. James Phillips echoed his fellow aldermen by mentioning the neighboring Walgreens and Lafayette Heat & Air were rezoned to B-3 in the past 30 years. "Whether it's this board or whether it's another board 20 years from now, that property is going to be B-3. I'm fine with it being B-3, that's my personal opinion," Phillips said. After around 25 minutes of discussion and hearing from commenters, the BMA approved the rezoning 4-3 on first reading. Other items The BMA approved a budget ordinance granting $150,000 to Petworks, requested to assist in covering operational expenses for the rest of fiscal year 2026. This would bring Petworks' total operating budget provided by the city to $550,000 — which was the same as last year. Per the agenda action form, final approval of the added funds was contingent on Petworks providing City Manager Chris McCartt with its charitable organization status with the state, status of authority to conduct business, copies of recent monthly financial statements, copies of most recent audited financial statements and the most recent 990. With the BlueCross Healthy Place ribbon cutting scheduled for Monday, the board approved a resolution to install fencing for the new project at Riverwalk Park. Approximately 710 linear feet of vinyl-coated chain link fencing will be installed along Barton Street and Industry Drive for a total cost of $17,900. The fence's cost will be fully funded through BCHP maintenance funds held by the Middle Tennessee Foundation.