By Dewain E. Peek,

OCN Editor

Livingston Board of Mayor and Aldermen has approved requests from Livingston Police Department to dispose of hard copy documents in order to recover storage space.

The action was taken with the adoption of two resolutions in the Monday, Jan. 5, regular monthly meeting.

The first resolution allows the destruction of documents at the Police Department, following the MTAS schedule. Those documents will preserved electronically.

Police Chief Ray Smith said, “We’re not doing away with it. We’re putting it in a different area. We’re bringing it into an electronic state. It can always be pulled up.”

He said the records are taking up too much storage space. He counted 78 boxes taking up space in a room.

A separate resolution was adopted that calls for retaining accident reports for four-years, and then preserving them electronically and disposing of the hard copies.

The City Council also approved the sale of surplus property at the Police Department.

Chief Smith asked that four vehicles be designated as surplus and sold in order to help purchase another vehicle for the department.

“Three of them are seizure vehicles that we have been awarded through the court system, and they have cleared. They have been turned over to the City of Livingston’s Police Department,” Chief Smith said.

The other is a gray Chevrolet Tahoe that is an old patrol unit with a bad transmission, according to Chief Smith.

He plans to sell the vehicles on GovDeals.

In old business, second reading approval was given for Ordinance 2025-12-1 to streamline a comprehensive zoning ordinance.

City Attorney Andre Greppin explained that this provides republication of the comprehensive zoning ordinance.

“So that we have everything in one uniform document, and this includes specific clerical changes to the sign ordinance,” he said.

With the recent questioning of what constitutes a “flashing sign”, additional wording further spells out what is prohibited.

The change adds: “This definition shall include electronic signs with messages that change.”

Language referencing the general penalty clause was reworded to clearly state that the constitutional maximum for a municipal misdemeanor is $50 per violation.

Greppin said the updated language does not change anything about the power to enforce the ordinances, but rather adds language to further clarify parts of the ordinance and fixes a typographical error in another part of the ordinance.

MTAS and UCDD were tasked with publishing the updated ordinance.

“My understanding it, that has been done,” Greppin said.

Vice Mayor Rex Dale made the motion to approve the second reading, and Alderman Arno Proctor seconded the motion.

On the vote, Aldermen David Langford, Bill Linder, Proctor, Lance Ruble, and Vice Mayor Dale all voted yes. Alderman Bruce Elder was absent.

Livingston-Overton County Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Zach Stephens addressed the City Council to announce, “The Chamber of Commerce applied for a grant with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development for a tourism branding program. This is valued at approximately $100,000.

“It is a very competitive process, and required a lot of paperwork, which was not fun. But I am very happy to report that we did receive that grant.”

He said he is hopeful the grant will be available in late spring.