6.
Commissioner Reports & Comments
Commissioner Giles thanked the Needhams for sponsoring the incredible Memorial Day
drone show.
Vice Mayor Trivett also thanked the Needhams for sponsoring the Memorial Day drone show
and thanked everyone who attended the meeting tonight. He expressed appreciation to the
Fire Department and Police Department for their service and thanked those involved with the
Sons of the American Revolution presentation. He reminded everyone to celebrate the
upcoming Fourth of July holiday safely. He also stated that he had been meeting with various
department heads to discuss creative ways to address budget challenges, departmental
needs, and future growth.
Commissioner Hefner thanked everyone for attending tonight and stated that adopting the
budget is one of the Board's most difficult responsibilities, particularly this year's budget. He
commended the City Manager and Deputy City Manager for their work in preparing the
proposed budget. He noted that Fire/EMS and Police represent significant portions of the
City's expenditures and emphasized the importance of recognizing the costs associated with
providing City services. He also discussed the potential use of Infrastructure Development
Districts (IDDs) within the City.
Commissioner Milele stated she was recovering from recent surgery and referenced the
earlier work session on Capital Transportation Project Funding. She noted that the City's
property tax rate had been reduced four times, resulting in millions of dollars in reduced
revenue, while the proposed budget still included funding for approximately 20 capital
projects. She emphasized the importance of adequately funding public safety. She also
expressed disappointment in a department head over budget concerns and stated that the
City has made substantial investments in public safety. She further stated that while three
chiefs received salary increases the previous year, employees under their supervision did not,
and that this had not been mentioned publicly. She also referenced the City's tiller truck,
noting that it has been a topic of discussion on social media due to its cost and current
staffing limitations. She stated that she believed the City should have had adequate staffing in
place before purchasing the tiller truck and reiterated her disappointment.
Mayor Maness thanked everyone for their prayers and well wishes for his father during his
recent hospitalization. In response to recent media coverage and comparisons between Mt.
Juliet and Germantown regarding proposed budget requests, he compared the two cities'
property tax revenues and tax rates, noting that Germantown collects more than $48 million
annually in property tax revenue compared to approximately $6 million in Mt. Juliet. He further
noted that Germantown's property tax rate is $1.79, while Mt. Juliet's rate is $0.29. He stated
that Mt. Juliet has accomplished more with its available resources than any other city he
knows of and thanked the City Manager and staff for operating efficiently with a comparatively
low property tax rate. He stated that he is willing to consider cost-saving measures and
explore additional options but does not want to jeopardize the City's financial stability or
reputation as a safe community and remains committed to maintaining the services that
contribute to that success.
