A

The Tullahoma Police Department received approval from the Board of Mayor and Alderman to accept a grant from the Tennessee Highway Safety Program in the amount of $28,752.50 in BoMA’s second monthly meeting.

A memo submitted by Police Sergeant Rana Pawlowski stated “The Tullahoma Police Department requests approval from the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to accept a grant in the amount of $28,752.50 from the Tennessee Highway Safety Grant program. This grant would support the purchase of Supplies, Telephone, Postage & Shipping, Occupancy, Equipment Rental & Maintenance, Printing & Publications and provide funding for overtime related to traffic enforcement in 2023 and into 2024. The grant is 100% reimbursement grant, with no local cash match required. $ 14,252.50 for Supplies, Telephone, Postage & Shipping, Occupancy, Equipment Rental & Maintenance, Printing & Publications $ 14,500.00 for Salaries, Benefits & Taxes $28,752.50 total grant request.”

According to the memo, there is “no fiscal impact at this time, and no local match required.”

Alderman Jenna Amacher had a question regarding the requirements in the Grant Contract, which included quarterly reports about spending.

“This isn’t just a ‘free money’ grant, this is a contract between the state of Tennessee and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security whereby we are agreeing to submit quarterly reports,” she said.

“Am I wrong here? There’s certain things that we have to do” regarding the contract, which included certain guidelines the department would have to follow, said Amacher.

City Administrator Jason Quick responded that she was correct, and that in talking with Police Chief Jason Williams, he was under the impression that the guidelines had to do with “providing safer streets and DUI checks,” along with paying for overtime that officers will be doing regarding traffic.

“There is a recording component to it,” he said, “and we will make sure that we meet those quarterly and monthly deadlines.”

Amacher responded that she would like to see the line items for the expenditure in the reports, and added “I will have a conversation with you for other reasons why later, but I think it would be important for us to dot our I’s and cross our T’s.” She did not expound on the reasons she mentioned.

Alderman Daniel Berry asked Finance Director Sue Wilson if the city had received the grant in the past, and she responded that he was correct. It was confirmed that the grant is “reimbursive” which is why the reports had to meet certain guidelines.

“We’ve done this successfully for four or five years, at least,” said Wilson.

The grant was approved with a motion from Berry, and a second from Alderman Derick Mann. It passed unanimously.