Welcome to the Knowledgebase
Knowledgebase is a database of templates, ordinances, resolutions, legal opinions, survey results, and job descriptions to help you lead your Tennessee municipality.
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| Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Fire Resource Information The author of this document explains the number of all electric and hybrid vehicles are on the road with the number of them expected to increase. The listed resources are provided to assist fire departments and other first responders with their local training program on electric and hybrid vehicle fires. |
| Mayor's Employment and Potential Conflict of Interest MTAS was asked whether the mayor is precluded from doing landscaping work for private property owners on private property located within the town as part of the mayor's outside employment. |
| Natural Gas Basics This guide provides basic information concerning natural gas as it relates to a municipal gas system or local distribution customer (LDC). It is not intended to be an all-inclusive detailed discussion on natural gas. |
| Facebook Posting Sufficiency for Notice of Public Meeting MTAS Legal Consultant Melissa Ashburn replied to a request for information regarding pending legislation on public meeting notices. Ashburn goes on to explain that a Facebook posting is not sufficient alone to satisfy open meeting requirements. |
| Accounting Support Specialist The City of Clarksville, Tennessee provided MTAS with the job description for their Accounting Support Specialist role. |
| Landfill/Container Credit Application and Service Agreement The Town of Greeneville, Tennessee provided MTAS with a copy of their solid waste collection application and service agreement. |
| Notice Requirements for Special Meetings MTAS Legal Consultant Elisha Hodge answers questions from a Tennessee city regarding the notice requirements for special meetings. Case law on this topic was cited as well as a list of locations that public notices can be posted for special meetings. |
| Beer Sale Hours in Tennessee Cities MTAS Legal Consultant Melissa Ashburn responds to a Tennessee city's request for information regarding beer sale hours and the effect it might have on liquor by the drink sales. |
| Provision of Utility Services MTAS Legal Consultant Melissa Ashburn responded to a city's question regarding utility services being provided to customers in a part of the area that was annexed into the city. |
| Beer Permit Age Limitation MTAS Legal Consultant Elisha Hodge responded to a question about whether or not a person under the age of 21 can apply for and hold a beer permit in the State of Tennessee. |
| Documentation Retention of Closed Files MTAS Legal Consultant Elisha Hodge responded to a Tennessee municipality's request for information regarding records retention and public records. |
| Drainage Law and the Responsibility of the Design Engineer A PowerPoint presentation for the Tennessee section of ASCE. |
| Resolution for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Allocation MTAS Finance Consultant Eric Spencer created this sample resolution to be used by a Tennessee municipality to use when receiving their allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act. |
| City Attorney and Conflict of Interest MTAS Legal Consultant Stephanie Allen O'Hara responded to a request for information from a Tennessee city regarding conflict of interest and city officials. |
| Police Officer Hiring Considerations in Selected Tennessee Cities MTAS conducted a brief survey of 62 cities regarding specific considerations in the hiring of police officers. |
| ARPA and Other Federal Grants, What's the Catch? In this MTAS Hot Topic sent out to cities in February 2022, how to comply with federal grant requirements is discussed and resources are provided. Free money is great but there are conditions. The acceptance of federal grants obligates the recipient to comply with the federal grant regulations. The information included here is meant to assist Tennessee municipalities in complying with these federal grant requirements related specifically to Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF) which is the program resulting from the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). |
| City Websites, Agendas, Minutes, and Credit Card Payments A survey of one hundred sixteen cities with websites to determine which post their agendas and minutes and which can accommodate credit card payments. |
| Pre-employment HIV Testing Declination Form State law (T.C.A. § 7-51-209) provides a rebuttable presumption that any emergency rescue worker who suffers a condition or impairment of health that is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and that results in total or partial disability or death shall be presumed to have a disability suffered in the line of duty, unless the contrary is shown by a preponderance of the evidence that the exposure did not occur elsewhere. They employer may offer a preemployment test for the human immunodeficiency virus, and the applicant may choose to decline the test. MTAS created a template for a HIV preemployment testing declination form. You may modify this template to meet local needs, and MTAS recommends that your city attorney review this form before you use it. |
| Certificate of Compliance and Issuing Alcoholic Beverage Licenses MTAS was asked for a legal opinion regarding the following question: "If the City receives a certificate of compliance application that is otherwise satisfactory in all regards, must the City grant a liquor license up to 10 such licenses?" |
| Organizational Charts for Reporting Structure for Finance Director and Recorder Positions in Selected Cities Eight Tennessee cities responded to a request for an organizational chart for the Finance Director and City Recorder in their municipalities. |
| Selected Municipal Employment Benefits Survey Eighteen Tennessee cities responded to a request for information regarding employee health insurance, paid leave, paid holidays and retirement benefits. |
| Municipal Purchasing Procedures (Non-Sealed Bid) Municipalities subject to the Purchasing Law of 1983, may wish to increase the maximum amount that exempts public advertisement and competitive bids from $2,500 to up to $10,000. To do so requires passage of an ordinance that adjusts the dollar amounts. This model does not include the language required to adopt the competitive sealed proposal method of procurement. If the municipality chooses to utilize the competitive sealed proposal method as authorized by TCA § 12-3-1207 a procurement code must be adopted by ordinance. Purchasing procedures may be adopted by resolution, however, the procurement code must be adopted by ordinance. |
| IMLA Model Ordinance Regulating Dangerous Dogs This is a model ordinance regulating dangerous dogs prepared by the International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) and is shared by MTAS with the permission of IMLA. MTAS recommends this ordinance for addressing problems caused by vicious or dangerous dogs. (Ordinance publication date: October 2018) |
| Charitable Roadblocks Ordinance An ordinance written for the Town of Baileyton, Tennessee allowing the volunteer fire department and other charitable organizations to raise money at additional roadblocks. |
| Step Pay Plans in Selected Cities The MTAS Research and Information Center asked a number of Tennessee cities if they use a step pay plan system in their municipalities. |
| Guidelines for Open Burning of Natural Disaster Debris The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Division of Air Pollution Control has recently created a new webpage that outlines the process for governmental agencies to follow when proposing a governmental collective site for the open burning of natural disaster debris. |
| Community Pilot Resiliency Program A resolution of Woodland Mills, Tennessee establishing a Community Resiliency Pilot Program (CPRP) with the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) and the Tennessee Renewable Energy and Economic Development Council (TREEDC). |
| Salary Survey for City Manager/Recorder/Treasurer Combined Role Eight Tennessee cities with an employee in a combined role as City Manager/Recorder/Treasurer responded to a request for information regarding salary ranges. |
| Risk Management in Selected Tennessee Cities Twelve Tennessee cities responded to a request for information regarding ways that risk management is handled in their municipalities. |
| Police Department Scheduling in Selected Cities Seven Tennessee cities responded to a request for information regarding the way their police officers work schedules are arranged. |