MTAS was asked to draft a property maintenance program for the City of Decherd. Includes ordinance, resolution, maintenance checklist, inspection warrant, and notice of lien.

This is a management evaluation that was prepared for the City of Brentwood to evaluate the Building/Planning and Engineering Departments and to evaluate the possible consolidation of these departments into a single development services department. The attachments also include organizational diagrams that are within the report but were utilized for presenting the organizational structure recommendations including a scenario to consolidate departmental functions. 

The City of Brentwood requested a management evaluation of the Planning & Codes and Engineering Departments that provided a recommendation to analyze existing processes and procedures for various types of plan review and permitting processes. Following the management evaluation, MTAS facilitated a series of work sessions with department staff to prepare detailed flow charts and diagrams for a variety of plan review, permitting, and inspection services provided by each department. During the preparation of the various flow charts, opportunities for streamlining and clarifying processes and procedures were identified and incorporated into the charts. The work sessions provided meaningful collaboration between departments to provide efficient and straightforward processes. The attached flow charts were prepared as part of the facilitation process.

MTAS Legal Consultant Elisha Hodge responded to a request for information regarding the contraction or deannexation of property within a Tennessee town's geographical boundaries.

A job description for the position of municipal codes inspector.

This report outlines standards for property maintenance, recommendations for enforcement of property maintenance standards, inspection and enforcement procedures, and recommended implementation provisions.

MTAS asked five cities how they regulate bed and breakfast establishments through zoning ordinances, parking and signage regulations, and fire safety.

Cities often engage consulting firms for a variety of consultant services. Cities often must rely upon the consultant to provide a professional services agreement that outlines the terms and conditions for consultant services to be provided by the consultant to the city. Professional services agreements provided by consultants are often prepared to protect the interests of the consultant. A sample Professional Services Agreement has been prepared collaboratively to provide cities with an agreement template that can be used by a city as an alternative to utilizing an agreement prepared by the consultant. The sample agreement may require further customization to fit the policies and practices of the city as well as the type of consultant services being rendered.

An ordinance to adopt the International Building Code of 2003 with SEISMIC deletions.

Since this draft ordinance was prepared the International Code Council (ICC) has prepared subsequent editions of the International Building Code (IBC) that include provisions for seismic considerations. It is recommended depending upon the edition of the IBC adopted by the jurisdiction and subsequent amendments as provided in the sample ordinance correctly reference sections and subsections of the IBC to ensure proper reference in the Ordinance.

Following an ordinance passing on the first reading in a Tennessee town, MTAS Legal Consultant Elisha Hodge responded to questions from the Town Administrator.