City Council rejects first reading of budget, amendment approved to finance Ajax Turner non-profit

CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville City Council met on Tuesday night for the second first reading of the FY 2026-27 budget.

Even after making more than $697,000 in reductions over the course of the meeting, the City Council voted down the budget once again after a 5-8 vote.

Coverage from last Thursday’s budget reading

Last Thursday, after some council members addressed concerns with the budget process, which included comments about lack of transparency, the City Council was able to lower the proposed property tax rate to $1.16 instead of $1.23 due to amendments approved.

However, in the end, the council voted down the proposed budget 2-11 with only Mayor Joe Pitts and Councilwoman Stacey Streetman voting for approval.

| PREVIOUSLY: City Council rejects budget, calls for transparency, Pitts defends takeover of Ajax Turner Senior Center

Mayor Pitts apologizes to Clarksville City Council on ‘lack of communication’

At the beginning of the special session meeting on Tuesday, Mayor Pitts addressed the council and those in attendance.

“Let me begin our meeting with an apology, to take a moment and address our last meeting. In a moment of clarity after the meeting (on Thursday), it was abundantly clear to me that I am responsible for the anger and animus from some regarding the proposed amendments to the budget ordinance.

“Our department heads, who are the best people that I have ever worked around, were following my directive and calling and talking about any and all proposed amendments to discuss the impacts on their operations. Something we’ve always done prior to budget consideration. We’re not playing shell games, resisting change, nor are we looking for another hit of taxpayer money to fund this government. We are simply following a process that’s been in place since I’ve been in office.”

Pitts proceeded to apologize to each member of the City Council for the “lack of communication on his part.”

Updated budget proposal starts with $1.08 property tax rate

Once the City Council began the conversation over the budget, Pitts said based off the City Council’s feedback, he submitted a new proposal ahead of the meeting.

“I gave you last night through the clerk’s office the list of reductions we made,” Pitts said. “We did keep all of the amendments that were passed last week in the failed first attempt first reading. So that is the basis of this start. We start at a $1.08 on the tax rate.”

Amendments introduced to reallocate funds to Ajax Turner non-profit

Councilman Eric Claunch introduced an amendment that looked to remove $1.28 million from the Parks and Recreation Department and give more than $847,000 to the nonprofit that is the Ajax Turner Senior Center.

Claunch said regarding the comments made last week, he feels convicted that this is in the best interest of moving forward. “Forward for the senior center, forward for the seniors that I have spoken to, all sides.”

Councilwoman Ambar Marquis then introduced an amendment to the amendment. “There is just a difference in numbers,” she said. “It’s the same idea, but I am instead restoring $776,000 because that is there 2026 actual numbers.

“Even though we budgeted more, that is the actual (number) that they received from the city … Therefore, it would give us a little bit higher of a tax reduction if we eliminated the rest of that,” Marquis said.

Streetman said her stance hasn’t changed since last week. “It’s been very chaotic over there, and you can really say on all sides,” she said. “It’s not been an easy situation for members going there, and I cannot see where doing this is going to be a good move, because right now they can’t have the adult day center. And we’re already moving forward with getting the adult day center reopened.”

Streetman said the city’s proposal for a senior center under the city’s control is a way to stabilize the chaos that’s been continuing to go on. She also questioned using taxpayer money to fund the operations of a non-profit.

Councilwoman Keri Lovato said she will be in support of the Marquis amendment; however, she is not in support of the original. “This council has been provided with enough information, not just from the mayor, but from members and members of their families, that there is mismanagement over there.

“Even the things we’ve heard from this podium is evidence of the mismanagement. So, either this money goes to Parks and Recreation, or I think they should get $0,” Lovato said.

Pitts said that the City Council is making a fundamental mistake with city finances if the original amendment is approved and adopted. “It was said at the last meeting, and I’m paraphrasing, that government could mess up a two-car funeral procession. Not in the case of our Parks and Recreation Department.

“They are a nationally accredited department, one of only two in the state of Tennessee. They got a perfect score on their accreditation, the first go around, and they continue to operate in excellence,” Pitts said. “I would ask you not to approve an amendment that would fund the non-profit that operates and allow us to stabilize and provide a safe, nurturing organization at our senior citizens center, because they deserve it.”

Claunch said a grace period should be put in place to reevaluate the operations of the nonprofit.

“If we set it up for six months, and the parameters are established, and they don’t meet the criteria, and it’s transparent to the members and the community, then I will 1000% be with you on this,” he said. “I feel at this point and time sir, that there has been enough communication from the community to say let’s try and meet in the middle with this issue.

“I would just feel better if we gave them one last opportunity with something that was transparent to all of us.”

Amendment to reallocate $776,000 to non-profit Ajax Turner approved

After approving the amendment to the amendment 11-2, the City Council narrowly approved Claunch’s amendment 7-6 for the reallocation of $776,000 to the non-profit that is the Ajax Turner Senior Center.

Voting in favor of the proposal were council members Claunch, Carlos Peters, Tim Chandler, Marquis, Wanda Smith, Travis Holleman and Jerry Haywood. Voting against were council members Brian Zacharias, Jimmy Brown, Streetman, Joe Shakeenab, Lovato and Pitts.

If the amendment goes on to pass the first and second reading, the terminated lease of the Ajax Turner Senior Center will have to return to the City Council for approval, according to previous reports.

Additional Claunch amendments save more than $88,000

Claunch introduced another amendment that went on to be approved 7-6, that saved $22,000 in the city’s budget. The proposal dealt with reducing the number of life cycles budgeted for the city’s number of computers and laptops.

Another Claunch amendment approved reduced the regional airport operating budget by more than $21,500. Lovato asked about the validity of the amendment due to the City of Clarksville being contractually obligated to match the funds Montgomery County gives the airport annually.

Pitts said it is proper and legal, and he suspects if the city reduces their appropriation, then the county may as well. The amendment was approved 7-6.

Claunch and Streetman collaborated on an amendment that ended up reducing the City of Clarksville’s Human Resources Department’s budget by $45,000. The amendment was approved 9-3.

Letter from Tennessee Golf Foundation president talks public-private partnership

Councilwoman Ambar Marquis introduced several amendments on the night, including one with a letter from the Tennessee Golf Foundation President saying that they are willing to enter into a public-private partnership with the City of Clarksville.

Marquis said part of the public-private partnership would be the golf foundation helping run the city’s golf courses at their own expense. “So, eventually, the city taxpayer would no longer be paying for the golf courses while they still remain open,” she said.

With her proposed amendment, she removed capital project funding that was meant for the Mason Rudolph Golf Course, as well as the Swan Lake Golf Course renovations, which together would have saved more than $1.3 million in the FY 2026-27 budget.

Streetman said she is against the amendment since they are unsure what the end result would be at this point and time. “I’m not saying we can’t find some middle ground, but we don’t know what the middle ground is based on an email saying they are ready to engage in productive dialogue,” she said.

The City Council voted to separate the question; however, the amendments were both voted down.

Marquis amendments approved on Tuesday

Another Marquis amendment motioned for approval was for the removal of funds from the IT department that had been meant for three different business conferences. The City Council went on to approve the removal of funds after a 7-6 vote.

Marquis brought forth another amendment that looked to save funding that was meant for the replacement of the fountain at Public Square. She said the request came from some of the different community members she has spoken with, and the amendment was approved 10-3.

Additional $64,000 saved after Streetman amendments

Streetman introduced some proposed amendments next, with one pertaining to the removal of $51,000 from the Clarksville Police Department.

“This is where after their budgets were submitted, they were able to renegotiate their contract to reduce their Verizon cell phone costs,” she said.

Chief of Police Ty Burdine clarified that they didn’t renegotiate, rather, they chose a different plan based off cost-savings. The Clarksville City Council approved the amendment unanimously.

Streetman also introduced an amendment that proposed the removal of funds across several departments due to redundant fleet tracking equipment that added up to more than $13,000 in savings. The City Council also passed it unanimously.

‘That is the biggest out of pocket tax increase to our taxpayers in 27 years’

Before voting on the budget, Lovato addressed the council and said at a $1.08, the property tax rate in Clarksville would be raised $123 for the average home that is valued at $309,000.

“That is the biggest out of pocket tax increase to our taxpayers in 27 years,” she said. “The other most recent one was in 2010, when the out-of-pocket cost increased by $103. That wasn’t the total, that was just the increase.

“So, yes, it does feel like we are nickel and diming, and I understand why, but my concern is that we go through these budget processes, and we are talking a lot about operational lines, but we aren’t asking enough questions and getting enough information on the debt. In how that is processed, when it is going to be paid, and how that is going to affect us year after year.”

Lovato said while she isn’t trying to tell the council which way to vote on the first reading of the budget, she says the council needs to keep those numbers in mind, because inflation is at an all-time high.

“Unfortunately, we are in a situation where a $10 increase, $20 increase, $30 increase, it matters to the average family right now,” she said.

City Council reduces budget by $697,000, brings down proposed tax rate to $1.07

Pitts said before final comments and voting on the first reading of the FY 2026-27 budget, he wanted to take a five-minute recess to receive the budget adjustments following the amendments that were approved. “With the understanding those numbers are subject to change between now and the next reading, until we can get in a quiet room and verify all of the numbers,” he said.

Upon returning from their recess, with the amendments approved on Tuesday night, the City Council was able to approve more than $697,000 in total reductions. “We’ve reduced our rate effectively by a penny. We’re a shade over but not by much because a penny is $676,000. So, we right now stand at $1.07,” Pitts said.

City Council rejects first reading of budget for a second time

When it came time to vote on the second first reading of the FY 2026-27 budget, despite the reductions made and amendments passed, it was voted down 5-8 with council members Zacharias, Claunch, Peters, Marquis, Smith, Haywood, Shakeenab and Lovato voting against.

Voting in favor were council members Chandler, Holleman, Brown, Streetman and Mayor Pitts.

When previously asked what happens if a budget isn’t approved by the end of June, which needs first and second reading approval, City CFO Christen Wilcox said that according to city code, the City Council would have to continue to meet until a budget has been approved.

“Also, after June 30, our budget will stay the same as it is currently right now. So, our 2026-27 budget would become what is our 2025-26 budget at the moment,” she previously said.

The City of Clarksville will announce in the near future when the City Council meets again so they can continue their conversation over the first reading of the FY 2026-27 budget.

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