CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The City Council passed its FY23 budget on second and final reading Tuesday night with four new amendments, one of which moves money for a City Hall parking deck to a sidewalk fund for CMCSS schools.

The budget passed 8-4. Votes of “no” came from Vondell Richmond, Ambar Marquis, Wanda Allen and Trisha Butler. Wallace Redd was absent. Karen Reynolds voted no on first reading, but reversed her vote on the second.

Council members voted on eight amendments, four of which passed.

Sidewalks over parking decks

The most prominent amendment to pass was proposed by Brian Zacharias; it moved $6 million intended for a new parking deck at City Hall to instead be used for sidewalks surrounding certain local schools.

Zacharias told council members on Thursday his amendment was prompted by Clarksville-Montgomery County School System’s recent decision to expand “parental responsibility zones,” requiring many students to walk to school, often on unsafe roads.

“As we sit here today, there will be elementary school students required to walk to school that do not have sidewalks to get them to where they need to go from their homes,” Zacharias told council members. “My fervent desire is that this money will go to expanding the sidewalk network.”

Zacharias told council members that he hopes the Street Department will work closely with CMCSS and the county to identify schools with the highest need for sidewalks.

Zacharias’ amendment passed 7-4 with “no” votes coming from Travis Holleman, Stacey Streetman, Joe Shakeenab and Mayor Joe Pitts.

Other amendments

Streetman proposed two amendments, both of which passed. The first solidified a 5% wage increase for city employees and made available funding for further increases upon return of a pending pay study. The second rolled over capital outlay from the previous year.

Reynolds also re-proposed an amendment from last week to designate $49,500 in the budget for a citywide tree inventory. The amendment failed at first reading but succeed on Thursday and will allow the city to create a database of all trees on public land.

Butler brought forth an additional four amendments, seeking to defund enterprise funds for the Roxy and the Customs House Museum, as well as Mason Rudolph Golf Course and L&N Train Station. Butler made clear to her peers that her goal was to improve the city’s financial stewardship of taxpayer dollars.