Joint - OTHER [Source] Translate

The meeting began with a welcome from the Chairman, who introduced special guests, including Dr. Murat Arik and a group of undergraduate scholars from MTSU involved in a capstone project. The minutes from the December 25 meeting were approved without objections. Dr. Lippert announced the retirement of County Clerk Mary Gaither after 33 years of service and welcomed Valerie Hale, the new City Manager of Crossville. He also updated the commission on a contract with the University of Tennessee's Center for Transportation Research and recognized Bob Morio as the new senior research manager. Mr. Pettit presented the TVA Payments in Lieu of Taxes Annual Report, which requires approval. He noted that TVA's total payments to Tennessee are expected to increase due to higher base rates and fuel costs, while ongoing issues could affect future payments. The commission discussed credits received by distributors purchasing power from non-TVA sources and TVA's strategies for managing energy demand, particularly concerning new data centers and coal plant operations. The committee reviewed the annual report on Tennessee's public infrastructure needs, presented by Mr. Tyler Carpenter, which indicated a total estimated cost of $82.7 billion for improvements, a $5 billion increase from the previous year. Transportation needs accounted for $42 billion, with a rise attributed to a new bridge condition assessment system. The committee discussed the methodology for collecting infrastructure needs and the impact of inflation on project costs. Ms. Hennig presented the final report for Public Chapter 418 regarding housing juvenile offenders, highlighting over $330 million appropriated for new facilities and recommendations for increased oversight and funding for a new juvenile detention center in West Tennessee. The report was approved unanimously. Dr. Mike Strickland presented the final report on the Continuum of Care (CoC) in Tennessee, recommending funding appropriations to improve CoCs and establish a state agency council on homelessness. The committee discussed data on homelessness, particularly among children, and the need for tailored approaches to address various causes of homelessness. Bob Morio presented a report on real estate fraud in Tennessee, outlining various schemes and best practices for combating it. Recommendations included requiring notary education and a pilot program in Shelby County for identification verification when registering real estate documents. The commission recommended establishing this pilot program, which would require government-issued photo identification for individuals registering documents in person. Concerns were raised by county registers regarding the proposed pilot program's effectiveness and the need for uniformity in recording practices. The discussion included potential costs and liabilities associated with the pilot program, leading to a motion to defer the report for further stakeholder discussions. The meeting also covered the barbering and cosmetology professions, highlighting a revenue increase of 35.6% from 2018-2024 and recommending the establishment of a hairstyling license. Additionally, a draft report on speech therapy services was discussed, focusing on improving insurance coverage for stuttering therapy and the implications of proposed policy changes. An update on the Ambulance Services Study mandated by Public Chapter 413 was provided, examining the economic impact of ambulance services across Tennessee. The report highlighted funding challenges and disparities in service availability, particularly in rural areas. The meeting concluded with a note on scheduling the next meeting based on the General Assembly's calendar.