The Elizabethton City Council with Mayor Curt Alexander convened in regular session Thursday night to a high impact agenda that approved special event applications, filled vacant positions to various boards, approved the acceptance of grant funds to create a skateboard club, approved an agreement for a new tool to help the city police department combat debit and credit card crime, and started the process for a new relationship with the county landfill to dispose of solid waste.

The council combined and voted to approve the 3K Run/Walk Race for Wandell, “Book It To Bridge Parade,” and the Douglas Park Back to School Community Block Party since all three have been long-time recurring special events.

Alexander next announced his appointments to the empty board and committee seats, all of which passed with all ayes from the council.

Bertha Davis will hold her position on the Housing Authority Board. Davis’ previous assignment was set to expire in August.

William Schooley will represent the Planning Commission on Historic Zoning for a five-year stay.

The mayor added Susan Dugger and Creola Miller to the Library Board for regular terms, and Alta Barwick and Nicole Moore were reappointed.

The Parks and Recreation Board and the Planning Commission appointments were tabled for later consideration. The newly created Veteran’s Oversight Committee will have to wait for members to fill its ranks.

The council moved on to new business by approving a motion filed by City Manager Daniel Estes to negotiate a contract to purchase the Zorawski building attached to the police department subject to final approval from the council.

The documents supporting the possible purchase cite the need to expand the police department: “The most recent plans include renovation of the old Ritchie’s warehouse on E. F Street to house the Criminal Investigations Division (currently in the basement of the library)…”

The acquisition of the new building was to present alternatives for expansion of the cramped city police building other than the ones currently in place.

Council members also considered and passed a memorandum of understanding between the city and the National Recreation and Park Association that would establish a grant of $110,000 toward the creation of skateboard club mentorship.

The program is a partnership between the department, which was the recipient of the grant, and the Carter County Drug Prevention Coalition and seeks to use the mentorship to help at-risk youth. The skateboard club will be hosted at the city Parks and Recreation Department grounds for two to four hours beginning next spring.

The city council approved an agreement between the police department and the ERAD Recovery Group, LLC that would allow the department to use ERAD software to immediately provide cardholder information and freeze funds on confiscated prepaid debit and credit cards. The funds can also be transferred, if later authorized by “proper legal authority” by police to a law enforcement bank account for trial or forfeiture.

Police Chief Jason Shaw spoke to council members about why the technology was needed. He said in one case, officers were called out to a bank about a man was using cards at the ATM but accessing accounts in many different names. Officers were unable to take any action at the time because the actual cards were in the man’s name and he had identification.

The council decided not to renew the city’s solid waste disposal contract with Waste Management’s Iris Glen Landfill. The city previously had a five-year contract that expired at the end of June.

Council members approved a new contract with the Carter County Landfill for garbage disposal that would result in over $38,000 in savings a year for the city.

However, the Carter County Commission will have to approve the new contract during its next meeting scheduled for Monday.