Cookeville City Council honored Finance Director Brenda Imel Thursday night for her service to the city that dates back to 2003.
Imel set to retire after serving as Finance Director since 2015. Imel said she is grateful to have worked for the city of Cookeville.
“The city is not just a great place to live, it’s a great place to work,” Imel said. “I love the work that I have done here. I’m just blessed beyond what I deserve, and may god continue to bless the city and protect its citizens. Thank you.”
Council Member Ali Bagci said he appreciated Imel’s honesty during work sessions and that she will leave big shoes to fill. Mayor Laurin Wheaton said when she first started as mayor, she was terrified of budgets. Wheaton recalled how Imel helped her with her first budget.
“The way you explained it and broke it down, and took the time to answer questions, it was amazing,” Wheaton said. ” I actually enjoy the budget session, and you’ve continued to do that year over year.”
Councilman Eric Walker said Imel had an impeccable ability to remember numbers. Walker also said Imel has been a great asset to the city.
“Your budget is probably number one for understanding how the city behaves, and runs, and we get our jobs done here,” Walker said. “And I just want to applaud everything you have done to work on that over the past years, and your assistance to this council.”
City Manager James Mills said Imel has done a fantastic job for the city and is honored to have worked with her.
“You can think of a lot of different terms when you think of Brenda,” Mills said. “Hardworker, integrity, honesty, intelligence, I mean, we have depended on her for a long time. What you may not know about Brenda is that she’s got a wicked sense of humor. Oh, she does, she can bite right to the floor.”
In other business, the council approved the appointment of City Attorney Dan Rader for a two-year term. The council approved the appointment of City Judge Joy Buck Gothard to a two-year term. The council appointed Dana Looper to serve as the special judge in the absence of the city judge.
The council approved an increase in the city judge’s salary. Mills said the city had not changed the salary since 1979. The salary will increase from $400 per month to $1,000 per month.
The council appointed Phillip Baker to the Industrial Development Board. Baker will replace Allen Ray.
The city’s tax levy, budget, and Cookeville Regional Medical Center’s budget passed on second and final reading.
The council approved an estimated $199,000 bid for 50,000 feet of 1/0 URD Primary Cable. The council awarded a bid for chemicals for the Water Quality Control Department.
A 1979 Athey Belt Loader, a 2008 Ford F-150, and a 2010 International 4400 Brush Truck were surplused.
An estimated $700,000 increase change order for the 10th Street Widening Project was approved.
A final change order for the Water Line Replacement Project was approved. The change order consisted of an estimated $52,000 increase to the contract price.
A contract renewal for pump and motor repair for the Water Quality Control Department was approved.
The council approved a change order for the CIPP (Cured In Place Pipe) Project. The change order consisted of an estimated $700k increase to the contract price.
