10/12/1998

TML - As you know, Ed Young has resigned as deputy director of TML. His last day at the office was September 30 although he will be on the payroll until the end of December. Here is a copy of a letter I sent to him. You might want to send a personal note yourself.

Legislative Policy - Last week you received an email from Kirk on behalf of TCMA. The city managers are going to become more involved in the TML legislative process. You may submit recommended changes and new legislation to TCMA and through them to TML. In addition, we will have our regular meeting with the TML staff late in November to review any other changes that MTAS suggests be considered by TML. So, you can make recommendations now or you can make recommendations later - - or you can do both!

Bingham Consultancy - We have made considerable progress in collections for the Bingham Consultancy. Suprisingly enough, we have our results posted in a database. We have listed the city and the amount received. Some of the "pledges" were based on tentative commitments from officials who are no longer with the city so they haven't come in. Many of the pledges have been paid in full. The total amount in the fund includes the over $500,000 we have received from cities and city organizations along with almost $40,000 in donations from MTAS staff as part of the UT family campaign. It's quite a tidy sum.

All of this is in an endowment and we are only permitted to spend the earnings. My guess is we'll start soon.

T-3 - We have been working on a semi-automated version of the T-3 (the travel form). It is almost ready. When done it will allow us to complete T-3's at our desk. We've set it up so it computes the proper amounts for meals and computes the hotel rates based on a lookup table of the city name and the county. Anyway, it will be easier to use than it is to describe and should be done soon.

Don Darden - Don Darden has joined MTAS as management consultant in the Nashville office beginning October 1, 1998. He has over 23 years local government experience in Tennessee including time as city manager of LaFollette and Jefferson City, county executive of Coffee County and executive director of the South Central Development District.