Town of Hornsby Closes Out Year with 2023 Deadlines Lingering

The Town of Hornsby met for its monthly meeting on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. Mayor Curtis Vandiver, City Recorder Melissa Hodge, and Alderman Melissa Hodge, Wayne Isbell, Heather Jo Moore, Pat Plunk, and Greg Vance were present. The board approved the reading of the minutes from the November 2023 meeting, and the agenda for the December 2023 meeting.

The agenda included:

City Attorney Ben Ayris spoke about creating a cyber security policy to bring Hornsby into compliance with the State requirement Tenn. Code § 65-4-127 , which went into effect in July. Ben is reaching out to the city attorneys of Bolivar and Selmer to learn what those have in place.

{Watch at 9:22 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Jimmy Sain

Jimmy Sain with Southwest Human Resource and Development District, shared resources and opportunities offered through the agency to small communities.

{Watch at 1:32 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Update on City Hall Renovations

Renovations are expected to be completed by Saturday, December 11, 2023.

{Watch at 15:00 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Purchasing Policy

Approved the first reading of the purchasing policy.

{Watch at 16:53 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Audit

The audit was filed on September 20, 2023, and the Town received a letter on November 22, 2023, from the Comptroller’s office stating it was unable to file the audit due to errors. A letter was also sent to accountant Bob Doll (retired) stating he needs to redo and resubmit the audit. It was confirmed with Doll that he did receive the same notice.

The water rate study, which has a deadline of Sunday, December 31, 2023, cannot be completed until the 2022 audit is filed and approved.

“This is a real issue because we can’t get our water rate study done without the audit filed and approved, and that water rate study has got to be completed by December 31, 2023. Bob Doll has got to get that in – like last week, because this is going to put us in a very bad violation of the order,” said Pat Plunk.

The city should currently be working on its 2023 audit with the new CPA. City Attorney Ben Ayris was asked to follow up with Doll about the matter.

{Watch at 14:43 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Water Department and Annual Information Report

Discussion about the report opened with a comment from Pat Plunk, “this is a nightmare!”

Plunk stated the water software is so flawed that none of the consumptions are correct. The company from which the software was originally purchased, QS1, has transferred ownership several times – QS1 Data Systems, RedSail Technologies, IntegralRx, and PUBLIQ Software – since Hornsby originally purchased the software where support for the program has become nonexistent.

“We have got to have real numbers on what we have purchased as far as water, what we have sold and what we have lost and I have no idea how we’re going to get it,” said Ms. Plunk. “As stuff has been entered incorrectly over that last three years, by four different people, . . . the numbers are so off in that system I don’t even know where to begin to get correct answers. Whatever we do, is not going to be right.”

Apparently, the salesperson who sold Hornsby the pharmaceutical software system instead of water utility software system, which it needed, to manage its water billing process acknowledged the program “isn’t user-friendly”.

“So it was never probably a good purchase for the city to begin with. Most people are gone [who knew how to use the system] and there is no knowledge of how to use the system. It can’t be fixed,” said Plunk. “There is no way on Earth to go in and find all the things that have been entered incorrectly for three years.”

Although the Town is still paying for use and support for the [pharmaceutical] software, it is unsure whether it is under contract and from which company it is receiving its services. The most recent contract on file if from 2016.

Jo Moore shared about the system Grand Junction uses and noted it seems easier to use, allows “more trackability”, and reports the information auditors need.

“It is done in the format the comptroller’s office needs stuff done . . . it is a whole lot cheaper,” said Ms. Plunk. “At some point the board is going to have to decide . . . that’s got to go out the door and something’s got to come in that’s going to work.”

{Watch at 21:42 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Feasibility Study

The feasibility study is done to determine if it would be better for another water system to take over Hornsby’s water system. A letter of request of qualifications must be sent to a firm prior to hiring it to complete a feasibility study.

“That is prior to voting on any firm to do the feasibility study,” said Jo Moore.

Hornsby was supposed to be in contract by December 31, 2023, with a chosen firm. Ms. Plunk noted she was informed the board can send a letter to the State Tennessee Board of Utility Regulations requesting an extension for the report to be submitted, which is what the board plans to do. Hornsby serves approximately 446 water customers.

{Watch at 36:46 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Water Study Update

{Watch at 44:03 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Waterline Extension on Hornsby DeBerry

The Board is not able to approve the waterline extension without TDEC’s approval. Every day that an unapproved line extension exists in the ground, the fine can be up to $10,000 per day.

{Watch at 45:29 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Street Department

{Watch at 47:22 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Police Department

No report.

Fire Department

No report.

Public Discussion

City Attorney Ben Ayris will not be present at the next meeting due to visiting family for the Christmas holiday.

{Watch at 48:05 minute mark in the video to see all covered.}

Next Regular Board Meeting

The alderman will next meet on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at 7 p.m.

The meeting was adjourned.

You may watch the full meeting below:

Read more local news by clicking here.

Stay informed on what’s happening in Hardeman County by subscribing to Hatchie Press e-mail updates.

Do you have community news you’d like to share? E-mail us at news@hatchiepress.com.