Oakland Business
I am the Mayor of Oakland TN. I am a voice for the people.
Scroll down to see Oakland issues, meeting agendas and more to come!
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Oakland Current Topics
Oakland Park
The current phase of the Park has been completed! It includes 2 grass soccer fields, 2 multi-purpose fields, a walking path, bathrooms, lighting and concession stand. It will take several weeks for the grass to take root but will be ready for use this fall. The Park project is beginning to take shape and will be a great addition to our town for many people to enjoy. The money to fund this phase came from the $0.005 sales tax and NO PROPERTY TAX dollars were used. We did get a grant from the state to help with funding and we borrowed no money! This phase has been PAID IN FULL! Many thanks to Grand Junction for giving the Town of Oakland 18 Frisbee Golf baskets and tee pads! This is top-notch equipment that Grand Junction acquired through a grant and they decided to pass it on to us. This will be a fun new attraction that can be installed in a matter of weeks. We have already been contacted by professional Frisbee Golfers about hosting a tournament and they are helping with the layout of the course.
Wastewater Treatment Facility
The Wastewater Treatment Facility has been expanded and is currently online. We now have the capacity to treat 3 million gallons of wastewater a day. This will allow our town to continue to grow so more people can enjoy living and shopping in Oakland.
Oakland Utility Bill
Everyone received a reduction on their water rates and their garbage pickup. However, everyone saw an increase on their wastewater rates. The rising rates are due to the repayment structure of the loan we took out to build the new facility. An independent rate study was done to determine what wastewater rates should be and this is the schedule we are following. Customers should not expect these bills to lower for 3 more years until we can refinance the debt. We have already been in talks with people who are able to help with this. Relief is coming, but it’s still a few years away.
Property Tax
As a fiscal conservative, I am against any tax increase but on this board, I do not have a vote. Property tax brings in around 25% of our budget. Municipalities in TN operate on Sales Tax. This is true for Oakland, as this is the source of the majority of our revenue. As Mayor, I am working diligently to attract new businesses (that our residents want) to help offset these needed funds. Again, I do not like tax increases! The enhanced sales tax revenues should be enough to compensate for any future property tax increase.