Thursday night’s otherwise mundane meeting of the Murfreesboro City Council marked the last for Vice Mayor Chris Bratcher, after 24 years of service to the city.  If a meeting is called for next week, it will be the first for newcomer Eddie Smotherman, who narrowly defeated Bratcher in the recent elections.  As for who will fill Bratcher’s shoes in the role of vice mayor, that appointment has yet to take place.

Additionally, council approved a new contract with the Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency Transit Program, to provide public transportation services in the urbanized portions of Murfreesboro, Smyrna, LaVergne and Rutherford County, and the Deputy Fire Chief was approved to apply for the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Fire Prevention & Safety Grant.  The city also applied for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant in the amount of $62,626.00, which would go towards the purchase of new law enforcement equipment.  Public Information Officer Kyle Evans has been designated as the point of contact for that grant.  A Certificate of Compliance was granted to Michelle Lineberry at Victory Village Liquor & Wine.  And finally, several public hearings were held, to rezone 93.67 acres along Kimbro Road to Residential Single-Family, 86.35 acres along Warrior Drive from Planned Commercial Development District to Highway Commercial District, and 5.3 acres located along South Church Street to Commercial Fringe District.