All right.

I call to order the Chattanooga City Council for our Tuesday, August 25th meeting.

Who would please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance and invocation?

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Under God, individual liberty.

I think I will just move the agenda.

We do not have any special presentations today.

Can I get a motion on the minutes, please?

Well we'll okay.

The minutes will stand without objection.

All right, council.

Let's go ahead and start discussing our agenda for today.

Um, we will have a community development committee meeting after um all of our discussion.

Um so we've got some ordinances on final reading.

If you have uh any questions or comments on those, please hit your light.

I intend to take those as a package.

And council, I will remind you that the the both of those item uh uh councilman Harvey.

Uh I'm sorry, we on you uh planning no, not yet.

Okay, but almost there, just I'm gonna keep you green.

Um so the parks and public works and wastewater items A and B are both in District 2.

We passed them last week, and I'm gonna take them as a package, and I would appreciate someone making a motion to approve those.

Um all right, so councilman Harvey.

Uh under planning, is Karen here?

Karen, have we heard anything from uh item C, the developer?

I know they had kind of ghosted us.

I called the number we had on record and talked to Mr.

Postel, who said that he would pass that information along to his son.

I mentioned the 330 date today, mentioned there was a recommendation to deny because they had not shown up at planning commission along with the staff recommendation, and um I said he could contact our office if he had any questions, but we've not heard anything to my knowledge.

Okay, all right.

Uh in that case, Madam Chair, I plan to uh deny that case.

Okay.

Councilwoman Burrs.

Thank you, Chairwoman.

Uh item F, uh the engineer called me and they are having some um issues with utilities that they're working on that is delaying them wanting to get this approved, so they asked if we could defer this until September 9th.

So I'll be requesting a deferral.

Okay.

Um council, there is a case in District 2.

Um, we've had quite a bit of uh study and discussion of that one.

So um as chair um I anticipate that I would be requesting from council a motion to deny this item.

Okay, any other uh questions or comments about um planning.

All right, looks like we're good heading into resolutions and economic development.

Councilman Clark.

Thank you.

Uh Madam Chair, I've got a question about the use of this transfer of the money by the industrial development board.

I'm not really sure if I quite got a definitive answer on it, but you don't have to come to the podium to present it.

But the uh the purposes are unspecified.

And I like to have some general idea about because I'm still learning about what that board does and how they spend money, but if it's to be used for economic for economic development purposes, but not specify uh how do we know what it will go towards?

And maybe someone can give me some education from the guys or from I know we talked about this last week, perhaps, but good afternoon, council.

Thank you, Councilman Clark for that.

Shareda Allen, senior advisor for economic and community development.

Those dollars when they went over to those dollars from CNE were restricted for small business programs, so they will come back for small business programs.

It has not been determined how those dollars will be used.

I do know at the start of this particular council body, there was a discussion around having a small business committee that was going to be set up with some of the council members.

We're waiting to determine.

Uh we're waiting to hear from the council what those initiatives will look like.

So, Ms.

Allen, just to clarify that the specified purpose would be for small business programs.

It would be for small business programs, yes.

Okay, which is a broad stroke of things.

Yes, it is.

And does that board have the authority to allocate who what is what is the influence of that board to decide?

Does that come back to council?

Can you explain to that process on how they allocate that money towards small business programs?

Historically, the city council has set up and administered has set up small business programs by legislation and move those programs over to the IBB for implementation.

The council has also set up funding to go along with that historically through ordinances.

So in this particular case, there's not there are growing small business programs or innovation grant programs.

There are other programs that this council or previous councils have created and moved over for implementation with funding.

This would be funding that goes over for small business programs that could be used for uh any of those existing programs that are about to sunset, or it could be for new programs for small businesses that are created.

Awesome.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

You're back.

And thank you, Sharita, for looking to guidance from the work group on economic development from the council.

Um, I believe that uh councilman Elliott is chairing that, and we have our rules available from our city attorney on how we'll how we can handle those meetings.

So I look forward to this once we get our budget passed.

Sounds great.

Thank you, Council.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Clark.

Okay, council.

Any other questions on any resolution items?

We have public works and wastewater as well.

All right, I'm gonna jump over to purchases for today.

Um, there is uh one item that we do want to point out we have a small, very small clerical error.

Um Debbie, are you here and would like to address that for us in uh the fleet management renewal with price increase for Pandora's European Motorsports Council?

That's the middle item on purchases.

Uh Debbie has a brief update.

Yes, actually, that uh particular uh purchase has a clerical error instead of 14% increase, it's actually a 16% increase.

And uh Mr.

Attorney, I believe you have confirmed that we can just note that in the record as a clear clear, we will not need to have an alternate version.

We'll not need to have an alternate version, but it's on this evening at that amount.

Yes.

Okay, so uh we will bring that to the forefront uh at the at the appropriate time.

Uh Madam Budget Chair, might you make note of of that for for our five or our voting meeting?

Um the the middle item fleet management instead of a 14% price increase, it's actually a 16%.

It's just a clerical error that we need to note in the record.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Council hit your light if you've got any questions about any purchases.

We don't have uh any renewals today.

We do have some sole source purchases that will be reported, no RFPs and no emergency purchases today.

Okay, great.

All right, so let's take a look then at our two-week agenda, please.

Um, on the two-week agenda, please do note that we will be having our public hearing for the administration's proposal regarding intent to exceed the certified tax rate.

This will be specifically um to make sure that we have an official public hearing for Mayor Kelly's uh proposal of a 1.99 or $1.99 uh milletry.

Um, and the council will also have uh an alternate version that will be available for viewing by that point, so we'd be happy to hear comment on on all things budget.

Um, and we'll do it again the next week as well.

Um, okay, so skipping the items that will be on final reading.

Please hit your light if you have any questions about ordinances on first reading.

We have some wastewater items.

Okay, under resolutions council office, some economic development parks and outdoors.

There is an item under parks and outdoors that on my version, there may be a newer version, but on my version has a blank.

It is the resolution for parks and outdoors to apply for, and if awarded, accept a tourism enhancement grant.

The number there will be 100,000 is the grant value.

All right.

Board is clear.

So let's switch over, council, please, to our future considerations document.

If you have any questions about items under future considerations, please hit your light.

It says I'm still active.

Yes, you are.

Would you like to talk again?

Yes, we'll be able to do that.

All right, go for it, Councilman.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Councilman Clark.

This is a question about the uh grant from the Southeast Tennessee district.

Uh for $20,000 for senior community-based services and activities.

What particular center would that benefit?

Um most of our senior services, I I think are housed under what I don't know.

Uh currently, Councilman, uh, that that grant is going towards uh personnel at the Glenwood officers.

And Cedric, that personnel pays for what what does that personnel position do?

It's a community specialist, actually.

Thank you.

But is it community specialists as it specifically race relates to seniors?

Yes.

Are they doing something?

Okay.

Thank you.

That's actually good to know.

Personnel for seniors.

Thank you, Cedric.

That's all about it, Chair.

Okay.

Councilman Elliott.

Yes, mama's about the parks and outdoors, Walking Street building.

Uh, I remember a few years ago, we were kind of up in the air on what to do at Walking Street in a particular building.

Do we have an update on what the uh future plans are for this facility?

So that's not on future considerations, right?

Or am I missing which one are we looking at?

Yeah, is this not what I'm looking at?

I I think I'm I think I'm not following you.

Just tell me what what your number is.

Uh item two.

The Carver is this not the walking street building?

It is.

Carver Community Center is the Watkins Street building.

Okay.

Yeah, the Walking Street, the Walking Street Building is not a community center.

It's where it's where the parks and recreation part of the team is.

It's an old parks and rec building.

Uh and there we do have some staff in part of the building, and part of it is unused currently, and there is some asbestos in the building that they are going to remediate the asbestos.

Uh I can't really speak yet on what the long-term plans are for the facility, but getting the asbestos out would be the first step towards being able to better utilize the facility.

Yeah, if you could, if we could circle back, I would love to hear you guys' general thoughts on this.

Because I understand we're deed restricted on that piece of property of like it can only be used for parks and outdoors purposes.

Yes, sir.

You know that's right in Ridgedale.

So if you guys don't uh decide to keep the building, we could that could be opportunity for a better renovated part.

So I just love to hear you guys' thoughts on what you guys want to do.

Sure, we'll keep you informed.

All right, thanks for yeah, let's connect on it.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Okay.

All right.

Council, any other questions on future considerations.

All right, looks like we're good.

I will hand over the chair to Councilman Clark for our community development.

Okay.

Do you want to all right?

Good afternoon.

I'm gonna uh call to order the committee meeting for uh community development uh Zonos.

Thank you.

So second.

Second, thank you.

So moved.

Uh there is an agenda, and we're gonna follow it.

Um I'm gonna start off with some comments, and then we'll go into some fun stuff with our community center.

I don't know if there's a slideshow presentation to a copy.

There is one.

Okay, great.

Um I do want to uh I know there's been a lot of talk about community development and line item areas, and you know, today I was very pleased to hear some progress from some of the sponsors that some of those line items and some alternative proposals uh do not impact community development um as stands.

So I think that is a victory, and to the co-sponsors of the alternative um legislation.

I'm open-minded and I appreciate the dialogue and being able to discuss sensitive things of that nature and to make changes when necessary.

So thank you, uh Councilman Henderson uh for that line item adjustment for community development because we need to continue to develop our community.

Uh there are needs in all of our districts, whether whatever your race or economic creed is, um we have to continue to develop our community.

And with that, I'd like to call up our interim administrator, Cedric, sorry.

I had a brain freeze, I'm thinking, to showcase some of those amazing things that are happening in our community centers, and not just community centers in four of our districts, but all of our districts.

And we've had some very successful summer camps where we can showcase the work and the joy of that our children have been able to enjoy it.

I'll turn it over to interim administrator Mr.

Henson.

Thank you.

Good afternoon again, Council.

Cedric Henson, Interim Administrator for the Department of Community Development.

As Councilman Clark has previously stated, we are here today to provide an update on the results of our 2025 summer camp program.

I'll attempt to be brief.

But what I think really stands out is in terms of measuring success, uh, how our summer camps united residents with the shared purpose of being active and more connected.

I would like to extend first and foremost a censored thanks to uh our dedicated city staff for their uh crucial collaborations and efforts in making this program possible.

So here are the key highlights.

Um our summer camp ran from June 2nd through July 25th.

Uh there's this year's program was it was a comprehensive one.

Uh we featured diverse offerings from various age groups.

Uh we had 12 youth camps uh from six ages six to twelve, uh, two teen camps from ages three to sixteen, uh and then four senior adult sites.

Uh one of our standout successes from the very beginning uh was our enrollment results and that process.

We had an outstanding 625 participants registered, and from a process perspective, uh we were able to achieve for the first time a hundred percent online registration this year.

Uh this success uh of that registration, it was largely due to the successful rollout of our uh app registration system.

Uh we leverage the technology of our My Chat Connect, uh shameless plug.

Please download that app, right?

Uh for greater engagement and convenience, uh, and we enhance our parent uh online portal.

Uh in addition to this, uh, which I thought was really great, uh, to ensure that our parents were fully engaged and informed.

We also held a mandatory parent meeting before the start of summer camp.

Uh, here we really saw how this meeting served to lay out expectations uh for the parents, uh, but more importantly, for us to understand their expectations of us.

Uh it really fostered a collaborative spirit of uh and environment for our children's success.

Training for success, we employed 49 dedicated camp camp counselors, excuse me.

Uh, and to ensure that high quality experience for all of our participants, we executed a joint training effort, uh partner with Outdoor Chattanooga.

Thank you to those folks over there for summer camp counselor training.

Uh, this included some youth engagement, you know, pool preparations, safety protocols, uh, as well as outdoor uh activity leadership.

Uh, as you can see, some of those smiling faces in around those canoes.

They also had some hands-on training that they did uh where this session's really built confidence uh of those individuals and practical skills uh for our counselors.

So, what did our kids do?

Uh, not only was there day-to-day programming, arts and crafts, swimming sports, uh, we organized over a hundred and thirty field trips and adventures across all of our uh programs, our camp programs.

Uh, this was really providing an engaging and enriching experience uh for all that attended.

Uh and as we showed earlier, uh, you know, this this just wasn't for for our little ones.

Uh you know, we had uh participation in both local and out-of-town trips, uh regional parks and educational landmarks, uh, really exposing our our participants to new environments in and outside of Chattanooga.

And so again, we we it just wasn't for the kiddos.

Uh, our team camps, they specifically registered 35 participants, excuse me, ages 13 to 16.

Uh, and these campus really had a different twist to them as some of them focused our programming focused on providing uh tours for local businesses and insights into workforce and entrepreneurship.

We thought that that was important.

Uh these experiences we felt were crucial for this demographic and directly address career exploration and skill development, helping our teens envision future pathways and preparing them for those real world responsibilities that we all know are definitely coming.

We also develop key partnerships with Inspire, uh, who does leadership training even for city employees.

Uh, they also uh were partners with us during summer camps uh uh in co in collaboration with Parks and Outdoors just to enhance some of these experiences.

And for our seniors, our our seniors even got in on the fun.

Uh our seniors um and adults enrichment program were hosted at four key sites uh North River, Hickson, Francis B.

Wyatt, and Glenwood.

Uh, these programs we saw them providing that invaluable opportunity for that social engagement.

You know, that that mental uh stimulation and physical activity uh that we know is important in combating some of the isolation uh that concerns us with some of our senior residents, and we saw it as extremely imperable imperative.

Uh, and our program was built uh and and executed with that in mind.

Our city collaborations were huge for us.

They they were absolutely pivotal to the success and breadth of our program.

Uh we we benefited immensely from both internal and external uh partnerships, uh demonstrating a true community-wide effort as we see it.

Um of the depictions you see here, there's collaborations with the fire department providing educational sessions on fire safety.

Uh, we had a judge from the juvenile court system uh who spoke to children, offering insight on civic responsibility, uh CarFit, a lot of a lot of fun there.

We're providing invaluable information on car safety for our youth.

Uh, and last but ultimately not least, the the YMCA, uh, which generously provided over 21,000 meals uh for our youth participants.

So our city collaborations uh were of extreme uh importance throughout this process.

Ultimately, uh our goal for summer camp program extends just beyond activities.

Uh it was about fostering growth and development.

Uh this year we observe significant outcomes for our participants, promoting qualities that you see here on the left and right side of this screen.

Um I'm certain that this program will have a lasting and positive impact in the minds of all involved.

You know, from the the children and teens who discovered uh new relationships and new passions, new friendships uh to our seniors uh who were able to renew, have that renewed engagement uh all the way to our dedicated staff and just having the opportunity uh to be in the presence of of our community members.

Um, but I don't want you to take just simply the opinion of Cedric.

Kingston and my I'm not I'm eight years old, and my favorite thing about um summer camp is that we get to play games in a gym.

My name is Paisley, and my how I am eight years out, and my favorite part of our seven camp is going swimming.

Uh my name is Kiana, and I'm seven years old, and my favorite part is every Tuesday going swimming.

Hey everyone, my name is Jaya.

I'm a summer camp counselor, and my favorite thing about camp was the Carver Center talent shows.

I loved it.

We won twice in a row, so it was definitely a time to be alive.

My name is Lamari.

Uh I'm saying about summer camp.

It's probably sweat.

Hello, my name is Kennedy, and my favorite part about summer camp was really building relationships and connections with our families and our kids.

Um, my group had a lot of returners from previous summers, so it's always great to see them, see them, want to see you each year, and then for my newcomers, just building that relationship to make them feel well.

So my name is Mimi slash Malia.

Um I'm nine years old.

I started at six.

Um, my favorite thing about camp is either making bracelets or going swimming.

I'm Miss V or Virginia.

Um I am a full-time staff here at Avondale Community Center, the A team.

And my favorite part about camp is this right here.

The girls being around them.

They they give me energy every day.

My name is Thaddeus Casey.

I'm 12 years old.

And I love that this community is a fun and loving family.

My name is Kate and Herman.

I'm a summer camp counselor here at Avondale.

And my favorite thing about uh working here is uh seeing the kids uh outside of camp.

Um, whether it be at the mall, like at our restaurant, or even some public events that we'd be having here in Chattanooga.

Um come up to you like Coach Caden, Coach Caden.

That's always my favorite thing year after year seeing them outside of camp.

I'm Janaya, my favorite quite good team camp.

Listening to everybody and going on like different trips.

My name Aaliyah, and where I like about Team Cal is um making the friends.

My name is Caleb, and what I like about Team Count was very line.

Thank you, council members, for your time uh and continued support of these vital community programs.

Let's continue developing our communities.

Thank you.

Any questions?

Thank you, Mr.

Hansen.

I am there are questions reserved at the latter part of the agenda, but I would like to open uh questions up for now for your presentation.

If anyone has any.

Well, you know, you got outstanding applause.

And I and I want to commend you because I know you're coming into a tr in a transitional role.

And this is amazing.

We've got some amazing staffers.

I know Chris Brown played a role in um putting this together in Summer Council.

So thank you for your work as well.

Um, and I think God's timing is immaculate in that we are discussing community development.

Um why we have to do what we do.

And I think about um Kingston, Paisley, Keanu, Lamari, Kennedy, Mimi, Thaddeus, and Janaya, and all of the counselors who are Kate and Virginia and Jaya.

That's not a show.

This is me showing you through this video that what we do is not for show.

Is that this is why we do it.

This is why we ask the critical tough questions.

And I hope that this is a uh an example to council members that when you are deciding cuts to community development, you're cutting Kingston, Paisley, Keanu's, Lamari, Kennedys, Mimes, Thaddeus, and Janaya's opportunity to develop in our city.

Because had they not maybe come through these camps, maybe there will be something less fortunate.

So thank you for the work that community development is doing at all of our centers.

I know one of them was the um Francis B.

Wyatt Center.

So thank you again for your work in community development.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, we're gonna move on to on our agenda, and we're gonna go.

This is probably the business part.

Where is our friend, uh, our deputy chief operating officer, Steve Wilson?

If you could do a presentation from some business we have privileged to discuss uh regarding uh the administrative restructure.

And then lastly, I'd like for you to talk about the selection process update, and I will make a proposal to council in that regard.

Okay, go ahead, Steve.

All right.

Well, thank you.

I appreciate uh you giving me this opportunity to speak, and just want to say thank you to all of our community center staff and everyone that was uh had a part to play in the summer camps.

They were phenomenal.

We had record attendance this year, and we're just uh thrilled with all the exciting things that we were able to impact people's lives in that way.

So um I also want to just take time to thank Cedric for stepping in as the uh interim over the last uh couple of months.

Uh he's really been getting out in the community, going to the centers, and uh just engaging with the managers and the staff and getting to know uh getting a feel on what's going on and what the communities need uh as each community is a little different in their needs, right?

And that's some of the things that we've learned over the last few years, I think, is we're trying to move towards this community resource hub model.

So uh, you know, strategically, we are focused on trying to meet the needs of the community, which is more than just being rec centers, it's it's providing really whatever the community needs, uh whether that's in uh fiscal health or uh mental health or um just other needs that the facilities have, um training courses, things of that nature.

We want to be that place that the centers can come to.

So we're strategically focused on that.

Uh listening in on the conversation that you all had today, you know, a lot of a lot of spirited debate, uh, a lot of passions around that, and I think some things became clear to me that you know some of you all at council are ready to just move forward.

And I think some things became clear to me that you know, some of you all at council are ready to just move forward.

Let's just keep pushing um going doing more in the centers.

Uh, and some of you have a little concern over we've just not made enough progress over uh the last few years, right?

And we need to do to do more to really uh truly have community resource hubs and to do more for the center.

And we're right there with you, we want to be strategically focused that way.

And that's partially why we're also coming with this new plan to integrate in uh community health division and the uh community engagement divisions because those those two areas are critical for the work that we do uh in our community centers, you know, with community health, having the nurse navigators, having the uh you know, the youth violence uh programs and the chainbreakers, you know, having that work really uh grow and expand in the centers and also with the community engagement piece and the programming that they do to be able to come in and just integrate that all around the hub model.

So uh we've got big plans there.

Uh we're working on the I don't have it to show today, but we're working on the the um organizational change that that will be, and that's uh I think made it to future considerations.

So that'll be in front of you in a few weeks to be able to vote on bringing those two groups into the community development department.

As far as the administrator goes, obviously, to be able to do this, the one thing that really became abundantly clear in in today's meeting is we've got to have strong leadership, right?

Uh, and again, I appreciate Cedric doing a good job for us so far the time he's here, and uh you know, we want to just have that long that leadership for uh you know the years to come.

We need steady leadership that's stable and strong and there for the long haul to support our our departments, our our our managers, our teams, and the citizens that walk in the doors.

So that's why we're looking to get uh currently we're revising the job description because it does need to be a little different.

The current job description is the old, an old one, it doesn't really say anything about resource hubs, it clearly does not say anything about having community health or community engagement as a part of it.

So I'm working with HR right now.

We've submitted a draft to them to get a new job description done so that we will be ready to move forward as soon as we get things through uh get the vote through council and and we're agreed on what the new org structure is going to look like.

Uh and again, that should be in just the next you know coming weeks.

Uh, and then once that's ready, then we'll be ready to move forward with uh the permanent uh hire for community development.

Steve, I have a question I'd like to open up to the rest of council.

Sure.

First, uh actually, this is a statement.

Uh I had a conversation with you and the mayor regarding the uh selection process, and I made a recommendation that we forgo the application process and the vetting process and posting the position.

Um I believe it is the prerogative of the mayor with all of his expertise with yours, that you all do the betting, and you make the recommendation to the city council on who you choose and who you think would be the most suitable person to lead that department.

Right now, it is an interim capacity, yes, sir.

Um, and I believe if you have made that decision, uh there's no need to open it up to the outside public, uh, but to continue to look internally, and we have done that by selecting Cedric as our intro.

I'd like for us to use the model the federal government uses when the president appoints a judge, he says that pro he sends those individuals to the body for interviewing.

And this council has been very hands-on and very vocal, as you know, about the mayor's picks.

And so I would like to reverse and put some of that responsibility back on council before the mayor in this particular committee appoints the permanent administrator.

I am requesting, and the mayor is aware of this, that before that decision is made that that candidate, if it's Cedric or whoever, first meets with all of our council members, which then gives I hear some breathing on the other side.

That we do our fiduciary duties at the oversight capacity and interview the candidate.

And if we have any recommendations other than what the candidate that the mayor has offered, we can share that with the administration.

And the mayor uh and I have spoken and he is in favor of that.

But I am I want to uh officially request that publicly, and uh I'll now open the floor for questions from the council.

Uh we'll start with councilman Elliott.

His light is not litting lit.

He has a question because he's read.

So he has a question.

Councilman Elliott, you have the floor for a question.

Question on the I just want to clarify.

I'm just fat and I couldn't breathe.

Just bear with me.

I'm just trying to bring you ask.

We can't get in.

Councilman.

That's it.

The chorus.

That's it.

Are there any questions from any other council?

No questions.

Uh, whatever process you guys go through, uh, that's fine.

I trust you guys to find a good pick and we'll examine once you guys find that.

Cedric, you're doing great.

Uh thank you, Councilman Elliott.

Your time has expired.

Now moving to further on.

Uh Madam Chairwoman Hill.

Thank you.

Um, interesting idea.

Uh something that's important to me is continuity and process.

Uh, and we know that the administration uh has been working on making a more consistent process for hiring department heads.

Um, I personally would be in favor of a consistent process.

Um I know is is uh a very detailed and intentional department with how they do what they do, so any process needs to be able to withstand the full um scrutiny of labor law.

Be my thoughts on that.

That's all.

Thank you.

Thanks, ma'am.

And in my uh response to that, we're not foregoing any HR practices.

I would assume that internally that the mayor and the chief operating officer would hear to those HR practices before he makes any of his selections in our charter, it require it gives the mayor the prerogative uh to make that selection, and I think the process that I think would be more sufficient for this position uh is to allow more involvement and collaborative time with the council before we vote.

I think to the criticism when we were hiring the fire chief, you know, I think this would alleviate some of those concerns by including council in on those conversations on the forefront to actually uh create a more standard operating process that's not as controversy.

Um to me, I think would be smoother.

So uh again, the prerogative of the mayor without a vote of the council, and I for this particular committee um I'm asking that before he makes his appointment that they meet with each of us first, and then we have the opportunity to give recommendation and thoughts on that candidate before he announces it to the public.

Thank you, thank you, councilman.

I would just say that we you know we do always try to follow policy or HR rules.

Obviously, there is a little more leeway with appointed positions that are uh mayoral appointments.

Um it's a learning experience for me, you know.

That I've been through two so far with parks.

We did one way and then uh got some feedback and we did a different way with with the fire chief, got some more feedback.

Um we actually started as we went through the fire chief, started documenting out a process, and then we've gotten some more feedback since then, and then uh what your recommendations are that you provided to me on Friday.

So you know, to Chairwoman Hills uh point, we do want to have uh a standard of a process as we can, um, and that's where what we're trying to build out, but we also want to incorporate the feedback and the um opportunities you have to improve that.

So we I appreciate the comments.

Thank you, uh Mr Wilson.

That's so funny.

Because anyway, say inside job, then it's the minutes, Mr.

Wilson.

Anyway, all right.

So uh seeing no other questions, Mr.

Wilson.

I think we're gonna move on down the agenda.

Thank you.

Are there any closing remarks or next steps?

I will so there are some next steps.

Uh what are the next steps in regards to the ordinance being placed on the agenda?

I know it's up for future considerations, but would that be the next step for community development?

It's for us to hit that in future considerations regarding how that the restructure would be.

Yeah, I think the COS side of the house is the one that's actually putting that on the agenda, but essentially we would want to make sure that what we're proposing would be approved before we move forward with any anything.

Read items A and B as package.

Item A, an ordinance closing and abandoning the unopened right of way in the 200 block of Tremont Street as detailed on the attached maps, subject to certain conditions.

Item B, an ordinance closing and abandoning the unopened right-of-way in the unit block of Chambless Street as shown on the attached maps subject to certain conditions.

Thank you very much.

Council?

Move to approve.

Thank you.

Council, we have a motion on the floor to approve with a proper second.

If you have any questions or comments, hit your light.

So with that, all in favor?

No.

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Thank you.

All right, we're moving into planning items.

Item A.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So as to rezon property located at 4525 Higgs and Pike from CC commercial corridor zone to IL Light Industrial Zone.

Thank you.

This is case planning case number 2025 0099.

Is the applicant present?

Is there any opposition present?

Thank you.

This is about a block and a half south of Eli Road.

Just to compare those two zones again, going from CC to IL.

The CC commercial corridor zone is attended to accommodate commercial development along corridors.

It mixes residential, commercial, service, and institutional and serves both the neighborhood and community at large.

So the applicant has storage containers on the site that are aren't allowed in the current CC zone that are triggering the need for the I.

There's no recent zoning history of the site.

The sites surrounded by non-residential uses, including commercial and office uses.

So this is the building, Hickson Pike will be to your right in this picture.

And these are the storage containers triggering the rezoning.

But just a note that although we're kind of talking about the storage container, overall the plan does not support industrial zoning or uses at this site.

So staff recommendation was to deny the site surrounded by non-residential uses, but the request is not compatible with adopted land use plan.

There's no industrial zoning near the site, and the IEL zone will introduce a higher intense development form along Hicks and Plot Hicks and Pike.

There was opposition present planning commission, um appearance of the storage units themselves and the use and zone.

Planning commission determined the request is not compatible with the plan, development form and adjacent land uses and planning commission recommended denial.

Thank you very much, Karen.

So the applicant is not present.

We do have opposition present.

Opposition, if you would like to, you may have up to nine minutes total to share your perspective on this application.

Good evening, Council Hannah Claire Bogas with Chambless Modern Stowfall on behalf of Beacon Alliance, which operates Highland Pediatrics, which is directly behind the subject property.

As you can sort of see from the map on the screen, Highlands parking lot goes right up to the property line, and the current placement of the shipping containers, which we understand is where the owner intends to leave them, creates what I call an attractive nuisance to the children that come to the medical office.

There have been several instances so far where moms have come into the office and said, you know, the kids were running over to the storage containers, and so our client just has sort of a safety concern, and that there's nothing currently preventing any of the children from going up and seeing the containers.

Also, just from a land use perspective, we agree with staff's recommendation and planning commission that it's a precedent that we don't want to set in this corridor where there are existing commercial uses.

We don't think that industrial is compatible, particularly with a property that runs right off of Hicks and Pike.

And I will yield the rest of the time to Mr.

Tom Dupre.

I'm Tom Dupre, and guess he said it has me to represent him as he is out of town.

I've been involved in his uh development since day one and sold the property to him and gone through the rezoning and he is getting ready to break ground on a $13 million townhouse facility that would overlook this facility here.

And so I wanted to give just a few key points on why we feel like and he does, this would not be appropriate for the corridor.

And just like they said that it's a commercial and retail and professional center and not really a place for cargo containers to be in that area.

And I'm afraid that too, if you uh would approve those uses, then all of a sudden you know it's gonna open up Pandora's box for these to pop up.

And one of the things too is that the townhouses are going to be two stories tall.

So the people that would be living in the area adjoining this will be looking down upon these containers.

So I don't think that uh a kind of a spot zoning would be a good idea for that.

Also, a uh potential opportunity for him if he needs storage is to build uh a one-story garage-like looking facility with garage doors or some of the nice, you know, uh storage facilities that you see kind of at a home depot or low, something along that nature and architecture would be much more compatible with uh the need for any kind of storage.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So, council, this is in my district, um, and I am generally very mindful of what the area plans have in them, and also um the zoning around the area and being mindful of zoning for the locate the piece of property, not the project.

Um, so I'll start with those comments.

Councilman Burrs, I see that you have your light on.

Um, I was gonna make a motion to deny the request, but if there's other discussion, yield to that.

I would be in support of that motion if there's someone that would like to second it.

Second.

Okay, council, we have a motion on the floor to deny, and we have a proper second.

Any further comments or questions?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion to deny passes.

Thank you very much.

Item B, please.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So as to rezone property located in the 1000 block of Lepton Drive from R N three residential neighborhood zone to CC commercial corridors, subject to certain conditions.

Thank you very much.

This is planning case 2025 0109.

Is the applicant present?

Is there any opposition present?

Council, this is also in district two, and it is uh appropriate for the area.

I would welcome as the district two representative a motion to approve.

Okay, move to approve.

Second.

Thank you very much.

We have a motion on the floor to approve with a proper second.

Do I have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion passes, and they're gonna have to build a sidewalk, y'all, on left and drive.

Love it.

Um item C, please.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So as to rezone properties located at 7458 and 7460 Pinewood Drive from RN16 residential neighborhood zone to R N two residential neighborhood zone.

Thank you.

This is planning case 2025 0054.

Is the applicant present?

Is there any opposition present?

Councilman Harvey, this is your in your district.

How would you like to proceed?

Thank you, Madam Chair.

After uh multiple attempts to reach the developer, um, we have not heard from them.

I've not heard from them.

We even had a neighborhood meeting last night uh on Pinewood Drive, and they were not uh present there either.

Um so uh uh planning commission has also recommended to deny this case.

So I make a motion to deny item C, please.

Thank you, Council.

We have a motion on the floor to deny with a proper second.

Hit your light if you have any questions or comments.

All in favor?

Aye.

Motion to deny passes.

Item D.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So as to rezone properties located at 1721, 1723, 1725, and 1735 joiner road from CNT neighborhoods transition commercial zone and RN16 residential neighborhood zone to R N three residential neighborhood zone, subject to certain conditions.

Thank you.

This is planning case number 2025 0112.

Is the applicant present?

Thank you.

Do we have any opposition present?

Okay.

Right.

This is this is in district four, councilman Harvey.

Um Harvey.

I got one coming up.

Okay.

Would would you like a presentation?

No, and the this case is is the opposite case of the last one.

The developer uh has been more than agreeable and communicative.

Um he hosted a neighborhood meeting where those in attendance were agreeable to the uh the zoning case as well.

So uh thank you for being so uh communicative, Mike.

We appreciate that, and so does the neighborhood.

I make a motion to uh approve.

I second.

Thank you, James.

Terrific.

We have a motion on the floor to approve with a proper second.

Hit your light if you've got any questions or comments.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Thank you, council.

Item E, please.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So as to rezone property located at 7117 Bonnie Oaks Drive from RN16 residential neighborhood zone to CNT neighborhood transition commercial zone, subject to certain conditions.

Thank you.

This is planning case 2025 0089.

Is the applicant present?

Is the up any opposition present?

Councilwoman Burris, this is in your district.

We have no one present.

How would you like to proceed?

Yeah, I would like uh to move to approve with with the special conditions.

And are the conditions listed on this document, or do we need to read them in?

They should be in the document.

Okay.

Great.

Can I get a second council?

All right.

We have a motion on the floor to approve item E with a proper second.

If we've got any questions or comments, hit your light.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item F, please.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38, zoning ordinance.

So as to rezone part of a property located at 6401 Mountain View Road from CC Commercial Corridor Zone to INST Institutional Zone, subject to certain conditions.

Thank you.

This is planning case 2025 0102.

Is the applicant present?

Do we have any opposition present?

Councilman Burrs, this is in your district.

How would you like to proceed?

Yep, uh I heard from the engineering company and they asked for a deferral till September 9th, please.

And I would like to make a motion to defer until September 9th.

Second.

Okay, council, we have a motion on the floor to defer until September 9th with a proper second.

If you have any questions or comments, hit your light.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item G.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38, zoning ordinance, so as to lift condition number one from ordinance number 13935 of previous case number 2022-0233 on properties located at 4905 and 4907, Patton Town Road, and to add a new condition.

This is planning case 2025 0111.

Is the applicant present?

Yes.

Do we have any opposition present?

Councilwoman Burrs.

Yeah.

Um Karen, I have a question about this one.

I'm gonna make a motion to approve, but I just want to make sure I'm approving the correct version.

This is where they were gonna lift the condition on that development.

Is that that's correct?

That's correct.

They were lifting one condition, but staff recommended replacing it with another condition to conform to the plan.

So that's that's that's the one the planning commission approved.

That's correct.

Single unit detach residential and accessory drawings only.

Okay, sorry.

And that is the proposed use.

Okay, versus the applicant's version.

Okay.

Um, I would like to make a motion to approve uh with the new condition.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

We have a motion to approve council.

All right, with a proper second.

Hit your light if you have any questions or comments.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item H.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So as to rezone property located at 3524 Broad Street from CMU1 commercial mixed use zone to CR regional commercial zone, subject to certain conditions.

Thank you.

This is planning case 2025 0105.

Is the applicant present?

Is there any opposition present?

Councilwoman Dotley, this is in your district.

Yeah, thank you so much, madam chair.

Um, overall I received a favorable response for this particular zone.

And I do want to get on record if Mr.

Price could come up or carrying about the um the traffic to sort of be on the record how the traffic flow goes for that for this particular uh property.

I can add one com um one item, which is the resolution has a condition added, so that was discussion at planning commission and all um in response to opposition planning commission's recommending a condition in it's in the ordinance to no vehicular access to charge or drive.

Okay, all right, and then that is um uh Mikey Good.

All right, so with that I'm excited to have a new schoolers even more development in District 7 on Brow Street, very excited to have a new schoolers coming in.

So with that, I'll move to approve.

Second, thank you.

Council, we have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Thank you, council.

Item I an ordinance to approve corrections to the official zoning map as referenced below.

Council.

Thank you.

All right, we've got a motion to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor, aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

All right, moving into resolutions.

Economic development item A, please.

A resolution authorizing the transfer of 588,809 and 98 cents in remaining funds from the terminated Chattanooga Opportunity Fund with Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise CNE to the Industrial Development Board, IDB, account number NR 14 Z 00306 to be used for economic development purposes.

Thank you.

Council, we have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

Hit your light if you've got any questions or comments.

All in favor?

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item B, please.

A resolution rescinding resolution number 32212 and authorizing the administrator for the Department of Economic Development to execute a second amendment to the agreement with the Chattanooga Area Regional Council of Government's Southeast Tennessee Development District for the management of the city's EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant, adding the option to renew for one additional year for one additional one year term, and authorizing the administrator for the Department of Economic Development to execute an agreement to exercise option to renew for an additional one year term beginning September 1st, 2025 and ending on August 31st, 2026.

Second.

Council, we have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

All in favor?

Opposed?

Motion passes.

All right, we're gonna take uh items C and D as a package, please.

Item C a resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to award contract number S2501201, Mountain Creek Stream Restoration to Global Infrastructure Inc.

of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the amount of $1,815,000 with a contingency in the amount of 181,500 for a total amount of $1,996,500.

Item D, a resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to award contract number 02001, Chattanooga Skate Park to Robert Roberts LLC of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the amount of $999,834 and 98 cents, with a contingency in the amount of $49,991 and 75 cents for an amount not to exceed $1,049,826 and 73 cents.

Thank you.

Council, we have a motion on the floor to approve with the proper second.

Councilman Henderson.

I'm good.

All right.

If you've got any comments or questions, please hit your light.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Let's take E and F as a package, please.

Item E.

A resolution authorizing the administrator for the wastewater department to award contract number W20019201, Big Ridge 2 Pump Station Improvement Projects to Jay Brennan Construction of Dalton, Georgia, for pump station improvements at Big Ridge 2 Pump Station in the amount of $1,826,000 with a contingency in the amount of 182,600 for a total amount not to exceed $2,0800.

Item F.

A resolution authorizing the reassignment of existing contracts from WK Dixon to Ardura Group Inc.

due to the acquisition of WK Dixon by Ardura Group Inc.

and directing all future contract obligations, rights, and responsibilities to be transferred to Ardura Group Inc.

Effective upon adoption of this resolution.

Councilman Harvey.

I had a comment just regarding public works, but I'll make a move to uh motion to approve.

I apologize.

That's okay.

We have a motion to approve, Council.

Second.

Thank you.

With a proper second.

If you've got any questions or comments, please hit your light, and I will do my best to see it.

All in favor?

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Councilman Harvey, would you like to make your comment about public works?

Please, thank you.

Um I just wanted to give a quick shout out to our administrator of public works, Jeremy Wood.

Over the weekend, we uh received a um an issue over in my district with a memorial sign that was dedicated to uh deputy uh Donald Bond.

The sign had fallen over, and uh David Carroll actually is the one who uh recognized it and it uh through a storm or something had fallen over and gotten dirty, and within like maybe two hours of me calling uh or texting Jeremy, his team went out uh that night, and it was a mind you it's over the weekend, and uh was able to get the sign and within 15 hours had a brand new sign uh to memorialize Deputy Donald Bond over in East Brainerd.

So I just wanted to shout out Jeremy Wood, your awesome thank you to you and your team for uh everything you do, and that was I was highly impressed.

Thank you, Councilman.

Let's move on to purchases, please.

Good evening.

Um, do we need um to go ahead and amend uh um amend um the second purchase that I have?

Are we good to we don't need to actually amend it, but if you will as you read it, please make note of the clear for the record you got and make the correction okay.

Um I have three purchases recommended for approval this evening.

The first one is for fleet.

This is a purchase of one Kubota skid steer in the amount of ninety-eight thousand seven hundred thirty-four dollars and sixty-seven cents for the use by street at state street aid public works.

This purchase is utilizing the source well contract.

The second one is for fleet year three renewal, Pandora's European motor sports has requested a in the original document, it says 14%.

This needs to be corrected to 16% price increase due to the model year change and tariffs.

The new estimated annual spend will be $600,000.

Uh fleet has approved the increase.

Number three is for technology services.

Council approval is requested for a name change from grid smart technology to cubic transportation systems for agreement PA100107.

With the amendment, yes, please.

Thank you.

Council, we are going to make a motion.

We have a motion on the floor to approve with the uh verbal amendment.

Um we have a proper second.

Do we have any questions or comments?

All in favor, aye opposed.

Motion passes.

I have two sole source purchases to report.

The first one is for wastewater, it's IT pipe software.

IT pipes will provide the soul inspection software that integrates with the existing sewer inspection cameras, trucks, and other equipment for a total price of 22,425.

The second one is also for wastewater, Varick Flame Arrestors, Echo Tech is an exclusive authorized sales representative in Tennessee to provide Varitech Flame resistors related to digester gas and biogas applications for a total cost of 30,372.

Thank you very much.

Okay, council.

Brings us to committee reports.

Councilman Elliott.

Uh new report, but I will like to remind the public that uh district nine is having our district wide town hall.

Uh this coming Monday the 18th at 6 p.m.

at redemption to the nation's church on Bailey Avenue.

Love for y'all to be there.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Dotley.

Yeah, thank you so much, Madam Chair.

Uh Councilman Henderson speaks at Hog meeting today, but I didn't want to remind people that next week, August 19th, we'll have a public hearing on uh the budget amendment, particularly the mayor's budget amendment.

Uh, and that currently, and then August 26th, we have first read also on August 26th, we'll have a public hearing for uh the budget amendment presented by um uh councilman Henderson and co-sponsored by Councilman Davis that will be on August 26th, also with ours read yes as well.

Okay, also with first read as well, and whichever comes out in the wash, we will have a second read for it on sets in with a knife.

All right, is that all right?

Okay, of course.

Thank you so much, madam chair.

And it will be done.

Thank you, and no committee report, but uh district six will have a town hall meeting on August 21st.

That's Thursday at Time Community Center at 6 p.m.

Okay, Vice Chair, or I'm coming back to you at the end.

Um councilman Henderson.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Um I did chair a very spirited ad hoc committee today uh concerning uh finalizing an alternate version uh to our budget amendment.

Uh and is stated there will be um a public hearing on that on the uh 26th as well as the first read uh of that um of our amended budget anyway.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Councilman Davis.

No report, thank you.

Councilman Harvey.

No report.

Councilman Clark.

Thank you.

Uh Madam Chair do have a report.

Um we did have our community development committee meeting today.

Uh we heard from uh administrator Cedric Kinson and uh deputy administrator, deputy chief operating officer Steve Wilson.

Um just regarding uh some of the administrative functions that are coming up on future considerations and just uh some amazing things happening in our summer camps.

So thank you again to that group for uh presenting.

Um I would like to make some district announcements of district five is hosting a series of of town hall meetings uh starting on the 21st at Brainerd High School at 6 o'clock.

You have three options.

The second option will be Saturday, I think August the 23rd at Hill Christ Elementary School at 10 a.m.

And if you miss that one, your third option you can watch online virtually that Sunday at 6 p.m.

So we district five has three opportunities uh to participate in town hall hearings uh prior to our first and second reading of our budgets, madam chair.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Councilman Dotley, you have your your light?

Yes, I'm so sorry, and I forgot to mention the time of those public hearings are uh both uh on the 19th, both the 19th and 26th at 3 30.

And then also I did notice on our agenda, and I didn't mention this earlier because it was a lot going on.

On here it has public hearing, administration proposal reintent to exceed certified tax rate.

I think it just needs the public hearing.

We can call it amendment one or mayor's amendment or something, but I think that's just a lot and a little uh a bit much to have that on there like that.

So if we can just have public hearing, um mayor's proposal or something like that.

I think that's a reasonable.

This is a Mr.

Attorney, do you have an opinion on that?

Well, right now you have not set the certified tax rate, so that's that's the reason you do sort of need to include that here.

On the public hearing part.

Yes, we have okay.

Because it it's the the current rate for the uh the area by the assessor is 155.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Okay.

All right, thank you, Madam Chair.

All right, Madam Vice Chair.

No report, Madam Chair.

Okay, thank you very much.

All right, council.

We have reached the end of our business, and the time when we are happy to recognize persons who are here and wish to address the council.

If you are here and would like to address the council, please line up behind the podium and listen while our attorney reads the rules.

Yes, ma'am.

At the end of each council business meeting, the chair recognize members of the public who wish to address the council, and here's your rules.

Each speaker wishing to address the council can only be recognized at the microphone up front for that purpose.

You can't have more than three minutes to speak, and you can address the council only upon matters within their legislative and quasi judicial authority and not on matters which are not under their authority or regulated by other governmental bodies or agencies.

Do not engage in vulgar or obscene language nor use the poor to personally attack or personally denigrate others and address your comments to the council as a whole and not towards individual council members.

Lastly, do not engage in disorderly conduct or disrupting a public meeting, which is prohibited by Tennessee law.

And someone commits that offense if a person substantially obstructs or interferes with a meeting by physical action or verbal utterance with the intent to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting or gathering.

Having stated those rules, please go ahead, ma'am.

Good evening.

I live at 4410 Maryland Drive, and I am a concerned citizen.

And thank you.

Do you know what district that is?

No, I don't.

I'm sorry.

You don't.

Okay, so we've got the address, and our clerk can do that.

Okay.

Thank you for the time, energy, and effort in looking for a compromise budget considering taxpayers and the salaries of our essential services of fire employees.

I support a compromise.

The subject for me today is extremely necessary considerations for developmental approval.

Evidently, when developers have approached Chat and they go, the following questions don't appear to be considered.

One, what kind of a city do the citizens want this to be?

Fabulous quality of life versus mindless development for more tax dollars.

Is this a safe area to develop?

I shared this with the commission.

Commissioner one of them reminded me to think about safety.

Do we have the water sewer systems to handle this development?

Do we have the roads to accommodate this development?

So the traffic does not look like downtown Christmas traffic, 240 work days a year.

Do we have the schools to accommodate the students from this development?

Does this enhance the B quality of life in our city or detract from it?

How much tax money does this actually bring in?

Um, City Council friends, would you be willing to live next door to this development?

Um there's been much recent development downtown.

Uh a friend asked me, where's all this uh tax money gone?

Thank you for listening and getting accurate data before making critical decisions which affect all of us.

Considering quality of life, becoming the city we want, and developing as we should.

It does not have to be one or the other.

Sincerely, Sabrina Gryce Daniel thing about Saren's case.

Thank you.

Do you have anyone else who'd like to address the council tonight?

Come on up.

My name is Christine Nguyen from District 9, and in the next three minutes, I want to throw out some numbers to illustrate how Mayor Kelly's fiscal decisions manufactured a crisis that's now forcing you, the council, to choose between taxing working families or underfunding essential services.

Since 2021, Kelly increased executive spending 210% from 2.1 million to 6.5 million, adding 11 senior positions, earning between 126 to 147,000 annually versus 40,000 starting salaries for first responders.

He eliminated 29 lower paid positions but created 32 new ones in technology services alone.

Three expensive housing directors couldn't prevent 80% housing price increases while wages rose only 23%.

He expanded communication staff for political spin.

They're calling the proposed 1.99 tax rate a historic tax cut while omitting that state law mandates just 1.55.

The city filed an intent to exceed the certified tax rate, proving they knew this wasn't the tax cut their advertising to constituents.

This deceptive messaging erodes public trust and shows these positions serve politics over governance.

The mayor has committed over 500 million dollars to development projects that includes 12 million stadium exposure and 115 million TIF over 20 years, while families face a 400 annual tax increase for basic services.

Chattanooga was already thriving.

Volkswagen's 3.5 billion investment and 4,000 plus jobs, innovation districts, $865 million impact, chamber exceeding goals three years early by 2020, all prove that the mayor's deals were not necessary catalysts.

Additionally, except extensive research shows publicly funded stadiums provide poor returns.

83% of leading economists agree that subsidies exceed any economic benefits.

That 227 million could have created two to three times more jobs through direct small business support instead of subsidizing private development that may never materialize.

We've also added historic amount of debt service for the city to bear.

Kelly's administration saw 1,628 voluntary terminations in his first term.

That's 76% of departures over both BERC terms.

He built top-heavy bureaucracy with outside consultants while frontline staff left due to low pay, intimidation, and operational chaos, costing taxpayers in hiring, training, and disruption.

Now departments and council people scramble to justify why operational budgets shouldn't be cut while administrative bloat goes unquestioned.

How can we trust the administration's budget justifications given their proven mismanagement and manipulation effects?

This isn't just about a tax rate.

It's about whether you'll give Kelly a blank check to continue this mismanagement.

Passing this increase without demanding administrative cuts and accountability measures ensures he can keep wasting taxpayer dollars.

Thank you.

Hello again.

I'm gonna read this time because I wandered last time.

Budgets are about priorities and priorities, or sometimes in the eye of the beholder.

Each one of the nine of you may have different priorities and that are equally important to each one of you.

I appreciate this council's intent to give fire and police the needed raises they have asked for.

What worries me is that government still needs funded.

My worry is that if the remaining services are not funded or cut, it could affect the amount of raise that is available for the members of this fire department.

As police chief chambers stated a couple weeks ago, the amounts that have been requested brings us to the bottom of what is competitive with similar departments, and that does not leave a lot of wiggle room.

I trust the amounts will not be altered, but that's a lot of trust.

And I wrote that in like bold capital letters.

That's a lot of trust.

I have no reason to that to not trust the Kelly administration.

Honestly, they have delivered on every every reasonable request that we have had.

However, I do understand the way of the world, and I don't want to see any unintended consequences.

If those numbers are altered or lowered, you will spend millions of dollars and see absolutely no return on your investment.

People will still leave for higher paying departments, and people will still retire at their first opportunity.

The number that worries me the most is 176.

That's 37 existing vacancies that we already have, along with 139 members that will be eligible to retire in the next five years.

That is 40% of the Chattanooga Fire Department.

Granted, we will hire people along the way.

Um, but that's 40% of our senior leadership.

Passing this raise could have that senior leadership stick around for at least another six years.

That'll give us time to train the newer firefighters coming up.

Um I'm 52.

I have a lot of 20-year-olds that work for me.

I don't want a truckload of 20-year-olds rolling up on to the fire that my family's in.

No offense, they're gonna do great work.

But decision making sometimes needs to be made.

So I I winged that part, so I didn't read that part.

Uh Councilwoman Dolly, you spoke earlier about the uh ISO one rating in the uh in the work session in there.

Um, and how not adding ladder 21 to the budget could affect in the East Brainer area could affect that that rating.

And that is that is a concern.

But the real concerns are staffing.

The staffing of the existing fire companies are the bigger concern and could fall but below a critical level.

Staffing is more important and should not and should not be able to add uh more important than not being able to add fire companies, we'll have to brown out stations.

That means that we'll have to shut down stations for sometimes one, two, three or four days.

Um, and that will affect the safety of our communities.

So thank you.

Um hold on just a second.

Council, do we have any questions?

I I have a question.

I'd just like to get a little bit of clarity.

Um Chief Hyman talked about ladder 21.

He said that that was a critical need.

Um, that you needed 15 staff and the appropriate equipment and rig.

Um, and when I spoke with then interim chief knowles, now Chief Knowles, he said that that was very important and provided me the numbers for that, which I brought to council last week.

Um, when I look at Mayor Kelly's, and then uh budget chairwoman Dotley brought up the fact that she's concerned about the ISO rating, and and thank you for the clarity that the 21 ladder 21 isn't directly tied to the immediate concerns you have with our ISO rate.

Is that what you're saying?

Is not somewhat, yes.

So I've I've worked here for 18 years, and in those 18 years, our population's grown from 151 million to almost 200 million now, right?

Or to 151,000 to almost 200,000 now.

Um, in that time, we've added one fire company.

We've been we've just been splitting companies or splitting personnel to staff news stations.

Okay, so that's my biggest concern.

Okay, so what I don't see in the dollar ninety-nine proposal from Mayor Kelly is the ladder 21 company or the rig for that.

I thought that it was in there.

I think that's a question uh for Kevin.

Um, but so following last week's okay, I'm like JSAF.

Following um last week's session with you guys, we we did update the numbers and the line items to be able to one plus up the previously set aside dollars for a fire truck from 1.1 to 1.6, and then we um we added the station 21 at 4 million, and then we took off Berkman, took off Monday, adjusted some other numbers, and and um we had to eliminate the transfer over to the police and fire pension fund to make it all still balanced at the 1990, but we wanted to incorporate the feedback that you guys had given us last week.

So it is it is in there.

Will you please send us a new itemized list of the 1990?

Thank you very much.

Um that's all my questions, but councilwoman Dotley has her light.

Let me turn it over to her.

Um, yes, so thank you.

Thank you so much, Keith for that.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I just want to briefly state as I stated earlier uh in our budget session.

If you brown in our stations, it may not be not a station browned out in district seven.

I just wanted to state that on the record, and uh hopefully between either you know, either one, somewhere in there, you know.

Hopefully, you know, um hopefully, madam chair, get that information from administration that we can get shared or um through uh the uh councilman Henderson's and Councilman Davis's legislation and Madam Chair's legislation uh amended budget that somewhere in there we can we can see that because again that is that if something's gonna impact homeown homeownership insurance, that is gonna be a big one, and we don't want to wait.

We already got to wait 600 days to get it, so we want to make sure that we we we are addressing that in either one of those.

So that is my um that is just my statement, so thank you so much, madam chair.

Thank you.

For the record, locally 20 is very much in favor of liner 21.

Yeah, yes.

Thank you.

Just one second.

We've got councilman Henderson as well.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Keith, uh so uh I I don't I'm a little confused.

I mean, you know, we were first told the number was 18 million, and then we were told the number was 24 million for salaries, nine million for police and 14 million for fire.

Are you telling me now that that's not enough to effectively stop brownouts?

No, no, no, no.

I'm I'm I'm saying, and it's just like Chief Chambers said that the money requested was was money that wasn't deemed to be absurd or overly, you know, I totally agree with that.

I my only concern was uh from what you uh addressed tonight.

Um I mean I believe something's gonna be passed up here that's gonna give fire 14 million dollars.

And I think that was a concern of my statement was that uh something's gonna be passed.

Let me just say something's gonna be passed that's gonna give fire 14 million dollars.

Right.

I think we can all agree on that.

Okay, so I that's uh you're you're still talking about brownouts, and I'm I'm trying to understand if if you're just concerned that we're not gonna pass the 14 million.

If does the 14 million 14 million keep us from having brownouts?

In my opinion, it does.

Okay, we're good.

Yeah, I hope we are.

Thank you.

So we're good.

Something's gonna be passed.

Give you 14 million.

Councilman Harvey.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Uh, since uh station 21 is in my district, I do have a question.

Uh maybe that's for uh Chief Knowles or uh Kevin or someone.

Um I've heard a few numbers circulating that.

What do we know the the amount uh of money that we need to take care of station 21?

About four million dollars total.

Now we get the 1.7 million, 1.6 for the truck, uh about 100,000 dollars worth of new equipment that would go on that truck, and then the uh 15 personnel to staff it.

Uh three captains, three lieutenants, and uh three, six, nine firefighters.

So total four million, yes, sir.

Okay, thank you.

A little bit of equipment for the station beds to accommodate the extra 15 personnel and things like that, but that should be right around there.

Okay, thank you, Chief.

That's all, madam chair.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Clark.

I think thank you, madam chair.

I want to echo something uh councilman Chip Henderson said, and something will be passed for fire and police, and we know that, but to keep correct so one key element I want to uh reiterate something you said was that we still have other city services.

We run we run other services outside of fire and police, and I need to your point that you said was yes, something will be done for fire and police, but not at the detriment of other departments.

Like I can't we can't take care of fire and police, and then something else we got to come back and fix next week or next year.

Like we have to start thinking logically on a macroeconomic level because of course we want to help fire and police, but not at the detriment of public health, community development, wastewater.

The uh the other services that you guys get to enjoy, other than fire police.

So I just want to reiterate the point that you said that didn't get caught was that yes, we want to do something fire police.

All of these proposals will, but keep in mind that we also have other city services that other people work in other than fire police, that we don't want to cause a detriment towards that is responsible governing.

So I just want to people are commenting to what you said, but they forgot that part.

So I just wanted to reiterate that.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Is it my time?

Looking fabulous, yes.

Go ahead.

On a lighter note, I want to invite you to continue my.

You say your name, your name and district for the record, please.

Janice Gooden.

Thank you.

I'm in the Riverside Amnacola area of the Great District 8.

My name is Janice Gooden.

And I want to invite you to continue my celebration of my 74th birthday.

My first request is that you not sing.

Thank you.

I happen to share a birthday with Julius Rosenwall, who was born in 1862, passed away in 1932.

He was a philanthropist.

And uh he's doing a great job.

Okay, my last ask is that you give some consideration to the time of the second meeting, the business meeting for city council, even though I have time freedom.

I'm flexible with my schedule, but people that work would like to be here.

But you know, it's kind of confusing not knowing what time the next meeting is going to start.

So I want you to give some consideration to that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else here who'd like to address the council?

Council, it looks like we were all right.

We are going.

Oh, y'all, councilman.

Are you okay?

All right, good.