Good afternoon, everyone.

I now call this agenda meeting of the Chattanooga City Council Tuesday, October the twenty first, twenty twenty-five to order.

Thank you for being with us, whether you are here in person or joining us online.

The Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation will be led by Councilman Harvey.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

All right.

Thank you.

Yes.

You know, we have to celebrate our council family birthdays.

29 birthday.

29.

What if I make it looking mighty fast?

Okay, thank you so much.

Council family, you have received the minutes from our last meeting.

Are there any corrections?

If so, please hit your lights.

Okay, seeing none, may I have a motion on the proof of the minutes?

Second.

Okay, I have a motion with a proper second.

All in favor say aye.

Opposed.

Then the minutes are as stands approved as submitted.

All right, let's take a look at our agenda for today.

Ordinances on the final reading.

If you have any questions or concerns, please hit your light.

Wastewater planning.

Ordinance on the first reading.

We only have one.

But if there's any questions or comments, please hit your light.

I do have one.

Councilman Elliott.

Yes, ma'am.

Under the city attorney's office, can we give some backstory on uh billing and charges for district records?

Is this you feel or someone else?

Yes, I'd be glad uh Chris was uh at least getting ready to come up as well.

But uh this ordinance here uh is a provision in the city code that provides for uh updates for the record charges based upon the uh I guess the indexing that is allowed in the city code here, and it comes up uh supposed to be annually on here for a review review based upon is it what the consumer price index increase is that how it goes up?

It's the Bureau of Labor Statistics annual inflation rate.

Okay, so there's an inflation rate kicked into the ordinance itself, and it's increasing the amounts of those daytime toes only for district record rates here with those numbers that are up on the screen right now.

Okay, yes, sir, and this is required by the ordinance that council passed, I believe unanimously in 2023 uh that guaranteed this annual increase at that time.

Can I ask are we allowed uh we can change things at any time?

Sure.

Okay, sir.

Just have to do another ordinance amendment.

Yes, okay.

Thank you, sir.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, madam chair.

Okay, you good, yes, ma'am.

All right, council family.

If we would take a look at resolutions under the mayor's office, office of city attorney.

Any questions or comments?

Is that you?

Are you still councilman Elliott?

Are you no?

That's Ola.

Oh, okay.

Questions or comment, please hit your light on the wastewater.

Police any questions or concerns.

All right.

Seeing none, take a look at purchases for today.

Okay, Councilman Elliott.

Yes, ma'am.

I'm looking at a uh technology services.

We have Gardner Consulting for IT and research purposes.

Uh hi, Councilman Cheryl Neal, CIO.

So, Gardner is uh the leading uh third-party consultancy, not to do work here in the city, but to provide us research and other technical information about the kinds of decisions we want to make about technology here in the city.

So, across a range of things, all the kinds of hardware that we buy, all the kinds of software that we might be considering, the way we might go after a particular improvement area.

So they're known globally as the best service uh of that type, and we use them to inform us so that we can make better decisions and make better use of our funds.

So, pretty much just so I understand.

Are we just kind of using it to kind of expand what is possible as we're looking to grow and change?

There's a range of services that they provide uh it's uh in the form of research to us.

Okay, that helps.

Okay, thanks so much.

Yes, sir.

That's our mountain chair.

Okay, you're welcome.

All right, council family.

If uh you will please take a look at next week's proposed agenda.

Any questions or comments?

Please hit your light.

Councilman Elliott.

Uh this is for next week.

Are we uh and I saw saw this is in our packet.

Are we gonna have a special presentation on some of these EIG changes?

Or is this something that we can ask about now?

I think you can ask now.

Okay.

Uh so I let me say we're doing uh a change in on call and callback pay.

Um what does that exactly look like for some of us who may not maybe new to it and so it's the broader thing as all so happy to answer that?

Mandy Green, uh COO.

So that was during the budget amendment when we uh asked for approval for that.

We had a ten dollar um on call and we doubled that to twenty dollars, and then the um standby pay saying we doubled the amount.

So can you explain exactly how it works, so when someone is on on call, they were expected to respond to a call whenever something happens if there's um a need for them to come in, and so they essentially are housebound, right?

They can't go out of town, they can't do anything that they could not be at work to do.

Um, and so that is their pay that they get on top of their regular pay for being on call.

And is it an hourly basis or is it something that is provided on a daily basis?

I I don't have it in front of me.

I think it's by the day, ten dollars a day, and so it'd be twenty dollars a day.

All right, all right, it's ten dollars flat.

What'd you say?

It was ten dollars flat or twenty dollars flat.

It's not a lot.

All right, it's not a lot.

Okay, but I appreciate you at least providing council.

No problem.

Any other questions?

Yes, I think you have you change your mind.

My question was okay.

Then no.

Are we good?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Are you good, Councilman Ellie?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, but you okay, Councilman Clark?

Thank you.

Um, madam chair.

Oh, I got lost.

Hold on.

I'm under uh resolutions.

I think it's resolutions, it's resolutions nine.

I think this is district six.

So weird.

But it mentions the amendment to the economic impact plan for the North River Commerce Center.

Why does that say district?

District six page four.

That's before the page before that.

Yeah, but that's it goes up on the page before.

Oh, okay.

So, question for the amendment to the second amendment to the economic plan for the development of the North River Commerce Center Dust or Park.

Is that have we already discussed that or just for educational purposes?

I have hello.

Yeah, Sharita.

She's coming.

Oh, thank you, Sheridan.

I didn't see you.

I'm not good afternoon, Council Shirley Allen, senior advisor for economic workforce development.

Um, this council received a presentation on that at the last economic development committee meeting.

After that presentation, it then went to the IDB for a public hearing, which was held.

Uh it then went to county commission for vote, county commission approved it, and uh next week it's vote for city council.

Thank you.

Is that what we're referring to as the North Gate project?

Like with this is totally different.

It's totally different.

This is a North River Commerce Center.

What am I doing?

So this is referred to as what?

North River Commerce Center.

Yeah, it's at DuPont Park.

At DuPont Parkway, thank you.

Correct.

So that's an existing TIFF, and we're voting to make amendments to the already approved TIFF.

Gotcha.

Thank you so much.

I don't want to conflict the two.

Okay, that's it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Are you good, Councilman?

Uh yes, ma'am.

I am sure.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, thank you.

Councilman Elliott.

No, that was the answer.

Oh, okay.

All right, I'll gonna tell you.

Okay, then okay.

All right.

Any any questions or concerns on uh next week's proposed agenda?

Any more?

Okay, seeing none, let's please take a look at feature considerations.

Do you have any questions of comment hit the light?

Okay.

Councilman Henderson.

Thank you, ma'am.

Um Mr.

Attorney, the de-annexation uh of this which it looks like it's just one store.

District six is Councilwoman Burger, you're I guess where Chick-fil-A.

Yeah, they're uh it's actually not the store itself, it's just the strip of land right next to the store that might involve, I think their parking in that area.

So that's really all it is next to the Chick-fil-A.

Yeah, and so that request has been made for a de-annexation, it's just to advertise the hearing will occur, and y'all will hear does this leave a donut hole?

I mean, in district six, I'm I can't imagine that you're close to a border anywhere.

It abuts the college jail property.

Yeah, does not I didn't realize you went that far up.

Yeah, so you know where Cambridge Square is.

Yes.

So Cambridge Square is in District Six.

So Chick-fil-A just has a piece of their development that's in the county.

I mean, that's in the city.

Everything else is in the county.

It's it's kind of it's gerrymandered up there a little.

Okay.

That's when they drew the line.

So you I mean I'm assuming you have no concerns or objections to the de-annexation.

Everything except for that slice in there.

I think it's going to be parking.

I talked to, I believe I talked to the developer about it.

It's about two months ago, maybe.

Okay.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Okay.

You good?

I'm good.

Okay.

Councilwoman McBurris.

Uh that was just me responding to Okay.

My apologies.

That's okay, Councilman Elliott.

Yes, I have a couple questions.

Um, the first being for um, I think this is technically maybe an early learning question.

I know we had an incident at uh we're about to renew this lease for Avondale Head Start uh location.

Do we have an update on repairs to that particular facility?

Good afternoon, Marsha Drake, uh Deputy Administrator for Early Learning.

And um, so yes, we do have an update.

Um the air quality uh is uh acceptable for us uh currently uh to return on Monday.

We will have another air quality test that was taken today, and we should have those results back on Thursday that will further um actually indicate that we are ready to that we can open.

We are still working with both of the insurance companies uh and uh for them to actually repair the uh room that was um damaged during that fire, and so uh there's still some uh work to be done there, but what was really holding us up from uh reopening was the air quality, and so uh earlier today we got uh indication that we could uh because of the air quality that it was okay for us to open on Monday.

Okay, thank you.

Do we um are we paying for these repairs through the general fund or these through our head start grant?

Okay, the repairs.

Um, it's my understanding that uh, and I will double check on this, but it is my understanding that this is the insurance companies.

Insurance companies.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Uh one more question, madam chair.

It's under public works item.

Sorry, I'm scrolling down parks, public works, and wastewater item four.

It's our uh triparty agreement with the city of Norfolk Southern and the developer.

Can somebody get some context of what this particular project is and how's it gonna live out?

Good afternoon, Councilman.

Thank you for your question.

There are two agreements, and Phil, you can help me with the legal contacts, but two agreements to allow the access.

This is uh two-part agreement for one access, one assigns responsibilities to certain party.

The second part is a separate agreement, and Phil.

You want to give me uh the content uh the details on the second agreement?

Uh pretty uh simple.

The the first agreement is involving us and Norfolk Southern here specifically because the railway company wants to deal with the city regarding the access to those railroad crossings.

These specific railroad crossings are involving the manufacturer's road development of housing that is planning on trying to come in to that area.

And so we are involved in the first agreement.

Then the second agreement is uh requiring the folks that are going to be doing the development to spare the city from any cost associated with that project.

If we have to put in crossing arms or put in lighting or things in that regard, and they will be responsible for all that cost.

So the city has the responsibility of making sure the intersection is available, but the uh property owners will be responsible for providing all of the cost for any arms or uh lighting that is needed to be done.

So we're so are we just the middleman?

Yes.

Okay.

We're the middleman because we own the right-of-ways in that regard to public right-of-way going in and out of it here, and we're responsible for maintaining it.

The folks that own the property will bear all the cost associated.

So we will be responsible for maintaining after the fact.

Yes, sir, correct.

Yes, sir.

Are there certain um no?

I don't answer that one.

Okay.

Only what Norfolk Southern wishes to do in that regard if if there's a constant uh issue about it going up and down that we would deal with it.

Okay, let me ask you this.

Will we be held legally responsible if something goes awry with this particular crossing because we're the middleman?

It would normally, because the the crossings themselves are public streets, we would be responsible just like we are for any other public access road here in the city.

If it's a private access road, no.

Okay.

And do we have any oversight over how this developers building this access?

Yes.

Okay, and Norfolk Southern does as well.

Okay, yes.

All right, thank you, sir.

Yes, and Councilman, this is in relation to the 702 Manufacturers Road project you recently heard.

Yes, sir.

Okay, thank you, sir.

Yes, sir.

That's all, Madam Chair.

Okay, thank you.

Council family, anyone else any questions or concerns on the proposed agenda.

Okay, seeing none.

Then um we do have a budget and finance committee, and I will turn it over to councilwoman dots.

All right.

All right, hello everybody.

Hello.

Okay, I call this budget and finance committee meetings to order.

Can I get approval on a minute?

Okay, okay, minute stand without objection.

So today uh we want to talk about a research initiative proposal.

Um Ricky, if you can bring up the slides, please.

Uh today, which um is fearheaded by councilman Henderson.

Um, based on all of our budget discussions and things of that nature.

Uh, we wanted to put together something that will be a tool uh for city council.

And so with that, uh, we have Dr.

ACUF here with us today.

Right?

Okay, could you wave your hands?

It look a little different, okay.

Okay.

Uh with that.

So uh council, I'm gonna go through this presentation.

You should have received the full budget forecast um proposal in your packet, and uh if Dr.

ACUF could kind of make your way to this area over here, and then um I can go ahead and go through the presentation and then councilman Henderson.

I just expect you to jump on in here, okay, and we look for you like um and I just again want to thank Councilman Henderson for really um spearheading this and putting this together.

Uh, this is something that we we've wanted to see and wanted to do for quite some time.

So uh, and thank you to the administration for meeting with us and bearing with us in and gathering all these items.

So uh this budget research proposal.

Um, and you all again should have received the is um the title of it is budget projections and fiscal health assessment for the city of Chattanooga.

The purpose of it uh the proposal is to provide revenue and expenditure projections, benchmarks, and measures of fiscal health, identify trends in peer cities, and offer policy recommendations to support Chattanooga's long-term growth and future financial planning for city council consideration.

So as we go through uh this process, I'm sure Dr.

A Cup will have some questions and and he'll detail out a little bit more for us.

Um the next part, go to the scope of work.

That's the third slide.

Because I don't have a clicker up here, Rick.

Yes, thank you so much.

Um, so Dr.

Acuff, could you kind of go over kind of your scope of work and what you'll be doing for us?

Sure.

Thank you, Councilman.

Um so councilman here, I briefly talked about this.

Uh I know some of these questions came up during uh the budget process um over the spring and summer.

Um, but these are just kind of the basic outline of of what we thought I think would be helpful.

So I think it's part of this process.

So I think as part of this process, um, obviously I want your feedback and we can amend this as needed.

Um, and also I can get any clarification I might need to um to to help you all uh going forward.

So um one of them was uh sort of a medium and longer term uh financial outlook.

So doing some revenue um and expenditure forecasting.

Um so I know questions that come up, you know, not just this year, but in the past, um, over you know, aspects of um, you know, covering expenditures related to growth, um, how much revenues coming in.

Um so this would look at essentially um you know, future projections for five, ten plus years out based on all major revenue sources for the general fund.

Um I'd also um included the the capital outlook, obviously, um, which is updated every year on a five-year basis.

Um, but the the tenure forecasts would would include a longer term projection of what it would look like, um, you know, obviously based on on current trends, none of us having a crystal ball, but uh being able to look a little bit further in the future.

So that way, you know, both council and the administration um, you know, hopefully could use this as as a projection um to to plan in the longer range um in terms of planning uh tax rates and and things of that nature.

Um also obviously there is uh the questions came up of um you know pensions and and pay and all those things that you all discussed this summer.

Um so uh as part of this, I would identify some peer cities and some benchmarks, um, look at some best practices of kind of again longer range planning of what it would look like, um, you know, particularly to fund pensions and and things like that at a certain level.

Um the other things that have come up were you know, fiscal health assessments.

So this is uh, you know, sort of the toolkit that Chairwind Dodley have mentioned.

Um so a number of cities do this, including Nashville and others, where there are certain you know, standard benchmarks that other cities use that are part of the budgeting process year to year to help inform um, you know, both both executive and legislative branches in terms of looking at at trends and population growth and expenditures per capita and just all those types of things, debt ratios, et cetera.

Um, but also kind of pairing that with again the the benchmarking of of other cities that are our peer and aspirational cities.

That way it's not just in the context of our trends over time here in Chattanooga, but also looking at what other people in the region are doing.

Um so as part of that process is I would identify some of our peer and aspirational cities and see how we compare to those.

Um, you know, again, in terms of pay, in terms of spending on certain initiatives, um, et cetera.

So that's kind of the the broad overview um of what I'd propose, but I'm obviously happy to either answer any questions or um get feedback from you all.

I know there's maybe specific questions some of you might have.

Um I don't have to necessarily put you on the spot, but you know, this can be uh an iterative process where you know, if you all have things over the next couple weeks, months, whatever, um we can we can kind of work those out.

Okay, thank you so much, Dr.

ACUF.

And if you go to the next slide, please.

Um Rick, thank you so much.

So the deliverables of that Dr.

ACUF uh at the moment will be doing, and and like he said, if there are other, you know, asks or questions, so some things we need to integrate, we can make that happen, uh, which will include a comprehensive five-year financial plan, a detailed tenure forecast for the general fund, analysis of our fiduciary and pension funds, uh fiscal health assessment of Chattanooga and policy recommendations for the city's financial future.

And again, all this is to create a framework for us so that when we are doing the budget, we'll have uh the opportunity to kind of we'll have the opportunity to to look at the budget and compare to some of the information that we have for this toolkit because right now we have the information.

The city um uh the administration does a good job of putting those things together, but sometimes they're in so many different separate places, so this would be an opportunity for us to put it in um one comprehensive document, even though I know is Kevin here today.

Okay, I know you sent me the comprehensive report, but okay, so but we'll uh be using that data as well.

Um so the budget proposal, funding and timeline at Dr.

ACUF, please let me know if any of this is uh out of date, but I believe I got the updated uh information from Councilman Henderson.

So Dr.

ACUF uh will be performing the research.

What uh it is this research project.

The estimated cost is $16,800.

He uh will have the draft ready by January to 6th, and then it will be funded through the city council's uh contractual services, which uh we have roughly a hundred thousand dollars in that.

So with that, I'm going to I see you, Councilman Clark.

I'm gonna skip over to Councilman Henderson and come back to you.

Okay, Councilman Henderson.

Thank you, madam chair.

Um I think myself, like many of you were concerned uh last budget season, I guess with the frustration of you know, dealing with um sometimes we'll you know we'll pass a tax increase, give pay raises, and then we'll forget about it for four years.

And it seems like we need to take a little bit different and better approach.

And I think, and when I contacted uh Dr.

Acuff, that was you know, trying to anticipate um future inflation, uh future growth, whatever that funding gap may be, whatever pay raises we need to uh take into consideration.

And as Yogi Berra once said, uh it's hard to make predictions, especially about the future, but somehow we've got to figure out what we can anticipate, and so that we can address it year by year instead of waiting till you know four year spans or uh eight year spans, whatever the case may be, uh, and doing a little bit of research, uh, you know, looking back at what tax increases have looked like over the over the past, well, since 1990, I think it seemed like every every four-year period there was about a 12 percent uh tax increase.

So, you know, those are the types of things that I think that we that at least I was looking for uh in the research by Dr.

Acuff and helping us to determine you know, a kind of instead of just doing it year by year, looking out five years or at least the length of our term that we have left and trying to make uh some predictions about what we can expect uh inflation rates to be, what we can expect our growth to be, what we might look at as far as pay raises uh since we are you know heavy on on pay grow on pay uh or salaries.

Um the other thing is that I wanted to take a look at is you know, every time we give a pay increase to our fire and police, it does affect our pension fund and how much that is you know how much it's funded.

I think we went, you know, from being this time uh this budget season, we went from 64 percent funded, dropped down to 60 percent, uh 60 percent funded whenever we did give those pay raises.

So we need to I think we need to know you know what pay raises, how that will affect our pension fund and contributions to that, you know, not only with the fire and police, but with general fund uh pension as well.

So those are the types of things that I wanted him to look at and and hopefully we'll be able to get have it all in one place.

And uh Madam Chair, you mentioned the uh report that Stan did.

Uh I thought it was interesting that uh he said this analysis should not be used as the only source of information to evaluate the financial uh condition of the city.

So I think this gives us another look at the financial condition of the city and hopefully will help us make a more informed decision when we start looking at budgetary uh items.

Is it councilman Henderson?

I'm good.

I agree, I agree.

Um, and so I have Councilman Elliott, but I'm gonna go back, Councilman Clark, if you would hit your light and then I'll circle back around to you, Councilman Elliott.

Okay.

Uh thank you.

Uh okay, give me just a second, and then before you get started, let me ask um Dr.

Acuff, did you want to respond at all to anything that was just said?

No, I mean, you know, I I think I think we're on the same page.

I think you know, he and I chatted, so I think you know, for the remaining council members, certainly getting y'all's input in the okay.

Could you go to the next slide, please?

Uh Rick.

Thank you so much.

Oh, yeah.

No, we're done.

I just wanted to make sure y'all saw just kind of the what we're what the ask is at the end of this, which is going to be um that we allocate these funds, uh, we vote on this and allocate these funds for this research project and for Dr.

Acuff to move forward.

So at the end of this, that is the ask.

The ask is do we want to move forward with this project?

Am I correct?

Councilman Henderson.

That's right.

Okay, so we want to ask, do we want to move forward with this project?

After the question and answer, we're getting ready to do.

Do we want to move forward with this project with the understanding that we will be able to adjust as we need to with Dr.

Acuff, he's always been fantastic and making sure we can do that.

So I just wanted to get to the end of that so that we all understand what is happening at the end, which would be a vote.

Okay.

All right, Councilman Clark, followed by Councilman Elliott.

I thank you, Chairman.

That was actually my question.

So we can expand his scope of work past January the 6th.

Yes, what I would recommend, however, is that if that scope of work does expand, maybe we change update this amount to be maybe um I don't know, maybe 17.5 or something to that effect.

Yep, my and this to her uh point, Dr.

Acuff, my concern is that because of how comprehensive things get after January 6 during January 6th.

Is that what it is that really the same thing?

Sorry, I just got a trigger.

Sorry, I was just that was a Tuesday, so I think my trigger council day, there's no meeting there.

Okay, thank you.

Um after that date, uh you have put in your scope of work 84 hours for this research phase.

Given the scope and sometimes the gravity of what we have to go through during budget season, will you come back in a consultant manner to and I don't and I don't know uh uh councilman Henderson?

So we call each other by our first name, I get stuck.

Um should we expand that scope in those hours?

I just think 84 hours seems a bit minimum for what I think that needs to be done, considering the fact that half of the council, including myself are new, and given the scope and some of what he mentioned we went through last time, could would it be appropriate to consider expanding the scope of those hours past 84 past January with the I guess a contingency after January the 6th to be like, hey, I need to come back and be with you all during the budget season, and that's my first question.

Uh sure, go right ahead.

Uh Councilman Illia, I'm sorry.

Okay, hit your leg.

Well, oh, you just okay.

Well I just wanted to comment it he's doing it on uh per hour.

What we could do is approve an amount, maybe like up to 20,000.

He's he's he's gonna work based on 200 an hour.

Right.

All we need to do is approve up to an amount that would if and I think that's a great idea.

Up to 20,000.

And and we could we could certainly do that.

That was just that was just kind of him estimating the number of hours that he would have in this research.

Okay, thank you, Councilman Henderson.

If that's uh that's an amendment I'd like to propose up to 20,000.

That's my first question.

I've got two more.

Okay, go ahead.

Okay.

Uh okay, cool.

Are you cool with that, Dr.

Acuff?

Sure.

Yeah, uh it's certainly something.

I mean, certain I'm open to that.

Yeah, the the initial budget proposal was for the report, and then I think it was you know, a few hours built into presentations and meeting with y'all.

I think we're gonna need you after the report.

I think some money should be built in.

Okay, I get otherwise we'd have to come back and revisit after January 6th.

Right.

Okay, all right.

Sure.

Uh, my second question is which I first of all I really like this because we don't have this on the legislative side, but my question is is that with this as you assess the the financial health?

How does this how do you what is the cross-sector collaboration with the administration?

Like what are those what is that work look like?

I know you mentioned something about uh audit.

I know we do is that the same thing we do once a year with Stan?

Is that what you're referring?

But Stan is recommending that it's okay to bring on additional input.

Is that what you okay?

So Dr.

My question for you, what how do you see your work with us in working with the legislative branch and what that assessment looks like?

Will it am I phrasing that correctly for you or yeah?

I mean yeah, I mean, I I think certainly, I mean, I'm I'm doing work for the city.

I mean, the city council is hiring me, but I mean, I think I have good relationships with everybody on both sides of the legislative and executive side of things.

So I mean, I mean, when it comes to like getting information and and you know, proposing recommendations and things like that.

I mean, certainly I would consider, I guess, the feasibility of um certain recommendations, policy, stuff like that.

Um, you know, I think there are things that that you all discussed in your you know the budget sessions even this summer that you all considered, you know, working on longer term.

I mean, I think you know, Council Henderson mentioned um, you know, you know in introducing you know certain percentage increases in tax rates over time versus just you know block things.

Um I know you know several members of the administration had had discussed things like indexing um indexing you know certain increases to inflation and things like that.

So I think I think those are those are types of recommendations that certainly I could I could prepare and look at, but I think would serve maybe both both interests.

Um but yeah, I mean I don't I don't think it's necessarily a problem to um to to work you know with both both the administration and council, but certainly I guess in this context, I'll be working for you.

Sure.

Yeah, but will your research and your I guess your research and your analysis would that include conversations and input from data points you may need from the administration, i.e.

the CFO Weston, other than what's already in our audit from stair?

So I mean a lot of the information would come from the audit.

I mean, certainly I would I would appreciate you know some some information as needed.

And I and I don't think you know anyone I've I've ever worked in the past would you know would have any hesitancy to that.

Yeah.

Okay.

Last question, uh Council Mormon Donnelly.

Uh policy recommendations uh for the city's future.

Explain to me, especially for doing budget stuff.

Would some of those like if you were to do an analysis or do your research, would some of those policy recommendations could include or exclude budgetary cuts, i.e.

a department, or would you come back and I mean I know that's bold, but I'm saying those policy recommendations from your research, would that include recommending budget cuts to any line items or departmental programs?

I know there's a somewhere in the scope of your work you did a grant.

Could you so could you go back to the first slide, Rick?

There's something about a grant analysis, which I'm really um yeah, intrigued by, but that grant impact that word impact.

Will your policy we actually have to vote to accept grants in your policy recommendations?

Would you after doing those analyses?

Would you rec would your would those recommendations include cuts?

I mean, I I don't intend them to make, I mean, certainly that's under council's purview.

So I mean, I certainly wouldn't wouldn't recommend, you know, necessarily making cuts to things.

I would say, you know, hey, if there are certain departments or there are certain initiatives that are that are growing at an exponential rate versus other departments or things like that, that's only something you might want to look at.

Um, you know, but I mean certainly y'all make the decisions about sure.

We're doing saying if your policy recommendation would be that based off KPIs if this program you don't find effective, would you make a policy recommendation that that item needs to be excluded from the budget?

Yeah, so the intent isn't necessarily to make you know recommendations based on like performance metrics.

So I'm not necessarily you know saying, hey, this department's not performing at a certain level.

I mean, that's I mean, that's also something we can do later, but that's not within the scope of this.

This is really just looking at the financials and growth and you know, expenditures per capita, you know, things of that nature um to look at trends, not necessarily the impact a certain department or program is having.

Again, I think that's a separate, I think that's a separate um project.

I think that's a conversation that could use some more expounding on as it relates to how you determine what the financial health is as far as like what you would what policies you would recommend, but we could you know continue those conversations later.

Uh I yield back.

Thank you, Dr.

Echo.

All right, thank you so much.

Councilman Clark.

Uh, and thank you, Councilman Elliott, for your patience.

All right, Councilman Elliott.

Um, thank you, Madam Chair.

Um Councilman Henderson, I really appreciate you for bringing this up.

I think it's uh always good for us to pull back the hood, and I agree that I do not want us to find ourselves in the same position we just got out of.

Um, you know, I've said this before and I proposed it, that it is good for council to have its own research arm in some form of fashion.

And um Dr.

Acuff, I appreciate you being willing to step up and provide those services.

I do have some concerns.

Um the first, and this goes back to something that Councilman Manol and I presented months ago, and I hope we can revisit this.

I think it is necessary for us to have our own staff in-house to help us with these type of things.

200 an hour is a lot of money.

Uh, we could probably get a lot more stretch for what we're not only work now, but future work to come uh at a much more efficient rate.

Where we are now, we don't have it in place.

So I'm not barking in that right now, but I want to keep that in the back of everybody's mind as these conversations continue, because we plan on recircling uh circling back to those conversations again.

But I think this budget conversation has shown um the tremendous need that this council really needs some help with policy work on the back end.

And so that's one thing I want to keep in um the back of our minds.

Um not knocking you, brother, you gotta get your money.

And so your rate's a rate, but you know, 200 can go a lot farther in government for an hour.

So just saying.

Um Councilman Clark hit on something that I'm also curious about.

You know, it's hard for council members to get information uh sometimes.

Council members have even had to do open records requests to get stuff from time to time.

I'm curious how we're going to how you're going to be able to get all the information you need.

And Phil, if I'm not mistaken, there's fees that go towards open records requests too.

There are dependent on how that is achieved in there, and if it's uh per page type item on there, there's a reference for that as well.

Because I'm not for certain, um, because I haven't heard from many administration yet, how open they are to somebody else digging into the back office of what they have going on.

It it can be easily said at one point where they were like, okay, we're not gonna give you this, you can go do a four-year request.

And that's not reflected in this proposal as to what those potential costs could be.

And in order to do your job effectively, you know, where is the administration's opinion on this?

Is maybe a Kevin question.

Like, where are your thoughts on this?

How well is administration gonna be able to work with this person to come in?

Um to the future, you know, if we have our own staff, it's a lot harder for them to snub internal staff on conversations like this, but this is a third party that I don't know if you have been in those conversations.

I just don't know.

I don't know what those conversations look like right now.

Uh, and just so I can respond before administration does, we did have a budget working group session that Kevin, Darren, Mandy, and Brian Smart with Finance was a part of last Tuesday, I believe.

Yes, and Councilman Henderson.

So we did have a budget working group.

Administration is very cooperative, very open to it.

A lot of research they have already, they do have most of the information.

It's just a matter of compiling it in a way that we can use in one pot instead of having to, you know, grab and try to grab and go and get information.

So I know Kevin's about to say the same thing, but I wanted to reiterate that we did have our meeting last Tuesday, and that we did discuss uh all of these things, and so they are open uh to it, which is I mean, uh it was just into Councilman Henderson and myself, but uh our annual comprehensive report and all those things that we receive as council anyway, it'd just be utilizing all those things.

So they are open to it, and I just wanted to kind of make people aware that there was a previous meeting that was publicly noticed.

Okay, so it was publicly noticed uh and everything.

So that was that meeting last week with the administration to make sure that we can all work together.

So uh, and then Kevin, if you wanted to do a follow-up.

Thank you, Madam Chair, Kevin Roy, Chief of Staff, Councilman Elliott.

Um, absolutely we we're happy to work with you guys on all of the initiatives that you're interested in pursuing I would also point out that um the city's financial information is not only exhaustive, but it's but it's in its public availability, but it is subject to so it's exhaustive in its public availability, but it's also subject to very stringent state regulations, which is why we um we have the the act for the annual comprehensive finance report in the first place.

Um so yes, we are happy to to help make this vision a reality with you guys.

Um, and I think it'll be pretty straightforward.

So I hear the administration will they won't hesitate to release any and all information.

I I would even say that there's not much information that has not already been released, but yes, we're happy to of course, as in all things, be transparent with the public and with you guys, especially toward this initiative.

Fair enough.

Um thank you, Kevin.

I appreciate it.

I think the next question I have understanding the depth of uh, you know, not only the city's finances and how complex that can be, but also the death of pensions, which is a whole nother beast in itself.

Um I think Dr.

Acuff, I'm curious on a couple things, the capacity for you to do all of this uh by January 6th, but also your experience digging into the the weeds of government behind the scenes, and particularly pensions and investment funds as well.

Yeah, sure.

So I mean, I'll I'll be up front, you know.

I am not an actuary, you know, so it's not gonna be to that level.

Um I think I think what I what I was proposing was really more related to best practices, benchmarks related to what funding level should be and what it would take you all to do to catch up to that.

Now, like, you know, in in the ACFR, there are certain assumptions based on um, you know, accurate estimates that you all have for outstanding liabilities and pensions, you know, and and within the ACFR, it's you know, we assume you know, X, Y, and Z based on these assumptions, based on this number of people and payrolls and things like that going forward.

I think it's mostly based on projections again for like the next five, 10 years of say, hey, if we want to be at 70, 80 percent funded or something like that 10 years from now, what does that look like?

And then, you know, based on revenues, then what other parts of the pie are then shrinking relative to the overall you know, revenues and and expenditures, I guess.

You know, I I I do not intend as as part of this project, and again, you know, uh this is just a high-level analysis.

The intent is not to dig into you know the actuarial aspects of of the pension funds, which are you know governed by temporal processes and things like that.

It was really just more related to the overall like big bigger picture budget, I guess.

Okay.

All right.

Um, one more sure.

All right.

Um, and you know, something else that does concern me a little bit too is like we're looking at five, ten years out, you know, and in three and a half years, we're gonna get a new mayor with new priorities.

And so, how do we also account for changes we can't see and the accuracy of these numbers?

Because what I don't want to do is get policy recommendations on something that may be drastically changing when we get a new administration in.

And I know this is complex and it's hard.

Uh something wrap our heads around just by the nature of our seats and we having to run every four years.

You can't really project what finance is gonna look like, you're not you can't project what inflation's gonna look like.

You know, you can get a mayor that comes in and just slashes, I hope not, but slashes staff and everything else.

You know, we could be in a position where money's flowing in revenue-wise, and we don't have to tax uh touch taxes.

Uh we can be in a worse situation we are now.

I think it's just so many moving parts to consider.

I'm just wondering how do you account for those and some of those things that are really just out of everybody's hands.

Sure, you know, so I won't turn this to a stats class.

There's a principle in in econometrics and forecasting, setter is parabus, right?

So all things being equal.

So it assumes current and past conditions going forward.

You know, so certainly, you know, caveats that I don't know when the next recession's coming.

I don't, you know, and and no economist does, nobody does, you know, right.

Otherwise, you know, I wouldn't be standing here, I'd probably be a billionaire cashing in on my stock somewhere.

But I think the you know, policy recommendations going forward, I think are certainly things you can carry with with any council or any administration, you know, again, build building in certain indices um related to inflation, um looking at longer-term financial projections related to you know, how do we need, you know, how do we need to ramp up to get where we want to in terms of funding, you know, pensions at a certain level.

I I don't think those necessarily change administration to administration or council to council.

I think those those levels and benchmarks still stay the same.

And again, I think the you know, one of the the goals of this is to create a framework for you all to update this every year.

Again, whether it's me, whether it's someone in the administration, whether it's someone else, but to look at what other cities are doing and again find um find other cities that you can benchmark against and say, hey, here's where we are relative to other cities in our region, you know, pure cities and aspirational series, here's where we want to be.

You know, so I think every year you all have the the option to update tax rates, you all have the option to change departmental funding, you all have line, you know, you can do line item changes.

So I think you know, year to year you can certainly make changes.

I think you know, thinking next administration, next council, um, you know, doesn't necessarily change that equation.

Okay.

Um, this is my last piece, and I'll be quiet for today, I promise.

Um, Councilman Hilly, we have a couple of more lights from other council members, so we want to make sure that we're able to get everybody in.

Okay.

Okay, all right.

So we've got a few questions.

Last question.

If I got another, we'll see.

Um but you know, I think largely um, I think this is needed.

Um we gotta kind of figure out how we don't fall into this trap again.

And you know, I'm not necessarily against uh your work.

I I have some questions how it's gonna live out.

Um I would be I want to see the methodology that goes through crafting somebody's recommendations and analyses so we can kind of see what back end work went into how do we get to those solutions.

Um and let's just let's just go from there.

All right, thank you so much, Councilman Elliott, uh Councilman Harvey, followed by council members.

Thank you, madam chair.

Yeah, just a few questions and in a point.

Um when we get to the end of this, and and maybe this is just a point to to make, is I'd like to request we do a education uh session on the final report.

You know, the last thing we want to do is spend sixteen thousand dollars and then it just goes sit on a shelf.

So a good point being made is uh you know, we need to talk about it and and make a plan for it.

Um the the second thing is um Dr.

Akiff, how how and maybe this is a chip question or councilman Henderson, sorry, yeah, like you.

Um how did we land on you and and kind of give us a maybe a quick bio and uh you know why why we should go with you and and why this is beneficial?

Sorry to kind of put you on the spot, but no, that's fine.

Welcome to your interview.

I'm really bad at the sales pitches, I guess the other wise I'd be in the private sector.

Um yeah, so I mean, you know, I'm I'm an associate professor at UTC.

Uh I was born and raised in Chattanooga.

I know Chattanooga intimately, you know, I've I've been back here for a number of years.

Um I I teach classes in public budgeting finance, I'm a certified municipal finance officer, I understand the intricacies of all these things.

Um I've taken more statistics classes than I care to admit because I'm a huge nerd.

Um, but I've I've I've done work with with the city, with the county, with Carta, others before.

Um, and so you know, again, the you know, the engagement letter um include includes that provision where you know you're able to identify a certain person with expertise, and I mean I'm not unbiased, but I would say that that I have you know probably better expertise than most people and to be able to do this, um understanding the you know both the the you know financial side, the statistics side, the the political environmental side of of what goes on here in Chandergun.

Okay.

How did we how'd you find well?

Oh, yeah, Councilman Henderson.

Okay, councilman Burris I'm gonna hit you again.

He delayed again.

Okay, Councilman Henderson.

Oh, go ahead.

You want me to answer?

Okay.

Uh we did use Dr.

Acuff um two years ago when we did the revisions to our short-term vacation rental uh ordinance.

He was very helpful in uh giving us some analysis of you know what what other cities were doing, what different graphs uh showing concentration of you know where short-term vacation rental works.

So we used him then uh and it was immensely helpful in helping craft the current legislation that we have right now.

So he does have some history.

I I think you've also done some work with the RPA, correct?

So I think he has maybe some knowledge about what uh what we think future growth would be like in Chattanooga, which I thought would be helpful in understanding what we what we feel like our growth revenues would be.

So uh he has some history with at least a prior council, uh you know, working working with the city and have some intimate knowledge with other branches of government within the within the city.

Okay, all right, councilman Harvey.

Yeah, just okay.

Am I still on?

Oh, I mean, now you are talking.

Okay.

Um okay, good.

Um so have you always been a third party um hired by the city or have you ever worked directly for the city in any capacity?

No, no, I've never worked for the city.

Uh before I came back to UTC, I was a research analyst for the state.

Okay.

Um yeah.

So after I finished my PhD, I work for the state agency as a present analyst.

All right, very good.

And my last question, and and this is the one I'm anticipating on getting the most, is this something that we can handle in-house?

No offense.

I mean, I think I've heard you're a great guy and you do good things.

Um, and if it's not something we can do in-house with uh the finance office, then what is the justification?

And I don't know if that's a good question.

Absolutely.

I guess I'll need to raise one.

I'll probably just let you go.

Okay.

Yes, go ahead, Councilman Henderson.

I've got my hand.

You'll hit my study.

Okay, there you go.

So I I felt like it was important for this council to have their own independent researcher.

And and to kind of piggyback on what uh councilman Elliott was talking about.

You know, if we had somebody in the house, we could you know, we could do it through that method, but I feel like uh this is research that this council is specifically putting their fingerprints on and asking for uh different types of analysis, and he's working with this council.

So this is independent from what maybe the administration would would give us so that we're developing our own independent research and analysis, and then that way we can make decisions based on on that.

uh councilman elliott was talking about you know if we had somebody in the house we could you know we could do it through that method but I feel like uh this is research that this council is specifically putting their fingerprints on and asking for uh different types of analysis and he's working with this council so this is independent from what maybe the administration would would give us so that we're developing our own independent research and analysis and then that way we can make decisions based on on that I just felt like it was important for us to have our our own research mechanism one more statement go ahead councilman uh thank you council Henderson yeah I you know I uh I just trying to ask the hard questions while we're uh discussing this um I I kind of equate this to uh getting a second opinion with your physician when it comes to your health and so I you know overall I think this is a a good thing to really take a deep dive and and let's figure this out and do it the right way um so especially when we're making decisions on uh you know hundreds of millions of dollars um so um so yeah I I I think it's uh it's a good thing to take a take a look and it sounds like you're you're the guy for the job so um I may have some more difficult questions but for now that's all madam chair thank you all right thank you councilman Harvey and then councilwoman burrs thank you thank you and I just I just have one question when are you when are we going to be making this decision voting on this oh we'd be voting on it today unless we want to unless we y'all want to defer in another week or something but we'll need to get it um you know as as the administration is gearing up for uh preparing their budget we want to make sure that we're getting you know getting this information as soon as possible so that's up to you all today I was gonna ask for a vote today a motion to approve based on a uh hourly rate of 200 in an amount and I take seats with 20 thousand dollars was going to be the ask today based on the recommendation from councilman clerk but if we want to or need to defer it an extra week we can we vote on today okay so we could vote on it today according to our city attorney or if we wanted to wait an additional week would that push out uh Dr.

Acuff would that push out the um draft report date uh extra week if we voted out an extra week or two weeks or to that effect no I don't think so I'll you know as a matter of transparency since you know I'm a I'm a full-time professor I think a lot of the bulk of the work would probably be in the off season in December anyway so I mean certainly I'm gonna get started on it you know as soon as possible doing some preliminary stuff uh but I think as far as preparing the report and things like that a lot of the bulk of the work was designed to be um over the next two months and then get it to you by by the end by the sorry by the the new year.

Okay there was and Dr.

Acoff in a presentation do you have I'm sorry in a proposal I can't recall if we had an education session listed in there for you to come and recap for city council.

Sure I mean that was built in so I I built in meetings interviews presentations like people I need to discuss with votes administration council you know get feedback etc.

Okay no I mean similar to what councilman Henderson mentioned and you know I know you're a party to this but you know last time I did this with short term rentals you know I came every month or so you know I mean so again I'm I I assume that that I will be I will be part of the process going forward it wouldn't just be a I'll drop it in your lap and and run back up the hill or whatever you know right okay that's fine.

Okay councilman burst on the question I'm good thank you oh okay all right then okay all right any other questions from council okay so with that you all thank you Dr.

Acuff thank you so much Councilman Henderson something this is something that is much needed for council to have their own toolkit their own information and yeah well I I think before we make a motion and take a vote I I would like to I guess know if there are some council people that would rather wait a week I I mean so that you can maybe digest uh madam chair they were I I think everybody did get the the proposal ahead of time uh but if there's some that need a little bit longer I I guess to decide what they'd like to do I'd I think I'd rather know that now as before we make a motion to and then you know okay so council what is your pleasure do you want to give it an extra week for some of you all to go ahead and review that information or are we ready for a vote today question of course um councilman harvey Dr.

Akiff how how long do you anticipate you need to put this together will it if we if we do digest this for a week will that put you behind what does that look like yeah that I I don't think it would significantly impact the deliverables.

Yeah so I mean yeah if if you want if you certainly want to think about it for a week I mean that that's totally fine with me.

Yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

I'm okay with voting today, other than I guess maybe have a more comprehensive understanding of why we would like to delay a week.

Councilman Burns mentioned not having received it.

Is that the is that the reason?

Um that would not uh make a difference in my voting today or not.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I'm fine with voting today if that's the will of everyone else.

Okay.

I'm gonna yield with uh my colleague who prefers the way.

So I'd like to wait um a week if that's okay with you, madam chair.

All right, that is fine.

So we will uh vote on this next week, and again, the motion for next week will be to approve this based on an hourly rate of two hundred dollars in an amount not to exceed twenty thousand dollars uh based on proposal we've received.

Any other questions or comments?

All right, thank you so much, Dr.

A Cup.

I appreciate you.

And thank you again, Councilman Henderson.

We appreciate you for bringing this forward.

Uh, what is the break?

Um twenty minutes, so we'll return back at four, I guess fifty five.

Four fifty five.

Four fifty-five.

We recess it to four fifty-five.

Yeah.

Make it five.

Just go ahead and make a solid five clock.

Okay, we recess ourselves five o'clock.

We are back in session.

Madam Clerk, will you read ordinances on the final reading seven eight and ordinance closing and abandoning a portion of the unopened right away and part of the unit block of Rose Circle as detailed on the attachment maps under the certain conditions.

Any questions or concerns all in favor say aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Number S one Four Five D A two three for a total of four hundred seventy-five linear feet.

Tax map number one forty-six.

All right, we have a motion to approve with the proper seconds.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor say aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk under planning 7D.

In ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, chapter 38, zoning ordinance so as to lift conditions from ordinance number 11615 or previous case number, 2004 0154 from properties located in the 7500 through 7600 block of Magnolia Leaf Lane.

Second.

We have a motion to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or concerns, please hit your light.

All in favor say aye.

Opposed.

Okay, motion carries.

Okay, I'm sorry.

I'm up to a blank there for me, and I was like, what?

Okay.

Madam Clerk, if you will read item seven D.

We'll need email.

E seven E.

Yes, ma'am.

In order to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to reason part of a property located at 5749 Lovell Field Loop from IH industrial heavy zone to OS office space zone.

We'll have a motion to approve the proper second.

Any questions for concern?

Oh, I'm so pleased in your light.

Okay, I'm sorry.

All in favor say aye.

Those opposed say no.

Well motion carries.

Oh okay, motion carries.

Madam Clerk 7F, correct?

Yes.

Oh, praise God.

In order to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38, zone warrant, so as to read on property located at 7406, Tina Road from R and two residential neighborhood zone to CC commercial corridors on subject to certain conditions.

Have a motion to approve with the proper second.

Any questions will come in?

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Thank you.

Oh yes, the motion carries.

It's a combination from the sprite.

7G.

In ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38, the Chattanooga zoning ordinance as adopted by ordinance number 14137 on July 23, 2024 to amend Article 17, short-term vacation rentals by amending the short-term vacation rental overlay district map and boundaries to include an additional area within city council district five.

Council McLaughlin.

There's a motion with the proper second.

Any questions or concerns?

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk 7H.

In order to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38, the Chattanooga zoning ordinance is adopted by ordinance number 14137 on July 23, 2024 to add clarity on additions in the form-based code and refine minimum planting requirements for buffer yards.

Okay, we have a motion to approve with the proper second questions or concerns.

All in favor say aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk ordinances on the first reading, office of the city attorney 8A.

An ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 35, Section 35160, building and charges for district records.

I have a motion to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All those in favor say aye.

All those in favor say aye.

I'm sorry.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Oh, hold on a second.

I'm gonna leave for you all to pay attention.

Okay.

Everyone, pay attention, please.

I'm so sorry.

So we are not doing this.

Okay, okay.

Everybody, everybody, what?

Sprite and code.

All of those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Lord have mercy.

Jesus.

Okay.

On the resolution, Mayor's office.

Madam Clerk items 98 through C without objection from Council Family as a package.

Item A.

A resolution confirmed Mayor Kelly's reappointment of Sarah Brogdon to the form-based code committee for a term beginning on September 1, 2025 and ending on August 31, 2028.

Item B, a resolution confirmed Mayor Kelly's appointment of Howard Year Paralyzative Ramas to the form based code committee for a term beginning on October 22, 2025, and ending on October 21, 2028.

Item C a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of Lindsay Wilkie to the Form Based Code Committee for a term beginning on October 22, 2025 and ending on October 21, 2028.

All right, we have a motion to approve with the proper second.

All of those, no any questions or concerns.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oh, thank you.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk, Office of the City Attorney 9D.

Please.

A resolution amending resolution number 28466 adopting a revised record and information management policy and revised records retention schedule for the city of Chattanooga.

Okay, we have a motion, a motion to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or concerns?

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk, if you would re 9E.

A resolution authorizing the reassignment of existing contracts for NCR Voyage Corporation to TSYS Merchant Solutions LLC, a global payments company due to the acquisition of NCR Voice Corporation by TSYS Merchant Solutions LLC and directing all future contracts, obligations, rights, and responsibilities to be transferred to TSYS Merchant Solutions LLC effected upon adoption of this resolution.

We have a motion to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk 9.

A resolution authorizing the chief of police to apply for and if awarded accepted grant from the Stanton K9 Foundation, which honors the lives of K9s lost in the line of duty to fund the purchase of a new K9 and bulletproof vest for an amount up to $15,000.

Second.

Okay, we had a couple move to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or concern?

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Councilman Henderson, did you have your light?

Well, I'm just like my oh okay.

All right, thank you.

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk 9G.

A resolution authorizing the chief of police to accept equipment one as a door prize at the Kentucky Tactical Officers Association Conference, which equipment is a pin arms L144, compact 40 millimeter launcher and pin arms savior equipment launcher gun bag to be used by SWAT valued at 1700.

Need to approve?

Okay, we have a motion to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

We've come to purchases.

Mrs.

Tally.

Hello.

Good evening, Council.

I have six purchases recommended for approval this evening.

The first one is from Fleet.

This is a one-time purchase of 10 emergency lighting packages for police vehicles.

This purchase from Federal Signal will be in the amount of $58,710 and will be purchased utilizing the state of Tennessee contract.

Number two is from Fleet.

This is a one-time purchase of a cat skid steer from Sowers Machinery to be used by Wastewater in the amount of 125,639.

This purchase will be utilizing the state of Tennessee contract.

Number three is from Fleet.

Fleet is requesting an increase of $2,000 to purchase order.

PUR 149736 due to the model year cost adjustments.

The new estimated amount will be $85,450.

Number four is for Fleet Year 4 renewal on duty depot.

Is requesting a 10.3% increase due to increased cost of manufacturing and tariffs.

Truckers Lighthouse is requesting an 8% increase due to the cost of manufacturing.

The new estimated annual spend will be 171,500.

Public Works has approved the increase.

Number five is for technology services.

This is a new blanket agreement for IT research and advisory services.

This will be a two-year agreement not to exceed 54,443.

The award will go to Gardner Group utilizing the state of Tennessee contract.

Number six is for community health.

Council approval is requested for a name change from Chattanooga CARES DBA Kempa Community Care to Live Spring Community Health for Agreement PA 10036.

We have a motion to approve with the proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All those in favor, aye.

Opposed motion carries.

Okay, I have an emergency purchase to report.

Um this is for police.

Police has requested an emergency purchase of 69 new workstations due to the widespread mold issue at the police services center.

I also have one so source to report.

This is for early learning.

Early learning is requested is requesting an increase of 550 dollars to PUR 153813 to include an expedite fee.

The new total amount will be 40,047.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, we will move into community reports.

Councilman Elliott.

Councilwoman Dotley.

Okay.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Yes, thank you so much, madam chair.

We did have a budget committee meeting today to discuss a uh budget research proposal uh with uh got the ACUF brought to us by Councilman Henderson.

We will have another budget committee meeting next week just to vote on it.

Uh so council of get opportunity, please uh review the information.

If you have questions or anything, reach out to councilman Henderson and uh I just think I just thank y'all so much.

Thank you, madam chair.

That is it.

Okay, thank you.

Councilwoman McBurris.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I do have an announcement.

Uh the annual Midtown Connect Fall Festival, it's the third annual will be this Saturday, October 25th at the Kitchen Incubator at Chattanooga from five to eight.

Well um last year we uh gave candy out to over five thousand.

I mean four thousand kids.

Wow, and so it's a great trunk or treat.

If you have uh if you don't have any other plans Saturday night, I invite all of you all to attend.

Anybody that's watching, please come and see the magic uh at the fall festival and at the kitchen incubator.

It's from five to eight again on October 25th.

Okay, thank you.

Councilman, thank you.

Councilman Hart.

Councilman Clark, I think you have sure.

I do have a report uh to announce that we will be suspending our community development committee meetings for November and December.

To resume in January now for the rest of the year.

Also, uh Madam Chair, I'd like to also announce I will be excusing myself early after this report because the new food city on Highway 58 is opening.

And I will be thank you.

Um I'll be participating in some remarks and ribbon cutting on behalf of our wonderful city.

Councilwoman Burge will be happy to know that my residents will be leaving Lee Highway to use our own new food city on the so we're excited about that.

A lot of our district five residents.

We love you.

Uh yeah, so we have a new food city opening, soft opening uh tomorrow.

I know the city attorney actually has an announcement regarding food city, so I'll yield to the city attorney.

All right, but I don't give you permission.

Oh yeah, okay, go ahead.

Thank you, madam chair.

Yes, go ahead.

Yes, ma'am.

And uh there was a certificate of compliance that was uh presented to the council this evening as well.

You previously had a certificate of compliance for KVAT Food Stores, Inc.

DBA Food City 706 at 4510 Highway 58 in District 5 on September the 9th.

And the folks from the Tennessee uh uh alcohol beverage commission wanted us to have a new one signed here referencing TCA 573806, and that particular establishment meets all of the compliance of the requirements of the city code, as we announced to you back on uh September the 6th, and it still continues to do so or September the 9th, and uh that's the reason we were gonna send them another document here tomorrow so that they will be able to do their grand opening without any problem.

Just learned about this today, so we wanted to make sure that was completed.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you for that.

And I have no report itself again.

Happy birthday, Councilwoman Dotley.

Yes.

So we've come to the part where anyone that wishes to address the council, please line up at the podium.

Yes.

So if uh attorney knobnick will read the rules and regulations.

Yes, ma'am.

Uh sorry while I was speaking just then, the computer has locked me out again as it does frequently.

And I will try to get right back on here in just a second.

Okay, take your time.

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you, sir, for your patience.

I have some handouts that can do that while we're waiting.

Uh, yeah, you can pass them on that end of it.

At the end of each council business meeting, the chair will 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.

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.

Don't engage in any vulgar or obscene language nor use the floor to personally attack or personally denigrate others.

Uh, address your comments to the council as a whole and not towards individual council members.

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

Someone commits that offense if a person substantially obstructs or interferes with the 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, sir.

Will you state your name in district, please?

My name is Benjamin Fleet.

I live in um district two.

And um just wanted to bring to your attention there have been a lot of pedestrian and cyclists getting hit by cars recently in Chattanooga in the past few months.

The Chattanooga Police Department has put out multiple press releases related to this issue, in addition to bringing attention to speeding and reckless driving in busy areas around downtown.

Uh they specifically called out the problem of drag racing on Market Street Bridge.

This month the CPD posted on Facebook highlighting the increase in pedestrians and cyclists being hit.

So this clearly is something they care about.

It's on their mind and they want to fix it.

I would love to see more collaboration between the Chattanooga Police Department and other departments within the city to do more than just enforcement campaigns, which are helpful, but only one piece of the puzzle.

Uh decisions made by the mayor's office along with public works and CDOT directly impact the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers in the city of Chattanooga.

Um the printouts you have in front of you list by district the 29 pedestrian struck incidents in Chattanooga over the past three and a half weeks.

Um that is more than one pedestrian or cyclist being hit by a vehicle every single day in the city, and this only includes ones that resulted in 911 calls.

Umly a few of these have made the news.

Uh some had tragic endings, um, others are kind of unknown injuries and hospitalizations.

Uh, but all of them are life-altering and in some cases life-ending events.

Uh thank you.

Thank you.

Hi, good afternoon.

My name is John LaRosa.

I live in District 2.

And I also wanted to talk about our uh unsafe roads for pedestrians and cyclists, and and really anyone who's not in a car.

Um, so these incidents that Benjamin just talked about start in September 25th, and the Chattanooga Police Department released uh numbers that go through the end of August that show 71 non fatal pedestrian strikes and 38 non fatal bicyclist strikes.

So you can add these, how many was it?

Uh 30.

29.

29.

You can add these 29 to that, so we're up well over 100 now for pedestrians and cyclists struck in uh 2025.

Uh and that actually doesn't even include most of September.

Um, and and of those, we've had two fatal bicyclist strikes and five fatal pedestrian strikes.

I was here uh within the last 30 days to also talk about uh putting the Market Street Bridge on a diet.

It there's a constant speeding problem, the lanes are too narrow, it's just not safe for anyone.

Not eat not drivers either.

Um there are an right now as we speak on the northbound side, there are a number of bollards that have been completely taken out by cars.

Public works replaces them, they're probably sick of replacing them, and we have to pay them every time they replace them.

If we would reduce the number of lanes on that road, put a more permanent uh guardrail there to keep pedestrians on the sidewalk safe, it would go a long way towards making that bridge safer.

There uh there, as Benjamin was saying, you know, enforcement is one of the the ways to reduce people from speeding on that bridge, but there's only so much enforcement we can do.

The police have limited resources, and the other component is changing the road design, which is what I'm which is what we're talking about here.

Uh the third component is education, and yeah, changing drivers ed to help people under help drivers understand the dangers of speeding and how deadly high speed collisions are would help, but we don't have that much ability to do that here.

What we can change and can change easily and for not a lot of cost is the road design.

And we've done it before, we've done it on Fraser, we've done it in on other streets, and we can do it again.

It doesn't have to be as dramatic as Frasier.

And we're really just talking about very minimal infrastructure costs here.

Um over the next few weeks or so, I'm gonna be putting together putting together something more concrete.

I'm gonna be getting the neighborhood associations that are adjacent to the bridge and and and other neighborhood associations as well to get on board with this, and we're gonna present it here.

We're gonna present it to the mayor, and we want change.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else that wishes to address the council this evening?

Okay, council family seeing none.

May I have a motion to adjourn?

I have a motion with the proper second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion carries.

We are adjourned.

Okay.