Good afternoon.

I'd like to call to order the Chattanooga City Council meeting for Tuesday, January thirteenth, twenty twenty six.

God, we thank you for the privilege of representing the people of this great city.

We pray that you would guide and direct the work that we do today, and that you would protect and bless all of those gathered here today.

Amen.

Amen.

We have no special presentations today.

Council, can I get a motion on the minutes, please?

Thank you.

Without objection, the minutes will stand.

Okay.

Council.

Um let's go ahead and start talking about our agenda for today.

Um on final reading, we will have an economic development committee and a community development committee meeting.

Um, but first we're gonna go through the agenda.

Umrdance has under final reading.

We have just a couple of items.

Um one for the city of the office of the city attorney, a mandatory referral in district six, um, as well as an ordinance to revise a speed limit in districts two and three.

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

For first reading, we have a wastewater item, and we have planning today.

Councilman Elliott.

Yes, madam chair.

I have two uh questions.

One's gonna be on the uh wastewater item, which is in district nine.

If Mark or somebody can just give me a little bit of understanding of what are we doing with this one, and then I have a planning item, madam chair.

What was your question?

Can you highlight a little bit what we're doing in this one?

Uh I see this one is it's like we're a little bit of abandonment.

What does that look like?

Yeah, so there is an existing easement that the wastewater utility has ownership of, but there is actually no infrastructure in that easement.

So we're just getting ready.

So we're just giving it back to the property owner.

Okay, do they get notified that this goes back to I believe there's well, there's uh a deed release with that, but there's it's uh there's a process for it.

I don't know exactly what the vehicle for notification is, but uh they've they were the ones requesting that, I think.

So that's why they should be following the process.

Okay, proper long as they're involved.

Thank you so much.

Okay, and you had a planning item.

Yes, ma'am, it's gonna be item.

Sorry, scrolling down item uh 2025 0192.

Um and council staff as well.

I've emailed yes, ma'am.

Item eight, sorry.

Uh I emailed you all uh copies of the site plan.

I would like the site plan uh in the record as well for tonight.

Okay, okay, okay, and that's all Madam Chair.

Okay.

Councilwoman members, thank you, madam chair.

Under planning uh item F.

The applicant has requested us to defer this for one week, so I will make a request to defer till January 20th.

Councilman Henderson.

Thank you, madam chair, and welcome back.

Thank you.

Um Karen, I had asked last week, and I think you have sent a let uh an email, but I hadn't had time to read it.

Maybe you can just fill me in on the uh ask about what whether the vested rights were with the applicant or the owner in making an application to RPA.

Yes, you'll find out anything.

Yep, Brian.

Um I pass the question along to Brian and he did some research.

Um, and the vest the state law and the um the amendment, it notes that it goes with the property, the vesting goes with the property.

So the our um our language talks about an applicant doing something, but the vesting does go with the property, and that is both in state law and then um the um language and the ordinance are both in that email, and I can pull them up and um if I need to.

So I guess really under K.

Do we have a choice as to whether we leave it as it is now?

I mean in in looking at it, I think it's the applicant is doing something.

It can either it's you know the applicant's acting on behalf of a property owner.

Sometimes the property owners transitioning during the process, but it is the vesting itself and the activity is the property is vested when these certain things are done, the the plat, those items we talked about.

So I can pull up the email and maybe talk to you a little bit more.

But in looking at and talking about it with Braun, he felt that the language in the ordinance reflected state law, and that is probably because we're vesting the property regardless.

Okay.

Uh thank you.

Um, but I'm happy that's not enough.

We can follow up before the meeting.

Um, or reference that email.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Vice Chairwoman Noel.

Thank you, madam chair.

Um, I'm the planning B.

On the planning B and G, I am going to defer these again.

That is going to be my intention because I did knock the doors for 28020 Street.

And there are some concerns and issues that we actually need to speak with the developer and Mrs.

Rannick in a reference to make sure we can get good conditions in place.

Okay.

Any specific time on the uh yeah, let me let me go two weeks on it, please.

Okay.

So that'll be until the 27th.

Yes.

Okay.

Council, do we have any other questions about uh planning items?

Seeing none, counsel, I'd like to make you aware of item.

It's in district two, it's planning case 2025 0183.

This is in my district.

Um it's kind of a tricky one because we've had some uh this piece of property had some variances allowed through the Board of Zoning Appeals, and then we had a change of the zoning code.

And so I'd like um to request that one of my colleagues make a motion to defer this for two weeks until the 27th of January.

Um we've got some administrative work we need to do to look at if there's an opportunity to do uh to to help um restore the ability to build what they could have built before with an administrative process, other than actually changing the zoning on the property.

So we're gonna do a little more little more work on that one.

Okay, council.

We will uh move on to resolutions.

Yeah, we've got some resolutions and economic development.

The mayor's office, parks and outdoors, public works.

Council, typically I would take um these public works items as a package, but we have some kind of interesting things happening with items F, G, and H.

So I am going to take them individually.

And also item I under Public Works is a pretty darn special one.

So we want to make sure we take that individually as well.

Uh so looking uh then at planning, we have two items under planning.

Um one is actually an item in district two, and I would request um council consider a motion to approve that item.

And then we have uh we have one other item, a special exceptions permit.

Councilman Clark.

Uh thank you, Chairwoman Hill.

Um we've had a lot of conversations around the um resolution approving the liquor store permit uh near the uh Chattingham School for the Liberal Arts.

This is item L.

This is item L under planning where it says 58 Tennessee Corporation Special Exemptions permit.

Uh Karen Rennick from the regional planning agency, where are you?

If you could come to the podium, please.

I want to just be for the record so you know how this will be voted upon on the when we get to the um when we get past the agenda session.

The inquiry was to have it remeasured to make sure that it was appropriately the distance was appropriate away from the school.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

Okay, and so from the email that was received from Mr.

Hasalia, who's in the audience tonight.

Uh it says no distance anywhere is less than 200 square feet or 200 feet, is that right?

That's correct.

Okay, and there were two.

I don't know if this is this is on the screen.

I can't see.

Oh no, it's not on the screen.

There were two measurements from the back door of the liquor store to the nearest property line, the Chinese School for the Liberal Arts.

Is that correct?

Um that is correct.

The um the updated um drawing shows has a note that says the distance shown to the CSLA is based on field survey locations to the rear door of the subject property, the liquor store, and the nearest property line of CSLA on a straight line.

And um I noted um that the original survey was the closest property line, uh but the school and the applicant did note that yes, that is accurate.

Actually, and just lastly, I'd like for you to just briefly talk about why we are not using the property line of the parking lot.

Yes.

Uh from the nearest property line to Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts and the backdoor of the liquor store.

Um, I will answer part of it.

The attorney can um if I can weigh in if I would miss data side.

Sure.

Okay, thank you.

And so the language we're using the language, the measurement language it's in Chattanooga City Code, and it defines how to measure, and it is from the leasehold line.

And so while no one might use that back door to enter the liquor store other than employees, we're using that as the measurement as that's the nearest point of the leasehold line.

And so I believe the city attorney's office has read the rental agreement for the property, and it notes that leasehold error, which is those two suite numbers.

And so it is from the leasehold line of the proposed liquor store to the nearest property line.

And so we had a question about the length of the the distance, excuse me, to the driveway and the nearest property line to the driveway is GIS, which is that because it's over 200 feet.

GIS shows the distance of 320 feet to the nearest school lot line to the driveway.

And so again, we're looking at that 200 number, and it's over that uh multiple.

Would you like to add to that or are you good?

Yes, sir.

The the measurements have been done according to your current ordinance here regarding the distance requirements, and this would at least meet those requirements.

Um I actually uh think Nicole got a uh pre um more recent uh survey that was provided here.

It looks like at 1244 this afternoon, which shows all of the distance requirements around this property here, and then uh going over to the school, they vary between uh 513 feet, 361 feet, 312 feet, and 347 feet at least on that document.

And to clarify, those are a G from using GIS that I just provided is additional information accounts on Councilman Clark to show that just we kind of working along that property line to CSLA, just starting to show those distances of um really over 300 feet to 513 feet and then greater.

Thank you, Karen.

I just wanted to make sure that was added into the record.

Uh Chairwoman Hill, as tonight, I will not be voting on this item uh with the with my colleagues tonight.

Uh Mr.

Hasalia, um, I want to let you know that that's not a testament of us of the economic we're we're not against economic development in Highway 58, and we welcome business growth.

Uh I have too many liquor stores, I have too many um payday lending loans in an area that I am trying to develop that's predominantly African American.

We welcome your business, but with parameters uh tonight um I will not be voting um on this tonight, uh, but per state law that today is the 60-day mark to where it automatically goes into law per state pre uh per state law.

So I just want to address you.

I didn't get a chance to speak to you uh last week, but I am uncomfortable uh with that amount of distance it is from the school, and I don't think it's compatible uh with our plans for the Highway 58 area.

So I want to be on record um and letting you know that that it's nothing personal against your family's business, but it's just not compatible with our plan Chattanooga um drawings for Highway 58.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you, Councilman Clark.

Um Mr.

Attorney, would you like to add any additional language for the record?

Yeah, I believe the application was initially uh uh applied for so that the 60th day would be on January 16th, not the 13th, but that's the only only difference on in that regard, and if there's not action taken by this body within 60 days, then it would be granted under state law.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Okay.

All right, council.

That brings us to uh there will be a couple of items under other business um which we'll handle at that time.

That brings us to purchases.

If you'll please take a look at your purchases and hit your light if you have any questions.

We don't have very many today.

We do not have any um renewals RFP formats or emergency purchase or sole source purchase requests.

Okay, looks like we are good on that.

So let's um take a look at our two-week agenda, please.

Yeah, is under uh first reading for our two-week.

Actually, we have one single ordinance under first read um next week.

That is a planning item in district six.

Do I have any questions or comments?

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

Future considerations.

We have a handful of items under economic development.

I would like to point out to the council that we do have an interesting item related to um economic development in the Chattanooga Airport, and we will have representatives from the airport on January 20th and 27th here to answer questions about this as this is um somewhat unique um resolution that we're being asked to consider.

Do we have any questions about any other items on future considerations?

Going once, going twice.

All right, we are great.

We have two committees today, so we're gonna keep things moving.

Um first is economic development, and our second is community development.

So I will hand this chair over to Chairman Elliott, thank you, Madam Chair.

Good afternoon.

Before we start, I will like to take a point of privilege.

We do have some special guests here today from District 9.

We have attendees of our senior center and some of their leadership.

So we um thank you guys for being here.

And also I'd like to grant a uh wish a happy foundation to the wonderful ladies with Delta Signal Data.

Um let's start.

I'll entertain a motion on a minute.

All right.

We have a presentation today where we're gonna be looking at some of the special assessment districts and uh TIFF districts pertaining to Northgate.

Sharita, you want to kick us off?

Good afternoon, Council Sharita Allen, Senior Advisor for Economic and Workforce Development here at the City of Chattanooga.

This item we're bringing to you is a follow-up to a presentation that staff provided on the proposed Northgate Mall TIF that was approved.

During that process, Councilman Henderson asked about the likelihood of doing an industrial development district as part of that TIFF district.

We explained at the time why that was not a good fit for the particular project, but we also uh offered to come back and bring an overview of the special types of districts and how they apply here in the city of Chattanooga.

With that in mind, we will have um Hanukkah Manderson from our economic development department, our housing team.

She will provide an overview.

She's currently our subject matter expert as it relates to the industrial development district portion, so her focus will be on that.

But as the other items come up, I will come up later and answer questions on any of the other districts that that she mentions.

Thanks, Shreida, and good afternoon, council.

Um this was serendipitous timing.

I've been looking into infrastructure development districts for a couple of months now.

It's a new tool that's made available to us by state legislation that passed last session.

So it's brand new.

Um, and it's an honor to be able to talk to you a bit about these districts.

So, what I'm gonna do today is just give a high-level overview of different public finance tools for new development, um, what they are, how they achieve public benefit, and most importantly, the differences between them.

So, to start off, we're talking at the highest level about two different districts, uh special assessment districts and TIFFs.

The biggest difference between those, and if you walk away knowing one thing from this presentation, it's this TIFFs commit public funds to developments, special assessment districts don't.

That's the big difference.

Um they're both public finance tools, so how are things being paid for?

In a special assessment district, there is an extra tax or assessment being levied against the property owners inside of the district, and that tax has one purpose, and it's to pay off whatever funded the infrastructure in that district.

With the TIFF, there's no extra tax.

What's happening is we have a development area that is not getting off the ground but for a public investment.

The city makes an investment through the TIFF and property values rise in the district, and we take the difference between the property taxes we were collecting and the new higher property taxes, and that difference is earmarked to pay off the public investment that was made up front to make the development happen.

That's like the most simple version of what these two tools are.

Um other kind of more nuanced differences.

The approval special assessment districts only require city approval and industrial development board approval, and then the TIFFs require city and county approval.

That's if we want to use county taxes to help pay for the TIFF, which we typically do.

Uh, allowable uses are also different.

Special assessment districts are really for funding infrastructure, and TIFFs can be used for really any capital project, although some uses require comproller approval.

But to get into more of the differences between the special assessment districts and the TIFFs, there are three different types of special assessment districts.

They're the ones you're seeing in blue on the left, and then on the right, we've got TIFF in green just to keep it separate.

So there are central business improvement districts.

These, there's two types of these.

One is for developing infrastructure, funding police and safety, and the other one is more of an operating revenue to fund beautification, cleanliness, and safety of a central business district.

Then we have our traditional special assessments.

These have been on the books for quite some time.

The use of these special assessment districts is for large developments with municipal projects, say a fire station.

And then the new tool is called an infrastructure development district.

And this was first passed in 2024, and a new version with more streamlined requirements was passed in 2025.

And the use for this tool is reducing the cost of really all development, but particularly housing development, and that's why I'm here today talking to you about these.

And then to reiterate for TIFFs, the best use of TIFFs is really catalyzing impactful development projects that would not happen but for that public investment.

And so what's the kind of financing we're talking about here?

For special assessment districts, it's typically tax-exempt bond financing.

And so what's happening when we create a special assessment district is the city is passing along its access to this great source of funding for development, tax exempt bonds.

These bonds come at a lower rate of interest than a conventional financing, and so that's cost savings for the project.

What's happening is this is the tax exempt bonds are a tool municipalities have to finance infrastructure development and other public benefit development.

We're passing that ability on to a developer so that they can build the infrastructure and donate it to us.

So they're building it for us, but ultimately it becomes public infrastructure.

Now I said there were two types of C bid.

The other type of CBIT that's not dealing with bonds is really just operating revenue.

So it's an extra tax paid for by the residents of the district to help pay for cleanup crew or facade improvement grants, that sort of thing.

That's what we have in our downtown.

And so with all these special assessments, the thing that is paying for the infrastructure is an extra tax paid by property owners in the district.

That's different from TIFFs, right?

For a TIFF, we can either finance a project by issuing bonds, or it can be a reimbursement TIFF where the developers reimburse for part of their expenses.

But the thing that's paying for those capital improvements is new property tax revenue that's coming from that development that's occurred.

And so the kind of next thing is is there subsidy involved?

Well, with all of these kind of, right?

That's why they're public finance tools, that's why developers are interested in leveraging these tools.

When it comes to special assessment districts, it's more of what I would call a shallow subsidy and an indirect subsidy.

So we're not committing public funds to the project, but we're passing along this great benefit we have as the public sector to be able to access capital at a lower interest rate.

So just like if you're able to get a mortgage for your house at 4% instead of 8%, you can afford a lot more house.

It's the same with commercial development.

When we have a lower interest rate for that initial infrastructure development, it lowers the cost of construction, and that is passed on to the home buyers.

With a TIFF, it's more direct.

We are putting public money into a project because we recognize that for that project, it would not occur without that direct public investment.

But we're not using money today, we're using future money that will come from the development itself.

So now on to some of the more logistical things in terms of staffing.

Special assessment districts often have a board required.

In the case of infrastructure development districts, we can charge a 5% admin fee to cover the city's cost.

So that kind of furthers the fact that we're not committing city resources to make these things happen.

We are passing along a public kind of tool to the developer for that public component of what they're building.

And so that admin fee can be used to pay for a financial consultant, a bond administrator, which are both best practices to hire if you're going to do these types of districts.

And for TIFFs, we also have an admin fee split 50-50 with the county.

In terms of approval, all of these are discretionary tools, which means no developer has a right to these tools.

They are to be negotiated between the city and the developer to a mutually agreed upon kind of arrangement.

And so in all of these tools, there is the opportunity for public benefit, something that the city can't just negotiate on one-off developments, but when we bring something to the table that developers are interested in, we have room to push for things like parks or a share of homes at more affordable prices.

And finally, uh, in terms of the initiation for the special assessment districts, uh, this is typically by petition that it's being initiated.

Specifically for the infrastructure development district, all the owners in the district file a petition together, and that starts the clock for a process.

Now, best practices do recommend that the city adopt policies to have a more streamlined application process before a petition is filed because when you get to that filing, all the uh sort of elements of the deal are locked in.

So a negotiation has to happen before the petition.

With a TIFF, we have an application process.

That's a city policy we adopted to formalize a process that we want developers to go through for the city to consider working with them.

Um council can initiate some types of special assessment districts, specifically the C bids and the traditional special assessments, but it can be challenging.

In the case of C bids, 50% of the property owners can come together and overrule council's decision.

And for a traditional special assessment, council must 100% approve the district formation.

Um in terms of legislative approvals, we talked about this for special assessment districts.

Since it's just in the city, uh it's city council and the industrial development board that approve it.

If we do TIFFs, we involve the county as well.

So that's a quick overview.

Um, and I'll hand it over to Srida for questions.

Uh before we go to questions, I'm gonna pause.

We have a lot of people standing.

Uh we do have open chairs.

If you would like to come, and I'll see we have some folks crowding in who came in behind.

We're all neighbors here in Chattanooga, so fine you'll see if you'll like.

Um, we won't buy.

Uh I just want to make sure everybody's comfortable when I've crowd by the door.

We have a couple up front as well.

Yes, Mr.

Chairman, council.

Well, how does the call we do have resilience?

Absolutely.

Yes.

Um can you tell us how many we have in the hallway?

Do we have any more?

Great.

Okay.

Uh if we might hear me, we have a couple more seats in here.

And some over here on the side to accommodate some folks.

Any more uh additional city staff, we do love you.

But we will may shift some folks around to accommodate some of our our residents.

Um moving on, we have some folks in the queue.

Sharita, if you're ready, or Hanukkah to take some questions.

Sherwin Hill.

Thank you very much.

Um it's really interesting to be looking at these uh at these new tools, uh, and clearly the way that different tools can come into use, they're not things to be taken lightly, they're things to be negotiated carefully.

Um I have a few questions.

With regard to the TSA and the IDD, the traditional special assessment and the infrastructure development district.

Number one, using the capital at a lower accessing capital at a lower rate.

Who holds the bond debt?

Yeah, that's a great question.

Um the bond is um publicly traded, is it can be sold, um, but what is securing the bond is that special assessment revenue.

So importantly, it is not the city.

It is not the city.

Okay, and it does not impact our debt to income ratio.

It does not.

Okay.

Okay.

Next question.

Um, for these infrastructure projects, um, the third well, I have heard the number 30 years.

How long is typically the term for one of these bonds?

30 years.

30 years.

So we've we've talked about this with the um with the Northgate TIFF as well that we did decide as a council to move forward with.

30-year-old infrastructure, a gift of 30-year-old infrastructure is a little bit of a bummer.

Um I don't know about y'all, but I know in my district, 30 years is about the time that I start to see things sinking and needing to be replaced, at which point it becomes the job of the city, right?

Um has there been any discussion about these becoming permanent or doubling or anything like that?

Yeah, so uh to clarify the infrastructure is donated day one to the public.

So we we do get it right away, and as is typical when developers build new infrastructure, it's deeded to the public and it becomes the public's responsibility to maintain.

Um there uh to my knowledge, although I'm no legal expert, this um these districts do not allow us to appropriate the revenue for anything other than that initial bond.

So once the uh 30 years uh expires, the residents no longer pay that tax.

Okay, all right, good to understand.

Um, and then the final question.

You note in the IDD option that it can be best for reducing the cost of housing development.

And I've had some conversations with builders over the last few years, um, promoting the idea of a MUD, which I guess we got a better name in Tennessee instead of a municipal utility district, an IDD.

I don't know if they're the same or one was built off the other, but uh the idea of a builder having a having a plaid of land that then they use this tool to get the infrastructure in instead of having to wait for the city to play catch up with growth.

Um, how Hanukkah, does this IDD tool that we have now available in Tennessee help reduce the cost of housing development and the price of housing for the person living in that housing?

Yeah, it's a great question.

Uh so this tool has been used extensively in Texas and Florida, and I think that's where the MUD terminology comes from.

So yeah, this is our MUD.

Okay, this is our MUD.

We just have a better name for it, great.

Uh yeah, and uh really what it does is it gives us tax exempt financing for the infrastructure portion, which otherwise would be funded with commercial debt and would be rolled into the cost of the home.

And so instead of being rolled in as a part of the development cost and then uh a part of the purchase price of the home, uh that infrastructure is kept out of kind of that the valuation with the developer can sell the home for, and instead the homeowner is paying it off over time.

Now it's not that it's not being paid for, right?

We're not talking about taking a $300,000 house and making it a $200,000 house, but these kinds of costs of capital savings that are passed on to the home buyers can mean a $300,000 house is $290 or $280.

And for the fact that as the public sector, we are not making any direct financial commitments to the project, it's a great opportunity for us to support development.

So you're exactly right.

It's for it's best for this kind of greenfield development where the city has not yet been able to kind of get it in the queue for the capital projects.

The developers able to finance that infrastructure up front, which by the way they're doing with somewhat the same bonds that we would be doing, but instead of securing it with the general fund revenue, it's secured by an extra tax paid for by the homeowners in that district.

And so it's also a way to help have growth pay for itself instead of the whole city paying for the infrastructure in that new district, it's the home buyers in the district paying for their own infrastructure, but with that public savings.

And then the final item the fact that this uh that an IDD would be negotiated, um where will we be looking for best practices and and best standards to hold ourselves to in those negotiations?

Yeah, that's a great question.

So um we have already been speaking with uh legal consultants who have done these deals in Texas and in Florida, and also there is a kind of group of cities across the state that are exploring this tool.

So we haven't met yet as a group, but we're kind of passing materials around, and so that's that's the research I've been a part of in the last couple of months.

Uh generally speaking, the this is one of those tools where you can't ask for more than you're giving, and so it's about meeting in the middle and finding a way to for the city to capture some of that advantage of the financing, but also leaving enough for the developer to pass it on to the buyers and to want to go through the process to begin with.

Um and the way we do that is really by hiring that financial consultant uh to help us understand the economics of the deal and what can be requested.

But really, we can we can push for any type of public benefit in these deals.

Okay, thank you, Hanukkah.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I'm finished.

Councilman Harbor.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um Hanukkah, this either may be a question for you or Sharita.

Um but since we are comparing the two, would you all mind giving us refresher of what the difference was in the Northgate TIFF, why we didn't do this since it was talking about infrastructure?

Um just kind of a reminder of why the TIFF was the better way to go.

Sure.

On the industrial development on the infrastructure development district, typically that is for a greenfield projects, fresh out of the ground.

The Northgate one, because it's a redevelopment project, this was not a good fit for it.

Got it.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right, council, any more questions?

That's it.

Thank you.

All hearts and minds clear.

All right.

If that is all, that will conclude our presentation today.

Hanukkah and uh Sharita, thank you guys so much.

And that will conclude our economic development committee.

I will turn it over to my colleague, Chairman Dennis Clark for our committee development.

That's interesting.

All right, good afternoon, everybody.

Uh Rick, could you put the timer on the screen for 12 minutes, please?

That's the time we'll be allowed for community development.

Um the last meeting.

Second, and there's a second.

Um we will kick off our community development meeting uh with a special presentation uh from councilwoman birds, if you could join us at the podium.

Ms.

Strong, could you accompany Mrs.

Councilwoman Burns at the podium?

While she's uh heading up, because I know we have a tight schedule.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um you're not gonna stand up here with me.

Thank you.

All right.

Um thank you, Council.

We're incredibly as as you all know, we're incredibly fortunate to have individuals who dedicate themselves to serving our community, particularly our youth.

And today I'm honored to recognize someone who's made a profound and lasting impact on our city as a leader, mentor, and distinguished citizen.

We have uh a member of one of our community centers, the Tyner Community Center, which is in District 6, uh, that retired at the end of uh 2025.

And um I would like to present, he couldn't join us here today, but I understand that he's uh watching, so hello Jeff Strong.

Uh a lot of people, I don't know how many people know this because you do such a good job of keep separation of home and state or home and city that um that Kimberly Strong uh her husband is Jeff Strong, and so they've both worked for the city for several years, and I hope I didn't okay, because you're standing up here, and people are probably wondering why is she standing here?

So I asked uh I asked Kimberly to join us here today.

Uh she would be standing here with her husband Jeff Strong, who couldn't join us here today because we have a proclamation in honor of him and his great service.

So um honoring a city council proclamation honoring the retirement of Jeff Strong, whereas Jeff Strong has devoted 34 years of distinguished service to the city of Chattanooga, serving exclusively with the community development department, and has demonstrated unwavering commitment to public service and neighborhood enrichment.

And whereas Jeff Strong began his career with the city at the St.

Animal Community Center as a recreation specialist and went on to stir with dedication at the Westside Community Center, Chris Ramsey Senior Community Center, and the Tyner Community Center, positively impacting countless residents and youth across Chattanooga.

And whereas throughout his tenure, Jeff Strong exemplified professionalism, leadership, and deep passion for community spaces, ultimately serving as a facility manager, where his stewardship and institutional knowledge just strengthened the operations and mission of community development.

And whereas prior to his career with the city of Chattanooga, I didn't know this, but learned this, Jeff Strong distinguished himself as an elite basketball player whose name remains synonymous with excellence in Chattanooga basketball history.

And whereas Jeff Strong was a standout player for the University of Missouri Tigers, was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks, competed professionally overseas, and earned induction in not only the Mizo Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame and the Greater Chattanooga Area Basketball Hall of Fame, cementing his leg legacy both on and off the court.

And whereas Jeff Strong's lifelong dedication to teamwork, discipline, mentorship, and service has left a lasting legacy with the city of Chattanooga and the communities he faithfully served.

Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the city count Chattanooga City Council hereby recognizes, honors, and celebrates Jeff Strong upon his retirement, effective December 31st, 2025, and expresses sincere gratitude for his 34 years of exemplary service, leadership, and commitment to the people of Chattanooga.

Mr.

Jeff Strong, the City Council extends its deepest appreciation and best wishes to you for continued success, fulfillment, and enjoyment in this well-earned retirement.

Adopted and proclaimed this day by the Chattanooga City Council this 13th day of January 2026.

Jeff Thank you.

Jeff, you will you will be missed.

And Mr.

Chair, I thank you for this time.

Thank you, Councilwoman Burns for that acknowledgement of Jeff Strong and it, you know, behind every wonderful man is an even better woman.

And those of you who don't know, Kim Strong is our director of constituent services out of the mayor's office.

And if we lose both of you, which I know we will not be losing anytime soon, it will be such a detriment to our city.

So we thank you, Kim, for your support of this council.

Um, and we wish you and Jeff.

Um he's retired as I don't know what he'll be doing, but hope you won't be on your nerves.

But we thank him for his years of service to our city on behalf of the council and the Department of Community Development.

All right.

So moving along, we have uh seven minutes left in our uh community development meeting, and I'm gonna call forward our administrator, uh Secretary Kenson to give a brief presentation.

And at my discretion, if I have to add a couple minutes, I'll do that.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Uh good afternoon.

Uh thank you, uh, committee chair.

Um, to Madam Chair, uh members of council, uh Cedric Henson administrator for the Department of Community Development.

Uh, today I am here to provide uh a quick update.

I'm sorry, Cedric.

There look there seems to be some interference in the audience of someone's audio device.

So what the hallways for may proceed.

Thank you.

I I am here today to provide a quick date uh update on the senior center.

Uh but before doing that, happy new year to you all.

Uh glad to see you again.

Uh, I would like to present just a quick uh video to kind of recap 2025 and get a little glimpse of what 26 looks like.

Okay, I'm not sure what I'm talking about.

We are absolutely excited about uh what the new year will bring.

Uh looking forward to to all of the things that the department will do in the upcoming year.

Um this presentation, uh, because as I look around the room, seniors matter, uh, this presentation is is really a very intentional story.

Uh, one about listening and adapting and delivering.

It reflects how the city in partnership with community advocates turn real challenges into a clear path forward.

Uh, looking for a real premier space for our Chattanooga seniors.

Uh in December 2023, senior programming was transitioned to uh Glenwood Community Center as part of a broader city effort to reduce costs while maintaining meaningful services.

The intent was to preserve senior programming through dedicated hours while sharing space with the broader community.

While well intentioned, the model quickly revealed some operational and functional challenges that limited the experience for our seniors.

One of our strongest assets as a department has to be us having a willingness to listen.

And at a September 11, 2025 senior advisory board meeting, our seniors provided direct candidate feedback on their experience at Glenwood.

Their concerns were clear and consistent.

There was parking issues, uh, insufficient programming space, lack of storage, restrictive hours.

Now, while these were not criticisms, uh, but feedback and guidance of their needs, and we took those seriously.

The guidance really led to us being able to have some immediate action.

Under the direction of our mayor, we were instructed to explore alternative options that better align with the board's vision.

Within weeks, we identify a newly available space at Eastgate Town Center.

From September to January, we moved deliberately, touring the site, validating the feasibility, and confirming that Eastgate could again serve as a true home for our senior programming.

In just 90 days, we moved from feedback to being able to come up with a realistic plan.

The proposed Eastgate location increases usable space by more than 50 percent, expanding to approximately 15,000 square feet, and directly addresses those five major concerns that were raised by our seniors.

Most importantly, this was not a top-down decision.

The senior advisory board was engaged at every step of this process.

The advisory board didn't just stop at identifying certain needs.

They really helped us to see that blueprint for long-term success.

Their vision, it was balanced with activities and social engagement with health, wellness, and accessibility and operational efficiency.

We discussed ADA compliance, uh, we've looked at the parking, uh, we discussed how they have access to the transit system.

All of these were priorities to ensure uh sustainability.

We all can agree in this that space matters in our community centers.

The proposed Eastgate Suite B again provides nearly 5,000 uh additional square feet compared to the previous location.

That increase is really going to allow us to simultaneously program.

Uh it'll reduce our scheduling conflicts as well as really being able to have the flexibility to grow over time.

This is something that I was really amazed in watching this project truly demonstrated some interdepartmental collaboration.

Uh, there were multiple site visits that were conducted with the senior advisory board uh in key city departments, engineering department, economic development, a real property uh were real champions uh during our throughout this process as well as uh Department of Uh Technology Services.

Uh, we wanted to make sure that the space would be functional, uh, that we were cost conscious in making our decisions, and they were aligned with the city standards while honoring the vision of our seniors.

All of that collaboration has has now really resulted in something tangible.

As of December 9th, 2025, uh, we've provided a detailed floor plan uh reflecting our priorities.

Uh it's been completed and submitted to Eastgate Management for cost estimation.

Uh, at this stage, the process is truly transitioned closer from being conceptual, conceptual to executable.

As a final step, uh, the city did have to choose a path of how that renovation would look.

Uh, we did elect to a turnkey uh construction versus the city managed construction.

Uh that that decision was really driven by efficiency.

Eastgate knows their infrastructure better than anyone, uh, and so by authoring it authorizing them to manage that construction, uh, we kind of eliminate some of that administrative frictions that you sometimes see in these construction projects.

Uh they will be responsible for delivering a a complete move-in-ready space.

Uh, it wasn't just about building walls, it was also about speed to market.

Uh, we really wanted to cut through the red tape and open the doors to our seniors as quickly as possible.

This initiative succeeded thus far because leadership showed up.

I want to recognize the the senior advisory group, Mayor Kelly and members of the council, Councilman Clark, Councilman, Councilwoman Noel, Councilman Elliott, as well as Councilwoman Burrs.

Special shout out to Darren Ledford as well as my director of operations, Chris Brown, who've been uh with me every step of the way.

Uh this has been a collective effort, uh grounded in trust and really a shared purpose.

So I want to thank everyone for that.

So the journey uh to Eastgate is more about a building.

It's more than a building.

Uh it's a power example of responsive government uh where community voices informed decisions and city leadership follows through.

Uh the result is just not a better facility, but a stronger relationship uh with the seniors that we serve.

Uh in closing, members of council, this project demonstrates what's possible when we listen, collaborate, and act with intention.

Uh on behalf of the Department of Community Development, uh, thank you for your continued support as we work to ensure Chattanooga seniors have a space that reflects their value, their voice, and their vitality.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Uh Cedric, I'm gonna give you a round of applause.

Council colleagues, we have about three minutes on the clock remainder, Madam Chair.

If I will probably extend it depending on the amount of questions we have, I would like to ask a question.

Uh first, I have a question.

I want to recognize the senior advisor group.

This is a robust group you don't want to play with.

Ms.

Davis, everyone, all of y'all.

Thank you.

Thank you for your work and partnership and holding us accountable.

Um, I think I'd be first to recognize that you probably shouldn't have moved from that location in the first place.

And I'm appreciative for the administration under Cedric's leadership and collaborating to move the Eastgate Town Center back into Councilwoman Burns' district and the Eastgate Town Center, which could use some vitality.

So uh thank you for doing that.

My first question is have they seen those plans?

Is that your first time seeing that floor plan of the wellness center?

Or have y'all seen it before?

They've walked the floor with me.

They've done it all.

That was our first time seeing it.

So as long as they have it, I'm happy.

Okay, then we're good.

Uh council, I'll open the floor for questions, and we I will ex we have three minutes left.

Um I don't know how to exit out of the screen.

Let me go back to the queue.

All right.

Are there any questions for Cedric at this time?

Any conversations from the floor?

Uh not at this time, I'm sorry.

We could you could we could do that during the public um input session at the end.

But we have two minutes, and so Cedric, there are no questions from this council.

I don't know what that means, kind of scary me a little bit.

But thank you again for your work.

Thank you, Council.

Um, in leading the charge and making sure that we are supporting our seniors because they do indeed matter.

Um, and I'm I'm very fortunate that this is a council that supports that, uh, not just with our voices, but also with our budgetary uh priorities.

So thank you again.

Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

Thank you.

Thank you for just to the council for the continued support uh of community development.

Appreciate it.

Uh council, just to let you know that February we will not be having a community development meeting, and Cedric Kenton will be back in March to do what is called a community center safety committee meeting, which he'll be giving us an update on how we will be working to keep our community center safe.

Is that correct, Cedric?

That is great.

Okay.

Um I'll also take a personal privilege to recognize some of my senior friends who do a lot of work in my district on behalf of women and seniors.

First, I have Ms.

Ari Didell here.

Thank you so much, friend, for coming.

And then Samantha Reed Hawkins with our grandson Junior Hey Jr.

Thank y'all so much for your work that you do to support women and seniors in our community in District 5.

Um and with that, madam chair, what time would you like to recess?

It is 4.25 and we will recess until 5 p.m.

Okay.

And we are in recess.

We are back in session.

Madame Clerk, will you please read item seven A?

An ordinance to amend ordinance number one three seven four eight.

Closing and abandoning two and opened alleyways in the six thousand blockwater.

As detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions.

Councilwoman Versus is in your district.

Thank you.

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

Do you have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item B, please.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 24, Article 14, Section 24-502, Schedule 2, speed on through streets.

Motion approved.

Thank you.

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

Do we have any questions or comments?

All in favor.

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Ordinance and book of the ordinance under first reading.

Wastewater item 8A, please.

An ordinance closing and abandon abandoning a sanitary sewer easement.

Record number 1214 underscore 15, being a 10 foot wide sewer easement per plat book 70, page 129, ROHC, beginning at the northwest corner of tax map number 156 K-E-008.01, then southwest along the west line of said property, approximately 50 feet 50 feet to a point, thence northwest, approximately 147 feet to a point in the eastern right of way of the 2400 block of 15th Avenue as detailed on the attached maps.

Thank you.

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

Do I have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Planning item B, please.

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

So as to rezone property located at 3014 Dodds Avenue from IH Heavy Industrial Zone to CC Commercial Corridor Zone.

Thank you.

This is planning case 20250176.

Is the applicant present?

Okay.

Do we have any opposition present?

All right.

Councilwoman Noel, Vice Chairwoman Noel, this is in your district, and I do see the applicant present.

Would you uh what we have no opposition?

Shall we look at it?

Okay.

Um, so what I would like to do uh is meet with him.

I'm going to defer this until the 27th.

Um there's some questions.

I knocked on some doors over there.

Um past couple of days, and there are some questions and concerns that we need to address, and we need to see what the conditions might be before uh Mrs.

Rennick and I need to get together as well as him on that.

So I'm going to defer.

Make a make a motion to defer until the 27th.

Until the January the 27th.

7th.

Okay, council.

We have a motion on the floor to defer this item until January 27th.

For the applicant, we are not going to hear uh statements from the applicant or opposition today.

We're going to defer, we're gonna vote to potentially defer this for two weeks.

At which point, Vice Chairwoman Noel, this is in her district, will be talking with staff and we'll be talking with you to learn more.

Okay.

Okay.

Um council, do we have any other questions or comments?

All in favor of deferring this item for two weeks until January 27th.

Aye.

Opposed, motion passes.

Item C, please.

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

So as to rezone property located at 2420 East 12th Street, from RN2 residential neighborhood zone to RN3 residential neighborhood zone, subject to certain conditions.

Thank you.

Is the applicant present?

Do we have any opposition present?

Councilman Elliott.

Um, I would like to make a motion to approve, but Phil and Council staff have also sent you a copy of the site plan, just in case we don't have it, and I would like that relative to the record and attached to this ordinance.

So, madam chair, please forgive me.

I meant to mention this earlier during an agenda session, but I didn't have a copy of that site plan just yet.

So you had mentioned a site plan.

Was that for for item eightem HP?

Yes, well, this is separate.

Separate.

Okay.

I had just gotten this one, so uh excuse the delay, but I would like to make an emotional approve with the site plan attached.

With the site plan attached, all right.

We have a copy of that, we will provide that uh as part of the record.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Look at council.

We have a motion on the floor to approve with the site plan attached to the record.

Do we have a second?

Thank you.

Do you have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Item D, please.

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

So as to rezone property located at 5601 Tennessee Avenue from IH Heavy Industrial Zone to RN13 Residential Neighborhood Zone.

Thank you.

This is planning case 2025 0179.

Is the applicant present?

Thank you.

Do we have any opposition present?

Councilwoman Dotley, this is in your district.

All right.

We have a motion to approve.

Can I get a second?

Second.

All right, we've got a proper second for that.

Do we have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item E, please.

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

So as to rezone property located at 511 Rosewood Street from RN15 Residential Neighborhood Zone to TRN1 traditional neighborhood residential zone, subject to certain conditions.

Thank you.

This is case 2025 0183.

Is the applicant present?

Is there any opposition present?

Thank you.

Madam Vice Chair.

Thank you.

Madam Chair, since this is your in your district, uh you had requested early that would you want to defer.

So there's a motion to defer until January the 27th.

Thank you very much.

Welcome.

All right, council.

We have a motion on the floor to defer for two weeks until January 27th with a proper second.

Do we have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Thank you, Council.

Okay.

Item F, please.

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

So as to rezone property located at 5920 Pine Grove Trail from RN3 Residential Neighborhood Zone to IL Industrial Light Zone, subject to certain conditions.

Thank you.

This is uh planning case number 2025 0186.

Is the applicant present?

Is there any opposition present?

Councilwoman Burris, this is in your district.

Okay.

All right, council.

We have a motion on the floor to defer until January 20th with a proper second.

Do we have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item G, please.

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

So as to rezone property located at 2802 Curtis Street from RN15 Right Neighborhood Zone to TRN2 Zone.

Thank you.

This is planning case 2025 0144.

Is the applicant present?

Thank you.

Do we have any opposition present?

Madam Vice Chair, this is in your district.

Thank you.

Once again, I want to make a motion to defer until January the 27th in order for us to have a conversation as for is what the conditions need to be.

Okay.

Thank you, Council.

We have a motion on the floor with a proper second to defer until the 27th of January.

Do we 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 1513 Chamberlain Avenue from RN15 Residential Neighborhood Zone to RN13 Residential Neighborhood Zone.

Thank you.

This is planning case 2025 0192.

Is the applicant present?

Thank you.

Do we have any opposition present?

All right.

Uh this is in District 9, Councilman Elliott.

Yes, madam Chair.

I would like to uh motion to approve this while attaching the site plan to the ordinance.

Okay.

Mr.

Attorney, we can get add the site plan to it.

Yes, no problem.

Thank you, Mr.

Turner.

Thank you.

Council, we have a motion on the floor to approve this with the site plan attached and a proper second.

Do we have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item I please.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance, so as to lift condition number one from ordinance number 14048 of previous case number 2023-0130 on property located at 2409 East Main Street, subject to certain conditions.

Okay, is the applicant present?

Do we have any opposition present?

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

Do we have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item J, please.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to lift conditions from ordinance numbers 8943, 9649, and 10108 of previous case numbers 1988-0121, 1991-0189, and 1994-0170 on properties located at 1747 Gun Barrel Road and 7233 Crane Road.

Thank you.

This is planning case 2025 0182.

Is the applicant present?

Thank you.

Do we have any opposition present?

Councilman Harvey, this is in your district.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I've spoken both to the uh developers and the CEO of Erlinger East.

This is a much needed uh project for added health care services in my district.

Now move to approve.

Thank you.

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

Do I have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item K, please.

An ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 Zoning Ordinance as adopted by ordinance number 14137 on July 23rd, 2024 to amend Article 15 application process, section 3873 vesting to align with recent state law changes per Tennessee Code annotated section 13-4-310.

Thank you.

Council, can I get a motion?

Motion approved.

Thank you.

We have a motion to approve with the proper second.

Do I have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item L.

An ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 Zoning Ordinance as adopted by ordinance number 14137 on July 23rd, 2024, to amend Article 2 Definitions, Section 3810, rules of measurement to add graphics for irregular shapes lots, and to amend Chapter 38, Article 6, Downtown Form Based Code, Division 3, Rules for All Zones, Section 38698, Measurements and Exceptions for Height and Mass A, Building Height to replace the graphic in item two.

Thank you.

Thank you.

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

Do I have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed?

Motion passes.

All right, moving into resolutions.

Let's take item uh A and B as a package, please.

Item A.

A resolution confirming the surplus and authorities the administrator of economic development to enter into a contract for sale and purchase with 51 bricks at a time properties LLC in substantially the form attached for the acquisition of 6954 Robinson Drive, further identified as tax map number 148E-A-033 for the purchase price of 40,000 and to execute all documents required to consummate the transaction with closing fees not to exceed $5,000 for a total transactional amount not to exceed 45,000.

Item B.

A resolution authorizing the acceptance of 86,569 and 65 cents from Hamilton County as the city's portion from the September 2025 Hamilton County surplus property sale with 85,120 and 72 cents applied as the city's profit, 169.80 cents applied to the city attorney fees, 1,279.13 cents applied to fees of the city treasurer and authorizing the transfer of all net proceeds to the Chattanooga Land Bank Authority.

Thank you.

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

Do we have any questions or comments?

I'd like to say thanks to the city attorneys for the great rate.

Sure, you did a lot more work than 169.80 cents worth.

Our office appreciates that.

Yes.

All right.

Um all in favor?

Opposed.

Motion passes.

All right, let's take item C and D as a package, please.

Item C a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of Robin Stringfellow to the Chattanooga Public Art Commission for a term beginning on January 14th, 2026 and ending on January 13th, 2029.

Item D.

A resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of Alexis D.

Ambrosio to the Chattanooga Public Art Commission for a term beginning on January 14th, 2026 and ending on January 13th, 2027.

Thank you.

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

Do we have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Um are either of our new appointees here tonight?

Well, via the live stream, we say thank you very much for your service to our community.

Parks and outdoors, item E, please.

A resolution to accept the Carver Park Master Plan presented by HDLA subject to revision in an effort to establish a public vision for the future revitalization of Carper Park.

Okay.

Vice Chairwoman Noel.

Yes.

Motion to approve.

Thank you.

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

Do we have any questions or comments?

So grateful.

It's exciting development.

Yes, indeed.

Yes.

Um all in favor.

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item F.

A resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to enter into a development development agreement with Barry Payne Development LLC in substantially the form attached in connection with the right-of-way requirements for tax map numbers 148N-A-002 and 148N-A-003 as related to the development of tax map tax map number 148N-A-014 at 6745 customer delight drive.

Second.

Thank you.

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

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Item G, please.

A resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to enter into a permanent right-of-way easement with good steward management LLC on a portion of tax map number 148N-A-003 in substantially the form attached for Barry Payne Development LLC to complete the required improvements for the public extension of customer delight drive.

Move to approve.

Second.

Thank you.

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

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

Item H.

A resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to enter into a permanent right-of-way easement with Tennessee Office Properties LLC on a portion of tax map number 148N-A-002 in substantially the form attached for Barrie Payne Development LLC to complete their required improvements for the public extension of customer delight drive.

Thank you.

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

Do you have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motion passes.

That was a tidy little piece of work we did.

One, two, three.

Nice job, Council.

Um item I, please.

A resolution authorizing the Department of Public Works to erect commemorative secondary street signs on Oles Avenue from the West 38th Street to West 45th Street, designating such portions as Rosemary Gantt Porter Avenue.

Yes.

First, move to approve.

Second.

Second.

Oh, you don't get to second.

Thank you so much.

And Ms.

Rosemary was an amazing community leader in the Alton Park area.

She worked with one of my predecessors who uh Chris Anderson to get the Southside Community Park completed.

And it's unfortunate, you know, she passed about a year or so ago, but to see the Alton Park connect or getting started, it's going to connect to a park that she helped get done.

And so this is a powerful statement to the community, and she's the last of the four that we we honored in the neighborhood.

So is any of her family here today?

I don't think so.

And we are having a celebration for her at the end of the month.

So we'll have that.

So thank you, Council.

Uh well, I don't know you have vote G, but if you do, thank you so much.

And thank you, Madam Chair for letting me speak.

And if not a pox on your house, that's right.

That's right.

I got excited and I tried to make uh seconds.

It doesn't allow it.

So shut my mouth.

Um we got a motion on the floor with the proper second.

Do we have any additional conversation or questions?

All in favor.

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion passes.

I'm sure that will be very joyful celebration.

Item J, please a resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to award contract number F S-25-008-100 for professional services for on-call watershed modeling and floodplain analysis to the following seven entities.

One WSP USA Inc., two, Barge Design Solutions, three CDM Smith Inc., four, Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.

Five, AECOM Technical Services Inc.

Six Rummel Klepler and Call LLP and seven Neil Schaefer Inc.

for an amount not to exceed 1.5 million.

Thank you.

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

Do we have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Item K.

A resolution approving a special exceptions permit for a residential planned unit development amendment on properties located in the 1,01100 blocks of Moroni Street and part of a property located on the 1400 block of Hamilton Avenue.

Madam Chair, this is in your district, so I make a motion to approve.

Second.

Thank you.

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

Do we have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Thank you for your help, Council.

You welcome item L a resolution approving a new special exceptions permit for a new liquor store located at 4850 Highway 58, suite 130 and 140 Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Council, can I get a motion?

Council, this item has not received a motion and it will die for lack of a motion.

Mr.

Attorney, would you like to speak briefly again on what will happen to this item?

There is a provision under state law that action has to be taken within a period of 60 days from the date of a request for a liquor store to be approved.

If there is no action taken, then it is automatically granted under state law at that point in time.

There are also a requirements for a certificate of compliance as well on your agenda this evening.

If there is no action taken, that certificate of compliance would be granted.

Thank you very much.

Let's move on to purchases, please.

Good evening, council.

Hello.

We have four purchases recommended for approval this evening.

The first one is for public works.

This is year four renewal.

Beeler Impressions has requested a 12% increase due to the increased cost of material and tariffs.

The new estimated annual span will be 168,000.

Public Works has approved the increase.

Second one is for wastewater.

This is a one-time purchase of a sludge collector chain.

This purchase from Motion Industries will be in the amount of $74,606 utilizing the source well contract.

Number three is for public works.

This is uh year four.

Wayne's pest control has requested a 3% increase due to the increased cost of pest control products.

The new estimated annual spend will be 118,500.

Public Works has approved the increase.

The fourth one is for fleet.

This is a one-time purchase of a freight liner leaf collection vehicle to be used by Stormwater.

This purchase from Stringfellow will be in the amount of $37,000 utilizing the source well contract.

Thank you very much.

Council, can I get a motion?

Second.

Thank you.

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

Do I have any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Opposed.

Motion passes.

Thank you.

Okay.

Committee reports.

Let's start down with Councilman Henderson.

Councilman Davis.

We will have a meeting of the Parks and Public Works Committee on January 27th.

Thank you.

Councilman Harvey.

I too will be having a uh education and innovation committee meeting on the 27th.

Looking forward to that.

Thank you.

Councilman Clark.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Today the uh committee for community development met.

You got some amazing updates of the awesome year the department had in 2025.

And we were pleased with some updates from the seniors center that's been relocated back to District 6 at the Eastgate Town Center.

So we're excited about that.

I also like to make an announcement that February we will suspend meeting for community development committee meeting.

We'll pick back up in March with a community center safety meeting.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Councilman Elliott.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

We have Economic Development Committee meeting today where we discuss special assessment districts as well as TIFFs, highlighting the difference between some of those categories and how they can be used for future projects.

That was all done, Chair.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Dotley.

Uh yes, Madam Chair.

Um I did request a budget committee meeting.

I just saw the email uh for February to 10th, and that meeting will cover because as we'll crawl in into budget season, um updated financial policies and council.

I make sure you get those drafts uh as they are coming out.

PFM advisors will be here as well uh to make a brief report or announcement, and then Dr.

A.

Coffee will be coming with a preliminary report.

So that'll be the February to 10th meeting.

So be on the lookout in your emails for those drafts and uh for that preliminary report with Should Calm at the end of January.

Thank you very much.

All right, thank you so much, Madam Chair.

Councilwoman Burst.

No report.

Vice Chairwoman Knoll.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Not a report, but I want to say a thank you to Officer Lee Mayweathers because he did walk with me on Curtis Street and Dotson in order to uh knock some doors and make our constituents aware of what was going on or getting ready to take place in the neighborhood.

So thank you.

Officer Lee Mayorweather.

Thank you.

Well, it's obvious that our council year is gonna start straight out of the gate.

We've got a lot uh a lot of great work ahead of us, so thank you, council, for all the attention and leadership that you bring to your communities.

I would like to say if anybody sees Chief Chambers tomorrow, give them a high five word on the street as it's his birthday.

Oh, unless you've got councilman Clark looks like you've got to madam chair.

I forgot to make an announcement regarding some uh events happening in my district on February and a flyer will accompanying this, but on February this Monday, February the 2nd, uh we will be hosting a North Brainerd zoning and land development meeting at New Hope at 6 p.m.

to address some uh zoning cases in the Indian Hills community.

Um, also in the Shalifer Road area.

We'll be accompanied by some of our city staff and our director from RPA and some other community leaders just to kind of clear some things up over there.

There seems to be a lot of misinformation swarming around zoning, so we're gonna take that opportunity to educate and also to hear from the developer who has will be coming back with new plans to present from the community.

So I just want to put that in the record.

Okay, thank you very much.

Um we do have an announcement uh to make item B, please.

Would that you like to make that, Mr.

Attorney?

Uh yes, uh that there has been a donation by the police department here from they've received from Ron Hart and the Chattanooga Police Foundation to pay for holiday meals for all of the Chattanooga Police Department employees, and that was a donation in the amount of five thousand and fifteen dollars and forty cents.

Thank you.

And do you need to read that certificate of a compliance item?

The certificate of compliance item, I believe, would be an item that we'll present to y'all after January the 16th here in accordance with state law.

Sounds good.

Yes, okay.

Well, we have reached the point in our meeting where we are happy to recognize persons who are here that would like to address the council.

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

And at the end of each council business meeting, the chair will recognize members of the public who wish to address them.

Here's your rules.

Each speaker wishing to address the council can only be recognized at the microphone up front provided 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 address the council on matters which are not under their authority or regulated by other governmental bodies or agencies.

Do not engage in any vulgar or obscene language, nor use the floor to personally attack or personally denigrate others.

Address your comments to the council as a whole and not make comments directed towards individual council members, please.

And 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 the meeting by physical action or verbal utterance with the intent to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting or gathering.

Having stated those rules, if you would please give your name and go ahead, ma'am.

Good afternoon.

My name is Lina Robinson Hart.

I am retired, but not resigned to sitting around.

Thankfully, I've discovered a lively group of senior line dancers who meet in the gym over at Glenwood Community Center.

The 20, 30, 40 of us meet several times a week to learn new dances, to laugh together, and to get our heart rates pumping.

In the five plus years in which I've been involved, this group has been displaced several times because of COVID, center shutdowns, and consolidations.

But ending up at Glenwood, I've seen their senior programming grow, and it's now bursting at the seams.

Besides the regular group of line dancers, there are classes for seniors doing chair aerobics and Pilates.

And scores of seniors are gathering together to shoot pool, learn computer skills.

They take classes in sewing, drumming, and also cooking classes.

Several times a year, they hold an elaborate banquet set with complete with attractive decorations, speakers, fashion shows, music, and fun camaraderie.

The facility is attractive and accommodating and has a wonderful staff, I may mention, but the parking is very limited.

Even though the city has doubled the parking size, the parking spaces this last year, and that has been appreciated.

There are still a good 20 to 30 cars parked along the streets, and so we're often dodging traffic to get into the center.

I am very thankful for Mr.

Henson's wonderful presentation about the new prospects over at Eastgate.

And it looks very promising.

I am hearing rumor that it might be transitional or temporary, but perhaps what may be really needed is a dedicated standalone facility for seniors, that it can accommodate the growing demand for seniors, many different types of activities.

It's my understanding that having a standalone facility would allow us to seek sponsors that would help fund these programs.

Insurance companies, local businesses, and other health-related organizations, are encouraged internally to invest in their communities.

And this sponsorship is being used successfully in other cities of similar size to Chattanooga.

A standalone center for seniors would be a win-win as I understand it for Chattanooga.

Seniors would be in have an inviting, safe place to get out of the house, develop strong personal ties, and engage their minds, bodies, and souls.

The city would be applauded for caring deeply for those who have given so much of their time and resources through their many years here in Chattanooga.

The city would also be helping this tax base stay active, alert, and contributing.

With sponsorships, the city's funding burden would be reduced over time, and with the standalone center, the growing number of seniors would flock there, freeing up space in other places.

Thank you, City Council.

Good afternoon.

My name is Vanessa Bell, and thank you, Council, once again for keeping the seniors in mind.

As she has stated that we have had temporary locations for about 11 years now with appreciation.

And but we do just want to remind you that we do want our standalone site, which would be like our community resource hub and for activities.

And also remember to give back to those who have served the community and are still serving.

So a few reasons why standalone center will be continued plus for the seniors.

There are seniors needing the services more than ever for physical activity, socially, emotionally, and educationally.

It would be a benefit for the best supplemental health and wellness placing for centers.

Families need and will need assistance with their seniors, their elderly family members to have a safe, to have a sense of belonging in the community, and keep their independence striving strong.

And remember, we are living longer.

Thank you again for your time.

Good afternoon, Council.

Thank you in advance for hearing my concerns as a neighbor of District 9.

My name is Zazisa Singh.

I'm deeply concerned with the city's continued relationship with Givyatum Israel relationship touted on the city's social media just four days ago in light of the genocide Israel continues to carry out against Palestinians.

In January 2005, the International Court of Justice agreed with a case brought by South Africa and issued a binding order for Israel to stop acts of genocide by scaling up humanitarian aid from the news outlet, Al Jazeera, quote, Israel has defied the court's orders and has instead killed relief workers and civil servants in Gaza who are indispensable in distributing humanitarian relief.

For over a year, Amnesty International and other world leaders have officially recognized that Israel's actions in Gaza constitute a genocide.

As recently as July 2025, leading Israeli human rights organizations, Spitzellum and Physicians for Human Rights Israel concluded that Israel is committing a genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip.

Quote, Pit Salem's report builds on a large body of work undertaken for decades to document Israel's crimes under international law and demonstrate the cloak of impunity that has sheltered Israeli authorities from accountability.

The report's findings on the occupied West Bank, including Israel's campaign of forcible transfer, are particularly damning and illustrate the importance of twinning the call to stop Israel's genocide with clear demands to end its unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory and dismantle its system of apartheid.

We as Chattanoogans do not support genocide and stand in solidarity with our fellow Palestinian and Palestinian American Chattanoogans.

As a Chattanoogan, I implore the council and the mayor's office in cooperation with the sister cities nonprofit to dissolve our city's relationship with Israel.

There is a precedent for the dissolution of Chattanooga's relationship with the sister city in Israel.

The city's sister city relationship with Nizini Tagil, Russia is dormant due to war and precipitated a new relationship in 2023 with Trustjanitsk, Ukraine.

In 2022, our neighbors and the city council of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, voted unanimously to suspend their relationship with Obiensk Russia because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the resulting violence and loss of life here.

Later that same year, the city of Louisville, Kentucky also ended its sister city relationship with Perm Russia.

The mayor of Louisville's remarks to his then sister city's mayor are strikingly relevant to our current situation.

Quote, there is no indication this war will end soon, and the Russian government has not taken any steps to indicate it is willing to terminate this outrage.

The killing of innocent women, children, and the elderly is a disgrace.

I hope we can all take this moment to consider the inconceivable loss Palestinians are navigating in this exact moment as entire communities and generations of families are being destroyed.

But we have an opportunity to support Palestinian and Palestinian American Chattanooga here today by acknowledging a simple truth that many of those in Washington will not.

That the violence against Palestinians is unacceptable.

And the absolute least we can do as a people world away from the daily horrors of this genocide is sever our explicit support of their oppressors.

Thank you.

Hello, Council.

Hello, Councilpeople.

My name is Evelina Ren Koutai.

I'm a resident of District 8.

I'm here also with concern regarding our ongoing promotion of our sister city program with Give it Team Israel, with the city government still promoting social media as of this past week.

Despite being facilitated by Sister Cities International as a private entity, the entire city government is part of promoting this walk.

Give it to Eim is an active part of the genocide of the Palestinian people with a noted close relationship with the IDF.

They will explicitly found it as part of the colonial sediment of Palestinian lands.

The genocide in Palestine has been recognized by the International Court of Criminal Justice, the United Nations, Amnesty International, and the Association of Genocide Scholars.

We have Palestinians, Americans right here in Chattanooga who have family members threatened by the genocide.

Imagine having to see a commoting our relationship with a city complicit in that genocide of their own family to continue to promote our relationship within Israeli city is unconscionable.

As mentioned, these relationships are not immutable.

Our relationship with Nisney to Gil is dormant, and we just formed a new relationship with Trotsky Ukraine in solidarity against the Russian invasion explicitly.

So in the same way, in solidarity with the Palestinian people, I'm asking you, you, the mayor's office, along with Sicily International, to end our relationship with Guatem, stop promoting it on social media, and work with the Palestinian Chattanooga community on forming a new cooperation in relationship with Palestinian city.

My suggestion from talking to that community would be Bethlehem Palestine, a city, a holy city in all three Abraham religions, which is currently under attack by Israeli settlers and even the military, including Shiptic Salations.

This is one easy way to show solidarity, but it's not the only way.

I would like to also take my mentions out about a minute left that including this, the city employees fund and police uh retirement fund invest in companies, including weapons companies complicit in the genocide.

That um, and also that the Chattanooga police department regularly trains with IBS soldiers, a soldiers committing genocide.

So I'd ask you all to consider this.

This is affecting people like you in Chattanooga, and we are complicit in this.

I think as a Chattanoogan, I'd like to make this.

Also, lastly, we need to move the city council meeting.

Many people who were really interested in the situation were not able to make it because the walking people, the fact that we have moved our city council meeting, only as recognized by many as disenfranchised people about to speak.

Thank you.

Free Palestine.

Good afternoon.

Last week, the city of Chattanooga advertised that Chattanooga proudly has sister cities throughout the world, including a small town just outside of so-called Tel Aviv.

The city has stated that this program is to promote tourism and share culture values.

I have struggled to connect the values that Chattanooga has with Israel.

As Chattanoogans and Southerners, we pride ourselves in how we treat our neighbors.

As evident of the crowd today, I know that the room has thinned out since the start of the meeting.

However, there is a divide diverse amount of neighbors that come forward with respect, care, and dignity towards each other.

This is regardless of religion, cultures, race, or backgrounds.

Israel has continued to uphold its environmental destruction, acts of human rights violations, and is continuing to impose a genocide.

We don't have to look just within Gaza to see this, but throughout what we as Southerners would be considering the country, the West Bank, and beyond.

These are not just limited to Palestinians, but also upon their own citizens, Israelis, and even American citizens as they have visited loved ones.

I have attempted to and failed to find any commonality with Israel, placing a large gap between Chattanooga and Israeli values.

There are beautiful small cities throughout the world that treat their community members with respect, dignity, and self-determination.

I strongly urge his council to end the relationship with Israel, who has continued to impose apartheid, genocide, and a slew of environmental and human rights violations.

I hope today, after hearing the citizens concerned about Chattanooga and Israel's relationship, that you will end the relationship between Chattanooga and Israel and locate a city that you are proud to share values with in commonality.

That being said, thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you.

Will you please uh could you please tell us your name and your district for our record?

Absolutely.

I'm District 9.

My name is Anna Hinkle.

That's H I N November KLE.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Kat Zwetter.

I'm scared and intimidated to speak tonight, but my heart is hurting, and I don't know what else to do except for make my experiences heard.

Last Monday during the Hooker Road displacement, our organization was the only nonprofit present.

In every previous displacement, we've responded to we've brought volunteers, trucks, and relocated people and their belongings.

Monday, no volunteers were needed because there was nowhere for anyone to go.

Every possible resource has been exhausted.

Monday was about helping people pack what little they could into shopping carts and into suitcases, and then leaving them and their belongings on the side of Hooker Road with no answers and no solutions.

My role was to de-escalate fear and support people through an emotionally devastating time.

By Tuesday, I was physically exhausted, emotionally spent, and sick.

That is the reality of frontline response when coordination and planning falls short.

I want to acknowledge that the Office of Homeless and Supportive Housing was present.

Individuals being displaced were not provided with tangible resources, no housing to offer, no emergency placement, nothing meaningful given to people at the moment they lost what stability they had.

What I'm asking for moving forward is transparency and communication.

Between mid-December and early January, I sent multiple emails requesting coordination and clarity.

I contacted Mayor Tim Kelly, Mayor Weston Wamp, Casey Tinker, and Officer Watson.

I raised urgent concerns about extreme cold and lack of shelter options.

I asked for timelines, emergency shelter activation, outreach deployment, and coordination with nonprofits.

I received no response.

Silenced gene crisis erodes stress.

It leaves nonprofits without guidance and leaves vulnerable people without protection when time matters most.

This impacted me deeply, and it affected my son who was frightened for my safety.

No child should witness your fear their mom being arrested for helping those in need.

I'm not here to attack an individual.

I'm here because how authority is exercise matters.

If a housed parent known in the community doing nothing unlawful can be treated this way, we must ask how people without housing, without advocates, and without a voice are treated.

I understand resources are strained and trespassing laws apply.

With no city resources available during displacement, coordination with nonprofits is imperative.

If housing can't be offered, people still deserve dignity.

Nonprofits provide supplies and emotional support during these crises.

I'm not here to shame.

I'm asking the city to do better.

Transparency, communication, coordination, accountability are not radical demands.

They are the foundation of an ethical governance.

A city is not measured by how it treats the most comfortable residents, but it is measured by how it treats the most vulnerable with no protection.

I believe Chattanooga can do better.

This needs to be the beginning of real change.

Thank you for listening and hearing me.

Thank you for being here, Kat.

Um right behind you is a guy uh named Kevin.

Kevin, would you wave your hand at Cap?

Will you please stay and chat with him afterward?

You know, we've we found us ourselves in the situation that camps have had to be cleared in the past.

And you're absolutely right.

If we act in coordination, we need to do better at that.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Good afternoon.

My name is Jessica Alexander, and I'm District 8.

And I'm here also with concern about our ongoing sister city program with Givetayim Israel.

Uh Gia Tayyam was explicitly founded as part of the settlement of Palestinian lands.

It was settled on Al Qariya, one among over 500 majority Arab villages, towns, and neighborhoods depopulated during the Nakbah of 1948.

Givitayam continues to be an active part of the genocide of the Palestinian people with a noted close relationship with the IDF.

A lot of what I'm saying has been said already, but it bears repeating.

According to Sister Cities International, the purpose of Sister Cities is to promote peace worldwide by forming partnerships between two communities and two countries.

The genocide in Palestine has been recognized by the International Criminal Court, the United Nations, Amnesty International, and the Association of Genocide Scholars.

In the service of Sister Cities International's noble aspirations, we ask you to condemn the genocide against the Palestinian people and break off our relationship with Givitayim.

We have Palestinians right here in Chattanooga who have family members threatened by the genocide and who must watch us, promoting our relationship with a city complicit in that genocide.

To continue to promote our relationship with an Israeli city is unconscionable.

These relationships are not immutable.

In 2022, uh amid the Ukraine war, the people of Oak Ridge, Tennessee called on the city council to denounce the death, devastation, and atrocities committed by the Russian government against Ukraine by ending ties with its Russian sister city.

There are countless examples of U.S.

cities dissolving ties to Russia in condemnation of its human rights violations and as an expression of solidarity with Ukraine.

So in the same way, in solidarity with the Palestinian people, I'm asking you to end our relationship with Givitayam and work with the Palestinian Chattanoogan community on forming a new cooperation and relationship with a Palestinian city such as Bethlehem, which Palestinian Chattanoogans have strict um ancestral ties to.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Sam Issa.

I'm an American Palestinian.

I've been here 53 years.

I love this city.

I love this country.

I consider myself more of an American than even Palestinian because I lived here 75% of my life.

But every time, and I have a lot of activity at the city level with the mayors, one after another.

But I have been every time to the city office when I see the sister city that you have right now.

It offends me very badly.

It pains me very badly.

Especially, I don't want to repeat what they said about the genocide that's going on.

I mean, right now in Gaza, you think genocide is over.

It's more genocide now because now you have uh uh over maybe a million and a half of the two and a half million do not have homes.

They're in tents, and the weather is so bad.

There's tens of thousands of these uh tents have been demolished.

People die, kids die every day because they are not getting uh trailers that do not allow them to bring caravans to live in.

They're not doing so, they're doing it in a silent way.

But uh, to make it short, uh uh I do uh have my voice for Betlehem because Bethlehem, I've been there.

It's very close city to my heart.

I'm Muslim, but I have a lot of Christian uh families here, like the anchors, the beats, and so many tens of them here, ten of the families, uh, that they have very close ties uh to Betlahem, friends, but also uh Betlahem is being taken, most of its land has been taken again uh uh by uh the occupiers.

I'm Muslim, but I have a lot of Christian uh families here, like the anchors, the beats, and so many tens of them here, ten of the families, uh, that they have very close ties uh to Bethlehem friends, but also uh Bethlehem is being taken, most of its land has been taken again uh uh by uh the occupiers and uh even to the point very close uh an apartheid wall of 30 feet, uh concrete cold one, uh right next to the nativity church, the per the place of birth of Jesus.

So that also uh choosing Bethlehem instead of that uh city currently that was a village uh that was destroyed among 500 villages in the earlier genocide in 248 would really help uh correct what's going on now as a sister city currently is to balance things out.

You've had the other one for so many years.

It's time to have Bethlehem for all of you Christians here too.

It it it relates to you, and it's uh it just would help to make sure that Nativeity Church uh, at least the way uh we all think that we stay there, and one day it doesn't go away, along with the rest of the land that's been taken care of, uh taken by the occupier.

So it is very important for you, and uh I'll leave it with this.

I have a lot of Jewish friends here.

I'm not against Jews, it has nothing to do with the Jews.

Israel, there's probably so many people that have been we have to make time for other people.

Yeah, sure.

A lot of Jews say Israel doesn't represent us.

So thank you very much.

Good evening, council.

My name is Tiffany Rankins.

I live in uh District 8, Lincoln Park.

I live in the Lincoln Park community and have lived in the community for over 30 years.

Our community is a melting pot of individuals, students, voucher recipients, renters, and actual homeowners.

I have many renters that have been ideal residents, and then again lately, some tenants who have moved in and has been bad actors in the community.

I thought as time went on, they would settle in and become great neighbors.

However, this has proven to be wrong for a few.

A homicide occurred December 19, 2025, close to the 7 p.m.

hour.

I think this could have been avoided.

I feel if only the landlord would have followed the voucher rules with CHA.

Though this child was not on the lease, the landlord was called many times by my household, another landlord and other residents in the community, and nothing was done but excuses.

The parents are hardworking people and they should not have to suffer from what their kids do.

And the last unleash is you can show me a picture of the son holding the gun.

I can't do cannot do anything.

All the videos I recorded was sent to Tracy May and Intelligence with CPD.

I started speaking with CPIC, Lieutenant Stover, and attended all their meetings several times.

The police did not come.

The police did come and made a showing that they knew what was going on, but still life continued as a dope house.

I was constantly being told that it would take a long time, and when they obtain enough information, things would be done.

Two years in our community continue to live with lolliness, and that was occurring consistently with no daily active help.

No crime intervention from different organizations that has been funded with my tax dollars.

I called the council the night of the shooting, sent text.

I have multiple lists to blame to give out starting with the landlord, CPD, council person, crime intervention program, and CHA.

They all fail Lincoln Park.

After December 19th, one thing is for certain and two things are for sure.

I heard whistling sound as bullies flew over my head.

I and my 87-year-old mother had to hit the floor, and my council person and CPD has been negligent in dealing with this issue.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi, I'm the first time here.

I'm Rabbi Sam Rottenberg.

I uh my synagogue is Benazi in the congregation in District 6.

I am um first of all grateful to live in a country where multiple opinions can be addressed in a public space.

And you know, without without fear.

So you know, I uh I'm here standing here because I knew there would be a talk about Givia time today.

And I didn't want it to go on without a uh a second opinion.

So here's second opinion.

Um I like the sister city, obviously.

I like the idea of Bethlehem also.

You know, I don't think there's anything wrong with two sisters, sister cities in the Middle East.

Um, Israel is a special and complicated country.

There's it's the only country in the Middle East with a um it's the only country in the Middle East that can sustain a regular pride parade.

It's the only country in the Middle East that democratically elects its leaders and has peaceful transfers of power.

Hundreds of thousands of people can protest against the government without fear of retribution or guns shoved in their face.

Um it fights a war dressed in military gear and not dressed up as citizens, intentionally confusing the adversaries and putting them uh their citizens at risk.

Um I'm here to really say that we appreciate, I appreciate that Israel is one of the countries that Chattanooga has a partnership with.

And um I I don't think uh I'm alone in that regard.

Um I thank you for your time.

This is my uh official statement saying I uh appreciate the relationship of Gibea Time.

Appreciate that I can share the stage with you know others who disagree with me.

And um thank you.

Thank you.

Hello.

I'm not sure to say good afternoon or good evening, but uh thank you for uh giving us the opportunity.

My name is Michael Dezik, and I'm the CEO of the Jewish Federation, a nonprofit here in town, non-religious actually, and we do uh our priority is to connect the Jewish community, but also to reach out to everybody in the community, and we serve the community through social services, through education, outreach, multi-faith, all of those types of things.

I'm also a resident, so that's in district six, but I also am a resident, uh personal resident of district three.

Um I wanted to address what many people here are here for, and there could be some people after me as well.

Uh, you know, the term genocide gets thrown around a lot, and um, you know, to quote Al Jazeera and to quote the United Nations and places like this that are already we know, right, factually anti-Semitic and challenged for the Jewish community as well.

We also recognize that those types of words matter.

Shootings in Australia, on Hanukkah, synagogue burning just a few days ago in Jackson, Mississippi.

So words matter.

So when people come to the council and make public statements or write articles to the newspaper, words matter.

Now I could go back and forth on different types of issues and things.

I wrote it, I think many people in this room have seen my op-ed that was written in the Times Free Press last week, uh, that address many of those things.

But let's talk about sister cities more than anything else, right?

The purpose, and I think I heard some people even talk about the purpose is to develop those relationships.

And I'm hearing people in this room when when we really uh should be developing more relationships and building up bridges, they want to tear them down.

That's not what we should be doing.

Should we have more bridges?

Absolutely.

More relationships and friendships?

Absolutely.

But vilifying a country, the one and only Jewish country in the entire world.

49 Muslim majority or Muslim-led countries.

I think we get the picture on things like that.

Or most people do.

Uh, those that are informed, educated, recognize history, uh, and know history, because it is a challenge for the Jewish community.

It would be a disservice for the city to eliminate Israel.

That's not something I think that you're gonna do, or the mayor's going to do, or that our community really wants.

I think we have a vocal minority that's here, and um we need to build bridges.

That's what we're here for.

We're here to build relationships, and that's what we as a Jewish community want to do, and I think that's what most Chattanoogans want to do.

Let's build and strengthen those relationships with give a time, pronounced give a time.

And if we want to add others, yes, let's do that.

Let's add Bethlehem.

Let's add Amman.

Let's add Cairo, wherever it is.

that's here and um we need to build bridges that's what we're here for we're here to build relationships and that's what we as a jewish community want to do and I think that's what most Chadnoogans want to do let's build and strengthen those relationships with with give a time pronounce give a time and if we want to add others yes let's do that let's add Bethlehem let's add aman let's add Cairo wherever it is let's build those relationships and strengthen them and with our shared values thank you for the opportunity have a great evening thank you hey uh my first time here I'm Nikki Byrd um uh so new to this I don't know what district I'm from sorry about that um but I did want to do some clarifying statements about the difference between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism and how it seems like people like to say that if you are anti-genocide then you are anti like Jewish people and just because it's a monolithic ethnostate does not mean that you have to be okay with whatever they do.

That doesn't make you racist that doesn't make you um anything other than somebody with empathy and your ability to put yourself in other people's shoes um as a nurse like watching some of just the stuff I've seen on social media about the genocide them blowing up hospitals and such I don't think that we should be associated with people like that.

Kind of like you want to teach your kids hey don't be the bully and also don't associate yourself with the bully and stick up for the little guy.

So not going to take the full three minutes I just wanted to get my two cents.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

Is there anyone else who is here and would like to address the council council I see no other um folks here who would like to address the council um do we have a motion to uh adjourn adjourned thank you we've got a motion to adjourn in a proper second all in favor of adjourning opposed motion passes thank you