Chattanooga City Council Meeting - January 27, 2026 - Key Resolutions, Parks Report, Head Start, and 311 Update
Chattanooga City Council Meeting - January 27, 2026
The Chattanooga City Council met on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at approximately 2:23 PM. The meeting was called to order by the Chair, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, an invocation, and a moment of silence commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz. The council addressed several agenda items, including rezoning requests, resolutions, purchases, and received presentations from the Parks and Outdoors Department, Head Start, and the 311 system. Public comments included concerns about immigration enforcement and legal matters. Several votes were taken, and committee meetings were scheduled.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes from the previous meeting were approved without objection.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Monty Bell (District not specified, but address given as 727 East 11th Street): Criticized the council for decisions affecting his life, referenced a court case (docket 25C919), and stated he would address the matter through legal means. He expressed frustration with the council's involvement in his personal affairs.
- Evelina Krtay (District 8): Expressed concern over the increase in arrests and deportations of undocumented neighbors by the Chattanooga Police Department (CPD) in 2025, citing data from the Times Free Press. She alleged targeted enforcement against the Hispanic community and demanded transparency on tax dollars used for immigration enforcement. She questioned why traffic violations often lead to arrests rather than citations.
- Blake Wright (District 9): Urged the council to use their political and social power to protect neighbors from aggressive immigration enforcement. He acknowledged legal limits but encouraged collaboration with county officials and law enforcement to pursue a less combative approach.
Discussion Items
- Opening Business & Administrative Items: The council discussed several agenda items. Councilwoman Dotley requested a condition for a rezoning (2802 Curtis Street) requiring all parking to be in the rear alley (Brown Alley). The item was moved to first reading and approved as amended. Another rezoning (511 Roswell Street) was tabled pending resolution of equivalency mapping issues. A zoning item (30-14 Dodge Avenue) was deferred one week at the request of the sponsor.
- Resolutions: The council approved multiple resolutions:
- Authorizing $150,000 from the Economic Development Fund to the Chattanooga Airport for a small community air service grant to support new non-stop service to Houston (United/SkyWest) beginning March 20, 2026.
- Amending the records retention schedule to include the Family Justice Center.
- Accepting a financial contribution (up to $303,000) from a private nonprofit for renovations to the Chattanooga Skate Park.
- Authorizing a three-year agreement with Waterways nonprofit (not to exceed $192,000) to continue the Rain Smart Yards program, with added homeowner agreement clauses including native planting requirements, maintenance standards, and a three-strike noncompliance rule.
- Authorizing a construction manager at risk (CMAR) contract delivery method for certain wastewater and public works projects.
- Purchases: Two purchases were approved: a year-four renewal for Big Woody’s Tree Service (4% increase, new estimated annual spend $754,000) and a transfer of grant management software agreement from Amptal Fund to UNA Solutions.
- Parks and Outdoors Annual Report (Presenter: April Firth, Administrator): Reported on 2025 accomplishments, including over $70 million in economic revenue from eight major events (all larger than previous year), $275,000 in savings from volunteer work, and only two weekends without events or programs. Highlights included smart trash cans with sensors, a heat map for asset management, in-house gravel repair saving thousands, and mowing reduction using native grasses. Deferred maintenance backlog stands at $35 million. Upcoming 2026 projects: Heritage Park opening, new skate park/dog park, Province Park, Walnut Street Bridge park, Alton Park Connector phase one, Lookout Valley fields, Coolidge Park bandshell, Stringers Ridge improvements, DuPont Park refresh, and riverfront groundbreaking. Initiative for 2026: streamlining events, deploying Placer AI to track park usage, and focusing on 10-minute walk goal (currently 30-35% coverage, target 55%). Therapeutic Recreation Division (Elaine Gossett) showcased adaptive equipment (beach wheelchairs, kayaks) funded by grants. Director Greta Hayes highlighted the successful Athletes Unlimited women’s pro softball event (sold out) and potential for a future permanent team. Council requested detailed economic impact breakdowns.
- Rain Smart Program Discussion: Councilman Clark introduced ecologist Daru Ziggler, who showed a video demonstrating how a Rain Smart installation on one property eliminated flooding on three adjacent properties after a 3.5-inch rainfall. She explained that native plants establish faster when not competing with lawn grass, improving water capture and aesthetic. This reinforced the value of the new program condition requiring native-only plants in modified areas.
- Head Start Program Update (Presenters: Caritza Jones, Department of Early Learning Administrator; Miranda Clark, Head Start Director): Head Start serves 585 slots (8-weeks to 5-year-olds) with a comprehensive approach including early learning, health, and family engagement. Current enrollment challenges due to a previous grant hold, a fire, and flooding; recovery underway. Staffing has improved through wage increases (reducing class ratios from 17:1 to 15:1), $500 incentives for hard-to-fill positions and bilingual staff, and a partnership with Lipscomb University for free bachelor’s degrees. Budget: approximately $15 million total from three federal grants (CH, HP, CACFP) plus $350,000 city supplement. School readiness data shows motor skills strengths, but language skills lagging (post-COVID trend). Council discussed expanding hours beyond the current 8 AM–2 PM to support working families; a pilot at the new James A. Henry site (opening August 2026) will test before/after care. Councilman Clark requested cost analysis for full-day expansion.
- 311 System Update (Presenter: Kevin Roig, Chief of Staff): Reviewed the history of 311 and recent migration to the GoGov platform. Problems included integration issues and backlogs from the flood, but a cross-departmental team has been scrubbing and optimizing service request types. Over half of 134 request types have been improved with proactive, tailored status communications (e.g., “ordered, shipped, delivered” model). Emphasis on accurate communication, reducing manual processes, and integrating with other city systems. For brush/bulk pickup, the city moved from on-demand to a route-based system (same zones as garbage collection) to improve consistency and predictability. Council members expressed concerns about user-friendliness of the app, especially finding pickup dates; the app now includes a zone map and schedule. Councilwoman Dotley suggested a simple directive: set items out Monday morning for that week. Councilman Henderson requested a work session to further discuss 311 and route logistics.
- Committee Reports:
- Parks & Public Works Committee (Councilman Davis): Met and discussed Rain Smart program and annual parks report.
- Education & Innovation Committee (Councilman Harvey): Met with presentations on Head Start and 311; called for a future work session on 311.
- Community Development Committee (Councilman Clark): Canceled February meeting; rescheduling in February to cover homelessness policy.
- Budget Committee (Councilwoman Dotley): Meeting scheduled for February 10 to discuss financial policies, PFM bond report, and preliminary study from Dr. A. Cove.
Key Outcomes
- Approved Resolutions:
- Economic development fund grant for airport (unanimous).
- Records retention schedule amendment.
- Skate park contribution acceptance.
- Rain Smart program three-year contract with Waterways (with added homeowner conditions).
- CMAR contract delivery method authorization.
- Approved Purchases: Big Woody’s Tree Service renewal ($754,000 estimated annual spend) and grant software transfer to UNA Solutions.
- Rezonings:
- 5920 Pine Grove Trail: Amended version (added condition limiting use to parking, no oversized vehicles) passed on first reading; scheduled for second reading next week (February 3).
- 30-14 Dodge Avenue: Deferred to February 3.
- 511 Roswell Street: Tabled (referred to BOSA).
- 2802 Curtis Street: Approved as amended (parking only in rear alley).
- Next Steps: Parks and Outdoors annual report to be provided in written form with economic impact data. 311 work session to be scheduled. Head Start expansion cost analysis to be considered in upcoming budget. Homelessness policy discussion moved to a work group.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to the Tuesday, January twenty-seventh meeting of the Chattanooga City Council. We are hereby called to order. Um, I would like to invite Councilman Harvey to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the invocation. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh today I want to do something a little bit different. Um today commemorates uh the liberation of Auschwitz. And uh because of that, I'd like for us to take a moment of silence that we would never forget the atrocities that happened uh during World War Two. And uh that we would never let that happen again. So let's uh take a moment to reflect and remember those uh millions of folks who lost their lives. That would be councilman. Thank you. Uh without objection, the minutes will stand. Council, let's take a look at our agenda items for today. I'll point out to you that we are going to have a couple of committee meetings after we go over our agenda. We have um a planning item under final reading. However, I have been advised uh by councilwoman burst that we do actually have one other condition that needs to be added to this item. And so um the attorney's office has provided us counsel with an alternate version that councilman burrs has requested be read today, which will of course put that back to a first reading. Um so when the time comes, I would ask that um we get a motion to approve the alternate version. Um also ordinances under first reading. Um is not able to be here today, and she has asked that we defer item A until the third, so one more week. Um item B is in my district, and as I am chair and cannot make a motion, I would ask that we get a motion to table this. Uh, this was the item that um has uh had some interesting situation because of the uh equivalency mapping, and we are hopeful that this can get taken care of in BOSA instead of um as part of a change to the zoning. Um and then item C from uh council or vice chairwoman Noel, uh to my understanding that one is good to go. Okay. Okay, no. Oh, item C and Curtis Street. Oh, you have take it away, Councilman Dotley. Thank you so less, Madam Chair. So for this one, um, it is a request uh to add a condition to this one. And the condition is uh she wants to read the recommended for approval of the planning commission version. Uh and that for all units, parking must be the condition is the parking. Our uh parking must be in the rear alleyway, which is called Brown Alley, um, for both if if this passes for both um the new construction and also for existing parking. So our parking must be in the rear alley slash brown alley is what it was called on the map. So uh if the developer is here and okay with that, then yes, we'll be okay with that condition. Otherwise, no okay. Um, and that would be the actual parking in the alley or parking access from the alley. Parking in the app that part they have to drive to the back and park. He'll they are supposed to have parking access through the yeah through the alley. Yes, got it. Okay. Okay, so we will take that one from the top. Okay, thank you so much. Thank you, madam chair. Nine seven nine two on that one. Okay. Great. Okay, council moving on uh councilman councilman Clark. Uh Madam Chair, it's uh the I'm moving with you into resolutions.
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