Good afternoon, everyone.

I'll call to order the May nineteenth meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

If you would please stand and join me in a Pledge of Allegiance Star Flags.

And then we'll have a public hearing on a proposed amendment to our current fiscal year twenty twenty-six budget.

That will be a time when members of the public who wish to address council specifically about that budget amendment are welcome to do so.

And we'll explain a little bit more when the time comes, kind of the procedure for that.

We'll do the same thing with our agenda items for next week's meeting, um, as well as items that are on our agenda three weeks or later from today.

We like to work ahead and be well prepared.

Um, so we'll do that as we normally do.

Uh, we do not have any committee meetings or department uh reports today.

Um, and so after we've gone over all the agenda items, we'll take a brief recess.

We will need to have a brief attorney client meeting with our city attorney as we frequently do during our recess.

And then when we come back after our recess, we'll be voting on all of the items on tonight's agenda that we've looked at uh earlier in the meeting, as I mentioned.

And after all of that, at the end of our meeting, we'll have another opportunity for the public to address the council, and that time will be not limited to our budget amendment, but that'll be a time when members of the public can address us on on anything they'd like to.

Um, and you'll have uh three minutes each to do that.

Um, and our city attorney at that time will go over some rules and and regulations for that at the very end of our meeting.

Um so I did see um that joining us today we have State Representative Vital.

Want to recognize you and welcome you.

Thank you for being here today.

Um and then I will from here turn things over to Councilman Harvey for a special proclamation.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um was eating at mission barbecue in my district and just the great district four.

It doesn't rhyme like the great district eight, but it's still pretty cool.

Uh was eating at mission barbecue in district four and uh met an interesting gentleman who happened to be celebrating his 101st birthday that day, and uh I said, man, I gotta I gotta get to know this guy.

So uh sat down with him, had lunch, and learned all about his story, and it quickly uh became clear to me that we should do uh a uh joint proclamation uh to recognize this veteran in the service to his country.

So I'm gonna ask Everett if you'll come up.

I think he he drove he did a cross-country trip trip just last year to Canada, didn't you?

You drove yourself to Canada.

Well, I yeah, I didn't okay.

Well, that's another story for another time.

Um is one of the members of the administration want to join me in this pro joint proclamation, former councilman, now deputy chief.

All right, Everett.

Um, whereas the mayor and the Chattanooga City Council recognized the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding and remember the veterans who fought for our freedom.

And whereas Nazi Germany declared war on the United States on December the 11th, 1941, once again endangering that freedom.

Whereas Everett Plant, born April the 4th, 1925, answered the call of his country and joined the United States Army.

Mr.

Plant, when asked why he joined the Army, said I had to do something for the country.

Mr.

Plant served in General George S.

Patton's Third Army in the 80th Division, 317th Infantry.

One evening on night patrol, Everett stepped on a German landmine.

Still today, Everett has shrapnel lodged in his neck, shoulder, and spine.

Everett received the Purple Heart for his injury and the bronze star for his bravery.

Now, whereas at 101 years old, resides in the city of Chattanooga and continues to love his country.

When asked if he would do it all over again without hesitation, he answered, no question.

Whereas the mayor and the Chattanooga City Council this day recognized the sacrifice, bravery, and dedication of Everett Plant to the cause of freedom.

Do hereby declare May the 19th, 2026 as Everett Plant Day in the City of Chattanooga.

Thank you, Mr.

Plant, for your service to our great nation.

There is no secret.

No secret whatsoever.

The thing of it is this people have to turn around and look in the mirror and say to yourself, I'm not gonna do this again.

Yeah, that's that's history repeats itself.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Thank you for your service.

We appreciate you very much.

This is from us.

And we thank you.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you very much.

Mr.

Chairman, it's all yours.

All right, thank you.

And next, I will recognize Council Vice Chairman Ron Elliott for another proclamation.

Or recognition.

So good evening.

Before we kick off, I want to take a moment to recognize someone who represents the very best of what it means to serve this community.

Officer Eli Rogers.

On the evening of May 1st, Officer Rogers responded to a call on Cranberry Way in Hickson.

He arrived and found a two-story home up in flames, visible from the front door.

Fire already spreading up the interior walls into the attic.

Neighbors had told him there were folks already inside.

That's when he went in.

He kicked down the door, ran into the burning building, came out carrying a four-year-old Marlowe Blaylock to safety while her mother Rachel followed with a 10-year-old Charles.

He then turned around and went back with a fire extinguisher to help suppress the flames on the front porch.

Rachel Blaylock later said, I kept thinking, uh thinking back, how was I going to get these two kids downstairs?

He grabs her, and then he was willing to go back in.

When she tried to thank him that night, he shrugged it off.

It was just like another day of work.

I can attest.

I did the same thing, and he shrugged me off too.

Officer Rogers, it was not just another day.

You ran towards danger without hesitation, and you didn't wait for anyone else to act.

A mother still has her two children tonight because of what you did.

The Chattanooga police officer said Chattanooga Police Department said it well.

Officers are not trained as firefighters, but they take an oath to serve and protect, and that's exactly what you did.

On behalf of the city council and every resident of the city, we are proud of you.

We are thankful for you, and we are honored to recognize you here tonight.

Officer, it's all right.

Um with that, or yes.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Mr.

Rogers, just yet.

Okay, I just want to say it's Chair of Public Safety.

I want to thank Mr.

Rogers for his extraordinary courage and selfishness serving and saving a family from a house fire.

His bravery, quick action, and dedication to protecting our community represents the very best of public safety.

And thank you to you as well.

Chief Chambers.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

All right, Mr.

Chairman.

Oh, yeah.

There we go.

It'd be remiss if uh if I don't catch uh Captain Mickey McCamish.

Uh thank you for being here.

We appreciate you supporting uh Mr.

Plant and uh our president of the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council.

Thank you both for being here.

I wanted to recognize you both.

Uh thank you for recognizing Mr.

Plant and his service to the country.

Appreciate what you do.

Thank you, uh that's all Mr.

Chairman.

Okay.

With that, I will yield the chair to Councilman Henderson for our public hearing on our budget amendment.

Welcome back to the chairman.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Uh, I now call to order the budget and finance committee for the sole purpose of conducting a public hearing on the proposed amendment to the FY26 operations budget increasing revenue by 3.5 million dollars and appropriating that same amount to capital improvement budget for the Raccoon Mountain Water Service Project.

This will be a time for the council to listen as the public speaks.

Could I get a motion on last on the minutes of last meeting?

Oh move.

Without objections, these minutes will stand as recorded.

Before I open the floor for public comment, the council has decided to allot a total of one hour for this public hearing and allow two minutes per each speaker.

And I'll ask the city attorney if he would go ahead and read the rules to address the council.

Okay.

Just a moment.

We'll get ready.

All right.

We've got to have some rules.

You do.

Let me get my sheet up.

I do have them mostly memorized, but I want to be correct here.

Good.

Your normal rules here are done at the end of the council business meeting, but uh today each speaker wishing to address the council can be recognized at the microphone up front, only provided for that purpose.

Can't have more than two minutes to speak during this public hearing and address the council only upon matters within their legislative and quasi judicial authority and not on matters that are regulated by other governmental bodies or agencies.

Don't get into vulgar or obscene language, nor use the floor to personally attack or personally denigrate others and address the council as a whole, not towards individual council members.

Lastly, don't get involved in any 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 go on before we are to the floor.

Okay.

We won't open the floor yet.

Before I do open the floor, I do want to read a portion of a letter of support from the Chattanooga Firefighters Association local 820, and I'll submit this to our council clerk as a matter of record of this meeting.

Members of Chattanooga City Council as president of the Chattanooga Firefighters Association and IAFF Local 820.

I am writing to express our support for the continued expansion of fire hydrants infrastructure in the rural Raccoon Mountain area along Wilcox and Raccoon Mountain Roads.

From an operational standpoint, additional hydrants in this corridor would provide a meaningful improvement to water supply reliability during fire incidents.

Increased hydrant availability enhances tactical flexibility, reduces reliance on tanker shuttle operations and improves overall efficiency in establishing a continuous water supply, particularly in areas where water mains are limited or widely spaced.

And uh it goes on in much more detail, but I will submit that to our council clerk to put in our amendments.

At this time, I will open the floor uh for our public hearing.

So our time is now 345, so we will shut this off at 445.

If you would like to speak, if you would at this time line up at our podium, and if you would give us your name and just what district you live in.

Good afternoon, council members.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak.

My name is Bill Haley.

My wife and I have lived on Raccoon Mountain for nearly 19 years.

When we bought our home, we were hesitant about relying on a well, but as we were assured by the original builder, owner, and a second owner that they had never experienced any issues.

We were also told by another property owner that he was having discussions with then State Representative Richard Floyd about bringing water to the mountain, and they were getting quote pretty close.

For the first seven years, we used the original well without any problems.

Then it collapsed.

Every well drilling company we spoke with warned us that Raccoon Mountain is notoriously difficult for wells.

But by then the conversations about city water had faded.

We had no choice but to drill.

We had to drill approximately a thousand feet before finally hitting water.

We were fortunate.

A couple of our neighbors drilled only to end up with dry holes.

This served us well.

Approximately 10 years until it too went dry.

That was January 2024.

Since then I have been hauling water every week from a water hydrant at John A.

Patton Wreck Center to fill our thousand-gallon holding tank.

The hydrant is metered and we pay a monthly water bill.

Each week I make three to four trips up and down the mountain.

This process takes most of the day.

And at 74 years old and not in the best of health, this is becoming increasingly difficult.

Because of the high likelihood of drilling a dry hole, we cannot justify drilling a new well.

Mr.

Haley, I'll have to let you know that you're two minutes is up.

Do we have the time on the screen right here?

Can you turn that so that they can see it?

Thank you, Mr.

Hile.

Good afternoon.

I'm Karen Haley, and I would like to add a couple of thoughts to Bill's comments.

First, while we have not previously come before the city council in person asking for help with our water situation, we have diligently worked with Councilman Henderson for just about the entire time of his tenure, expressing our need for city water and requesting help.

And at this time, I would like to purpose uh publicly thank you for all that you've done on this project.

Also, I would like to reiterate how difficult these past two plus years have been on us without water.

As Bill stated, he has to haul water weekly.

He hauls in 10 degree and 90 degree weather and pretty much everything in between.

Rain or shine.

And that alone is hard for a 74-year-old.

We desperately need and appreciate your help in bringing city water to Raccoon Mountain.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

My name is Tess Wentland, and I'm a property owner on Raccoon Mountain.

I'll keep it simple.

I would love to build on Raccoon Mountain.

But without city water, I just can't responsibly make that move.

I've heard too many stories of people like the ones before me spending tens of thousands drilling wells that either never hit water or dried up after a short time.

And I don't want to take that chance.

New families equals tax revenue for the city.

So it is an investment that comes back to the city over time.

Today I asked this council to take the next step and allocate funding to bring water service to raccoon mountain.

Thanks so much for your time this afternoon.

We appreciate your consideration.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

My name is Michael Shamborski, and I'm also a raccoon resident.

We've been there for about 20 years now.

We first got there, we were informed that our well was low-producing, but with a 540-gallon storage tank, it replenished overnight, and the four of us seemed to do fine.

There was a complex system to draw the water out, filter it, process it so it's uh safe.

But eventually we got through all that until it started going bad.

We too decided to drill another well, and if you drill a well, you never know what you're gonna get if you're gonna get anything or the quality of the water, or if how deep you have to go.

Well, that one went nowhere, and so we went back to the first well, called in a company from South of Carolina to frack this well, then it started producing again until eventually it collapsed too.

We have been through four well companies, three pumps, and the last person was able to pull out a dead pump from a well that was over a thousand feet deep.

So he's pulling up a thousand feet of pipe and a thousand feet of water.

And every time somebody leaves the toilet running, I have to get up in the middle of the night, drive 30 miles around trip to a spring in Georgia to get water, or now, since the well collapsed.

I've been doing this regularly for the past four and a half years, and we're looking forward to public water so that this burden can be alleviated.

Um a bigger issue, which is of greatest concern to me is the fact that it's a heavily wooded area, and there's only one road up there.

Without the fire department's ability to access uh sufficient amount of water, it could be a dangerous situation, and I worry about getting trapped up there because there's no other way out.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

My name is Bet Golson, and I'm a resident of Raccoon Mountain in District One, where my husband and I have lived for seven years in this June.

And we will prayerfully welcome our sixth son uh by the end of this year.

As you can imagine, being a mother to almost soon-to-be six boys.

Um that's no easy task, requires a great deal of patience and sanctification, letting go of some things that I think are important that just may not in the end be so.

But there are a few things that as a mother uh are non-negotiable to me.

Uh, and number one, that's standing up for what's right and for what is true in spite of rejection.

Number two, that's being big enough to ask for help when you need it.

And it's number three, leaving something better than you found it.

And now, as a child that resonates pretty simply, right?

That's um maybe standing up to the bully or asking for help on your homework or simply cleaning your room.

But as parents, we get the rare opportunity to show them how those precepts can be applied in real life.

And I'm getting that moment right now.

And so, right now I get the honor to stand alongside so many others here today and before my children and show them how the things that we teach them are much bigger than what they might practice at home and right now.

I get to stand before you leaders of our community, and I get to show them what it looks like to stand up and fight for something that I believe in in spite of being told no time and time again.

I get to show them what it looks like to be big enough to ask for help, and I get to show them what it looks like to leave a place, a community better than we found it.

And so now you two have the rare opportunity to put those very same precepts into action for the people who look to you just as my children do to me.

And so I'm asking you now to help me steward that for our future generation.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Good evening.

My name is Simon Drevenchuk.

I'm also a resident of Raccoon Mountain, own a house up there within the city uh city limits.

And even though we're city residents and taxpayers, our neighborhood still has no access to city water.

So right now, families, as you guys heard, are forced to haul water and rely on rain collection systems just to supply their homes.

So this isn't just about convenience, it's a safety and infrastructure issue as well.

You know, uh limited water access creates concerns for fire protection, um, emergency response, reliability during droughts and freezing weather, and long-term growth for the area.

You know, we're heavily invested into our homes and our property, and this can as this community uh continues to grow, we want it to keep keep on growing.

So bringing water service to our neighborhood would improve public safety, increase property values, and support responsible development inside the city.

So we're respectfully asking the council to explore a realistic path toward extending water service to our subdivision and help us understand what steps are needed to move this forward.

So thank you guys for your time and consideration.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

I'm Elzar Driving Chunk, and I'm also a resident on Raccoon Mountain.

What was your first name?

El Azar.

And I moved into my home uh over four years ago in the first few months.

We ran our well completely dry, no water whatsoever, so we started bringing water slowly every month or so.

And then we started a family, young family, and now we use a lot more water, and we run out of water a lot more since we only store 250 gallons at a time.

And that does not last long when you got laundry, got a newborn and showers after work and every other day, and every other thing that we do.

So bringing water is a lot difficult.

Uh up the mountain, and that was my brother that just spoke, so we live right by each other.

So he decided to build a water rainwater collection system, and I had to tap in a line to his house, all the way to my house, across the woods, in order to have some sort of water that way we don't run out of water at the house because we have to travel all the way to Ringle, Georgia to fill up our tank of water just to bring it down to the house.

So we would greatly appreciate if this all gets resolved as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

My name is Zeke Wheeler, and I am a resident of Chattanooga as well as District One.

And I just wanted to say, although I do not live on Raccoon Mountain, I do support as a resident of Chattanooga as well as District One as well.

As I said, I support the uh bringing of water as well as funding it.

Um I think as well, one other thing is Raccoon Mountain is uh one of the most um beautiful places surrounding Chattanooga.

Uh it's it's unlike really anywhere else that I've been to around Chattanooga, and I believe that not only by bringing water will that improve just Raccoon Mountain, but it'll also improve the greater surrounding area of Chattanooga.

So thank y'all so much.

Good afternoon.

My name is Julie Shimborski, and I've been a resident of Raccoon Mountain for 20 years.

Um my husband spoke earlier.

Uh we have the same same concerns.

I really have concerns about safety.

Um, we've seen time and time again wildfires, wildfires on the mountains.

We've seen it on Lookout Mountain last year a couple times.

He's in on Sigma Mountain.

We we only have one way up and down.

We do not have safety, we do not have the public safety either for ourselves of safe drinking water at this point.

Um, we've spent well over 20,000 in our well, and we are hauling for four and a half years.

We also are not getting any younger, but we have lived there for 20 years, and I live there because I live on five acres and it's beautiful.

And I do have some city services, but I expected city water when we built there or when we moved there too.

We were told that you know, city water should be coming as the place developed.

But as houses have added in, we have not seen that.

So I'm asking you also, you know, it's not just for those of us living there, it is for the beauty of the area and the protection of the valley, so that the whole mountain wouldn't burn and you know, possibly go down into the neighborhoods below us.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Caroline Shannon, and I live in the city in District 2.

Um, and while I don't live on Raccoon Mountain, I do have a dear relationship with a family that does live on Raccoon Mountain, the Galsons, um, the family of five boys that are getting ready to have six.

Um, and I just wanted to say that there is much that I think in general I can take for granted, and I would imagine we all do, and that can be even the simple things as the air that we breathe, um, the fact that our freedom has been purchased at the lives of others, and we needed that reminder today, or I don't know.

I did.

Um, the fact that we can flip a switch and the light comes on, or we go to turn our faucet on and water comes out, is all things that we can take for granted.

Um, and I know from having served alongside this family in their home, they have to be very intentional about when they turn the water on and when they turn it off.

And like other families have mentioned, when you have multiple children and laundry and things that need to be done, you find yourself being very dependent upon a service that many of others that live in the city get to take for granted.

So I just wanted to speak on the behalf of all of those that have already come today and they're pleasing for help.

Um, I just wanted to say I'm in agreement with it, and I um hope that you will be able to do something to help them as they come to you for help.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

My name is Davis Smith.

I live in District Six.

Just wanted to second everything everyone else has said.

I also am highly in favor of bringing water up to Raccoon Mountain.

Um, although I don't live there.

I think it's very clear that this isn't just an emotional issue, it's a very, very practical one.

So I hope that finds your guys' hearts, finds your minds.

Thank you for your time.

Good afternoon.

How are you guys?

Good afternoon.

My name is Tyler.

I'm a resident of Raccoon Mountain.

I am the father of all of the sons.

Most of you think I'm crazy.

I am a little bit, but uh we love life.

I want to say thank you.

It you have no idea what it means to be able to stand in front of you guys.

Um we've been there for seven years, and just being here is a gift.

So I want to say thank you to each and every one of you.

I also want to just say thank you to uh Mayor Tim Kelly's office.

Their office and administration has been instrumental in this process over the last few years that has brought us to today.

Literally every single dot has been uh T has been crossed, I has been dotted.

Uh the only thing left to do is funding.

And so that's obviously why we're here.

This city council is made up of a group of people with a diverse amount of gifts and passions.

And as I was looking, I don't know all of you, and I know that you don't know me, but I was looking at some of the bios, and there was a passage of scripture that was referenced to part of the value system of this council.

It's um Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 through 7.

And it says this it says, uh, be anxious for nothing but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.

Let your request be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds through Christ Jesus.

We have literally had to cling to this passage, my wife and I.

And I've experienced a level of anxiety that I didn't know existed, and you won't either until you turn a faucet on and nothing comes out, and you know that means you have to go find water so your family has water the next day, even if it takes until three in the morning to do it.

And so I just want to just say this.

It's to me, this is quite clear.

This is a winning, it's rare in positions of leadership, and I know you guys get a lot of criticism, but it's rare that you have an opportunity to be a part of something that has a win on every angle, and I believe this does.

I know I'm biased, but just consider this.

It's a win for those of us that live there.

It's a win for the forests that make Chattanooga beautiful.

It's a win for the residents that will receive continued tax revenue until Jesus comes home, and it's a win for you guys to be a part of something that's unique.

This is not a difficult decision.

It is an investment with a guaranteed return.

Thank you guys so much, and God bless each of you.

Good afternoon, folks.

My name is Lonnie Carter.

I'm also a resident on Raccoon Mountain.

Uh, although I'm not a uh full-time resident, I live uh in Florida.

Uh I purchased this property about four years ago and um in hopes that I would at least one day have an opportunity to live here full time.

Um the property, the mountain, Chattanooga itself is just super special.

Uh, my wife, family, and I came about four years ago and just fell in love with the town.

Umce we found our property on uh Raccoon Mountain, you know, we were trying to navigate through a lot of the uh difficult situations that are associated with the water issues that uh we keep hearing a lot about.

Um I will tell you, just in the short three and a half, four years that I've been there, which is probably one of the newer tenants or uh owners, um, I have also faced these challenges uh over and over and over again.

Um it seems like every time I come home, um no water, and it's very frustrating.

I have to lean on some neighbors to help me out when I know we're coming, so that way we don't come to some to something that doesn't work uh right out of the gate.

We uh we're we're frustrated uh at the end of the day, um, but we're also excited about the possibility of bringing some water up to the mountain.

I will tell you the uh the neighborhood is is gorgeous.

The mountain is gorgeous, and we want to do everything we can to protect the integrity of what's going on up there.

Um so I ask that you guys consider this uh as a possibility to bring water to the mountain.

Um again, you know, not being there as long as some of these other guys, but hauling water.

I've invested in water trailer.

I've probably got about 25,000 uh just in water and new lines and pumps and everything that these guys have been through.

I I feel it.

And I'm not there living it every day like they are, but one day I'd like to retire and come back and know that there's gonna be water to turn on whenever I'm back there full time.

Thank you.

Have a good day.

Hello, my name is Kelly Shimborski.

Um, I grew up on Raccoon Mountain.

Um, not able to be a full-time resident due to the water.

Um, as my parents have they have plenty of land.

We could very easily um stay on one property um be able to give my kids their grandparents.

Umfortunately, um I have four children.

I can't even all stay the night because my toddler will leave the water on and then they have nothing.

I have concerns as they age.

Um, they also do not have I work in real estate, so I can echo as well the development.

They don't have the ability to sell without a major loss, so they're trapped.

Um with this, it does build great equity in the properties already there.

It's great in development, it's great for the city.

It's a huge disservice to charge these people tax dollars in the city and not provide services.

So I hope that you would consider it not just for my family, but for our community.

Good afternoon, uh, council members.

My name is Ryan Borkin.

Um, I am a resident of District Three.

Um, and I'm up here not because of a vested interest I have per se in what takes place on Raccoon Mountain, but as somebody who believes that um we are to love our neighbors as ourselves.

And the reality is is that hearing about the need that exists up on Raccoon Mountain and being a tax-paying um member and citizen of the city of Chattanooga, it pains me.

It pains me to hear that there are families and children who need clean water in this day and age.

It pains me to hear that there is the possibility that there are citizens of the city of Chattanooga that are in danger.

It pains me.

And so I just implore you in this moment.

If you would um if you would join me in just loving our neighbor as ourselves by providing them a simple service um such as just having clean water and safety.

Thank you so much.

Good afternoon, council members.

My name is Hugh Huffacre.

I am a property owner on Raccoon, and just wanted to say that my wife and I, we grew up here in Chattanooga.

We lived out in Colorado for almost a decade.

And when we got this raccoon mountain property, we immediately started brainstorming on how to move back to Chattanooga permanently.

We hired a Chattanooga architect, we paid almost $60,000 for essentially uh uh our dream forever home.

And right before we started breaking ground, the uh the area which is a creek on our property, which we were told doesn't dry out, we can always pull water from.

We immediately started to see the creek uh dry up.

And when we started talking to people about digging wells, like a lot of the other owners here have said, what they told us is there are some underground cave systems around the property, as you know with raccoon mountain, and it's very likely that wells can collapse.

And so we've been in a really interesting position where we move back to Chattanooga, which is where we want to be, but unfortunately we're pretty deep in the hole right now with property that is essentially unbuildable for us, and so I just uh hope that you take this into account.

And I did a quick AI calculation of uh, you know, based on um the Black Creek extension on the mountain right across from Raccoon Mountain.

And if you look at those property values where they did get some uh help bringing water up there, and you sort of factor that into raccoon, it is a very quick repayment time just on property taxes alone.

So thank you so much for your time.

Good afternoon, council and neighbors.

I'm uh property owner on Raccoon Mountain as well.

And like you've heard from a lot of people here.

Oh, Chris Silva, sorry.

Um like you've heard from a lot of people here, it's a situation where wells aren't really viable, there's no water.

We've got families that have lived here for 30 years that don't have water that are struggling, and it's a serious anxiety for a lot of people, especially with you know young children.

Um I would love to be able to build on my property one day, but it just doesn't really make sense the way it is now.

Um so I appreciate y'all's time and giving this consideration and just want to express my you know desire to move this along for all my neighbors as well because it's a great community and I love this city.

I love Raccoon Mountain, and it's a it's a really great group of people that live up there.

So thank you all for your time.

Thank you.

Uh my name is Phineas Shannon.

I have the privilege of living in District One with the Golsons and the privilege of watching uh their lives.

Uh me and five other guides live next to uh next to the Golstons, and every day I get to see Tyler and Bett serve their children the way that Jesus serves us.

Um but most importantly, I see the heart of Tyler.

I see the heart that he has for his children.

I see them the heart that he has for us, the late nights and the early mornings of him running to go get water on the days where he has already so much in his schedule with his job and even with Corey and Us.

Um I'm very for the water.

I thank you for just listening to all these people, all these neighbors that we have.

Um so I please hope that you consider that.

So thank y'all.

Hello, council.

My name is Helen Byrne Sharp.

I live at 129 Walnut Street, District 7, representing accountability for taxpayer money.

I appreciate and share the council's concern and the public's concern about the issues with wells on Raccoon Mountain.

I wouldn't have written this sentence probably if I knew Representative Vital was going to be here.

But the next sentence that I wrote out started if there is a bad guy in the saga, it is the Tennessee legislature.

Because 50 years ago they allowed developers to escape the requirement for providing basic infrastructure to new subdivisions by carving them into lots of at least five acres in size.

Normally, developers recoup the money they spend on infrastructure by adding it to the cost of the lots.

The Pruitt family, the original developers of the 1984 subdivision, and still the owners of 17 lots, chose to take advantage of this loophole.

The planning commission and the then city council could not require a water line under state law, but they did ensure there was a note on the subdivision plat stating that water would come from individual wells.

In other words, by our beware and future city councils beware that residents may look to you to fix a very expensive problem that you had no role in creating.

We are where we are though.

This project is complicated by the fact that Chattanooga, unlike most cities, is not in the water business and therefore lacks water revenues.

Our city is served by the private in this area, the private Tennessee American Water Company, who provide water down beneath you on the Kelly's Ferry area because it's a lower elevation.

They provide water to the Black Creek subdivision and also the new River Gorge subdivision.

And those example examples are dealing with experienced developers and anticipate hundreds of new water customers in a relatively short period of time.

This project is enormously expensive from a cost per customer perspective, which is likely why the Tennessee American has not decided not to get involved on the front end.

It is thank you.

Thank you for your time.

My name is Joe Pleva.

I'm a commercial realtor.

I know I do a lot of real estate work in Lookout Valley.

I was very surprised to hear about this.

I came in just a few minutes ago and I've heard most of the people's comments.

I thought they were put together very well.

I'm surprised.

I've done I've sold properties in Lookout Valley and every other place except on Raccoon Mountain.

And I just want to support it.

I think as a as a council, this is something you need to do.

It's not, it's not probably cost effective right now, but um I think it's the right thing to do.

So that's all I got to say.

I'll stay under my limit.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, council.

My name is Cooper Jacks.

I've had the privilege of being a resident of Raccoon Mountain for the last year and a half.

Public service is often a thankless job, and I understand that there are a lot of hard decisions that you have to make, and you face a lot of scrutiny for that.

But when I look at this, and Mr.

Henderson, I want to thank you just for the effort that you've put into helping us coordinate to get water up there because you really do take for granted when you can just flip the faucet on and water comes out, and when you can't wash your clothes or you can't do dishes because there's no water.

I want to ask you if there was an issue of water in Hickson or Tyner or Brainerd, if it were your constituents in your districts that were facing an issue of water, and they came to you directly asking for your support to present a solution to them.

How would you approach this?

So I ask that you would look on at us here in District One and you would look at it with that same mindset.

Look at us as your constituents.

Because at the end of the day, if District 1 succeeds, so does Chattanooga.

And I ask that you would please consider that today.

Thank you for your time.

Okay, is there anyone else that would like to address the council this afternoon?

Yes, sir.

Representative Vidal, you're always welcome, sir.

Well, I'm representative Greg Vidal, and I did not serve in the legislature 50 years ago.

And I had not planned on saying anything.

I was just here as a guest today on behalf of my daughter who spoke earlier.

But I would just say it is an honor to represent Hamilton County in the legislature.

There are decisions we make with the best facts in front of us.

Sometimes we would go back and say, I wished I would have done that.

It will probably never be cheaper.

But as a as a representative for a part of rural Hamilton County, I also do have the privilege of representing part of the city of Chattanooga, and that's out in East Brainerd and Holly Hills and East Hamilton around the mall.

So and Tyner also.

But it's a privilege to work with each of you.

Chattanooga is moving forward.

Hamilton County is moving forward.

There's a lot of decisions we're having to make nowadays, including in the legislature, that we wished others had taken care of before.

But I think by stepping up to them now, we're going to save the next generation of leaders a lot more expense.

And so thank you for considering this on behalf of this district, but all the citizens of Hamilton County who, as we heard today, love this community and want to be part of it.

So thank you for your service and thank you for being here, part of that civic responsibility.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

I am Sherry Ford.

I am president of the Lookout Valley Neighborhood Association.

I actually didn't come here to speak today.

I just came here for support of people in my community.

But after hearing all of these people speak, which I already knew there was a problem because Bill and Kieran go to our church, so we know all about it, and um have been trying to help them work with uh commissioner.

I mean, I'm sorry, Councilman Henderson, to get this resolved.

And I know it's been an ongoing thing.

I would just like to say thank you to all the people who came today.

Thank you all for giving us the opportunity to present this to you, and so that you can give it some consideration and hopefully in a positive way that these folks can have water.

I can't even imagine.

I I had two children, I couldn't even imagine waking up in the morning and not having water for my kids.

So I would like to say, on behalf of the Lookout Valley Neighborhood Association, we certainly do support this request, and we would ask that you give it uh, like I said, your consideration, and I know you all will.

So thank you.

Anyone else that would like to address this council on this budget item?

Uh my name is Steve Bennett, and I live in East Lake, right above the beautiful East Lake Park.

Uh I want to thank you for allowing us to be here.

You know, in our constitution, we the people, and you all are representatives for us.

Uh, I've had the privilege of traveling around the world.

I'm a school teacher, but but uh I've been getting ready to leave to go back to Zimbabwe for the fifth trip uh at the end of this month and been to Peru and Guatemala, and I've been in these third world countries, and I'm thinking here we are about to celebrate our 250th anniversary, and we should be doing much better.

And uh, this is an opportunity to show that we are people of the United States, and we can overcome these difficulties and and and solve problems, just like our founding fathers have, and and to bring us into the to me on uh the greatest nation in the world.

And we live, I think I'm prejudiced I've lived here all my life.

Um 75, and uh I love this city, and I'm so excited what's happening at the bend and around our neighborhoods, and uh as a city, we can do this, and I just want to thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Hello, good afternoon.

I'm Teresa Owens, my husband Joe now, or very students of Ray King Mountain, and I agree with everything they had they had to say.

Thank you.

Hi, good afternoon.

I'm Yvonne Alvarez, and I would just like to ask anybody who is in support of this.

Would you stand with me?

Thank you, and thank you, Councilman.

Thank you.

You can be seated with let me make sure nobody else will.

All right, is there anyone else that would like to speak during this public hearing time?

Anyone else?

If not, I will close the public hearing.

And I think I do have some uh council members that would like to speak.

So at this time, I'm going to close our public hearing.

Public hearing is now closed, uh, and we will uh now hear from the council.

Councilman Clark.

I thank you, uh Councilman Henderson.

Um, what I want to thank my neighbors for being here.

I represent District 5, but you're Chattanoogans.

I think you're my neighbors as well, and I just want to let you all know that on behalf of the citizens that I represent in the Highway 58 area and the Bonnie Oaks area and the Woodmore area, we stand in solidarity with you.

I've had this conversation with some of our neighborhood leaders, and the thought of having this conversation in 2026.

Um we were shocked.

We were like, Well, they don't have water in a portion of Chattanooga where actually the Goldstones that all this kids live.

We was like, Yeah, it's you know, I didn't know y'all did, but I'm just using it as an example now.

Uh we all know you now, but um for us who represent other areas, we have to stop and pause and think about what if these were my neighbors where I live.

How would we respond to a crisis?

You know, we talk about the the threshold of what it takes to the expense if it was 27 properties, if it was a hundred acres, and I have to really pause and think about the principle, right?

Of water, you know, it's like weird that we we're talking about water, we're not talking about a park, a bridge, or 35 million dollars stadium.

We're talking about water for children's baby formula for sewer stuff, for cooking, and it's in Chattanooga.

It's very strange, uh, Councilman Henderson that we are now just talking about this.

I can remember when Tess, my dear friend Tess candidate, I was didn't even know this was something that Councilman Henderson had been championing, and she was like, Hey, we don't have water up here.

I'm like, Oh, okay, what do we do about it?

Um, I went to Councilman Henderson and I said, 'Y'all don't have water in that portion of where people live.' And I began my own public journey to speaking with the administration on your behalf as a colleague to support my colleague and saying, you know what?

What's good for the goose is good for the gander because I would not want this happening in District 5.

Uh, Councilman Henderson, a lot of people talk about economics of this, and I want to throw out a uh figure if that's okay.

Sure.

When we annexed the city, annexed raccoon mountain 50 years ago, it was not with the intent to just allow development not to exist in comparison to our development neighbors in Black Creek.

And so if you take the average, I think that you reported that had when this water goes up, that we will collect at least half a million dollars.

Is that correct?

And about 500,000 dollars.

500,000.

So I did the math people.

I went to a great public school, by the way, and I did the math.

And councilwoman Hill, if you do 50 times what the estimated revenue we would have generated had we put water on Raccoon Mountain, we left 25 million dollars on the table as a city.

25 million dollars because we failed, and we're sorry, that we did not develop the same infrastructure that's equitable to the rest of us who live in the city, and we're sorry.

And this is our opportunity to correct a wrong.

And I just wanted to say that publicly that for me, this is a principle.

This is not an economic equation of what should have been done 50 years ago.

There's 27 parcels, and you should have thought about that before you bought your property.

No, you are Chattanoogans.

I you are my neighbor, you are my brother, you are my sister.

You deserve water, just like the people in my district, and I stand in solidarity with Councilman Henderson tonight to support water on a raccoon now.

So thank you.

Thank you very much, thank you, sir.

Councilman.

Uh any other council person that would like to comment before uh close out our budget and finance committee.

If not, we will adjourn uh budget and finance and now we'll go into our agenda session.

All right, council.

Can I get a motion on our minutes from last week's meeting?

All right, we have a motion and a second.

The minutes will stand as published.

Um you might want to announce that they don't have to stay for the rest of this meeting if they'd like to leave.

Yeah, uh, but there is a public comment portion at the end that they could also speak at.

Right, yeah, as I mentioned at the beginning, we do have another public comment um session at the end of our meeting.

Uh whereas this one was limited to the budget amendment.

The one at the end will be for anyone to address us on any topic.

So you're certainly welcome to stay.

Um, but you're not obligated to stay, so please feel free to do as you please.

Thank you.

All right.

Um council, if you would just look with me at the agenda for this week's meeting.

We do have several items on final reading, and I do intend to take those as a package unless there's any objections.

Just hit your lights as we go through here if you have any questions or comments.

We also have two ordinances on first reading.

And we have several resolutions.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

This is in regards to the public works ordinance, excuse me, resolution B.

Um the change order request for the bridge.

Is this also grant funded?

Well, I'm looking at you if you know.

If not, you member Weston.

I believe it is.

Yes, is it does it require any additional matching funds?

Okay, we're good to go.

Thank you, guys.

That's all Mr.

Chair.

Okay.

Any other questions on resolutions on tonight's agenda, Council?

All right.

We can look at next week's proposed agenda items.

Oh, okay.

No, I won't speak.

Oh, okay.

Sorry.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I have two questions on this one.

The first one is the HUD grant.

I don't know who wants to speak.

Is that you?

Okay.

Um, could you give a little bit of detail about what this particular grant will be used for?

Uh sure.

Good afternoon.

Um this is uh the section uh on section 108 uh uh loan guaranteed program under the section 108 program entitlement cities like the city of Chattanooga can access uh loan funds through HUD up to five times their current community development block grant allocation.

So in this instance, the city of Chattanooga has access to 7.8 million dollars.

That's based on our most recent CDBG allocation.

Cities are allowed to uh borrow the funds, they can borrow the funds and they utilize the funds in the same manner, pretty much for the same eligible type activities as community development block grant.

The city uh entitlement as an entitlement.

We can borrow the funds directly and utilize the funds uh in-house.

We can make the funds available in the form of a grant to other organizations or uh entities, or we can uh allow what we call a designated public agency to utilize the city's borrowing capacity and borrow the funds and utilize again those funds in the same manner you uh with uh for C DBG eligible activities.

In this instance, through our application, we are uh asking for CHA, Chat New Housing Authority, uh in the position of a designated um agency to borrow the funds this the uh and utilize the funds to deploy uh I think it's approximately 1200 uh fair cost to voucher uh units, and they as the designated public agency, they would be responsible for the debt, uh, and they would be responsible for ensuring that the collateral and the city of Chattanooga and the housing authority uh will have to work uh together to ensure that all of the federal requirements associated with the funding are met.

The uh again, the housing authority will be responsible for the debt and the debt obligation, but the city of Chattanooga as the entitlement city will still have to obligate as collateral, it's C C D B G current to CDBG, future CDBG uh allocations.

The only instance in where uh the CDBG will be obviously uh into any danger would be, you know, if uh the CD CHA projects, you know, don't uh kind of fail or whatever.

But I'm gonna let I think yeah, Bet Cho Kelly is here uh from the housing authority, and they can talk about the uh fair cloth to voucher component of it, and I can answer any questions related to the uh federal regulations associated with it.

Uh but in essence, the uh city of Chattanooga is allowing the housing authority to utilize that borrowing capacity to undertake uh affordable housing development.

Sandra, before you step away, a couple questions.

Could this funds also be used to support CHA's West I Volves project?

They could have been borrowed for uh for that activity.

Uh we have utilized this capacity years ago.

We actually borrowed against the CDBG funding to do infrastructure out at the um Hope Six site, the villages uh in the difference in that instance is that we the city of Chattanooga, we utilized our CDBG funding to retire the debt.

In this instance, the debt uh will be covered, the payments, interest and principal payments will be covered through CHA structure.

And another question: do we carry this debt on our books?

We do not in this instance, CHA will be the borough, we will not, the City of Chattanooga will not carry the debt on our books.

Okay, that's I think that's all the questions I have.

Thank you so much.

Do you want a summary of the uh fair call to voucher?

I'm fine on that piece for the sake of time with us.

Okay, Chairman, or some yes, if you don't mind.

Okay.

Certainly.

Uh good afternoon, counsel.

Uh just as a 30,000-foot view.

Uh the uh public housing in the United States has undergone a dramatic change over the last 30 years.

Traditional public housing, which is what uh West Side uh uh originally was and we're now converting.

Uh those types of projects as they age out and have been demolished.

Um the law was changed in 1998 to prevent any further construction of public housing.

But however, uh what was called a fair cloth amendment was passed at that time that allowed for the use of what is called Faircloth Authority, which is essentially the number of units that existed as of 1999.

If they subsequently went out of service, a housing authority then could put those back into service in new construction or new renovation.

The problem was is there was actually no way to monetize that authority.

There was the voucher uh authority, but you couldn't get it into a capital stack so that you could actually fund a project.

Uh two years ago, uh the uh then administration uh passed a program that amended the restore rebuild faircloth the RAD program that allowed for the housing authorities in the country to deploy their faircloth authority in a way that allowed us to partner with private developers to build new housing.

Uh Chattanooga, we have quite frankly a large number of vouchers available under that authority because of, for example, the demolition of Harriet Tubman homes uh a few years ago.

We have an excess of 1,200 vouchers.

Uh we have gone out to bid and we have uh uh created a master plan to deploy all of those vouchers to build new housing.

Uh our goal was to use this as a poverty deconcentration and an opportunity uh uh program to give folks options for subsidized housing in areas that we traditionally have not been able to service because either we can't get a project funded through LaTeX or we can't uh we don't have existing units there that we can rehab the way we're doing uh on west side and the way we're going to do on the east side.

So this was a way to give more housing choice more opportunities.

Uh and we have currently 1,225 vouchers that we are in negotiations with developers for 11 different projects scattered around the city of different housing.

Uh we are going to be able to multiply that effect with uh mixed income LITEC development that we're gonna fold into some of the projects so that ultimately right now we think we're gonna be able to hit about 2,000 units of uh supported housing, and we aim to get that built in the next five years.

Uh so that is our goal, that's what we're working toward.

Uh we've been working towards it.

Uh and this program is an integral part of how we're gonna fund all of those projects because of particularities in the program, uh the Faircloth program.

Uh we have to bring in a certain level of rent augmentation uh for the first year rents before HUD will fully support a property, and there's very limited ways under the rules that we can bring that in.

One of the ways is through this 108 program, and so that's why we approach the city, and we're very grateful for uh to the city for you all considering this because this gives us an avenue to take the 7.7 million and leverage that uh for the 2,000 units that we're gonna construct uh through this program.

Um thank you.

I'm going to I do have one more question on next week's agenda, but I'm gonna yield for now.

So some of my colleagues can ask questions.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Okay.

Um see we have Councilman Harvey.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Uh, on item B for next week's agenda, it's actually under final reading, but on today, it's on under first reading.

Um, I'm sorry.

Oh, okay.

Uh you might recall that I deferred this one week uh due to a constituent concern.

Uh Jeremy Wood and our stormwater team have been on top of this and actually met with the constituent over her concern.

Um her flooding concern was mainly due to the 500-year flood event we had back in August.

Um she had some uh culverts that also needed clearing out, so um but we feel that her uh concerns have been addressed, although we've also uh made Bill Gore and Land Development Office aware uh so during the the planning that will be taken into consideration what kind of things we can help with uh the drainage.

So uh just wanted to address that and make sure that the uh the constituent uh knows that she's also been taken care of.

Okay.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Hill.

Thank you very much.

Um back to the discussion of the the Faircloth Amendment and the Section 108 loan guarantee program.

I really appreciate Sandra the information here and Jerry Joe.

Joe.

Joe.

You can call me Jerry, I'll answer to that too.

Um Joe, thank you very much for that explanation.

I Betsy, you've got a heck of a team around you.

Um I am just continually impressed with the ingenuity that I see coming out of the Chattanooga Housing Authority.

Um to be able to bring on 2,000 supported units in five years is no small thing, and uh to know that this tool is available sounds like this is the right time to do it.

I mean, honestly, I I did think it was shoring up west side, and so to know that this is a completely different project, y'all are staying busy, that's for sure.

Well, I I will add we had planned to do this uh and and had eventually uh originally a longer time frame for the implementation.

Uh but uh the this program that under which we are now working is slated uh to not be funded after this year.

And so uh for projects that are already under consideration, which ours are we are grandfathered in and we're able to proceed.

So this is essentially a now or never uh to utilize this tool.

Okay, wow, that's helpful.

So just uh two questions.

Number one, do you own all the land already for these 11 developments?

We have all the land under contract.

All land under contract, and then what's the um like what are the size ranges in terms of how many units performed?

These will we have multiple multiple sizes and multiple uses.

Uh, a lot of this is gonna be multifamily because of the areas that we're putting them in, uh, are gonna be out in areas of high employment opportunities for young families and school systems.

Uh so uh, but we're gonna have some senior uh preference as well.

We're we're trying to meet all the needs, but the size ranges are gonna be from 50 units up to 350 units.

Okay.

Uh, and so they're gonna be multiple sizes across uh the the city.

Okay.

Um I think that answers all my questions.

Thank you very much.

I hope that it all goes smoothly.

We're gonna we're gonna work on it.

Okay.

That's all, Mr.

Chair, thank you.

Okay.

Thank you.

Councilman Henderson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I do wanna uh back up to uh ordinances under first reading for next week.

Uh I failed to announce that the ordinance that we had the public hearing for today will be read next Tuesday uh for first reading for the uh ordinance to ordinance to amend the operational budget and ordinance to amend the capital budget.

So all of you raccoon mountain residents uh the the big vote will be next Tuesday.

Federal council open vice chairman Elliott.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Under resolutions under HR, I do have a question about the EIG proposed changes.

Is this 9B?

Is that what you're yes sir?

9B.

Okay.

Good afternoon, Council.

Uh may I uh first announce we would like to withdraw this item uh to contemplate modifications based on council input.

All right, well, that was easy.

Was that easy?

The easy button.

I had a whole list of questions.

Say a lot of time.

All right, we're good to go.

Efficiency, thank you, Councilman.

Thank you, sir.

Okay.

And I'll just note as well, council.

Um item nine C is a new addition to our agenda for next week, and the reason for that is to comply with a grant deadline.

Um administration had asked us to include that on next week's agenda so that they did not miss an opportunity for some grant funding.

So we always appreciate that.

Um other questions or comments for next week's agenda.

Okay.

We would look at the purchases for tonight.

There are a few purchases as well as two sole source purchases and an RFP recommendation.

Any questions on those, council?

Okay.

Moving on.

We will look at um future considerations.

That's my number of this.

It's for future consideration.

Okay.

Go ahead, Vice Chairman Elliott.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

I I do have a question for uh future considerations under item A.

Um about the independent contract service.

I don't know if you may want to take this one.

This community development is that okay.

Anyone want to take this one?

Promise ain't that bad.

Thank you, Chief.

Yes, sir.

Um, quick question.

What are our plans for this particular position?

I mean, for this particular consultant.

Councilman, I'm not prepared to speak to it.

I apologize.

I uh I I I can find out and get right back with you.

Yeah, if you can't, I'm gonna throw this out too.

Uh, because we all can follow follow up on this.

I'm curious what we're using this particular consultants for, and also I think we have used them over the last couple of years.

I'm sorry, is this trajectory?

Yes.

Okay, it just clicked.

I apologize.

I'm gonna hear time.

Okay, perfect.

Um so what what else are we using them for?

Okay, so the if you go back to early on in the administration before uh before I joined when we took up this um violence interruption initiative.

Um this is Norman Kerr who came in and worked with the city to help stand up the program.

It's based off of a model that um that he stopped up in Chicago where they successfully ran similar programs.

We adopted the name 423 chainbreakers, but it's the same idea about violence interruption through embedding into the community uh where you have um just a lot of uh um younger folks who tend to get uh wrapped up into undesirable activity.

And so um he worked with us for the last I think three years.

Through it was originally ARPA funding.

Um and then that contract expired, and what we are asking him to do now is to come back in as we look at expanding this model um to other areas across town, and as we through the DOJ funding, we're able to get some additional uh violence interrupters on the ground.

We want to make sure that we're doing what we're supposed to be doing from a compliance perspective with respect to federal reporting for that grant, and then we just want um some assistance to to really make sure that we're professionalizing the program, and he's gonna help us along those lines.

I get that.

I know he's been around for a while, and I think the the chainbreakers have definitely had a role to play these last couple years.

I think the concern I have, if I'm not mistaken, we spent about 1.5 million dollars on them so far on him on his organization in Norman and his consultant services, and I'm just curious what else can we expect to get out of those services?

Uh he's been here for three years.

I'm sure he's been able to instill a lot of value into our folks, and I'm not saying he doesn't have a place.

I'm just concerned about constantly pumping money into something.

Expansion understand.

Please expand.

Explain to my district.

You know, I have quite a few violent crime uh incidents that I think the the work can really be a stopgap for.

But do we really need these funds to go back to this consultant, or do we have the knowledge and experience already in our staff to help continue this work?

So I think that's just the the biggest question.

I want to get an understanding of where your vision is, but also more importantly, it's pose the question.

Is this the best use for this consultant who's who's who's been here for quite a while?

Thank you for that.

I share that concern.

We and I'm happy to share the scope of work that we worked on with um with Norman, which is a it's performance-based contracting, where we have explicit expectations and and what the uh the outcomes that we expect to see as a result um of this new contract for exactly that reason.

I do think that it is an important piece of successfully scaling the program to have him help us kind of through this next iteration because we've moved beyond starting from scratch to what does it look like to have standardized reporting?

What does it look like to have um consistent metric tracking?

What does it look like to again professionalize kind of the operation?

And that is primarily what this next engagement with him is about.

I would like to, and we don't have to do this now, but offline, I would like to hear more about that.

And I also want to a little bit more about what pieces did he put in place these last few years to hopefully capture some of that and uh what's changed or why have they probably been implemented to this point.

I just want to wrap my head around this a little bit more before I feel comfortable supporting this.

Okay.

Got it.

Thank you, Chief.

I do appreciate you.

Thanks.

That's all, Mr.

Chairman.

Okay, Councilman Clark.

Uh thank you.

Uh Kevin, this is also some of the similar questions um that I want to reiterate about consulting and the usage for consulting on this particular project as it relates to violence reduction.

Is that correct?

We recently hired a new director to oversee this program.

Is that correct?

We did.

And uh to my knowledge, that has not been announced to us or who that person is, or some of the so uh gosh, tell me out, Chief.

It's okay.

It's first names.

Caleb.

Caleb, thank you.

His name is Caleb Sanchez.

Um, I actually have not met Caleb myself yet.

Um but so he is he is new.

He's he I think he's at this juncture just a couple of weeks in.

Um part of us wanting to maintain Norman and continue his contracted services is to help ensure that we have a smooth transition because we have this new leader coming in who actually doesn't come from the I guess the the CVI, he doesn't have a CVI background, his background is more in law enforcement.

The the idea behind this particular hire is to help us with with respect to some of the compliance and the administrative oversight of the program itself.

Um through this contracted service that we're contemplating, Caleb is gonna have the opportunity to go and do some immersive training up in Chicago, like to do the boot camp to really learn more about that dimension of the program.

But in terms of the announcement I'm not exactly sure whether or not an email went out from you guys from Cedric or not but that was a that was part of my question.

I've got two parts to this question.

Okay.

My point in asking that question is that I I served as a consultant for the Titus Department of Health for two years.

And usually those roles are used as a skill gap filler.

And we just did a new hire.

And so to council Elliott's point is that in that process because as we evaluate the need for this because I'll be honest with you I'm I'm not inclined to support this I think we exhaust we are exhausting a lot of funding into a program that I have not seen measurable return on investments.

And a consultant that we have had for three years should have done some level of skill gap training for the staff that's currently there.

But yet and I don't know what what was Caleb's role before I'm not 100% sure exactly what he was doing prior to this.

I know that there was a period of time that he was going to be there.

So I guess my final question would be is that can we get information about any reports or findings from this consultant from his previous work.

Like what was the impact of his presence with us in that capacity to that program.

I'm not inclined to support this and I and I hope and I will encourage my colleagues not to as well until we start seeing evidence-based practices from consultants from new hires um before we spend more money into our program that I I'm still questioning myself if the efficacy is actually being impactful to the community when we have council people including myself and councilman elliott where we're seeing the need for this work I know there's this idea that some of us want to cut it and that we actually want to improve it but sometimes you got to cut to grow it um so I'm concerned about what this is and so if you could help us do some education sessions absolutely on the purpose and the impact of his prior work in either reports or findings because if we pay for three years he should have some type of reports or findings of what his contribution was to that organization and it should be documented is that correct that is correct and I'm confident that that exists I apologize that I do not have it already I am happy to request a def a a deferral on this particular item to provide a little bit of runway so that we can have some subsequent conversations Dr.

Anderson or Cedric Kingston when things per related to the department especially for that amount they could be here to give insight that would be so helpful to us on council.

You got it thank you sir anyone else all right great thank you at all council members you good things councilwoman members thank you Mr Chair uh Mr.

Attorney I just have something very uh short and sweet number nine on uh under office of city attorney yes ma'am believe that's district six versus district nine yes we will get thank you I don't want to find out council any other questions or comments for it all right well that takes us to the end of our agenda session we do need to have an attorney client meeting um during our recess and so we will adjourn until 545

Council, we are back in session.

Madam Clerk, if you would please read items 7A through G is a package.

Item A.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance to rezone property located at 401 Tremont Street from RN15 residential neighborhood zone to RN13 residential neighborhood zone.

Item B.

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

So it's to rezone parts of properties located at 7810 and 7816 Shaliford Road and parts of properties located at 2237 and 2241 Jenkins Road from R in two residential neighborhood zone to CC commercial corridor zone for part of the site, subject to certain conditions.

Item C an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So is to rezone property located at 2153 West Shepherd Road from R in two residential neighborhood zone to TRN3 traditional neighborhood residential neighborhood zone subject to certain conditions.

Item D, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So is to rezone property located at 4300 Dodds Avenue from RN to residential neighborhood zone to CR regional commercial zone, subject to certain conditions.

Item E, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So is to rezoned property located at 1508 East 13th Street from RN15 residential neighborhood zone to TRN3 traditional traditional residential neighborhood zone subject to certain conditions.

Item F, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance.

So is to rezone property located at 1601 Dodds Avenue from RN2 Residential Neighborhood Zone to TRN3 tradition traditional residential neighborhood zone subject to certain conditions.

Item G, an ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38, the Chattanooga Zoning Ordinance as adopted by ordinance number 14137 on July 23rd, 2024.

Article 8, special purpose zones, section 38-29, IN ST Institutional Zone, and Article 9 uses, Section 38-43, accessory use standards, B, accessory dwelling units to add a graphic rendering.

So we have a motion and a proper second.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

These ordinances pass on final reading.

Item 8A, please.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 3, Advertising, Article 5, Scenic Areas and Scenic Corridors, Section 3-55, Octomic Signs Along Scene Corridors Prohibited.

Council, we have a motion properly seconded.

Any questions or comments on this ordinance?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

This ordinance passes on first reading.

Item 8B, please, Madam Clerk.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 1812, 1816, and 1818 Ferris Road, together with properties located at 7301 and 7309 Crane Road, from RN16 residential neighborhood zone to IN ST Institutional Zone subject to certain conditions.

And this is planning item 2026-0040.

Is the applicant present?

Okay.

Is there any opposition present?

Councilman Harvey.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um appreciate Adam Schrader, Erdlinger E CEO and his team for coming out this afternoon and their uh willingness to work with the constituent there that raised concerns.

Uh I believe you all were uh in touch with uh Jeremy Wood and uh some of the folks in our planning uh department on how to better serve that area when it comes to drainage and stormwater.

So thank you for your willingness to do that.

Um I deferred this last week because of the constituent request uh to look into that, and it seems that she uh her problems have been taken care of and addressed.

So I'll move to approve.

Second.

All right, council.

We have a motion properly seconded.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

And this item passes on first reading.

Um item nine A, please, Madam Clerk.

A resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's reappointment of Vicky Greg to the EPB board for a term beginning on April 16th, 20 2026 and ending on April 15th, 2031.

Second.

Motion properly seconded, council.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Uh any opposed.

Resolution passes.

Vicki here.

No.

Okay.

Um, thank you for your service if you're watching.

Item 9B, please.

A resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to approve change order number three to contract number E1302201, Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge Repairs with Southern Road and Bridge LLC of Tarpon Springs, Florida, due to strengthening of floor beam flanges, horizontal braces and tiles, addition additional fixture conduits and canopies, permanent electrical work platform, modified signage materials, increased lumber decking thickness for ADA crossings, timber sidewalk stringers, and stringer replacement, pet waste disposal bins, handrail repairs, and added replica sun medallions for an increase of six million nine hundred forty-one thousand two hundred fifty-six dollars and twenty cents for revised contract amount of forty-seven million three hundred sixteen thousand two hundred twenty dollars and eighty-three cents, and authorizing contingency funds in the amount of two million for revised total amount not to exceed 49,316,220.83 cents.

Oh, yes, Councilwoman Hill.

Thank you.

Um, I'd like to make a motion to approve this, and once we get a second, I do have a comment.

Sorry.

We have a motion properly seconded, go ahead.

So items B and C are both related to the Walnut Street Bridge project that the city and uh the state fed have all invested quite a bit of money into.

Um and for that I think we have a lot of grateful folks.

I wanted to say that I received a press release today from the mayor's office all about how many tons of steel have saved this we're given new life to this bridge.

It's a fantastic press release all about everything that's happened and just the reality of the cost.

Um, but the fact that even so the city of Chattanooga's um commitment has uh fiscal commitment has remained the same and in fact gone down just a little bit because of some grants that our team has been able to secure.

So that's all.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Any other questions or comments, Council?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

And the resolution passes.

Item nine C, please.

A resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to authorize change order number four for construction administration services provided by Volkert and Associates Inc.

for contract number E1302103, Walnut Street Bridge Repair and Rehabilitation, T dot pin number 128099.00 for an increase of $1,470,586.12 cents due to unforeseen changes for additional structural skills for routine and NSTM inspections, development of additional repair details for strengthening floor beams and upper cord members, routine inspection of underwater piers and testing of cable tension, pins, and material hardness in conjunction with construction administration services for a total project cost of $2,800,071 and 37 cents.

Sorry.

Council of a motion properly seconded.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

Resolution passes.

Madam Clerk, um, if you would please read items uh nine, D and E together, please.

Item D.

A resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to approve change order number one for contract number T21010201, Alton Park Connector Phase 1 with Kane Industries LLC to increase the contract by $650,000 due to larger quantities of foundry sand discovered during the construction and the associated landfill disposal fees for a revised contract amount of two million four hundred thirty-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-five dollars and fifty-six cents.

Uh we have a motion properly seconded.

Any questions or comments, council?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Now item nine E, please.

Okay.

A resolution to rescind resolution number two or three two eight two seven relating to disposal fees for republic services for contaminated soil disposal for the Alton Park Connector Phase 1 project.

All right.

Motion properly seconded, council.

Any questions or comments on this item?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

The resolution passes.

And item nine F, please, Madam Clerk.

A resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works to award contract number S25005201, the city landfill at Birchwood Area 2, Phase 3 liner construction to P and C construction Inc.

in the amount of $13,451,007 and 98 cents, subject to the availability of funds.

All in favor?

Any opposed?

The resolution passes.

Take a look at purchases.

Good evening, Council.

We have three purchases recommended for approval this evening.

The first is with wastewater.

They're requesting a six-month extension to agreement PA100-204 for Biosolids Data Management System Services through December 30, 2026 with material matters.

There will be no increase to the annual amount limit.

Item number two is with technology services.

This is a one-time purchase and installation of eight police vehicle mounted tagging and tracking systems.

The sole sole source purchase from Star Chase will be in the amount of 118,655.

And the final item is with public works.

This is a one-time purchase for two armored rescue vehicles to be used by the police department.

This purchase from Linco armored vehicles will be in the amount of 962,695 dollars utilizing the HGAC contract.

Council, we have a motion properly seconded on these purchase requests.

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed.

And the purchases are approved.

Thank you.

And we are requesting approval to issue one RFP and not approval to award any contracts at this time.

The RFP is for parks and outdoors security services.

The RFP will help us evaluate our options and ensure we select the best possible plan for security across the city.

Okay.

Council can get a motion on the RFP recommendation.

So moved.

Okay.

Do we have a motion properly seconded?

Any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed.

And the RFP recommendation is approved.

And then finally, we have two source sole source purchases to report this evening.

The first is with technology services.

Geo systems scan station P40 Hardware and Cyclone software will be utilized by the crime scene and traffic units.

This software allows technicians to process, store, and analyze the scan data collected at traffic accidents and crime scenes.

The cost of this software is $26,673.71 cents.

And the second item is with public works, is an upgrade to our existing surveying software and the purchase of new surveying equipment.

These tools are essential for staff to accurately perform construction evaluation and property corner locations required for engineering drawings.

This sole source upgrade will cost 29,212.

Thank you, Weston.

Council will go around the dais for committee reports.

We'll start with Councilman Henderson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

We did have a public hearing this afternoon on the FY26 budget amendment that will have first read next Wednesday, May the 26th.

We also had the second budget education session today.

And we will have an additional budget education session next week, May 26th, that will begin at 10 a.m.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you, Councilman.

Councilwoman Hill.

Councilman Harvey.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um, first I'd like to thank uh Mayor Kelly and the administration for joining me today in the joint proclamation for our 101-year-old World War II veteran.

Thank you uh for doing that.

We really appreciate that, and as does Mr.

Plant.

Um, second of all, we had a uh as Councilman Henderson said, a uh budget education session this morning that went over parks and public works.

Um so if you uh got to join us, thank you for that.

Uh if you didn't, it's on YouTube.

Um that's all I have.

Okay, thank you, Councilman.

Councilman Clark.

Thank you, Chairman Davis.

I today we also had uh budget education session for the Department of Early Learning and Innovation.

Um, and we had some really robust conversations around outcomes, and shortly after that budget education hearing, they did send out some information regarding their head start preschool readiness outcomes for the 2025 uh 2026 program year, and they are thrilled to report that all of their preschoolers successfully met or exceeded all of their target proficiency goals across every track learning domain.

So kudos to the Department of Early Learning on that.

That was a great uh report out and uh Chairman Henderson also have a supplemental report to the budget um education stuff with our community town, our budget community town hall meetings.

Uh those have been confirmed, and we're gonna get an official press release out and advisory to our clerk as a public notice, but the council has decided to take our budget town hall uh education sessions on the road.

We will be doing three uh budget town hall meetings uh on June 4th, June 1st, and June the 14th.

The first one will be Monday, June the 1st at the Chattywood Downtown Library from 6 p.m.

to 7 p.m.

The second one will be June 4th from 6 p.m.

to 7 30 p.m.

at the Carroll Burrus Family Justice Center, and then the fourth one will be um June the 14th and council uh Chairman Davis's district.

Oh, let me get that information.

Um it's not the Higson Community Center from two to four.

There we go.

And so there are three opportunities for the public to give us insight and input um on your ideas and concerns and questions regarding the uh our budget that we're considering.

So uh be on the lookout for more advisory on that.

Okay, Chairman Davis.

Thank you.

Councilwombers.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

We did have an education session today.

Uh talking about the budget for the regional planning agency.

It's just a good presentation by Weston and Karen Renick.

Yeah, that's all we have to record now.

Okay.

And Vice Chairman Elliott.

No report.

All right, Mr.

Chairman.

Oh, yes.

One more thing.

I uh forgot to mention.

Um, as the new chairman of the uh Parks and Public Works Committee, it is Public Works Week.

Oh, so uh Jay is not here, but let's give them a big hand and thank you for everything you do.

Sure.

But you know who is here?

It's deputy Wayne.

Is it Wayman?

Hey, what's your name?

Wayne Wayne.

Yeah, Wayne Hines.

Wayne Hines.

Welcome to Council Wayne.

So that's the deputy uh director for um parks and no, no, public works.

So we'll be there this week at an event.

Yeah, award ceremony.

The award ceremony, yes.

All right, thank you for joining us.

Make sure you have that updated.

Okay, so thank you for that.

Okay, thank you for joining us.

All right, council.

We have reached the point in our meeting where we're happy to hear from members of the public who are here and would like to address us.

So if you're here for that purpose, please um line up at the podium down front here while our attorney reads the rules.

And at the end of every council business meeting, the chair will recognize members of the public who wish to address the council, and here's your rules.

Each speaker wishing to address the council can be recognized at the microphone up front for that purpose, can't have more than three minutes to speak, and you can address the council only upon matters within their legislative and quasi judicial authority and not on matters which are not under their authority or regulated by other governmental bodies or agencies.

Uh, do not engage in any vulgar or obscene language, nor use support of personally attack or personally denigrate others and address the council as a whole and not make comments directed towards individual council members.

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 actions or verbal utterance with the intent to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting or gathering.

Having stated those rules, please state your name, ma'am, and your district, please.

Thank you.

Missy Crutchfield Highland Park District for excuse me, nine.

Um so thanks to the Chat Nota Times Free Press Government Reporter for um to keep having this uh this issue of homelessness, the unhoused, and the dire need for a low barrier shelter that can encompass people if they've been under the influence of alcohol drugs and also their companion animals.

I got involved in this issue when I heard about that when I heard on Hooker Road, the encampment was being evacuated just days before, very few days before almost single-digit, very low team temperatures, and it's heartbreaking.

And so, however, many people and about half the people had dogs, and they had just tidy little homes on the side of the road.

Yes, it was private property, but it was definitely underdeveloped slash industrial type property.

I think in the article, there were some questions about private property.

So this is this is property that most of them have been on.

If it is private, private, then it's it's more on the industrial side.

So we we need to look at this.

We just need to continue asking questions.

We need to open our hearts and and look into our budget and make this happen as soon as possible.

Um, the cutting down of the trees on the sidewalk right before uh summer when this could have happened in September or October.

It just feels like, and if you Google it, there is there is part of the plan is to make things as uncomfortable for these people, the lowest level of people, the most vulnerable level of people to make their lives as miserable as possible.

Whereas in Nashville now we have laws where it's it's it's illegal to be homeless.

How do you do that?

How how do you do that?

I know five or six weeks ago, um Baron King's here.

He can he can vouch for this.

There were several uh police cars that pulled in front of uh the Chad Foundation, formerly the community kitchen.

These people, these human beings were in line to get a meal following fire code warnings.

They're waiting in line until they get in inside.

They're following rules, right?

And then um the police cars arrived, and and all of a sudden there was intimidation, and uh Barron went out, or some of the folks from Chat Foundation went out and everything was settled, the people weren't arrested.

But we need some, yes, we need some sensitivity training, and and we need to look at getting this low barrier shelter to happen as soon as possible.

But also, and more importantly, because I don't believe that this is the fault of anyone.

I think we are all here, the police are here to do their job, you're here to do your job.

And as an activist, as a grassroots, you know, supporter of a low barrier shelter.

I am just trying to keep bringing this to the attention so that the paper we all look at maybe make making Tattanooga the best thing possible.

But I think the last thing that we need to that I want to say that that may be the most important is these laws, these actions, these instructions are probably over everybody's head in this room.

Where is this coming from?

We have core civic in Nashville, we have CCA in Nashville.

Where are these?

We've got troubled schools and all of the issues that are happening.

Are we funneling people into this?

I mean, what is what is the uh what's going on here?

We need to ask questions about where these directions are coming from and and and and find some solutions and a low barrier shelter.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Okay, anyone else?

All right, council seems we've completed the work in front of us this evening.

All in favor?

Ah, we are adjourned.