Good afternoon, everyone.

I call to order the May twenty-sixth meeting of the Chattanooga City Council and recognize Councilman Harvey for Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.

Um this afternoon I have the unique privilege of introducing my mother, who will be bringing us uh our invocation this afternoon.

Uh mom is not the only title that she holds.

She currently serves as the Hamilton County team leader for the Tennessee governmental prayer lines.

She is the former prayer committee chair for Governor Bill Lee's faith-based and community initiatives.

Perhaps this is where I get uh a little bit of my love for public service and love for our community as well.

Um she's both the creator and producer of the local television show Chattanooga Stronger Together, which is featured on our uh local PBS station, WTCI.

Uh, this is a show that features our local nonprofits that are often in dire need of funding.

Her show has helped hundreds of nonprofits survive and thrive.

She is what I think of when I think the hands and feet of Jesus.

She's not your typical volunteer.

She's ministered to prostitutes, fed the hungry, and volunteered to teach Muslim immigrants English in their own homes right here in downtown Chattanooga.

Thank you, Mom, for making a difference in the lives of others.

I hope I didn't make you emotional.

Right before do our prayer.

If you don't mind provide us with prayer this afternoon.

May this chamber be filled with respect and a sincere desire to serve the greater good of this city that we love.

Father, we're reminded in the book of Proverbs, where no counsel is the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors, there is safety.

Well, we ask you to bless our city's mayor, Tim Kelly, our elected officials, our leaders, first responders, our businesses, schools, and every family and district represented here.

May your peace, protection, and your divine favority.

We recognize Chattanooga as a very special and unique city, rich in history and spirit, and in many ways, she's the heart of Tennessee.

Father, I ask you to pour a blessing upon us, as you have spoken in Deuteronomy.

Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field.

Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out.

May all decisions made here tonight be filled with integrity and humility and a spirit of unity.

Give these leaders wisdom to serve their districts that will make our Chattanooga a stronger and better place to live.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Thank you.

And welcome everyone to our meeting this afternoon.

Welcome, sir.

Thank you for being here.

And also at the beginning of our meeting each week, we like to give a kind of a rundown of how the meeting operates.

You'll know what to expect.

Our meeting is broken up into two parts.

And the first part of our meeting here will look at our agenda for the night, the things that we'll be voting on tonight.

And there'll be a time for council to ask questions or make any comments about those items.

We'll then do the same thing with our agenda for next week.

And also for items that are coming before us in three weeks or later.

We like to work ahead and be well prepared and look at things ahead of time.

So after we do that, we'll also look at the purchases that are before us tonight for approval to see if any council members have questions or concerns about those.

Um that we sometimes do.

And so after we look at all of our agenda items, uh present and future, uh, we'll take a recess where we will need a brief attorney client meeting with our city attorney during that recess.

When we come back from our recess, we will then vote on all the items on our agenda for tonight.

And once we're done voting, um, there will be a time for public comment where anyone who is here who wishes to address the council uh will be recognized to do that at the podium down front, and we'll explain the rules for that when the time comes at the end of our meeting.

Um, council, um, if I could get a motion on the minutes from our previous meeting.

So a motion and a proper second, and the minutes will stand as published.

Um council, look with me if you would at this week's agenda and hit your lights if you have any questions.

We do have a couple of items on final read.

Uh Vice Chairman Elliott, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I have two questions.

Um question and the statement.

Uh, the first is for under resolutions under technology services.

Uh, could you give us some context as to what this grant will be used for?

Yes, sir.

Good afternoon, council.

So this how are you?

Good to see you all.

Um, this is a resolution asking for your permission to apply for a grant through the Federal Highway Administration that will build on a couple of grants that we've already had here, Safe Streets for All 2024 and 2025.

It's to focus on our high injury network and do our level best through things we've learned already and through the use of technology that we already have deployed in the city to reduce fatalities within the city limits of the city of Chattanooga, most specifically on this high injury network.

And those are a specific set of corridors that are in different districts, but places where we've had the most uh wrecks on and the most fatal uh crashes in our city over the last four or five years.

So that's what the grant is designed to address.

Uh, and we have a number of partners, including UTC, partners from our Smart Grant, Lido, New Partner University of University of Pittsburgh, who has expertise in this kind of thing for us.

So that's the broad scope of what we're looking to do with this particular grant.

I might add uh the number is a big number, 17 million dollars.

The federal government will uh reimburse us uh and our grant partners, 80 percent of that amount.

The rest of it can be provided by cash or in kind, and we have worked with our partners to cover the majority of that 20 percent through in-kind match, and the outlay for the city of Chattanooga that we need to solve for is around 280,000.

So, from an ROI perspective, you might think we're investing 280,000 to get 17 million dollars worth of benefit.

Uh thank you, sir.

For context, would this be eligible for smart signals and smart timing as well along some of those corridors?

Yes, sir.

Will we be using um the uh onboard unit technology, the roadside unit technology that we put together for our SMART grant?

So those SMART capabilities are LIDAR systems that we have put together as part of our SMART grant.

We are going to be expanding that across many more intersections, some 80 more intersections targeted around this high injury network.

So in all of the data that we will be able to collect will allow us to see near misses for civilians, people on the roads, near misses with cars, things that we cannot see today because our data are our system is not designed for us to be able to see it, and then for us to be able to act proactively on it.

We'll get a comprehensive uh dashboard that shows us all this data in real time, shows us where things are happening, and will begin to give us the ability to more proactively uh address.

I won't say predict yet, but we would like to get to predict.

That's a pretty high bar, but more proactively a direct uh address where we're see where we're having problems and then go take mitigating actions.

Carter will also be a partner in us uh in in this uh uh effort with us.

Uh and we will be doing uh if we are awarded the grant, and if you give us the right to go make application, um we'll bring uh an autonomous vehicle in through Carta to help replace one of their aging shuttles, some 30 years old, and uh target that in areas where if we can get more people on a Carta shuttle bus, we can reduce people on the sides of the roads and therefore reduce uh opportunity for fatal accidents for pedestrians.

Perfect.

Thank you, sir.

I do appreciate that.

Okay, and council, I would just note on this item there is an alternate version, and the only reason for that is to correct the amount of the grant was originally listed as seven seventeen million one hundred thousand, and the correct amount is just seventeen million even.

So I just wanted to explain that um for the record.

All right, thank you, Gerald.

Yes, sir.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Um I've got uh councilwoman burrs and then councilman Henderson.

Mr.

Chair, I have something on uh another matter in the agenda.

If it's on this, then I'd okay.

I'll yield to Councilman Henderson.

Councilman Henderson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh Gerald, does this give us the same basically uh technology and capabilities as we have in the test bed on MLK?

It does, sir.

Yes, sir, it does.

So this will enable even our fire department to control traffic signals as they are approaching.

Um yes, thank you for the opportunity to address that aspect of this.

So this grant will also allow for us to create corridors for emergency vehicles to get to recs faster, and specifically with Chattanooga Fire Department.

This grant, if we if you allow us to do this and we get it, will give us some new extrication uh devices, jaws of life, if you will, that's my word, not theirs, to get people out of cars quicker and faster.

It also allows for some drone technology with some thermal imaging.

So if it's in a cloudy area or if people had been thrown from a car into, let's say a ditch or some area that's wooded, harder to find people, they'll be able to deploy the drone technology and get a thermal signature of a body so they can go there faster and take care of the person faster.

And and so, and you touched on another thing that I wanted you to elaborate on just a little bit.

The LIDAR system that you referred to is not visual image in as far as you can't tell who what the person looks like or you it's not recognizable, it's more of a heat image.

Yes, that's that's correct.

Yes.

Um LIDAR shows you the outline, if you will, the the substance of a body without a face, hair, color.

You know, it'll show you just if you can imagine me as a cardboard cutout with nothing else but that standing here, that's what you get with LIDAR or a car or a truck or a dog or a child or a stroller.

So I just want to verify it's not uh face recognition or no face recognition in that at all.

No, sir, not at all.

Correct.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Anything else I can answer for council.

All right, thank you for that, sir.

Thank you.

I'm good, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Vice Chairman Elliott.

You're recognized again.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh, this is for it on other business.

I know this is a little abnormal, but for context, I'll be making a motion to approve this uh position as outlined in the job description and for it to be uh included.

The budget ordinance coming up.

That's it.

Thank you, sir.

All right.

Councilwoman Burns.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, I wanted to go back to ordinances on first reading.

Under finance, um I appreciate what Ms.

Harvey said about leading with integrity and humility council members because thing that's coming before us regarding Raccoon Mountain, it I've taken this not that I don't take other decisions to heart, but when it's about uh large sum of money and how it impacts our citizens, it's really taken me some time to kind of figure out the the direction to go with this, and I appreciate everything that councilman Henderson has has been able to help me.

Um deliberation to the media, but just educating me because most for most of us, I think all of us, this issue started long before we all became council members, and now it's been kicked down the road, similar to some other issues that I know that over the past 15 years that I don't maybe councilman Henderson dealt with, but EPA issues.

So I know that some of the stuff that we're dealing with aren't issues that we really created, but um I want to say that I agree with my colleagues that every citizen has the right to access to clean water and and public health and fire protection, environmental protection, all of the safety features that come with that if they so choose, and um what concerns me about what concerns me is not whether building the water line is the right thing to do, because I think it's the right thing to do.

Um, because again, it's creating access to clean water for all citizens.

What concerns me is the package that we've been presented that attaches to the 3.1 million dollars, because that's what I'm being asked to defend to some extent, not to you all because you're here in support of it, but to the citizens whose money have maybe gone into what's led to be this surplus, and how can I how can we rationalize how this is being spent, and at the same time, you know, we as council members present these projects to each other already doing the background work and and ensuring the other council members that this is the best direction to go for our district.

So I I commend councilman Henderson on that.

But in the and then the grand scheme of things for a budget that's getting close to 40, 400 million dollars, 3.5 doesn't seem like a lot.

But if you if you ask anyone, I'm a very frugal person, and so I think about the amount uh or the impact we could have with 3.5 million dollars just citywide versus a small sector.

So uh a little bit of background about me, and I think my council members know the this is in my other job.

I'm a small business owner, and when I present expenses for a project, I provide a cost perspective.

I have to show a plan for how the funds will be spent.

Um I have to show the scope of the project, I have to show how the contingency plans might work, and then the partnerships that are included with their contributions, and in the short amount of time that we've had before had this before us.

I did a little research and I wanted to share some of the things that I learned with my council members in case you all don't know this, and then just with the general public, because I found it really interesting, and then I'll I'll wrap this up because I know we have some other things to talk about, but the two things that stood out to me in the presentation were the potential for one million dollars in reimbursement from the Tennessee American water, which is based on a developer model over a 10-year period, which says the developer, and in this case, the city and will get reimbursed up to one million dollars over a 10-year period dependent on connections.

So that means that somebody has to connect.

So that means if someone does not connect to the line within that 10-year period, the city's not eligible for that reimbursement to the property.

So that let's set that aside.

The other number that did not make sense to me is the $500,000 in property tax increases.

And I understand that Councilman Henderson Henderson sent this project map accompanied by a corresponding list of property owners to the assessor of property and asked him to calculate the additional increase in the property tax revenue that the city could reasonably expect to collect.

The $500,000 number came from his office per miss for council per councilman Henderson, but it didn't give me and I didn't have enough time to then clear the answer that I was bugging me was over what period of time.

Because I don't think it's a $500,000 in one year because that would mean your properties are worth $8 million, and I hope they are.

I hope that they are, but you know, the likelihood of that, uh you probably hope that too, but uh or maybe not, but um the likelihood is not, so it would have been nice to have had that clarified over what period of time, because again, it's looking at what's the cost-benefit analysis, not only for you all as citizens and having the right to have clean water and all those other things, but then us as a city, what's that benefit?

So based on last week's presentation to the council and the fact that you all are here again today.

I I have to believe, and I know my heart that this isn't about a win, it's really about property owners working with the city and Tennessee American Water and TVA on this commitment to partnership.

I I look at this as a partnership, it's not the city just doing something for you or you doing something right, it's about us working together to see how we can come up with a solution for what needs to happen here.

And um I have to say I'm uh full disclosure, I'm not an attorney, but I've worked in the legal field for over 20 years.

And one of the things, one of the rule of thumbs in our office is if it's not in writing, it does not exist.

And I've heard councilman Henderson say that too.

If it's not in writing, it does not exist.

So then I'm I'm trying to explain my thought process here, but so to my first point, Councilman Henderson, I would like to suggest an amendment to the ordinance that the funding is contingent on 80% of the residents, and I'll take more if y'all want to suggest more, and the undeveloped property owners sign a connection agreement, which says that they agree once the property line is available, they agree to connect to the line within 10 years.

And this is not on you all because the fact that you're here, you've come, you've worked with councilman Henderson for 13 plus years.

For those of you who've been there that long, I know that you're committed.

But what keeps going back in my mind, what's been drilled in my head for 20 years, if it's not in writing, it does not exist.

So I know it's not gonna be, I'm sure it's not gonna be a problem to you all.

So I'd like to recommend that amendment.

Um and uh to to the to the um ordinance, and I'm sure Mr.

Attorney, you can assist us with some language if my council members are in agreement to it.

I think this helps us secure a good percentage of that potential reimbursement fund, going back to that fact that if they do not connect, we can't claim that reimbursement.

And if they do not connect within 10 years, we don't have access to that one million dollars.

And it's really based on I would love to say 100% of the properties, but there may be some people that want to protect wildlife and wild lands, and you know, they have the right to do that.

So that's why I said 80%.

But again, that helps us secure at least 80% of that a million dollars, um, which was one of the selling points, if you will, for the ordinance.

And then um, and then I look at this as the community's match.

I know you are gonna have some expense because you're gonna have to connect your water, your house to the main, but this is kind of your pledge to say, heck yeah, if you give us a meter, I'm gonna connect to it, okay, and then we can we can claim that million dollars.

Um again, that little voice in my help head reminding me that if it's not in writing, it doesn't exist.

Okay, so the second thing I want to bring up is when I explored the topic, I came across uh Tennessee code annotated 77-35-201.

It's called the availability rule.

And while this rule applies to sewer line availability, it's the concept that really interested me, and that means that which states that the public utility has the right to charge fees as long as a public sewer line is available.

So that addresses the other 20% possibly.

This fee helps finance the construction, maintenance, and debt to the public utility and ensures that properties transition to the public system to eliminate failing systems and protect the public health.

So to your point, Councilman Henderson, those are two of the high points that you hit.

It's you want to have get people off of that failing system and you want to protect public health.

Now I know we're not talking again, we're not talking about sewer lines, um, but I think it stands to mention that it's still if someone chooses not to connect, so that 20%, then it gives us that surety that if a water line is made available to them, whether they choose not to connect, then there's still going to be some sort of fee because it's there and available for if and when they decide to connect.

So I'd like to suggest um we consider that as well.

And you know, I could go down a couple other rabbit holes, but I'm not going to um because I know we probably want to move on with the agenda.

So um Councilman Henderson and Council members, I'd like you to consider two amendments.

One, the execution of a water service connection agreement by at least 80 percent of the existing residential and undeveloped property owners, and some sort of and I again, Mr.

City Attorney, you can help with this, some sort of uh agreement for by the city of an availability fee and availability charge or some similar mechanism that's sufficient to contribute for those 20 percent to contribute to the cost of construction, maintenance, and debt surface associated with this project for the 20 percent for the 20 percent.

And I'm I'm happy to if y'all want to discuss those percentages any further or make recommendations, but I you know I want to support our citizens because I think it is a need, it is a health issue, it is a safety issue for our fire and police.

That there's just got to be some way for us to assure that this is a partnership and it's not just a one-way thing.

I don't think it is, folks.

Don't I don't take me to say that's that's what this is, but I think it's just one of those memory of MOUs, those memorandums understanding it for this in consider of this consideration of this, you will do this.

So thank you, Mr.

Chair.

That's all.

Okay.

Councilman Harvey.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um, Councilman Henderson, what would 80 percent of those property owners be, roughly?

Do you know?

Well, if we referenced, I think our records 27 parcels.

Um, it'd be let me back up.

There's there's more parcels than there are owners, property owners.

Some some property owners own more than one parcel.

Okay.

Raise your hand if you're a property owner of Raccoon Mountain.

Okay, real close.

Okay, thank you.

That's all.

Okay.

Councilman Henderson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um I guess I've got a some concerns about, you know, any time you go to offer an amendments at the 11th hour, it it concerns me a little bit.

Um we've put a lot of work and effort into this, and I would hate to see this thing go down in flames at the 11th hour.

And I know these people would be too.

I I don't know that I could go out and and I mean I I don't know what guarantees we would have.

TVA needs to know that the money is in hand.

And if we put contingence on the money being in hand based on how many people sign up, we put that money in jeopardy.

I'm gonna ask this council to pass this amendment like I have presented it.

We've talked about this for weeks and months.

Um, and to come down now to the 11th hour to present amendments to it.

I understand that there needs to be uh some protection, but this is not unlike any other TIF that we do in the city.

We we we create a tip, and I'm gonna go back to the Northgate TIF.

There is no guarantee there was no guarantee of development following that money that we invested there, but yet we know that development will follow.

And that's I guess projecting what something will look like.

And I think this is this is the same way.

And when I talk to the uh property assessors office, and I asked them to look at this for me.

You know, he told me that reasonably that was a conservative number, the 500,000.

They believe, and and that, and I think I even I I don't think I don't know that I put it in writing up here, but I did mention uh that we anticipate this to be over a 10-year period of time that we would see this develop out.

We've seen what happened over on uh Etna Mountain with uh Black Creek, the same development will happen here once we install this infrastructure.

Uh I I'm just gonna ask our council members, and and look, yeah, everybody have to make up your own mind.

We've done a lot of work on this project.

The administration's done a lot of work on this project.

We spent years trying to get it to this point, and I don't want to I don't want to damage it or hinder it now by saddling it with some amendments that could damage the whole project.

And so I'm just gonna I'm gonna ask our our council members that plan on supporting this to support it without the amendments.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Councilman Clark, you're recognized.

Uh thank you, uh Chairman Davis.

Uh council, this may be a question for Councilman Henderson regarding to the parcels.

Um I know there's 27 parcels, but just there's the opportunity for those parcels to be subdivided.

Uh, because we use the low number of 27, but the acreage, I think, for all of the parcels of the 27 parcels are about a hundred acres.

Is that correct?

That there is opportunity for those 27 parcels to be subdivided.

To be subdivided, and that could lead to more development.

That's correct.

But at least the infrastructure would be there.

That's right.

If those individual property owners decided to subdivide, and those individual people who choose to buy those subdivided parcels could then have the infrastructure there to hook up to the line.

That's correct.

Okay, that's correct.

And let me follow up with one other thing.

Regardless of whether the first so number one, it it the million dollars is it's not a all or nothing million dollars for every person that hooks up, there is a reimbursement formula.

The million dollars is if everybody hooks up.

So if everybody doesn't hook up, it could be somewhat you know, south of a million or whatever.

That the million was if everybody hooks up, but there is a reimbursement formula for everyone that does hook up, and as it builds out, people hooks up to it.

Um and we do know, and the and the property assessor did tell me that as soon as the water is run, regardless of whether the first person hooks up or not, property values will go up because water is now available.

So property assessments will go up as soon as the water is run.

We know we'll get a return on investment.

So really what we're talking about is how much time we get a return on our investment, whether it's five years, ten years, or fifteen years, it's it's there will be a return on investment.

Just like this amendment's written.

Um it's just a matter of the period of time that we that we see.

And and many of our TIFFs that we that we do, we're sometimes we're a 20-year TIFF, so uh I see this.

I see this really no different than any other TIFF that we enter into with the city.

That's all Mr.

Chair.

Okay, thank you, Chairman Davis.

I'll yield back.

Okay.

Council, are there any other questions or comments on items on tonight's agenda?

I would just note on those two items we were just discussing because they affect our budget, they will be roll call votes.

So moving along then to next week's side yes.

Okay, sure.

Um under planning item COVID uh we are gonna add some conditions to that.

Is that correct, Alan?

Okay, and I think Karen is Karen here.

Oh, okay.

Did you get that email regarding the conditions that we discussed at the community meeting?

And I I have them as well.

Okay, yes.

Um there were two conditions added.

Um would you like me to read them?

Please.

Um no construction traffic allowed to come from the north end of Vance Road and provide a privacy fence along the side yard or southern boundary is 6204 Vance Road, tax map number 148 JCO 22 and um an alternate version of the ordinance with three full conditions, the one that was already in there in this two, um, has been developed, and Phil has that.

The one that was already in there and those two has been developed, and Phil has that.

And the other one is maximum building height of two and a half stories or 35 feet.

That's right.

So there's three conditions in the alternate version.

Yeah.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

So those conditions are in the version that's on our agenda.

Yes.

So we won't require an amendment.

I want to make sure that uh there is the alternate version here.

I think that that that version is what Maria had completed here as the final version.

Okay.

Very good.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Okay.

And Vice Chairman Elliott, you're recognized again.

This is for next week.

Oh, okay.

Well, um, I see that councilwoman Noel has um her light on as well.

Is it for this week, Councilwoman?

Okay.

Yeah.

So um the ordinance on the first reading and planning um item D.

Uh I plan to move to approve that with conditions.

Uh is is the individual here.

Okay, with conditions uh if they approve, I have yet to hear back from them on that.

So do we know uh Mrs.

Ranning if they are in agreement with it, if not then I received an um so one of the proposed conditions was single unit detached only.

Right.

The applicant um says there's only enough um room on the lot for a single unit detached home and felt that was unnecessary.

There's also an existing, and I'm paraphrasing for the applicant based on an email.

We'd also discussed um our required off-street parking shall be accommodated on site, and the applicant felt the existing condition.

Alley to be used for access and parking shall be located to the rear of the property.

Already provided that, and so um with those two, just uh um that the lot size isn't large enough from anything else but a single family home, um, and that there's already required to be parking and access to the rear.

So just a comment from the applicant.

Okay, uh set up dwelling.

What was so the accessory dwelling unit could be used in the existing zone and doesn't cut count to lot size density?

Okay, so I believe the lot sizes maybe a little bit over 3700 square feet.

Okay, all right, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

So are those conditions to be added or not?

That's the question.

They are too right.

They agree to the applicants.

Um is saying that they don't need the conditions.

I believe I'm speaking from my understanding of the applicant that um they didn't don't need the conditions based on the fact that the lot size configuration and the existing um proposed condition for the alley access that they are not needed.

I did email the applicant and say if you should they didn't have a chance to speak to you.

Would a deferral for one week be satisfactory and I haven't heard back.

Okay, so it needs to be might not be for them, but it is for me.

Okay, so in order for me to approve it, it needs to be added on, and they need to be willing to accept that otherwise.

Okay, uh, it's not gonna work for me.

And those um those two additional conditions are in an alternate version of an ordinance that um Phil's team has created.

Okay, all right.

So he'll have a copy of those.

Okay, so if they do not agree, then it's not going to be approved for me.

But I do need for them to agree to those to those conditions.

Okay.

I drove the property last week and I drove it again this morning.

Okay.

So yes.

We'll just look to you to make the appropriate motion when the time comes.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Right.

Anything else for this week, councillor?

Going once, going twice.

All right, we're on to next week, and I'll recognize Vice Chairman.

Uh when it comes to item.

Sorry, I lost it.

Item 9A under resolutions.

Colleagues, I'm gonna be looking to make a motion to table this item until we get a little bit more information regarding um some updates on this particular consultant's work so far and what they look to do going forward.

Okay, perhaps we could defer until June 9th.

Would that be suitable?

I don't want to defer.

Okay.

Uh the administration may be able to figure something out between now and next week.

But if it comes up next week, we'll have information.

I'll look to table until we do.

Okay.

And councilman Clark.

Thank you, Chairman Davis.

I I agree with councilman Elliott on the community development uh portion piece.

I plan I do not plan to support that be it tabled or passed.

I'd like for more information more deliberation on that.

Just understanding a little bit more about the details of the breakdown of the amount.

But I do want to move down to the mayor's office.

Sure.

But where are we?

I had the pleasure of sitting on the um interview panel for the resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of Erica Collins as the chief resource officer for the um resources department and when it's time I guess um I hope along with David Johnson who's also uh one of the appointees um I hope that our council will approve uh as appointed by the mayor it was a great I had the opportunity to sit on the interviewing panel with our deputy there he is our deputy chief of staff Darren Lairford former council person and Mandy Green who's our chief operating officer and some other individuals and HR and we have a really really strong candidate who I think will work very very closely with the council and kind of working out some of the kinks that sometimes we run into from the resources I do believe that Councilwoman Hill did you have an opportunity to meet with Erica Collins and then tomorrow I have a meeting with David Johnson who I think we're really excited about as the administrator for parts and outdoors anyway so I just wanted to make a note that I hope to um as a representative on the hiring committee I hope that you will join me in affirming those two well at least Eric Collins I don't know who said on parks and outdoors but I'll speak for Eric Collins and I plan to uh support her in that uh confirmation from the mayor's office okay thank you thank you councilwoman burrs you're recognized uh thank you mr chair i um under resolutions item e um and maybe this may be a question for mr from Sir attorney can I request that be deferred one week uh yes ma'am the only concern is the 60 day time period on there we've got to make sure that that's not an issue if as long as that's within the 60 days I think it'll be okay I'll let you know after the recess.

Yes ma'am thank you thank you Mr.

Chair okay council any other questions or comments about items on next week's agenda I will just note that we do have our public hearing for our fiscal year 2027 budget next week that'll be a time for the public to speak to council uh if they wish to do so about our uh proposed budget and we also have a meeting of our planning and zoning committee next week as well all right council um looking at purchases for tonight we do have three purchases up for consideration any questions or comments about those all right seeing none um we'll turn to our future considerations list any questions or comments about anything up for future consideration all right I have councilwoman hill thank you chairman council under section nine office of the city attorney item D is something that um I have uh been working with Chris Anderson on as well as um the architect for the new elementary school in district three this is a change to amend our city code um the 2018 edition of the IBC um to make it consistent with what the overall state of Tennessee's regulations are and Hamilton County so that when you build a school in the city limits of Chattanooga the requirements are the same as when you build a school in an unincorporated part of the county um that's that's what that's all about okay council any other questions or comments about items on future considerations okay that takes us to our agenda for this afternoon we do need an attorney client meeting and so we'll be in recess until five o'clock

Clock, folks, we're just waiting on uh a brief technical difficulty to get ironed out, and we'll get started back.

Appreciate your patience.

I don't know.

I don't know, I don't want to take that.

Yeah, I'm good.

Okay.

Madam Clerk, if you would please read item seven A.

In order to amend Chattanooga City Code Part two, chapter three, advertising Article Five, Scenic Areas and Scenic Corridors, Section Three Fifty Five, Off Grim Science Along Scenic Corridors Prohibited.

Are there any questions or comments on this item?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

So it's raised on properties located at eighteen twelve, eighteen sixteen, eighteen, eighteen Ferris Row, together with properties located at seventy-three oh one and seventy-three oh nine crane road from RN one six residential neighborhood zone to INST.

Institutional zone subject to certain conditions.

Are there any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Any opposed.

And this ordinance passes on final reading.

16 and 1818 Ferris Row together with properties located at 7301 and 7309 Crane Road from RN 16 residential neighborhood zone to INST institutional zones subject to certain conditions second council we have a motion and a proper second on this ordinance are there any questions or comments all in favor aye any opposed and this ordinance passes on final reading Adam 8A please madam clerk in orders to amend the operations budget ordinance number 14239 and thereafter amended by ordinance number 14271 known as the fiscal year 2025-2026 operations budget to amend estimated general fund revenue by three million five hundred thousand dollars amend section five and five a so as to appropriate the same amount from general fund to capital projects oh yes sorry councilman second thank you mr chair uh seldom do we get to cast a vote that makes such a dramatic impact on the lives of Chattanooga residents as this one does council I'm gonna ask you to pass a clean bill tonight and bring water to raccoon mountain and with that I move approval of eight a council we have a motion properly seconded there any questions I see councilwoman no you recognize no go ahead what did you you had a second yes okay I'm sorry I didn't say okay are you good you know as a council person uh I voiced my concern last week but as a councilwoman um it is my responsibility to evaluate how taxpayers dollars are prioritized and whether a proposed investment serves the broader needs of the Chattanooga residents now this proposal is asking for the public to fund approximately 3.5 but there's also been set aside the one point four or five which makes it a little over five million for just a limited amount of uh parcels so at the same time there's many neighborhoods across our city that are still asking for basic infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks and drainage and safer streets and road repairs and lighting and other longstanding community needs so I believe that we have to be careful and intentional about how we allocate large public investments and with that being said I'm not anti-growth and I'm not anti uh development but growth matters and economic investment matters but fairness and prioritization matters as well so um it is my intention not to support this because my belief is that public dollars should first address the most pressing and widespread infrastructure needs impacting residents across the city before committing millions toward an expansion project for just a small number of uh parcels okay thank you thank you councilwoman councilwoman burrs you're recognized thank you mr chair um i just want to tack on to what i said in our first meeting that uh i feel like there need to be some loose ends tied up on this partnership before i can vote yes on this i think it's i think it's the right thing to do and uh i think that there need to be some loose ends tied up that secure that partnership in this matter so i stand as present on this vote today thank you okay thank you council are there any other questions or comments on this item okay madam clerk if you would please take a roll call vote councilman handerson yes councilwoman heel yes councilman harvey yes councilman clerk yes councilwoman burst present councilwoman all yeah vice chair elliot yes chairman davis yes yes and this ordinance passes on first reading six two six by six to two vote yes all right madam clerk if you would please read item eight b in orders to amend the capital budget ordinance number one four two seven two known as the amended fiscal year 2025 2026 capital budget appropriating authorizing and allocating funds to the capital improvements budget for the fiscal year 2025 2026 to increase the capital budget by three million five hundred thousand dollars from general fund operations from raccoon mountain for raccoon mountain water service project councilman thank you mr chair move approval council we do have a motion properly seconded on this ordinance are there any questions or comments seeing none uh madam clerk you would please take a roll call vote councilman yes councilwoman heel councilman harvey councilman clerk yes councilwoman burst councilwoman all yeah vice chair elliott yes

Seeing none, uh Madam Clerk, you would please take a roll call vote.

Councilman Henderson.

Yes.

Councilwoman Hill.

Councilman Harvey.

Councilman Clark.

Yes.

Councilwoman Burr.

Councilwoman.

Yeah.

Vice Chair Elliott.

Yes.

Chairman Davis.

Yes.

Yes.

And this item passes on first reading by a 6-2 vote.

Madam Clerk, if you would please read item 8 C, please.

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

So as a reason parse of properties located at 62 6210, 6212, 6214, 6216, and 6218 Vance Road from RN 16 residential neighborhood zone.

IH industrial heavy zone and IL industrial light zone to RM16 residential neighborhood zone and IL industrial light zone subject to certain conditions.

Conditions?

We do have a motion properly seconded.

Um and just as a reminder, I guess for me, the conditions are included in the version that's on the agenda.

Yes, correct, Mr.

Chairman.

The three conditions for the IL industrial light zone are maximum building height of two and a half stories or 35 feet.

No construction traffic allowed to come from the north end advance road and provide a privacy fence along the side yard or southern boundary of 6204 advanced road tax map number 148 JCO22.

Okay.

And so this is planning item 2026-0047.

Is the applicant present?

Okay.

Is there any opposition present?

See no opposition.

Um questions or comments, council.

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed.

And this ordinance passes on first reading.

Item 8D, please, madam clerk.

In order to amend Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to re zone properly located at 1128 East 13th Street from RN3 residential neighborhood zone to TRN1 traditional residential neighborhood zone subject certain conditions.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um Attorney Nobley, will you read those conditions in for yes, ma'am?

Uh this is uh for a rezoning from uh let's see from RN3 residential neighborhood zone to TRN1 traditional neighborhood zone, subject to certain conditions, and the conditions are alley to be used for access and parking shall be located to the rear of the property, single unit detached residents with optional accessory dwelling unit ADU ADU is not required to be constructed, but is allowed to be constructed and number three all required off-street parking shall be accommodated on site.

Thank you.

Okay, move to approve.

Second council, we do have a motion properly seconded, and this is planning item 2026-0049.

Is the applicant present?

Is there any opposition present?

All right, seeing none.

Um any questions or comments?

Yes, Councilwoman Hill.

The version did we read an alternate version?

Because the version that I have does not have those conditions in it, it only has one condition in it.

So do we need to do an amendment?

That version at least I just need to confirm that the alternate version was read then.

I I have read the alternate version.

Yes, and Nicole read the alternate version.

Yes, yes, okay, great then.

Okay, any other questions or comments, councilman?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

And this ordinance passes on first reading.

Item 9A, please, Madam Clerk.

A resolution authorizing the mayor, he says it need to apply for and if a war to accept funds from the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD for the Section 108 loan guarantee program and the delegation of authority to execute all related documents.

Move to approve.

Council, a motion properly seconded on this resolution.

Are there any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

And the resolution passes.

Item 9B, please.

The alternate version.

And resolution authorizing chief information officer to apply for and if awarded, except the federal highway administration safe streets for all implementation grant.

SS4A in the amount of 17 million dollars, which grant bills on SS4A 2024 and SS4A 2025 grants awarded to the city in past years.

Moves are approved.

Sorry.

Council.

We have a motion properly seconded on this resolution.

Are there any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Any opposed?

And the resolution passes.

And welcome Weston to the podium to go through our purchases for the evening.

Good evening, Council.

Good evening.

We have three purchases recommended for approval this evening.

The first is with public works.

This is a one-time purchase of a knuckle boom truck to be used by street maintenance.

This purchase from Thompson Truck Group will be in the amount of 311, 794.38 cents utilizing the source wall contract.

Item number two is with public works.

This is a one-time purchase of three F550 trucks to be used by the fire department.

This purchase from National Auto Fleet Group will be in the amount of 234,991 and 77 cents utilizing the source wall contract.

And item number three is with parks and outdoors.

This is a one-time purchase and installation of synthetic turf for John for the John A.

Patton baseball field.

This purchase is in the amount of $862,560 utilizing the source wall contract.

Council, we do have a motion properly seconded to approve these three purchases.

Are there any questions or comments?

All those in favor?

Any opposed?

And the purchases are approved.

Thank you, Weston.

We'll go around the dice here for committee reports.

We'll start with Councilwoman Noel.

No report.

Okay.

Councilwoman Burrs.

No report.

Councilman Henderson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh we did have our third and final budget education session today where we uh wrapped up some loose ends.

I think we uh got our budget to a place that we're ready to codify now.

Um, and uh we'll have our um hearing our public hearing on the budget next Tuesday.

Uh and I just want to personally thank this council for the action that they took tonight.

Um, I know this was a heavy lift, and it was a team effort uh all the way from the mayor's office uh up to the council and uh Ron Ewalt started on point with this project, but Kevin Roy was the Joshua that brought us into the promised land.

Chief, thank you for all your help on this.

I appreciate it.

Okay, thank you.

Councilwoman Hill, no point, councilman Harvey.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Uh we had a great award ceremony of the public works department last week.

Uh, want to thank Kim Strong for attending and saying uh some wonderful words.

You're a great speaker, by the way.

I mean, really good.

So uh thank you to uh Jeremy Wood and all the public works uh employees that we have.

It was uh it was a great time if you're uh interested, do it next year.

You won't be disappointed.

It was a good time.

That's all okay.

Councilman Clark.

Uh thank you.

Um Chairman David.

I don't have a report for education innovation, but I'd like to make an announcement.

Um the along with myself and Councilman Elliott and Councilman Harvey, we are hosting a city council preservation town hall next Wednesday.

Um basically we'll be talking about what historic the historic preservation planning process is uh for Chattanooga and Hamilton County and how preservation can support growth and economic development.

We've got some amazing speaker, including Todd Morgan, who's the preserve, Chattanooga Director, Linda Moss Mines, Uvin Overton, and our consultants Phil Walker and Phil Thompson will be in from Nashville to start that conversation about um how do we start adding things?

We haven't done it in a long time.

We've got about three districts that are historic, and we have one protect the historic site on Missionary Ridge, which is the shaving house.

And it is the duty of the city council to actually work with our historic zoning committee to add that.

So I encourage other council members.

I know Councilwoman Burrs and Councilwoman Hill have been interested in this, and we just got together and said, let's do it.

So please join us next Wednesday right here in City Council Chambers from 6 o'clock to 7 30 to have that open conversation with Preserve Chat New York.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

And Vice Chair Elliott.

No report, Mr.

Chair.

Okay.

We do have one item under other business.

And I'll recognize Vice Chairman Elliott for that.

I'd like to make a motion to include this position as the job description highlights into our budget ordinance.

Yes, sir.

All right.

Council, we do have a motion properly seconded on this item.

Are there any questions or comments?

Councilwoman Burrs, you're recognized.

Yes, I'm on a roll today.

Um so tell me what tell me the motion again.

Please state the motion again.

To include this position of budget orders.

So when we vote for, do we have when we vote for that today, it will become an official position of the city council.

As long as the budget is approved.

Okay.

And what's the proposal?

Help me understand what the proposal is for funding that position.

So I apologize if I missed that earlier today.

The administration has agreed to make sure that the budget is reflected for this position.

Okay.

I think that I think I'll add that while I know we're trying to get to the correct position.

And I know every time we we seem to talk about it, it's always at the end of a meeting, and we always run out of time.

I wish we had had time to vet through this job description, and maybe there's an opportunity to once it's approved, that through this description to see that we're not overlapping with some responsibilities that we already have the resource for, if that makes sense.

So I want to make sure, yeah, I want to make sure that if I say yes, that there's still some opportunity to go through this.

Because I think that there's some overlap in the resources that we already have.

That how can we use those reasons?

And that's kind of one of the things over and over again I've said is are we using the resources that we already have to their fullest potential?

And then where are we missing?

Where's the gap?

So I just want to put that out there.

And I would be happy to sit with you, and I know we're always in a rush to get through this, and I know you're ready to get through it.

So all right, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

That's all.

Councilman Clark, you're recognized.

Uh, thank you, Chairman Davis.

I I support this, and I I think we have actually belabored this.

Um, we've discussed this quite a bit of times.

I know we've gone back and forth, probably with some edits and some mock-ups from its originality.

Uh, and there's been quite a bit of input on it.

And I think it's just really simple.

It's a supply and demand.

For some of us, um, this is a additive to our positions as council people.

Some of you won't use it, and it's okay.

Just because you don't use it, doesn't mean you can't allow the rest of us who need the legislative affairs position to help do our legislative duties.

Um, so although some I know some council people do their own scheduling, some of us will use crystal or what have you.

And I think this is just another notch in our belt to help us do our jobs better.

I hope this council will start putting forth more legislative opportunities.

Um, I think sometimes we get bogged down in some of the executive branch functions when we're doing some of the constituent stuff.

Legislative affairs allows us to really dig our heels deeper into policy.

That's what we are.

We are a legislative ballot, a legislative body, and this position is very common in most council municipal bodies throughout the country, including Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis.

And I would if tonight I encourage you all to all vote for this uh as is, um, and to actually use the position and start presenting more legislation.

Uh, that's the hope in creating this.

So I support this councilman Elliott.

I know uh councilwoman Noel also was one of the originators of this piece of legislation, and I know it will be a tremendous support to her as well and to me.

And um, again, if you don't use it, that's on you, but I recommend that you do use it, and I support it in its current phase.

One of the things that was added to it was the idea of community affairs.

How can we be legislators and not deal with community affairs and deal with our constituents?

That's we represent people, not our own thoughts and ideas.

We have to do that through community affairs.

So thank you, Councilman Elliott, for adding that piece in there.

So uh I couldn't vote on this tonight.

As a yes.

Everybody else is doing it tonight.

I guess I should do it as well.

So I guess we'll vote on it.

Council, any other questions or comments on this item?

Move a question.

All right.

All in favor?

Any opposed?

No.

All right.

And the motion passes with one no vote.

Thanks a lot.

Okay.

And so this takes us to the portion of our meeting where we're happy to hear from members of the public who would like to address the council.

And if you are here for that purpose, please line up at the podium down front here while our city attorney reads the rules.

Yes, sir.

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

Each speaker wishing to address the council can only be recognized at the microphone up front, right?

Provided 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.

Do not engage in any vulgar or obscene language nor use the floor to 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 an offense like that if the 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, ma'am, please state your name and your district and go ahead.

Good evening, member members of Chattanooga City Council.

My name is Angela Tuttle.

I live in District 2.

And I'm in president of the Manchester Park Neighborhood Association.

I'm here with other residents of our neighborhood.

Raise your hand.

Yay.

And if um so I'm here today to speak in support of the 150,000 in the 2627 capital budget for Pocket Park in Manchester Park.

Manchester Park is a small subdivision off Hicks and Pike, north of Lupton Drive, established about 1950 and comprised of 420 single-family homes.

Our neighborhood demographics are diverse, a mix of races, renters and homeowners, middle income, and working class individuals and families.

A 2025 survey in our neighborhood showed 88% of our residents were in support of a park or dedicated green space in our neighborhood.

The closest park to our neighborhood is Rivermont Park, which is one mile or a 20-minute walk from the nearest house in our neighborhood, and two miles or a 40-minute walk from the furthest house.

This is well outside the 10-minute walk to a park goal for all Chattanoogans, to which the city committed in 2022.

And the Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors Plan calls for an increasing number of residents within a 10-minute walk for to a park from 32% to 55%.

Such a park also aligns with Chattanooga's vision and designation as a national park city.

Having a park within a 10-minute walk provides benefits and mental mental and physical health, as well as social cohesion.

This indeed is part of our neighborhood association's purpose to promote the general quality of life for the residents within our neighborhood and foster a sense of community and cooperation among neighbors.

We're not envisioning a huge park, just a small pocket park where neighbors can gather in a preserved natural area that has some amenities and space to reflect or play.

In March, during our bi-monthly neighborhood meeting, residents discussed and contributed ideas for what they would like to see in a park in our neighborhood.

The number one ask was a preserved natural space with native trees and plants.

Such a space would contribute to a sense of community with a space in our neighborhood where we could freely meet, something we do not currently have.

Our neighborhood still has a decent tree canopy, but having lived in our neighborhood for 26 years, I can tell you that our neighborhood tree canopy has diminished and continues to diminish.

There remain few undeveloped properties in our neighborhood, making this endeavor to preserve a small natural space for our residents an urgent one.

We're working closely with Trust for Public Land and our City Councilwoman Jenny Hill to make this project a reality.

The 150,000 will allow at a minimum the purchase of a plot of land for this purpose.

Additional funds will be needed, but we are willing to see this through.

We ask that the council maintain the funds currently proposed for a pocket park in Manchester Park.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes, Councilwoman Hill.

Thank you.

Umks to the folks at Manchester Park for the vision that you are bringing to your neighborhood.

Um I do want to point out that when Manchester Park Neighborhood Association started working on this, they actually reached out to the Trust for Public Land, as Angela mentioned and worked with David Johnson.

So I'm pretty excited about that because he was who helped identify the scope of the land acquisition budget, and now he will be our parks and outdoors director.

So we won't have any learning loss there.

I'm pretty excited about it.

So thank you.

Thanks for being here, you guys.

Yes, ma'am.

Uh good evening.

My name is Audrey Ramsey, and according to the GIS mapping, I live in Zip Code 37416, which is split between the city districts of three, five, and six.

So I stand here today, though, on behalf of the Chattanooga Aquatic Project and Personal Development 501c3, which is a nonprofit.

For the past five years, CAP has been advocating to bring swimming lessons to the community centers with swimming pools.

According to the research of the CDC, African American children are five times more likely to drown in swimming pools simply because they don't know how to swim.

And it's sad because we have centers with swimming pools located in the heart of our predominantly black and brown communities.

CAP is helping to deliver exceptional innovation, DEI, if you will, through water safety training projects that build future stewards of our environment.

CAP is supported by a wonderful team of great board members from Chattanooga and Nashville.

However, the success of this nonprofit relies heavily on the collaboration between our city and county leaders as well as our state leaders.

CAP seeks to implement swimming lessons for teens and tweens and in our community centers with swimming pools, particularly those located near our public schools.

These would be year-round classes.

A proposal has been submitted to the city budget committee and to the coordinator of the Hamilton County Department of Education Administrators for the inclusion of CAP as part of the curriculum-based city school programs utilizing science and PE instructors.

This type of collaboration between city and county is key to the success of CAP.

The personal development segment of CAP and the personal uh aims to engage students and their parents in active science workshops as it relates to water conservancy, marine biology, and environmental protection of land and air.

This is an opportunity to bring water safety instruction to our communities.

However, it involves a city hiring practice to include an active human resource infrastructure that delivers quality programming to our children in our community centers.

At CAP, we believe that you revolutionizing the curriculum and instruction for our students as it relates to the sciences will increase student engagement in the learning process, whereby students become more engaged in building stronger communities and become more effective leaders and more compassionate citizens.

On June 26th through 27th, the Chattanooga Aquatic Project and a coalition of several other Southeast Aquatic Projects will be trekking to North Georgia to work with the National Forest Agency there.

Thank you.

Good evening, City Council members.

My name is Kat Zwitter.

My friend Joan is here with me tonight.

She experienced homelessness for five years, and what changed her life was not punishment, it was stability.

Having a home meant she finally could sleep safely.

It meant she could shower, get dressed, prepare for work, and stop living in constant fight or flight.

Today she works, she contributes, she supports not only herself but her husband.

But that stability could not happen while she was surviving outside every day.

Homelessness is not just a statistic or a policy discussion.

It is real people living in survival mode every single day.

People underestimate what homelessness does to the human nervous system.

When someone is constantly worried about where they will sleep, whether they could be assaulted, arrested, or even survive the weather, long-term planning becomes nearly impossible.

Housing creates the foundation for recovery.

With that in mind, I wanted to make an acknowledgement of something positive.

The old conversion of the airport and into the permanent supportive housing for women and children is a genuine step in the right direction.

And I want to thank every one of you involved for helping make that possible and happen.

So thank you.

Soon, 74 more individuals like Joan and their children will be able to flourish simply because they have a safe place to call home.

Too often these conversations become divided between an us versus them.

But that at the end of the day, I believe most people want the same thing.

A safer, healthier Chattanooga, where human beings like Joan are treated with dignity.

As outreach workers and community members, we are seeing homelessness continue to rise.

More people working and are struggling.

More people are one emergency away from losing everything, myself included.

And while this new housing for women and children is something worth celebrating, we are still desperately need in a low barrier shelter options for individuals in Chattanooga.

Because many people living outside are not going to fit into the rigid system immediately.

Some struggle with trauma, mental illness, addiction, fear, distrust.

Some have pets, some have partners, some have been failed repeatedly by institutions.

But they are still human beings deserving of safety.

And that is why a low barrier shelter still matters so deeply.

Not because we want dependency, not because we want to enable homeless, but because people cannot heal while living in constant survival mode.

Coordination, dignity, and realistic pathways forward.

This new housing is a step in the right direction, and again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Now we need to keep taking the steps forward to see that everyone is safe and secure.

Thank you.

Thank you.

My name is John, and I was homeless for five years in Chattanooga.

Alongside my husband, T.

Who's here with me?

Leave me homeless changes you.

You were constantly stressed, constantly worried, constantly trying to survive another day.

You never feel relaxed.

I'm so sorry.

Everything becomes survival.

I will divorce.

Say thank you for the opening the low barrier housing for women and children.

I truly mean that it is a step in the right direction, and I know it will help many people.

And I also want people to understand that there are still many individuals who do not fit into those programs.

I would I would not have been qualified for the housing because I was with my husband.

We don't have children.

There are so many people in Chattanooga who fall through the cracks.

I now fully pay my rent.

Support and physically care for my husband.

He has severe heart failure and serious health problems.

Housing gave me stability, gave me safety.

It gave me ability to think.

Beyond just having one day.

Low barrier shelters and housing options for all people, including couples, individuals struggling with mental health, addiction, disabilities, or other barriers.

People do not heal while living in constant fear and survival mode.

I am grateful for the progress this city has made.

Thank you.

And I might be out of order, and I'm going to allow you to tell me that because I live in Utah.

May I speak?

You may.

I'm here on behalf of the homeless.

I've been following uh the homeless situation in the newspaper.

I'm not a part of an organization or a group.

It just touched my heart.

I've I've been reading about people who are on the streets.

I've cooked soup and taken it to people who live on the streets, uh, trying to help.

Uh given clothes.

And I when I read recently that there was a proposal for housing, they call it low barrier housing.

I'm not sure what that means.

But a place where people could get out of the weather and feel safe and leave their belongings and begin a new life, which is the real goal.

My heart just sang.

And I just want to encourage you to put that high on your list of things to accomplish for citizens of Chattanooga who are homeless.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hey Council.

My name is Tyler Rolson.

Uh spoke with you guys last week, and I just wanted to take um just a brief moment and just tell you how unbelievably grateful we are for the decision that you guys made to fund the Rack and Mountain Water Project and looking forward to next week's uh second reading.

But I want you to know my my sons don't fully understand exactly what happened today.

Um but I want you to know that I'm committed to going and sitting with them and then over the next few years sharing with them what you guys have provided for them.

And I know that every single one of these residents would second that.

And so I just want to extend, you have no idea.

You have no idea.

I understand that there's concerns and I I've got grace for that and appreciate that.

Um, but you have no idea the gratitude that we have.

Thank you guys so much.

Um, and know that the next generation is gonna know about it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council appears we've completed all the business before us this evening.

Second.

All right.

All in favor?

Uh we're adjourned.