OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Chattanooga City Council Meeting: June 16, 2026 Budget Approval and Senior Center Lease

City Council & City Boards — Tuesday, June 16, 2026
BodyChattanooga, Tennessee
SessionCity Council & City Boards
DateTuesday, June 16, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:53:46

Transcript — Verbatim
0:14

I call to order the June 16th, 2026 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council, and I'd like to recognize Councilwoman Dotley to lead us in our pledge and invocation.

0:47

Timothy one and seven says thank you.

0:49

I'm so sorry, Mr.

0:50

Chair.

0:50

Did I get my leg?

0:51

Oh, I'm sorry.

0:53

Thank you, Rick too.

0:55

Second Timothy 1 and 7 says, For God, for the Spirit of God gave us gave us for the spirit God gave us, does not make us timid, but give us power, love, and self-discipline.

1:06

Let's go to the Lord in prayer.

1:08

Heavenly Father, we love you so much.

1:09

Thank you for walking with us today, working with us today, Lord.

1:14

And we pray for this meeting.

1:15

We pray that it is done in decency and in order.

1:18

And God, we pray that your love reign over this council and over this city, that we can treat each other with love, care, and compassion, God, and without fear, God, do what you've called us to do.

1:29

God, we love you so much, and we thank you.

1:31

In Jesus' name we pray.

1:33

Amen.

1:35

Okay.

1:36

Um, as we get started today, we are honored to have with us Mayor Tim Kelly to give us a few words about our budget, I believe.

1:44

So, Mayor.

1:45

Thank you very much.

1:46

And then again, um, thank you for your hard work and forbearance through this process.

1:52

Chairman Davis, budgetary Henderson, and budget vice chair Clark, uh, everybody involved, and each each and every one of you.

1:58

Uh, and thanks also to my staff, Kevin Roig and and uh Mandy Green and particularly Weston Porter and his team in finance for doing the heavy lifting.

2:07

Uh, this is the sixth budget of my administration, and it delivers on the core promise of the one Chattanooga plan that we introduced back in 2021 to put our money where our mouth is and focus relentlessly on our key priorities.

2:18

Uh, this budget makes good on that promise.

2:20

And together, we are building on our shared vision of the kind of city we believe Chattanooga can be a city where opportunity exists for everyone and where prosperity is plentiful.

2:30

Uh last year we worked hard to calibrate property taxes to ensure we could appropriately invest in our first responders and essential services, adjusting for massive macroeconomic headwinds, including, of course, that staggering surge in the cost of municipal materials of over 30 percent since 2020.

2:46

And notably the sunsetting of all that pandemic era federal relief.

2:51

Uh yet, through lean discipline operations, this fiscal year 27 budget balances the scales and manages our momentum without a tax increase.

3:00

With this budget, we will demonstrate our belief in the people who serve our city.

3:04

Since 2020, we have increased starting salaries by 46.5% and average salaries by 43%.

3:11

So maintain that wage competitiveness and close the workforce gap.

3:14

This budget delivers a citywide 3% cost of living pay increase across the board for all civilian and sworn city employees.

3:21

Uh this budget will also honor our commitment to invest 10 million a year uh in road quality, building on more than the 50 million dollars my administration's already invested into paving and improving our roads.

3:32

Uh we will also prioritize our core responsibilities and essential services.

3:36

It is notable that public safety and public works comprise nearly 60 percent of this budget.

3:42

We're also showing our commitment to partner with each of you and advance the goals of the constituents we share in each of your council districts.

3:49

Uh look, no budget is perfect, as you well know, but every budget reflects our true priorities, and we've made the tough trade-offs to protect core municipal services through a relentless pursuit of efficiencies and internal uh administrative savings, including significant reductions to uh the mayor's office budget.

4:05

The bottom line is this.

4:06

We're we're running, as we've repeated here uh many times, we're running a lean operation that keeps our property tax flat at a buck ninety-three despite ongoing inflation, so Chattanoogans can keep more money in their pockets.

4:18

Despite inflation, we've produced a balanced budget by tightening our belts that takes care of our first responders and civil servants, fixes our roads, and protects the high quality of life that makes Chattanooga the best city in America.

4:30

So I respectfully ask for your vote tonight to approve the fiscal uh 27 budget so we can continue moving forward towards one Chattanooga.

4:38

Thank you all very much.

4:39

Thank you, Mr.

4:40

Mayor.

4:42

Okay.

4:44

And again, welcome to everyone who's joined us this evening.

4:47

Um, as we typically do, we'll just provide kind of an overview of how our meeting will run, as you'll know what to expect.

5:00

Um, so our meeting is broken up into two sections: the uh agenda session and then the business session uh during the agenda session, um, which will begin here in just a minute.

5:05

Um, council will be looking at um items on our agenda for a vote this evening.

5:11

Um, and council members will have the opportunity to ask any questions or make any comments about those items.

5:17

Um, we'll then do the same thing with our agenda for next week, and then um after that, we'll look at items that are coming before council three weeks or later from now.

5:28

Uh, we like to be well prepared and and work ahead.

5:32

Um, and so we'll go through that process with all of those agenda items.

5:36

We'll also look at our purchasing um questions for this evening, um, purchasing recommendations from the administration that are before council for a vote this evening.

5:48

Um, we do not have any committee or department reports.

5:52

Um, and so we will have a recess then after we go through that process of looking at our agenda items.

5:59

Um we do need an attorney-client meeting uh with our city attorney during that recess.

6:05

Um, but then when we come back, that's when we'll vote on all the items on our agenda for this evening.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████46%
Public Engagement██████████████14%
Technology and Innovation█████████9%
Public Safety██████6%
Budget Equity Analysis█████5%
Economic Development████4%
Personnel Matters████4%
Affordable Housing███3%
Youth Programs██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Chattanooga City Council Meeting: June 16, 2026

On June 16, 2026, the Chattanooga City Council convened for its regular meeting, highlighted by the unanimous approval of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 operating budget and capital improvements budget. The meeting also saw approvals of a lease for a new senior center at Eastgate Town Center, a property donation for homeless services, and several other resolutions. Mayor Tim Kelly delivered remarks emphasizing the budget's focus on public safety, road investment, and no tax increase. The council also heard public comments from seniors, city employees, and others.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of minutes from the prior meeting.
  • Unanimous approval of all ordinances on final reading, including amendments to city codes on rates of fair schedule, building code, zoning conditions, and a rezoning for a property at 777 East Brandon Road from CMU-1 to CC, and properties at 1211 drive and 1301 Grove Street from RN3 to WN7.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Irene Eubanks (Chairman, senior advisory board): Thanked the council for the vote on the Eastgate lease and stated, "We're not done yet."
  • Dondre Petty (former city water/wastewater employee): Addressed his termination, stating he was terminated without prior warnings and that HR put wrong information on the paperwork. The plant manager and HR allegedly agreed to bring him back, but HR later stated they could not. Vice Chairman Elliott advised him on the process to appeal termination.
  • Grasilia Moore (Glenwood senior center board member, District 7): Requested that parking spaces taken away near Glenwood be restored for the 90–100 days before the move to Eastgate.
  • Jonathan Easter (District 9): Thanked council for moving forward on taxi rates and suggested the city list approved taxi and tow companies on its website for public verification.
  • Unnamed public works employee (wearing purple): Requested a 5% pay increase for public works employees.
  • Robin Nixon (wastewater department employee, District 6): Requested a 5% cost-of-living increase, stating she currently works a second job to make ends meet.
  • Janice Gooden (District 8): Spoke about Rosenwald Schools history in Hamilton County and promoted an exhibit at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center.
  • Darren Ledford (Deputy Chief of Staff): Thanked the council for its collaborative work on the budget and senior center, noting the positive example set for city interns.

Discussion Items

  • Budget Presentation (Fiscal Year 2026-2027): Mayor Tim Kelly presented the sixth budget of his administration, emphasizing no tax increase, a 3% cost-of-living pay increase for all city employees, a $10 million annual investment in road quality, and a focus on public safety and public works (nearly 60% of the budget). He noted the budget balances without a tax increase despite inflation and the sunset of pandemic-era federal relief.
  • Provident Place (Ordinance on first reading, item A): Councilwoman Burris expressed strong support for the project, describing it as a model for serving the homeless population. Many partners were recognized in the audience.
  • Eastgate Senior Center Lease (Resolution 9B): Councilman Clark and Vice Chairman Elliott highlighted the community effort behind the lease. Clark noted the 90-day build-out expectation and assured seniors that a standalone facility is still on the radar.
  • Budget Vote Sentiment: Multiple council members (Hill, Clark, Burris) praised Councilman Henderson and Chief of Staff Kevin Roig for an open, inclusive, and collaborative budget process.
  • Withdrawal of Fire Grant Item (Resolution I): The administration requested withdrawal of the FEMA fire prevention grant application, citing poor fit.
  • Alcohol in Parks Ordinance (first reading, future meeting): Councilwoman Hill clarified a change allowing the mayor to designate authority to approve alcohol in parks, shifting from public works administrator.
  • Expanded Head Start Hours (future resolution): Councilman Clark highlighted a $250,000 allocation from ARPA interest to expand child care hours at the James A. Herring site, noting it came from council budget recommendations.

Key Outcomes

  • Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget: Approved unanimously (9-0). The budget includes a 3% cost-of-living pay increase for all employees, $10 million for road paving, and no property tax increase (rate remains $1.93).
  • Capital Improvements Budget (FY 2026-2027): Approved unanimously (9-0).
  • Provident Place Property Donation (Resolution 9A): Approved to provide shelter for homeless families with on-site services.
  • Eastgate Senior Center Lease (Resolution 9B): Approved. The city will lease 17,767 sq. ft. at Eastgate Town Center for five years, with a first-year rent of $230,971 and a build-out budget of $354,253. The move-in target is approximately 90 days.
  • School-Age Homelessness Initiative (Resolution 9C): Approved. A $450,000 MOU with multiple partners, funded by ARPA.
  • Family Justice Center Grant (Resolution 9D): Approved. Application for $750,000 grant from OVW.
  • 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan (Resolution 9F): Approved.
  • Tri-Community Fire Services Agreement (Resolution 9G): Approved for $579,759.28 over three years.
  • SCBA Grant Application (Resolution 9H): Approved. Fire department to apply for up to $2 million AFG grant with a 10% city match.
  • Fire Prevention Grant (Resolution I): The item was withdrawn at the administration's request.
  • New Liquor Store Permit (Resolution 9J): Approved for Dream Liquor at 7703 Lee Highway, following a background investigation and zoning inspection.
  • Summit Landfill Air Compressors Contract (Resolution 9K): Approved for $260,210.31.
  • Glass Recycling Pilot Extension (Resolution 9L): Approved for one year.
  • Compost Kiosk Extension (Resolution 9N): Approved for 90 additional days.
  • Bike Station Purchase (Resolution 9O): Approved for 25 e-bikes and two charging stations at $185,528.
  • Craig Neighbors Appointment: Approved as special police officer for codes enforcement.
  • DuPont Pump Station Change Order (Resolution 9Q): Approved for $19,770.92 increase.
  • Crime Gun Intelligence Grant (Resolution 9R): Approved for $300,000.
  • Three Purchase Recommendations: Approved unanimously, including a four-year PLC services agreement ($1.25 million/year), odor control filter media services ($115,000/year), and a $14,000 increase for manhole components.

Meeting Transcript

I call to order the June 16th, 2026 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council, and I'd like to recognize Councilwoman Dotley to lead us in our pledge and invocation. Timothy one and seven says thank you. I'm so sorry, Mr. Chair. Did I get my leg? Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you, Rick too. Second Timothy 1 and 7 says, For God, for the Spirit of God gave us gave us for the spirit God gave us, does not make us timid, but give us power, love, and self-discipline. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, we love you so much. Thank you for walking with us today, working with us today, Lord. And we pray for this meeting. We pray that it is done in decency and in order. And God, we pray that your love reign over this council and over this city, that we can treat each other with love, care, and compassion, God, and without fear, God, do what you've called us to do. God, we love you so much, and we thank you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Okay. Um, as we get started today, we are honored to have with us Mayor Tim Kelly to give us a few words about our budget, I believe. So, Mayor. Thank you very much. And then again, um, thank you for your hard work and forbearance through this process. Chairman Davis, budgetary Henderson, and budget vice chair Clark, uh, everybody involved, and each each and every one of you. Uh, and thanks also to my staff, Kevin Roig and and uh Mandy Green and particularly Weston Porter and his team in finance for doing the heavy lifting. Uh, this is the sixth budget of my administration, and it delivers on the core promise of the one Chattanooga plan that we introduced back in 2021 to put our money where our mouth is and focus relentlessly on our key priorities. Uh, this budget makes good on that promise. And together, we are building on our shared vision of the kind of city we believe Chattanooga can be a city where opportunity exists for everyone and where prosperity is plentiful. Uh last year we worked hard to calibrate property taxes to ensure we could appropriately invest in our first responders and essential services, adjusting for massive macroeconomic headwinds, including, of course, that staggering surge in the cost of municipal materials of over 30 percent since 2020. And notably the sunsetting of all that pandemic era federal relief. Uh yet, through lean discipline operations, this fiscal year 27 budget balances the scales and manages our momentum without a tax increase. With this budget, we will demonstrate our belief in the people who serve our city. Since 2020, we have increased starting salaries by 46.5% and average salaries by 43%. So maintain that wage competitiveness and close the workforce gap. This budget delivers a citywide 3% cost of living pay increase across the board for all civilian and sworn city employees. Uh this budget will also honor our commitment to invest 10 million a year uh in road quality, building on more than the 50 million dollars my administration's already invested into paving and improving our roads. Uh we will also prioritize our core responsibilities and essential services. It is notable that public safety and public works comprise nearly 60 percent of this budget. We're also showing our commitment to partner with each of you and advance the goals of the constituents we share in each of your council districts. Uh look, no budget is perfect, as you well know, but every budget reflects our true priorities, and we've made the tough trade-offs to protect core municipal services through a relentless pursuit of efficiencies and internal uh administrative savings, including significant reductions to uh the mayor's office budget. The bottom line is this. We're we're running, as we've repeated here uh many times, we're running a lean operation that keeps our property tax flat at a buck ninety-three despite ongoing inflation, so Chattanoogans can keep more money in their pockets. Despite inflation, we've produced a balanced budget by tightening our belts that takes care of our first responders and civil servants, fixes our roads, and protects the high quality of life that makes Chattanooga the best city in America. So I respectfully ask for your vote tonight to approve the fiscal uh 27 budget so we can continue moving forward towards one Chattanooga. Thank you all very much. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Okay. And again, welcome to everyone who's joined us this evening. Um, as we typically do, we'll just provide kind of an overview of how our meeting will run, as you'll know what to expect. Um, so our meeting is broken up into two sections: the uh agenda session and then the business session uh during the agenda session, um, which will begin here in just a minute.

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