Good afternoon, everyone.

I'll call to order the Tuesday, June twenty-third meeting of the Chattanooga City Council, and I will recognize Councilwoman Noel to lead us in our Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation.

Close your eyes.

Help us remember our shared purpose to serve the people of Chattanooga with integrity, respect, and compassion.

Grant them safety, protection, and a safe return home.

Where there is frustration, please bring patient.

Where there is division, please bring unity.

May all that we do reflect a commitment to the common good and the well-being of those we serve.

These words we ask in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

And welcome everyone again to our city council meeting.

Just a reminder quickly here at the outset to please silence your cell phones if you have those with you so we don't have any disturbances during our meeting.

And I'll give just an overview of how our meetings will run so you'll know what to expect.

During the first half of our meeting, which is our agenda session, the council up here will discuss items that are on our agenda to be voted on this evening.

Normally we would talk then about items on our uh next week's agenda.

Um, however, we will not be meeting next week, so um please make a note of that as well.

Um there will be no council meeting next Tuesday, and so our our following meeting will be on July 7th.

Um we will then look at our future considerations, um items that'll be coming before council on July 7th or later.

Um, and we will uh discuss those as a council as well if needed.

Um there are no special presentations or any committee meetings or department reports this evening.

So after we're done discussing our uh agenda items as outlined, we'll have a brief recess where we will need an attorney client meeting with our city attorney this evening.

Um, and we'll recess for a period of time and then come back.

And uh once we come back, we'll be voting on all the items on our agenda for this evening.

Um following all of that, there will be a period at the end of our meeting where we're happy to hear from members of the public who are here to address counsel on on any topic.

Um, and at that time um you'll just be directed to come to the podium up front, and our city attorney will read some rules um for that portion of our meeting at that time.

So, council, if you would um could I please get a motion on our minutes from our last meeting?

So, we do have a motion properly seconded, and the minutes from our June 16th meeting will stand as published.

And look with me now, if you would, at the items on our agenda for this evening.

It's a fairly short agenda, but certainly important as we have our final reading of our budget.

Any questions about that before we move on?

Questions or comments.

Okay, we do have one ordinance on first reading, and then a handful of resolutions concerning various city departments.

Are there any questions about any of those items, council?

Okay, do you need me the resident change of uh sure?

Yeah, if you don't, yeah.

Um, we did uh provide an alternate version on item F here for you today.

Just wanted to make sure y'all were aware of that.

Uh the initial resolution through planning said natural infusions and the name of that uh entity that is going to be operating a distillery, alcohol distillery is called Dam D A M Whiskey Corporation.

So we have an alternate version that has that on.

We learned that this morning here from Mr.

Jones.

We also um just to note have an alternate version of that very next resolution, um, item G that we'll be reading, and the difference there um is just the wording towards the end.

Um so if you look there, um after after the wording Office of Justice Programs, that language to find one full-time victim service specialist, emergency assistance to crime victims, and training.

That's the um the new language that just tracks the grant that uh the police department is working on for this, and just wanted to make sure the wording was correct on that.

So okay.

Oh, yes, councilwoman Hill, you're recognized.

Just a quick question.

Um, when I read the uh application for the limited partnership for the distillery.

Um, I was focused on all of the details of where it is, not as much the name.

Um so am I to understand that right beside Chattanooga Whiskey is going to be a place that names itself damn whiskey?

Yes, ma'am, right next door.

Is the applicant here?

Yes, yes, ma'am.

Where?

I believe so.

There's a CVS neckers across the street.

Could you come to the podium?

Yeah, if you wouldn't mind coming up to to answer just a couple questions.

So you are you're renting the space right beside Chattanooga whiskey, and you're going to call your business dam whiskey.

Yes, ma'am.

We've been in business since 2020.

With that name.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

Well, we're actually uh located right now, our distillery operation in a dam is why the name of it is a hydro dam.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

That's all.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Any other questions on this item, council?

I like to taste the damn whiskey.

Free samples.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Um, well, let's look then at our purchasing items for this evening.

Oh, chair, I have a question for Mandy.

Okay.

Yes, Councilman Clark, you're recognized.

Thank you.

Uh, Chairman Davis.

Uh Mandy, I have a question regarding the COM site.

Something's weird with the light today.

I don't know what's on screen.

Is this a resolution or a purchasing item?

Right?

Is that what you're saying?

Yeah.

Would you have any questions about purchasing?

I just try to understand.

I'm on uh purchasing.

Okay, fourth one down, looks like uh the come site, sorry.

Is so first of all, I'm in love with our on-site uh employee clinic, and I'm learning about all the amenities, including uh we have a uh physical therapist and we have three behavioral health counselors on site um at for our employees.

The comsite employee assistance is for um crisis support.

Is this are they connected or I mean if you could help me?

They are not connected.

Okay.

So that is our EAP, so our employee assistance program for the city.

We had previously used Compsych.

So they we went out for an RFP again, they were the winners again for the RFP.

So they provide more than just mental health therapy, they provide legal assistance, they provide financial assistance, child their care assistance, all those types of things to get people resources.

So they're basically for if you have a crisis happen or um substance abuse issue, you can go to COMPSYC for that immediate immediately.

Gotcha.

And not to be confused with the services that we offer.

And this is just by lack of information.

Yeah, for the behavioral health counseling.

This is I guess it's somewhat similar, but not the same.

Is that correct?

Yes, I would say that the more use of our behavioral health counselors would be for long-term uh ongoing continuity of care EAP is for a situation, like if you had a uh a death in the family or something and you just wanted to talk to somebody about that, they can talk to you about wills and probate and things like that, or they can just walk you through the counseling process on it.

But most organizations have an employee assistance program that is free to employees to use.

And this is what this is.

Yes, I think this is awesome.

I just wanted to know if it was like a double dip thing to where we already have it on site at the employee at Will Advantaged Clinic.

Okay, thank you, ma'am.

Anything else?

Yeah, no, ma'am.

That's all right.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mandy.

All right, we do have one sole source purchase as well.

All right, any other questions or comments, counsel, about anything on our agenda for this evening.

Uh seeing none, we'll turn our attention to our future considerations list.

So as you look through here, please hit your lights if you have any questions or comments.

Councilwoman Hill, you're recognized.

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

Chair, you let me know this morning that we would be having a presentation uh on the 7th of July about the resolution to adopt a comprehensive safety action plan for the city.

That's item 6A.

So thank you for that update.

Um just saying that for the record since we brought it up last week.

Um, but I also do have a question on uh 10 Bree.

It's uh resolution authorizing the mayor to uh execute an agreement with Hamilton County courts to conduct litter pickup on city streets.

And my question is how does this?

I mean, this is what we've had as our go-to for litter um for many many years.

Um, and so I'm wondering how this fits into the overall litter action plan.

Because I don't remember it being identified within the list of here's all the different things we're doing.

Thank you, Councilwoman uh Darren of Deputy Chief of Staff.

I had a similar question when I saw this item up.

I'm did invite Bill to um join me at the podium with the specifics from public works.

Uh, you are right.

This is an item that our uh program that we've been involved in actually went on a hiatus, if I remember correctly, shortly after uh COVID had passed.

So we we we saw that uh how it fits in with the 19 new positions that are in the budget uh is yet to be seen and how they coordinate.

It is a contract that we have renewed with uh Hamilton County courts, and as we move forward, I think we will be looking very uh intently at this contract to see how it does interface or how it reacts with the 19 new positions.

So we will be asked to consider approving the contract.

We haven't until we do this on July 7th.

That's correct.

Um so before so I guess on July 7th, when we're back, I um I would like to have more clarity on how this fits into the plan overall.

Where are these folks going to be expected to do?

I mean, 60 grand may be a great deal compared to having somebody on our payroll.

I just want more details, please.

Absolutely happy to thank you.

That's all, Mr.

Chair.

Okay, thank you.

Council, are there any other questions or comments about any items on our future considerations list?

I do uh I almost called these mayor days.

Um sorry, it's Jotch.

This is Dan.

I think this might be another question for you.

It's regarding the regional planning agency about the interlocal agreements.

I've got a question, and it's just I can't I cannot believe I missed this, but uh apologies, I would have emailed you sooner.

When we talk about the framework, and this might get a little hairy.

So if we need to yield to a another conversation about this, that would be great.

When it talks about the framework for municipal and regional planning services, why do we have if they're breaking off from us?

And I see you smile as you know where I'm going with this.

Why do we care about the jurisdiction the responsibilities of the Hamlet County Planning Department?

Because we they will still be using some of our resources, even though they broke up with us?

Yes, that's a very good question.

I appreciate you asking it, Councilman.

So part of this interlocal agreement is defining the new jurisdictional financial responsibilities along with services.

The second part of it, and probably the most important part of this interlocal agreement, is still maintaining the Hamilton County's uh responsibility to pay into the MPO because as the regional planning agency is responsible for managing the local MPO, that work will still be done by RPA staff in relation to Hamilton County, and they will still be required to pay for those services, and that's one of the big uh outcomes, if you will, or under important parts of this interlocal agreement uh is defining that financial relationship.

That does not go away, essentially.

So would they still have any jurisdiction?

First of all, the city of Chatter Chattanoogans are county residents.

I know that that concept is difficult for some of our colleagues on the other side.

So my question is is that once they form this new Hamilton County Planning Department, does their jurisdiction change for the inside the city?

Because we're the only municipality, and someone maybe help me with this, that's we're kind of separating from.

Is that correct?

Like the other municipalities like East Ridge and others will still use the Hamilton County Planning Department.

No, no.

So it's Lakesite, Ridge Side.

I might have to call Karen up here to give me a little lakesite and ridgeside and lookout mountain will still um because their their levels of use are kind of small.

Smaller, we will still maintain it and and provide assistance to that.

We will not be rendering services to Hamilton County unincorporated from this point forward.

Only in relation to the MPO and and in funneling federal funds, obviously, through our transportation dollars and working through that process.

Yes, and they still will be responsible for paying for those services.

We are back in session.

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

An ordinance here and after, also known as the fiscal year twenty twenty-six, twenty twenty-seven operations budget providing revenue for the fiscal year beginning July one, twenty twenty-six, and ending on June thirtieth, twenty twenty-seven, appropriating same to the payment of expenses of the municipal government, fixing the rate of taxation on all taxable property in the city, and the time taxes and privileges due how they shall be paid when they shall become delinquent, providing for interest and penalty on delinquent taxes and privileges, amending Chattanooga City Code, part two, chapter two, Section Two Sixty Seven, relative to pay leave for active duty training and to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part Two, Chapter Thirty One, Sections Thirty One Thirty Six, Thirty One Thirty Seven, Thirty One Forty One, and Thirty One Forty Three, Sections Thirty One Three Twenty Two and Thirty One Three Fifty Four Council, We Do I have Amotion Properly Seconded On Our Operations Budget Ordinance.

Are there Any Questions or Comments Before We Vote?

See None, Madam Clerk, If You Would Please Take A Roll Call Vote Councilman Henderson.

Councilwoman Hill.

Councilwoman Burth.

Yes.

Councilwoman All.

Yes.

Yes.

And No's Andrew Passes On Final Reading.

If you would please read item seven B, Madam Clerk.

An ordinance appropriating authorizing and allocating funds to the capital improvements budget for the fiscal year twenty twenty-six, twenty twenty-seven.

Councilman Henderson.

Chairman Davis.

Yes.

Seven yeses.

Okay.

We have seven yeses and no votes.

And so our capital budget ordinance passes unanimously on final reading.

Sure.

Thank you, Crusade.

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

An ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 26, Parks and Playgrounds, Section 2617 of the Acts Prohibited.

Second.

Council, we have a motion properly seconded on this ordinance.

Are there any questions or comments before we vote?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

And the ordinance passes on first reading.

Item 9A, please, Madam Clerk.

A resolution authorizing administrator for the Department of Economic Development to enter into a second agreement to exercise option to renew with Chattanooga Flying Discs Club Inc.

And substantially the form attached for disc golf courses at specific city public parks for daily use and tournament play for an additional term of one year for the term through June 30, 2027.

Second.

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

Are there any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

And the resolution passes.

Item 9B, please, Madam Clerk.

A resolution amending resolution number 32533 as follows.

A resolution accepting and approving the award of unallocated and accrued interest of American Rescue Plan funds as part of the Chattanooga Relief and Recovery Allocation Plan to the Office of Early Learning for James A.

Henry operational costs for an amount not to exceed 250,000 dollars.

Second.

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

Are there any questions or comments before we vote?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

And the resolution is adopted.

Item nine C, please.

A resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of John Law to the Beer Board for District 1 for a term beginning on June 30, June 24, 2026, and ending on June 23, 2029.

Second.

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

Are there any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

And the resolution is adopted.

Is Mr.

Law here by chance?

All right.

Well, if you're looking watching online, thank you for your service to the city on this board.

Um item 9D, please, Madam Clerk.

A resolution authorizing administrator for the Department of Public Works to award the continuing on call professional surveying services, blanket contract number E26010901 with the following nine consultant firms.

One ASA Engineering and Consulting Inc.

Two, Canon and Canon LLC 3 Corps Engineering LLC for Earthworks LLC 5 Johnson Merriman Merriman and Thompson Inc.

Six Labella Associate 7 LDA Engineering A LJA Serving Inc.

9 Pape Dawson Consulting Engineers LLC based upon their qualifications within the identified service categories for a four-year term for an annual amount of one million dollars for use by all departments approved second council we do have a motion properly seconded on this resolution are there any questions or comments all in favor any opposed and the resolution is adopted item nine e please a resolution authorizing administrator for the department of public works to approve change order number two to contract number s20012101 City of Chattanooga Hamilton County Water Quality Monitoring Project with Woolper Inc.

to add six automated water quality samplers provide continuous statistical analysis and telemetry services for an additional three years and create visualization tools for regulatory reporting for an increase amount of 334,849 dollars for a revised contract amount of 919,849 dollars second council we have a motion properly seconded on this resolution are there any questions or comments all in favor aye any opposed and the resolution is adopted Madam Clerk if you would please read item nine F the alternate version please a resolution authorizing Dam Whitski Corporation to operate an intoxicating liquors manufacturing plan and improving a special exceptions permit for an alcohol distillery small at 1437 Market Street uh damn whiskey corporation to operate approved council we do have a motion properly seconded on this item are there any questions or comments before we vote all in favor

A resolution authorizing Dan Whiskey Corporation to operate an Intoxicating Liquors Manufacturing Plan and improving a special exception's permit for an alcohol distillery small at 1437 Market Street.

It's authorizing uh damn whiskey corporation to operate.

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

Are there any questions or comments before we vote?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

No.

All right.

We have six yeses and one.

So the resolution is adopted.

Item 9G, please, Madam Clerk, the alternate version.

A resolution authorizing the chief of police to apply for and if awarded, accept the office for victims of crime, OVC, FY26 Services for Victims of Crimes grant from the U.S.

Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs to find one full-time victim services specialist, emergency assistance to crime victims and training for a three-year contract beginning on October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2029 for an award amount up to 500,000.

Second.

All right.

Council, we do have our motion properly seconded on this resolution.

Are there any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

Resolution is adopted.

We are now to purchases.

We're happy to welcome Weston to the podium.

Good afternoon, Council.

We have six purchases recommended for approval today.

Uh the first is with Public Works.

It is an agreement for composting services at the recycle and refuse centers.

This will be a four-year agreement with an annual amount limit not to exceed $50,000.

The award will go to New Terra Compost.

That's the best bid.

Item number two is with wastewater.

This is year four renewal with solution works is requesting a 5.1% increase due to inflationary cost.

The new estimated annual spend will be $370,000.

Item number three is with wastewater.

They're requesting an increase of $3,150 for PUR 160438.

The purchase order was originally awarded to Ecotech and approved by council on January 6, 2026, and the amount of 757,900 for an odor control fan.

This increase is necessary to cover the freight charges for the fan, bringing the new total to $83,050.

Item number four is with human resources.

This is a new agreement for employee assistance program and work life services.

This will be a four-year agreement with an annual amount limit of $55,000.

The award will go to ComSyc Employee Assistance as the best proposal.

Item number five is with human resources.

This is a year two renewal.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee is requesting a price increase of 2.7% for the stop loss insurance due to annual insurance premium increases.

The new annual amount will be $910,756.

And item number six is from the mayor's office.

This is a one-time purchase to cover current and future invoices for consulting services for the mayor's office.

This purchase from PFM Group Consulting will be in the amount of $100,000.

Council, we do have a motion properly seconded on our purchases for this evening.

Are there any questions or comments?

All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed?

And the purchases are approved.

Great.

And we have one sole source purchase to report this evening.

Is for the police department for leadership and organizational development training.

Training consists of a series of professional development workshops that are uniquely designed to impart strategic thinking and operational problem solving, building elite and player-led teams, organizational design and leaders planning decision making process.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Weston.

We'll go around the dais now for committee reports.

We'll start with Councilman Henderson.

Councilwoman Hill.

No report.

Councilman Clark.

No report, sir.

Councilwoman Noel.

I don't have a report, but I do want to um tell you all if you have a chance, go by the Avondale Community Center, which is in the Great District A.

Um, they have the doors wrapped, and the kids and the participants are loving it.

And it looks really good.

It has the city logo on it, and you can actually still see through the glass.

So go through it's amazing.

The first one in the community centers so far.

And also to uh give a shout out to the thumbacts in the Great District A.

They are offering off to a cook star, and the kids are having a blast.

Um shout out to Miss Kennedy Garrett.

She is a student and uh student body president at MTSU, and she is uh alumni of the Avondale Center and the current senior count counselor at the center, and she is doing an amazing job.

So thank you to the camps in the Great District A.

And please, the door is amazing.

Go by and look at it if you have a chance.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you for all those positive notes.

Councilwoman Burrs.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, I we will have a planning and zoning committee meeting when we return on July 7th.

And we'll have our usual cases.

We'll also be um talking about uh we're reviewing, it's been a year since we discussed uh since ADUs were approved, and so we thought it was a good time to have a discussion to see how everything's going.

So we'll have that discussion on Jules Semit as well.

And I also wanted to make the public aware, and this uh so Carta is doing a connect the corridor town hall meeting on Wednesday, so tomorrow from five to seven at the Chris Ramsey Center, and they're very interested in public public input.

They're really trying to expand uh transportation, public transportation and economic development along the Brainerd Road Corridor.

So if you live in that area or you use the number four route especially, they would love for you to attend and provide some input.

So thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Okay, thank you very much.

Vice Chairman Elliott.

Uh no report.

Okay.

And we are now to that portion of the meeting where we're happy to recognize members of the public who are here to address counsel.

And so if you are here for that purpose, if you would please just line up at the podium down front here and listen carefully while our attorney reads the rules.

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 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 four 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 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, please state your name and your district, please, sir.

Hello, my name is Jamarcus Williams.

Um honestly I'm not familiar with my district, but I'm in the city of Chattanooga as a resident.

Um but I'm here as an employee of Hamilton County 911, but not on behalf of Hamilton County 911.

I've been a dispatcher for 16 years.

Uh, with the last 10 years being here in Hamilton County, I'm here tonight.

Um, in reference to the budget that you guys have already passed.

Um, but at this point, since it has passed, I'm just wanting to express something to you and hope that you guys have the ears to hear.

Um, when someone does 911 dispatchers are the first first responders, not like firemen and police officers, really calm voice on the other end of the line during someone's worst day.

We gather critical information, coordinate police fire and EMS responses, and we often provide life-saving instructions before help ever arrives.

But despite the critical role we play in public safety, our dispatchers remain among the lowest paid in our region.

For years, dispatchers have shown up for this community personally.

When there was an active shooter at the Air Pollution Control Bureau, I spent 13 minutes on the phone with a woman trapped in her office, trying to keep her calm and help officers get to her location.

When the Woodmore bus crash happened, my co-workers and I answered call after call from terrified parents, family members, desperately trying to find out what happened to their children.

Even last year during a house fire in Hickson, I was on the phone with a man trapped in his house.

I heard his final attempts to speak before the line went silent.

Those moments stay with us, and we don't get to hang up and we don't get to forget those.

But we come back the next day and we do it again because the people of this community needs someone to answer that call.

We're the fourth largest community or the fourth largest county in Tennessee, one of the busiest communication centers in the state.

We answer almost 580,000 calls each year.

More than two-thirds of those calls come from the city of Chattanooga.

And for years, our leadership has worked to develop a responsible phase plan to improve dispatcher pay.

Every agency represented on our board has agreed to participate in funding that plan with the exception of the city of Chattanooga.

I also read in the news the mayor's spokesperson expressing concern about committing future budget dollars without an identified revenue source.

And I understand the importance of responsible budgeting as a father of six.

My wife and I budget all the time.

But budgets are ultimately statements of priorities.

The first year contribution being requested from Chattanooga is approximately 139,000.

At the same time, the city has found funding for other priorities, including a 3% raise for city employees and a new litter initiative.

My question is simple.

If public safety is truly a priority, why are the professionals who answer the call before anyone else still waiting for their turn?

This is not about choosing dispatchers over police officers or firefighters.

We supported their raise because they deserved it.

And honestly, they probably deserve more than what they got.

We waited for our turn, and it seems like the city of Chattanooga did not want to support that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, uh, I'm Morgan Jatan.

Uh I am also a 911 dispatcher.

I've been there for 11 years, uh, coming this September.

Uh I started this job with no background or knowledge of anything related to the first responder life, aside from my brother Glenn Srugs, who just recently retired a couple years ago.

Uh I didn't realize how much goes into each call that we as dispatchers handle each day, and I didn't realize that I would have to talk to someone uh who might not be here a second later.

I didn't realize someone would have to hear from me uh teaching them how to deliver their baby in their in their living room.

Uh this is people coming in at $19.27 an hour doing this job.

It's not for everybody.

Uh that amount often turns people away as well because of the stress that we go through.

We are truly the first and the first responders, and I think that's unfortunately overlooked most of the time.

Uh as far as I've been in dispatch, I don't recall anyone from the city coming down to sit and actually listen to what we do day in and day out.

Uh, I think you would be shocked at the amount of work that we do for the city of Chattanooga as well as our other agencies.

Um the only question that I have here, uh actually I have two uh for you to think over is we were told that we had that you guys had no funds for us.

So is it that you have no funds or that you need to reevaluate how you would re-allocate the funds that you do have?

The second question is what is it that you deem more important than supporting the first responders who work so tirelessly to assist those who reside in this city?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, I'm Cheyenne Bedell.

I'm also with Hamilton County 911.

I've been a dispatcher at Hamilton County for 14 years in August.

I'm also here in support of a proposed pay raise for our telecommunicators.

Every day we answer calls from people that are experiencing the worst moments of their lives.

We provide life-saving instructions over the phone while we simultaneously dispatch police fire and EMS.

This is a highly skilled profession that requires extensive training before a telecommunicator can ever work independently.

There are years that go into this.

You don't just stop once you get trained.

You have to constantly do continuing education.

You train alongside police and fire.

It's constant, it never ends.

New employees will do classroom instruction certifications and on-job training before they're ever fully released to work as a dispatcher.

Hamilton County 911 has answered close to 600,000 calls each year, and it grows.

It never ends.

And more than a two-thirds of those calls come from Chattanooga residents or incidents that occur within the city limits of Chattanooga.

Between police and fire operations, we dedicate six dispatchers solely to Chattanooga channels.

That's between fire and police, and it's consistently among the busiest channels that we dispatch for.

We also hand or handle hundreds of calls each day that do not result in dispatched responses.

When an experienced telecommunicator leaves, we do not just lose an employee.

We lose years of knowledge, training, and experience that cannot quickly be replaced.

Recruitment comes more difficult.

Over time increases and burnout increases.

I have lived through that.

I've gone through that several times.

However, I would also ask you to consider the cost of not investing in this.

What is the cost of losing experienced telecommunicators?

What is the cost of the continued vacancies, mandatory overtime, and burnout that we all have faced?

Public safety does begin with the person who answers the phone.

Competitive pay will help us attract and retain the qualified professionals.

Our community community depends on when they call 911.

I do respectfully ask for you to support the pay raise for Hamilton County 911.

The community, the telecommunicators who serve this community 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Brittany Rice.

I first wanna thank you all for having us here and listening to us speak.

Client agency support is essential for struggling dispatchers because of the demands of the profession, can be emotionally taxing, mentally taxing, and physically taxing.

We the dispatchers are often exposed to high stress situations, critical incidents, and heavy workloads that can contribute to burnout fatigue and decreased job performance.

By providing support, client agencies can help dispatchers build resilience and maintain their well-being.

Strong organizational support not only benefits individual employees, but also enhances overall operational effectiveness, employee retention, and the quality of the service provided to the public.

Have personally felt the effects of absent client agency support during a time of mental distress and crisis.

During that time, I was not able to work needed overtime to compensate for my medicinal and basic needs, leading me to have to take out unnecessary loans.

Client agency support is not a want at this point.

It is a need for all of us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Jacqueline Lewis, and I live in East Ridge.

I am here on behalf of my husband, Harold Gunther, who is a 911 telecommunicator.

He has been working there full time for the last three and a half years.

He often works up to 60 hours a week.

I'm just gonna let that set for a second.

60 hours a week because there is a critical staffing shortage.

He recognizes his job is a service.

Telecommunicators are literally the first responders when there is a crisis.

Over the phone with a calm and reassuring voice, my husband helps residents and visitors of Hamilton County, often during the most traumatic moments of their lives.

These include calls from parents whose children are critically injured, folks hiding during a home invasion, people fleeing domestic abuse and assaults.

He has helped women give birth over the phone.

He has helped a bystanders deliver life-saving care, such as CPR and Nalexone.

Recently, he received a call from someone who is helping not one person, but two who are overdosing.

He dispatches and communicates with our police officers.

He ensures their safety.

He makes sure they have the critical information they need for each call for each pullover, whether they need backup or whether they are MIA.

This is an extremely stressful job.

And I can see why there is a long-lasting staffing shortage for this essential service.

Especially when their request for a nominal pay increase is not supported by the city of Chattanooga and the Chattanooga police.

But if this was me, between the stress, the lack of pay, and what I would feel like a lack of respect from the city, I would turn in a resignation letter.

I thank you honestly for your time.

Um on behalf of my husband and my family.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Vice Chairman Elliott.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, thank you all for being here and advocating for yourselves.

And I I'm gonna be honest about my ignorance.

I'm not as familiar with uh our 911 emergency services.

Um, and this may be a question for someone in administration.

I always thought you all landed in the county as county employees.

So I know we have contributed funding because it is a joint system, but as far as employment, I always thought it landed with the with the county.

Can somebody clarify that for me?

Andy Green, I didn't introduce myself earlier at Chief Operating Officer.

Yes, so it is it is a joint, so it's us and the county and Sickle Mountain and other jurisdictions.

Okay.

Now, did the county request a rate increase for what we pay or something?

Um I I hear that they're saying that we're supposed to be they requested some type of difference in pay.

Is there what what happened with that?

So the 911 board requested a multi-year increase.

Okay, and did we decide not to pursue that?

We decided that we could not pursue that at this time because it didn't only obligate us but future council and mayoral people to the agreement.

So it's not necessarily a disagreement on the cost.

It's the term, is that what I'm hearing?

Well, we don't have the way to fund it either right now, but we're more than willing to sit down and talk to the Hamilton County 911 board or the 911 uh 911 board um to discuss an increase, but we just couldn't agree to the one they proposed.

Okay, do we know if we're the only ones that have not locked in an agreement yet?

I believe we are right now.

Yes.

Okay.

Um we are also the largest contributors.

Okay, but they're county employees, correct?

I believe so, yes.

Okay, I'm gonna say this to you all.

Uh I'm not sure the ins and outs.

Um, frankly, unless my colleagues have heard something different.

As a representative on this body, this is the first time I've heard any things of this sort.

Um, and if you've seen, we have voted on our budget tonight.

Most of these conversations about allocations happen starting in January.

Um, so there's there's not a lot we can do tonight.

We just saw you tonight and we just did second reading for the budget.

But I will also say, um, as far as there's some conflicts here as far as us having direct impact on your pay, right?

If you were city employees, you would have got a 3% cost of living adjustment, just like our civilian and our sworn uh employees.

We're not necessarily uh responsible for the HR and um pay procedures for the county.

But I am looking forward to seeing where these negotiations may land as far as us being able to contribute, uh, but that is also some of the disconnect from some of that.

Um so once again, I do appreciate your advocacy.

And what I say this not to ask you to stop, keep fighting for yourselves because if you don't, no one else will.

But there's also some jurisdictional and some legal parameters that we're probably gonna have to um highlight as well through all this.

So that's it.

That's all I have.

Okay.

Councilman Clark.

Thank you, Chairman Davis.

Um, Mandy, this might be a question.

Chief, were you about to I was I was gonna add to some knowledge if I could.

Mr.

Chair, I'd like to yield to the chief.

Sure.

So I'm part of the board as being the chief of police for the Chattanooga Police Department, it's an automatic board seat.

Um the first time this their proposal, which is a multi-year plan was presented to me was on April the 23rd.

Immediately I recognized that this would transcend my oral administrations as well as city council administrations, um, as well as the overall concept of things, the the way it was being presented, I realized immediately that this required further discussion with the CFO from the city of Chattanooga as well as Hamlin County.

And I made that recommendation, and I have made it multiple times since.

That has never happened.

Um that that's what should happen.

Um the executive director and their staff should meet with the CFOs of the two largest agencies that that fund the district to determine how we get there, right?

How we get the raises implemented.

I don't believe there's a question from any organization at all, any municipality, municipality, whether or not raises are warranted.

Absolutely, they are.

It's a matter of how we get there to be fiducially responsible and to ensure that we can guarantee the raises because the way their budget works is just like ours.

It's year to year.

But the way this was presented, if you agree to year one, you're agreeing to year one through five.

So you're not just agreeing to a 279,000 dollar increase right now.

You're agreeing to a, I think it's a 1.8 million dollar increase over the next few years.

And you don't make those decisions haphazardly.

You need to have you know input and buy-in from especially the two largest municipalities that this is affected.

That was my recommendation on April the 23rd.

I've recommended it multiple times since.

Um it is my belief that the city has communicated to them multiple times that we are willing to come to the table and have those discussions.

It's just a matter of getting that schedule and doing that.

Thank you, Chief.

Yes.

I do.

Okay.

Uh thank you, uh, Chief.

I appreciate that.

This might be a qu a logistical question for Mandy and for Weston.

Um, and this is just brought to my attention by the city attorney, and this is these are some statutory changes, because all of this is regulated by Tennessee code annotated.

So is it not correct that all of the funding for the Hamilton County 911 district operations are from surcharges assessed to everyone's telephone bills?

The personnel uh funding, funding for the personnel is provided by the agencies, so the county, the cities within the county, and that's divided based on um call volume and population size.

There's a formula that goes into that.

So they take their total personnel cost, allocate it based on those two factors, and then give that to that request to my question is about surcharges.

It covers the operational cost outside of the personnel.

So not all of the funding is it as they're reporting on their website.

So what are the statutory, what is the statutory process if we were to increase?

Is that something that we do at the state level for for the surcharge?

The surcharge.

The surcharges, I believe there was an increase voted on, I think, and I don't know if there's someone here that can speak to that.

This by the state legislature that approved it.

Yeah, and then it got vetoed.

The governor vetoed the governor vetoed it, I believe.

Yeah.

But so, but none of that funding currently is being used for personnel.

No, the personnel funding comes from the municipality.

Okay.

Great.

Thank you.

And I have a question for Mandy regarding um pay comparison.

Uh, we we did receive, we took just so you know, thank y'all for coming.

We this has just come to our attention, uh, which is not uncommon, uh, but we do respect you being here.

We want to have more in-depth conversation.

Uh comparisons.

We did receive a document from Bruce Gardner that Hamilton County currently, if you are a trainee, your 40,000.

Um 40,000, yeah, 40,000, and the highest paid is 54,375 for Shelby County, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Rutherford County, Montgomery County, Williamson County, Sumner County, Knox County, what's CHP?

Tennessee Highway Patrol.

Tennessee Highway Patrol, Blood County, Tennessee Valley Authority, Wilson County, Washington County, all pay more than uh what we pay.

That's just for trainees.

Um right now, if you are a telecommunicator, currently you are being paid 42,000, and we are less than Blunt County, Washington, Knox, the Highway Patrol, Sumpner, Rutherford Williamson, Tennessee Valley Police, Montgomery, Metro Nashville at 53,000, Shelby County at 54,000, Williamson County at 54, 768, and highest pay, which I'm surprised, is Murfreesboro at 59,000.

Can you speak?

I know you've been doing some independent study as well as to where we are on the scale as far as are we low-end, high end, is this accurate or so?

We do not use most of those jurisdictions as comparable organizations for the city.

So we use Clarksville, Huntsville, Alabama.

Um, I'm gonna go through the list here.

Columbia, I believe South Carolina, Tallahassee, Florida, those are our comps that we use right now in Knoxville, Tennessee.

So those are the comps that we use, those are the comps that we use when we talk about our police and fire, we do not compare ourselves to Nashville or Memphis.

If we did, our salaries would be significantly higher.

And that's a reality, but we are not compared to them.

So when we ran our numbers with our comps, they are approximately negative 5.4% as a trainee of the average of our comps.

So you take all those that I just rattled off and take the average salary, they are negative 5.4%.

And once they've complete probation, they are above by just shy of 1% of our comps.

Are you concluding that based off our pure city comps that we are not that far off of what we by what percentage?

Yes, that's what I said.

So of our for the trainee position, we are showing that they're approximately negative 5.4%.

Okay.

Thank you.

And for once they complete probation and get to the uh actual dispatcher position, they are actually above by 1% of our averages of our average comparable.

Our comparable cities.

Yes, I'm sorry.

I just said council.

And we've had discussions, council, about what's comparable.

Um so anyway, I just wanted to, I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this.

And this is last question, and I'm sorry, Chief, I kind of checked out a little bit.

Who was who was that we needed to meet with that needed to meet with the CFO?

You said the executive.

The executive directors, correct, of 911.

Okay.

And that has not happened.

Do you know why?

I don't executive director here.

He's not, I don't believe it.

We have we met in the last couple weeks actually.

Um we did not meet prior to kind of they came up with this plan and presented it to us.

They we were not involved in the discussion as far as I know.

I was not involved in kind of the building of the plan and and the discussion around that.

So I think that's kind of where some of the disconnect was is they gave this to us in April and then April.

Uh it was last of March, first of April, I think when we got the letter from them, and then um there was just some back and forth with them trying to get some of the data behind the numbers, trying to understand how they came up with what they came up with, what comps they were using, things like that.

Um, and then we've just been going back and forth a little bit since then on this.

Um, what's next?

I think we just continue, we're committed to kind of continue the discussion.

Um, as was mentioned, we can't we can't commit to the full again, it's not the 140,000 dollars.

If it was that, it'd be a lot easier.

It's the the four or five-year commitment of almost two million dollars that we're we're struggling to find.

So we're just we're committed to to work with them and and find a solution to it, and so we'll continue continue to meet with them on our thank you, Western.

I appreciate you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Noel.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I think uh Vice Chair and uh Councilman Clark really hit much my same question.

Um so it's my understanding we pay the county for the service, right?

So are we not paying our fair share?

We are somebody, somebody coming.

So we pay the district, the county pays the district, college Dell, Red, they all pay into this this district fund, and the percentage that each municipality pays is based on the call volume from a prior year or prior period and the population based on the latest census.

So they take those, figure out what percentage each municipality pays, and then we pay our share based on those calculations.

Okay, is there any reason to whomever the spokesperson would be for you all that did y'all reach out to the county for an increase?

And if so, what was the reason that they did or did not provide you with the uh increase since you are county employees?

Yes, you can come here.

So we don't really have spoken person.

Um the county, so the city, as it was said, the city, county, and all the other client agencies, their call volume, not just responses, call volume that comes into our center calls that we deal with are broken up and divided amongst each municipality.

Um, so they're all given a percentage of how much they have to pay into Hamilton County based on the call volume that was given to or brought into us from those specific areas.

So my question is did you all go before county commission and and tell them you need a raise?

Did you did you all go before them?

So county commission doesn't like they approved, they agreed to the step raises or the raise plan that was provided.

So the only ones that we have not been able to get on board is city of Chattanooga, and I do understand that it's a five-year payment plan, but they did it hoping.

My agency did it hoping that it would be easier to fund those, since it would basically be we're paying 75% of it the first year and then 50 and then 25, and then last year the client agencies would be 100% paying into it.

So I would suggest going before county commission and and tell them to that's what I would suggest as well.

Okay, but but thank you for coming.

And thank you, Jackie.

Um Jack and her husband was my neighbor, they moved um what two years, three years ago?

Yeah, yeah, right across the street from me.

Wonderful neighbors, yeah.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Yes, ma'am.

And councilwoman Hill.

Thank you.

Um, I think my my mind is going in a similar direction as councilwoman Knowles.

Um Weston question for you.

First, um, the the way that the equation is created for client agencies, is that part of the state statute?

It's there, there's an agreement between um all the municipalities that participate in this uh that sets that equation.

Um and then it also provides for tying uh raises for the dispatchers to the county.

So whatever the way the agreement currently works is the dispatchers get raises based on what the county got the previous year.

So if the county last year got a 1% raise, this year dispatchers get a 1% raise, and then that cost is passed on to the participating municipality.

That's interesting.

Um percentage question for you one G here because you're the math guy of the 194,000 give or take residents that live in the city of Chattanooga.

What percentage of those people live in the Hamilton County, Tennessee?

That would be all of them.

What so that what would be 100% live in the county?

Uh and okay, so also um if if a person if 194,000 people give or take, live in the city of Chattanooga and pay property tax if if 100% of the people who pay property tax in the city of Chattanooga, what percentage would you say also pay property tax in Hamilton County, Tennessee?

100%.

100%.

Okay.

Um and the funding formula does include the county.

What percentage of pay does the county provide?

I'd have to go back and look at it.

I'm not sure exactly.

It's we're a little over 50%, I think, and the county is some other.

I'd get it for you.

I don't know what off the county's percentage on.

That that's just 13%.

So thir 13% of the cost is paid by the county.

And we currently pay 50% of the cost.

I think it's wrong.

I'm sorry, I'm getting two numbers.

I can get you the exact percentages.

I'm not sure.

66 is what Chief Chambers is telling me.

So the county pays 2.7 million, and the city about 6.0.

$6.3 million a year.

Okay.

Um if I live in Chattanooga, which I do, and I pay tax in Chattanooga, which I do, um, I also pay Hamilton County tax, which I do.

Okay.

Okay.

So I'm just thinking through, you know, today we had a brief discussion about the planning commission and identifying jurisdiction and uh MOU and who pays for what, and um that just might be something um that needs to be talked about.

Um, every person that drives in Chattanooga drives to drives to the county, and the county folks drive through Chattanooga, and it's we all move around so much.

Um it it's difficult.

Uh Mr.

Interesting math problem.

Sure.

Thank you.

That's all, Mr.

Chair.

Okay.

Any other questions or comments, council?

All right.

We have concluded the business before us this evening.

All in favor?

And we are adjourned.