(bright music) - [Announcer] You are watching highlights of the "Chattanooga City Council Meeting," a production of WTCI PBS.

(bright music) (people chattering) (gavel thudding) - I wish to call our Tuesday, April 18th council meeting to order.

Let's proceed to the invocation by Council Marvene.

(chairs thudding) - [All] To the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

- We have no special presentations.

Can I get approval in the minutes?

- [Council Member 1] I'm in.

- [Council Member 2] Second.

- I approved without objection.

We have ordinances on final reading.

Madam Clerk, if you can read item A?

- [Madam Clerk] In ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part two, Chapter 25, Article three by adding Section 2579 relative to enumeration of prohibited noises in all residential zones outside the Downtown Amplified Music District.

- Okay.

- Motion first.

- Second.

- Okay, I have a motion and a proper second.

Any comments or questions?

Okay, all in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Okay, motion passes.

Madam Clerk, you can read item B.

- [Madam Clerk] In ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code Part two, Chapter 10, BUILDINGS by adding Article four entitled, "Commercial Property Access, Clean Energy and Resiliency Program within the city of Chattanooga."

- [Council Member 4] I have no comment.

- [Council Member 5] Second.

- I have a motion and a second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

With no objection from Council, I would like to take items C, D and E as a package.

Madam Clerk, you can go ahead and read.

- [Madam Clerk] Item C, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part two, Chapter 38, ZONING Ordinance.

So as to amend Condition Number two of Ordinance Number 13484 for the property located at 3734, 3800, 3904 and 3914 Saint Elmo Avenue.

Item D an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part Two, Chapter 38, ZONING Ordinance.

So as to reason on property located at 821 East Main Street from C2, Convenience Commercial Zone, to UGC, Urban General Commercial Zone, subject certain conditions.

Item E, in ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part two, Chapter 38, ZONING Ordinance so as to reason on properties located at 246 East 19th Street and 1902 South Watkins Street from R1, Residential Zone, and R2, Residential Zone, to C3, Central Business Zone subject to certain conditions.

- Okay, Council.

- Move to approve.

- Second.

- All right, we got a motion and second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- Awesome.

Last count, I'm sorry, Council Coonrod, you have a question?

Okay, okay.

All opposed?

All right, motion passes.

(paper rustling) Madam Clerk, if you could read item L. - [Madam Clerk] An ordinance closing and abandoning a sewer easement located in the 1800 Block of Ridgewood Drive beginning at image number S149B002, that's Northwest 317 feet to image number S149B003, that's Northeast 294 feet and ending at image number S149B004, tax map number 149CA009 as shown on the attached map subject to certain conditions.

- Okay, Council, let's vote.

- [Council Ledford] Thank you Madam Chair.

- Oh, I'm sorry, Councilman Ledford (indistinct) with that.

- [Ledford] I'll still take that as a compliment.

- Okay (laughs).

- [Ledford] Let's get that fixed somewhere.

Just get that fix sometime.

- We get that fix, I guess.

- Madam Chair, I have been made aware that could be and I think we do have a legal error in the description of this particular item so I'd like for that to come back in its clean format.

So at this time I'd like to move to withdraw.

- [Council Member] Second.

- Yeah, I have a motion and a second to withdraw.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

All opposed?

Motion carries.

Items under first reading.

Madam Clerk you read item... What's that?

Item eight.

- [Madam Clerk] An ordinance closing and abandon a sewer easement located at 7531 Pinewood Drive beginning at image number S149B002.

This Northwest 317 feet to image number S149B003.

This Northeast 294 feet in Indiana and image number S149B004, tax map number 149C8009 as detailed on the attached map subject hearing conditions.

- Okay, Councilman Ledford.

- Thank you Madam Chair.

This one is correct, so I move to approve.

- [Council Member 1] Second.

- Okay, I have a motion and the proper second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Moving into resolutions...

I'm sorry, motion passes.

Moving into resolutions.

Madam Clerk, could you read Resolution Council Office A?

- [Madam Clerk] In resolution confirming the appointment of Brian Irwin to the Health Educational Housing Facility Board for District seven.

- Move approval.

- Second.

- Okay, it's been moved in properly and second.

Any comments, questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes with no objection from the Council.

I would like to take items B, C, and D as a group.

Okay, Madam Clerk, if you can read those.

I'm sorry.

Would you like?

- B and C. - B and C?

All right.

All right, Madam Clerk, could you read item B?

- [Madam Clerk] Item B, a resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of Jane Elmer to the library board of directors for a term beginning on April 19th, 2023 and ending on April 18th, 2026.

- Move to approve.

- Second.

- I have a motion and a proper second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

- Aye.

- Okay, we have seven.

Seven yeses and one no.

All right, Madam Clerk, could you read item C. - [Madam Clerk] A resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of Terry Ladd to the library board of directors for a term beginning on April 19th, 2023 and ending on April 18th, 2026.

- I move to approve.

- Second, Your Honor.

- Have a motion and a proper second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Madam Clerk, if you can read item D?

- [Madam Clerk] A resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's reappointment on Dr. Mina Sartipi to the Electro Power Board of Chattanooga, EPB Board of Directors for a five-year term, beginning on April 16th, 2023 and ending on April 15th, 2028.

- Motion to approve.

- Second.

- Okay, we have a motion and proper second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All right, all opposed?

Motion passes.

Madam Clerk, if you read item E. - [Madam Clerk] A resolution authorizing the administrator for the Department of Public Works or lower contract number S22002, Birchwood gas extraction system additions to SCS Field Services, the rest in Virginia in the amount of $805,905 with a contingency in the amount of $80,000 for a total amount of $885,905.

- Move to approve.

- Second.

- All right, I have a motion an proper second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Oh, we have purchases.

- Good evening.

We have one purchase recommended for approval this afternoon from the Fleet Management Division of Public Works.

This is a one-time purchase of 12022 International HP 607 single axle chassis with Vactor F80195 Ramjet Sewer Cleaner for the Wastewater Department from Sansom Equipment Company for a total of $290,000.

This purchase will utilize the Sourcewell Contract Number 101221-PTR.

- Motion to approve.

- Second.

- [Madam Chair] Okay, we have a motion and a proper second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- [Madam Chair] All opposed?

Motion passes.

We also have one RP format.

We are requesting approval to issue this evening and that is from Human Resources.

The RFP is for the onsite medical behavioral and wellness services.

Each provider of the categories of services provides unique models of clinic services operations and we need to be able to make sure that the model provided meets what the city needs.

- [Madam Chair] Hmm, Council?

- Move to approve.

- Second.

- [Madam Chair] Have a motion and a proper second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- [Madam Chair] All opposed?

Okay, and we have no Sole Source, no emergency.

- We have one Sole Source to report and it is from the Wastewater Department.

This is a Sole Source purchase of 12 hydromatic grinder pumps from Water and Waste Equipment, Inc. for a total of $24,540.

Water and Waste Equipment, Inc is the authorized distributor in the state of Tennessee.

- All right, thank you so much.

All right, we have committee reports.

Councilwoman Coonrod?

- Thank you, Chair, at the development presented.

Along with the Chamber of Commerce and the governor, they released a press release as well on courts so expanding in Chattanooga, creating 200 jobs.

The minimum pay will be $25.

They are background, challenge-friendly, so once they get up and going, I encourage everybody to apply.

- [Madam Chair] Thank you so much.

Council Noel?

- No, report.

- [Madam Chair] Council members?

- Thank you, Madam Chair.

In today's strategic planning meeting I distributed the schedule for our budget, education sessions that will be up online and we will start budget deliberations later in the middle of June.

But the education sessions are open to the public they will be streamed and it will start with the distribution of the budget itself on May 2nd, an overview, and then the work begins the following week.

Thank you.

- Right, thank you.

All right, Councilman Henderson?

- [Henderson] No report.

- Councilman Smith.

- No for Council.

- Okay.

Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] No any, no report.

(laughs) - (laughs) A council in.

- We do have one.

- You do have a committee.

- You will be the chair planning in Zoning.

- [Ledford] No report.

(all laughing) (Council Ledford indistinctly speaks) - Oh, thank, you.

Councilman Hester?

- [Council Hester] We did meeting, meet today.

We'll meet again in two weeks.

Thank you.

- All right, thank you.

- Ad my vice chair.

- We will have a meeting of the Affordable Housing Committee next week for a CDBG update.

- All right.

And Councilwoman Coonrod, did you- - Yes.

- Some additional?

- Okay.

- Thank you, Chair.

I'm announcing that I'm appointing Nate Doss to the Shallowford Region Community Advisory Committee.

- Okay, thank you so much.

All right, now comes the time for recognition of persons wishing to address the Council.

The city attorney will read the rules and if you plan to address the Council, please come and line up here at the podium.

- Okay, so at the end of every Council business meeting, the chair will recognize members of the public who wish to address the Council.

Here's your rules.

Each speaker wishing to address the Council can only be recognized upfront at the microphone that's provided for that purpose.

You 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 the authority of the Council and are regulated by other governmental bodies or agencies.

Don't engage in any vulgar, 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 any disorderly conduct or disrupting a public meeting which is prohibited by Tennessee law.

If someone commits an offense like that, if the person substantially obstructs or interferes with a meeting by physical action or verbal utterance with the intent to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting or gathering.

Having stated the rules, please go ahead sir.

- Thank you.

(clears throat) Okay, my name is William Smith and I'm a resident of the ML King District eight.

And I submitted a question to the city about the 311 process on March 28th, 2023.

My question was related to the construction of what appeared to be tiny houses at the 700 East 10th Street and whether the lot was rezoned and notification of the residence provided for that construction.

On April 5th, I received a response from Travis Willy, replying that this is a city project and the buildings are permitted for 12 months.

So I asked him for that permit for that work that was going on.

He informed that I need to submit a records request to the city attorney.

I turned in a records request to the city attorney and the response that I received was the city has reviewed the files and determined that, "The city has no record responses to your request."

So I did... And they also said, "Give a city attorney officer a call if you had any questions."

I gave them a call, left a message.

I never heard anything back from.

I've also been by the construction, there are no permits.

They're on the property.

The workers don't know anything about a permit.

And so therefore I'm bringing this question to you and I can provide the city attorney's response to the record request if you need that.

That's it.

- [Madam Chair] Okay, thank you Mr. Smith.

And if you could see Ryan...

If you raise your hand.

Back here, if you could see him after our meeting, he'll be able to help you.

Thank you.

All right.

- I have a question and I'm Jean Smith and I also live in the MLK neighborhood.

And my question is why would our neighborhood be singled out for some type of buildings that don't even have sewers, don't have electricity, don't even have water?

So I know that and I'm not sure who I would ask this question to.

I don't think it's a planning question but I feel like and this is just in general that we are definitely being treated differently than the location in the Stanford gap area where it is definitely a zone commercial hotel building that lots of time and energy has been spent with the neighborhood trying to work with them about works, what works for them.

And so I'm saying that my neighborhood deserves the same type of care and treatment.

And that's basically, I just wanted to make that known.

Thank you.

- Thank you so much Ms. Smith.

We appreciate that.

All right, Council.

I don't see anyone else or wishing to address Council.

What's your pleasure?

- [Council Member 6] Move to adjourn.

- Move to adjourn.

(gavel thudding) Meeting adjourned.

You gotta get up fast.

(chuckles) (council members chattering) - Thank you.

Thank you.

- [Council Member] Madam Chair?

- Do you wanna speak?

We adjourned.

Did y'all wanna hear him?

- [Council Member] She asked everybody to line up.

- Okay, come on Mike.

- [Council Member] Michael wanted to talk and Regine- - Did you have something Michael?

- Sorry, y'all.

This is my stroke, I can't hear so well.

- [Madam Chair] All right.

You see the line forming, you gotta get in it.

Go here.

- I like to sit for a little while, so it's just like... - I know, okay.

- I have an affected side.

- Mm-hmm.

- Three minutes is tough.

So as most know, I am Mike Smith.

I live in District three for now.

I'm the executive director of Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition.

I represent the state of Tennessee on the National Alliance and Homelessness Leadership Council.

I was seen in the country as one of the foremost experts on homelessness.

Last week, our community did a lot of celebration around the great work that our providers have done.

As a recent stroke survivor and a data person I tend to look at deeper into what's going on.

So persons with lived experience of unsheltered homelessness are at four times higher greater risk of having a stroke.

Communities of persons of color are at even five times higher risk.

So that means if you're a person of color you're at 20 times higher risk of having a stroke than anyone else in the community.

We have an over representation in our community of persons of color experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

So what I've come to say is that homelessness is a racial justice issue.

Homelessness is a healthcare crisis.

Homelessness is a humanitarian crisis.

I believe in this community that hears where we make our standing, here's where we end it.

(paper rustling) That's all I was gonna say.

I'm sorry I didn't...

I'll start standing in line.

- (laughs) Thank you.

- I have to bring my cane though.

- Oh, thank you.

All right, Council, meeting adjourned.

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