(upbeat music) - You're watching highlights of the Chattanooga city council meeting, a production of WTCI PBS.

- I'll now call this meeting to order.

We'd like to welcome all of our men and women in uniform this afternoon.

Thanks for being here.

I'd like to especially recognize you.

We have no ordinances on the final reading, move into ordinances on the first reading under public works and parks.

Madam Clerk, if you would read 6A and B, please, if there are no objections from the council.

- [Clerk] Item A, an ordinance closing and abandoning a portion of an open alley an unopen right of way west of the 700 block of Central Avenue is detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions.

Item B: an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part two, chapters 24, article 14, section 24, 502, schedule two, Speed on First Streets.

- Councilman Bird.

- [Bird] Vote approved.

- We have a motion on the floor to approve item 6A and B with a proper second.

Are there any questions or comments from the council?

If not, roll call please.

- [Clerk] Councilman bird?

- [bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

- Motion to approve carries 8-0 for item 6A and B.

Moving now into planning.

Madam Clerk, if you would read 6C, please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part two, chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 3916 and 3920 Murray Hill Drive from R1 residential zone to C2 convenience commercial zone, subject to certain conditions.

- [Chair] Applicant present?

Any oppositions present?

Mr. Vice Chair?

- [Vice Chair] Move to deny.

- [Chair] Well, we have a motion on the floor to deny with a proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Roll call please.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Bird?

- [Bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- [Henderson] Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

- [Chair] Motion to deny 6C carries 8-0.

D please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part two, chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property.

It's located at 1744 part, and 1746, Eagle Drive from R1 residential zoned to R1 residential zone, in C2 convenience commercial zone, subject to certain conditions.

- [Chair] Case 2021-0109, is the applicant present?

- [Chair] Is there any opposition present?

Mr. Vice chair?

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I did speak with the developer of this project earlier today, who was in communication with the applicant and expressed the desire to withdraw this case.

So I move to withdraw, sir.

- [Chair] Well, we have a motion on the floor to withdraw with a proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Madam Clerk.

- [Clerk] Councilman Bird?

- [Bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

- So moved.

Moving now to E Madam Clerk.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part two, chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property, it's located in the 6000 blocks of Big Ridge Row, from R1 residential zone to R3 residential zone.

- Case number 2021-0112, is the applicant present?

He is present.

Is there any opposition present?

- [From Audience] Opposition.

- Okay.

Mr. Vice chair, we do have the applicant and opposition present.

Would you like to have presentation?

- Actually, sir, I'd like to hear from the opposition.

I know the case, but there was due to a mislabeling on this item, I think there's still some confusion out there as to where it actually is located.

And I had planned to defer this for two weeks to get a legal correction on the language, but I would still like to hear, the opposition did take the time to come down.

I'd like to hear if it's about the potential of the wrong address or if there's another concern with the case.

- I'll tell you what, just to follow our process, let's give the applicant their seven minutes first, and then we'll hear from that opposition.

Applicant, please.

- Thank you, Mike Price, MAP Engineers.

The request is a rezone, a portion of the property from R1 to R3 for apartments.

There is a plan that does leave approximately 450 feet of the property from Big Ridge Road towards Hixson Pike as remaining R1 and to be left as green space.

So the intent is to leave that upper portion as it is along Big Ridge Road, undeveloped, and which is in keeping with the same conditions for the Low Water Bridge apartments, which are immediately south of this development.

So with that, I'm gonna, end any comments at this point, because I think that may be the issue at hand that the opposition has, and then them see the statement for whatever issues or concerns they might have.

Thank you.

For the most part I don't really have an issue with the, - [Chair] For the record, would you give us your name please, sir?

- Michael Allen.

- [Chair] Oh, thank you.

- My issue is with the notice section 2021-0112, where it says properties in the 6,000 blocks of Big Ridge Road.

If that was changed to 6,800, which I think would cover the issue, I'd be fine with it.

It's just from 6,000 to 6799, we would not want any R3.

- [Chair] Okay, thank you.

Mr. Vice Chair?

Oh hold on one second, sir.

- [Vice Chair] Yes, that would be the error in the headline on this case.

That should actually be the 6,000 blocks of Hixon Pike and not Big Ridge Road.

So that will be corrected.

I've planned for this for two weeks, have all the language corrected.

The area you're speaking of is not in consideration for this evening.

- Excellent, thank you.

- [Vice Chair] Thank you.

- [Chair] Mr. Price, you want a two minute rebuttal?

- No, sir.

- [Chair] Nope, you're good?

Okay.

All right Mr. Vice Chair?

- Thank you, sir.

So we've just covered one of the issues that I do need to get cleared up.

A second one does have to do with conditions that were not included originally, because a portion of the plan was not part of the rezone.

And that is the R1 area that Mr. Price specified would be left undeveloped.

To which I'm going to have added as a condition.

So Mr.

Chair, I would like to move to defer for two weeks and ask that RPA, add an alternate version with the changes that we had discussed previously for 8/24, please.

- [Chair] Okay.

Motion on the floor to defer until August the 24th.

Do I have a second?

- [From Audience] Second.

- With a proper second.

Any questions or comments before we vote?

Madam clerk, roll call, please.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Bird?

- [Bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

- Motion to defer until August the 24th carries 8-0.

- [Vice Chair] Thank you.

- All right, moving now to F please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part 2, chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 2511 Jenkins Road from R1 residential zone to C2 convenience commercial zone.

- Case number 2021-0114, is the applicant present?

Is there any opposition present?

Councilman Ledford.

- [Ledford] Mr. Chairman I'm going to make this as painless as possible and move to deny.

- [From Audience] Second.

- All right we have a motion on the floor to deny with a proper second.

Questions or comments from the council?

Madam Clerk, roll call, please.

- [Clerk] Councilman Bird?

- [Bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

- Motion to deny carries.

6G, please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part two, chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 7453 E Brannick Road from C2 convenience commercial zone to UGC urban general commercial zone, subject to certain conditions.

- Case 2021-0115, is the applicant present?

- [Applicant] Yes, sir.

- Okay, is there any opposition present?

Seeing no opposition, Councilman Ledford.

- [Ledford] Thank you.

Mr. Chairman.

Is the applicant okay with the conditions?

- [Applicant] Yes, sir we are.

- [Ledford] Very good, I move to approve, sir.

- [From Audience] Second.

- We have a motion on the floor to approve item 6G with a proper second.

Are there any questions or comments from the council before we vote?

Roll call please.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Bird?

- [Bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

- So moved.

6H, please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part 2, chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 8187 E Granite Road from R1 residential zone and R2 residential zone to O1 office zone, RTZ residential townhouse zero lot line zone, subject to certain conditions.

- Case 2021-0118, is the applicant present?

- [Applicant] Yes, sir.

- Oh, okay, thank you, sir.

Any opposition to this case is present?

Seeing an applicant, but no opposition.

Councilman Ledford.

- [Ledford] Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, is the applicant okay with the conditions?

- [Applicant] Yes, sir.

- [Ledford] I move to approve.

- [From Audience] Second.

- We have a motion on the floor to approve 6H with a proper second.

Are there any questions or comments before we vote?

Roll call please.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Bird?

- [Bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

The I's have it.

Moving now to 6I, please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part two, chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 5217 Hunter Road and 8627 Hilltop Drive from C2 convenience commercial zone and M1 manufacturing zone, to M1 manufacturing zone.

- Case 2021-0119, is the applicant present?

Is there any opposition to this case present?

Councilwoman Burz.

- Thank you, Mr.

Chair, the applicant isn't here, 'cause I told him he didn't have to come in, because we're gonna defer for two weeks.

- [Chair] And that is in the form of a motion?

- Yes, 'til the 24th.

- [Chair] 'Til the 24th.

- Yes.

- Motion on the floor to defer until August the 24th, do I hear a second?

Motion to defer to August the 24th with a proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Roll call please.

- [Clerk] Councilman Bird?

- [Bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

- Motion to defer until August the 24th carries 8-0.

Moving now to 6J please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part 2, chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone two properties, address is 2512 Coward Street from R3 residential zone to UGC, urban general commercial zone, subject to certain conditions.

- Case number 2021-0110, is the applicant present?

- [Applicant] Yes.

- Any opposition present?

Councilwoman Dotley.

- [Dotley] Move to approve.

- [From Audience] Second.

- We have a motion on the floor to approve item 6J with a proper second.

Questions or comments before we vote?

Roll call please.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Bird?

- [Bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

- So moved.

Last of our planning items, 6K, please.

- [Clerk] An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part two, chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located in the 700 block of E Martin Luther King Boulevard, from URA3 urban residential attached three story zone to UCX3 urban commercial mixed use three story zone.

- Case 2021-0111, is the applicant present?

- [Applicant] Present.

- Is there any opposition to this case present?

I see an applicant, but no opposition, Councilman Bird.

- [Bird] Thank you, Chair, and I haven't received any opposition to this case, so I move to approve.

- [From Audience] Second.

- We have a motion on the floor to approve, with a proper second.

Are there any questions or comments before we vote?

Roll call please.

- [Clerk] Councilman Bird?

- [Bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

- Motion carries.

Moving now to resolutions under economic development, Madam Clerk, 7A, please.

- [Clerk] A resolution considering short term vacation rental, application number 21STVR73 for property located at 1605 Raven Avenue.

- Councilwoman Dotley.

- [Dotley] Move to table, per the applicant's request.

- All right we have a motion on the floor to table item 7A with a proper second.

Any questions or comments before we vote?

Roll call please.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Hill?

- [Hill] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Ledford?

- [Ledford] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Hester?

- [Hester] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Burz?

- [Burz] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilwoman Dotley?

- [Dotley] Yes.

- [Clerk] Councilman Bird?

- [Bird] Yes.

- [Clerk] Vice Chairman Smith?

- [Vice Chair] Yes.

- [Clerk] Chairman Henderson?

- Yes.

- [Clerk] Eight yeses.

- Motion to table 7A carries 8-0.

Moving now to our committee reports.

Thank you, sir, Counselwoman Burz.

- Yeah, I got to take my mask off for this.

- [Chair] Go ahead.

- So I wondered what all the sworn personnel is doing here tonight.

So today we began our budget hearings, and for the first time, in a very long time, we heard about pay raises for sworn personnel, a $15 minimum wage.

We heard some really neat stuff that should have been attended to a very long time ago, Mr.

Chair, to start paying people what they're worth and being able to compete with other communities, and look forward to the next six weeks or maybe less, of budget education, thank you.

- [Chair] Thank you, ma'am.

That takes care of all of our items on the agenda for this afternoon.

Moving now to persons wishing to address the council.

Do we have any individuals here tonight, by show of hands, that would like to address the council this evening?

All right.

- First, I want to say thanks to the council and Mayor Kelly and his staff for inviting us to attend tonight's meeting.

I'm officer Chris Molex.

I'm also the vice president of our local FOP chapter.

I live in district two.

I've been an officer with the Chattanooga police department for nine years.

I grew up in this city and want what's best for the citizens of Chattanooga.

Tonight, myself and several officers of different roles in the department will be addressing several issues facing the Chattanooga police department.

You'll hear tonight that we're seriously underpaid, seriously understaffed, and our applications are down to historic lows.

You'll hear how our low staffing affects our abilities to train officers and makes them better for the Chattanooga citizens.

You'll also hear that we're losing officers at a rate never experienced before by the Chattanooga police department.

You'll hear that we're the busiest police organization in this county and how this is affecting our officers.

You'll hear how this pay disparity does not allow us to put the best product in the form of the Chattanooga police department on the street to serve our community.

If the city council, the citizens of Chattanooga, truly want a diverse, well-trained, professional police department, we must address the pay disparity now.

The Chattanooga police department is currently the lowest paid police department in a six state region.

We're underpaid by 25% when compared to other cities in the region, and the average in that region.

This is based on any metric, mean income, housing prices, rental prices, and cost of living.

The starting pay for a day one patrol officer is $36,990.

That's first day on the street, not in the academy.

Other departments locally start anywhere from $41,000-$48,000.

And we're losing officers every week to these other local departments.

Regionally for cities comparable in size, crime rates, and call load, our starting pay is not even in the same ballpark.

Nashville Metro starting pays $55,000.

Murphysboro $46, Memphis $44, Huntsville $47 and Atlanta $48.

Chattanooga police starting pays $36.

We cannot recruit or retain quality, diverse, and well-trained officers with this pay disparity.

It's my belief that police in general will never get paid what they merit.

And we as Chattanooga police officers are aware of that.

You will never pay these officers enough to handle the situations they handle, see the things that they see, and do the things that we as a city ask them to do on a daily basis.

But these officers are okay with that.

They chose this career path to serve the citizens of Chattanooga.

No one chooses a career in law enforcement to get rich.

What we do ask is that you pay us a fair wage, a wage that allows us to provide for our families.

A wage that allows us to hire diverse, talented, and well-trained officers.

We as a department, want to put the best product on the street to serve the city.

And until this pay disparity is addressed, we won't be able to do that.

(paper crinkling) Thank you.

- [Chair] Go ahead, sir, we'll get the clock.

- All right, good evening.

My name is Marlon Wilson, I'm in district five.

Councilman Hester is my representative.

Thanks for the privilege and opportunity to share a few thoughts regarding the paying issue at hand.

I've been assigned as a recruiter investigator now for approximately nine years, and it is becoming more and more difficult to recruit new applicants.

We are in precarious times, and unfortunately law enforcement is not a popular profession to some, based on the scrutiny that's associated with this profession.

We have attended several career fairs this year in late March trying to increase our department new application numbers.

We attended MTSU's criminal justice career fair, and also the United States Space Career Fair in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which has over 30,000 soldiers.

We were very unsuccessful at both career fairs due to our current starting salary.

There were a plethora of other agencies present there too, from the Southeast.

Some of their starting salaries began with the first year at $52,827, and by year three, they were at $64,371.

Our top out current currently after 12 years is $44,858.

Because we were one of the lowest paid departments within the Southeast, if our pay scale remains the same or slightly increased with our starting salary, is at least 45,000 or higher, we're not going to be competitive to attract great qualified candidates.

For example, in 2018 to 2019, we had over 710 applicants to apply with our department.

In 2020, we had less than 100 applicants to apply.

We presented less than 45 applicants to the executive staff for their consideration for this August 27th upcoming academy.

Some of our top primary candidates selected withdrew from the process at the last minute, due to the starting salary.

We haven't had one lateral candidate to transfer over to our department since 2018.

A lateral candidate is a certified police officer who's currently employed at another agency.

If he or she was to be hired at our department, they will have an abbreviated academy, which would in turn have them out protecting the city streets in 10 or less weeks versus 22 weeks.

Again, the disadvantages of them transferring over to our department revolves around the lack of pay.

Finally, CPD officers as a whole are asking for your support and endorsement for this new pay proposal.

All of us are potentially putting our lives on the line every time we put this uniform on and go to work.

Thanks for your time and your strong support.

(applause) - Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

My name is Michael Joiner.

I live in district three.

I am a second shift patrol supervisor in the downtown district.

And I'm a 19 year old veteran of the Chattanooga police department.

And it is a pleasure to be allowed to present to you tonight.

All I would like to do is just go over some numbers with you.

Since January of 2019, Chattanooga Police Department Academy has graduated 55 officers in the service to this community.

During the same period, we have lost 112 officers.

So we have doubled the number leaving that we had been able to produce.

We currently have an academy in training of 23 additional officers.

They still have an additional four months to go.

They are sworn in tomorrow morning and they will be allowed to patrol solo in December.

This department and this city needs young officers.

They bring the newest training with them to the streets.

They also bring in new ideas and new ways of looking at situations that we've dealt with for years.

These ideas are what help keeps us current and promotes new solutions.

The training and skills provided by our academy to these new officers, make them top tier officers within the state.

These same skills make them an asset to every other department.

Our officers graduate, ready to administer Narcan, apply a tourniquet, deal with a mental health crisis, return a lost family members to their family, and a multitude of other calls each and every day.

Other agencies are seeking out these new officers.

To hire one of our officers away from us, saves that department the time and the money we invested to get them to that point.

What we are hoping for is an update of our current pay plan, to simply industry standards.

When other agencies are willing to pay our officers, we should be willing to pay 'em not to go to other agencies.

These young officers are the leaders of the future.

This simple update will allow us to recruit and retain the candidates that we need and to make them officers that the city can be proud of.

Thank you for your time tonight.

(applause) - [Chair] Councilman Hester.

- [Hester] On behalf of the citizens of Chattanooga, let me echo the sentiments of my colleagues when I thank you for your sacrifice, your service, your contribution, and your cry has been heard.

We will address the pay issue in our next budget meeting.

Thank you.

(applause) (upbeat music) - You've been watching highlights of the Chattanooga city council meeting, a production of WTCI PBS.

(upbeat music)