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

(wooden hammer hitting desk) - Right.

We call this meeting to order.

All right, we'll have a special presentation by Mayor Tim Kelly and Chairman Darrin Ledford.

- [Darrin Ledford] Well thank you, Members of Council, Mayor Kelly, thank you for being here, and all these great people who showed up for this special presentation.

I want to share a story with you about human kindness but going above and beyond.

And I also want to thank our fire department.

Chief Hyman, how many firefighters do we have that were on the scene on March 3rd when this incredible act of kindness took place?

- [Chief Hyman] Four of our crew members from Engine 12 Blue Shift - [Darrin Ledford] Blue Shift Engine 12.

Very good.

Will you raise your hands, gentlemen who were on the scene for this?

We want to thank you too and that's the sheriff.

So it's an honor to be here today because we want to recognize a heroic action of one of Chattanooga's own, Randi Haynes.

On the morning of Friday, March 3rd while Ms. Haynes stood outside the downtown Chattanooga Alliance office where she worked, she heard a woman scream from a nearby car.

Her daughter was having a baby.

Right then and there, Ms. Haynes sprung into action.

Matter of fact, Ms. Haynes, will you come up and join us please cuz we'd like to see you (laughs).

A trained midwife, she ran to the car, pulled open the door to an in labor mother to a baby that was already crowning.

Now that's the part where I start screaming.

But Randi, with no time to wait for an ambulance, coached the mother through labor, delivered a baby girl right there on Broad Street.

(audience cheering and clapping) This is such an incredible example of the extraordinary way that Chattanoogans care for each other in times of crisis.

It didn't matter that this woman was a stranger and that Ms. Haynes had somewhere to be, or something could have gone wrong that might have put her at risk.

Ms. Haynes sprung into action and for that mother and new baby girl.

We're happy and healthy and you brought a wonderful new life into this world.

Ms. Haynes, on behalf of the city of Chattanooga, thank you for your heroic service.

Your calm and decisive actions brought new life into the world and your story will be an inspiration through generations.

That's why I'm proud to proclaim tomorrow March 22nd as Randi Haynes Day in the city of Chattanooga.

(audience cheering and clapping) And I'd like to ask Mayor Kelly to work with me on reading the proclamation.

Whereas Randi Haynes is the operations manager for the downtown Chattanooga Alliance nonprofit organization that keeps downtown Chattanooga safe, clean and welcoming for all who staff serve as ambassadors for the city.

And whereas on March 10th at 10:00 AM, Ms. Haynes was outside her office preparing her team for cleanup efforts expected to commence after an expected storm cleared the area.

And whereas Ms. Haynes, who was also an experienced midwife, suddenly heard a frantic voice call for help from a nearby car.

And upon investigation discovered that the voice belonged to a woman who was in the final stage of labor and given the circumstances would be unable to make it to the hospital in time for the birth.

And whereas Ms. Haynes introduced herself, received permission from the mother to help, and guided the mother through the delivery process.

And after the delivery provided a sternum rub to stimulate the baby's breathing process, then placed the healthy baby girl on her mother's chest.

Here Kelly.

- [Mayor Tim Kelly] And whereas soon after an ambulance arrived and took the mother and daughter to Erlanger where both were found to be in good health and whereas Haynes went home to clean up, pretty good and return to work that same day to ensure that her team was safe ahead of the expected storm after the storm passed, let her team's clean up efforts, including reporting fallen traffic lights, removing debris, and preparing for the upcoming Chattanooga marathon.

And whereas Haynes demonstrated responsible and heroic leadership in the face of multiple crises, showing dedication and pride in her work and should be recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty serving as an example that all Chattanoogans should follow.

Now therefore, I, Tim Kelly, mayor of the city of Chattanooga - [Darrin Ledford] and the Chattanooga City Council - [Mayor Tim Kelly] do hereby proclaim, Wednesday, March 22nd, 2020 third as Randi Haynes Day.

(audience cheering and clapping) - [Darrin Ledford] Okay, our lesson this evening, be a Randi.

I like it.

Our next list of items for this evening is a special presentation, it's a public hearing on the Chattanooga Climate Action Plan.

The council had originally noticed that we would set 30 minutes, we may need a little more time and two minutes per speaker, which we will adhere to.

So at this time I will open the public hearing for the Chattanooga Climate Action Plan.

Pay attention real closely.

Here's what I need you to do.

There's a lot of people here our clerk and we have also folks recording in the back are taking very special notes.

We need to hear your name clearly, what district of the city you live in or your address where you live.

That's very important for our record keeping as we move forward in this process.

This is part of the public hearing process.

So if you would like to speak which I anticipate there will be one or two of you then please start to line up and then as we start to filter through, we will start to pull folks from the lobby so that everyone has an opportunity to speak.

Yes ma'am, please go ahead and we have two minutes on the timer please.

Mr. - - [Carol Eimers] Good evening.

I'm Carol Eimers.

I'm regional vice president for the Tennessee Valley Authority.

So I'm here representing TVA.

I wanna thank you for the opportunity to provide comment for the mayor's Climate Action Plan.

TVA was established 90 years ago to serve this region and the nation by developing innovative solutions to solve complex problems.

That same purpose guides our work today.

We recognize the need for affordable, reliable, resilient and clean energy.

We also recognize that there is no one answer to achieving the nation's decarbonization goals.

Which is why, why we are committed to developing all potential pathways to a clean energy future.

Recently, TVA announced a valley pathway study that will look at all segments of the valley economy and identify ways everyone, not just TVA, and the power industry can drive toward a sustainable clean economy.

We know this effort is broader than TVA which is why we are supportive of the mayor's Climate Action Plan and look forward to working side by side to help improve Chattanooga's quality of life and enables smart, clean and sustainable growth that benefits all cities, all members of the of the city.

We appreciate your leadership.

We look forward to working with you together on this important effort and thank you for your time this evening.

- [Dave Dennis] Hi, my name's Dave Dennis.

I'm at district seven and there's a war out there in this world since the beginning of time for control of the earth and there's always focused on financial systems, follow the money, and controlling the people.

When our state of Tennessee or any state of the union accepts federal funding, there's always strings attached.

We are sacrificing our sovereignty.

HARPA, DARPA, our Pentagon, CERN, World Economic Forum, CIA, Mossad, and MI6 all support new world orders.

Which include weather weaponization and modification, chemtrails and geoengineering of our skies, and all under the disguise of climate change.

These climate change agendas are stepping stones to control people and steal our God-given freedoms from we the people.

These agenda items augment the global plan to incorporate 15-minute neighborhoods smart cities in the current climate plan.

Artificial intelligence, if allowed to continue will be eliminating the human element.

Even your current positions could be jeopardized by a AI from a higher authority.

Common sense tells us we are heading into a digital concentration camp, our phones, smart TVs, smart appliances, smart cars, AI controlled cameras on every street and light pole, and every traffic light, every shopping center and every place of business all have facial recognition and built-in AI monitoring and it's every aspect of our life.

Could you see where the social scoring will come in?

These are the internet of things that are shown in the World Economic Forum presentations, all under the cover of public safety.

Pfizer's patent 11 1 0 7 5 88 B2 was approved back on August, 2021 and it allows contact tracing of vaccinated humans worldwide to be connected to the internet via quantum link of microwave frequencies from cell towers and satellites, communicating directly to graphene oxide (timer beeping) held in our fatty tissue and all the persons that took.

- [Darrin Ledford] Thank you sir.

Thank you.

That's your time.

- [Dave Dennis] That's it?

- [Darrin Ledford] Yes sir.

- [Sandy Kurtz] I'm Sandy Kurtz and I live at 1803 Coward Street, 37409.

I'm in the new District, 37408.

The new district is District nine.

Well, I came here to support the Climate Action Plan and I'm just surprised by what I'm hearing from many who are opposed to the plan and I'm just kind of confused about why they would be against so much of this and I think it has something to do with fear.

They're afraid of losing.

(people in audience interrupt) - Point of order, point of order.

- [Sandy Kurtz] And I look at this list here.

- [Darrin Ledford] Please don't interrupt - [Sandy Kurtz] What's in the climate action plan and I don't know what there is to really object to except that... - [Someone In audience] Please.

- [Sandy Kurtz] These people feel like they didn't have any, any input into it.

I am part of the Climate Chattanooga Coalition that is made up of several environmental local groups, citizens, interested citizens who have participated in this plan and creating it.

And I think that it's actually is a good plan and there is plenty of input from many, many citizens here locally.

And you had some opportunities and this public hearing is one of those.

So I'm sure that you all are hearing all of the information and talks that can go into it.

It is urgent that we do approve it because in the paper today we read that the climate change is giving us problems that we really need to get on to doing, taking action for.

So the best thing that you've have in this I think is that it says right at the beginning.

Invest in a circular economy.

That is a home run.

(timer beeping) - [Darrin Ledford] Please go ahead sir.

- [Aaron Barry] My name is Aaron Barry.

I'm retired army sergeant, military police.

Four-time combat veteran.

Also POW mission to Vietnam.

Listen, council member.. - [Darrin Ledford] What district do you live in sir?

- [Aaron Barry] District three.

Mr. Ken Smith, over here.

- [Darrin Ledford] Thank you for your service sir.

- [Aaron Barry] Knows exactly who I am.

Check this out ladies and gentlemen.

You guys, what I've been witnessing throughout this whole situation is that you have the corporation against the people.

Let me explain something to you.

The constitution wasn't written for corporations, it was written for the people.

I will behoove you to look at the 2003 situation in Virginia Beach when they tried to put their high tech cameras in there.

A group of my veterans went to the Supreme Court and within six to nine months had 'em removed.

I will have these cameras removed.

I'm not gonna discuss it anymore.

I've had enough.

We are the people we voted you in.

Did we vote you in or did the corporations vote you in?

(audience agreeing) You better start listening to us cause we've had enough.

This is very surreal and serious.

It is a control factor, that's all it is.

And we ain't gonna be controlled no more.

I've been all over this world.

I've seen it and now I'm seeing it here in my own city.

I didn't come here to be in peace to see war.

You know exactly what I'm talking about and I'm not gonna go further with it.

So explain to you this very simple, you need to look these things up that I just mentioned.

Pray about it and then exactly ask yourself in the mirror in the morning, why did you take them seats?

Because if I took that seat, it's for my own for my brothers and sisters out here.

Not for who's packing?

Who's packing my pocket.

I've got 15 seconds.

Bless your little hearts.

Every one of you because guess what, every one of you supposed to be intelligent.

What about the people who are outside our city district that work here?

Where's their voice?

God bless you.

Have a good night.

It ain't welcome.

The city plan is not gonna go through I promise.

(timer beeping) (audience cheering and clapping) - (Michael Walton) Chairman, thank you.

I'm Michael Walton.

I'm the executive director of Green Spaces and District eight.

We're a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a diverse bipartisan board of directors.

Our programming, which has received awards from Governor Haslam and Governor Lee, focuses on empowering people to be more self-sufficient, healthy and resilient.

We do that in under-resourced neighborhoods.

We connect at-risk young adults, with opportunities in clean industries.

We prepare students for jobs of the future and we help businesses meet their goals to be successful businesses and good stewards of the environment.

We are pleased to see that the Climate Action Plan shares our approach of working with a coalition of the willing to improve the quality of life and quality of the environment for everyone in the Chattanooga region.

I'm excited about the future the plan lays out, a carbon neutral future where I have the freedom to generate my own electricity on my property, power my car to get to work, grow fresh food in unpolluted land, drink unpolluted water, breathe unpolluted air and go hiking and camping with my two boys in a healthy ecosystem.

In this future with zero waste, I won't worry about where the next landfill will be built and whether it will be next to my house or business.

In this future, because of our planning now, my two boys and kids like them in every neighborhood in Chattanooga, will have access to the fastest growing industries in the world.

I don't think it's too much to ask that my two boys and kids all over Chattanooga grow up in a healthy place with with access as good or better natural resources than we do.

I support this plan and look forward to supporting the city during its execution.

Thank you very much.

(audience clapping) - [Dan Mehan] Good evening, Dan Mehan, district seven.

I've spoken to you before.

I'm a retired federal law enforcement officer.

I know a thing or two about about.

- [Someone In audience] Can't hear you.

- [Darrin Ledford] I'm sorry.

- [Dan Mehan] I'm a retired federal law enforcement officer.

I know a thing or two about intelligence and information and how to evaluate both over the course of 35 years I've done about 200 hours worth of research on the climate change topic which has been hijacked by government.

It is not an existential threat.

It is a logical fallacy meant to appeal to our emotion.

- [Someone In audience] Yes.

And I don't have but two minutes.

I'm happy to debate anybody on that aspect given more time.

But as an officer of the court I'm particularly concerned about the rule of law and government overreach, your hand on the scales.

I'm a global citizen.

I've been to 80 foreign countries, most of them socialists.

I know who the world polluters are, China, India.

I've been to 26 of the 54 countries in Africa.

I've lived in Libya for two years.

We don't want to lose our capitalist society and every step that you our government officials take to move us along the spectrum to socialism, more and more people, sir are going to be left in poverty.

It's the only political capitalist system, economic system that has lifted more people outta poverty in the last 50 years.

Two billion to be exact according to the World Bank.

You need to step back, let people vote on this and more importantly, let all these business developers that are looking to make a buck, let corporate people work it out.

Government should stay out of this debate and let disruptive company out.

(audience cheering and clapping) Thank you all.

Thank you.

- [Johan de Nysschen] Good evening.

Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Johan de Nysschen.

I live in Harrison.

And my wife and I considered Chattanooga our home.

I'm a recent retiree and I am devoting my energy to serving our community and helping specifically to focus on workforce development.

I'm a member of Chatanooga 2.0 and I'm also chairman of CARTA.

I'm speaking to you today as one of the people and not as a representative of a corporation.

Listening to the eloquent and passionate former speakers.

I'm struck by the tragedy of how concerned about the environment, sustainability and the air that we breathe, the water we drink and the soil that we cultivate has become so politicized.

Because after all this earth is the one thing that we all have in common.

Regardless of color or creed or political persuasion.

Regardless of whether one believes in climate change or not.

It seems to me to be empirically common sense that we would seek to harness technology, good order, new knowledge to bring about the advancement of communities and our society and have a positive environmental impact with the view to sustaining the future for the generations to come.

I support this plan because it is comprehensive in nature.

It is multifaceted and it's not about whether it reigns on poor people or rich people.

But in Chattanooga, unless we also have efforts to develop our disadvantaged people, people who are not engaged in the workforce, will slow down investment and flatline the growth in our city.

(timer beeping) This is a comprehensive, well thought out plan and deserve support - [Darrin Ledford] Thank you sir - [Johan de Nysschen] Thank you.

(audience clapping) - [Darrin Ledford] I want to thank each and every one of you for bringing your comments, your convictions and even your passion in the beginning.

Because everything you said, I promise you we are making lots of notes.

We are listening intently and this is a very important part of the process.

And yes, whether you live in the city, whether you live in the county, your your voice matters and that's something that we strive for and live up to every single meeting.

If you, I'd like to see more of you come back and visit us instead of just about this, it would be nice.

You're, door is always welcome or open.

You're always welcome.

So thank you for your comments.

We have concluded the public hearing.

I will now end the public hearing.

Okay, we're gonna move on to our agenda ordinances on final reading.

I have a motion to approve the minutes.

The minutes will stand without objection.

The order of business for city council.

Ordinances on final reading.

Planning items, without objection from council items A, B, and C - Item A.

An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City code part two chapter, 38, zoning ordinance.

So as to rezone property located at 335 Browns Ferry Road from RFI residential zone to R3 MD moderate density zone.

Item B - ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part two chapter 38, zoning ordinance.

So as there zone parted for property located at 7671 Goodwin Road from R1 residential zone to R4 special zone, subject certain conditions.

Item C - an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code part two chapter 38, zoning ordinance.

So as to rezone property located at 6001 South (indistinct) Avenue from UGC, Urban General Commercial Zone pre 8 30 20 22 to UGC, Urban General Commercial Zone Post 8 30 20 22.

Subject certain conditions.

- [Darrin Ledford] council, we have final reading on planning items A, B and C. I have motion to approve.

Have a second to that motion.

Questions or comments on final read?

All those in favor say aye.

- [People In audience] Aye.

- [Darrin Ledford] Opposed?

Items carried on, final reading.

These purchases this evening.

That concludes our ordinances and resolutions for this evening.

Ms. Satterfield, I believe we have eight purchases and one emergency purchase.

- [Ms.Satterfield] That is correct.

Under purchases we have eight recommended for approval this evening.

The first is from the Fleet Management Division of Public Works.

This is a change order to the one time purchase approved by council on January 17th, 2023, for two Volkswagen id four electric vehicles from Village VW of Chattanooga for a total of $99,869.

The change order would add $2,311 per vehicle for a total of $4,622.

Changing the total cost of the purchase to $104,491.

- [Darrin Ledford] You have a motion on the floor for purchases to be approved.

I have a second to that Motion.

Questions or comments before we vote?

All those in favor say aye.

- [People In audience] Aye.

- [Darrin Ledford] Opposed?

Purchases are approved.

Recognition of persons wishing to address council is next on our agenda.

- [Reverend Ann Jones Pierre] Good evening to the Chattanooga City Council.

Appreciate.

I'm Reverend Ann Jones Pierre, current president of the Chattanooga Hamilton County branch of the NAACP.

And to clear the record, I'm not an attorney and I have never made a statement to that effect.

We are here tonight and as the softball team and their coaches, if you please stand and any members of the NAACP that are still here.

We are here tonight to bring attention to the situation that exists in our one Chattanooga.

The little league softball teens that are black, inner city young girls have been removed from the Scenic City league.

Only black teens were removed.

It is not clear who controls this league and the league status with the city and the use of city fields.

As president of the local NAACP, I made a call on Sunday to the person who is developing schedules and performing other activities to have him disrespectfully terminate the call and apologies due the NAACP.

After talking to Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod, we are convinced that the city of Chattanooga has involvement in the league.

How can we as citizens avoid the issue of trouble in which our young people are involved in if they do not have directed activities?

The direct issue is the removal of all black teens from the league with no explanation.

The only hint of a reason and the one that I have been made aware of, is a personal adult issue that has nothing to do with the coaches or the black teens.

The city is involved and should be concerned about its young citizens staying out of trouble and becoming productive citizens for the one Chattanooga.

Tonight, the coaches, the all champion team members of the previous year, and supporters are here.

We are here to first uncover the discriminatory manner surrounding the alster of the black teens and get an understanding concerning the outdoor programs and use of city facilities that promotes the inclusion of all youth in Chattanooga.

We probably know the saying that "An idle mine is the devil's workshop."

The coaches who have collectively more than 120 years experience use their personal funds, automobiles and other resources to give these girls a chance.

Therefore, we believe it not robbery for the city to support our youth.

Those now and those to come.

Children are precious and we are responsible for cutting the diamonds for their perfection.

Thank you - [Darrin Ledford] Thank you.

Anyone else wishing to address council this evening.

Council, I am seeing no one coming to the podium.

I have a motion to adjourn.

We are adjourned.

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