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

(bright music) (gavel banging) - All right, we call our Tuesday May 16th City Council meeting to order.

We have no special presentations today.

Can I get a motion on the minutes?

(indistinct) - Second.

- Okay, that'll stand without objection.

Council, today under final reading we have several items, and if there's no objection I would like to take items a through f as a group.

All right, Madam Clerk.

- [Nicole] Item a, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part II Chapter 38, zoning ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 706 and 17 Manufacturers Road from M1 manufacturing zone to the R-RV-6 river view zone and R-RF-6 riverfront zone subject to certain conditions.

Item b, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part II Chapter 38 zoning ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 4980 Lillie Lane from R-2 residential zone, C2 convenience commercial zone, subject to certain conditions.

Item c, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part II Chapter 38, zoning ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 1204, 1208, an unaddressed parcel in the 1200 block of East 35th Street Place, 1214 and 1216 East 35th Street Place from R-2 residential zone and R-5 residential zone to M1 manufacturing zone, subject to certain conditions.

Item d, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part II Chapter 38 zoning ordinance, so as to rezone unaddressed property in the 1700 block of Mulberry Street from R-2 residential zone to UGC urban general commercial zone, subject to certain conditions.

Item e, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part II Chapter 38 zoning ordinance so as to rezone property located at 2001 Riverside Drive from M1 manufacturing zone to C2 convenience commercial zone, subject to certain conditions.

Item f, an ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code Part II Chapter 38 zoning ordinance, so as the zone property located at 850 Oak Street from R-3 residential zone to R-4 special zone, subject to certain conditions.

- [Raquetta] All right, Councilman Ledford followed by Councilman Henderson.

- [Darrin] Move to approve, Madam Chair.

- Second.

- All right.

There's been a motion and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk, item g, please.

- [Nicole] An ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code Part II Chapter 11 Article XX, short-term vacation rental certificate and creating a new chapter 38 zoning division 27, uses requiring short term vacation rental certificates.

- Move to approve.

- Second.

- All right, it's been motion and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion carries.

Under Public Works, item c. - [Nicole] An ordinance closing and abandoning an unopened right of way in the 3500 block of Brandon Avenue as detailed on the attached map, subject to certain conditions.

Okay, Councilwoman Hill.

- Madam Chair, this is in your district.

I move to approve.

Second.

- It's been motioned and properly second.

Thank you so much.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Madam Clerk, item d. - [Nicole] An ordinance closing and abandoning an unopened right of way in the 2200 block of April Street as detailed on the attached maps.

- Okay, Councilwoman Noel.

- [Marvene] Move to approve.

- [Council Member] Second.

- All right, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Resolutions, item a, under Council Office.

- [Nicole] A resolution confirming the appointment of Buell Connell to the Police and Advisory Review Committee for District 6 to complete an unexpired term beginning May 17, 2023, and ending August 9, 2026.

- Okay, Councilwoman Berz.

- [Carol] Move approval.

- Second.

- All right, any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed.

Motion passes.

If there's no objection, I would like to take items b and c under Economic Development as a group.

Madam Clerk.

- [Nicole] Item b, a resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a lease agreement, in substantially the form attached, with the Hamilton County Board of Education relative to Washington Hills Community Center, parcel number 129F-B-012, consisting of approximately 17.7 acres.

Item c, a resolution authorizing the Mayor or his designee to enter into a Third Agreement to exercise option to renew with Chattanooga Flying Disc Club, Inc., in substantially the form attached, for disc golf courses at City Public Parks for daily use and tournament play for an additional term of one year for the term through June 30, 2024.

- Move to approve.

- Second.

- All right, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Item d, on the Mayor's Office.

- [Nicole] A resolution confirming Mayor Kelly's appointment of Anthony Sammons as the Chief Equity Officer.

- Okay, Councilman Hester.

- It is indeed an honor and a privilege to make this motion for the approval of Tony Sammon to the Chief Equity Office.

He's givin' his life to the uplifting of the humanity.

He's truly been a service to our community.

At this time, I nominate...

Confirm... We wanna confirm Tony as the Chief Equity Officer.

- Second.

- Thank you.

- All right, Councilman Hester.

Is that second?

- Second.

Yes, ma'am.

- All right, thank you so much.

Okay, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

I have Councilwoman Coonrod.

- Yeah, thank you, chair.

Let me give you some real words to say about Mr. Sammons.

You missed the important piece.

He's from the west side, a dedicated person (laughing) to our community.

Them words kinda didn't seem like it came from the heart, but just before me serving on Council, just being a part of a neighborhood association, Anthony was always makin' sure that we had the equitable resources to come into our community and making sure that we had everything we need to thrive.

And I appreciate that, not just in the neighborhood association meetings, but outside of that, even in other endeavors that he participate in.

He's always been a voice of reason.

So with this new position, I'm really lookin' forward to working with you in it and makin' sure that we address the issues, like the elephant in the room that we often sweep up under the rug that need to be addressed when it comes to equity.

And it's not just a word that we're just throwin' around and usin' it because it's the trendin' word to say.

We really need to uncover some things within government and really work on what equity truly means for all people in order for it to be a great city for everyone to work, live, and play in.

And so with that, I guess I third the motion.

- All right, thank you so much, Councilwoman Coonrod.

Any additional comments or questions?

All right.

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

All right, motion passes.

Congratulations to you, Tony.

(everyone clapping) All right, Madam Clerk, item e under the Office of Community Health.

- [Nicole] A resolution authoring the Mayor to execute Amendment No.

3 of the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Chattanooga and the University of Tennessee of Chattanooga, Master of Public Health Program to hire one additional graduate assistant, increasing the budget of $64,022 by $6,089 to the amount of $70,111.

- Move approval.

- Second.

- Okay, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

Okay, all in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

If there's no objection to Council I would like to take items f and g as a group.

All right, Madam Clerk.

- [Nicole] Item f, a resolution authorizing the Chief of Police to approve, and if awarded, accept a grant contract with the State of Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security to provide funding for overtime to administer bicycle and pedestrian enforcement and education for a 12-month term beginning October 1, 2022 and ending September 30, 2023, for amount not to exceed $35,000.

Item g, a resolution authorizing Chief of Police to approve, and if awarded, accept a grant contract with the Hamilton County District 3 Homeland Security Council for the purchase of two mobile x-ray units for a grant period ending January 31, 2025, in the amount of $116,074.44, and wherein the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Domestic Preparedness State Homeland Security Grant 2022 was awarded to Hamilton County in the amount of $224,756.57.

All right, Councilman Henderson.

- [Chip] Move approval.

- [Council Member] Second.

- All right, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

Okay, all in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All right, all opposed?

Motion passes.

Under Public Works we would like to take items h and i, if there's no objection from Council.

Okay, go ahead, Madam Clerk.

- [Nicole] item h, a resolution authorizing Mayor Kelly to execute an agreement with Hamilton County for the Courts Community Service Program to schedule workers to conduct litter pick up on city streets over fiscal year 2024 in the amount of $60,000.

Item i, a resolution authorizing City of Chattanooga to allocate $1,702,192.32 from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act reimbursement of operational expenses to purchase three automated garbage trucks, one paint truck, one thermoplastic trailer with hand liner, one passenger vehicle, and GPS tracking for the purposes of completing operations equipment purchases paused during the pandemic.

All right, Councilman Hester.

- [Isiah] Move to approve.

- Second.

- All right, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- Okay, all opposed?

All right, motion passes.

All right, Council, We're now ready for purchases.

- Good evening, Council.

We have one purchase recommended for approval from the Street Maintenance Division of Public Works.

This is a new blanket contract for biohazard removal and disposal services.

Seven bids were requested and two were returned.

This will be a four-year agreement not to exceed $50,000 per year.

The award will go to BELFOR USA Group, Inc. as the best bid for the City of Chattanooga.

- [Raquetta] All right, Council, what's your- - Move to approve.

- Second.

- Okay, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor.

- [Council Members] Aye.

- [Raquetta] All opposed.

Motion passes.

- We also have three RFPs we are requesting approval for not to approve any awards at this time.

The first is from the Department of Technology Services.

The department seeks a vendor who can provide online survey tools for employee engagement and pulse surveys.

There are many tools and platforms available with different features and reporting, and RFP will give the department the flexibility to see the possible options and technology that would best suit their needs.

The second is also from the Department of Technology Services.

The department is looking for a vendor that can do a workspace redesign of the third floor of The Edney Building.

The vendor will be tasked with maximizing the space while utilizing existing equipment and replacing furniture as necessary.

There will be multiple vendors that can provide different areas, different ideas and options for this area, and an RFP will best serve as the best mechanism for this purchase.

And last from the Office of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, the Sanction Encampment was a pilot project that kicked off summer 2022.

Sanction Encampment has provided a safe location for individuals experiencing homelessness to reside and serves as a safe location for these residents to keep their belongings.

Its core purpose is to provide individuals experiencing both episodic and chronic homelessness a place to stay in absence of low-barrier shelter the RFP will serve to allow community partners to suggest approaches to operating and maintaining the encampment within a predetermined budget.

- [Council Member] Move approval.

- Second.

- All right, it's been motioned and properly second.

Any comments or questions?

All in favor?

- [Council Members] Aye.

- All opposed?

Motion passes.

Thank you, Brooke.

- We have one emergency purchase to report as well.

This emergency purchase is from the Public Works Department for asphalt paving to repair walkways at Hixson Youth Baseball Fields one and two.

The installation of a new field lighting system at the Hixson Youth Baseball fields has resulted in the need for repairs to the existing asphalt walkways around fields one and two ahead of summer ball season due to safety and accessibility concerns.

Asphalt repair was not covered by the lighting agreement.

Scope of work package was sent to three paving contractors.

Two responded.

The total cost of this emergency purchase is $50,250, and the supplier is Faultless, Inc. - [Raquetta] All right, thank you so much.

- Thank you.

- All right, Council, prior to committee reports our city attorney does have information he needs to share.

- Yes, ma'am.

Pursuant to the charter, the city attorney's office has to present cases when there's a settlement amount in excess of $50,000.

And I have two settlements that I would like to get on the record.

One involving Doyle and Augusta Bodenhamer versus the City of Chattanooga and Billy Powell, which the city attorney's office has obtained a settlement in the amount of $59,171.90.

And then the second settlement is a claim involving a lady by the name of Michelle Morman, which the city attorney's office has obtained a settlement in the amount of $65,000.

And just wanted to put those on the record at this time so that it's in the public meeting.

- All right.

- Yes.

- All right.

- And in addition to that, we had received a complaint here, as well, regarding one of your Council members.

Pursuant to section 2-761, whenever some complaint is lodged against any member of the Council, the ethics officer has to present that complaint at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Council, and y'all have to make a vote.

I have provided y'all with a summary of that information, the same summary that I've already given to reporter David Floyd last Tuesday regarding an instance.

And based upon my opinion as the city attorney, I do not believe that there is an ethics violation here as to Councilwoman Berz in connection with the ethics complaint that was filed by Olivia Tawzer.

I do not find any information that established that the amendments to the noise ordinance were caused as a result of any interaction between Councilwoman Berz and Ms. Tawzer.

And I do not believe that there was any attempt to use her position for personal financial gain or to secure any privilege or exemption.

And as such, at this point in time it'd be my recommendation that this complaint should be closed at this time.

But y'all have to take a vote on that.

- All right.

Based on the information received by the city attorney, and his opinion, does the Council believe this matter should be closed at this time?

- A yes vote means that it'll be dismissed or closed and a no vote means it would not be dismissed or closed.

So all in favor?

- [Council Members] Yes.

- Yes, okay.

All opposed?

All right, so the matter should be closed or dismissed.

- That is required by section 2-761B in the code.

- Thank you so much.

I appreciate it.

All right, and Councilwoman Coonrod.

- Thank you, Chair.

We didn't have strategic planning today, so I didn't know where to put this at, but the organization, the AKAs, they submitted a sponsorship request.

I did forward it to Ms. Nicole about it for City Council to sponsor their jazz brunch.

So I wanted to see if Council would be interested in being a sponsor for that event.

Is there a- - As the entire Council?

- [Raquetta] Okay, is there a cost for that one?

So they have three different levels.

Jazzed Up 2,500, We're Back level 1500, the Pink level is 750.

Ms. Nicole do have all the information, and I had to mention it at a public session, committee session.

- Okay, Nicole, could you send that out in a calendar invite, and we'll just process it like we usually process those?

The numbers are right.

- Thank you, Councilwoman Coonrod.

All right, now it's time for committee reports.

Councilwoman Coonrod.

- No report.

- All right.

Councilwoman Noel.

- No report.

- Councilwoman Berz.

- Yes, ma'am.

We had our final budget education session today, and the Council is ready to move forward.

We will be publicized... Well, we publicized it today.

We'll also be doing it on the website.

The schedule will be, public hearing will be June 6th.

The first vote will be June 13th.

The second vote will be June 20th.

So any information the public needs about the budget, you can look on the website or you can contact your Council representatives, and hopefully you'll be fully informed for the public hearing on the sixth.

- All right, thank you Councilwoman Berz.

I'm sorry, Councilman Henderson.

- Thank you, Madam Chair.

Next week, we will be having a Public Safety Committee meeting.

We will be giving the park quarterly report, and we'll get a crime reduction update by Chief Murphy.

- [Raquetta] All right, thank you very much.

Councilman Smith?

- [Ken] No (indistinct).

- Councilman Ledford.

- [Darrin] Planning and Zoning will meet June 6th, Madam Chair.

- All right, thank you.

And Councilman Hester?

- [Isiah] We did meet today.

We'll meet again June the 13th.

- All right, and Madam Vice Chair Hill.

- The Affordable Housing Committee will meet next week with an update on the Eviction Prevention Initiative.

- All right, thank you very much.

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

If you would like to do that, you can go ahead and start linin' up.

- Yes, my name is Mike Smith.

I'm the Executive Director of the Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition.

For now.

We will be renaming ourselves the Tennessee Homeless Coalition.

We find it funny because it's gonna be THC, but that's... (people chuckling) But our intention with this is very specific.

The communities that are outside of our jurisdiction are failing.

As we've shown in our community, we can lead the way home, which is why we've titled our conference this year Leading the Way Home Tennessee.

We believe that no Tennesseean has to sleep outside.

So I'm using this tonight, I guess, partly to say to the communities next to us, get your house together, otherwise, we will.

You're not gonna send people to Chattanooga.

No Tennesseean sleeps outside.

I also...

I was in DC as a representative of Tennessee in the National Alliance to End Homelessness Leadership Council.

I represent the entire state.

While there, this Council approved the partnership with the coalition for the purchase of a new Homeless Management Information System platform.

That is very important.

This is how we break down silos.

We all share data together.

We prioritize people.

This is how we move towards a more equitable future for those experiencing homelessness.

You've heard me say before that persons of color are overrepresented on the streets.

There's a myriad of different factors in that.

Councilwoman Hill mentioned the EPI program, which is a very great program.

The coalition sought and attained $500,000 to put towards the EPI Flex Fund to keep people in their house.

Back to the HMIS.

And I do wanna mention one thing, for a person with a disability somethin' has to be done with the sound in here.

Either like some words or...

It's very hard.

But you approved the HMIS system.

Anytime you see homelessness come across any agenda, ask yourself, are you requiring that they enter data into that system?

Because if not you're hamstringing us.

That's what the (indistinct) administration did to us.

There's a better way.

But thank you for approving that purchase, and just register for the (indistinct).

Councilwoman Hill did.

She can show you where to get registered.

Thank you.

(indistinct) - [Raquetta] Thanks, Mike.

- Hi, my name is Anna Smith Broomfield.

I reside at Stone Ridge Apartment, 1020 West 37th Street.

And I approached Ms. Dotley about my apartment complex.

And the very next day, Ms. Dotley was in motion addressing my issues.

And I come tonight to thank her and Ms. Strong.

I really appreciate what you did.

- [Raquetta] Thank you Ms. Anna.

I appreciate it.

That's very nice.

- Hello, everyone.

- Hello.

I'd like to introduce myself.

My name is Steven Marshall.

I'm a Gospel...

Gospel rapper with the group called Save the Youth Tour.

- [Raquetta] Hey, Mr. Marshall, what district do you live in?

- I live on Bailey.

- Okay.

- On Bailey Avenue.

I come today to talk about the violence that we're having in the city of Chattanooga with our young people and some of the older adults.

I wrote a song called Sadie.

I wrote a song called "Think Twice Before You Take a Life."

And this song is gettin' played in 125 countries on WESL Radio in St. Louis, Missouri.

The reason why I wrote the song, because I see our young people is killin' one another, pickin' up guns, and takin' each other lives.

Me and Mr. Winston.

- Mr. Winston, Mr. Winston.

- Have come up with an idea that we know that it will reach our young youth today in society.

And the disciple is who I am.

A disciple who follow the word of God.

Steven Marshall is my name.

I has been performin' around the southeast for over a decade and been featured artist on New Star Production of Save the Youth Tour for several years, which moves around to community centers and schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee, talking to kids and young adults about alternative to drugs and gangs.

I have appeared in some of the biggest festivals, Riverbend Festival, but my goal is to reach our young people, because it's not about me.

It's not about me.

It's about teaching our next generation, teaching them, educatin' them in the society of the world today Save the Youth Tour was created in 2008 to bring vital information to our youth- - All right, thank you, Mr. Marshall.

- Through music and ministry.

That's it.

- All right.

- Thank you.

- Did you have somethin' too, sir?

- Well, we're workin' on a music video, and there's certain parts of the city that we may need to use.

So we may wanna get with some of the City Council members who districts that we can try to finish up the music video in.

- Okay.

- So we can try to get with y'all a little later on.

- [Raquetta] Okay, all right, thank you.

- Thank y'all so much.

- I'm sorry, what's your name?

What's your name, sir?

- Chris Winston.

- Chris Winston.

All right, thank you, Mr. Winston.

- All right, y'all have a blessed day.

- You, too.

- Have a blessed day.

- Thank you.

- Thank y'all.

All right, Council, I don't see anyone else lined up.

What's your pleasure?

- Move to adjourn.

- Okay, meeting adjourned.

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