I've always wondered - why do areas like East Ridge and Red Bank pretend to be cities unto themselves? All the mayors, councils and duplications of services seem like wasted efforts to me.

Hixson, which by all accounts is larger and thriving, has no problem with being "on the team." Would East Ridge not already have a levee system to prevent the flooding if they'd been part of the city of Chattanooga?

As it stands now, East Ridge can't come up with $6.5 million in matching funds to receive a $25 million grant that would fix the problem.

The most pressing concern seems to be sprucing up the exits to entice visitors. Where is the sense in this?

If it's only a matter of time - and not long with the ground completely saturated - until the floods rise again, why isn't anyone suggesting a merger of some sort?

I really wish someone would explain it to me. It makes so much sense. I'm as appreciative of nostalgia as anyone, but sometimes change is good. What are the reasons for remaining separate?

Gary Wood
East Brainerd

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Mr. Wood,

You are right, you don’t understand.
Why would Red Bank become part of the city of Chattanooga? We pay lower taxes, and we have better services, lower crime and hard working police, fire, and public works departments.

When flood waters crossed over our street several years ago the public works staff were out in the rain working to save our homes and property from damage in the middle of the night.

When I had a heart attack while driving on Dayton Boulevard the police, fire, rescue, and EMS workers were with me inside of two minutes.

While most individual members of the Chattanooga fire, police and other departments are hard working, the overall ability of Chattanooga to provide services is lacking. When I called 911 in the city of Chattanooga no one answered the phone, and 20 minutes later when the 911 clerk called back she wanted to argue that I hung up and didn’t have a real emergency. Had I been bleeding to death those 20 minutes would have been a wasted opportunity for live saving care.

I live in a small town with small town charm, small town sensibilities and small town values, and even though it is a town of under 12,000 people we have all we need from our city government. Can you say you can call the mayor at home, and he not only welcomes your call, he knows who you are? That goes for all our elected officials.

I have lived in Red Bank for 23 years and have no desire to move. Nostalgia has nothing to do with it. It’s simply a better place to live, and if it works why change it?

Harry T. Stone
harry@thepurplewing.com

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Twenty years ago I moved to East Ridge after living in the Chattanooga city limits most of my life. I moved to East Ridge after being told I would have to ship my children out of my neighborhood to a school miles away just to satisfy someone else's idea of equality. If I wanted to live in Chattanooga, I would move to Chattanooga. We all know you are talking metro government, which will eventually be forced down our throats. But for now, no thanks.

William Mckeel