Representatives from the three recovery class wrecker companies in Chattanooga met with Assistant City Attorney Keith Reisman on Tuesday in an effort to resolve the on-going problem of how to fairly distribute work among the three qualified recovery companies in the city, he told the Chattanooga Wrecker Board at the Thursday morning meeting. The three companies, Doug Yates Towing and Recovery, Guy Yates Wrecker Company and Monteagle Wrecker Service of Chattanooga disagree about the procedure used by the city to determine which company to call when a wreck needing recovery capability occurs. He said there was a “spirited discussion and stark differences” during the meeting.
The current procedure allows a trucking company to have a contract with a local towing company on file with the city of Chattanooga. If towing services are needed, that is the wrecker company called. If there is no contract on file, the responding police officer specifies that the next wrecker company on a rotation list be the one to get the business. In some cases, the contracts are with a non-recovery wrecker companies.
This program is administered by the Hamilton County 911 call center. The center is responsible for keeping up the rotation list and deciding who to call. If there is a discrepancy, Officer John Collins with the Chattanooga Police Department makes the decision. This practice leads to confusion and sometimes the wrong wrecker business is assigned to a wreck, it was stated.
Officials at the Hamilton County 911 call center no longer want to have the responsibility of determining if there is a contract and this is leading the city to formulate a new system, the board was told. Officer Collins has spoken with officials in Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville as well as the Tennessee Department of Transportation to learn the procedures they use. The largest cities in the state rely on the truck driver who is involved to name the company that should be called, and if one is not specified, the rotation list applies.
Doug Yates Towing actively works at getting contracts and has around 150 on file, which is more than the other two companies, said Officer Collins. Board member Ed Townson told the board it is his belief that the Yates company had worked for that business and that the city should not require that it be shared.
The next step, said Mr. Reisman, is for him to draft an official procedure which he will present to the board. They in turn will hand it over to the City Council for approval. He added that when something is on the table to discuss “I’ll be asking for body armor.”
As the Beer Board, the members heard applications for a beer license from two businesses because of name and ownership changes. The Stonefort Inn is now owned by Mark H. and Sharon C. Oldham under the name Stonefort Operation, LLC. This is a 16-room bed and breakfast inn at 120 E. 10th Street. The restaurant will retain the old employees and, if others are hired, they will be trained in serving alcohol, said Bonnie Hennen representing the business. This application was granted.
The Crash Pad located at 29 Johnson St. has done some legal restructuring with a name change to Crash Pad Operations, LLC which required a new beer permit. This business is a boutique hostel that caters to outdoor enthusiasts. Daniel Rose told the board that its clientele is a diverse group of people ranging in ages from 30s to 50s. The owners have beer in a locked cooler and the four staff members have a key. A copy of each patron’s ID is on file so age is known. The Crash Pad sells beer from the cooler during business hours. This application for a beer license was granted.
Gregory Vickery, executive director of the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy, was given a special event beer license for the Cyclo-Cross Race at Greenway Farms. The function is a promotional event and fundraiser for the organization and will be held on Nov. 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with 200 people expected. Approval for a license to sell beer at the function was approved.