East Ridge Council members decided how to proceed with the hiring process for a city manager at the council meeting Thursday night. Vice Mayor Jim Bethune presided over the discussion in the absence of Mayor Brent Lambert, who was involved in an auto accident on the way to the meeting. Mr. Bethune told the audience that the mayor had been taken to the hospital, but it was a non-emergency situation.
Three candidates were chosen for the first round of interviews for the position of city manager.
Two of these first interviews were conducted through Skype. The third was done in person because that applicant had already planned on being in Chattanooga at the time. Despite reservations about one of the three candidates, Mr. Bethune told the other commissioners he believes all three should be given personal interviews. Commissioner Marc Gravitt said he had a problem with one candidate that kept his phone turned on and who got up from the table and walked away to answer it in the middle of the interview. This same man’s attire was also inappropriate for the occasion, he said. Council members Larry Sewell and Mr. Bethune agreed with Mr. Gravitt, but decided there may have been circumstances relating to his work that resulted in that behavior.
It was decided to invite all three applicants to return for a face to face comprehensive interview with the city offering $300 to each for paying mileage driven and a one night stay at a hotel. If possible, all three interviews will be held Friday, May 3. If that date is a problem, a backup time will be Monday, March 6. Interviews will begin at 5:30 p.m. so that interested residents who work will be able to attend. Interim City Manager Eddie Phillips will contract with a local company to have in-depth background checks done on all three at a cost of $150 each.
Of the 82 resumes received for the position, only three applicants met the city charter’s requirement of holding a bachelors degree in public administration. Those three are Christopher J. Dorsey, currently budget director for Pasco County, Fla., and past city manager of Red Bank, James F. Coleman from Lady Lake, Fla., who is a branch manager of FEMA, and Kenneth A. Creque, who is the town manager for Plymouth, N.C.
In old business, the council approved rezoning land at 4014 and 4016 Bennett Road from R-1 Residential and C-5 Neighborhood Commercial to M-3 Warehouse and Wholesale District. James Citty plans to build a warehouse to store antique cars and motorcycles at the location.
Council members gave approval for the city manager to apply for a 100 percent grant from the Wayne G. Basler Charitable Foundation in order to purchase equipment for the fire department that is used to protect from carbon monoxide.
Mr. Phillips also said he was proud to announce that East Ridge received a AA-3 Municipal Bond Fund Rating from Moody’s Investor Service. This will mean savings for East Ridge in future borrowing, he said. The city is very financially sound, he stated.
Land to be used for a community garden was also unanimously approved for the East Ridge Ruritan Club. A plot of 150 by 85 feet has been plowed and is ready to plant. Volunteers will have plants in the ground by next week, the council members were told. Produce will be given to the volunteers according to the amount of time they work in the garden. Some of the excess food will be sold to pay for the water used, and some will be donated to food banks at the community center or churches.
Rental fees will be waived for law enforcement agencies from Tennessee and Georgia to use Camp Jordan for “Hands across the Border,” an annual law enforcement event sponsored by the Governor’s Highway Safety Office.
Interim City Attorney Hal North told council members that he had looked into defects in the walking track at Camp Jordan and that there was an impasse with the contractor. He asked for and was given approval to intervene in the matter on behalf of the city.
East Ridge is in the process of creating a new ordinance to deal with citizens who own multiple animals. The city is creating a tool that will allow responsible people to keep multiple animals without hiding them. Vice Mayor Bethune stated that it is not an issue of whether the residents can maintain them, it is what the neighbors think. This ordinance will define the requirements and restrictions associated with keeping more than five dogs and cats and will give East Ridge animal services the power to issue a summons for nuisance animals for probable cause. Citizens will be allowed to have more than five animals but “will have to jump through hoops” and buy a $150 multiple pet license.
Because the Animal Control board uses volunteers for jobs such as feeding and adopting animals and cleaning kennels, the city attorney told the council that it must create all positions and oversee the volunteer programs. He also said that all volunteers need to be trained and covered by the city’s liability insurance. He added that the purpose of doing this is not at all to discourage volunteers - they are much needed.
Two East Ridge citizens came to the meeting asking for their organization “Mr. Bentley’s Canine Friends,” to be grandfathered in. This is an animal rescue group that attempts to keep no more than 20 animals at once. They are doing the city a service and have qualified for a state license which requires home, background, criminal and financial checks to be done, it was stated. Marc Gravitt suggested making exceptions to the new ordinance for groups that are licensed by the state.
The East Ridge Neighborhood Watch will meet from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the community center. A representative from that organization came to the council meeting to invite the council and all residents to attend. Attendance is expected to be 150. The group of 1,600 citizens has a mission of combating crime.
Stump Martin, director of parks and recreation, announced that next Wednesday the Gulf South baseball conference will hold a tournament in Chattanooga at AT&T Field. Two of the college teams will hold a baseball clinic for five-, nine- and 10-year old players in East Ridge. The other six teams that will be participating will go to other recreation associations. Mr. Martin said there is free entrance to the tournament for children who wear their jerseys to the game.
Next week will be the biggest of the year for parks and recreation, said Mr. Martin. More than 100 soccer teams will compete at Camp Jordan, and a run and biking event will take place along with a fishing rodeo for underprivileged children from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon on May 4 sponsored by the Optimist Club
An announcement was also made that Libertyfest is scheduled for June 29 at 4 p.m. Entertainment will be by the Atlanta Rhythm Section and there will be running, biking, and disc golf as well as a fishing tournament.
A rabies clinic for dogs and cats will be held Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Shots will be $5 for a dog or cat.
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