Lookout Mountain To Implement New Private Social Network

  • Wednesday, November 11, 2015
  • Gail Perry

A new way for Lookout Mountain neighbors to communicate will soon be available. A private social network, “nextdoor.com” will be exclusively for residents of the towns of Lookout Mountain, Tn. and Ga. This will be a way that the community can post notices such as for lost pets and community events. There will also be a free text alert system. City officials and dispatchers will be able to send notifications of information such as downed trees and road closures or urgent alerts warning of weather events.

Merrill McGinness, who maintains the website livingonlookout.com, will be the local contact person responsible for this service. She told Lookout Mountain, Tn., Commissioners that it will interface seamlessly with the website. Town Consultant Dwight Montague said the service stresses privacy, will be password protected and it is not searchable. The town does not have to pay for this new benefit and it is free for the residents.

Commissioner Jim Bentley read the police and fire department statistics from the month of October that were compiled by Chief Randy Bowden. During the month, police had 131 calls, patrolled 3,141 miles, answered 23 burglar alarms that were all false, and responded to seven assist citizen calls and 15 calls to 911. There were two auto accidents during October, and 29 traffic stops. There were no burglaries and one arrest was made. Nine medical calls were taken and there were three fire alarms, one false in Tennessee, one mutual aid in Georgia that was false and one fire from a gas spill that was contained.

Town Attorney Brian Smith is working with Commissioner Bentley to create a new ordinance regarding job site cleanliness. The purpose is to prevent dumpsters being scattered all over the streets during demolitions or new construction.

Mayor Carol Mutter warned all drivers that headlights should be used in foggy conditions as well as in the rain.

Hamilton County Commissioner Joe Graham gave updated information about missing guardrails coming up the mountain. They are on state roads that are outside the city limits of both Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain. One section is missing on Cummings Highway past the stone wall heading toward Broad Street and the other is at the foot of Scenic Highway where it joins Cummings. TDOT is looking at different options for that area so as not to obstruct the view of oncoming traffic. Commissioner Graham said the work should be done around the first of the year.

Walker Jones, commissioner of public works, said that driving in fog should be helped by the striping which was done with reflective paint that was recently completed on all roads. He said as reflectors are being replaced they are being placed closer together - 25 feet apart rather than the standard 40 feet to help with visibility. Mr. Jones asked for patience with leaf removal. The town now has two leaf machines but because of so much rain, they are so heavy that only half loads can be picked up. Additionally, the trucks are having trouble getting to the dump site for leaves and brush. The town has ordered two more truckloads of salt to add to what was left from last year. Commissioner Jones said there will be plenty to take care of the roads for what is predicted to be a very cold, wet winter. The dumpster will be at the public works area on Dec. 5.

Don Stinnett, commissioner of schools, gave the upcoming holiday schedule for Lookout Elementary. The Holiday Concert will be performed on both Dec. 3 and 4 with all students participating both days. It will be at 8:30 a.m. in the auditorium. The school will be closed from Nov. 25-27 for Thanksgiving and from Dec. 17 –Jan. 6 for Christmas. He said progress is slowly being made on the new greenhouse. The campaign to increase technology at the school as already resulted in the purchase of chrome books, and he said it is not too late to make a contribution to the fund. The school has been immersed in testing the system that will be used for standardized testing in February. It will be done online for the first time.

Football is over and wrestling has begun, said Commissioner of Parks and Playgrounds Brooke Pippenger. Basketball signs-ups are now going on, and she said that people have been using the new website for registration. A letter has been sent to those residents that regularly use the community center gym at the school. The letter asks for donations of $75 per family that will be used to pay for insurance. Checks should be made to the Town of Lookout Mountain, Tn. and are tax deductible. Commissioner Pippenger told the commissioners that Tad Mindeman, who has been a big part of the town’s baseball program, volunteering as an umpire for the last 14 years, died in October and will be greatly missed.

At the end of October, the town had received $230,000 in property taxes for 2015, said Mr. Montague in his financial report for the month. He also reported that “building is going strong on Lookout Mountain” and revenue from building permits has exceeded the amount that was budgeted. Capital outlay for the public works department during the month was just under $25,000. Included in that was the cost of restriping the roads and replacing a section of a stone retainer wall on North Watauga beside Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Montague told the commissioners that an inter local agreement with other municipalities in Hamilton County has been established. The cities have joined to fight the county’s attempt to take a portion of the state sales tax that traditionally has been divided only among the cities. In a unanimous vote to join the group, the town agreed to pay $2,000 quarterly for two years, to fund the position of “strategic consultant” that has been filled by Davis Lundy.

Pat Fricks who has worked for Lookout Mountain, Tn. for 38 years, has decided to retire at the end of December. She will be replaced with Samantha VanAlstyne. Her position is a combination of office manager, court clerk, bookkeeper, tax collector and human resources manager.

Another vote approved an update to FEMA’s flood hazard maps that was necessary in order for the town to participate in the FEMA program. Commissioner Jones reminded the board that the town received money from FEMA after a series of tornadoes several years ago.

Mayor Mutter reported that a lease for the cell phone tower will be executed in the next few days.

She asked everyone to join the anti-smoking initiative that is being supported by all the area mayors.

The next meeting of the Lookout Mountain, Tn. Commission will be Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 5 p.m. 

 

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