East Ridge Vice Mayor Marc Gravitt on Thursday night expressed disappointment with Superintendent Rick Smith for comments made that Hamilton County has no money for the condemned East Ridge High School concrete football stands.
Both Vice Mayor Gravitt and Mayor Brent Lambert stated interest in the city helping in some way. But, said the mayor, the city must be assured that there is a maintenance plan in place before the city invests any money in a new stadium.
M
ayor Lambert told the council members that in the continuing effort to rebrand the city, he believes Ringgold Road should be renamed.
The current name, over 100 years old, refers to when the road was the major route from Chattanooga to Ringgold, Ga. That no longer is the case, he said, and the road is now the backbone of the community. He suggested naming it “Pioneer Parkway,” a reference to the East Ridge High School mascot. The road signs could be printed with the new name and in smaller letters below, “Historic Ringgold Road,” he said. He hopes to get citizen input on the idea.
The council passed several resolutions Thursday night pertaining to the application and acceptance of grants. East Ridge applied for and was awarded a grant for the TDOT 2015 Safe Routes to School Program. This will provide money for infrastructure improvements around school zones such as building sidewalks, paths, signs, signals and crosswalks, as well as education and enforcement of the facilities. The city agreed to pay Southeast Tennessee Development District (SETDD) $12,270 to administer services for this program.
The city was also authorized to apply for and accept a grant of $2,500 from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) for the national Adoption Ambassadors campaign. This will place shelter animals with volunteer foster caretakers who seek placements and finalize adoptions. The goal of this program is to reach a new pool of adopters and lower return rates than traditional shelter adoptions.
The council also approved the application and acceptance of participation in a grant from the Petco Foundation for sheltering and adoption of animals through the East Ridge Animal shelter.
Another application will be made for the “5-5-5 Firefighter Fitness, Inc. grant.” If received, this would provide fitness equipment for the fire department.
A unanimous vote of the council awarded a bid for a pole tent to the Cleveland Tent Company for $15,120. The 40 x 100-foot tent will be used for the Needy Child Fund.