East Ridge officials are discussing setting up a housing or re-development authority with a goal to make places safe and livable in East Ridge - after the recent experience in which some 1,500 people were suddenly evicted from the condemned Superior Creek Lodge.
Vice Mayor Marc Gravitt said the bottom line would be to clean up blighted areas.
Established codes would have to be met and would be enforced.
East Ridge already has a codes office and inspector, but more manpower would be needed. The codes supervisor and fire marshal would be responsible for enforcing the program, but they are currently overloaded, said Vice Mayor Gravitt. He suggested the possibility of creating an assistant fire marshal position and filling it with someone who is a qualified inspector.
Mayor Brent Lambert agreed it would be a good idea, and said it would also be helpful with the large amount of building that is taking place around the city.
How a housing authority program would be funded is yet to be determined. City Attorney Hal North said Tennessee law allows no fees or charges for inspections to landlords. He said if there are codes in place, then it is an inspection issue. It would include all residential rental property.
Ben Strickland presented the council with a petition to keep Superior Creek Lodge closed. He told the council that closing it down had been a blessing for anyone that had lived there. He and his wife did, at one time, when his family was down on their luck. He said one reason there was such a problem with drugs and crime was because the motel employees did not screen people before allowing them to move in. It is “a money trap for low-income people,” he said. Mr. Strickland asked if the city could do anything to help the families that are still homeless due to the evacuation.
Another resident of East Ridge suggested having annual, unannounced inspections for all rental properties. Conditions that impact health issues as well as structural integrity should be checked, which could include removing siding or soffits to see underneath the facades.
A fundraiser to help those displaced to find permanent housing has been proposed by a former resident of East Ridge. Teresa St. Claire said there is a possibility that the Charlie Daniels Band will be the lead act at a two-day music festival. She asked for the city’s approval for use of a venue for Oct. 10 and 11. If this band agrees to come, the dates cannot be changed due to its schedule. Director of Parks and Recreation Stump Martin, agreeing that it is a good idea, said there are many hurdles to make it happen. Camp Jordan is already booked for the Shriner’s Circus that weekend, and the Festival of Lights is scheduled to begin setting up. There is also a baseball tournament and soccer game on Saturday morning. Mayor Lambert asked Mr. Martin and anyone else that is able to help, to meet and see if there is a way this could happen.
The local Optimist Club also is helping the displaced residents. A $200 check was presented to the city on behalf of the over-burdened East Ridge Animal Shelter for housing pets of the residents that were evacuated from the extended stay motel.
ASA Engineering and Consulting was approved to provide professional engineering services for the TDOT Multimodal Access Grant received by East Ridge in the amount of $997,325. The city will be responsible for paying $47,491 in order to get this state money. The contract with ASA will include a survey, design, right-of-way acquisition, environmental documentation and construction inspections. In the plan are a 10-foot path on one side of Ringgold Road for multiple modes of transportation and a five-foot sidewalk on the other side. The council would like for utilities to be underground in the area of this path, and agreed to discuss the line relocation with EPB.
Other changes planned for Ringgold Road include new striping to help define a median which will be broken in certain areas to form turn lanes. Two residents of the city said turn lanes are needed. Mayor Lambert said the current six lanes will become four with two lanes in each direction and the center median.
The council also voted to approve the operation of the city’s new fire station at 1410 St. Thomas St.
Next year will mark the 95th anniversary of the founding of East Ridge. The dates for celebrating this milestone were determined to be May 14 and 15. The director of parks and recreation has been assigned the job of planning what the city will do for the occasion. Mr. Martin has suggested two bands on Saturday ending with fireworks on Saturday, and on Sunday having three religious groups singing gospel music, ending with an old-fashioned picnic. Whether the event takes place over two days will be dependent upon the budget set by the council.
The city council meetings in October have been rescheduled due to the Hamilton County Schools Fall Break. The first meeting of the month will be held Oct. 15 and the second meeting is scheduled for Oct. 29.