Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland swears in new police officer Justin West as he holds his young son. Other new officers are Bryson Riggs and Jordan Rymer.
A majority on the Cleveland City Council on Monday afternoon stuck with a 45-cent property tax increase approved earlier on first reading, though there were a number of opponents in an overflow crowd.
It appeared that the council might drop the hike to $1.99 per $100 of assessed valuation, with Vice Mayor Avery Johnson saying many felt the council was going too far too fast. Councilman Richard Banks also said he would like to have a unanimous vote.
However, on the motion for the $2.06 per $100 of assessed valuation approved earlier,Council members Johnson and Banks were joined by Tom Cassada and Bill Estes. Opposed were David May and Charlie McKenzie. Councilman Dale Hughes has been ill. Mayor Tom Rowland was present, but the mayor is not a voting member.
The city's certified tax rate (after the recent reappraisal) came in at $1.60.091 per $100 of assessed value.
Proponents said the hike would allow Cleveland to carry out a number of improvements and updates outlined by new City Manager Joe Fivas.
Those include:
- Construction of a new Candy's Creek Cherokee Elementary School
- 12 more police officers and 12 more firefighters along with a new fire station on the south end of town
- Improving average street paving from 27.5 years to a 20-year cycle
- Construction of a Fire Training Center
- Widening and construction on intersections at Paul Huff Parkway and Mouse Creek Road, Paul Huff Parkway and Peerless Road, and 25th Street and Peerless Road
- Public infrastructure and improvements at the old Whirlpool plant downtown
- Annual implementation of a city compensation plan, including a 3.5 percent employee pay increase.
On the 60-acre Whirlpool property, Mayor Rowland said Whirlpool officials were tired of being asked about the site and the city should back up of the major manufacturer. Vice Chairman Johnson, a 43-year Whirlpool employee, said, however, that Whirlpool "needs to give some answers" about the future of the key site.
On the new fire hall, officials said it has been on the drawing board for 14 years. It will be the city's fifth station. The plan is to eventually have six.
Councilman Banks said more officers were needed to keep up with a rise in gang members - some of which come up from Chattanooga. He said Cleveland had a drive-by shooting the previous night.
He said the city was "at a crossroads," saying it is getting 1,000 new residents each year, but still operating on limited revenue for improvements.
He said it was time to move forward on planned downtown revitalization, including urging new restaurants and entertainment venues.
Councilman Banks also spoke of traffic woes, saying he recently was stuck for three cycles at a light. He said when a new school is completed, adding to the congestion, "we'll all have to hide."
The council plans to put the state's senior tax freeze into place.