A resident of East Ridge has gathered enough signatures to put the question of allowing liquor stores to operate in East Ridge on the November ballot. This will let the citizens make the decision.
Another issue that the council voted to decide by referendum in November would amend the city’s charter to allow a city judge to live in Hamilton County, not restrict residency to East Ridge.
This change would create a greater pool from which to choose.
In 2004 the state of Tennessee changed the time that alcoholic beverages could be sold from beginning at noon to 10 a.m. on Sunday. This was done to accommodate restaurants that wanted to serve brunch before sporting events that generally start at noon. Individual municipalities could opt out of that change, which East Ridge did. At the Thursday night meeting the city council, prompted by requests from several business owners, voted to opt back in to the state law.
Unlike alcohol sales, beer sales are regulated by the city of East Ridge. The council also voted to allow beer to be sold beginning at 10 a.m. on Sundays. Currently any other day of the week, sales are allowed from 8 a.m. until 3 a.m. Both the beer and alcohol ordinance will require a second reading at the Sept. 10 meeting before they become law.
The second class of East Ridge Citizens Academy with 14 members just graduated, Police Chief Stan Allen told the council. The organization gives citizens the opportunity to see what the police department does first hand. Each week they are shown a different aspect of work the department does such as making traffic stops, a jail and a court visit or going to a crime scene. A new 10-week session will begin next spring. Applications for the program are on the city’s website.
Chief Allen told the council about a new program his department has implemented: Community Cares. Residents over the age of 60 can participate. Members of the East Ridge Citizens Academy call the people who have registered once a week to check on them. If there is no answer, someone from the police department will check on that individual.
The police are waiting for the arrival of new badges that were designed to be unique to East Ridge. The old badges were declared surplus, which will allow the officers to be given their old one or the opportunity to buy it. All police patrol officers will also be getting new shotguns purchased with a $10,988 grant.
Chief Allen presented life-saving awards to four members of the East Ridge Police Department. Police Lieutenant Ashley Hewitt, Corporal Jeff Crowe, Officer Teddy Dyer and Officer Will Johnson responded to the drowning report of a 14 month-old infant and saved the child's life. Mayor Brian Williams thanked each of them for their dedication and commitment to the department and the city. "We can’t thank you enough," he said.
The city is waiting on bids for expanding the soccer fields at Camp Jordan. Four soccer fields will be added as well as a fifth field that will have multiple purposes. It will be able to be used for lacrosse, rugby volleyball and football in addition to soccer. The parking lot at Camp Jordan will also be expanded to add about 200 additional spaces. Engineering of the site will be finished by the time bids are received, said Assistant City Manager Kenny Custer.
Finance Director Diane Qualls told the council that despite COVID-19 East Ridge did very well with finances in the past year. She said 94 percent of property taxes were collected in addition to delinquent property taxes. Local sales taxes came in at 115 percent. And she said that all staff had been careful not to go over their budgets. The audit presentation will be made in November.
East Ridge resident David Lance said he has been working on developing a partnership between East Ridge Creative Arts and Thrive Regional Partnership for about a year and a half and it has now been done. He said East Ridge excels in sports but is lagging behind in the arts. Thrive will help determine what residents of the city value and what they want. It will catalogue the city’s art-related assets and give guidance on how a plan to expand the arts can be implemented in East Ridge. Mayor Williams said that he is excited to have this partnership with Thrive. The partnership will provide help, support and experience and guidance. He thanked the Lyndhurst Foundation for funding the project.