The East Ridge Police Department is rolling out a new program to assist both law enforcement and the city’s residents. The Take Me Home Program will be used when an officer encounters someone who cannot communicate with them such as an individual with dementia or autism. Police Chief Stan Allen said it allows a relative to enroll the person in the program, which is a database with information including a photo. This will allow police to get the person back home.
Details can be found on the city’s website.
Another new service is that the city will be partnering with OpenGov, a program helping state and local governments with cloud-based software. East Ridge will be using the service for all permitting and for code enforcement. Every address in the city has been entered into the system so all records can be seen pertaining to each address. In person help woll continue to be available at city hall to residents as needed.
In other police business, Canine Officer Axel was retired on Thursday night. Chief Allen said after serving the city “he is ready to go home and be a dog, not an officer.” His handler, Corporal Steaven Rogers, will take ownership of Axel. A basket of toys and bones was given to him in thanks from the city along with a challenge coin, which is carried by all members of the department. He deserves it, said the chief “He served the city well.” A new canine officer will go into service next week.
Finance Director Diane Qualls said that the purchase of a new firetruck was authorized by the council previously. She reported that the financing has now been approved, Mayor Brian Williams has signed the paperwork and the truck has now been ordered. At the council meeting, Fire Chief Mike Williams accepted a Firefighter Support Grant from Tennessee American Water Company for $1,000.
City Manager Chris Dorsey updated the council on progress for construction of Pioneer Frontier playground and the Splash Pad that will be located next to city hall. He said that all components are on the site and in place, waiting for TDEC to check and make sure everything meets the requirements included in the grant that is being used to fund the new park. Once approval is given, putting in all the surrounding infrastructure will be done. The goal is to have it ready for public use in the spring.
The city’s new dog park is also moving forward. The water line has been installed and it will be several weeks more before fencing is put up and benches placed.
The council gave final approval for closing and abandoning a portion of the right-of-way located at the 5300 block of Stone Street. The city is acquiring property at 5302 Stone Street from Emerson Properties where a new animal shelter will be built. The abandoned right-of-way will be used by both the animal shelter and adjacent Fernando’s restaurant, as a dedicated place for dumpsters and trash receptables serving both properties.
East Ridge has also agreed to sell 13.59 acres at the 100 block of Interstate 75, to WWTA where a sewage holding tank will be built to improve the sanitary sewer system by helping to prevent sewage overflows. The property was declared as surplus so it can be sold. WWTA will pay East Ridge $250,000 and they have agreed to build a nature path on the property that will join an existing trail.
Several appointments have been made to fill vacancies on city boards. Susan Thomas was appointed to the Industrial Development Board to fill an unexpired term. Jim Morgan and Rachel McCrary were appointed as members of the Library Board.
Participants of the Christmas parade were divided into two categories - “Education” and “Everybody Else.” Winners of the floats were announced during the council meeting. In the “Everybody Else” category, first place went to the East Ridge Library, second place went to Trucking for the Word of God, and Lumberjack’s Tree Service placed third. In the Education category, winners included Belvoir Christian Academy, East Ridge High School and Cub Scout Pack 3007.
The fiscal year 2021 audit was presented to the council by Weston Porter and Garret Williams from HHM CPAs. The city was given a clean opinion. The board was told that overall the fund balances look really good. Revenue compared to expenditures for the year was also good. The city was left with $5.7 million in the fund balance, which the accountants described as healthy. The amount left would last about four months based on recent spending patterns, or 34 percent of a year’s worth of expenditures.