The East Ridge City Council voted on first reading to set the property tax rate at 26 cents above the certified tax rate. The certified rate was .9929 - down from 1.3381 to make it revenue neutral after the reappraisal. The tax rate approved was 1.25 per $100 of assessed valuation.
After the initial budget was created workshops were held with the council and department heads to determine their immediate needs and analyze existing salaries.
Then amendments were made. Another $1,105,000 was added to cover what was needed to provide service to the citizens. City Manager Chris Dorsey emphasized these were actual needs and not a “wish-list.” And another $600,000 was added to the budget for a salary stabilization program. He said that in the last month the city had lost eight employees and positions cannot be filled. With other local municipalities raising salaries, East Ridge officials believe that increasing compensation will help it be competitive with the private sector and other nearby municipalities, as well as recruiting employees and retaining them.
East Ridge had not raised taxes in 10 years, said the city manager. He said on a $100,000 house, a 1.25 percent increase would mean an annual tax increase of $64.28, an increase of $112 for property worth $175,000 and $128 more property tax for a house valued at $200,000. Mayor Brian Williams said also the city should have a replacement program for equipment and vehicles and a schedule for paving. And the city needs to have more police officers, he said.
“We can’t buy anything for the same price that we did 10 years ago,” said the city manager. A public hearing for citizens comments and second reading on the tax increase will be held at the next council meeting.
The council voted to open up more campsites at the Camp Jordan RV Park. Director of Parks and Recreation Adam Wilson told the council that over the last 18 months there have been a lot of requests to open more sites which reflects an interest in camping country-wide. In 2019 some campsites were closed because of breaks in the water lines servicing them. Mr. Wilson said that a lot of RVs only need electric connections, not water. The sites with no water will be rented for $20 per night while the ones with water will be $25.
Conditions that were specified for use of the RV park include those sites be rented only on a short-term basis and only when there is a purpose for being there with an event taking place at Camp Jordan such as a tournament, festival, fair, concert or trade show in the arena. No camping in tents will be allowed unless it is pre-approved for a special event. The city will also improve the appearance to the RV park and add a landscaping border.
Discussion continued at the Thursday night meeting about where to build a dog park. Vice Mayor Mike Chauncy applied for and received a $25,000 grant from Dog Dash to build it. He also has received a donation to fence the area. Discussion is on-going about where it will be located. The original application specified a site on Springvale Road. The vice mayor has since found a better location that is near city hall which would centralize a lot of amenities for residents of the city. He has received approval from Dog Dash for the city hall site where a new splash pad and playground are being built. The community center is there and there is already police presence for security. Additionally, he said that the location at Springvale Park is in a flood zone.
Council member Andrea Witt said she is not opposed to the new location but that she has heard from some people in her district that they would like for it to be built at Springvale. She questioned if there would be a parking problem near city hall and if barking would be a noise problem. Mayor Williams would like to have two dog parks in East Ridge - using both locations. The decision was tabled until the next council meeting.
The purchase of a spin top dresser for athletic fields was authorized for $14,713 to replace one that is 20 years old. And a bid from School Days Photography was approved for the 2021-2022 sports season. The city will receive a 30 percent commission.
East Ridge will celebrate its centennial on Sept. 25. The day will end with a fireworks display. The council approved an agreement with Pyro Shows Inc. for $10,000 for the display. The celebration will also include craft vendors, food trucks local artists and games. Volunteers are needed, said Councilwoman Witt.
City Manager Dorsey said the police department has recently graduated the third “Citizens Academy” that had nine members. Another session will be held in the fall with hopes of having 10-15 people participate.
TDOT responded to concerns about the tunnel on Ringgold Road. Lights in the tunnel should now be operational after a circuit breaker was repaired. The 11-foot height bar at the entrances to the tunnel will be replaced and, if trucks do get stuck, the city will report it to TDOT which will hold those companies or drivers responsible. A tunnel detection program is being worked on and is expected to take around one year to compete. It will include early warnings and cameras.
The Safe Routes to School intended to make walking and biking safer for children is now in the acquisition phase. Construction should be completed by the end of December 2022.
The city is waiting on TDOT to give a notice to proceed on the city’s multi-modal project. It will then be bid out. Money from the American Rescue Plan to help municipalities recover from the COVID pandemic, can be used for stormwater issues connected to the multi modal work along Ringgold Road.
Paving that is planned is on hold until WWTA completes a sewer rehabilitation project.
Updates to the two new liquor stores that are being built in East Ridge are that the store located by CVS should be open by Thanksgiving. The site of the store located on Spring Creek Road is now being prepared and plans are being reviewed by the city.
Appointments were made to fill several vacancies on city advisory committees. Dana Howe was reappointed to serve on the East Ridge Planning Commission from 2021-2024. And Amanda Jo Davis and Kenneth Rogers were appointed to the city’s housing commission. Their terms will expire in 2024.