A public hearing for citizens to comment on the property tax increase in Lookout Mountain, Georgia was held before the September council meeting, and just one resident who was opposed to the increase participated. Mayor David Bennett said that property values in the city increased from 16-20 percent with the latest reappraisals. If the city had kept the same tax rate as 2020, property taxes would have also increased 16-20 percent. The city chose to lower the millage rate to 9.8, which will amount to a five and a half percent increase in taxes for property owners and will bring an additional $45,000-$47,000 in revenue to the city.
Mayor Bennett said that the new tax rate is about inflation and some is attributed to COVID.
He said that it has nothing to do with the new town hall and fire station buildings that are nearing completion. The cost of everything to run the city has increased and that is expected to continue, so the money generated from the tax increase will protect the city this coming year by covering the inflated costs.
A contract with the developer of the commercial portion of the Town Center site is very close to being signed, said Councilman Arch Willingham, who has been actively involved in the negotiations.
The bank degradation at the top of the Ochs Highway Extension, below Rock City, was addressed by City Manager Kenny Lee. He told the council that GDOT is involved and the chief engineer has visited the site. Phase I of the repairs to fix the erosion and diversion of water will begin Monday. The road will be closed for one week to do a temporary fix. More work in the future will be needed for a permanent solution. Plans are still being developed for how traffic will be rerouted while the road is closed.
One big problem is to find a way that trucks can get up and down the mountain to make local deliveries. If traffic is routed up the steep, winding section of Ochs to Fleetwood Drive in Tennessee, trucks cannot use that road. Traffic control will have to be done at the low end of Ochs to ensure that trucks don’t start up the mountain and get stuck. Mr. Lee is working with both TDOT and GDOT to find the best solution. Mayor Bennett said that TDOT will also be clearing vegetation at the big curve at the bottom of Ochs to increase visibility.
Councilman Tony Towns, who is heading the group to mitigate stormwater problems, said that the storm drains will be cleared using a mechanism similar to a huge roto rooter. He will meet with the public works employees to prioritize work on the top of the mountain. Stormwater was also a problem at the Town Center site and extensive work was needed to build stormwater infrastructure under the building. A change order of $177,759 was approved Thursday night.
The first phase of the gas line replacement project should be completed by the end of the year, said Councilman Kevin Leckenby, but laying more new lines will be continuing into 2022. Over the next three months connections between the gas main and private property will be taking place in some areas where lines have been completed. Residents will be notified when their street will be impacted.
Road striping will be done as weather permits and staffing from the public works department is available, but it is not a high priority, said the council member. Repairs to correct the drainage problem under 1300 Peter Pan are in process. When EPB has equipment available, a new power pole will be erected to bring power into the Town Center site.
Walker County Schools, including Fairyland Elementary, are now using a hybrid learning schedule until Sept. 17 because of the increase of COVID. That could change depending on the numbers, said Caroline Williams, council liaison with the school. She said that both “the staff and teachers are disappointed but are marching on and doing the best that they can.” On a positive note, she reported that this year the fundraiser Music on the Mountain set a record for the amount of money raised.
Mayor Bennett said that the city is again dealing with COVID and a couple of employees have been affected by the virus. He said the city will do everything it can to protect employees and that will include social distancing and wearing masks. Council member Taylor Watson said with the rise in infections that the Fire and Police Departments are going back to COVID restriction procedures, but police will continue to make traffic stops and give tickets and warnings, she said.
Statistics from the fire and police departments show that during August, police patroled 3,720 miles, made 28 traffic stops, gave 17 citations and 11 warnings and there was one automobile accident. Response was made to seven burglar alarms and there were no thefts, but one burglary of a car. No arrests were made. Assistance was provided to nine citizens, seven motorists and to the Lookout Mountain, Tn. police six times during the month. Nine suspicious persons and seven suspicious vehicles were investigated. The fire department answered seven fire calls and 11 medical calls.
Be diligent and lock house and car doors, and leave nothing of value in parked cars, said Councilmember Watson, saying that is an open invitation for a theft. Residents should call the police immediately if something suspicious is seen so officers can respond immediately.
The new garden on Whitt Road is now officially finished, said Jimmy Campbell, who headed up the creation of the new park. It has been officially been named Fairy Trail Garden. Mr. Campbell said it was built at no cost to the city. An $85,000 grant came from a non-profit foundation and a gift of $7,500 from the Garden Club of Lookout Mountain. And there is $10,000 left in the bank that can be used for maintenance, he said. It is a great amenity for the community, he said.
The city is continuing to pursue the use of the Sims property. It is hoped that a regional foundation that is interested in public greenspaces and beautification will purchase the site. The city would not own the land but would like to raise $50,000 for creating a master plan for the property and for building trails on it.
The city of Lookout Mountain, Ga. has operated the sewer system that services the Krupski Loop and Wayside neighborhoods for the past 10 years under an agreement with Covenant College and Dade County. The city has just completed building new sewer infrastructure that replaced three tanks which failed. Previously, all homeowners were billed the same amount because there was no way to determine individual water usage. Now water usage is metered and the council voted to bill those neighborhoods based on consumption at the same rate that residents of the town are billed. That is fair and equitable, said the mayor. The billing rates for all are now a flat monthly fee of $27 plus $8 for every 1,000 gallons.
A contract with Tommy Newson to provide engineering services for the city’s sewage pump station replacement was approved for $125,000. The actual construction of the pumping station will cost close to $1 million.