Mayor Tim Kelly on Wednesday announced the launch of the Chattanooga Equitable Recovery Commission, charged with putting forward a recommended investment framework that will guide how to distribute $38.6 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds throughout the city, with an intentional focus on those who have been hurt most by the pandemic.
“This historic infusion of ARP dollars serves as an opportunity to catalyze lasting positive change in our city, for generations to come, with a focus on communities disproportionately affected by an extraordinary public-health emergency,” said Mayor Tim Kelly. “I’m looking forward to working with these outstanding community leaders –who’ve volunteered their time, deep community relationships, and expertise– to help us provide a transparent, equitable, and accountable process that’s worthy of our residents’ trust and confidence.”
In Fall 2021 Mayor Kelly’s administration announced the launch of its “One Chattanooga Relief and Recovery” process to help guide Chattanooga’s pandemic recovery effort and advance the city’s allocation of federal ARPA resources toward transformational projects aimed at removing the persistent barriers that create and sustain inequities in Chattanooga.
The CERC is comprised of 12 community members and leaders selected by Mayor Kelly, in collaboration with area partners, based upon their experience and commitment to shared values. Three members were nominated by the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga and three members were nominated by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. The final six were chosen by Mayor Tim Kelly after Chattanooga residents were invited to apply to serve on the CERC at the City’s online ARP portal, Recovery.Chattanooga.gov.
Mayor Kelly and the city of Chattanooga announce the final CERC membership roster:
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Name
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Affiliated Organization
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Alondra Gomez-Nunez
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TN United
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Ann Pierre
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NAACP Chattanooga
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Dr. Shewanee Howard-Baptiste
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The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
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Ericka DeBruce
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Unum
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Katie Wells
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Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society
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Ketha Richardson
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EPB
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Lakweshia Ewing
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Unlearn Everything
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Marcus Cade-Johnson
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TVFCU
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Miles Huff
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Cempa Community Care
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Pastor Ernest Reid
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Second Missionary Baptist Church
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Quentin Lawrence
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Pathway Lending
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Yolanda Putman
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The Howard School
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The CERC will make recommendations for how the city can maximize its use of these one-time funds to achieve lasting impact for Chattanooga, as well as help to coordinate pandemic recovery efforts across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The work of the CERC kicks-off in earnest Wednesday.
After the CERC announces its proposed investment framework in April, Chattanooga residents and community organizations—including any applicants who previously submitted funding requests or project ideas since the ARP online portal opened in October 2021—will be invited to resubmit a more targeted application, based upon the CERC’s specific guidance around community priorities and needs. In December, the Kelly administration announced an extension to Feb. 4 of an initial year-end (2021) deadline to apply for ARP funds.
The CERC’s timeline for activity and deliverables is tentatively scheduled as follows:
Kick-Off Convening (Jan. 26, 2022)
Meeting 2 (Early February)
Meeting 3 (Late February)
Meeting 4 (Early March)
Meeting 5 (Late March)
Delivery of CERC Final Recommendations (Early April)
Mayoral Review/Approval (Mid April)
Application Launch (Mid April)
Community Presentations (Mid May)
Application Deadline (End of May)
Feedback of Application Round 1 (Mid June)
Announcement (End of June)
Because these funds are attached to federal spending deadlines in the ARPA, the city and the CERC will be focused on time-constrained investments that have a clear plan to demonstrate impact and will catalyze lasting change, with a focus on disproportionately affected or vulnerable communities.