Hamilton County has conveyed property at 5070 Ooltewah Ringgold Road to Collegedale after the city notified the county that it wished to renovate the property that is within the Wolftever Creek Greenway for public use. It is the former location of the Hamilton County Medic # 5 EMS Station. At the commission meeting Monday evening, the Collegedale Commission authorized the acceptance of the property.
Each year Collegedale leases land across the road from Swinyar Drive for the city’s July 4th Freedom Celebration.
This year it will be leased for the amount of $1 which will ensure the city’s insurance policy will cover the program.
At the meeting, authorization was also given for increasing the cost for professional engineering services to Cannon & Cannon, Inc. related to the Apison Pike sewer relocation project. Because it is taking longer than expected, an inspector needs to be there longer than planned. The amount of $133,685 was approved for the additional time. The city will be reimbursed for the cost that will originally be taken from the sewer fund.
The financial report for Collegedale from March is positive. It shows that at 75 percent through the fiscal year, the city has received over 100 percent of projected revenues, which Finance Manager Michelle Toro said was great news. This year, compared to last, almost $200,000 more has been received in local option sales tax and state shared sales tax. And the city has used just 69 percent of its estimated expenditures. That will change when the new garbage truck is paid for, which is half of the waste department’s total budget. She reported that the checking account is up at this time because of property taxes having been paid. And the city has been successful in selling surplus property from nearly every department.
To help generate revenue for the Collegedale airport, City Manager Wayon Hines told the commissioners that in the coming year’s budget, money will be included for catching up on maintenance such as cleaning, painting, making needed repairs and improvements such as repaving and replacing runway lights.
Commissioner Phil Garver asked for an update for honoring the late state Rep. Mike Carter. Collegedale has planned to name the intersection of Edgemon Road and Lee Highway for him, but the process is long to get it done, said the city manager.
Mayor Katie Lamb asked how to reply to emails asking when the police department will resume giving daily reports. She was told that they are available now on Instagram. On Facebook, the reports have been given in a “story” form versus posting reports every day. The department is looking at going back to the daily reports that citizens were accustomed to seeing.