Lookout Mountain, Ga., Mayor David Bennett began the public meeting to discuss the fiscal year 2022-2023 budget with comments about the state of the city’s finances. The city is in a good position with reserves of $2.465 million, which is more than $400,000 over last year. The reserves will be designated for expenses that all went up during the year, he said. During the last year, costs from the general fund increased more than was anticipated in administration, fire and police and the public works departments, and there were increases in expenses.
The city just paid off the large sewer debt; however, a new sewer pump station must be built that will cost around $2.4 million.
There is no property rate increase included in the proposed 2023 budget of $1,421,127 and there will be no sewer rate increase but there is a $50 increased charge per household for removal of solid waste. Highlights of the budget include four percent pay raises for city employees and the base rate has been increased for key positions. The mayor said the higher rates are needed to be more competitive and to retain employees.
Significant costs in the near future include the purchase of a new fire truck that will be bought with federal money the city received from COVID relief funds, SPLOST funds and other sources. The sewer pump station project is expected to be paid off in five to seven years, and the city will be dealing with stormwater issues that will require investments for the next five years.
It is important for residents of the city to know that the debt service for the Town Center development is 100 percent funded from hotel/motel taxes and SPLOST money, the mayor said. Not a single dime is coming from the residents’sproperty taxes, said Mayor Bennett.
“Overall, we’re in a very good place. The council has made good decisions over the last seven years,” he said.
The ordinance that controls the use of golf carts on city streets, specifies that they may only be operated on the roads during full daylight and not during the period from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise. With the increased use of golf carts and because they must be equipped with reflectors and lights in multiple locations on the vehicle, the council decided to amend the ordinance so they will be allowed on the roads at night.
Taylor Watson, council liaison with the fire and police department, said a decision has been made about what type of fire truck and what they are willing to pay for it, the city is ready to start the search. The fire department has recently completed a training session with the firefighters from Lookout Mountain, Tn. This joint training is vital because the two departments always respond to a call and work together so they need to know how to work as a team, said Council Member Watson.
The month of May was a good one for the fire and police, said Commissioner Watson, when reporting on the statistics from the month prepared by Chief Todd Gann. Officers patrolled 3,102 miles in May, made 15 traffic stops, gave eight citations and 10 warnings. Police assisted citizens six times during the month, the Lookout Mountain, Tn. police five times and motorists three times. The department responded to eight medical calls and nine fire calls. During May 10 suspicious vehicles were checked, five suspicious persons and 13 alarms. There was one theft reported, one arrest and no burglaries.
Major projects within the city are nearing completion, Kevin Leckenby said in his monthly report from the public works department. The gas company is in the process of hooking up the last of the new gas lines. Significant rainfall has slowed the work, but the repairs being made to the landslide on Ochs Highway are expected to be finished by next month. A new retaining wall has been built on the low side and 120 feet of roadway is being removed to be able to build up the sub-surface before repaving, after which some additional work will be done on the road at the bottom of the mountain. The public works department has moved all its equipment back into the new municipal building and will be operating out of the new space.
Sidewalk repair has been delayed by special projects, and removing brush from the roadways continues. Councilman Leckenby reminds residents to keep brush piles small enough that they can be picked up with the city’s tractor. He also said that occupants of a property are responsible for keeping the easement or right of way clean and unobstructed for the safety of cars.
Upcoming work that will be done includes repairing the gazebo on the sidewalk once planning for the structural issues has been completed. Repairs will also be made to Wood Nymph Trail. The next dumpster day will be on Saturday, July 9. It has been pushed forward one week due to the Fourth of July weekend.
In his garden update, Community Volunteer Jimmy Campbell said that the original design for the gardens at Joe Wilson Park will be revised. Landscaper Rob Vannoy will be working on new design concepts for the park that will serve as the entryway into the city. And the dead trees in front of city hall will be replaced.
The Fourth of July will be celebrated on Lookout Mountain with fireworks from the Lookout Mountain Club on July 3 and a parade on July 4. City Manager Kenny Lee said people should register their floats with the city. Mr. Lee has planned a meeting with Brooke Pippenger, Lookout Mountain Tennessee’s new town manager, where they will talk about ways to continue the synergy between the two towns. Lookout Mountain, Ga., is planning to purchase software that can be used in tracking the process of permitting. The new parking lot across Lula Lake from City Hall was poured then taken up. The contractor building it failed to have the concrete mixture approved plus it was poured too thin, resulting in a defective surface both functionally and visually, officials said. That resulted in the need to start over. The contractor doing the work is responsible for rebuilding the lot and for any costs resulting from their mistakes, said Vice Mayor Arch Willingham.