The first of two required votes for the city of East Ridge’s fiscal year 2022-2023 budget was approved at the city council meeting Thursday night. There will be no property tax increase this year as the rate will remain at $1.25 for every $100 of assessed value. The second and final reading will be at the next council meeting on June 23. To clean up the 2022 budget at the end of the year, the council also passed a budget amendment for unexpected expenses such as the increase in the cost of gasoline and the purchase of police vehicles, to make sure the budget was balanced.
A resolution passed to approve a large road project so the cost can be included in the new budget, said City Manager Chris Dorsey. The new, four lane, 2,200-foot-long road with a center turn lane will lead into the new, 110-acre Gateway development of townhomes, shops and offices that will be located next to the Chattanooga Red Wolves stadium. The road is estimated to cost a little over $4 million including the acquisition of rights of way from 10 entities. EPB has agreed to cover the cost of the power poles in the development, which is appreciated by the city, said Mr. Dorsey.
The council voted in agreement with the East Ridge Planning Commission to amend an ordinance for the city to abandon a road leading from Ringgold Road to Slater Road, but maintaining a public easement to ensure there will always be access to Slater Road.
Work on the multi-modal road project along Ringgold Road has finally begun, said the city manager, and motorists will see orange barrels where the work is being done. Construction will be in four phases, and has started with determining the location of stormwater drains and water and sewer lines. He said that maps documenting utilities are not always accurate. The first phase will be from Walmart to Kingwood Drive, then from Walmart to McBrien Road, followed by construction up and down the same areas on the other side of the road. He said there will be an attempt to minimize traffic problems while the work is being done. The work is expected to take around one year.
Even more road work will be taking place in the city this summer. After ASA Engineering and Consulting analyzed the streets and determined the areas that were in the worst shape, Street Supervisor Chris Vaughn is prioritizing the roads and where to begin the spot paving. His recommendation will be presented to the council at the next meeting.
The city’s new Splash Pad at Pioneer Frontier Park by the city hall has recently opened with limited hours. Last week the hours were from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., this coming week it will be open until 6 p.m. It has been a learning experience, said Mr. Dorsey with finding ways to prevent grass and dirt from being washed into the system, but that problem is improving, he said. People should be aware that no dogs and no food are allowed in the area.
A bid for $18,500 was approved to remove debris, rubbish, garbage and personal property at 711 State Line Road in East Ridge. Just one bid was received for cleaning up the property. The city manager said companies are hesitant to clean up somewhere that someone is currently living.
Josh Kreel with the East Ridge Police Department was congratulated for graduating from the FBI National Academy. The 10-week course is for professional development of law enforcement, meant to improve the administration of justice in police departments.
City Manager Dorsey has been elected to be District 3 director of the Tennessee Municipal League. The purpose of this association is to work with the Tennessee General Assembly to promote legislation that will help municipalities in the state. District 3 encompasses a dozen counties in Southeast Tennessee including Hamilton County.