Lookout Mountain, Tn.’s budget for fiscal year 2022-2023 passed on first reading at the commission meeting Tuesday night. Money from the state Hall tax has traditionally made up 25 percent of the town’s budget. Last year $160,000 was received before it was phased out all together this year. Lookout Mountain, Tn. has few retail stores to provide sales tax, plus, said Mayor Walker Jones, the cost of everything is going up. The income lost from the defunct Hall tax will be made up with a seven percent property tax increase in 2023.
The new budget includes a three percent pay raise for town employees, two new police cars and the purchase of a new dump truck. A new fire engine was ordered for 2022, but due to a long delay in its delivery, money designated for the firetruck will be moved into and included in the 2023 budget. Also planned in the budget are building repairs of $35,000 to town hall.
The fire and police department was busy in May, answering 400 calls during the month, said Commissioner of Fire and Police Jim Bentley. There were an exceptionally large number of traffic stops because of the road repairs being made on the Ochs Extension, which diverted all vehicles through the Tennessee side of the mountain.
Commissioner Bentley wants to remind residents that golf carts cannot be driven on the town’s streets, but Low Speed Vehicles are allowed. LSVs travel between 20 and 25 mph and must be “street legal,” which means they must have a Tennessee license plate, lights in required places and seat belts. They can only be operated by a person with a legal driver’s license. Enforcing the legal age to drive will be a priority after a serious accident was almost caused this month while a LSV was being driven by nine- and 11-year-old girls.
People should be aware of the ordinance to control noise by motorized yard equipment such as leaf blowers, mowers, chain saws and trimmers. On Monday through Saturday work is allowed from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. or sunset, whichever is earlier, by both homeowners and contractors. Homeowners can do the yard work on Sundays from noon until 8 p.m. but contractors are prohibited all together that day. People are urged to be considerate of their neighbors regardless of the times specified in the ordinance.
The baseball parade that ended the season on May 21 was a hit, said Commissioner of Parks and Playgrounds David Paschall. There was greater participation with people and vehicles than in recent years. Part of the success was due to the police department keeping it orderly. The new shorter route also helped reduce chaos by avoiding streets with a lot of traffic, said the commissioner.
The regular baseball season is over and the All-Star teams from Lookout Mountain competed in the Dizzy Dean tournaments. The 10 and under and 12 and under teams won districts over East Brainerd. Commons Camp started last week, said Commissioner Paschall. So far there have been more than 20 kids every day and more than 30 who attended two days last week. Three ceiling fans are being installed in the pavilion this week, which will benefit the kids at Commons Camp this summer. All of the tennis courts are being power washed this week.
Fifth-grade graduation at LMS was May 24 with Alice Martin, a graduate of the school, speaking. Her message that “the thing that most people remember about you is how kind you are” was memorable, said Commissioner Brooke Pippenger. The library will be open this summer, seven days in June and six days in July from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The exact days are posted on the front door of the school. All books will be due back on July 21.
The Independence Day parade on the mountain will take place on Monday, July 4, starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Lookout Mountain, Ga., City Hall and ending at The Commons where there will be food trucks and a lot of fun, said Commissioner Pippenger. Anyone interested in registering a float should contact Michelle Workman at DAR@jpw.com.
Frank Schriner, commissioner of the public works department, said that picking up brush is continuing as usual and the city is in the process of trimming brush and trees to keep it out of the right-of-way. If residents do not keep vegetation clear of the streets, the public works department will do it, “and they are not arborists,” said Mayor Jones. If brush from a yard is obstructing visibility, Public Works Director Corey Evans will give a heads-up to the homeowner and 30 days to get it done before the town does it.
Some street paving is planned for this summer and it is hoped that it can be done before school starts. The town is waiting to receive bids for the work. Dumpster day in July has been rescheduled from the first Saturday of July until July 9, the second Saturday, because of the long Fourth of July holiday weekend.
In his report, Mayor Jones welcomed Brooke Pippenger into her new role as town manager. She will begin that job in August. The mayor also said that expectations are for the repairs being done on Ochs Highway to be finished by the middle of next week or sooner.
The next Lookout Mountain, Tn. Commission meeting will be on July 12 at 5:30 p.m.