Red Bank City Manager Martin Granum on Tuesday night told commissioners that the city had received three strong proposals for a consultant to guide the city into the future. The proposals are to do a comprehensive plan, and a small area study for use of the vacant 12 acres at the former Red Bank Middle School.
The council voted to award the contract to TSW Design in the amount of $150,000 with a 10 percent contingency.
The city of Red Bank has been trying to find the best use for the former school property at 3715 Dayton Boulevard for many years. City Manager Granum said that this decision will shape Red Bank for the next 100 years.
The 12-acre property is in the center of the commercial downtown district of the city. In 2020, a request for proposal was issued which asked developers to propose plans that they thought were suitable. That resulted in proposals for a mix of residential and commercial spaces, but there was no agreement with the city or with the residents for what the developers proposed and that RFP was withdrawn.
In February 2022, meetings were again held to discuss developing the property. The commissioners decided that they wanted to first have a comprehensive plan for the city in order to make an informed decision about that valuable site.
That decision may affect how the Hamilton County School Board moves forward with the school facilities plan. The 12-acre site is one of several that could hold a new elementary school in Red Bank. Mayor Hollie Berry said that developing this plan began years ago and is in no way directed at the school board. Commissioner Pete Phillips said that all options are on the table in the city’s desire to keep an elementary school inside Red Bank city limits.
Other activity in the city includes the replacement of the old playground at White Oak Park. It will be replaced with a new one from Gametime. The removal of the old playground is scheduled for next Monday. That old equipment was put on the website gov.deals where it was bought for $4,500 by a non-profit organization in Virginia. They will remove all the equipment and materials and will re-use it. The new playground equipment is expected to be installed in late January.
The Red Bank Christmas Festival and Parade will be held on Dec. 1 from 4-9 p.m. with the parade beginning at 7 p.m. This year 61 vendors are scheduled to be there and the Chattanooga Breakfast Rotary Club will be managing a beer tent. People will be allowed to consume beer throughout the park property during the event, said City Manager Granam.
Public Works Director Greg Tate told the commissioners that every year, temporary labor is used for collecting leaves in Red Bank. In the past the labor has come from traditional employment agencies. Director Tate said he had bad experiences with most of them with people not showing up for work. The temporary employees this year will come from Project Return, Inc., a local non-profit that helps people who have formerly been incarcerated return to society. Mr. Tate said this organization mentors their clients, helps when they need transportation and sometimes provides a meal. These people are all seeking income and employment, he said. The city will pay an amount not to exceed $18,000 for this work.
Appointments were made for two Red Bank boards. Jared Hueter, Kaen Ziv and Rufus Smith were all reappointed to the zoning board of appeals. And the six member non-profit citizen’s advisory board was completed with the appointment of Lori Kyle. This board will make recommendations for the recipients of charitable donations from the city.