The moratorium in Soddy Daisy on accepting short-term rental applications has been extended for six more weeks for non-owner-occupied rental properties that are not the primary residence of the applicant. This additional period begins March 15 and extends through May 1. The commissioners have decided they need more time to evaluate how they will move forward with short-term rentals. Both the city of Chattanooga and Hamilton County are in the process of deciding what will be allowed and where, regarding STRs. Hamilton County has enacted a moratorium until April 15, and the final draft of the ordinance is expected to be ready at the March 9 meeting of the Hamilton County Commission. Soddy Daisy City Attorney Sam Elliott will consider the county’s draft when writing the ordinance for Soddy Daisy. The whole county section currently has 31 legal short-term rentals in operation.
Any new applications in Soddy Daisy will have to conform to the requirements determined by the conditions in the new ordinance, but the rentals that were approved before the city amends its ordinance will be grandfathered in, said the city attorney. Soddy Daisy and Hamilton County Commissioner Gene Shipley said the rentals that have been permitted in Soddy Daisy have been done the right way, with proper inspections and meeting the city codes, so the existing short term rentals in the city are probably okay.
Another issue that has been under discussion for several months is changing the city’s pay plan for the purpose of attracting and keeping employees. On Thursday night, the new pay plan that creates some additional classifications and step increases was adopted. The overhaul of the pay plan will give all employees an increase, said City Manager Burt Johnson. It will make the city more competitive with other municipalities and companies in the area, he said. He thanked the commissioners for investing in the Soddy Daisy employees. Commissioner Shipley added that it has been done without a tax increase and the city will continue to have the ability to make capital improvements.
A vote also approved increasing the purchasing limits for the city manager. For years the amount that could be spent without getting authorization from the council was $10,000. Considering inflation that amount has been increased to $25,000.
Arbor Day will be observed in the city this year this Saturday when the volunteer group Keep Soddy Daisy Beautiful will plant 35 trees in Veterans Park. Jim Stewart, representing the group, said that Public Works Director Steve Grant planned ahead so that the heavy rain this week would not delay the plans for planting. On a dry day during the past week, he had the public works employees dig holes for the trees and put them in place to be ready for the volunteers to finish the work. More volunteers have signed up to help than were hoped for, said Mr. Stewart. This will enable more projects to be done than were originally planned. The work will include pruning and mulching some existing trees, power washing monuments, and collecting litter. The Boy Scouts will finish building a burn pit for retired American flags.
Curtis Cecil, founder of the Kelcurt Foundation and the Soddy Daisy Community Library, requested dates for the coming year to reserve use of city parks for events that will be hosted by the library. Those dates include May 6 for an unofficial pickle ball tournament at the North Park and Veterans Park for May 27 for a movie night that was rained out earlier. On Aug. 19 the library will hold a community day where non-profits are featured that inform people about agencies and services that are available for assistance if needed. The third annual Trunk or Treat is scheduled for Oct. 28 and the Friends of the Library Christmas party will be held on Dec. 16.
Highlighting what the library did in 2022, Mr. Cecil said that 19,342 lives had been impacted. Feeding children is another program that the library offers and a partnership has been created with the Soddy Daisy Food Bank. This is the fifth year since the foundation and library was founded, said Mr. Cecil, and now there are 26,000 items available to check out for free.
He said last year the budget was $150,000 and $77,000 of it was invested in Soddy Daisy to run the Kelcurt Foundation. It just keeps growing, he said, of the non-profit organization. This year the budget has increased to $236,000 for operating the programs. He thanked the city for its support and said it has been phenomenal.
Another organization represented at the commission meeting Thursday night was Sarah Hall from the Northside Neighborhood House, a social services provider for communities north of the Tennessee River. Ms. Hall said the organization operates three thrift stores and the Coffee Community Collective coffee shop and all proceeds are put back into the community. Among other things, the Northside Neighborhood House provides after school care, helps clients by paying a portion of utility bills and feeds children at school and sends home snack-packs. She said that Soddy Daisy is the community most served, and that last year 405 households were helped in the city, which affected 1,079 individuals.
Former Soddy Daisy Mayor and Commissioner Robert Cothran spoke to the commissioners about the activities being led by the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans. A celebration will be held to honor the Vietnam veterans on March 29 from 4-7 p.m. A meeting will be held on April 22 at 6 p.m. at the organization’s building to discuss benefits for spouses of the veterans. And on the first Saturday in May, the Wall of Honor dedication will be held when veterans of any war with an honorable discharge will be honored.
Another citizen participant at the meeting was a student from the high school asking for the city to build a paint ball field. It could be located at any vacant property the city owns, he said.
City Manager Johnson commented that Soddy Daisy is so lucky to have all these organizations to help the city and provide services with the participation of the city. That thought was echoed by each commissioner in their individual reports.