Jerry Summers
The recent increase in construction costs for the raising of the replacement baseball diamond for Engel Stadium and Hawk Hill on the surface of some of the former toxic dump areas adjacent to the beautiful Tennessee River has created a burst of news reporting in print and on the airways asking for “Public Input.”
It is commendable that a website link by the leading 501(c)(3) non-profit developer of property (R.C.) for Gig City in our area is available for the 385,000 citizens in Hamilton County to state their views in web-based surveys.
“Public Input” is defined in different ways:
- 1.) “An opportunity for citizens to provide information facts, data, figures, and opinions respecting an issue upon consideration by a "committee, (City Council, Hamilton County Commission, River City, developers, real estate agents (D.D.), (C.W.), (R.M.), (L.C.), (A.E.), (B.W.), and other interested citizens.”
- 2.) “Any process that directly engages the public in decision making and gives full consideration to public input in making that decision that may involve the expenditure of several hundred millions of taxpayer money.”
The offer to obtain the views of citizens in #1 and #2 is greatly appreciated. In reality, the suggestions, ideas and input will overwhelmingly come from those that predict what great moves forward will mainly profit a few financially but will substantially benefit All Residents of Hamilton County over time.
The comprehensive article by (D.F. and M.P.) on March 7, 2023 in the Gig City’s sole surviving major newspaper titled, “Inflation raises questions about Chattanooga’s Lookouts Stadium Project” is worth reading if you are a subscriber to the paper or can borrow a copy from a present supporter.
Good examples of “Public Input” are the five informative comments by regular contributors in this web-paper on March 6, 2023 titled, “Build Bypasses Around Chattanooga”, which discusses a multitude of proposed expensive projects by the enthusiastic youngsters in the political sandbox of our community that believe that an endless supply of available local, state, and federal money will exist forever.
The “dove tailing” with a local municipality with a new Climate Action Plan might also produce a pain in the posterior of the majority of taxpayers, but everyone should keep an open mind and enthusiastically listen to what our experienced team of public servants present with their balanced “public input!”
(I look forward to breathing a “net-zero carbon” emission at the age of 108 in 2050!)
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You can reach Jerry Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com