The crime rate in Soddy Daisy is lower now than it has been for a while, said Mayor Steve Everett at the commission meeting Thursday night. He said one of the most important things the city does is to provide a safe environment for those who live, visit or move into Soddy Daisy. On the recommendation of Police Chief Mike Sneed, the commissioners voted to fund a system of tag reader cameras that will be another tool for continuing to boost safety.
Chief Sneed said that the city will be receiving a $43,000 grant from Homeland Security for License Plate Reader cameras. That would pay for the cameras and software for the first year of a five-year contract. The chief said that the second-year payment could come out of the police drug fund. The commission approved paying $27,000 each year for the remainder of the contract.
The 16-17 tag readers can be moved around as needed. They will be located on the city roads, not Highway 27. The tag on each vehicle that passes a camera will be scanned so that it identifies who the car is registered to. It also detects any illegal activity associated with the person, such as an outstanding warrant. That information is automatically sent to the local police department by text message, alerting them to who is coming through the town.
Chris Cosby, who has moved to Chattanooga from Saint Frances Health Care in Memphis, and been named Parkridge CEO, was introduced to the Soddy Daisy commissioners. The emergency room in Soddy Daisy that will be built by Parkridge will be the third built in the area. The first is near Hamilton Place Mall, and another is under construction just outside Camp Jordan Park in East Ridge. Mr. Cosby said the ER in Soddy Daisy will represent a $16 million investment by Parkridge. The building will be 11,000 square feet, with 12 ER beds. It will be open 24/7. A helicopter pad will be on site for transporting people who are experiencing an emergency and who need immediate attention beyond what the emergency room can do. Work is expected to begin in Soddy Daisy when the facility in East Ridge is finished, using the same contractor. The construction is expected to begin in August or September, and to take six to eight months to finish.
Soddy Daisy has been under a moratorium for months regarding short term vacation rentals in the city limits. The city has now amended the ordinance regulating the rentals that will guide the issuance of permits to operate. Public Works Director and Building Inspector Steve Grant said that application fees have been increased from $300 to $500 a year. Likewise, yearly renewal fees for a permit and inspection fees have also been raised. It puts a limit of less than 30 days on the length of a stay. One of the most important conditions that has been added is for fire safety. There is the requirement for a sprinkler system, hard-wired fire detectors in certain rentals and extinguishers. And after three nuisance complaints, the license can be pulled permanently.
Those who already have a legal permit will be grandfathered in until that license expires at which time a new inspection will have to be done. If changes are needed, the location will have to come into compliance with the city’s ordinance before being renewed. Mr. Grant has developed a check list for inspections and it will be given to owners when it is time to renew their permits. It will also be available for owners of any new rentals before their initial inspection. Fire Chief William Morgan told the commissioners that most short term rentals that have a permit at this time already meet the new fire requirements.
Attorney James Exum has been chosen to fill the new position of Administrative Hearing Officer for Soddy Daisy. He will primarily handle code violations and will have the authority to issue fines of up to $500 a day for violations. “$500 per day changes attitudes,” and is an effective tool for getting corrections taken care of to get properties in compliance, said Mayor Steve Everett
Two rezoning requests, both recommended by the city’s planning commission, have been approved on the first reading. Tracts located at 11912 and 11916 Dayton Pike were rezoned from R-1 Single Family. And tracts of land located at 9612 and 9616 Church Street, where an old church has been demolished, were rezoned from M-1 Industrial to R-2 Urban Residential so a house can be built.
City Attorney Sam Elliott has rewritten the Soddy Daisy beer code according to what other nearby communities are doing. The amended ordinance establishes rules for permitting beer sales at special events. This is expected to be used for organizations holding fundraisers. Among other things, an application will have to be made 30 prior to the event.
City Manager Burt Johnson received formal approval from the commission to sell the dental office the city owns. It had been bought to expand office space before the decision was made to build a new addition behind the current city hall. He also was given the authority to pass $1.7 million the city received from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, on to the Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority. Mayor Everett said the money will be passed on to WWTA because it owns and manages the city’s sewer system. The money is restricted for upgrading sewers in the city but Soddy Daisy does not own the system. The commissioners also approved the lowest bid of $14,850 for the Fourth of July fireworks display.
The Public Works Director Grant reported that paving Dayton Pike from the south end where it meets Highway 153 to the north where it intersects Highway 27, had been postponed until after school was out for the summer. It is now scheduled to begin May 24 or 25.
On the request of Commissioner Marcus Keith, caution signs will be provided to the volunteer organization Keep Soddy Daisy Beautiful, to be used for their safety when they are working in the city.
The second and final approval was given for the budget and tax rate for fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023 and ending June 30, 2024. The tax rate will remain $1.1159, the same as in 2023.