Chief Dewayne Steele and wife Kelly
photo by Gail Perry
Lookout Mountain, Ga. has a new Fire and Police chief. The city received a letter of resignation from former Chief Todd Gann last week. He had worked for the city 15 years as chief of the department. Mayor David Bennett began the January council meeting by thanking him for his service to the city and wishing the former chief well. Taylor Watson, council liaison with the Fire and Police department, said she is sad to lose him, though in his next job, he will have the opportunity for advancement.h the fire and Police department.
Dewayne Steele has been named the new chief of Fire and Police for Lookout Mountain, Ga. He began his career as a firefighter in Rossville, Ga. from 1974-1982. Among other experience qualifying him, he has been an officer with the Walker County Sheriff’s Department as well as a jail administrator with the Walker County Detention facility with the rank of captain.
Councilman Kevin Leckenby, who is a volunteer firefighter with the city, said that this choice is a great direction to take. He said when Dewayne Steele first began working in the city “he knew how to do it,” and he is able to bounce between the volunteers and full-time employees. Chief Steele has been working in Lookout Mountain, Ga. on a part-time basis for the past two years, and Council member Watson said the council realized that there was no need to look further because someone already in the department had the experience and skills for the job.
After he was sworn in, Chief Steele said that he will be available to anyone who needs him, 24/7. He said he is looking forward to the new year and the new beginning.
The police commissioner said the city also has a new patrol officer. Wes Barrett, a retired air marshal. He will replace an officer who retired.
City Judge Buddy Presley received approval from the council to add an assistant judge. He recommended Phil Jacobs, a long-time resident of the city. He was unanimously approved on the condition that Mr. Jacobs is licensed to practice law in Georgia. He will serve as a back-up when Judge Presley is away.
Both leaf and brush collection by the Public Works department is continuing. Council member Leckenby, the liaison with the Public Works, said that picking up Christmas trees and storm debris is being added to the work load. For household garbage collection, he said it is very important that it is bagged to keep debris from being propelled when it is compacted. One crew member recently sustained an eye injury, which could have been prevented had it been bagged.
Cleaning out culverts is an ongoing issue, but the need to clear drainage along several city streets increased during the recent heavy rain. Residents should contact city hall if they notice a clogged culvert needing immediate attention. Public Works is prepared for the strong storm systems this week and next with the salt truck ready to go if needed. Reflectors will be placed along the yellow street lines to increase visibility, and a rubber blade has been put on the snow plow that should help prevent the reflectors being scraped off the roads said the councilman. Also, flowable fill is being considered to extend the life of the roadside edges on Rock City Trail. The dumpster will be available on the mountain next on Feb. 3.
City Manager Kenny Lee said that everyone calls it the Public Works department, but the name should be changed to the “ Total Service” department because there is nothing that they cannot do.
As of today, 95 percent of the new gas main throughout Lookout Mountain, Ga., has been installed and, after all hookups have been made, the remaining five percent of the main will be installed. Rock and weather have slowed down the project, and now the anticipated completion date is July 24. New gas lines are being extended in the area around Wood Nymph Trail and the work is extremely slow because it is mostly in rock. That part of the work should be completed by the end of November.
Progress is being made on the city’s pump station repairs. Three engineering firms submitted bids for the sewer request for proposal and two local firms were interviewed. CTI was selected to engineer the sewer project, and drawing up a contract has begun. A grant for the sewer work, coming from the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, will be presented to the city next Thursday at the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission council meeting.