As several big projects in East Ridge are close to being finished, a new one is beginning. The East Ridge community center will be undergoing a renovation. The improvements will include expanding the gym to have a regulation sized basketball court, and a renovation of the kitchen and the multi-purpose room along with an exterior ADA path and parking improvements.
Kimly Horn engineers has been selected out of four proposals to provide grant administration and design services for the project that will be done using a Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) grant for $1.2 million. The state will contribute $600,000 and the city will match that amount. The agreement that was approved with Kimley Horn is to provide grant administration and design services for the amount of $160,000. The firm will partner with Hefferlin and Kronenberg Architects for interior and exterior design and façade improvements that will replicate the new pavilion that is also in development now.
On Thursday night, the council also approved a bid from Williams Development LLC for improving the exterior of the Sanitation and Streets Department building at 1015 Yale St. The exterior siding will be replaced with Hardie board and areas below the siding will be painted. The cost for the work is $18,900.
The new Animal Shelter is well underway with the roof on and plumbing installed. Work is being done now on the HVAC and electrical systems. Next will be to put an epoxy coating on the 30 kennels, which is an easy to clean surface. On Thursday, the council approved a change order due to inclement weather during March, that will add two days to the 180 days the contract specified for JC Curtis Construction to complete the work.
The animal shelter has been temporarily closed because of an outbreak of Parvo. Mr. Miller said it will remain closed for two weeks so staff can sanitize the building and take care of the animals to prevent the virus from spreading. He said there is no risk to the general public and the East Ridge dog park remains open because there is no justification for closing it at this time.
McBrien Road will be closed starting June 3, said the city manager. A tap will be added to the water main on the west side of the road, that will take water to the new shelter. A second tap will be installed along that road to add a fire hydrant.
The large project, the multi-modal path along Ringgold Road, is wrapping up. Mr. Miller said he has met with the builder, Talley Construction, and only two items remain to be done. One is striping the road at the major intersections and the other will be to put handrails in several locations where the curb drops off on the south side of Ringgold Road. That should be finished in the next couple of weeks and then it will be inspected by the sate and the project will be closed out.
The council waived the fee for the East Ridge Optimist Club to use the Community Center for bi-monthly meetings, and for the fundraiser “Kars for Kids Auto and Motorcycle Show” that will be held on July 13. The Optimist Club was also given permission to use the city hall front parking lot for their annual B00-B-Que fundraiser on Nov. 2.
A resolution passed to appoint Jessica Crow to the East Ridge Industrial Development Board.
The first vote on setting the property tax rate and adopting the budget for 2024-2025 will take place at the first council meeting in June. The proposed tax rate is $1.25 for every $100 of assessed value. East Ridge has the lowest property tax rate of all full-service cities in Hamilton County, said the city manager.
City Hall will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. But starting at 1 p.m. that day, a Memorial Day ceremony will take place in front of the community center on Tombras Avenue.