There has been a lot of misinformation circulating about the Incline fire on Dec. 7, said Jim Bentley, commissioner of fire and police for Lookout Mountain, Tn. What happened, he said was that Saturday morning, the Lookout Mountain Fire Department answered a call for a brush fire in the national park. The fire quickly grew and eventually extended over three jurisdictions, Lookout Mountain, Tn., the national park and the city of Chattanooga.
He said from the beginning, the firefighters recognized that the Incline tracks were basically a fuse with the wood that was saturated with creosote. The National Park Service took the lead at the top of the mountain and Chattanooga was in charge at the bottom. Near the beginning of the fight, hundreds of thousands of gallons of water were sprayed on the tracks. The firefighters knew it could help slow the fire and keep it at bay in the town’s jurisdiction, but they also knew that water would not put it out, the commissioner said.
He said Chief Dale Taylor got down the mountain and covered the tracks with foam and that further helped keep the fire under control. During the day, the top Incline station was evacuated because of fumes. All the agencies that responded had to adhere to National Park Service rules. The entire operation was done without anyone being injured and with no equipment being damaged. “Everyone involved did a great job,” said the commissioner.
The firefighters came from many surrounding municipalities and agencies that are part of the Tri-State Mutual Aid Association. Commissioner Bentley recognized their value for all the help provided including the manpower, equipment, trucks and fuel to power the equipment. The agency has helped the town in other ways as well, including covering for the entire Lookout Mountain, Tn. department during days that the police and fire departments are in training. "They are a great benefit to us, and much appreciated," he said.
Anolther fire threat, those involving electric vehicles, are also a concern that was discussed at the January commission meeting after a recent fire that was caused by an EV in a North Chattanooga parking deck. With the increase in EVs, Chief Taylor wants to be prepared. He said these fires cannot be put out with water, and there is a lack of available information from the manufacturers of the vehicles, so people are looking for alternative ways to deal with the problem.
Chief Taylor talked to Matt McLelland, who owns an EV, and he along with Clay Watson and Mountain View Auto Group have donated a fire blanket to use for extinguishing EV fires. Fire blankets work by eliminating oxygen that feeds a fire. The one that has been ordered is capable of being used for 30 fires. Next year when the information pamphlet is sent to residents about car decals, it will ask if the vehicle is an EV so the fire department will haves an idea of the problems that might be faced.
The public works department finished leaf and brush pick-up just in time to begin removing snow from the roads, said Commissioner of the Public Works Department William Valadez. During the January snow event, 40 tons of salt were used on the roads. Replacements of the salt has been ordered. It can get expensive, with the cost being $150 per ton, said Commissioner Valadez. The department employees did a great job getting and keeping the roads passable, he said. The town also extends gratitude to Jay Martin, a resident of Lookout Mountain, Tn., for his assistance. He pulled one of the public works snow plows out of a ditch and got it back in service.
Commissioner of Parks and Playgrounds Joe Hailey said that having the gym at Lookout Mountain Elementary School open to residents this winter has been a big success with a lot of use. It opened at the beginning of December. The parks department has also been cleaning out the slopes around Senter Field that had become overgrown. The commissioner still has hope that Johnson Field will recover from the overuse it has received. It is now closed until spring.
After the Christmas break, classes at Lookout Mountain School started back and two days later the school closed again because of snow. It opened again on Tuesday. With the new year, a new program will begin at the school, the Response to Intervention program which is being funded by Hamilton County Schools. Students who need help are identified by a RTI team and help is provided in the areas where it is needed, then the student is moved on and out of the program. It addresses and treats both academic and behavioral problems. A PTA meeting will be held on Jan. 28 where interested parents can learn more. Students in grades three through five will participate in the spelling bee at LMS on the morning of Jan. 31. Another upcoming event at the school will be the Sweetheart Luncheon for first, third and fifth graders and their parents on Feb. 7. Kindergarten, second and fourth grades had a Christmas luncheon at the beginning of December.
The biggest news from the finance department, reported Brooke Pippenger, Lookout Mountain’s Town Consultant and CMFO, is that $725,000 in property taxes came in all together from one company which handles tax payments for multiple mortgage lenders. And $623,877 in taxes from other homeowners has been received All property taxes will be due at the end of February. Other income from the month included $9,693 from the parking meters around Point Park and the Incline. The town received donations from Ruby Falls, Rock City and Love Lookout to cover the cost of padding the poles 0n the pickleball courts. The PTA and town each pay Hamilton County in return for extra teachers and classes at LMS. The PTA’s portion was received in December and the town continues to pay its share in monthly payments.
Brian Johnson with Johnson, Murphey and Wright did the town’s yearly audit and was pleased to report that the town received a clean audit opinion and there were no findings. This is what the comptroller wants to see, he told the commissioners. “You’re in really good financial shape,” he said. “That is what you want to hear from your auditor.” He added that the town runs on collected property taxes and there are only a small number of property taxes that are uncollected in Lookout Mountain, Tn.
Ms. Pippenger has suggested that the town should have an emergency alert system for residents. There are companies that cities pay to send emergency and weather alerts to residents, and some of those are interactive. Mayor Walker Jones and Police and Fire Commissioner Bentley agreed that an alert system would be good to have but neither favor one that town employees have to administer. Commissioner Bentley said that Hamilton County will send out messages to a data base if the town subscribes to their service. That option, which would only send out information, will be investigated.
On the second and final reading the town’s sign ordinance was amended. Regarding political signs, they can be placed 60 days before an election and must be removed within seven days after the election. They can remain up only if they continue to be valid for the next general election. The second change to the ordinance is that a permit is required from the town marshal prior to putting up any sign. If a temporary sign is permitted, there will be a time limit placed on when it can be posted and when it must come down. No sign will be allowed for more than 60 days.