Metropolitan Chattanooga may be getting a new branch of the YMCA - at Camp Jordan Park in East Ridge.
It all hinges on feasibility studies that will soon begin to help determine what usage it would receive. The studies will be conducted by Triangle 2 Solutions and will look at who would use the facility, the percentage of the community who would join and be involved in the programs and what activities those people would like to have. Among other data, the studies will also gauge the competition from other providers of similar services.
The Chattanooga service area now has eight branches of the YMCA. President and CEO of the Chattanooga Metropolitan YMCA Baron Doherty said that studies have found that a branch’s primary market of members is typically a drive of 10-15 minutes. But any member of any Chattanooga branch of the Y can use any of the other eight. And there is also a reciprocal agreement with out-of-town branches.
The East Ridge City Council voted unanimously to approve allowing the study to be done.
Who can serve on city boards was a continuing discussion from the last council meeting. The majority of the council agrees that it is in the city’s best interest to restrict individuals from serving on more than one board. They feel that a person could have too much influence in the city’s decisions if that person could vote on multiple boards. And by spreading around representation on the different boards, the council hopes to get more people interested in city government, which could lead to the individual running for the city council in the future. The motion that passed on the first reading limits one person to serve on one board and that includes the city council. If an individual is already serving on two boards, they will have to chose the one to remain on.
Scott Miller retired as city manager of East Ridge in 2018 for personal reasons. Then in 2023, he came out of retirement to serve as an interim, until a new, permanent city manager was hired. On Jan. 26, 2023, he was given a contract for the job for one year, ending Jan. 26, 2024. That agreement was renewed until Jan. 26, 2025. Mr. Miller told the council that he is enjoying his job and continues to find the work challenging and rewarding and would like to continue on a year-to-year basis. The council members each enthusiastically voted in favor of extending Mr. Miller’s contract. He will receive a three percent cost of living raise and a one percent performance merit raise, the same as the city’s other employees.
The Chattanooga Metropolitan Planning Organization invited Eats Ridge to apply for a Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) grant for local roadway improvements. Scruggs Road was identified as a priority for reconstruction from Ringgold Road to the Georgia state line. ASA Engineering provided the city with construction cost estimates for the work of $523,238. To receive the TIP grant, East Ridge would have to be responsible for 20 percent of the total project cost. The council members approved committing $104,647 as the city’s portion of the project. When it is replaced, the road will be redesigned to handle the many heavy trucks that commonly use it.
The city has also agreed to accept a grant from Public Entity Partners for a 2025 Cyber Security Grant for $2.000. To receive the grant the city will have to spend at least $4,000 and then be reimbursed for 50 percent of that amount. The money will be used to conduct an internal and external vulnerability scan of the city’s network infrastructure. This is to identify potential security weaknesses and vulnerabilities. After the first scan, others will be done quarterly. East Ridge will also receive recommendations to address any vulnerabilities that are found. Another application has been submitted for another, larger cyber service grant for $43,000. If received, it would go toward remediation of issues that are found during the previous scans.
The parks and recreation department received authorization to extend a contract with D-BAT for the next year. The baseball and softball training facility will provide free clinics and discounts at their facility in Chattanooga along with a “swing-card” to each registered player. The city will pay a one-time fee of $5 for each player.