photo by Shelia Harding Cannon
In his third State of the County address, delivered at Soddy Daisy Middle School, County Mayor Weston Wamp reaffirmed the county’s commitment to building strong communities by investing in community assets and public education. With a focus on empowering small towns, County Mayor Wamp "outlined a vision for a county where thriving communities - and thriving schools - serve as the foundation for long-term regional success. Soddy Daisy Middle School, set for renovation and expansion under the county’s latest school facilities plan, reflects this commitment to strengthening neighborhoods through improved educational infrastructure."
Here are the highlights from the address as outlined by the Wamp staff:
Leaning into Communities through Park Grants and Small Town Partnerships
Our small towns are the heartbeat of Hamilton County, and we’re honoring them through a new grant matching program to revitalize local parks and gathering spaces. As momentum builds around revitalizing the iconic Chattanooga Riverfront, the county is channeling that same energy into the green spaces and community assets that make each town unique. Hamilton County is fully committed to supporting East Ridge’s bold vision for a multi-sports complex that will create the finest youth sports hub in the region. Our long-term success depends on the strength of our small towns, and by partnering with them to invest in meaningful assets, we’re fortifying the entire region."
Creation of Council on Career & Technical Education; 50 Percent Increase in College and Career Readiness
Building on our historic investment in students through vocational education, Hamilton County is establishing the Council on Career & Technical Education - made up of both public and private sector leaders - to assess our community’s needs, both short and long-term. This effort will help shape future investments across the county and guide the transformation of the Gateway site into a world-class hub for hands-on learning, preparing students for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
Over the past five years, Hamilton County’s systemwide college and career readiness rate has increased by 50 percent - a testament to the progress we've already made. Now, Mayor Wamp is setting a bold new goal: to double that progress and increase the rate by another 50 percent over the next five years. With the current rate at 52.6 percent, this initiative reflects our deep commitment to ensuring more students graduate prepared to succeed in postsecondary education and meet the evolving needs of the local workforce.
Celebrating Our Roots with a Hamilton County Regional History Museum
A thriving community starts with a sense of identity, which begins with understanding its history—knowing the unique story of our community and the virtues it carries. County Mayor Wamp has enlisted a group of community leaders to assess the viability of a Hamilton County Regional History Museum—built through a public-private partnership -to revive the roots that built us and tell our story for generations to come.
Click here to watch the playback of the address.
photo by Shelia Harding Cannon