Brooke Pippenger, Lookout Mountain, Tn., town consultant, at the May commission meeting gave the April financial report and the good news that all departments are under budget with just one more month left in the fiscal year.
The sale of car decals for 2025 has started and so far their sales have brought in nearly $5,000. The price is $10 until June when the cost will increase to $15. Other income this month includes $9,538 from the parking meters around Point Park and the final payment of $75,000 from the PTA. It will be added to the money that the town gives for supplementing teachers at Lookout Mountain School. Expenses during the month include $8,000 spent for the fire and police department, with $5,000 of that for a thermal camera kit. The hand held device can give lifesaving information such as the imaging to find people inside a building that is on fire, and registering the temperature in a burning building. And $12,00 was spent at Senter Field on the dugout and to add lights to the batting cages.
Beginning discussions of the 2025-2026 proposed budget took place at the meeting. The budget will continue to be tweaked until the first reading in June. This is a reappraisal year and prices of all houses increased significantly. There is a state requirement that local governments cannot collect more property tax just because of a higher appraisal so the town will have to lower its tax rate in order to receive the same property tax income as the year before. But towns have the option of raising the rate above what the state certifies and, if that is done, tax revenue would increase for the town. Mayor Walker Jones told the commissioners that Lookout Mountain, Tn. Will likely raise its rate by five percent to cover the costs of everything that has increased this year. There is not enough retail development on the mountain to generate enough sales tax to cover this year’s higher expenses. The property tax rate will be determined in June.
The gas taxes that come from the state of Tennessee have been put into the restricted state street aid fund to use for paving. The city has stashed away around $800,000 that will be used for street resurfacing this year. Mayor Jones said West Brow Road, a major artery, is the first road scheduled to be repaved and several side streets will follow if there is money left over.
This year administrative expenses are down $30,000 because the town no longer needs to contract with an outside CPA since it now has its own CMFO. Some expenses in the proposed budget draft, include $12,000 for elevator repairs. And the fire and police department will be getting new air packs at the cost of $62,000 and a new vehicle for $60,000.
There are no vehicles or equipment budgeted for the public works department, but there is $20,000 for building repairs.
Parks and Playgrounds will be making updates to Navarre Pavilion including renovation of the restrooms. And a two percent salary increase has been proposed for all employees.
Commissioner Joe Hailey told the board that Hamilton County and County Mayor Weston Wamp have proposed making grants available to small municipalities in the county for the rejuvenation of their local parks, green spaces and community gathering places. The proposal from the county is still not guaranteed, but he said that if and when the grants become available, the town intends to take advantage of this opportunity. It would give the parks department a big boost and would have a positive impact on its budget, he said.
The end of the school year is very busy at LMS, said Commissioner of Education Karen Leavengood. Field Day will be held on Friday, May 16. Awards Day is May 19; sixth grade graduation is May 21 and the last day of school is May 22. The library will be open this summer two days a week. The schedule is on the school’s website. Ms. Mary Duncan was honored at the last PTA meeting . She is retiring from the front office after being at the school for 19 years. The PTA also honored outgoing PTA President May Burke and incoming President Jenny Tucker. New next year will be a cheerleading team for second through fifth graders. Kindergarten and returning student registration is now open and links to register can also be found on the school’s website. Commissioner Leavengood said that the school SRO has given bike and scooter safety information to the students after there has been so much concern for their safety and lack of caution.
Public Works Commissioner William Valadez said that cleaning ditches and drains is done year-round, but due to the recent storms and heavy rain some places have had to be cleaned out again right away. There are locations where storms shredded trees and they washed into and filled the drains causing water to accumulate in yards. He said the department is working on these areas but asked people to be patient. Trimming trees and shrubbery near the streets to keep visibility clear is another project public works is just beginning for the summer. Mayor Walker Jones warns property owners to have the work done themselves if they are particular about their trees and shrubs. He said they may be unhappy with the way the town cuts them back. Their only goal, he said it to make the streets clear and safe. The commissioner also said that no loose trash should be put in the garbage bins, and that it all should be bagged and tied. All rules and regulations regarding the public works department can be seen at lookoutmtn.us.
Mayor Jones paid respect to Chuck Wells, the town’s chief of police for five years, who recently passed away. A fund has been set up to assist fire and police employees of Lookout Mountain, Tn. who need medical help. Donations can be made in Chief Wells’ name and the city will send an acknowledgement to his wife Candice. The money donated to the department will not go into the general fund, but will be used to help out an individual who is facing a life changing illness.
The Fowler family has continued to improve Temple Park to honor Frank Fowler, who died last year. Mr. Fowler had honored his wife by having a sofa built of stone in the park and now his family had a chair built next to it. The Garden Club of Lookout Mountain has completed the park with plantings.
The mayor ended the meeting asking for residents to support the businesses in the town and announced that another farmer’s market will be taking place at Massey’s Kitchen this weekend.
The next meeting of the Lookout Mountain Tn. Commission will be on Tuesday, June 10, at 5 p.m.