This was a good year financially, said Lookout Mountain, Tn. Town Manager Brooke Pippenger. At the July commission meeting Mayor Walker Jones said it was by planning and design. However, officials decided that more income was needed in the form of an eight-cent property tax hike.
The town gets about $75,000 a year from the state of Tennessee that comes from gas taxes and that money must go into a fund restricted for road work. Lookout Mountain, Tn., has been saving that for years to use for paving. The town put an additional $200,000 in the budget last year to be able to increase the amount in the State Street Aid fund that will be available for resurfacing. That fund currently is $600,000.
This year, the town is ready for the paving to be done. The request for proposals has just been sent and the resurfacing is expected to begin in the next couple of months. And if the cost comes in higher than the budgeted amount, the town is prepared. That is one of the reasons that a property tax increase is needed this year, officials said.
Lookout Mountain, Tn. is a property tax-oriented community, said the mayor, because there are not enough other sources of income. Because this was a reappraisal year, property values increased significantly. So the municipalities in Hamilton County do not benefit financially from those steep reassessments, the county calculates a lower “certified tax rate” for each town. That rate is set so that the same amount of property tax income is received as before the reappraisals. But each town has an option to increase that rate in order to generate more income.
The certified tax rate this year for Lookout Mountain, Tn., is $1.55 for every $100 of assessed value of the property. On the first of two readings, the commissioners voted to raise the rate to $1.63, which is a five percent increase in property taxes for homeowners. The second and final reading will take place at the August meeting.
Looking at the budget versus actuals for the year, Ms. Pippenger said that the year ended nicely. All departments did a good job of staying under budget, she said. The general fund now has about $5 million. Some donations came in last month for the fire and police fund set up to honor past Chief Chuck Wells by providing aid to employees if they need it. A support check has been given to the Lookout Mountain Elementary School PTA that will be used for making upgrades to the football field. And money from last year’s budget is ready to be paid to Hamilton County Schools. Each year the town and the PTA split the cost to have a number of additional positions at LMS.
Senter Field is also getting a makeover this summer. The dugouts that are estimated to be 50-60 years old have been filled in and the bleachers are being redone. Mayor Jones said the town is grateful to the joint Lookout Mountain Recreation Board for paying to make the upgrades. And thanks also were given to Hamilton County Commissioner Joe Graham who has been helping the Lookout Mountain, Tn., parks and rec board with the application for a grant from the county that will give small municipalities funds to use for improving recreation facilities. Lookout Mountain is hopeful that the county will give a final approval to offer the grants. If received, the money for the town of Lookout Mountain, Tn., would total $375,000. Of that Hamilton County would contribute $ 250,000 and the town would be required to put in $125,000. A long list of needs can be addressed if the grant is received, said the mayor.
Commons Camp is coming to an end with a record number of kids. On average this summer there have been in the range of 50 children coming each day, with multiple days in the low 60’s. Soccer season will be coming up next. Registration will begin in early August.
The last day for the Summer Library at LMS will be July 17. Open House and registration for next year will be Aug. 4, from 4-6 p.m. Parents also will have the option to register on Power School, the online software that is now being used in Tennessee, and which is already open. The first day of school for grades 1-5 will be Aug. 6. Kindergarten parents should sign up for phase-in days at the open house.
Public Works Commissioner William Valadez said that the department ended up spending more time cleaning up from the recent strong storms than they had expected. Once that is complete, trimming vegetation along the roads will begin.
Lookout Mountain Tn., is in the process of amending its personnel policy to make sure it is fair for both the town as well as the employees. Chief Dale Taylor said that since the COVID pandemic, there has been an unusual amount of turnover, primarily in the fire and police department. That department requires a lot of professional training and uniforms that the town traditionally pays for. The chief and town manager want to make sure that employees stay long enough to cover the investments that are made in them including the cost of professional training. There has been a policy and a six- month probationary period in place, that now will be increased to one year and the policy will be documented in writing so that the employee will understand up front that if they leave the job prematurely, certain benefits will have to be repaid to the city.
They will also have to complete a year of employment to receive pay increases, cost of living adjustments and uniform allowances. Chief Taylor will provide the initial uniform and needed equipment for newly hired officers, before they will be given the allowance. The other departments will develop individual policies for those employees.
The next meeting of the Lookout Mountain, Tn., Commission will be Aug. 12 at 5 p.m.