The city of East Ridge is beginning a $3 million project to benefit the parks and recreation department with the goal of encouraging more tournaments to come to the city. Approval was given to put artificial turf at Camp Jordan on baseball and softball fields numbers five through eight and on the soccer field in the stadium. The work will be done in partnership with ASA Engineering and Consulting who will be paid $23,000 and with Baseline Sorts Construction for $2,776,000.
The project was authorized in a resolution that was adopted in November 2024. The installation is scheduled to begin after the conclusion of the final scheduled tournament of the year and is expected to take approximately three to four months to complete.
In the past, tournaments have been moved out of town due to water on the fields. Artificial turf is expected to reduce uncertainty because of weather, officials said.
Before the vote Councilman Jacky Cagle asked and was told that PFAS, commonly called “forever chemicals,” are not used in the manufacturing process of synthetic turf. And he was told that the crumb rubber underlayment made from recycled tires does not contain lead.
Councilman Cagle was told that a study in 2024 of players on turf fields and those playing on artificial turf showed no differences. He was also told that the agreement between the city and Shaw Industries can include that Shaw will be responsible for taking it back when it is time to replace the artificial turf. It will be reused to make shock performance padding that is used under artificial turf. Councilman Cagle’s was the only vote against.
Since 2018 East Ridge has used the Care-A-Van program from CARTA to help its elderly and disabled citizens. The council voted to approve continuing the service through fiscal year 2026 with one change. It now can be used to transport an individual to buy groceries, to a pharmacy and to find employment, but transportation for entertainment will no longer be allowed, as had been done previously.
The cost for a one-way ride will be $51 with the city being responsible for paying $47.50. The cost of a round-trip will be $102 and the city will be responsible for paying $95. Citizens will have to pay just $3.50 each way of the trip. The city has budgeted $100,000 to provide this service and Hamilton County is contributing so the city will have about $145,000 to use for the Care-A-Van service.
East Ridge has security devices at all of the city’s facilities and properties which includes fire alarm monitoring and a camera system. The council approved continuing to use Preventia Security to provide these systems and for maintaining them. The amount authorized is not to exceed $11,664 annually.
The 2025-2026 budget includes replacing two large trucks. The street department will be getting a new dump truck with a snowplow and salt spreader attachment and will cost $160,248. And a new rear-end loader garbage truck costing $236,060 will be bought for the Sanitation Department. City Manager Scott Miller recommended financing these trucks with a five-year capital note for $400,000 at an interest rate of 4.45 percent through the Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund. Although the city has enough money in the general fund to pay for them, to avoid paying interest, Mr. Miller said something else in the budget would have to fall by the wayside if the money was taken from the general fund.
A Ford F-150 pickup truck will also be bought for the sanitation department to replace one that was declared a total loss following an accident. The accident was determined not to be the fault of the city employee. A 2024 4WD that has low mileage will be bought for $38,650.
Parks and Recreation Director Shawnna Skiles received approval for her recommendation to award the bid for fall and winter uniforms to the low bidder of Krown Sports for $27,070. Out of four bids, the one from Krown was the lowest and the only one to meet all the bid specifications.
City Manager Miller told the council that the city and its staff do their best to use grants large and small to get projects done that might not otherwise be possible if not for the financial assistance. He said that the city’s Economic Development Administrator, Cameron McAllister, had applied for 15 grants in fiscal year 2024-2025. The city was awarded 13 of them totaling $2,176,873. The city was required to put up just $362,522 in order to get the grant money.
At the meeting Thursday night, the council approved applying for funding through the statewide school resource officer program. This would be to provide the city with additional money to support the four school resource officer positions in East Ridge schools. A memo of understanding will be executed with the department of safety and homeland security for a grant of $300,000 which equates to $75,000 per officer. The city was also authorized to provide additional funding as needed, for the SROs.
The city council also approved the acceptance of the 2026 Animal Friendly Grant from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to support the East Ridge animal services. This grant is funded through the sale of specialty license plates promoting spay and neuter services. The city plans to use this grant to help reduce the number of unwanted pets, thereby alleviating the burden on the shelter. The service will only be for citizens of East Ridge and only for low-income residents, veterans, the elderly or disabled individuals. With the $1,100 grant, the city expects to make 18-22 vouchers available to spay or neuter pets.
Some issues circulating on social media were refuted by the city manager and mayor. Mr. Miller said that the city does not mix recycling and garbage and, after being picked up, they are taken to different facilities. And Mayor Brian Williams said he has read a group of people complaining about property tax skyrocketing in East Ridge. The mayor would like residents to know that when the real estate reassessments were done the value of property did increase, however, Hamilton County adjusted the tax rate to offset that increase and provided the city with a “certified rate” that will keep the property tax in East Ridge revenue neutral. The tax rate from last year was $1.25 per every $100 of the assessed property value. The new, certified rate that will be used is $.79 for each $100 of value.