City Council - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon, everybody. I'll call to order our Tuesday, August 25th meeting of the Chattanooga City Council. If you would please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. and welcome everyone thanks for joining us this afternoon if you would please here at the outset of our meetings just silence or turn off your cell phones so we don't have any unnecessary distractions to our meeting And at the front end of our meeting, I always like to give kind of an overview of how the meeting runs so you'll know what to expect. The first half of our meeting is what's called our agenda session, and so council will go through this week's docket, next week's docket or agenda. sorry i'm a lawyer i'm used to saying docket our agendas for this week and next week and also for three weeks or more out and we'll discuss as needed any any questions or concerns that council members have about those items so that we'll be prepared to vote on them when the time comes We also will look at our purchasing items that are before council for approval this week. And council will have an opportunity to ask questions or raise any concerns about those. We do have a public works parks and infrastructure committee meeting this afternoon that councilman Harvey will be leading for us. And so we'll also do that during our agenda session. And once we've done that, we'll take a recess as we normally do. And normally during that recess, we'll have an attorney client meeting with our city attorney. And I understand we need a brief one today. um and so when the time comes for that i'll announce the time that we'll be reconvening after our recess and then when we come back that's the point in time where we'll be voting on all the items on our agenda for this week And at the end of all that, there will be a time, as there always is, for members of the public to address counsel on any topic that they wish. And the podium down front will be available for that at that time. And our attorney, when the time comes for that, will read some rules for that public comment period. So with that, counsel, could I get a motion on our minutes from our previous meeting, please? So moved. All right, we do have a motion properly seconded on our minutes from last week and those minutes will stand as published. Council look with me if you will at this week's agenda. Starting with our ordinances on final reading and first reading and if you have any questions about those ordinances, please hit your lights.

Councilman Henderson, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. On the 9C, the resolution to, well, actually, that's not the resolutions. I'm a little ahead of you. For some reason, I thought that was under ordinances, but I'll wait unless you want. Okay. I'll come back to you. Okay.

Any questions on ordinances, Council?

okay you can hit your light again counselor thank you i've had quite a bit of back and forth conversation with karen about about the plan chattanooga and just to be real honest i ran out of time trying to get around all of my neighborhoods making sure that we were good with this it would be my desire to but maybe defer this for 30 days just so that I can make sure that all of my neighborhood associations are aware of what we're doing and that they're fully aware of this. Like I said, I just ran out of time trying to get around to all of them. So I don't know how the rest of the council feels. Everybody else may be ready to move forward. I don't know, but it would be my desire to maybe defer this for 30 days. And Karen, I don't want to do anything to the detriment of this, but if we can maybe pause for 30 days.

There is no rush on our part. We would want people to understand that this is coming up and that there is intention to move forward, that there is no deadline. We have a requirement under state law to have the public hearing and to advertise. That's been done. And so we would just want to make sure that we've If we need to advertise again, we get that done and know the date, but there is no rush on our part.

Okay.

Thank you. So, Karen, if I could just ask, I guess, a clarifying question there. Would we have to have another public hearing?

I don't believe we would. I think that just one is required, and I believe the notification is for the first time it comes before you on the agenda, and that it just acknowledges it's happening, and then someone could follow along the natural process, but we'll double check that. But if it's 30 days, we would just go ahead and check it and advertise it if we needed to. Okay.

But it is a resolution and would only require one reading. Yes.

Yes, sir.

Yes. Okay. Is that all, Councilman?

Yeah, that's all I have. Thank you.

All right, Vice Chair Elliott, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Councilman Henderson, this is something I can't support. But Karen, I'll say this. Given that our District 9 Town Hall is coming up, I would like to carve out a portion regardless of how it goes, whether we vote on it or not. So we can do a brief overview over this. And I'll just say, it doesn't have to be extensive. We can just make sure people have a general idea. And if we could have staff there as well to make sure they can capture the questions individually.

Okay.

Thank you, ma'am. That's it. Okay.

And Councilman Clark, you're recognized.

Mr. Chairman Davis, Karen, you can keep your seat, but this is a point of clarity. So if we're deferring this for 30 days, the public hearing that you're referring to, I guess you could keep your seat because there's a question for you at the podium. That is a public hearing that takes place during the regular scheduled city council meeting, right? That's not like a, like, was there one already, we've already missed or?

No, we haven't.

We haven't.

On August 11th, we had a public... Okay, gotcha.

I'm thinking... Okay, gotcha. I was not aware. I don't know how I missed that. So, to Councilman Henderson's point, in that 30-day window, are we planning to do some additional, I guess, individual meetings in our council districts? Like, is that kind of a purpose? Open dialogue is fine. Oh, yeah.

That was a purpose for me. Gotcha. There was a neighborhood association that I just was not able to get to in time to present this before we voted on it every council person can decide whether they need to reach out to their individual neighborhood associations or not this was just something that i was asking the council to for just a little bit more time so that i could make sure I'm doing my due diligence for this particular neighborhood association.

Gotcha. So would we be doing a second hearing since, is that, I'm sorry.

No, I believe I've confused the matter a bit.

Thank you.

State law just requires us to advertise and have a public hearing for the, for that comprehensive plan. We've already done that. And yes. And so I was just noting that 30 days is fine as long as we don't have to advertise again. And I just don't, I'd have to check the state law for that.

But right now there are currently no plans by your department to do an additional.

We had not planned on a no based on, you know, thinking tonight it would be action.

Gotcha. Thank you. All right. Was that all? Yes. Okay.

woman hill you're recognized thank you um councilman henderson when you said when you started your sentence i made the mistake of finishing it in my mind and i thought you were going to ask for a one week deferral 30 days is is a long time um is there a neighborhood association meeting coming up that in that 30 days why you need that amount of time okay um i i can There's, I don't see a reason necessarily to rush this, but I would like to make it clear that it hasn't been rushed. We've been working on this for about four years now. So there's been a lot of time for people to know about this, for all of us to do our due diligence. So I can support this once, but I can't support it a second time. This work is important. I think it's gonna give a lot of clarity to our planning commission, to all of us up here. It's an important tool. And much like our zoning changes that we made that were another humongous project, we already have a plan to make tweaks as necessary. So I know that sometimes in a moment like this, when the vote comes up, it feels like, oh gosh, now I've rushed to make a decision when in fact we've had years and years to be working on this and getting it just right. So I've I understand wanting to get with your neighborhoods one last time. So I've got you, but I don't want to do it again. That's all. If nobody else has anything else about this, I have one other item. That's a resolution. Sure. I just wanted to make council aware on item B last week. I said that I was expecting us to have a, an additional version of this instead, because we had the amount of time in the agenda for, publications this um this item has only changed by one word for its for its first and only read um the the caption has changed by one word and the the guts of the of the resolution um have been replaced so we will be voting on the item the the top item there the recommended for approval by planning commission and staff item um this evening and i will be voting in favor of it thank you

council are there any other questions or comments about anything on tonight's agenda all right we'll look then at next week's agenda and just hit your lights as you look through the ordinances if you have any questions or comments on those councilwoman hill you're recognized

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just in reference to the items, the resolutions under public work, starting with item E through item J, we brought this up with future considerations, and I see we have another tranche of them coming up on future considerations. So we just ask, Mr. Chair, if you and our city attorney could consider if there is some type of consent agenda item that we could have for these so they don't have to be individually read into the record, just to Save our clerk's voice. I know we have plans for the future for how we'll write them differently so that we don't have to do this again. That's all. Thank you. Okay.

Council, are there any other questions on items on next week's agenda? I DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS UP HERE, SO WE WILL LOOK THEN AT OUR PURCHASING ITEMS UP FOR APPROVAL THIS EVENING. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON OUR PURCHASES? OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS FOR THAT EITHER, AND SO WE'LL TURN THEN TO FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS. SO TAKE A LOOK WITH ME, IF YOU WILL, AT OUR FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS LIST, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE HIT YOUR LIGHTS. OKAY. LOOKS LIKE EVERYBODY HAS ALL THE ANSWERS THEY NEED. SO WE WILL MOVE RIGHT ALONG, AND THAT TAKES US THEN TO OUR COMMITTEE MEETING FOR THIS EVENING. SO I'LL TURN THE CHAIR OVER TO COUNCILMAN HARVEY TO LEAD OUR DISCUSSION.

i can start it if you wish okay all right um convening our uh my last meeting is the uh parks and public works chairman uh i've only had one other meeting but i've enjoyed chairing this committee short but sweet i'll be moving into government operations and looking forward to that change but uh may i have uh approval on the minutes thank you all right well that was a quick uh

quick approval I will ask the city attorney if he will to bring forth this stormwater ordinance to us and we'll bring that up for discussion sure this is a minor amendment that has been requested by the stormwater board here in connection with what you currently have in Chattanooga City Code 31 362 at their May meeting they requested that y'all include some provisions here that are required by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, NPDES permit requirements under federal law. And they wanted you all to provide the same type of due process that would occur in hearings that would be determining whether someone adequately or did not adequately comply with those requests for an NPDES permit. And that is the only change that is involved. It involves two sections that are added to section 31362 to the code, just to make sure that it would comply with the federal law.

Okay. Council, any questions or discussion on this ordinance presented? Okay. Councilman Henderson, you are recognized.

Thank you, sir. Mr. Chairman, usually we have the ordinance in our packet, is it? It should be. Maybe I'm overlooking it, but... It's on the agenda and then under the links. Okay. The Stormwater Board is set up as the authority to hear these cases. Is that correct?

Yes. Okay. Normally they hear them per your city code provisions that you've got right now. Okay.

Anything else, Councilman? That's it. Thank you. Okay. Council, anything else? Anybody else have questions about this? Going once.

going twice if not uh councilwoman hill you're recognized thank you councilman harvey i i don't have any more questions about the stormwater but as we are in a park public works and parks committee i do have a question about parks if i may sure um i have an open an open seat on the parks advisory committee but i am unclear about the work that that committee is currently our advisory board is currently doing i think that it has changed from the original intent would it be possible for us to get an update on the functioning of that body and if not today to receive something maybe via email i don't like to have an open seat but i want to make sure that people know what they're getting into and if this is really a functioning body.

Former Councilman Ledford, now Deputy Chief of Staff. Thank you, Darren Ledford, Deputy Chief of Staff. Councilwoman, we would be happy to make that happen for you.

Okay. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's all, Mr. Chair.

All right.

Councilman Elliott, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is slightly off topic, but I can wait unless you have other items. This is all? Council, I'm going to ask in lieu of recent audit findings and things making its way to the press. I have received numerous questions from my constituents and I'm sure other folks have as well. I'm going to ask if we can convene a public hearing in one of our committees to discuss the recent audit findings involving our fleet management office and procurement issues. SO THE PUBLIC CAN GET A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT HAPPENED AND STEPS TAKING PLACE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE RECTIFIED. SO MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU COULD, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN REFER THIS TO A COMMITTEE. NEW SPEAKER I WILL. NEW SPEAKER THANK YOU, SIR. IS THAT ALL, COUNCILMAN?

NEW SPEAKER YES, VICE CHAIRMAN. NEW SPEAKER COUNCILMAN CLARK, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. NEW SPEAKER THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN HARVEY. What committee would that be deferred to? Should that go, if it's a procurement matter, I know that audit involved something particular to public works, but it was a procurement matter. Is that something that should go to budget and finance?

That's what I'm thinking at this point. OF COURSE, OUR COMMITTEE, OUR NEW COMMITTEE STRUCTURE IS BRAND NEW, SO I WANT TO LOOK AT THE BEST BIT IS, BUT I WILL ASSIGN THAT SHORTLY.

NEW SPEAKER AND WHEN WE HAVE HEARINGS, WHAT IS THE TYPICAL, AND THIS IS FOR THE COUNCIL OPEN BOARD DISCUSSION, WHAT WITHIN OUR PURVIEW AS A COUNCIL IN THOSE HEARINGS AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ALREADY SERVED, WHAT In dissecting an audit, I presume, what would be part of the outcomes and the purpose of the hearing as far as what we need to dig deeper in? If someone could give some context to that. Just so you know, Vice Chairman, I think that's a great idea. I think there's some things percolating that we need to discuss, but I'd be curious to know what a hearing format looks like I WOULD YIELD TO MAYBE COUNCILMAN HENDERSON OR COUNCILMAN HILL WHO HAS GOT SOME TENURE ON US REGARDING THOSE FORMATS.

NEW SPEAKER COUNCILMAN HENDERSON.

NEW SPEAKER THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. I DID WANT A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION. WHEN YOU ASK FOR A PUBLIC HEARING TYPICALLY THAT INVOLVES THE PUBLIC COMING TO THE PODIUM asking questions or presenting concerns is that is that the type of hearing you're referring to or are you just referring to basically a committee that would meet perhaps even in this room to discuss with various administrators perhaps the findings what could what remedies could be solved what processes are being looked at are you actually asking for the public to come to that podium no to be more precise it's a committee hearing committee here okay yeah that helps me clarify and understand if it gets put in my committee what you're looking for yes and while i'm here to

answer councilman clark's inquiry this is an opportunity to understand exactly what went wrong to make sure the public understands what went wrong and to also highlight what steps are being taken to make sure they don't happen again so because we have experienced an incident where tax dollars have not been used properly And we voted on this particular item, and it is our obligation to make sure that it is executed in the manner that we voted on it.

So I think this would be helpful to whatever committee chair this gets placed into is for you to outline the concerns and what you would like to see addressed in this committee hearing.

Yeah, I can do that. And I encourage all my other colleagues who may have questions as well to also bring questions. I don't y'all know I like to talk so I can sit up here and have a whole beating by myself. But we do also represent nine different districts in each district. um subsets of taxpayers so if you all have questions as well this is a great opportunity for you to bring the concerns of your constituents but i will definitely outline my concerns going into that meeting sure thank you that's all i have mr chair okay council anyone else okay

If all minds are clear, this, going back to the stormwater ordinance, is on the agenda for today. So if all minds are clear, we'll proceed and vote on this in our business meeting.

All right. Mr. Chairman, recess?

Recess until 4.30. Thank you.

You got to say it right. Very good.

What's up?

You got to say it.

We are back in session. Madam Clerk, if you would please read item 7A.

An ordinance closing and abandoning a portion of the unopened alley in the 2800 block of 8th Street as detailed on the attached map so that certain conditions.

Second. Council, we have a motion properly seconded on this ordinance on final reading. Are there any questions or comments before we vote? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? And the ordinance passes on final reading. Item 8A, please, Madam Clerk.

An ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code Part 2, Chapter 31, Section 31362, General Duties of the Stormwater Regulations Board.

Moved and approved. Seconded. I have a motion properly seconded on this ordinance on first reading to approve. Are there any questions or comments before we vote? All in favor?

Aye.

Any opposed? And the ordinance is passed on first reading. Item 9A, please, Madam Clerk.

A resolution to confirm Mayor Kelly's appointment of Weston Porter to the Carter Board for a term ending on August 26, 2026 and ending on August 25, 2031. Second.

We have a motion properly seconded to approve this resolution. Are there any questions or comments before we vote? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? And the resolution is adopted. Congratulations, Weston. Item 9B, please, Madam Clerk.

A resolution approving a special exceptions permit for a residential plan unit development amendment for part of the property located at 1547 Mercer Street and an unaddressed property in the 1500 block of Mercer Street to list conditions number 1 through 4, resolution number 32672, previous case number 2025-0138 for a previously approved special permit for a residential plan unit development for a part of the property located at 1547 Mercer Street and an unaddressed property in the 1500 block of Mercer Street subject to certain conditions.

We have a motion properly seconded to approve this resolution. Counsel, are there any questions or comments before we vote? All in favor? any opposed and the resolution is adopted and finally item 9 C please a resolution to adopt plan Chattanooga as the comprehensive plan for the city of Chattanooga councilman Henderson you're recognized Thank You mr. chair as I mentioned earlier

i would request a little bit more time from the council we could do like a three-week deferral which would make it to september the 15th move it up a week so i'll move to defer until september the 15th council we have a motion properly seconded to defer this item until september 15th and i see a question or comment from vice chair elliott you're recognized

councilman i would like to think council as a whole i would like to see if we can push it one week beyond that i won't be here on the 15th and i really would like to vote on this one okay i i thought we were going to do it a month out so sorry just trying to be i'll withdraw the 15th and

make a motion to defer till september 22nd that that would be our 30 days yes thank you sir september 22nd so the motion is now to defer this item until september 22nd thank you councilwoman any other questions or comments before we vote all in favor aye any opposed and this resolution will be deferred until our september 22nd meeting

takes us to purchases and we're happy to welcome weston good evening council good evening we have eight purchases recommended for approval this evening the first is with public works it's a one-time purchase of a ham soil compactor to be used by water quality this purchase from power equipment company will be in the amount of 150 000 utilizing the source well contract Item number two is with wastewater. This is a new agreement for sewer line chemical root control services at wastewater. It will be a four-year agreement with an annual amount limit of $230,000. The award will go to Duke's Root Control as the best bid. Item number three is with DTS. This is a one-time purchase of the Smart Grid and EV charging optimization services. This sole source purchase from Colorado School of Mines will be an annual amount limit of $133,000. Item number four is with Public Works. This is a new agreement for daily metering and mail processing service. This will be a four-year agreement with an annual spend of $794,000 inclusive of postage. The award will go to Mailroom Pros as the best bid. Item number five is with Public Works. This is a one-time purchase of the litter capture devices and maintenance for city waterways and stormwater infrastructure with an amount limit of $357,680. The award will go to Osprey Initiative and Sustainable Solutions as the best bid. Item number six is with DTS. It's a new agreement for ERP subscription and licensing. This will be a five-year agreement with an annual amount limit of $1,286,138.26. The award will go to Oracle America, Inc., utilizing Omnia contract. Item number seven is with Public Works. This is a new agreement for ground maintenance at Birchwood and Summit Landfills. This will be a four-year agreement with an annual amount limit of $75,000. The award will go to Loven Contracting Co. Inc. as the best bid. Item number eight is with Public Works. They're requesting an increase of $20,000 for individual parking for DRC employees at Carta South Garage. The original agreement of $64,380 was approved by council on 3-14-2023. This agreement is necessary to cover parking for nine months before a new agreement is in place. The increase will bring the new total to $84,380. Notes approved. Second. have a motion properly seconded to approve these purchases council are there any questions or comments before we vote all in favor aye any opposed and the purchases are approved and we are requesting approval to issue one rfp and not approval to award any contracts at this time is for dts pavement management systems public works uh transportation to evaluate MULTIPLE SYSTEMS WHICH CLAIM TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE PAVEMENT DISTRESS DATA USING SENSORS, CAMERAS, AND AI MACHINE LEARNING TO GENERATE PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR UTILIZING FUTURE CITY FUNDING.

NEW SPEAKER I GET A MOTION. NEW SPEAKER MOVE APPROVAL OF THE RFP REQUEST. NEW SPEAKER SECOND.

NEW SPEAKER COUNSEL WE DO HAVE A MOTION PROPERLY SECONDED TO APPROVE THIS RFP RECOMMENDATION. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE VOTE? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed?

And the recommendation is approved. And then we have one sole source purchase to report this evening with the police department. Apex Raman Spectrometer in the amount of $29,950. The Apex Raman Spectrometer is a drug testing device. The device is portable and will be used to test and identify narcotics while in the field and is compatible with the disposable drug test kits currently used.

Thank you very much, Weston. We'll go around the dais now for committee reports. We'll start with Councilman Henderson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As a budget and finance chair, I would like to announce our first committee meeting will be September the 15th from 1230 to 130 in the conference room, council conference room. and then i have scheduled that room for a follow-up meeting for september the 29th from two to three and once once we get all the members named to the appropriate committees then i'll send out an email of the agenda to the entire council that way if any anybody not on that committee would like to attend they'd certainly be welcome but i will make sure that i had that noticed uh mr attorney yes september the 15th from 12 30. at 1 30 and september the 29th from 2 to 3 in our council conference room okay councilwoman hill councilman harvey

I CHAIRED MY LAST COMMITTEE AS THE PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS CHAIRMAN, WHICH I ENJOYED, AND WE'LL TURN THAT OVER TO COUNCILMAN CLARK. BUT WE READ A STORMWATER ORDINANCE THAT WAS PRESENTED BY THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY, AND IT WAS PASSED ON FIRST READ THIS EVENING. NEW SPEAKER THANK YOU.

NEW SPEAKER THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CLARK. NEW SPEAKER NO REPORT, MR. CHAIR. NEW SPEAKER ALL RIGHT. COUNCILWOMAN NOELL.

Avondale staff for always putting their best effort forward to accommodate community events. We had an event in there Saturday with a great turnout for support of not closing the Orchard Knob Middle School. It was actually a really good turnout. They did an excellent job as they always do on the direction of Mr. Gerald Perry and his A-Team. Thank you for that.

Okay.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Burrs.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to announce that I will be having a District 6 town hall meeting, which will be this Thursday, August 27th, from 530 to 730 at the Tyner Community Center. And all are welcome to attend. Okay. Thank you. Oh, and dinner will be provided.

That's an important detail.

If nothing else, yeah, dinner will be provided. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Like Councilman Burrs, we will have a District 9 town hall on September 14th at 6 o'clock at Second Missionary Baptist Church. We will not be providing dinner, but all are still welcome. So if you're looking to be fed, you probably should go Thursday. Go to District 6. I'm not feeding y'all food, but we'll feed y'all with some knowledge. So please turn out.

Okay. and on that similar note i'll be having my quarterly district 3 town hall meeting on september 13th that's a sunday afternoon from two to four and that'll be at north river civic center um we'll have some sort of food not dinner but we'll have something ice cream maybe AT ANY RATE, ALSO, JUST A REMINDER TO COUNCIL, THE ADMINISTRATION, THE PUBLIC, COUNCIL WILL NOT BE MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 8TH. THAT'S THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY. AND SO WE WILL NOT MEET THAT TUESDAY IN OBSERVANCE OF LABOR DAY.

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE, COUNCILMAN HARVEY? OKAY. COUNCILMAN HARVEY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. COUNCIL, IF YOU WILL. Allow me just a moment. Many of you probably saw the announcement of Dolly Parton, who has passed away. Dolly Parton is the matriarch of our state, the state of Tennessee, one of the great matriarchs. As a fellow musician growing up, listening to her music was inspiring. I think she embodied the way that A lot of us can take a good example of living a life of kindness and loving one another and doing to others as you would have them do unto you. So I just want to take a moment and recognize the significance that Dolly Parton has played IN THE GREAT STATE OF TENNESSEE, WHO HAS ALSO BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN IN LITERACY. THERE'S PROBABLY NO ONE IN THE STATE, MAYBE THE COUNTRY, WHO'S DONE MORE FOR LITERACY IN CHILDREN THAN DOLLY PARTON. SO IF YOU ALL ALLOW ME, I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE ON BEHALF OF DOLLY PARTON.

THANK YOU. NEW SPEAKER THANK YOU. So that takes us to our portion of the meeting where we're happy to recognize members of the public who are here to address council. And so if you're here and would like to talk with us this evening, just make your way to the podium up front here. Is there anyone here that would like to address council this evening?

Can we bring it to? Dr. Holmes.

Point of personal privilege, Mr. Chair. Dr. Evelyn Holmes would like to address the council, but would like to remain in her seat. Oh, sure.

Okay. So can we bring a mic to her?

And while we do that, Mr. Attorney, if you would just read our rules. Yes, ma'am.

Well, I can talk loud enough, I'm sure. Do you have a phone in your mind?

And, ma'am, before you start, let me at least read the rules here. I don't think you'll disobey them, but let me read them anyway. We've got to do that each time on here. At the end of each council business meeting, there's an opportunity to be able to speak to the council, and here's your rules on here. You've got a microphone that you've been provided for that purpose. You can't have more than three minutes to speak, and you can address the council only upon their legislative and quasi-judicial authority authority. and not on matters which are not under their authority or regulated by other governmental bodies or agencies. Don't engage in any vulgar or obscene language nor use the floor to personally attack or personally denigrate others. Address the counsel as a whole and not make comments towards individual council members. And lastly, don't engage in any disorderly conduct or disrupting a public meeting which is prohibited by Tennessee law and someone commits that offense, if a person substantially obstructs or interferes with the meeting,

by physical action or verbal utterance with the intent to prevent or disrupt a lawful meeting or gathering having stated those rules please go ahead miss alms okay i promise you to stay in my seat until you read that but it's a pleasure to be back after three years uh i found it very disturbing that you changed the time of the meetings and i the reason i'm here today is to see how it's conducted Now that I know and I understand I've spoken to a couple of the council members about my concern and my concern especially for the underserved communities that's not having a voice here at your meeting about what's happening in their communities and what they need to say. I'm glad that some of the council people are having meetings to allow their constituents to say something. But I think all of you should hear what we have to say. I found it very convenient to come. I think it was at 5 o'clock to 6. I could park. I could come in. The place was full. And now people are looking or watching you on television, on Zoom or whatever, because it's expensive to park here. I had a handicap hanger, and I parked and got a $45 ticket. And so after that, I have not returned. So I'm here today. I parked. I have my handicap sticker hanging. I did not put any money in the meter. And if you don't see me anymore, you'll know why. But I feel that our communities, especially East Chattanooga, has been underserved. I don't know whether it's because the citizens are not speaking up. You don't hear their voices. But you hear the west side rising and the south side on the move. But East Chattanooga is left behind. We put together a river to ridge, and I thought you would be discussing that today, which is another reason I'm here. And I was one of the people that took the lead on that. We did a fantastic study. Plan put together a plan using youth all the way to seniors and nothing has been done Absolutely nothing in East Chattanooga other than a grocery store that I don't even go to so I'd like to just bring that to your attention and I Prefer not to watch you on television on my computer online or whatever BECAUSE I WANT TO BE IN A POSITION TO SPEAK. AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE TIMES OF YOUR MEETINGS. SO SOME PEOPLE CAN BE IN HERE. THANK YOU.

NEW SPEAKER THANK YOU. NEW SPEAKER IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE THIS EVENING THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNSEL?

My name is John Schmeckle. I am homeless. I've been in Chattanooga for five years. I used to not be homeless. My last residence address was in District 5. I lived over on Bonnie Oaks near the 58th. Last July, I was the victim of an aggravated assault. I was hit by a car that swerved to strike me as it slowly approached a red light. The police report was full of false statements, including falsely stating the make, model, and color of the car that hit me. So last September, I wrote my own report for Sergeant Blackwell of Internal Affairs. And I have the report right here. I have an Ivy League degree, and I also studied legal history in grad school. I know how to write a report. After emailing my report to Sergeant Blackwell, I never heard back from him or from anyone else in internal affairs until last week. After I talked here last Tuesday, Deputy Chief Hewitt took my information, for which I thank him. And this resulted in internal affairs communicating with me last week. an administrative assistant named Regina Greer sent me an email which contained a letter dated last September under her name, which I had never received, stating that, quote, we found no violations of Chattanooga Police Department policies or procedures, end quote. I wrote back, pointing out the police report's false statements about the type of car that hit me, and I requested that Internal Affairs double-check this. This brought an email from Lieutenant Kilgore of Internal Affairs, who falsely wrote, quote, the gas station captured the entire incident on video, and Sergeant Blackwell and the officer on the scene correctly reflected it in their reports, end quote. In other words, internal affairs continues to perpetuate the police report's lies about the make, model, and color of the car that struck me and shattered my hip in the face of video evidence to the contrary. Perhaps the city of Chattanooga will need help from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to get to the bottom of what's wrong with all of this. Thank you for listening to me.

Thank you, sir. Is there anyone else that would like to address council this evening? Seeing none, council, that takes us to the end of our business for the evening. Second. All in favor? Aye. We are adjourned.