
At the July meeting of the Lookout Mountain, Tenn., commission, Town Consultant Dwight Montague reported that the town ended the fiscal year in the black, adding “that is a very good thing.” The new parking meters the town installed near Point Park are partly responsible, but he said credit is also owed to the diligence of each department in “getting the most bang for its buck” as far as spending is concerned. The commission approved the 2019 budget as written.
Commissioner of Fire and Police Jim Bentley presented the department’s statistics for the month of June. Police answered 184 calls, patrolled 5,815 miles, responded to 10 burglar alarms, all false, assisted eight citizens, answered 26 calls to 911, responded to five automobile accidents with no injuries, made 75 traffic stops, issued 25 parking citations, made two narcotics arrests and responded to four fire alarms, all false. The department responded to 14 medical calls in Lookout Mountain, Tenn., and assisted the Lookout Mountain, Ga., department five times during the month.
Public Works Commissioner Walker Jones reported that the town lost a valuable member of the community, David Kendrick, who owned and operated the Lookout Mountain Service Center. David’s sister, Amanda, and her husband, Shane Farmer, along with David’s son, Tristan, will continue to operate the service center. The support of both the Kendrick family and the business is important, and the town council urges the community to support both of them.
Mayor Carol Mutter said that David Kendrick was such an important member of our community, adding that we have sustained a terrible loss with his tragic passing. “Please continue to buy your gas from the Lookout Mountain Service Center,” she said, reiterating how valuable the service center is to our community.
Commissioner Jones reported that the town is busy cleaning up brush and will begin trimming trees, bushes and shrubbery that encroach on town signage and affect visibility on the roads. He urges citizens to prune their shrubbery immediately, saying “We are not landscapers, but are more like a M.A.S.H. unit, ready to cut and go!” If you care how your shrubbery looks near the road, get out your pruners.
Don Stinnent, commissioner of schools, introduced Jenny Hill, a resident of North Chattanooga who is running for District 6 seat on the Hamilton County Board of Education. Jenny is the mother of two children, ninth- and fifth-graders, and realized there are not many parents of middle school and high school children on the board. She and her husband own a small tech business, and she realizes that the economy is changing rapidly. “High school graduates should be life long learners, and they need to be well trained and skilled for the work force, whether they are engineers, welders or phlebotomists,” she said. According to Jenny, Hamilton County has many “haves” and “have nots,” and she is not okay with the “have nots.” “We need to be thoughtful in using tax payers dollars to advocate for students,” she said, promising to do that if elected.
Mayor Mutter asked District 6 Hamilton County Commissioner Joe Graham to stand, noting that it was so wonderful that he routinely attended the town meetings.
“Are you firing me?” he quipped.
“Far from it,” Mayor Mutter replied, presenting him with a monogrammed coffee mug and honoring him with her words.
“I come to these meetings because I love my job,” said Commissioner Graham. “I’m a public servant, and I represent you, so I need to know you, and understand what you want and need.”
He is running for re-election. Election day is August 2.
The next meeting is Tuesday, August 14 at 5 p.m.