Commissioners of the Town of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., opened the monthly meeting with discussion of the town’s school. Lookout Mountain School is continuing to carry on while dealing with expected cases of COVID-19, said Commissioner of Schools Brooke Pippenger. Activity at the school includes Grandparent’s Day on Friday, February 25, starting at 1 in the afternoon. Night Out for Lookout, the biggest fundraiser for the school, will be held the following night, February 26, at the Lookout Mountain Club. Tickets will be on sale February 4. A music program will be presented on March 17 and 18, to replace the Christmas music program that was cancelled in December because of the pandemic.
There continues to be a lot of participation in sports on the mountain. Commissioner of Parks and Playgrounds David Paschall said that basketball is underway, and games are held at LMS and at Fairyland Elementary School. Baseball registration is underway. Lawson Electric is in the process of putting LED lights in the parking lot behind the Senter Field wall.
Commissioner of Fire and Police Jim Bentley announced that the fire and police department has several new officers, Carl Ritchie, Kevin Ritchie and Christina Henderson, who is the first female officer to work for Lookout Mountain, Tenn. The new fire engine is nearing completion, and Captain Danny Wright will make a final trip to inspect and approve it. The fire truck is expected to be delivered on time in mid-February. Commissioner Bentley said that it takes a full year, from the time a police car is ordered until it is delivered, so it is even more of a priority to maintain all the existing police vehicles as well as can be done.
There have been some scares related to the weather, said Frank Schriner, commissioner of the public works department, but nothing has actually caused bad road conditions on the mountain this winter so far. However, the town received a new shipment of road salt and will be ready if icy and snowy conditions do occur. The department is caught up with removal of leaf and brush piles for the most part, said the commissioner.
Jennifer Waycaster, the town’s certified municipal officer, gave the financial report for the month of December. She said $453,000 in property taxes has been paid, with more money than anticipated coming from state and local sales taxes. At halfway through the fiscal year, she said 64 percent of the budgeted amount of state taxes and 80 percent of the budgeted amount of local taxes has been received. The PTA made the first of two payments in the amount of $94,000. That money is combined with contributions from the town and used to pay for additional teachers and enrichment programs at the school. Expenses in December include $5,000 in training for the fire and police department and $6,000 to pay for salt for the public works department.
A change was made to health insurance plans for town employees. Previously, insurance benefits were available at 30 days after an employee began work. Now, insurance benefits will be available at the first of the month after employment begins.
Fifty percent of the town’s allotment of federal funds from the coronavirus American Recovery Plan has also been received in the amount of $280,000, said Mayor Walker Jones, adding that a second payment of the same amount will be received next fall. Mayor Jones said that the restrictions that were originally put on use of the money were so limiting that it would have been hard to spend it. The good news, he said, is that the rules have been relaxed and now there are not as many limitations. He said it will be great for the town because it can use the money for practical applications.
The mayor said some dead trees are leaning over the town’s roads. In that situation, he said, the homeowner is responsible for any damage done by falling trees or limbs. Homeowners have been warned, and he asks that people take care of any problem trees on their property.
Mayor Jones also reminded the commission members that it is time to file a nominating petition to run for office.
The next Lookout Mountain, Tenn., commission meeting is on February 8 at 5:30 p.m.
There continues to be a lot of participation in sports on the mountain. Commissioner of Parks and Playgrounds David Paschall said that basketball is underway, and games are held at LMS and at Fairyland Elementary School. Baseball registration is underway. Lawson Electric is in the process of putting LED lights in the parking lot behind the Senter Field wall.
Commissioner of Fire and Police Jim Bentley announced that the fire and police department has several new officers, Carl Ritchie, Kevin Ritchie and Christina Henderson, who is the first female officer to work for Lookout Mountain, Tenn. The new fire engine is nearing completion, and Captain Danny Wright will make a final trip to inspect and approve it. The fire truck is expected to be delivered on time in mid-February. Commissioner Bentley said that it takes a full year, from the time a police car is ordered until it is delivered, so it is even more of a priority to maintain all the existing police vehicles as well as can be done.
There have been some scares related to the weather, said Frank Schriner, commissioner of the public works department, but nothing has actually caused bad road conditions on the mountain this winter so far. However, the town received a new shipment of road salt and will be ready if icy and snowy conditions do occur. The department is caught up with removal of leaf and brush piles for the most part, said the commissioner.
Jennifer Waycaster, the town’s certified municipal officer, gave the financial report for the month of December. She said $453,000 in property taxes has been paid, with more money than anticipated coming from state and local sales taxes. At halfway through the fiscal year, she said 64 percent of the budgeted amount of state taxes and 80 percent of the budgeted amount of local taxes has been received. The PTA made the first of two payments in the amount of $94,000. That money is combined with contributions from the town and used to pay for additional teachers and enrichment programs at the school. Expenses in December include $5,000 in training for the fire and police department and $6,000 to pay for salt for the public works department.
A change was made to health insurance plans for town employees. Previously, insurance benefits were available at 30 days after an employee began work. Now, insurance benefits will be available at the first of the month after employment begins.
Fifty percent of the town’s allotment of federal funds from the coronavirus American Recovery Plan has also been received in the amount of $280,000, said Mayor Walker Jones, adding that a second payment of the same amount will be received next fall. Mayor Jones said that the restrictions that were originally put on use of the money were so limiting that it would have been hard to spend it. The good news, he said, is that the rules have been relaxed and now there are not as many limitations. He said it will be great for the town because it can use the money for practical applications.
The mayor said some dead trees are leaning over the town’s roads. In that situation, he said, the homeowner is responsible for any damage done by falling trees or limbs. Homeowners have been warned, and he asks that people take care of any problem trees on their property.
Mayor Jones also reminded the commission members that it is time to file a nominating petition to run for office.
The next Lookout Mountain, Tenn., commission meeting is on February 8 at 5:30 p.m.
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