The monthly meeting of the town of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., began with discussion of the recently paved section of Ochs Highway. Mayor Walker Jones thanked the city of Chattanooga and Mayor Tim Kelly for repaving the rough section of highway. It has been needed for years, he said, and now that it in such good condition, the town plans do its best to help take care of it.
The Ochs Extension leading to Rock City will be closed once GDOT determines how to permanently repair the section that washed out last year. Additionally, at the bottom of Scenic Highway, the state is considering putting rock barricades to contain rock that falls off the steep cuts. With those roads being the only two ways up the mountain, traffic will have to be diverted onto the newly-paved section of Ochs Highway when Ochs Extension or Scenic Highway is closed. Traffic laws will be stringently enforced, said Commissioner of Fire and Police Jim Bentley. No trucks or vehicles towing trailers are allowed on Ochs Highway leading to Fleetwood Drive. Signs and flags will be put at the bottom and top to alert these truck drivers that they are prohibited.
With the increased traffic on the Tennessee side of the mountain when Ochs Extension is closed, Commissioner Bentley said that all residents on the mountain should be forewarned that the traffic laws will be strictly enforced, including the 25 m.p.h. speed limits and all traffic signs.
Another ordinance that will be enforced is that residents are responsible for ensuring their property is cleaned up from construction trash. The rules are reiterated when a building permit is issued. The requirement that all construction debris be removed will be part of the building inspector’s final inspection before a certificate of occupancy is given.
Property owners are also responsible for keeping shrubbery and vegetation from growing into the town’s roads. They are also responsible for taking care of dangerous trees and limbs in their yards that extend into the town’s right-of-ways.
Chief Chuck Wells asked that the street numbers for all houses be clearly visible on mailboxes. He said it is important for the fire and police department to be able to quickly find the correct address. If not clearly marked, it is difficult for emergency responders to find addresses, especially at night and in the rain and fog.
New tag readers have been ordered for the security cameras at the entrances to Lookout Mountain, Tenn. They will be connected to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computers, which will automatically alert the police departments if a tag is tied to any illegal activity.
Baseball season is coming up, and a large number of kids are participating, said Commissioner of Parks and Playgrounds David Paschall. This season, 225 have signed up, or close to 250 if a clinic for 4-year-olds is included. There should be seven teams of 5-6-year-olds, five teams of 7-8-year-olds, five teams in the 9-10-year-old group, and two teams in the 11-12-year-old division. The commissioner said that a baseball parade in some form will be held this year, but will be different from the traditional opening day parade. This year it might be held to wrap up the season instead of starting it.
Improvements were made to The Commons just in time for baseball season. Stairs from the lower parking lot that join the stairs built last year leading to Dockery Field are completed. A fence at the pavilion was also installed, and new bushes make an attractive buffer for the tennis courts. New LED lights will be installed in the parking lot above Senter Field. Mayor Jones and Public Works Director Cory Evans worked together to schedule the public works employees to build the fencing and the steps. That made the projects as inexpensive as possible, said Commissioner Paschall.
Night Out for Lookout, the fundraiser for Lookout Mountain Elementary School, was a big success, said Commissioner of Schools Brooke Pippenger. She said many people who do not currently have children enrolled in the school attended, and the crowd also included residents from Lookout Mountain, Ga. As usual, fun activities are taking place at LMS. On March 4, “Lion’s Day” was celebrated at the end of the day with a bottle rocket exhibition behind the school put on by the fifth grade science class. And, to replace the Christmas music program that had to be cancelled this year, the school presented a Jukebox Time Machine Music Program last month. Important upcoming dates for the school include spring break from April 11-15, Field Day on May 20, fifth grade graduation on May 24, and the last day of classes on May 25, with dismissal at 11:30 a.m.
Spring is a transitional time for the public works department said Mayor Jones, speaking on behalf of Commissioner Frank Schriner. A lot of people are cleaning up their yards and taking the brush to the streets. He reminds residents to keep the piles manageable and asks everyone to not put debris over drains, which causes flooding.
Mayor Jones also recognized the many volunteers in the town for their help. He said the garden clubs have been cleaning up and beautifying The Commons. The terraces by the tennis courts were planted last year by the Lookout Mountain Beautiful Garden Club and should soon be in full bloom. The Garden Club of Lookout Mountain held a Weed Wrangle around the town hall and The Commons and plans to continue the work around the track. On April 2, Lookout for Litter will take place. This event is organized each year by Ann Caldwell and Wendy Robinson, and all the community involvement is appreciated, said the mayor.
Jennifer Waycaster, the town’s certified municipal officer, gave the financial report for February 2022, which shows that $400,000 in property taxes were paid, with an additional $75,000 collected in late payments. The town has received 98 percent of the property taxes for 2021 and has collected 96 percent of additional budgeted revenue. At three-quarters of the way through the fiscal year, just 52 percent of budgeted expenses have been spent. Mayor Jones said that shows all departments are doing a good job of staying within their budgets.
The next meeting of the Lookout Mountain, Tenn., Commission will be Tuesday, April 12, at 5:30 p.m.
The Ochs Extension leading to Rock City will be closed once GDOT determines how to permanently repair the section that washed out last year. Additionally, at the bottom of Scenic Highway, the state is considering putting rock barricades to contain rock that falls off the steep cuts. With those roads being the only two ways up the mountain, traffic will have to be diverted onto the newly-paved section of Ochs Highway when Ochs Extension or Scenic Highway is closed. Traffic laws will be stringently enforced, said Commissioner of Fire and Police Jim Bentley. No trucks or vehicles towing trailers are allowed on Ochs Highway leading to Fleetwood Drive. Signs and flags will be put at the bottom and top to alert these truck drivers that they are prohibited.
With the increased traffic on the Tennessee side of the mountain when Ochs Extension is closed, Commissioner Bentley said that all residents on the mountain should be forewarned that the traffic laws will be strictly enforced, including the 25 m.p.h. speed limits and all traffic signs.
Another ordinance that will be enforced is that residents are responsible for ensuring their property is cleaned up from construction trash. The rules are reiterated when a building permit is issued. The requirement that all construction debris be removed will be part of the building inspector’s final inspection before a certificate of occupancy is given.
Property owners are also responsible for keeping shrubbery and vegetation from growing into the town’s roads. They are also responsible for taking care of dangerous trees and limbs in their yards that extend into the town’s right-of-ways.
Chief Chuck Wells asked that the street numbers for all houses be clearly visible on mailboxes. He said it is important for the fire and police department to be able to quickly find the correct address. If not clearly marked, it is difficult for emergency responders to find addresses, especially at night and in the rain and fog.
New tag readers have been ordered for the security cameras at the entrances to Lookout Mountain, Tenn. They will be connected to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computers, which will automatically alert the police departments if a tag is tied to any illegal activity.
Baseball season is coming up, and a large number of kids are participating, said Commissioner of Parks and Playgrounds David Paschall. This season, 225 have signed up, or close to 250 if a clinic for 4-year-olds is included. There should be seven teams of 5-6-year-olds, five teams of 7-8-year-olds, five teams in the 9-10-year-old group, and two teams in the 11-12-year-old division. The commissioner said that a baseball parade in some form will be held this year, but will be different from the traditional opening day parade. This year it might be held to wrap up the season instead of starting it.
Improvements were made to The Commons just in time for baseball season. Stairs from the lower parking lot that join the stairs built last year leading to Dockery Field are completed. A fence at the pavilion was also installed, and new bushes make an attractive buffer for the tennis courts. New LED lights will be installed in the parking lot above Senter Field. Mayor Jones and Public Works Director Cory Evans worked together to schedule the public works employees to build the fencing and the steps. That made the projects as inexpensive as possible, said Commissioner Paschall.
Night Out for Lookout, the fundraiser for Lookout Mountain Elementary School, was a big success, said Commissioner of Schools Brooke Pippenger. She said many people who do not currently have children enrolled in the school attended, and the crowd also included residents from Lookout Mountain, Ga. As usual, fun activities are taking place at LMS. On March 4, “Lion’s Day” was celebrated at the end of the day with a bottle rocket exhibition behind the school put on by the fifth grade science class. And, to replace the Christmas music program that had to be cancelled this year, the school presented a Jukebox Time Machine Music Program last month. Important upcoming dates for the school include spring break from April 11-15, Field Day on May 20, fifth grade graduation on May 24, and the last day of classes on May 25, with dismissal at 11:30 a.m.
Spring is a transitional time for the public works department said Mayor Jones, speaking on behalf of Commissioner Frank Schriner. A lot of people are cleaning up their yards and taking the brush to the streets. He reminds residents to keep the piles manageable and asks everyone to not put debris over drains, which causes flooding.
Mayor Jones also recognized the many volunteers in the town for their help. He said the garden clubs have been cleaning up and beautifying The Commons. The terraces by the tennis courts were planted last year by the Lookout Mountain Beautiful Garden Club and should soon be in full bloom. The Garden Club of Lookout Mountain held a Weed Wrangle around the town hall and The Commons and plans to continue the work around the track. On April 2, Lookout for Litter will take place. This event is organized each year by Ann Caldwell and Wendy Robinson, and all the community involvement is appreciated, said the mayor.
Jennifer Waycaster, the town’s certified municipal officer, gave the financial report for February 2022, which shows that $400,000 in property taxes were paid, with an additional $75,000 collected in late payments. The town has received 98 percent of the property taxes for 2021 and has collected 96 percent of additional budgeted revenue. At three-quarters of the way through the fiscal year, just 52 percent of budgeted expenses have been spent. Mayor Jones said that shows all departments are doing a good job of staying within their budgets.
The next meeting of the Lookout Mountain, Tenn., Commission will be Tuesday, April 12, at 5:30 p.m.
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