First tax rate votes, another grant for the joint skate and dog park

The Chattanooga City Council dais inside the meeting room at 1000 Lindsay St. (Photo/Ian-Alijah Bey)

See the full Aug. 26 meeting agenda here

Tax rate votes

City Council will hold a public hearing on the $1.69 property tax rate put forward by Councilmen Chip Henderson, District 1, and Jeff Davis, District 3.

Last week Council heard comments on the $1.93 rate proposed by Mayor Tim Kelly, and a few dozen community members spoke. Check out a recap of the hearing below.

Where things stand ahead of Chattanooga’s tax rate vote

When Council members return from their meeting recess, they’ll vote on the two tax plans. Both rates would fund raises for police officers and firefighters. But the mayor’s rate would generate another $26 million to pay for a host of other items on top of the raises.

Want to compare the proposals in more detail? Check out this piece:

Chattanooga’s tax rate plans, side-by-side

Skate and dog park grant

Parks & Outdoors looks to apply for a $2 million grant from BlueCross Foundation to help fund renovations to the Chattown skate park and Chattanooga Chew Chew dog park. Contracts for demolition and site prep, a prefabricated bathroom, and the new concrete skating area are already in place.

Among other things, the grant would go toward a covering for the skating and roller hockey areas, play equipment for kids, and upgrades to a second park entrance. This city applied for a $500K state grant for the renovation as well.

Sports Authority appt.

Council confirmed Ronika Bryant’s appointment to the joint city and Hamilton County Sports Authority Board. Board members manage financing for the new Lookouts stadium.

New Carver gym floor

A $132,000 contract to replace the gym floor at Carver Community Center is up for vote.