EDITOR’S NOTE: East Ridge News Online asked candidates running for the East Ridge City Council to participate in a “council election roundup” story. A series of questions was posed to each candidate.

The questions:

What is your platform and issues of focus?

What do you think is the most important change for East Ridge that you’d like to champion if you were elected to council? 

What is your vision for the west side of Ringgold Road and the businesses on the west end of town?

What is your idea of progress for the City of East Ridge?

The following article presents each candidate’s answers verbatim and unedited. 

 

Jeff Ezell

My name is Jeff Ezell and I am running for East Ridge City Council.  I was born and raised here in East Ridge,  I went to Anna B. Lacy and Spring Creek Elementary, then East Ridge Junior and East Ridge High School where I  graduated in 1979.

I  am married,  have 3 wonderful daughters that keep me busy with sports at ERHS. I am involved with several groups in East Ridge which include ER citizens police academy alumni, citizens helping citizens, and ER needy children.

You ask why am I running for East Ridge City Council. I am running to help continue rebuilding our city,  not just Exit 1. I want to be able to hold City employees accountable for their jobs. I want to help make ER the place people want to live.

Businesses, roads,  and crime would be my top three priorities.

One of the biggest challenges would be gaining more businesses on the west end of East Ridge. One of the biggest problems in East Ridge is the crime.

 

Robert E. Gilreath 

About me:

I have been a residence of East Ridge for over 44 years. I have been married for 44 years.

I served with The Hamilton County Sheriffs Department, as a Lieutenant.

I am a retired General Contractor, with over 49 years experience in the industry.

I have been a business owner in East Ridge.

I am a founding member of my church, where I served on the Board of Directors for 4 years. As well as being Chairman of the of The Buildings and Locations Committee, with the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church for 7 years.

I was active with The Associated General Contractors of East Tennessee, where I served on several committees as well as serving on the Board of Directors for 4 years.

1. WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FOR COUNCIL?

I am a candidate for East Ridge City Council because I believe that when elected I will return the voice of the citizens to the Council. It is my intent to hear the ideals and opinions of the citizens and assure them that I will be an advocate on their behalf. As a 44-year resident of East Ridge, I do understand the importance of being heard by the Council. When elected I vow to be a full- time representative to the City Council for the citizens of East Ridge.

2. LIST THREE TOP PRIORITIES THAT YOU WILL ADDRESS IF ELECTED.

A. As a Council Member it will be my responsibility to ensure that East Ridge’s Fire Department, Police Department, and all First Responders have the necessary and appropriate funding to furnish the equipment required to execute their duties in the safest and most efficient way possible for the protection of the citizens and businesses of East Ridge. I will fight to maintain and insure that our first responders’ salaries and benefits are a priority so that we will advance our ability to protect and to serve the the City of East

B. I strongly believe that East Ridge has an unprecedented opportunity as one of only three cities in the State of Tennessee, to procure The Border Region Act. As a Council Member, I will spend a full-time effort to work diligently in utilizing this opportunity for the needed and encouraged improvement to upper East Ridge while sharing equal attention to the remainder of the city.

C. As a Council Member I will be an advocate for transitioning exclusive focus from Camp Jordan and Exit 1 to encompass the entirety of the city. While I believe that Camp Jordan and Exit 1 are valuable resources for our community I also believe that all of East Ridge deserves the same time, attention, and consideration.

3. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES FACING EAST RIDGE IN YOUR OPINION?

A. I believe that our Fire department, Police department, and all first responders are not being given the authority to run their departments effectively. I respect each and every one of our first responders, and I do believe that the overbearing power of a City Manager hinders the ability of our first responders to operate at peak performance. I believe that authority of the first responders should be the sole priority of the City Council and not left up to one individual. If this could be the case I do believe that the city council can and should appropriate funds such as the Hotel and Motel tax to purchase equipment that our first responders desperately need. This type of equipment is essential to serve the needs of the development and protection of the City of East

B. East Ridge has been granted the privilege of being one of three cities in the State of Tennessee to be a member of the Boarder Region Act. It is my belief that this opportunity is being under utilized and mismanaged. Understanding and execution of this act can and will benefit the future of East Ridge for generations to come. With appropriate management of this opportunity we can bring meaningful business and revenue to The City of East

C. I welcome and encourage the development of Camp Jordan along with Exit 1 including all of the benefits that they will bring to our city. I also believe that the rest of the City of East Ridge deserves the same time, attention, and consideration. I believe that too much focus has been concentrated in one area. The City of East Ridge is just a little over eight square miles and hosts a population of approximately 21,000 people. Don’t you think that we should be paying attention to each and every citizen and every square mile of our city? I do.

What is your platform and issues of focus?

As a candidate for City Council I have four main issues of focus for my platform. Firstly, I strongly believe that the citizens of East Ridge need to be heard and have a meaningful voice on the council. It is my intent to be a full time representative to the issues, concerns, and needs of the citizens of East Ridge.

Secondly, I believe that our Fire and Police departments are a very important asset to our city and are extremely necessary to keep the citizens of East Ridge safe. I will fight on our first responders’ behalf to make sure that they have the equipment, facilities, and benefits necessary to continue to do an excellent job in protecting our citizens and businesses.

Thirdly, I am a huge advocate for capitalizing on the Boarder Region Act that The City of East Ridge is so privileged to be a member of. I will work diligently to educate citizens, business owners, and developers of this opportunity for our city. If this opportunity is put to proper use, I see no reason that this could not be a major stepping stone in revitalizing the west side of East Ridge and generating meaningful tax revenue for our city.

Finally, I want to see that our entire city is given the time, attention, and resources that it needs in order to continue to be a sustainable community for generations to come. It is my belief that focus be spent on the city as an entirety and not just specific areas such as Camp Jordan and Exit 1. I want to see that each and every business and each and every citizen has the resources and assets necessary to keep East Ridge the great community it is.

What do you think is the most important change for East Ridge that you’d like to champion if you were elected to council?

The most important change for East Ridge takes a multi- pronged approach with two main goals. Firstly, we need to educate citizens, businesses, and developers on what an amazing opportunity the Boarder Region Act is for the City of East Ridge. Proper utilization of this opportunity can provide unprecedented tax revenue for the city, which in turn can be reinvested in the city to improve it and encourage meaningful growth. Secondly, we must start looking at The City of East Ridge as a whole and not get hung up on specific areas only. If we are able to work with these two goals in harmony, I see that we can make a very strong case for the revitalization and growth of the west end of East Ridge while continuing to maintain and expand the growth that our city has already experienced.

What is your vision for the west side of Ringgold Road and the businesses on the west end of town?

If put to proper use the City of East Ridge has an unprecedented opportunity to utilize the Boarder Region act to generate a significant amount of tax revenue for our city. As I have previously stated before I believe that it is important to educate citizens, businesses, and developers on how this opportunity works. There are still a number of citizens and business owners who are completely unaware that this opportunity exists. With the additional tax revenue and incentives that could be offered to businesses to build or relocate to East Ridge, I see a clear path that this growth could benefit the west end of East Ridge. In addition to attracting new commerce to the City of East Ridge I believe it is important that we establish more communication and better relationships with property owners and landlords. It will be important for the council to understand how we can be of assistance in helping property owners and landlords fill their vacant properties with tenants. Not only will this benefit the west end of East Ridge but it will benefit the entirety of East Ridge as well. With the proper lines of communication I see that we can revitalize and grow the under-performing west end of East Ridge, which I plan to make a priority.

What is your idea of progress for the City of East Ridge?

My idea of progress for the City of East Ridge begins with viewing the city as a whole. East Ride is approximately 8 square miles and is home to approximately 21,000 citizens. Geographically speaking, our city is long and skinny with a state boarder to the bottom, and a major interstate running through it giving us a truly unique landscape. What I intend to focus on for the future of the city is hearing the ideas, issues, and concerns for the entire city. What may be applicable to one area of East Ridge may be completely irrelevant to another area. I know it’s easy to be enamored with flashy new businesses and big development projects at one end of the city, but what about the rest of the city? I know it’s important to revitalize and bring growth to under-performing parts of the city, but what about the new growth and development that we have been fortunate enough to experience on the other side of the city? As a candidate for East Ridge City Council it is my belief that no one part of our city is any more important than the other. I will work diligently to extend my focus to the entire city rather than only paying attention to specific areas. If we can orchestrate this distribution of focus I see that the City of East Ride has a very bright future as the Pioneers of Progress!

 

Esther Helton 

My name is Esther Helton, I am running for re-election to the East Ridge City Council for a second term. My parents, David and Louise Long, bought a home on Truman Avenue in 1963 and moved our family to East Ridge when I was two years old. I am a product of the Hamilton County public school system. I attended Spring Creek Elementary, East Ridge Jr. High and High School. I am a proud member of the class of 1980. After high school, I graduated from Chattanooga School of Practical Nursing, Class of 1981. Although semi retired from nursing, I have been a Licensed Practical Nurse for 39 years. I have three grown children, Lee Helton, Lisa Helton Golden and Kip Helton. I am a Grandmother of five beautiful grandchildren. I am engaged to Marty Haynes. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family and friends. In addition to serving on the East Ridge City Council, I also serve in the Tennessee General Assembly as State Representative for House District 30.

-Born November 6,1961

-Graduate East Ridge High School 1980

-Graduate Chattanooga School of Practical Nursing 1981

-Employed Dialysis Clinic Inc. hemodialysis nurse 1984-2012

-Member Graceworks Church

-Member East Ridge High School Alumni Association

-Member East Ridge Optimist Club

-Member Elks Lodge #91

-Councilmember City of East Ridge 2016-2018

-Vice Mayor City of East Ridge 2018-present

-State Representative House District 30 2018-present

 

Why are you running for council?

I am running for  re-election  for  East  Ridge  City  Council  because  I  want  to  continue to represent your views and your voice on council. I want to actively work to enhance the future for our community, a future which I believe is brighter than ever. I truly believe that the strongest communities are anchored in a spirit of collaboration. Relationships and initiatives can and should reach beyond city limits. I know I will help facilitate these initiatives.  I’m  a  leader,  I listen and I am connected to our community. I bring an all encompassing community perspective. I am a hard worker. I am passionate and take action to get things done. Let’s keep moving forward!

List three top priorities that you would address if elected:

Public Safety– I will maintain a strong commitment to those who serve and protect our community. I believe continued investment is needed for fire and police departments to address the growing needs that are occurring as our city is experiencing unprecedented growth and development.

Economic Progress– I will continue to focus on attracting new businesses under the Border Region Act which has increased business investments and increased revenues from $772,201 in 2016 to $2,540,996 in 2020. Job creation goes hand in hand with this. Over 500 new jobs and 15 national and regional businesses have opened in East Ridge since 2016.

Infrastructure- In my second term, I will focus on ways to improve our infrastructure. As I have met citizens while going door to door in this campaign, many have voiced their concerns about the condition of many of our roads. This is an area that we must improve. I am happy to report that the City was just awarded a $2.5 million grant for infrastructure improvements.

What are the biggest problems/challenges facing East Ridge in your opinion?

The biggest problem in our City, without question, is the increase in crime. We need to reactivate and re-energize our Neighborhood Watch. We must have neighbors looking out for neighbors and working in conjunction with law enforcement. If we are to increase our single family home ownership in East Ridge, we must be willing to address our crime problems.

What is your platform and issues of focus?

My platform and issues of focus are the same as my priorities – Public safety, Economic Development and Infrastructure. These are serious and demanding issues that require serious thought and planning. We must focus on where we want East Ridge to be in five years, ten years and twenty years. We must always be moving forward and not looking backwards.

What do you think is the most important change for East Ridge that you’d like to champion if you were elected to the council?

The most important change for our City is the option of having our own school system. We need to form an exploratory committee and collaborate with other cities across the State that have successfully done this in the past few years. If we want to be the best and brightest city in Hamilton County, we need to seek opportunities that will encourage people to move to East Ridge.

What is your vision for the west side of Ringgold Road and the businesses on the west end of town?

The City of East Ridge is completing the Right of Way Phase of the MultiModal Project from McBrien Road to Kingwood Drive. The estimated construction date is Spring of 2021. This project will consist of pathways which will allow citizens to safely walk, jog, bike, dine and shop along Ringgold Road. The project will enhance the storm sewer system and decrease the volume of water placed in the system during the initial rainfall event. This project is designed to create Economic Growth while enhancing the physical appearance of the Ringgold Road corridor. Staff and City Council will continue to seek additional grant funding thru TDOT that will create connectivity to the West End. This infrastructure investment will increase business opportunities on the west end. Government’s role in Economic Development is to create an environment in which business owners and developers choose to invest their money and risk their capital.

What is your idea of progress for the City of East Ridge?

We have seen great progress in the last four years in East Ridge. We have had more commercial development in the last four years than in the last twenty five years. At this moment we have the single largest non-industrial development underway in the entire county going on in our city. Yes, there are growing pains but we have two options in front us – continue to move East Ridge forward and give people in Brainerd, Missionary Ridge, Concord and North Georgia reasons to come to our city. Or we can look backwards and wish things were the way they used to be. We all want East Ridge to have a home-town feel again. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I am the best candidate to help ALL of East Ridge prosper and succeed. We can’t do that by going backwards or standing still.

I sure would appreciate your vote to allow me to represent you for another four years.

 

Denny Manning 

Why are you running for Council?

To be a Council spokesperson for all taxpayers and all citizens. For notification of all meetings and things going on in East Ridge.

List three top priorities that you would address if elected.

1. No tax increase. 2. Roads to be paved. 3. Help old businesses first and bring in new businesses.

What are the biggest problems/challenges facing East Ridge in your opinion?

Empty store buildings, more revenues, treating all employees fair and giving back all leaves and raises. Bringing up all employees’ benefits up to standard. Bring back reserve police and firemen and get equipment needed for them to work with, including fire engines and police cars and all other departments they need mowers, etc. equipment to do their jobs!

Show all employees that we appreciate them. They help us so we should appreciate them.

Building a new dog pound and a new garage at Camp Jordan. Upgrade the sign shop.

What is your platform and issues of focus?

To not increase taxes only council that ran on not to increase. To help older business to get more revenue and to help get empty stores back open! To help get new business coming into East Ridge.

What do you think is the most important change for East Ridge that you’d like to champion if you were elected to council?

To help beautify East Ridge businesses, pave roads, fix sidewalks and get WWTA rates down, and if they dig up roads fix them right.

What is your vision for the west side of Ringgold Road and the businesses on the west end of town?

Repair and restore buildings on west end so they are more beautified to bring more business in.

What is your idea of progress for the City of East Ridge?

More family restaurants and businesses to bring more people into East Ridge. I love my city of East Ridge most all of my life.

Fix the Pioneer Park and playground, also slip and slide that was promised. Fix McBrien school that can be used for a purpose instead of sitting there. Watch out and help for seniors and disabled persons and all taxpayers and citizens are treated fairly! I promise I will stand for what’s right for God-fearing City of East Ridge.

 

David Tyler 

Who is David Tyler?

I am a 38-year-old restaurateur and private consultant. I was with the Beef’O’Brady’s franchise for 11 years and now I am looking to use my experience to serve our community. I am a proud member of the East Ridge Optimist Club and regularly volunteer at the East Ridge Food Pantry.

1. Why are you running for Council?

I became a candidate for city council because I want to see continued economic progress for the citizens of East Ridge. The economic development on Exit 1 has been a good direction for the city, but we have yet to see those benefits on the west end of town. While many East Ridge citizens are aware of the benefits of putting money into Camp Jordan, there is a desire to improve the west end of East Ridge and create a new economic center for the city, and I will push for this to happen.

2. List three top priorities that you would address if elected.

The top priority will be to move forward with the multi-modal project and begin improvements to Ringgold Road. This will be an important step in improving the west end of East Ridge, which would be a second priority. The city was awarded the money to move forward with improvements in 2015 but the project has not taken off yet, and many East Ridge citizens are ready for this to happen. The third priority will be to bring more businesses to East Ridge by taking advantage of the new improvements to Ringgold Road and marketing the advantages to starting a business in East Ridge. It would be great to see an open-air farmer’s market or brewery come to town!

 3. What are the biggest problems/challenges facing East Ridge in your opinion?

I think the biggest challenge facing East Ridge is the continued decay of the west end of town. With many businesses sitting empty or abandoned, the lack of economic development has contributed to the rise of crime in the city. If we are to get crime under control, we need to improve the west end of town and clean up the city center.

4. What is your platform and issues of focus?

I am pro-business, pro law enforcement, and against raising property taxes. The more businesses that sit empty on the west end of town, the less money in sales tax the city can bring in. This could lead to elected officials raising property taxes to fund the economic expansions on Exit 1 and at Camp Jordan. We should be bringing new businesses into the west end and use the new taxes to improve the lives of the community. I would also like to see that our law enforcement, fire department, and other city services have the adequate funding to buy the equipment they need to meet the demands of a growing city.

5. What do you think is the most important change for East Ridge that you’d like to champion if you were elected to council?

Other than the improvements on the west end of town, I would push to amend the city charter that currently limits the terms of the city council members to 12 consecutive years and add that they cannot run again if they have termed out of office. I would also amend the city charter to prevent a city council member from holding two compensated public offices and that if a city council member is elected to another office, they must relinquish their council seat and the citizens will vote on their replacement in the next municipal election. The citizens of East Ridge should be wary of allowing too much political power to fall into the hands of a few people.

6. What is your vision for the west side of Ringgold Road and the businesses on the west end of town?

            See above

7. What is your idea of progress for the City of East Ridge?

My idea of progress for the City of East Ridge is to bring about economic progress for ALL of East Ridge, not just Camp Jordan and Exit 1. I believe that the spirit of economic progress should be used to lift up the suburban communities of East Ridge and improve the lives of its citizens.

 

Andrea “Aundie” Witt 

NAME:   Andrea “Aundie” Witt

AGE: 68

EDUCATION: A.A. Hiwassee Jr. College (Liberal Arts) and B.S. East Tennessee State University (Sociology and History)

OCCUPATION: After 37 years I retired from the State of Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development as the Manager/Career Center Coordinator of the Tennessee Career Center at Chattanooga.  My duties included working on economic and community development and growth opportunities for Hamilton County and the 8 surrounding counties. My last project involved working with Governors Bredesen and Haslam during the hiring process for Volkswagen. In 2016, I obtained a TN/GA Real Estate license. After placing my license in retirement, I ran for the East Ridge City Council in 2018.

• I volunteered at Spring Creek Elementary during the last 3 years.
• I am a Board member of the East Ridge Food Pantry.
• I am a member of the East Ridge Optimist Club.
• I am a past Board member and volunteer for the East Ridge Needy Child Fund.
• I am an alumna of the East Ridge Citizens Police Academy. We are in the process of painting the East Ridge Police Department and working on a “Community Care” This project involves contacting disabled or elderly citizens weekly to ensure they are safe. We provided free State of TN masks during the COVID-19 pandemic for area citizens.
• In 2019, I started working with 4 other East Ridge citizens on a project with the East Ridge Codes Department. When a disabled or elderly citizen could not afford to have their yard mowed, the East Ridge Codes department contacted our group to work with homeowners to resolve the issue.
• While on the council, I was selected to attend the Local Government Leadership Program through the Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership institute for Public Service. I was honored to meet leaders from counties across Tennessee.
• 2020 brought the US Census. Mayor Williams appointed me to organize the East Ridge Complete Count Committee (CCC). With the help of area business leaders, citizens, and school personnel, East Ridge/Hamilton County met their census Self-Response goals. The Census is vital to the federal funding we receive for schools, hospitals, Fire departments, infrastructure, etc.

Why am I running for East Ridge City Council?

In 2015, I retired from the State of Tennessee, Department of Labor and Workforce Development. For 37 years I worked for the citizens of Tennessee. My goal has been, and will continue to be, giving back to the community I grew up in. Being on the East Ridge City Council allows me to continue working for citizens of Tennessee by using skills I developed in my previous career. My background/knowledge is beneficial to understanding economic and community growth for our city. As the Manager of the Tennessee Career Center at Chattanooga, I learned how important it is for a municipality to promote new business growth.

List three top priorities that you would address if selected:

• Explore grants and work with our Codes Department to ensure our elderly/disabled low-income citizens can maintain their homes.
• East Ridge is 49% rental housing. I will work to monitor and adjust codes when needed to ensure all landlords are held accountable for maintaining the rental properties to the recent updated 2018 IPMC (International Property Maintenance Codes) guidelines. Many adjacent cities are still operating off 2012 standards. 
• Work to reduce nuisance properties that have a negative effect on our city.

  What are the biggest problems/challenges facing East Ridge in your opinion?

Crime:  Access to I-75 and I-24 which can help put East Ridge on the map of places to be, also leads to drug and human trafficking issues.  We must provide our police force with the necessary tools to decrease our crime rate. Making East Ridge a safer place to live will continue to bring business and families into our community. Providing all our First Responders with the necessary tools to keep our citizens and visitors safe is our goal.

New Business growth for our city: People are drawn to our city based on the events occurring at Camp Jordan. East Ridge needs to make Exit 1 the new entrance to Chattanooga by improving our business opportunities from the Georgia line to the East Ridge tunnels. Camp Jordan is our ticket to putting East Ridge on the map for family activities. Our partnership with the Chattanooga Red Wolves has allowed us to obtain a new soccer stadium, plus, the opportunity for a new $7 Million residential development planned near the Red Wolves stadium. Camp Jordan has brought new business to Camp Jordan Parkway. Ringgold Road has seen new business growth.One example of this is the new Champy’s. The Townplace Inn and Suites by Marriott, Southern Honda Powersports, Pandora’s European Motorsports, and the Blackhawk development are scheduled to open in the future. We must continue to utilize the Border Region Retail Tourism Development District Act to entice employers to locate in East Ridge. As a member of this council, I see us moving in the right direction. I hope the voters will vote to allow me to continue to work for them.

What is your platform and issues of focus?

Continue economic and community development for the City of East Ridge to provide a stronger tax base.

Listen to the residents of East Ridge to: address concerns, work to solve problems and issues, seek suggestions for improving our city.

Implement safety plans for Red Wolves events and Camp Jordan activities. Our first responders are essential to the success of bring in in new business and families to a SAFE East Ridge.

As a member of the East Ridge Citizens Police Academy Alumni, I will encourage citizens to become a part of our Alumni group to support our police officers. We are implementing the Community Care Program to ensure our elderly and disabled citizens are safe in their own homes.

Explore grants and work with our Codes Department to ensure our elderly/disabled low income citizens can maintain their homes.

East Ridge is 49 percent rental housing. I will work to monitor and adjust codes when needed to ensure all landlords are held accountable for maintaining the rental properties to standards.

Work to reduce nuisance properties that have a negative effect on our city.

I organized the East Ridge Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census which will determine how federal and state funds are allocated to our city. Each person counted means an estimated $11,000 to East Ridge over the next 10 years. I encourage everyone to complete the census to help our city thrive in the next decade.

What do you think is the most important change for East Ridge that you’d like to champion if you were elected to council?

Revitalize the west end of town through Economic and Community Development growth utilizing the Border Region Act. We are one of three cities that obtained this method of enticing businesses into our city before the state ended the program. Camp Jordan paved the way with the Bass Pro Shop. Now, look at the growth we are experiencing. My goal is to see growth from the Georgia state line to the East Ridge tunnels.

What is your vision for the west side of Ringgold Road and the businesses on the west end of town?

I grew up shopping in downtown East Ridge at Kingwood, Loveman’s, Fowler’s furniture store, and the Castle. We should model our town center plan after Frazier Ave. Their businesses have revitalized the North Shore and brought tourism across the river from Chattanooga. We want to bring these people through the tunnels or up Ringgold Road from Exit One.

What is your idea of progress for the City of East Ridge?

My goal is to continue building on the progress we are already seeing and to get more citizens involved with our city. Continuing our Economic and Community Development for the city of East Ridge provides a stronger tax base which may keep our property taxes lower. We have an aging infrastructure and an aging population. Modeling our city center after the Frazier Avenue businesses will revitalize our city and entice younger generations to move to East Ridge. This will lead to improvements in our aging home structures. Property values in North Chattanooga have risen greatly since the revitalization of the North Shore.The city is moving forward with building the new Splash Pad which would be ideal for young families. Our next goal is to work diligently to move forward with obtaining a new animal shelter.

A Vote for me is a vote for progress!!  I enjoy working for you.