Mayor Brent Lambert named his appointments to the newly-formed East Ridge Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Thursday evening during the City Council meeting.
Darwin Branam, Eddie Phillips, Ruth Braly, Earl Wilson and Curtis Adams were named to the first-ever housing authority. The members will serve staggered terms.
Branam is a former East Ridge City Commissioner and most recently was appointed to the City Council to fill the unexpired term of Lambert when he was elected mayor in 2010. Braly is the Chairperson of the Industrial Development Board. Eddie Phillips is the former Public Safety Director for the city, while Curtis Adams served as Hamilton County Commissioner for District 8. Earl Wilson was recently appointed to the city’s Beer Board.
The council adopted by resolution the formation of the East Ridge Housing and Redevelopment Authority in its April 27 meeting, for the purposes of “fighting blight” in the city. The council determined that there are “unsafe and unsanitary” conditions in the city of East Ridge. Officials said the housing authority would be governed by state statute but that the authority would have the ability to adopt its own rules.
The East Ridge Housing and Redevelopment Authority will have the ability to condemn buildings which have been neglected by its owner for a long period of time. It will receive its funding through the City, officials said.
The council entered into an agreement with The Adventure Guild to build a zip line and a climbing wall and ropes course at Camp Jordan Park. The Adventure Guild will be responsible for staffing and maintaining the facility. East Ridge will receive 10 percent of the revenue generated from paying customers that use the facility.
The council adopted a resolution authorizing the city to fund a streetscape project on Camp Jordan Parkway with a capital outlay note of $750,000. The project will consist of the construction of sidewalks and streetlights along the road. Islands and trees will be installed along the street.
City Manager Scott Miller told the council that construction on Exit 1 on Interstate 75 should go out to bid in July with construction starting in August. Miller thanked Tennessee State Representative Marc Gravitt for securing an additional $500,000 in funding from TDOT for the project. Rep. Gravitt served on the City Council from 2012-16.
The council continues to grapple with regulating the riding of ATVs in residential areas. The City Attorney and staff are still crafting a proposed ordinance which would regulate such activity.
The issue had come to city officials’ attention in early March after several residence in the John Ross Road area complained of people riding ATVs on a two-acre lot where the owner had cleared the property and was planning on building several houses.
Mayor Lambert announced that the city will hold its annual Memorial Day service on Monday at 1 p.m. in front of the playground at Pioneer Park.
