The East Ridge City Council met Thursday night in its regular meeting and continued to discuss the city’s wrecker ordinance.

City Attorney Hal North told the Council that the current city ordinance, which limits the number of wreckers on the city’s wrecker rotation to three, violates state and federal regulations pertaining to wrecker services. North said that municipalities may regulate wrecker services as it “pertains to public safety concerns.”

City Manager Scott Miller prepared a draft for the council’s review that essentially dealt with semantics. Acting on direction from the council during an earlier meeting, Miller retained a clause which “grandfathered” in businesses on the rotation prior to Sept. 1, 1989. He changed references throughout the 16-page document that referred to “Public Safety Director,” substituting “Police Chief.” References to “City Treasurer” were changed to reflect “Finance Director.” 

Councilman Jacky Cagle focused on a small clause in the current ordinance which states that a wrecker service on the rotation must have a boom wrecker with a 35-ton capacity. Cagle wanted that requirement lowered to 25 tons.

North urged that the Council adopt state towing regulations. He pointed out that the maximum charge allowed under state regulations may have increased since 2007 when the current ordinance was adopted. He went on to say that the city is on shaky legal ground if it limits the number of wrecker services. North said that any wrecker service that has a permit to operate within the city and complies with the regulating process should be considered eligible to be on the wrecker rotation.

Councilman Denny Manning took exception to that statement. 

“We got three wrecker services,” Manning said. “I think that’s all we need. I want to put it into a motion to leave it like it is.”

Manning was reminded that the issue was up for “discussion only” and no vote would be taken during the meeting.

North reiterated that there could be “trouble in the future” if the city only allows a limited number of wrecker companies to be eligible for the city’s wrecker rotation.

“If later on we have a problem we got the city attorney and the city manager to straighten it out,” Manning said.

The council then moved on to a similarly volatile issue; the political sign ordinance.

The council seemed to have reached a consensus on a 60-day time frame concerning when political signs may be posted. Council members also seemed to be in agreement on size and placement of signs. The issue that caused consternation was when candidates’ tents could be placed in front of City Hall prior to an election.

In a previous meeting, a proposal was offered by Vice Mayor Marc Gravitt that the city could hold a lottery for placing tents on the City Hall lawn. Attorney North said he needed more specific information about how the lottery would work.

At one point during the discussion, all five council members, the city attorney and the city manager were talking at once.

“It’s somewhat comedic to sit here and go through all this,” Mayor Brent Lambert said. 

It was agreed that rules for the lottery would be devised before the next council meeting (Sept. 8) and that language would be inserted into the ordinance prior to the second reading. The ordinance passed on first reading, 4-1, with Manning voting no.

The council voted unanimously to allow the city’s purchase of five new police cruisers for a total of $150,000. It also voted to buy in-car video systems for those cars at an additional cost of $21,000.

The council voted to re-bid the purchase of new synthetic turf for the indoor soccer complex at Camp Jordan. Stump Martin, Director of Parks and Recreation, said there were wide variations in the cost of bids received because some manufacturers were quoting prices on turf with different densities. 

The council tabled any decision on replacing more than 300 feet of fencing at the north entrance to Camp Jordan Park. The city had intended to purchase fencing from a manufacturer and have city employees install the fence. Vice Mayor Gravitt noted that employees should be going about their regular duties and not be used as unskilled labor to install fencing.

The council agreed to permit East Ridge News Online to use the City Council Chambers as a venue for a City Council candidates’ forum. No date has yet been set for the event.

New ERPD Officers Adam Rose, left, and Edward Schneider, center, are sworn in by Mayor Brent Lambert, right, as Chief J.R. Reed looks on, during Thursday night’s City Council meeting.