Despite reduced hours at three branches, circulation at the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library was up slightly in February 2008 compared with February 2007.

According to David Clapp, library director, circulation for February was 53,616 compared with 53,552 in the same month the previous year. The number of registered patrons increased — 124,053 in February 2008 compared to 1 19,0 19 in February 2007.

“The only crisis we face is funding,” he said. “Should our funding not improve, we will soon begin to ‘fail’ in comparison to a six-day-a-week (library) with evening hours until 9 p.m. in the branches, seven-days-a-week downtown, and book budgets at twice the current level.”

Circulation decreased somewhat in January, the month the library began closing three of its branches an extra day every week.

The city has offered the library $150,000 in additional funds, but only if Hamilton County matches the offer.

BROWNFIELDS MEETING

MONDAY

Officials will share the findings of environmental assessments for eight brownfields sites in Alton Park at a public meeting Monday.

The meeting will be held at Calvin Donaldson Elementary School, located at 927 W. 37th St., at 6 p.m., according to a news release.

The Environmental Protection Agency gave Chattanooga a grant for these assessments in 2006.

The EPA’s Web site defines brownfields as “real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.”

“Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties takes development pressures off undeveloped, open land, and both improves and protects the environment,” according to the EPA Web site.

TOUGH ON DISCIPLINE

Hamilton County Board of Education Chairman Kenny Smith took a hard stance Wednesday when he spoke to the County Commission about discipline in schools.

“We are going to get a handle on the discipline in the Hamilton County Schools,” he said. “You can’t just continually misbehave and stay in our school system.”

Commissioner Curtis Adams suggested one possibility for toughening discipline.

“I think the largest school in Hamilton County should be an alternative school,” he said.

Commissioner Greg Beck said officials need to get to the root of the problem: the parents.

He said parents should see just as much punishment as their children for misbehavior.

“We’re going to have to make parents responsible for what their children are doing,” Mr. Beck said.

COUNTY TO LOOK

AT MAGISTRATE EXPENSES

The Hamilton County Commission’s Legal and Legislative Committee agreed Wednesday to take a look at budgeting funds to pay for judicial commissioners to maintain their law licenses and attend seminars.

Currently, the county provides about $4,500 for all expenses, according to Chief Judicial Commissioner Yolanda Mitchell.

County Commissioner John Allen Brooks suggested giving each judicial commissioner, or magistrate, an allotment of about $1,500 to $2,000.

“It’s becoming a full-time job,” he said of being a magistrate.

Magistrates perform limited judicial duties, like setting bonds and signing warrants, on nights and weekends, when General Sessions judges are not on the bench.

Commissioner Fred Skillern said he would agree to that plan, but would like to see estimates of the magistrates’ needs for licensing and trips. Also, he joked that magistrates should be careful where they go.

“Nashville is fine,” Mr. Skillern said. “Tunica, (Miss.), is out.”

ADAMS: I’M COLD

Mr. Adams took some time out at the end of Wednesday’s commission meeting to make an announcement.

“It’s too cold in here,” he said. “My feet are cold.”

Mr. Adams asked Commissioner Greg Beck if he felt the same way.

“I’m cold,” Mr. Beck said.

Mr. Adams noted that he “nagged and nagged and got us some decent chairs,” and said he hoped his statement would warm things up in the commission chamber.

Commission Chairman Bill Hullander joked that Mr. Adams, recently named city manager of East Ridge, should “ask the manager of East Ridge what he keeps his thermometer set on.”

The chamber thermostat measured the temperature around 70 degrees.