Audio clip
Candy Corneliussen
Brainerd business owners and residents from more than a dozen neighborhood associations met Thursday to discuss how they could improve that community.
“If the sky was the limit, what would Brainerd look like?” asked District 6 City Councilwoman Carol Berz.
She encouraged the more than 50 people gathered at the Brainerd Recreation Center to write their goals for Brainerd and to volunteer to work together for community progress.
District 6 includes Brainerd and stretches to Tyner, Ms. Berz said. Brainerd also includes residents in District 5 and District 9.
Candy Corneliussen, co-founder of the Brainerd Unity Group, encouraged all residents to participate with their ideas.
“We have solutions to improve Brainerd,” she said. “We need everyone in Brainerd. This is an active and involved group.”
The group said it would meet bimonthly, with the next meeting scheduled at the center for 6:30 p.m. on May 13.
Several politicians attended and discussed funding to assist the group with their plans.
State Rep. JoAnne Favors, D-Chattanooga, said about $12,000 has been allocated to help build a sculpture garden just through the Brainerd Tunnel. Hamilton County Commissioner Greg Beck said he may be able to give some money to the group through the North Brainerd Neighborhood Association.
State Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, commended the group for taking ownership of the area.
Ms. Berz said she’s having discussions with CARTA in hopes of getting buses to better connect residents and improve transportation. She also has been talking with Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield about getting more sidewalks in Brainerd, she said.
Area resident Penny Gharanfoli said she wants Brainerd to have less crime.
“When I was a kid, we would get out and walk. I’d like to see people feel safe enough to do that in Brainerd,” she said.
IF YOU GO
* What: Brainerd Unity Group meeting
* When: 6:30 p.m. May 13
* Where: Brainerd Recreation Center, 1010 N. Moore Road
* E-mail: BrainerdBlog@bellsouth.net
* Blog: http://BrainerdUnity.hobbies.homepagenow.com/
Yolanda Putman has been a reporter at the Times Free Press for 11 years. She covers housing and previously covered education and crime. Yolanda is a Chattanooga native who has a master’s degree in communication from the University of Tennessee and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Alabama State University. She previously worked at the Lima (Ohio) News. She enjoys running, reading and writing and is the mother of one son, Tyreese. She has also ...
Or login with:
New Account