Healy says City Council should appoint own auditor

Mayoral candidate Rob Healy said last week he urges the City Council to move forward and appoint an auditor operating under the council's sole authority.

Mr. Healy said in a news release that such an appointment would ensure the financial integrity of the mayor and the executive branch of city government.

"I fully intend to be held accountable for any and all transactions made by or through my administration when I'm elected mayor," he said. "I would have it no other way, even if it wasn't legally required."

MAYOR LITTLEFIELD COMMENDS STUDY

Mayor Ron Littlefield sent out a news release Thursday saying he commended the Georgia Senate Transportation Committee for approving a resolution endorsing a high-speed maglev rail from Atlanta to Chattanooga.

"This brings us one step closer to realizing a long-sought-after high-speed rail connection for Chattanooga," Mr. Littlefield said.

Mr. Littlefield has long been a supporter of the high-speed rail connection. Many critics of the proposal say the cost is too high, with studies saying building the rail could cost in the billions of dollars.

up next: "burnin' for you"

Not only has Chattanooga Police Department Detective Kenneth Freeman's alleged shoving of a Collegedale Wal-Mart greeter spawned a $21 million federal lawsuit, but it also has produced a rock song parody.

Set to the tune of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" -- on rock band Blue Oyster Cult's 1976 album Agents of Fortune -- "Don't Shove the Greeter" opens with a man talking about not wanting to fight Detective Freeman because the officer was much bigger than him.

The singing opens with "Stopped him at the door/Was shoved to the floor/He was a Wal-Mart greeter/Wasn't looking for a fight that day/What were you thinking, officer?"

The song later says: "His greeting days are done/Gettin' shoved ain't fun."

The song also mentions the lawsuit filed by the greeter, Bill Walker, against Detective Freeman and the city. "For $20 million you could push me away any day/But don't shove the greeter."

A link to the song can be found on Bearman and Ken's blog on the US101 Web site, www.us101country.com. The song is not attributed to anyone on the blog.

an uplifting debate

Hamilton County commissioners Wednesday had a few questions about work being done on one of the elevators at the County Courthouse.

The commission passed a resolution to spend $79,121 on elevator repairs, but not before wondering whether the company doing the work was the same one that repaired an elevator in the county's jail.

"There's been a lot of trouble with that particular elevator in the last month or so," said commissioner John Allen Brooks. "It's been out half a dozen different times."

Alan Knowles, the county's superintendent of support services, said it's two different companies.

Commissioner Bill Hullander then asked why only one company, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, was considered for the work in the Courthouse.

Mr. Knowles explained that ThyssenKrupp had already won the bid for elevator work in the Courthouse, and another company couldn't be hired to do the same work.

verifying the voting machines

Hamilton County Election Commission officials will test optical-scan voting machines on Feb. 27 at 8:30 a.m. at their headquarters on River Terminal Road, the commission announced last week.

The Chattanooga City election is March 3. Early voting starts Wednesday.

congratulations, mr. kranz

Hamilton County Schools Chief Financial Officer Tommy Kranz came to Wednesday's County Commission meeting to talk about changes to the school budget, but commissioners took the opportunity to congratulate Mr. Kranz for his son's football scholarship.

"Congratulations to your son," said Commission Chairman Jim Coppinger.

Mr. Kranz's son, Matthew, a senior at Ooltewah High School, signed for a scholarship at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn. Mr. Kranz said eight players from Ooltewah High signed for football scholarships Wednesday.

CANDIDATES INVITED TO JFK FORUM

Mayor Ron Littlefield and challenger Rob Healy, along with Councilwoman Carol Berz and opponent Marti Rutherford, have been invited to a forum with the JFK Club at noon Tuesday at Out of the Blue Cafe on Brainerd Road.

Joseph Blass, president and program coordinator for the club, said Mr. Littlefield and Mr. Healy have said they would be at the forum. Dr. Berz also confirmed and Ms. Rutherford was still trying to work it within her schedule, he said.

Anyone with questions can contact the JFK Club at JFK Club@Comcast.net.

DISTRICT 8 CANDIDATES DEBATE

All three District 8 candidates have been invited to participate in a debate on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Raccoon Mountain Room in the University Center.

The event is sponsored by the UTC Student Government Association, according to its Facebook page.

Councilman Leamon Pierce faces challengers Dennis Clark and Andrae McGary in the March 3 city election.

The Facebook page states light refreshments will be available.

BENNETT NAMED TO PANEL

Councilwoman Linda Bennett, council chairwoman, said last week she has been appointed to the CityFutures panel of the National League of Cities.

"I'm looking forward to sharing the successes of our city as well as applying what other cities have to offer for our city's future," Ms. Bennett said.

The CityFutures program is a National League of Cities initiative that helps city officials connect public and policy decisions to the reality of what is going on in cities and towns, the NLS Web site states.