June 30, 2009 Chattanooga City Council Meeting

A debate erupted Tuesday in a Chattanooga City Council committee meeting over whether the city should pay $50,000 for a greenway project in the midst of a tight budget year.

"It's a hard time in the budget," said Council Chairman Jack Benson. "We might need that $50,000."

The council is set to vote on the measure next week, but members talked about it Tuesday in the Parks and Recreation Committee meeting. The Trust for Public Land is asking the city to donate $50,000 to build a 2,000-square-foot walkway between Hixson Middle School and Morning Pointe of Chattanooga Assisted Living Center, officials said.

City officials said the trail eventually would connect with Greenway Farm.

Councilwoman Carol Berz said Tuesday she disagreed with Mr. Benson's outlook.

"We spend millions of dollars on some aspects of the community, and we want to pull back on quality of life," she said.

Mr. Benson responded that police, fire, public art and greenways all are "quality of life" expenses and that priorities needed to be set.

Councilwoman Pam Ladd, who represents the area, said the project is more than just a "greenway and a walk." She said she heard several teachers say they plan to use it for class instruction.

"For someone to be able to come this far north is a value," she said.

City officials said the money for the project would come out of the capital fund and not the operational budget.

Councilwoman Deborah Scott said she agreed with Mr. Benson, having not been presented with a budget yet.

"I think there needs to be some look at our money and, quite frankly, we don't know because we haven't seen anything yet," she said.

In other business, the council voted 6-1 with two abstaining on a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with Vision Hospitality, owners of Doubletree Hotel on Chestnut Street.

Hotel officials came before the council Tuesday asking for a five-year property tax abatement on their $20 million renovation. But questions arose from some council members on why the company asked for the abatement after the renovation instead of before it was started.

Hotel officials said it was because they did not know how costly renovations would become.

Mrs. Scott voted no, while Dr. Berz and Councilman Russell Gilbert abstained.

"While it's a terrific hotel, I think that decision should have been made before, not after," Mrs. Scott said afterward.