Brooks blasts city meeting on water

Hamilton County Commissioner John Allen Brooks criticized the city's decision to increase its water quality fee and called today's public meeting on the issue a "charade."

"Here they've created an uproar, and they don't want the people to come and talk about it," Mr. Brooks said Wednesday at the commission meeting. "They give them less than two days to come down there, they set it at one o'clock to say they've had a public hearing."

The City Council voted last month to increase the fee from between $24 and $36 per year for most homeowners to about $115 per year.

For nonresidential properties, the fee is $115 for every 3,200 square feet of area covered by rooftops, parking lots, driveways and other surfaces. Previously, the rate was per square foot and depended on the type of property.

The fee is a response to state mandates to improve the city's water quality.

Richard Beeland, spokesman for Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield, said city officials have talked publicly about the today's meeting "for well over a month."

He invited Mr. Brooks and other commissioners to come to the meeting and offer their ideas. Mr. Beeland said it's an "unfortunate reality" that the city must raise the fee.

"We can't just simply wish it away," he said.

Mr. Brooks, Commissioner Larry Henry and others have said they believe the fee increase will drive businesses away from Chattanooga.

County Mayor Claude Ramsey said he has asked Mr., Littlefield to cut down on the size of the increase.

"I also asked him to take a look at the school system and see if there's a way to exclude them" from having to pay the fee, he said.

Mr. Beeland said no properties, including government buildings, are exempt. He said government agencies simply do not pay the fee, but still receive bills.

Schools could reduce their fees by 50 percent by contacting the city, Mr. Beeland said. Schools can participate in educational programs to reduce their rates, he said.

IF YOU GO

* What: Public meeting to discuss city water quality fee

* Where: Chattanooga City Council Building, 1000 Lindsay St., main chambers

* When: 1 p.m. today