With hesitation in their voices, all nine Hamilton County commissioners voted Wednesday to approve $72,872 for a federally mandated transportation study.
"We're in a position right now that we have to pay what is basically an unfunded federal mandate," said Commissioner John Allen Brooks, chairman of the commission's Finance Committee. "If we do not vote (for) this money, that will stop all federal (road) money from coming to us, the city of Chattanooga, the municipalities here and three Georgia counties."
County Mayor Claude Ramsey said county officials were notified about six weeks ago that money for the annual study was not going to be available from the federal government, which had paid for the study through last year.
Barry Bennett, executive director of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency, said he would have to hire two transportation analysts to analyze and interpret the study. The studies themselves will be carried out by contractors, he said.
Mr. Bennett said contractors who charged "a lot more money" previously had done all the work.
That raised a question from Commissioner Richard Casavant. "When the federal government's doing it, that's all right, but now it's not?"
Mr. Bennett said officials initially had decided to hire contractors this year, but determined that it would be cheaper to hire employees.
He also said he hoped the federal funding would be restored, which would pay for contracting work and for 80 percent of employee salaries.
Commissioner Fred Skillern asked whether that 20 percent would come as an extra expense to the county. Mr. Ramsey said the county would have to pay the 20 percent match either way.
WHO'S INVOLVED
The transportation study covers Chattanooga, Hamilton County and all the municipalities in the county, as well as Catoosa, Dade and Walker counties in Georgia. Hamilton County and Chattanooga are paying the cost of the study.