Former Chattanooga City Councilwoman Marti Rutherford said she won't be entering the race to succeed Hamilton County Commission Chairman Curtis Adams.
"I think it's an impossibility," she said.
Ms. Rutherford said in November that she would not "close any doors," but confirmed Thursday that she had shut the one that leads to the County Commission. She said she is more interested in city issues.
Mr. Adams is retiring from the District 8 seat he has held since 1988.
Two candidates picked up qualifying papers for county races last week.
On Tuesday, Jeff Brown, chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, picked up papers to run for register of deeds. Mr. Brown said he is "evaluating my options" in that race.
Republican Basil Marceaux picked up papers Thursday to run for county mayor.
MR. LITTLEFIELD goeS TO WASHINGTON
Mayor Ron Littlefield attended a U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting last week in Washington, D.C., to advocate an agenda confronting unemployment, climate change and transportation, according to a news release.
More than 250 mayors took part in the conference.
The mayors met members of the Obama administration and toured the White House. The mayors talked to the administration about green jobs, rebuilding the nation's transportation infrastructure and the need for the federal government and cities to band together for climate protection.
casavant talks easements, cake
Hamilton County Commissioner Richard Casavant on Wednesday used one of his favorite desserts as a comparison to a resolution to grant an easement to the city of College- dale to extend the Wolftever Creek Greenway.
"The easement will be a conservation easement from now on, throughout the rest of history," Dr. Casavant said. "They're not always easy to change, and history changes. I love chocolate cake, but I don't want to pass a resolution saying I've got to eat it the rest of my life. Something might happen."
Dr. Casavant joked that his comparison might not be a good one.
County Mayor Claude Ramsey responded, "It's probably not."
Dr. Casavant said he was simply making a point, but "all that's going to be remembered is something about chocolate cake."
Mr. Ramsey replied, "For the record, I like chocolate cake, too."
The resolution passed 9-0.
NUCLEAR SCANNING
The Chattanooga City Council decided 8-0 Tuesday to delay approving a contract for a nuclear scan of the city's annex building, but not before some debate.
Councilwoman Carol Berz asked what exactly a "nuclear scan" meant, saying it "sounds pretty impressive."
Basically, she was told, it's an X-ray of the roof to check for leaks.
"It's radioactive now," said Dan Johnson, chief of staff for Mayor Ron Littlefield.
The contract was not to exceed $14,300, city records show. City officials said an extra $1,500 was needed to scan the roof and to add five more years on a 15-year warranty.
Mr. Johnson said later the city was checking more into the contract and would bring it back at a later date.
City manager curious about "secret" project
Fort Oglethorpe City Manager Ron Goulart wondered aloud about the city's not-so-secret-anymore Project Hilltop at Thursday's council meeting.
Almost all city and county officials have declined to identify the potential tenant for the site on Cloud Springs Road, even after months of rumors and a front-page story in the Chattanooga Times Free Press naming Costco Wholesale as the interested company.
When Mayor Ronnie Cobb asked if Mr. Goulart had any other comments before the meeting ended, Mr. Goulart took a playful jab at the project's secrecy.
"If anybody knows what's going out at I-75 and Cloud Springs, will they please let me know?" he asked.