NEW INITIATIVES
During the State of the City address tonight, Mayor Andy Berke announced the following new initiatives. * Mayor's Council for Women - A council to advise the administration on policies addressing gender inequality in the work place, education gaps, health and child care issues and protections from violence. * CPD/UTC/FJC - Local police will work with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the Family Justice Center to stop sexual assault on college campuses. * Auto Workforce Development Task Force - A task force to look at ways to better prepare Chattanoogans for automotive industry jobs. * Cheaper internet - A plan for EPB to offer it's hyper-speed internet service at a reduced price to poor families.
Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke is in the midst of his second annual State of the City address tonight at the Chattanoogan Hotel, where he is working to tout his accomplishments and outline what he sees as challenges in the coming year.
In 2014, Berke used his State of the City address to announce several new initiatives, including the establishment of an innovation district, as well as new incentives the city will provide to small businesses that make substantial expansions. Berke also pledged to end veteran homelessness in Chattanooga in 2016.
This year, Berke is likely to talk about his violence reduction initiative, which is designed to combat chronic gang violence in the city, as well as a number of economic and good-government initiatives.
Since taking office, Berke has repeatedly said that public safety is his top priority. However, initial results from his violence reduction initiative showed that while shootings decreased, the overall number of homicides went up in the program's first year.
The city's jobs program has also come under scrutiny, after a Times Free Press investigation found that only a fraction of those who had found jobs through the city's initiative were still working, and a major financial partner pulled out of the program.
The mayor has worked this year to raise Chattanooga's national profile, from securing the Ironman Triathlon to conducting a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" session to talk about the city's gigabit infrastructure.
"The State of the City is an important time to celebrate our accomplishments, discuss our challenges and chart a new course together," Berke said in a news release. "I encourage citizens to attend and be a part of the conversation. Community engagement is essential as we continue working together towards a stronger Chattanooga."