Chattanooga City Council to replace more than half of hobbled housing board

Chattanooga City Hall
Chattanooga City Hall
photo Jerry Mitchell

The Chattanooga City Council has to reappoint more than half of its housing bond board after another member resigned this week.

Councilman Jerry Mitchell said Tuesday that city Health, Education and Housing Facilities Board Vice Chairwoman Stephanie Crowe resigned, citing other professional responsibilities as a reason for leaving.

In other business

City Council members voted to: * Spend $1.6 million to build a Family Justice Center in the 900 block of Eastgate Loop. The funds were reappropriated from the Public Library's East Gate Branch relocation and the Brainerd Mission projects. * Passed on final reading an ordinance to crack down on phony, unmanned donation bins. * Passed on first reading an ordinance to correct a clerical error in a much-debated stormwater ordinance passed in November.

"She's on five other boards through work at CapitalMark [Bank]. She just said she appreciated the opportunity to serve but wanted to give someone else a chance," Mitchell said.

Crowe said Wednesday it was healthy for boards to be renewed.

HEB CANDIDATES

Name // District Tom McCullough // 1 Mary Lee Rice // 1 Nicole Osborne // 1 Hicks Armor // 2 Stuart Wasilowski // 2 Pam Ladd // 3 Richard Gordon // 6 Charles Paty // 6 Lloyd Longnion // 7 Kathryn Nash // 7 Dana Perry // 7 BettyeLynn Smith // 8 Towson Ensberg // 8

"It's been an honor and a privilege. I do feel that fresh talent, fresh perspective, is always good for a board, and the timing felt right," Crowe said.

The housing bond board facilitates tax breaks for affordable housing projects in the city. But some projects have stalled recently because the board has not been able to gather a quorum -- or four of its seven members -- to meet.

One such stalled project is part of the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel's $8 million renovation. The hotel plans to build 97 affordable apartments in the city's downtown. But to do so, the hotel group, led by former Mayor Jon Kinsey, is asking for a 16-year property tax break.

Last week, the board's long-serving chairman, William Bulls III, bowed out after council members and media questioned whether he lived in the city and was qualified to sit on the board.

City Attorney Wade Hinton said last week that board members must be city residents.

In addition to spots vacated by Crowe and Bulls, the council must fill two vacancies on the board and the seat for Hicks Armor, whose term expired last April.

The City Council received 18 applications from people interested in the positions. But Councilman Chris Anderson said only 13 were qualified.

The list included Armor, who is reapplying for his post, and former City Councilwoman Pam Ladd.

Aside from living in the city, applicants must have backgrounds in health, education, finance, business development, planning, housing, law or municipal government.

Anderson said the council would vote on the appointments Tuesday after its 1:30 p.m. planning meeting. The five applicants who apparently did not qualify could appeal to the council, he said.

For the appointments, the council will split into three committees divided by district, and will make appointments in a rotation.

The two committees that represent Districts 7, 8 and 9 and 4, 5 and 6, respectively, will make two appointments each. The group representing Districts 1, 2 and 3 will get one appointment.

Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrogdon @timesfreepress.com, @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.

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