Four people have told the Hamilton County Commission they officially are seeking the Hamilton County mayor’s post, including a retired city employee and a current county employee.
The commission received the letters on Monday and Tuesday.
Only one applicant, Mayor Claude Ramsey’s special assistant Mike Carter, previously had told the media about his interest.
New names on the list are Guy Satterfield, 55, who retired after working 33 years for the city of Chattanooga, and Edward Ector Jr., an employee in the county’s support services division.
A third individual, Russell E. Collins, also submitted a letter of interest but did not include a resume or a contact number, officials said.
Commissioners Larry Henry and Jim Coppinger, who have expressed interest in the job, have not applied formally, according to the commission office.
According to the University of Tennessee’s County Technical Assistance Service, names may be submitted in writing before the meeting in which commissioners will fill the vacancy or submitted in person at that meeting. Commissioners plan to fill the vacancy on Dec. 27 and are taking applications until Dec. 17.
Satterfield said he worked most recently as the city’s transportation inspector. In that job, he oversaw the regulation of taxi cabs, horse-drawn carriages, electric rental cars and medical transport vehicles in Chattanooga.
He thinks his chances of getting the job are slim, but he said he believes the next mayor should not seek a tax increase.
“I’m sure they’re going to have a coronation,” he said of the commission’s process for picking a new mayor. “I’m pretty sure it’s a done deal.”
Ector serves on the county’s Health and Safety Hearing Board, which monitors the upkeep of private residences. According to his resume, as a support services employee, he ensures that sidewalks and stairways are free of trash and assists in the cleanup of other offices. He also owns Ector Cleaning Services.
Ector also told commissioners he holds three degrees — a bachelor of arts degree in business administration, a bachelor of science degree in accounting and an associate’s degree in business science.
Attempts to reach Ector were unsuccessful.
In his letter, Collins wrote that he lives in Soddy-Daisy and has lived in Hamilton County for 11 years. But he did not list any skills that qualify him for the job.
“Hamilton County has come a long way, but there is still work to be done,” Collins wrote. “I wish to be a positive contributor to the communities that Hamilton County encompasses.”
Contact staff writer Dan Whisenhunt at dwhisenhunt@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6481. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DWhisenhunt.