Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger has been given the go-ahead to try for about $2.5 million in federal grant money.
County commissioners voted Thursday morning 8-1 to authorize the mayor to enter into a partnership agreement necessary to apply for the grant to help fund a 16-county, 40-year growth study. A final application is due today to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Chattanooga, Hamilton County and area foundations already had pledged $3 million for the effort, with the county shouldering $500,000 of that total.
“Everybody in this county pays a lot of federal taxes, and this is a way for us to recoup some of those taxes,” Coppinger said of the grant, in which Hamilton County is competing with about 100 other communities nationwide.
Commissioner Tim Boyd cast the lone vote against the measure, saying he needs more information before he can support the growth plan.