Chattanooga City Council member Jack Benson.Chattanooga City Councilman Jack Benson suggested this week that members of city-appointed boards only be city residents or those who own property or businesses within the city.
But 24 hours after making those comments at a City Council committee meeting, he backtracked.
“I wouldn’t be willing to have a hard-and-fast rule that you live in the city,” Benson said.
He said he realized some boards such as the Electrical Examiners Board or the Stormwater Regulations Board require some expertise that may not be found in Chattanooga.
Mayor Ron Littlefield’s administration said there’s no reason a non-Chattanooga resident should be ineligible to serve on a city board.