Businessmen and women who attended the Enterprise Gateway Council Breakfast at the Hospice of Chattanooga on Thursday came hungry for information.
For them, Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey answered questions about Volkswagen, road expansions, jobs and other topics.
About 60 people attended Thursday’s meeting, roughly double the attendance of other meetings, according to Rebekah Manley, president of the council that is a part of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce.
The membership is comprised of businesses around Highway 58 and Bonny Oaks and many are pondering their role when the VW plant starts operating in nearby at Enterprise South industrial park.
“Erlanger is going to build a clinic to serve VW employees and the community,” Mr. Ramsey told the group.
On other topics:
* He also discussed the upcoming project to replace a Hickory Valley Road bridge, a move that will ultimately improve access from Highway 58 to the industrial park and Interstate 75.
“It’s going to be a little more inconvenient this summer,” he said. “During the time the bridge is being replaced, there will be one-lane traffic.”
* He spoke of the future rewards of VW. When it’s up and running there will be plant jobs, he said, but there will also be jobs for suppliers to the plant.
“This is the beginning, not the end,” Mr. Ramsey said.
* Mr. Ramsey discussed the importance of education and encouraged members to get involved in local public schools.
“I almost feel foolish talking about this, but we’ve got people who don’t care, who don’t pay attention,” he said. “It doesn’t cost a penny to pay attention to a child’s education.”
He has said in the past that public schools need to be able to educate a work force suitable for such jobs as the ones at VW and other incoming businesses.
Gil Dake, a sales consultant for Office Depot on Brainerd Road, said it was “refreshing” to hear the county mayor speak.
“There’s a lot of concern about the direction of growth here,” he said. “Many people have expressed concern about Highway 58 not growing with retail. There’s no identity to this part of the city. Any attention would bring some identity.”