Despite the strong likelihood Chattanooga Public Works will be fined for past sewage overflow problems, Deputy Administrator Lee Norris said he is optimistic about negotiations with federal regulators.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began investigating Chattanooga stormwater overflow into the Tennessee River within the last year. Before the EPA came to the area, Public Works officials noticed cities such as Chattanooga were getting hit with fines and began taking steps to address the issue before fines were necessary.
Norris said that’s gone a long way to improve talks between the city and the EPA, and he’s “pleased with the way negotiations are going.”
In a presentation to the City Council on Thursday night, Norris said his department is budgeting to pay the fine Public Works will “probably” get.
Because of the fine and operational costs such as staff increases and training, Public Works was one of several city departments to ask for funding increases.
Parks and Recreation sought an increase of about 3 percent, mostly because of increasing utility costs and funding for the Hixson Recreation Center.
The center is set to open in July and still needs some maintenance work. Add to that opening costs such as the cost of equipment, and Parks and Recreation officials said they need about $440,000.
Recreation Director Greta Hayes said centers across the city have been going through significant changes, helping teens get jobs, hosting community involvement programs and adjusting operating hours to match patronage.
“If we’re there and we’re paying people to be there we will have programs, because that’s what our jobs are,” she said.
After interviewing teens, recreation staff members found there was a huge interest in job training and government involvement programs. To address that need, centers plan to start hiring teens to supervise facility resources or run programs and create a recreation center council of elected representatives to coordinate programs.
“We want to give them that edge, so when they’re ready to hit the work force they’ll be a little ahead of the game,” Hayes said.
City Council members were enthusiastic about recreation center changes.
“I’ve sat in on some of those meetings and they are fun to work with,” Councilwoman Carol Berz said. “They are so sharp.”
Councilwoman Deborah Scott only had one thing to say.
“That is so wonderful,” she said. “I’m just going to leave it right there.”