One of the most common complaints voiced to Chattanooga’s elected leaders, civil servants and law enforcement agencies is that not enough attention is paid to neighborhood concerns. There is legitimate debate about the veracity of that grievance.
Most officials say neighborhoods are the building blocks of the community and that providing services to them is a priority. Many residents say that’s not so, reporting that a cold shoulder rather than an offer of assistance is the city’s response to most requests. The disconnect between officials and residents, whether real or perceived, creates unnecessary community tension.
There are ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict, and there have been some notable successes in recent years. Indeed, some neighborhood and homeowners associations report cordial relationships with elected officials and point to infrastructure and other improvements that are a positive result of that association. Other groups, however, say their requests are disregarded.
There is an agency designed to facilitate communications between neighborhood groups and public officials. The Chattanooga Neighborhood Association Council was created with city assistance nearly a decade ago so neighborhoods could work together for their common benefit. Its subsequent history has been checkered.
The council was successful in its early years, but lately it has grown more moribund. The council is supposed to comprise 27 representatives — three from each of the nine City Council districts. Attendance is poor. One representative says only a handful of people show up for meetings and some of those who do work for the city. If that’s the case, neighborhood associations should accept some of the blame for their allegedly poor relationships with city officials.