Don Lepard, president and CEO of Global Green Lighting, speaks outside of the Chattanooga City Council room on Tuesday. Mayor Andy Berke has recommended the city scrap Lepard’s program.MORE COUNCIL NEWS
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Chattanooga City Councilman Yusuf HakeemThe City Council pulled back Tuesday night from initial claims that they planned to take swift action as warranted to extend a contract with Global Green Lighting to continue a $24 million street light program.
Earlier this year, all nine members signed a letter demanding answers from Mayor Andy Berke’s administration before they decided to launch a city audit to settle discrepancies between the administration, the city-owned utility company EPB and Global Green Lighting.
The goal at the end of the investigation was to introduce a resolution to extend the contract with company owner Don Lepard, said City Councilman Yusuf Hakeem, if the city audit bore out the energy cost savings projected for the city.
But Hakeem, the former council chairman, said he believes the Berke administration persuaded enough council members to scrap the plan.