Democratic candidate Joda Thongnopnua fields questions from attendees during a debate between Tennessee House District 30 candidates at East Hamilton Middle/High School July 9. (Contributed photo by Dalton Temple)Growth and development were among the many topics up for debate last week during a community-hosted forum between Tennessee House District 30 candidates at East Hamilton Middle/High School.
District 30 includes East Brainerd, East Ridge, Apison, Missionary Ridge, Westview, East Lake, parts of Collegedale, parts of Brainerd, parts of Concord, parts of Ooltewah, and Ridgedale.
The forum pit Jonathan Mason, one of the two candidates vying for the GOP nomination, against lone Democrat Joda Thongnopnua. Fellow Republican candidate Esther Helton told organizers she would be unable to attend the meeting, citing a prior commitment.
With much of the residential growth for Hamilton County expected to come to the eastern pocket, candidates were asked whether they’d be more supportive of Ooltewah-Ringgold Road being widened to three or five lanes.
Mason said he believed a three-lane road would be ideal, adding that he thought five lanes would be more indicative of a commercial area. Alluding to the number of subdivisions expected to be developed along that corridor, Mason said a three-lane would also be the way to go because infrastructure support on the road was an immediate need.