Thirteen-year-old Christian Wright says he is scared to ride his bicycle in his Harrison neighborhood because cars fly down his street so fast, it's dangerous. So, he resorts to riding in his neighbors' yards when he needs to get somewhere. Maybe speed bumps or bike lanes would help, he thinks.
Tyner resident Nan Zamata faces a similar situation. Because there aren't sidewalks on Standifer Gap Road, she treks through her neighbors' lawns to get to the grocery store or deliver her neighborhood newsletter, she said. In addition to added sidewalks, she'd like to see lights added in her neighborhood.
These were just some of the voices heard at a community input meeting to inform the Chattanooga FY 2021 budget. Hosted by Mayor Andy Berke, the Dec. 16 meeting was the last of three held throughout Chattanooga. It focused on Districts 4, 5 and 6, which make up the eastern parts of the city.
Mayor Andy Berke speaks during a Council Against Hate meeting at The Camp House on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. / Staff photo by C.B. SchmelterThe meeting split residents into small focus groups. Each table discussed four of the five key priorities the city uses to create a performance-based budget: a growing economy; stronger neighborhoods; safer streets; and smarter students and stronger families. The final priority, which was not discussed at the meeting, is a high-performing government.
Echoing public sentiments from the first budget meeting, held for residents of North Chattanooga and Hixson, about 20 residents from the East Brainerd, Eastdale and Tyner areas called for building connections within neighborhoods, improved infrastructure, livable wages, resources for workforce development and activities that engage young people.
When Jessie Igou of Eastdale was growing up, she said there was a youth program that engaged young people by placing them in jobs around the city. Igou worked at the hospital and was given a fair wage compared to the adults she worked with, she told the audience at the meeting. It taught her the tenets of responsibility, and if the city created a similar program, maybe that would contribute to a growing economy, she said.
Young Christian agreed. The Harrison teenager attended the meeting with his grandfather, Chattanooga City Councilman Russell Gilbert, who represents District 5.
During the meeting, Gilbert, as well as District 6 Councilwoman Carol Berz, moved from table to table to hear community members' thoughts, suggestions and concerns.
A common theme throughout the night centered around the common disconnect between neighbors and how to solve it. Maybe there's just too polarizing of an atmosphere today, said Zamata.
Potentially, making business resources, code enforcement and public safety officers more accessible through neighborhood associations could help, Berz suggested at one table, noting that people have always disagreed.
But East Brainerd resident James Cunningham made the point that diverse neighborhoods are important.
"We can all co-exist," he said.
Email Sabrina Bodon at sbodon@timesfreepress.com.