New logo
The newest park in Lookout Mountain, Ga., on Red Riding Hood Trail at the intersection with Cinderella Road is in the beginning stages. The property has been cleared by the city and will be seeded when there is sufficient rain for grass. There will be no parking available near the park, but a knee wall will be built to help accessibility along the road. The city’s beautification commission is considering putting a bench there for walkers and will plant low maintenance, self-sustaining plants in the spring.
City Manager Kenny Lee brought a prototype of a new sign to show the council. The design promotes the town’s traditional logo/brand with Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. The circular black signs with the logo in the center will be used to mark parks, trails and various other city properties.
Council Member Caroline Williams was thanked for a gift to the city of a large inflatable TV screen with speakers. The city manager expects it to be used during gatherings on the patio at the town hall.
With leaf season in full swing, Councilman Kevin Leckenby asks that citizens be mindful of the city’s requirements when placing leaves at the curb so that they do not wash into the drains and that the leaf piles do not obstruct traffic. Th public works department is making corrections to the drainage around the rockwork across Lula Lake Road from the Mapco. Damage from storms on Wood Nymph Trail has been patched and will continue to be monitored. Informational stickers for garbage pick-up have been received and will be placed on garbage cans by the public works employees in the next few weeks. The stickers list the rules and regulations regarding disposal of refuse. All the city’s fleet of vehicles are in working order now, but the councilman warned that the brush truck will need major work when the season changes. The dumpster will be available at the public works department next on Dec. 7.
A meeting was held between Fairyland Elementary School officials and Council member Williams requesting the city to highlight and call attention to the crosswalks. Now with the longer dark days combined with many walkers, increased visibility is needed at the street crossings, which could be done with reflectors or reflective paint.
Chairman of the Sewer Advisory Board Wes Hasden had good news for the city regarding renovations to the sewer pump station in Lookout Mountain, Ga. The state approved a low rate of 3.35 percent for a $2.3 million loan for the work. Engineering plans for the site are now complete, he said, and they are ready to be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency. He told the council that had they not increased sewer rates this year, the city would not have been eligible for this favorable loan.
Senior Operations Manager Brad Haven presented a yearly stormwater report to the council. This year the report focused on the stormwater post development ordinance. If property of any size is split into two or more parts, it fits the definition of a subdivision, said Mr. Haven, and the owner will have to follow the subdivision ordinance. Among other requirements, the property would have to have an engineering study and a hydrology report in order to receive a permit to build. If considering dividing any property, people should be aware of the cost to have the studies done, said Mr. Haven. This applies to both residential and commercial property, he said.
Holiday events will start at the Lookout Mountain, Ga. town hall on Friday, Dec. 6, from 5-8 p.m., with Stockings full of Love. It will be held to support the mission that no child in Walker County will be without a gift at Christmas. That night from 5-8 p.m. unwrapped Christmas gifts will be collected. And there will be an evening breakfast from Massey’s, which is partnering with the city for the event. Other festivities that night will be live music, fire pits and face painting.
There will be a Christmas Market on Dec. 7 at the Lookout Mountain Methodist Church from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Handcrafted accessories, jewelry and artwork will be sold by over 30 local vendors. Santa will be there for photo opportunities until noon with proceeds from the photos benefiting Erlanger Children’s Hospital.