Chattanooga City Council Budget & Finance Committee Meeting - 09/29/2026

The Chattanooga City Council Budget & Finance Committee met on September 29, 2026, to review proposed items for a budget amendment. The main capital discussion concerned the vacant north building of the Police Service Center, where extensive mold, asbestos, HVAC, window, electrical, and accessibility issues were reported. Staff presented options to gut and rebuild the existing 55,000-square-foot building for about $17.5 million; add roughly 18,000 square feet for about $8.9 million (approximately $26 million total); or construct a new facility estimated at $30–36 million. Committee members generally leaned toward the renovation-plus-expansion option, but did not settle the funding model or approve the project. They requested an assessment of the building’s structure and exterior, and additional analysis of reserve impacts, bonding, and other capital projects that could be displaced. Belfor Property Restoration, the city’s contracted remediation vendor, described its findings; the building remains vacant while police staff use temporary locations.

Other proposed amendment items included a $3.6 million city-employee holiday bonus, for which eligibility, amount, and proration remained unresolved pending further information; a $250,000 UTCI endowment contribution, which received committee consensus; and a proposed $250,000 reallocation from an existing $380,000 appropriation for the Bessie Smith Cultural Center’s Dream Forward planning and technical capacity. The committee also discussed $250,000 for the Eastdale Collective and debated whether it should come from the economic development reserve or the general reserve; the funding source was not firmly resolved. A proposed $245,000 allocation related to Purpose Point Learning Academy’s Head Start classrooms also remained under discussion, with further details requested. No contract award or vendor selection was made. The chair proposed an October 20 public hearing and October 27 first reading for the budget amendment, and said the committee would take up outstanding items on October 6.