Soddy-Daisy Fighting AT&T Bill
by Hannah Campbell
posted April 6, 2007

City Manager Janice Cagle led the passing by the Soddy-Daisy Commission of a resolution opposing the Competitive Cable and Video Services Act in Tennessee, which would allow AT&T to provide Internet cable services to the whole state under one agreement. Many municipalities see this as “sidestepping local government and going straight to the state.”

A meeting to answer questions was held for AT&T and local municipalities March 23. City Manager Cagle said, “When we got down to the questions of protecting our franchise fees and our rights of way…those questions were not adequately answered.”

Soddy-Daisy is concerned that AT&T will build its lines in Chattanooga and ignore the less densely populated areas in parts of Soddy-Daisy. It also worries that under a state agreement the firm will not be as open to donating its services to local public use such as school and municipal meetings or announcements.

Comcast, the sole current cable provider in the Soddy-Daisy area, signed franchise agreements with local cities individually, which Soddy-Daisy says gives it more control.

City Manager Cagle said the Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) “(does) not believe (the Competitive Cable and Video Services Act) will be beneficial to the cities of Tennessee.” MTAS backs passing such an opposition resolution and encouraged all Tennessee cities to do so, though City Manager Cagle said that if it looks like the act will pass in Nashville MTAS will lobby there to make sure the proper wording is adopted.

Commissioner Jim Adams said AT&T is tempting rural areas with $1 billion to be divided among rural counties. He says those counties want that money but that AT&T is threatening to give the money to Georgia if Tennessee does not pass the act.

Citizens’ Comments

Wade Couch presented extensive evidence to the commission that he was not satisfied with neighbor Jim Hill’s construction of a second pond in his yard to control water drainage. Mr. Couch said the addition of the pond last summer was causing his own yard to be soggy and his basement to be wet.

Mr. Couch presented pictures showing the ponds with dams around them to catch and retain water. The ponds were approved by Soddy-Daisy’s planning commission, but after hearing Mr. Couch’s account, Commissioner David Skiles said that certain aspects had not been brought up at the developer’s presentation to the planning commission.

Mr. Couch said that pond B was built to catch “overflow” water from pond A. He was told it would only hold four to eight feet of water. His pictures showed pond B, he said, at 20 to 30 feet deep with a pump installed to divert water from pond A. Mr. Couch said it was more than he bargained for. He said Mr. Hill was to install a liner to keep the water in and was to landscape the ponds to make them more beautiful but has done neither.

City attorney Sam Elliot said Mr. Couch’s only recourse may be through a civil suit. The commission seemed to agree unanimously with the mayor’s response, “I can’t give you any legal advice…We just don’t have anything in our (regulations) that covers that.” He said there were no laws against someone building a pond on his private property, though he and other commissioners pledged to come investigate the property on Friday.

Andre Newman appeared before a grateful commission to express appreciation for the recent light installation and cleanup at the park.

Mayor/Commissioner Reports

Mayor Bob Privett vowed to crack down on use of ball fields without permission of a city representative. The commission discussed “Authorized Personnel Only” signs and beefing up the locks on the doors.

Commissioner Adams commended Soddy-Daisy police for an outstanding job handling a night of break-ins last week, including one at his own home. Burglars stole tools and guns from five houses, and Charlie Kilgore worked 28 hours straight to solve the crime. Mr. Adams also thanked Lt. Mike Sneed and officer James Smith.

Commissioner Adams recommended moving five streets up on the repaving list. The commission will defer the decision until the next meeting, when asphalt and repaving bids have come in.
South End Dayton Pike
Osage Drive
Daisy Dallas Road
Loop Road
Green Pond Road

Vice-Mayor Patty Skates suggested re-thinking the city’s decision to prohibit officers living outside Soddy-Daisy city limits to take their cars home with them. She said their presence in neighborhoods at night is always a good thing and that some officers living outside city limits are closer to city hall than some who live within city limits.

Commissioner Shipley said Depot Street behind the park is not well lit and requested two blinking “Slow Down” signs for that road to protect children playing there. He said the pavilion renovation will be complete by May 1, with installation of concrete blocks and picnic tables. Saturday is a workday for the project.

Commissioner Skiles requested that the 30 MPH speed limit on his street, Lakeview Circle, be lowered. He said the road is so narrow that two cars can’t pass one another and the 30 MPH speed limit is dangerous.

Expenditures
Anderson Brothers Lawn Services got the city’s mowing contract at $24,960 to mow practically every public space this summer including the ball fields, state park, fire halls, city hall, and a few other fields and parks. The guardrail mowing along roads was set at about $2,500 more “per cut,” which the city expects to be three or four times over the summer.

Knox Tin: $4,753.84. The city is seal-coating parking lots at Holly Park and the north children’s ball fields. The city and baseball league had a misunderstanding as to when opening day was. The city tried to avoid opening day by sealing those parking lots last Saturday, but that was opening day!
The city will order $5,000 worth of fireworks from Pyro Shows for the city’s Fourth of July festivities.
The city will spend $2,933 installing new bathrooms at the lake from Builders Hardware.

Other Expenditures
Southeastern Materials (asphalt): $3,280.40
Highways, Incorporated (asphalt): $9,415.28
Cards Paving: $4,485.45
The city approved $3,170.25 for three police radios
The city approved $4,073.56 for a new laptop computer for the police secretary. The old computer will go to the court clerk.

Upcoming Events
April 23-27 a police dispatcher goes to Governor’s Highway Safety training. Training is free, the city pays for room and board.
April 25, 11 a.m.: DuPont Credit Union ribbon cutting
May 8, 7 a.m. prayer breakfast
Soddy-Daisy may be a candidate for a Habitat for Humanity building project.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture invited Soddy-Daisy to participate in its Tree City USA program.

[url]http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_105036.asp[/url]
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So I am thinking if the local corporations cant provide the services needed why block the larger corporations from offering it?
0_o