Panel chairman Bill Raines (right) introduces members of the blue ribbon stormwater committee prior to their presentation to the Chattanooga City Council of their recommendations for assessment of runoff fees on Tuesday, February 23.  City Council Chairman Jack Benson said the recommendations would be considered without a commitment.  Serrving with Raines on the committee are (not in order) Ray Childers, Michael Mallen, Andrew McGill, Jim Moegling, Lee Norris, Mike Price, Manny Rico and Tom Edd Wilson.

(Photos above) The Blue Ribbon Storm Water Committee meets in the City Council conference room to go over their recommendations prior to presenting them to the council.  Bill Raines presides over the meeting.

Full copy of committee report

Comment:  Storm Waters

Stormy waters for Chattanooga

By Pete Chaney

There seem to be three plans for assessment of storm water fees in Chattanooga: the mayor’s, the Blue  Committee’s and the city council’s.

The final version will be what the Chattanooga City Council decides, but they say they are listening to recommendations and complaints.

However, Mayor Ron Littlefield's office says there will be compromise and no choice for the public.  This despite the work and suggestions of the committee created by City Council.

The exhaustive report almost a quarter-inch thick with a blue cover, was presented to the Chattanooga City Council February 23 by the group appointed by the Chattanooga City Council after the outcry at the sudden steep jump in water quality fees and compliance demands.  Bill Raines headed the group comprised of individuals ranging from engineers to realtors.

Council Chairman Jack Benson thanked the committee for its work and said they would be notified when a decision was reached, but he made no commitment.

A public and business outcry came following the October decision by the city to hike the water quality charge from $36 a year to $115.20, being an example of the hike.  The committee tagged it in their report as a 290 percent increase.

The thorough research in the reports shows the city is playing catchup for past mismanagement and misuse of funds collected for water quality control.  Instances are cited of the failure by city administrations to properly meet the standards set for water quality control.

The Federal Clean Water Act was passed by Congress in 1972 and the Tennessee Water Quality Control Act for compliance became law for the state in 1977.  Chattanooga levied its Water Quality Fee in 1993 and has not raised the assessment since.

The city received its Storm Sewer System permit on September 30, 1996.  On September 11, 2006, a Compliance Evaluation Inspection report given the city by Richard Urban found water fees were being used for other government functions.  On December 21, 2007, a report said the city had begun to recover but relapsed.  Criticism was made that responsibility for compliance was divided among various Public Works departments.  Accountability was sacrificed.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation issued a report on June 22, 2009, citing 57 violations by the city and noted the city had levied no funding for 2009.  There was a $1,500,000 shortage noted.  Specifically, city administration was found failing in record keeping, training and sampling.

The blue ribbon committee found fault with the city’s original plan for assessing non-users and trying to have the state regulations changed to suit themselves.  The committee recommended the regulations be left alone.

Contracting with an outside firm rather than hiring more city workers was recommended by the committee.  They cited the past deficiencies from lack of training to improper documentation.  The city has failed to provide “a composite fiscal analysis and itemized sources of funding for each program,” according to the findings.

One committee member was alarmed by the city’s abrupt and steep hike proposed in water fees, saying it would make Chattanooga one of the highest in the nation and would make it difficult for the city to attract new industry.