Chattanooga council debates new full-time council support position; members split on scope and cost

Chattanooga City Council members discussed a proposal to create a full-time council support position during a strategic planning meeting on July 1, 2025. Councilman Elliott presented a job description he said would combine research and policy development, project management for legislative initiatives and communications support, while avoiding duplication of constituent services that are handled by the mayor’s office.

Why it matters: Council members said additional research and project-management capacity could speed legislation and citywide initiatives, but several members warned about cost, oversight and potential overlap with existing staff. The council asked Elliott to refine the job description and noted there is money in the FY 2026 budget for research but not yet for a new, permanent position.

Elliott summarized the role as “a dual role focused on policy…