The Hamilton County Commission approved a package of resolutions on Jan. 7 covering donations, contracts, park improvements and grant applications.

Major votes and outcomes

- Resolution 1 26‑8: Accepted the bid of Skilled Services Quality Construction LLC for a restroom facility at Enterprise South Nature Park, not to exceed $422,700; commissioners clarified the restroom will be in Lot 3 and the city will share half the cost. Motion passed by roll call.

- Resolution 1 26‑7: Amended the McNabb Center contract to increase authorized funding for medication-assisted treatment and a reentry pilot from $175,000 to $525,000 over a three‑year project period. Motion passed by roll call.

- Resolution 1 26‑10: Appropriated $500,000 from the hotel/motel fund to Songbirds Foundation Inc. to support a Chattanooga–Hamilton County history experience downtown. The mayor and local historians described a six‑month production timeline and an anticipated 18‑month public run; city partners and River City were described as potential matching/reimbursement sources. Motion passed by roll call.

- Resolution 1 26‑14: Approved expenditures of up to $3,688,739.07 from proceeds of the 2024a bond issue toward public safety projects and initiatives. The sheriff described a new $1.6 million no‑match grant for a combined training facility and said the bond allocation would support construction and building consolidation. Motion passed by roll call.

- Resolution 1 26‑13: Authorized the Office of Economic and Community Development to apply for an Economic Development Administration supplemental grant for up to $50,000,000 with a required 20% match (the match may be partly in‑kind). Commissioners discussed workforce pipeline aims and the Franklin Future Ready Institute as a primary project location. Motion passed by roll call.

Other business passed included a purchase of Trend Micro antivirus licenses for the sheriff's office ($68,974.33); acceptance of a $1,000 donation to the sheriff’s office (1 26‑5); acceptance of a pepperball launcher donation (estimated value $1,370; 1 26‑6); allocation of $20,000 of opioid settlement funds to Transform Ministries (1 26‑9); and health department contract and grant authorizations (1 26‑15 and 1 26‑16). The commission also authorized a waiver of right of reversion for property improvements at 4609 Resource Drive in Bonny Oaks Industrial and Office Park (1 26‑17).

Votes: Most resolutions recorded unanimous or near‑unanimous yes votes in the roll calls recorded on the transcript; individual roll-call lines appear in the official minutes for each item.

What to watch: Resolutions that direct county staff to negotiate contracts or apply for grants (for example, the EDA grant application and lease negotiations implied by the Jailhouse Studios presentation) will require follow‑up reporting and potential future commission action.