East Ridge Council appoints charter panel

Arkansas-Ole Miss Live Blog

The East Ridge City Council created a group it hopes will help change some city rules.

Council members on Thursday appointed 10 people -- two per councilman -- to a charter commission that will review the city charter and recommend changes.

Those recommendations will go on a ballot for a vote, perhaps during the May 2014 primary elections.

Some councilmen already have talked about key changes they would like to see.

Marc Gravitt and Larry Sewell have said they don't like the rule that requires the East Ridge judge to live within the city limits, and they don't think the city manager should have to hold a bachelor's degree in public administration.

Both of those rules are too constricting, the councilmen have suggested.

In other business Thursday:

• Bug-a-Paluza President Randy Schneck has agreed to upgrade and repair the city's electrical panels near the Camp Jordan parking lot and amphitheater for free.

Bug-a-Paluza is an annual gathering of Volkswagen collectors who bring their show cars to East Ridge.

• The council agreed to cover the costs of repairing the fences at the Camp Jordan baseball fields. City Manager Eddie Phillips said he did not know how much this would cost, but that it would be "well below $10,000."

The city will pay for this out of its bond anticipation note fund.

Contact staff writer Tyler Jett at tjett@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476.

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