District 9 councilwoman meeting

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)- “Let’s get this trash and brush cleaned up off the streets. Just call 311. It’s going to take a community effort so I’m gonna need all of you to help me help you,” said Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod.

Around 100 people came out to voice their options and ask questions of city officials.

“So I want to connect them with everything that we have as far as city government and make additional connections to other government entities as well,” said Coonrod.

A mayor’s office official says improvements in Chattanooga are ongoing and challenges such as lack of drivers for recycling are being addressed.

Coonrod also had health officials speak on the importance of getting the Covid-19 vaccine.

“We talk about having access and transportation, the lack of it in certain committees so we wanted to make sure that we brought it to the community so they can have access to it,” said Coonrod.

Mary Lambert, Head of Community Health for Chattanooga, said, “Some of the disparities that we see and select mayonnaise and because of those health disparities something like this pandemic hasn’t even greater impact on those communities.”

Lambert says there are several things that need to be fixed but the biggest fire that needs to be put out is the Covid-19 pandemic.

“So our top priority has to be getting on top of this pandemic and getting our immunization rates up. Once we get to 70% or above we can begin to look more at those other health needs and so many communities around Chattanooga,” said Lambert.

She says the organization comes out to the community and answers people’s questions and clears up any of the misinformation.

“We’ve had some of them at our sites … they’re not sure, they’re very hesitant. They’ll ask a lot of questions, they get a lot of answers. They go away and then the next event will come and they’re ready for their vaccination,” said Lambert.