Board Meeting Minutes - August 2026

Downtown Chattanooga Alliance

Board of Directors Meeting

August 19, 2026 - 2:00pm

Meeting Location: Google Meets - meet.google.com/rct-gihd-nnv 


In attendance:

Susan Harris

Darrin Ledford

Michael Floyd

Kyle Bryant


Steve Brookes - Staff


Welcome and Announcements:


Call to Order – Vice Chairman, Downtown Chattanooga Alliance – Susan Harris

The meeting was called to order at 2:05 pm. As a quorum was not present, no formal board action was taken during the meeting.



DCA Business – Vice Chairman, Downtown Chattanooga Alliance – Susan Harris 

The following items were discussed. 


  • DCA FY 2026 Budget –

  • Includes Block by Block (Ambassadors) - $754,213 – Includes pay raises for all ambassadors, including supervisors and manager

  • Includes new bookkeeping cost

  • Increase in office rent per contract

  • Homeless Services – DPSG does not allow DCA to purchase food, clothes, tobacco with grant dollars. A budget of $3,000 allows, at the DCA’s discretion, the purchase of these items and keeps Homeward Bound individuals and staff safe and supported.

  • There is no increase in CBID assessment to property owners

  • Budget does not include the Drury Hotel as it won’t be completed. 

  • It does include Hawk Hill assessment change. 



  • Cadall Management Company - contract to handle DCA Books – discussion

  • Does the person/business selected for bookkeeping need to live or work in the District? No; per the bylaws, this is considered, but it is not required.  

  • It was discussed that other quotes we obtained were $1,500 a month or more, making Shelly's proposal the most cost-effective one that we reviewed and is under what we had initially budgeted.  

  • Budget is below the threshold to require an RFP

  • The person managing the books is not required to live/work in the district

  • Executive committee recommends approval



  • DPSG Grant – the following items were discussed, but no votes were taken

    • DPSG FY 2026 Budget –Approval of Budget

    • Extra Police Officers –Approval of $150,000 FY Budget

    • Workforce Development Program

      • RFP will be ready for October Meeting

      • Market St Cleaning and Landscaping

      • At-risk and justice-involved individuals will be hired by subcontractor to be employees

      • $16 per hour

      • Participants must work toward earning a GED or High School Diploma

      • Participants must participate in therapy or counseling

      • Participants must work toward a driver's license

    • Pilot Security Camera Project –Approval of pilot camera project contract with FPG

      • DCA will hire off-duty police officers for code enforcement and to increase police visibility on Market Street, as well as to respond to on-camera issues

      • Cameras are not Flock cameras

      • Cameras will be installed at Market and 8th bus stop for the pilot; we are working with CARTA

      • No facial recognition or license plate reader

      • Volt AI technology does not share its information with the Federal, State or Local Government. DCA is the owner of all video.



Finance Committee Update – Vice Chairman, Downtown Chattanooga Alliance – Susan Harris


  • DCA Finance Statement


Executive Director Update – Executive Director, Downtown Chattanooga Alliance – Steve Brookes


  • Executive Director’s Report – it was noted that off-duty police officers will be able to log efforts and share action items in their reporting system, creating valuable data to share with the board, City of Chattanooga, and the State of Tennessee as part of the Downtown Safety Grant.

  • Board discussed the need for Market Street to receive more investment and support, including around bus stops. 


Give the time-sensitive nature of several items on the agenda, Susan stated she would move the discussion to email. 


Public Comments - none


Meeting Adjourned at 2:43


Follow-up email discussion:



Following the meeting, the proposed actions were circulated to the Directors for consideration by e-mail for consent. 

The following directors were confirmed in the email correspondence as voting “Yes” on all four items:

Susan Harris made the motions. Sam Berry, JayEvan Montgomery, Brandy Burgans, Sean O’Brien, Micheal Floyd, Todd Phillips, Kristen Hodge, Raquetta Dotley, and Katherlyn Geter responded to all items by email. 

  1. Action item – Motion to approve the budget as submitted. Approved

  2. Action item – Motion to approve engaging Shelly Elliott for bookkeeping and payroll services at a cost of up to $450/month. Approved

  3. Action item – Market Street Improvement Program Pilot. Approved

  4. Action item – Motion to approve pilot camera program (not to exceed $12,000.00), contract, and hiring of off-duty police not to exceed $150,000 beginning now through June 30, 2027. Approved

  5. Action item –  Motion to approve creation of the program and to proceed with the RFP. (Note that a final budget will be provided before the RFP goes live for your approval) Approved. 


Tori Catlett