Hamilton County Commissioner Richard Casavant had a bone to pick with his fellow commissioners Wednesday, particularly Commissioner Curtis Adams.

Mr. Adams had brought a resolution to the commission to demand records that involved attorney John Anderson’s legal bills to the county’s Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority.

“Commissioner Adams said he talked with and got five people supporting him on this,” Dr. Casavant said. “I was not one of the five. ... That’s a real problem.”

Dr. Casavant also noted the resolution had not gone through one of the commission’s committees. He said not knowing about the resolution would put him at a disadvantage if called by a reporter.

“I’d like to have more than a second to think about them before I talk to a reporter or a constituent,” Dr. Casavant said.

The wastewater authority’s board on Wednesday voted to meet one-on-one with commissioners to provide the information requested by Mr. Adams.

WAMP: NATIONAL GOP AT BOTTOM?

Upon his re-election Tuesday night, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., said the national Republican Party may have hit what he called a “modern-day bottom,” but he offered hope to the GOP.

“There’s good news,” he said. “Every day’s a great day because you’re on your way back up.”

Rep. Wamp said Democrats, who won larger majorities in the U.S. House and Senate, should work hand-in-hand with Republicans.

“Our country faces so many challenges,” he said. “It is time to get back to work, roll our sleeves up and try to cooperate with each other.”

RAMSEY: CHANGE IS COMING

Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey took some time Wednesday morning to talk about President-elect Barack Obama’s victory Tuesday and Tennessee politics.

“It was an historic day,” Mr. Ramsey said. “Whether you voted for (Sen. Obama) or against him, we’ve got change coming.”

Like Rep. Wamp, Mr. Ramsey called for Democrats and Republicans in Congress to work together to get things done.

“This country needs help,” he said.

Mr. Ramsey also talked about the GOP winning a majority in both houses of the Tennessee General Assembly for the first time since Reconstruction.

“It was overshadowed by the national election, but there’s a lot of people in Nashville today who are having to gather their thoughts,” he said.

HONORING VETERANS WITH SILENCE

The East Ridge Merchants Association is asking everyone in the city and Hamilton County to take two minutes on Veterans Day to honor those who have served their country.

At 11 a.m. Tuesday, the association is urging people to observe two minutes of silence, which a news release called “a pittance of time” in comparison to the sacrifices veterans have made.

CITY COUNCIL AND TAX BREAK

The Chattanooga City Council will vote Tuesday on a property tax abatement for a local machine shop moving from Fort Oglethorpe, officials said.

During the Economic Development Committee meeting Tuesday, Steve Hiatt, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce’s existing industry director, said Scenic Industries Inc. was moving into the city and would invest $6.5 million over three years. The company agreed to pay the school portion of property taxes over six years with an abatement on the rest of the property tax, he said.

Mr. Hiatt said the company is constructing a 35,000-square-foot building and would create 100 jobs over three years.

Company officials said they also hope to do business with Volkswagen and expand the plant, along with jobs.

As the company completed its pitch, Councilman Dan Page, chairman of the committee, moved onto other business and told company officials they could stay if they wanted.

“You can either stay here or you can go somewhere and watch the grass grow,” he said, jokingly.

PLANT A TREE

Phase one of the city’s Take Root program began last week, with the group planting several trees across Chattanooga, officials said.

The first tree was planted in March, but actual full-scale tree planting started last week, officials said.

“We’ve waited until November to begin our planting because this is when trees are signaled into dormancy by the cool weather and shorter day length,” said Take Root Coordinator Preston Roberts.

The group hopes to plant 1,400 trees in Chattanooga over a two to three years.

The project has raised thousands of dollars in corporate, foundation and private support, city officials said.

Trees planted this week include the Kentucky coffee tree, the Princeton American Elm and the yellowwood tree, according to a news release.

WAMP SET FOR MOVIE SCREENING

Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., will speak at a special screening of the documentary “With Open Eyes” this week at the Tivoli Theatre, according to his staff.

The documentary follows the journey of five Americans who see the suffering in Sudan, officials said. The movie was produced by the With Open Eyes Foundation, a group that tries to provide relief to people struggling throughout the world.

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