In an effort to maintain accountability for the priority, the following aggregate measures are below.  By reducing property crime, the City can increase the sense of safety within the community.  Measuring the number of Building Fire incidents allows the City to keep track of reduction efforts.  Measuring incidents of domestic violence allows the City to better understand where to focus efforts.

Strong Neighborhoods are the backbone of Chattanooga.  The City must make a conscious effort to reduce the barriers citizens face when improving their properties by providing a quick turn around in the time it takes to issue a Residential permit for construction.  We must also ensure we keep properties accountable within our neighborhoods by Citing to City Court properties that are in violation of City Codes.  The City must also make a concentrated effort to demolish blighted and abandoned structures when needed. 

A growing local economy supported by diverse businesses ensures the health and well-being of any city. To provide a high quality of life for our residents, we must work to provide Chattanoogans access to economic opportunity.  The City of Chattanooga actively monitors new business activity in the form of business licenses and permitting.  The City also maintains our transit systems to ensure connectivity among citizens and easy transit access to jobs across the City.

Mayor Berke has placed a new emphasis on ensuring Chattanoogans of all generations, especially young people, have an opportunity to succeed. The City must play a role in supporting students through both strong partnerships with the schools, agencies, and the provision of direct services. However, investing in our Chattanooga’s youth and families is a community priority to be embraced by everyone – government, businesses, churches, families, and schools.

High performing organizations are relentlessly focused on providing outstanding customer service. All City services should be designed with the user at the forefront – policies, schedules, and regulations should be changed if the result will increase customer service without compromising organizational values. Divisions within government should work to provide services in a one-stop-shop, to avoid duplication and remove barriers to citizens. A high performing, innovative government will provide multiple platforms for citizen feedback of each service delivered and respond to feedback quickly.