UPDATE: Councilwoman Marvene Noel won the runoff race for the Chattanooga City Council District 8 seat.
PREVIOUS STORY: Councilwoman Marvene Noel will go into a runoff election against Anna Golladay for the Chattanooga City Council District 8 seat.
Stay with Local 3 News for continuing coverage of Decision 2025.
PREVIOUS STORY: The Chattanooga Municipal Elections are on March 4, with early voting beginning February 12 and going through February 27. Here's everything you need to know about the District 8 candidates.
District 8 consists of the following precincts:
- Amnicola
- Avondale
- Bushtown
- Courthouse 1 & 2
- Eastside 1 & 2
READ MORE: DECISION 2025: Important dates for voters ahead of the Chattanooga city elections
Anna Golladay
Anna Golladay is 51-years-old and a former pastor in the United Methodist Church. She received her undergraduate degree from Shepherd University and got her Masters in Integrated Marketing and Communications from West Virginia University. Golladay went on to also achieve a Masters in Theological Studies from Iliff School of Theology at the University of Denver.
Golladay owns and operates Biased Apparel, a clothing company she started in 2011. She also served as the Director of Creative and Marketing for Top Flight, Inc. from 2010 to 2017.
Golladay also acts as the CEO of Work of Place, a consulting firm that assists faith communities in understanding how their buildings and assets can be utilized to improve the economic stability of the community around them.
Additionally, Golladay is the Senior Director of Communications and Marketing for Convergence, an organization committed to reshaping nonprofits, congregations, and leaders engaged in theology by "creating a more just world for all."
Before Convergence, Golladay served as pastor at the St. Elmo United Methodist Church as well as at St. Mark's Church.
"I spend my time watching live music, hiking, reading, and enjoying sports. An easy way to begin a conversation with me is to request photos of my beloved four-legged children, pup Ruthie Bader, and cats Toulouse Eddie, Lord Stanley, and Gordie Downie," says Golladay.
Golladay is a candidate for the Common Good Movement, an alternative to the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
Golladay's priorities include:
- Economic equity
- Creating conditions for economic parity for the people of Chattanooga as well as its industry and newcomers.
- Practical, available resources
- Services and programming that provide access to food, housing, and city services within reach and without transportation restrictions.
- Focus on the growing adolescent and elder population
- Sensible infrastructure and fiscal responsibility
- Golladay's proposed city budget includes street and sidewalk maintenance, wastewater and environmental needs, transportation, and recreational projects.
- Pushing transparency around spending while keeping the citizens' health and safety at top priority.
- Affordable, accessible housing
- Finding creative housing solutions to the housing crisis in District 8 through partnerships and utilizing vacant properties.
- Public safety
- Commitment to speaking out about public safety through cooperation between city, law enforcement, and health agencies.
To get involved in Anna Golladay's campaign, visit her website.
Marvene Noel
Councilwoman Marvene Noel is a Historic Orchard Knob Neighborhood resident of 30 years. She has three children, has been employed as a health professional, and served as the Past President of the Orchard Knob Neighborhood. She is also a member of the Historic River-to-Ridge Advisory Committee, where she helped to design their 10-year Area Plan.
Noel is an active participant in the Neighborhood University programs, which informed her views on what is needed to create a strong neighborhood leadership.
Her connections made during her multiple leadership positions help provide Noel with the resources to develop and foster relationships with neighborhoods and business leaders.
"Ultimately, Councilwoman Noel works to ensure that residents work together to make all neighborhoods in District 8 a great place to live, and where neighbors feel safe and enjoy life," she writes on her website.
Noel's priorities are described as being under the umbrella of protecting two entities: communities and families. She plans on addressing these needs with the following commitments:
- Creating safer streets
- Addressing the lack of street lights in District 8
- Ensuring sidewalks, clean roads, and properly maintained vacant lots
- Building up stronger communities
- Discovering the community's needs
- Working with community leaders and members to provide plans and improvements
- Fostering economic growth and development
- Promoting and supporting small businesses and minority-owned businesses
- Addressing and ending food deserts
- Working with the Mayor and others to ensure all citizens have access to fresh food and vegetables
- Creating affordable housing
- Addressing Chattanooga's rising housing prices
- Supporting urban growth and development, leading to decreased rental prices
- Working with others
- Making sure residents always have the access and connections they need
Visit Marvene Noel's website to get involved in the campaign.
Doll Sandridge
Doll Sandridge is a 5th-generation resident of District 8. She is an entrepreneur, a mother, and a Medicare broker. Sandridge serves as CEO of Covered By Doll, a team of insurance brokers that specializes in senior benefits.
Sandridge attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and studied political science at Tennessee State University (TSU).
According to her Instagram account, Sandridge aims to be "a true liaison, listening directly to the concerns and needs of every citizen in our district."
According to a Facebook post, Sandridge's platform is built on three core principles: transparency, accountability, and inclusivity.
"I promise to always put the needs of our community first, to listen to every voice, and to work collaboratively to find solutions that benefit everyone. I'm not beholden to special interests or big donors; I'm accountable only to you, the people of our great city," says Sandridge.
Sandridge has advocated on her Facebook page for the following issues:
- Improved community-police relations
- Foster trust and cooperation between law enforcement and community through transparency, accountability, and culturally sensitive training.
- Community-based initiatives
- Collaborate with local organizations, schools, and faith-based groups to establish programs that promote conflict-resolution, mentorship, and job training.
- Increased support for mental health services
- Provide accessible and affordable mental health resources addressing issues that lead to violent behavior.
- Neighborhood revitalization efforts
- Invest in community development projects that:
- Revitalize public spaces
- Improve lighting and safety infrastructure
- Foster a sense of community pride and ownership
- Invest in community development projects that:
- Youth empowerment programs
- Develop and support initiatives that engage young people in positive activities.
Visit Doll Sandridge's Facebook Page to learn more about her campaign.
Kelvin Scott
Kelvin Scott is a resident of District 8 and has long served the Chattanooga community. He is a Veteran and comes from a family heavily involved in the public service sphere.
"District 8 deserves a leader who prioritizes the needs of its residents and actively works to create a safer, stronger, and more prosperous community," says Scott. "I'm running for City Council to be that voice, pushing for policies that empower our neighborhoods and foster economic opportunity."
Scott advocates for community safety, housing, economic empowerment, and healthcare. According to Scott, "We need to create more living wage jobs, champion economic growth for all, and make public safety, especially getting guns off the streets, a top priority."
Specifically, Scott has made this list of issues a priority in his campaign:
- Community safety
- Strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and community
- Invest in community policing strategies that foster mutual respect
- Ensure officers have the resources and training they need for modern policing while holding them accountable
- Address the root cause of crime by investing in education, mental health services, and economic opportunities
- Housing
- Work with developers, local governments, and community organizations to increase affordable housing options
- Advocate for better wage policies to ensure residents can afford to live where they work
- Healthcare
- Strengthen partnerships with Erlanger, Memorial, and Parkridge
- Enhance coordination with healthcare providers to ensure no one is left behind
- Expand emergency services
- Increase mental health resources
- Improve access to preventative care
- Economic empowerment
- Create real opportunities for the community by expanding access to quality trade school programs and vocational training
- Strengthen partnerships with local businesses, ensuring workers have the skills they need to meet industry demands and employers have a skilled, reliable workforce
Visit Kelvin Scott's website to learn more about his campaign.
