OHATCHEE, AL — The Ohatchee Town Council held its work session and regular council meeting Tuesday, October 13, 2026, addressing several matters involving municipal operations, employee compensation, recreational facilities, community events and local economic activity. The council approved changes to employee uniform and equipment allowances, additional holiday compensation for rapid response medics, a resolution supporting Alabama’s severe weather preparedness sales tax holiday and authorization to research lighting improvements at the town’s pickleball courts.
Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday
During the work session, council members discussed Resolution R26-10-01, which provides for the town’s participation in Alabama’s 2027 Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday.
The tax holiday is scheduled for February 26–28, 2027, and allows qualifying emergency preparedness supplies to be purchased without applicable sales taxes.
Town officials explained that the resolution must be submitted before November for the local exemption to take effect in February.
During the regular meeting, the council approved Resolution R26-10-01 without recorded opposition.
Pickleball Court Lighting and Recreational Facility Improvements
The council discussed the possibility of installing additional lighting at the pickleball courts located at the town’s former ball field.
During the work session, the mayor explained that existing light poles near the courts and former batting cages could potentially accommodate additional fixtures without requiring entirely new lighting infrastructure.
One proposal involved installing additional lights approximately 10 feet below existing fixtures on a nearby pole, with the goal of illuminating both pickleball courts.
The mayor indicated plans to consult with Matt Walker regarding potential installation options and costs.
No specific project budget was established during the discussion, and the mayor acknowledged that additional research would be necessary to determine the expense.
Officials also discussed recent maintenance work at the recreational property, including clearing overgrown grass and cleaning up the former batting cage area. The mayor reported receiving positive feedback from residents regarding the improvements.
During the regular meeting, the council approved a motion authorizing the mayor to research the cost of lighting the pickleball courts.
The authorization was limited to gathering information and estimates. No lighting installation contract or expenditure was approved.
Employee Uniform and Equipment Allowances
Council members held an extended discussion during the work session regarding uniform purchases and annual allowances for municipal employees.
The mayor explained that the town’s existing allowance structure had not been substantially updated and presented information gathered from surrounding municipalities regarding their employee uniform and equipment policies.
The discussion focused primarily on maintenance and water department personnel, as well as police officers.
Maintenance and Water Department
Council members considered providing maintenance employees with town-purchased work clothing in addition to their existing annual boot allowance.
Members discussed the physical nature of maintenance work, including working in ditches and other environments where clothing can become damaged.
The importance of having clearly identifiable municipal employees entering residents’ properties was also discussed. Officials suggested shirts displaying the Town of Ohatchee or its water department identification.
After considering several quantities and potential costs, council members reached a consensus on providing each applicable maintenance employee with four pairs of pants and 10 shirts.
The town will also maintain the existing $300 annual boot allowance.
During the work session, officials discussed potential shirt prices, embroidery expenses and the cost of suitable work pants. The discussion included an approximate overall annual cost of $900 per employee, although no final itemized purchasing total was established.
Police Department
The council also reviewed the police department’s existing uniform purchasing practices.
Officials explained that officers receive uniforms when initially hired and that replacement items are purchased as needed.
The discussion focused on increasing the existing $300 annual allowance to $500 and designating it as an equipment allowance rather than solely a boot allowance.
The expanded designation allows the funds to be used for work-related items such as boots, belts and other necessary equipment.
The mayor explained that the proposed amount was based on a review of practices in nearby municipalities.
During the regular council meeting, members approved the uniform and allowance changes.
Under the approved arrangement, maintenance employees will receive four pairs of pants, 10 shirts and the existing $300 boot allowance. Police officers will continue receiving their current uniform provisions and will receive a $500 annual equipment allowance.
The work session discussion indicated that the changes would apply within the town’s current or upcoming employee allowance cycle, with allowances historically distributed according to employee anniversary dates.
Additional Holiday Pay Approved for Rapid Response Medics
The council also considered a proposal to provide additional compensation to rapid response medical personnel assigned to work on recognized town holidays.
During the work session, a council member explained that recruiting medics to cover holiday shifts had presented challenges because personnel may have opportunities to work elsewhere for additional compensation.
The discussion included comparisons with available shifts in Piedmont, where personnel may qualify for holiday or overtime compensation.
Officials clarified that Ohatchee’s rapid response service operates with one medic on duty at a time, although multiple individuals rotate through the position.
The proposal provides an additional eight hours of pay at the employee’s regular hourly rate for the medic assigned to work on an eligible holiday.
The additional payment is separate from compensation for hours actually worked.
For example, council members discussed a medic earning approximately $20 per hour, which would result in an additional $160 in holiday compensation.
Officials clarified that the benefit is not calculated as double-time or time-and-a-half pay. Instead, the employee receives regular pay for the scheduled shift plus a separate payment equivalent to eight hours at the regular hourly rate.
The additional compensation applies only to the medic working the holiday shift, not to all rapid response personnel.
During the regular meeting, the council approved the proposal without recorded opposition.
Halloween Event Planning and Inflatable Supervision
During the work session, council members discussed preparations for the town’s upcoming Halloween activities, including face painting, inflatable attractions, student volunteers and event supervision.
The mayor raised the possibility of eliminating the planned face-painting activity and instead assigning individuals who had been considered for that activity to assist with supervising inflatable attractions.
The suggestion was intended to reduce event expenses, with approximately $300 in potential face-painting costs discussed.
Several council members noted that many children attending Halloween activities would already be wearing masks or costumes, potentially reducing demand for face painting.
Others pointed out that younger children who do not want to wear masks might still benefit from the activity.
The discussion also addressed whether face-painting supplies remained available from the town’s July 3 celebration.
Council members discussed the possibility of involving high school students who need community participation or service hours.
Questions were raised about whether younger volunteers would be comfortable supervising inflatable attractions and addressing children who were not following safety instructions.
Members referenced supervision challenges during a previous Halloween event, when children were using inflatable attractions while parents were elsewhere on the property.
One suggestion was to offer students the opportunity to supervise the inflatables if they were comfortable with the responsibility and assign adults if they were not.
Officials also discussed the availability of police and rapid response personnel during the event.
The discussion emphasized that parents remain responsible for supervising their children.
No formal vote on the Halloween staffing arrangements was recorded in the regular meeting transcript.
Council members also discussed coordination among event organizers to ensure that volunteers and activities were included on the event planning list.
During a separate exchange, officials confirmed that pumpkins and hay for the seasonal decorations had already been obtained.
Water Quality Monitoring Sponsorship Acknowledged
The council reviewed a letter of appreciation related to the town’s sponsorship of the 2026 Swim Guide.
The correspondence acknowledged the town’s support of efforts to keep residents informed about water quality conditions.
During the work session, the mayor noted that the program provides community information regarding water conditions, including E. coli concerns.
The letter was included in council members’ meeting materials.
No additional funding request or formal action related to the letter was recorded during the regular meeting.
Discussion of Local Chip Mill Closure and Municipal Revenue
Near the conclusion of the regular meeting, a council member raised questions about the financial impact of a local chip mill closing.
The discussion focused on whether the closure would significantly affect the town’s general fund revenue.
Town officials explained that the municipality primarily received annual business license revenue from the operation rather than sales tax collections.
They noted that businesses without qualifying retail sales occurring within the municipality generally do not generate the same local sales tax revenue as retail establishments.
Officials referenced other businesses operating in or around the community to explain how the location of sales and business operations affects municipal tax collections.
The mayor also noted that employees of the chip mill had contributed indirectly to the local economy through purchases at nearby businesses.
During the discussion, the mayor reported observing activity at the facility despite its reported closure.
He indicated that Chad Snow was using the property for chipping operations involving his own materials, although the extent of the ongoing activity was not established.
No specific revenue loss figure was provided, and the council did not take formal action concerning the facility.
Organizational Matters and Upcoming Council Meeting
During the regular meeting, the council also approved a motion concerning a new council meeting scheduled for October 22, 2026.
The transcript references approval of the meeting setting but does not specify the meeting time or provide additional details about its purpose.
The regular meeting concluded following the discussion of the chip mill and its potential effect on town revenue.
Across the two sessions, the council addressed recreational improvements, municipal employee benefits, emergency medical staffing, community event planning, severe weather preparedness and local business activity.
The approved actions included the severe weather preparedness tax holiday resolution, authorization to research pickleball court lighting, employee uniform and equipment allowances, and additional holiday compensation for rapid response medics.
