Anniston City Council Meeting Highlights – May 7th, 2024

Anniston, AL – The city of Anniston held the regular scheduled work session and city council meeting on May 7th, 2024.

Work Session

1. Presentation

   1. Gavin Baum-Blake with City Detect

      1. City Detect, led by CEO and co-founder Gavin Baum-Blake, employs AI and cameras to detect and map blight and decay. They were established in 2021 to address challenges in defining and detecting blight, utilizing a decade of structural damage data. By breaking down every component of a structure, including walls, doors, and roofs, they can detect various forms of decay. They mount small cameras on fleet vehicles, like waste vehicles or code enforcement vehicles, to quantify issues in properties. The data collected assists in grant proposals and code enforcement. Their system, integrated with GIS, allows users to prioritize issues and view insights by district or neighborhood. They also identify litter, debris, and graffiti, providing valuable data for clean-up efforts and grant applications. The service costs $35,000 annually, with discounts for multi-year options. The system uploads data within 24 hours, enabling timely access and analysis. Multiple cameras can be used, depending on the city’s size and fleet. The data aids in identifying areas for cleanup and targeting grant applications. The system’s historical data helps prioritize issues and identify code violations. It also aids in media coverage and tracking offenders. The coverage rate depends on the number of cameras and vehicles used. For instance, with seven cameras, Atlanta covers 500 miles every month. The system improves efficiency in addressing community issues and provides valuable insights for decision-making.

2. Cash Reimbursements

   1. Reimbursement of  $83.61 to Brittney Gossage, while attending the Regional Seminar for Municipal Court Officials in Birmingham, Alabama April 4, 2024

   2. Reimbursement of  $83.61 to Shannon English, while attending the Regional Seminar for Municipal Court Officials in Birmingham, Alabama April 5, 2024

3. City Personnel Policies and Procedure Manual Update

   1. Leave Policies

      1. Annual Updates

   2. Amend Weapons Section II-Employees Carrying Firearms while on Duty

4. Board Applications

   1. Laura Alexander – Main Street Board

   2. Gregory Hill – Main Street Board

   3. Matt Chumley – Main Street Board

   4. Jerry Leake- Anniston Museum and Gardens Board

5. Alcohol License Application

   1. Application for a Retail Beer (Off Premises Only) and Retail Table Wine (Off Premises Only) for Yousef Yaqoub Inc d/b/a Express Mart 40 located inside the city limits at 2328 Noble Street, Anniston, AL 36201

6. Surplus Real Property

   1. Declare surplus certain real property and authorize the conveyance of same identified as Parcel Number 18-09-32-3-004-035.000 (0 22^nd & Noble St)

7. Zoning

   1. Zoning Ordinance Draft

8. City Manager updates

   1. New City Hall Renovation Update

      1. The New City Hall renovation is progressing on schedule, with a completion date expected in December 2024. Council members are encouraged to visit the site to see the progress firsthand. The project is praised as beneficial for the city, and stakeholders are commended for their involvement.

   2. Anniston Lions Club requesting permanent lions logo signs added to the Anniston City Limits

      1. There’s a discussion about signage regulations, prompted by a request to place a sign at the city entrance. It’s noted that such requests must adhere to regulations, considering issues like seismic safety and property rights. The council may need to review and potentially establish regulations regarding signage placement to ensure consistency and compliance.

City Council 

• Invocation
• Pledge Of Allegiance
• Call To Order
• Roll Call
  • Mayor Jack Draper – Absent
  • Ward 1 Councilman Jay Jenkins – Present
  • Ward 2 Councilman Demetric D. Roberts – Present 
  • Ward 3 Councilwoman Ciara Smith – Present
  • Ward 4 Councilwoman Millie Harris – Present

• Reading/Approval Of Minutes Of Previous Meeting – Unanimously Approved

  • April 2, 2024

  • April 25, 2024 Called Meeting

• Additions/Deletions To The Agenda – None

• Adoption Of Agenda – Unanimously Approved

• Proclamation

  • Historic Preservation Month

    • The City of Anniston proclaims May 2024 as National Preservation Month, recognizing the importance of historic preservation for economic development, tourism, neighborhood revitalization, community pride, and overall community character. The proclamation encourages citizens to participate in this special observance, highlighting the role of history in shaping the community’s identity. The proclamation is dated the seventh day of May 2024.

• Board Confirmations

  • Laura Alexander – Main Street Board

  • Gregory Hill – Main Street Board

  • Matt Chumley – Main Street Board

  • Jerry Leake- Anniston Museum’s and Garden Board

• Public Hearing

  • To receive public comments regarding an application for a Retail Beer (Off Premises Only) and Retail Table Wine (Off Premises Only) for Yousef Yaqoub Inc d/b/a Express Mart 40 located inside the city limits at 2328 Noble Street, Anniston, AL 36201 – No Comments

• Unfinished Business – None

• Consent Agenda – Unanimously Approved

  • Resolution authorizing the Alabama Department of Revenue to Administer and Collect Sales, Use, Rental, and Lodging Taxes Levied by the City of Anniston

  • Resolution authorizing reimbursements to city officials for expenses incurred while traveling away from the City

  • Resolution appointing members(s) to the Main Street Board

  • Resolution appointing members(s) to the Anniston Museum’s and Gardens Board

  • Motion to approve an application for a Retail Beer (Off Premises Only) and Retail Table Wine (Off Premises Only) for Yousef Yaqoub Inc d/b/a Express Mart 40 located inside the city limits at 2328 Noble Street, Anniston, AL 36201

  • Motion to approve the amendment of leave policies to the City Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual

  • Motion to approve the amendment on Weapons Section II to the City Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual

• Ordinances – Unanimously Approved

  • Ordinance declaring Surplus Real Property and Authorizing Conveyance of the Same

• Additional Or Other Matters That May Come Before Council – None

• Public Comments – None

• Council Comments

  • Councilmember Jenkins
    • Expressed gratitude to the staff and boards for their hard work and contributions to the city’s success. They encourage support for the Lady Falcons soccer team, who have advanced to the final four and play tomorrow morning at nine. Winning the championship game on Friday would be a significant achievement for the team, and the speaker urges attendance to show support for the players.
  • Councilmember Roberts
    • Councilmember Roberts encouraged everyone to come out and support their local government agencies. He emphasizes the importance of teamwork and unity in facing challenges. Roberts highlights upcoming events such as Mother’s Day and an RV park opening, as well as the ongoing downtown revitalization efforts. He urges attendance and participation in these activities, stressing the significance of community engagement and support.
  • Councilmember Harris
    • Councilmember Harris announces the opening of the downtown market, which took place from 7 am to 11 am on Saturday. She extends an invitation to everyone to attend and expresses gratitude to Main Street for spearheading this initiative.
  • Councilmember Smith
    • Councilmember Smith expresses gratitude to everyone for attending the council meeting and extends Happy Mother’s Day wishes to all mothers, grandmothers, aunts, stepmothers, bonus moms, legal guardians, and all who play a maternal role in someone’s life. She hopes everyone has a good evening.

• Adjournment – Unanimously Approved

  • Motion to convene into executive session to discuss preliminary negotiations involving matters of trade or commerce in which the governmental body is in competition with private individuals or entities or other governmental bodies in Alabama or in other states or foreign nations or to discuss matters or information of the character defined or described in the Alabama Trade Secrets Act, and also to discuss with the City Attorney the legal ramifications of and legal options for pending litigation, controversies not yet being litigated but imminently likely to be litigated, and/or controversies imminently likely to be litigated if the governmental body pursues a proposed course of action.