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Jacksonville Celebrates the Students of Kitty Stone at City Council Meeting

Photo Courtesy of Jacksonville PIO Ben Nunnally
Photo Courtesy of Jacksonville PIO Ben Nunnally
Jacksonville Worksession
Jacksonville Worksession

Work Session

 

  1. Call to order.
  2. Roll call.
    1. Tony Taylor – Present
    2. Andy Green – Present
    3. Terry Wilson – Present
    4. Sherry Laster – Absent
    5. Coty Galloway – Present
  3. Acceptance of minutes. – No comments
  4. Purchase of Scrubber for Public Safety Complex – Albertha Grant/Jason Oden.
    1. Mrs. Grant stated that they have been talking about public safety complex and the fact is that it has not had the cleaning in terms of the floors, since the schools were put down. We’re five years in without ever us pulling the wax up off the floor and re-waxing. She has found a company that has a  one kind of machine that does just about everything. It’s a water based system for the scraping, literally put water in the machine, you walk behind the machine, it scrapes the floor and it also dries it as it’s going. She also stated, “So we’re talking a piece of machinery that really cuts probably more than half the time that it would take to take care of the floors.” She went on to explain that the utility of it not only just in this building alone, but even at the new city hall or Senior Center it could be used. She also presented a handout that shows all the floors that it works with. She explained that a sampling was done and anyone can clearly see the floor on the far end, where they literally came in and scrape the floors for us on the far end. She also went on to add that she thinks this machine will definitely enable the city to get the building clean and keep it clean. She also said “The goal in the future is that we will hopefully get a senior aide that will come in and take care of this building. This machine would make it very simple for that person to do it as well as of right now the plan, we will use the inmates to do it.” She also explained that while this is a fairly costly piece of equipment, the time that it will save and the job that it will do will make it worth while. Assistant Chief Jason Oden spoke to the difference he saw in the floor after the sample area was cleaned. He also noted that visitors from JSU were here with us and they wanted to watch the machine. They were just amazed at how much time they cut off what those big long hallways they do at JSU. It would literally cut a third of the time it takes now just by using this machine.  Councilman Wilson has what the lifetime for this machine was. Mrs. Grant stated that she was unsure, but the company will come in once a year and maintain it for $250 a year. The cost is $7941.  Councilman Taylor asked if new wax would have to be placed. Assistant Chief Oden sis confirm that waxing would be necessary, but it would save time initially. There were also questions on the battery life. There is an option to lease for two years, but that makes the cost $900 more than buying it outright. This is just a discussion item and is not on the agenda tonight.
  5. Timed Parking on the Public Square – Mark Stephens.
    1. At the last meeting Mr. Stephens was asked to look into times parking space options. Currently there are not parking requirements on the square except when it talked about the the dwellings. As a starting point Mr. Stephens drafted language stating Item A – City owned or leased parking lots and own street parking spaces, located within a public square overlay district shall be regulated Monday through Saturday 8am to 9pm. To encourage people to move their vehicles in order to increase parking turnover for businesses, customers and visitors. Item B – Customer and visitor parking and city owned or leased parking lots and own street parking spaces is limited to two hours. Item C – Businesses that do not have off street parking located on the same property as the business shall require their personnel to park only in city owned or leased parking lots. The duration time is limited to the business’s daily hours of operation. This means that if you have a business, the owner and their employees would not take up the own street parking. They would be limited to parking in the parameter parking legs and that would free up spaces for their customers. Item D – People living in dwelling units that do not have off street parking located on same property as the dwelling unit shall be required to park only in city owned release parking lots. The duration time for parking is not specified. These would free up parking for customers, but may be harder on employers. Councilman Galloway wanted to know how this 2 hours would be enforced. Councilman Green noted that there are is a sign stating 2 hours, but most people don’t know. He thinks the city parking lot will encourage turnover and still allow ample parking.  The council stated they don’t want to go back to meters, but how else would it be managed. Would it require an officer to do nothing, but monitor parking. Another compromise might be to get dwellers and owners and employees to park off the square and not limit customer parking on the square. Councilmen Green brought up a local meeting once a month of business owners who get together and share their insights.
    2. TAP Grant – Mark Stephens.
      1. The city went after the recreational trails grant, four years in a row the city got turned down. ADECA finally suggested that the city go after a different grant, which is called TAP. It stands for transportation alternative program and instead of it being through ADECA, it’s actually through the Department of Transportation. It’s an 80/20 grant and it’s a reimbursable grant, which means the city has to pay for everything up front, and then send down the monthly reimbursement request. The application is due June the 30th. Mr. Stephens talked with a man named Brad Lindsey. He is over this program. Mr. Stephens stated “I asked him what’s the turnaround period was he said that we should know within three months, whether we’re awarded or not.”  Another difference between this grant and the  recreational trails program is that the design and the inspection can be part of the grant versus the original grant were the city was having to pay the design separate and the inspection separate. The grant was only to get funding for construction. A public meeting will be held at 5:30pm before the next meeting.
  6. Any other business.
    1. The Mayor waned to mention the ADEM report that is on the agenda. He wanted the council to note the summary report the was very good.
    2. He also wanted to note the retail strategies contract was on the agenda too.
    3. Short term rental will be on the next agenda.

 

Jacksonville City Council Meeting
Jacksonville City Council Members

City Council Meeting

  • Call to order.
  • Invocation:
  • Pledge of Allegiance.
  • Roll call.
    • Tony Taylor – Present
    • Andy Green – Present
    • Terry Wilson – Present
    • Sherry Laster – Absent
    • Coty Galloway – Present
  • Adoption of minutes. – Unanimously Approved
  • Adoption of agenda. – Unanimously Approved with changes
    • Add: Consider Action to schedule a Public hearing on May 9, 2022 at 5:30 pm to discuss the possibility of building roundabout on George Douthit Drive
    • Consider a motion to enter into an Executive Session under the provisions of the Code of Alabama Section 36-25S-7(a)(1) to discuss the general reputation and character, physical condition, professional competence,  or mental health of individuals and Section 36-25A-7(a)(6) to discuss the consideration the governmental body is willing to offer or accept when considering the purchase, sale, exchange, lease, or market value of real property.
  • Proclamation/Recognition: Jacksonville High School Elementary Olympiad.
    Miss Ashley Smith, fourth grade science teacher
    Miss Ashley Smith, fourth grade science teacher
    • Councilman Green presented the proclamation to a group of Kitty Stone Students. He started by inviting Miss Ashley Smith, fourth grade science teacher to tell us a little bit about Science Olympiad and why the city is recognizing these students tonight. Ms. Smith thanked the council for allowing the students on this stage and for allowing the city to be able to see the great things that are going on at Keystone Elementary. She explained that the Science Olympiad has been around for quite some time. It started back in 1984 actually came to Jacksonville High School in 1993 by a Jacksonville high school graduate, and it has grown. She acknowledged that “lots of Science Olympiad coaches before me have had successful our kids have just really set the bar high.” She also explained that there are individual and team events and that they compete many events. Some are engineering, straight memorizing facts, and aerodynamics where they get to build paper airplanes out of different materials. It is a lot of fun she stated. She really wanted to point out a council of things that stood out to her to show how the school works together for the greater good for the children to be successful. She also explained that “We have to this is a great group of fourth, fifth and sixth graders, but we had second grade teachers helping us and we have central office staff and parents, grandparents, just a whole host of people that come together and just take these children under their wing and and teach them. I think that’s been a recipe for success.” She also explained that the school competes against schools from all over the state of Alabama, mostly the north, the north region of the state. Councilman Green called each child’s name to receive a certificate of recognition.
  • Public comments concerning agenda items. – No Comments
  • Consider Action to schedule a Public hearing on May 9, 2022 at 5:30 pm to discuss the possibility of building roundabout on George Douthit Drive – Unanimously Approved
  • Consideration of Ordinance No. O-637-22 to amend Chapter 5, Animals, of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Jacksonville, Alabama by Amending Section 5-52, Animal Control Officer, and Section 5-54, Reserved, of Article III – Dogs, Division 1, Generally. (Received First Reading April 11, 2022) – Unanimously Approved
  • Consideration of Resolution No. R-2128-22 approving the City of Jacksonville’s participation in the State of Alabama Sales and Use Tax Holiday as Authorized by Alabama Act. No. 2017-120 for the Year 2022. – Unanimously Approved
  • Consideration of Resolution No. R-2129-22 regarding Municipal Water Pollution Prevention (MWPP) Program. – Unanimously Approved
  • Consideration of Resolution No. R-2130-22 Authorizing Agreements with the State of Alabama for Preliminary Engineering and Construction Agreement for Project No. STPSU-0819( ), CPMS Ref. #100070203 & #100070208, JPWP#22-107 – Resurfacing George Douthit Drive, SW from SR-21 to Brierwood Place, SW, Jacksonville, Alabama. – Unanimously Approved
  • Consider action to approve Amendment No. 1 to JPWP#22-105, Community Center Pool Upgrades, per the attached. – Unanimously Approved
  • Consider action to authorize the mayor to sign the Professional Services Agreement with Retail Strategies, LLC, to provide Consulting Services for Retail Recruitment, per the attached. – Unanimously Approved
  • Consider action to approve the disposition (sell, use or destruction) of certain seized/confiscated and/or lost and found property at the Police Department dating back to 1982, per the attached. – Unanimously Approved
  • Consider action to approve the promotion of the following: – Unanimously Approved
    • Joshua Lamar Shears, Police Corporal, Range 20, effective April 27, 2022, due to the transfer of Cameron Couch to Code Enforcement Officer.
  • Consider action to approve the employment of the following: – Unanimously Approved
    • Joshua Isaac Goodwin, Corrections Officer, Range 9, effective upon compliance with Ordinance No. 273, due to the resignation of Greg Couch.
  • Consider action to accept the resignation of the following: – Unanimously Approved
    • Justin Lee Jordan, Police Officer, effective April 27, 2022.
  • Consider action to amend the resignation of the following: – Unanimously Approved
    • Chris Collins, Fire Marshal, effective May 10, 2022. (Previously effective May 3, 2022)
  • Consent Agenda – Unanimously Approved
    • Budget Amendment Requests.
    • Purchases over $7,500.00.
    • Disposition of Surplus Property.
  • Public comments for general items.
    Laura Humphreys, founder of the Redbird Coffee
    Laura Humphreys, founder of the Redbird Coffee
    • Laura Humphreys, founder of the Redbird Coffee on the square  spoke. She wanted to say thank you again for all the positives and takes joy in all there is to celebrate here in Jacksonville. She also wanted to bring up something for the council to consider, “I know that it’s been discussed an opportunity for some public restrooms, as we’re having more events on the square behind the square in the city, that there tends to be a little bit of a issue when it comes to where can people go to the restroom and so I know that that is something that needs to be considered as we’re looking into more events happening, especially with the seasons changing and that’s gonna be happening quite often.”
  • Council Member Remarks.
    • Councilman Green wanted to share his thoughts and prayer with the JCA community in regards to the fire. He expressed how thankful he was that no one was hurt. He also wanted to celebrate and thank all those that took place in Take Pride in Jacksonville. He also congratulated the Jacksonville high school baseball team. They were able to sweep the first round of the Alabama high school athletic Association baseball playoffs.
    • Councilman Tony Taylor requested that Chief Keith Kadle come up to share the different agencies that
      Chief Keith Kadle
      Chief Keith Kadle

      assisted. Chief Kadle really expressed a heartfelt thanks to all agencies.

  • Mayor’s report.
    • The Mayor thanked all the first responders who assisted in the fire.
    • He also thanked all who participated in Take Pride in Jacksonville.
    • The Farmer’s Market had a great start and a good turnout last Saturday.
    • Fair on the Square will be May 14.
    • Cheaha Challenge will be May 14 and 15.
    • AHSAAA Championship will be May 16 and 20.
    • Third Friday Music Night on the Square May 20, 5-9pm.

      Jacksonville Mayor and City Attorney
      Jacksonville Mayor and City Attorney
  • Any Other Business. – None
  • Consider a motion to enter into an Executive Session under the provisions of the Code of Alabama Section 36-25S-7(a)(1) to discuss the general reputation and character, physical condition, professional competence,  or mental health of individuals and Section 36-25A-7(a)(6) to discuss the consideration the governmental body is willing to offer or accept when considering the purchase, sale, exchange, lease, or market value of real property. – Unanimously Approved

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