Jacksonville City Council Meeting 7/11/2022

• Call to order.
• Invocation: Rev. Jim Wilson RMC Chaplain
• Pledge of Allegiance.
• Roll call.
  • Tony Taylor – Present
  • Terry Wilson – Present
  • Sherry Laster – Absent
  • Coty Galloway – Present
  • Andy Green – Present
• Adoption of minutes. – Unanimously Approved 
• Adoption of agenda. – Unanimously Approved with addition
  • Section 8a was added Consider Action to accept the Planning Commission Report regarding the Zoning Amendment Request regarding the Zoning Amendment Request for the property located at 214 Tarver Street SE and schedule a Public Hearing for same on August 22, 2022 at 7:00 pm.
• Proclamation. – None

• Public comments concerning agenda items. – No Comments
• Section 8a was added Consider Action to accept the Planning Commission Report regarding the Zoning Amendment Request regarding the Zoning Amendment Request for the property located at 214 Tarver Street SE and schedule a Public Hearing for same on August 22, 2022 at 7:00 pm. – Unanimously Approved 
• Consideration of Resolution No. R-2138-22 Endorsing the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission’s 2022 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). – Unanimously Approved 
• Consideration of Resolution No. R-2139-22 Authorizing the City of Jacksonville to Join the State of Alabama and Other Local Governments as Participants in the Janssen Settlement. – Unanimously Approved 
• Consideration of Resolution No. R-2140-22 Authorizing the City of Jacksonville to Join the State of Alabama and Other Local Governments as Participants in the McKesson Settlement. – Unanimously Approved 
• Consider action to accept the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Grant in the amount of $34,215.00 for the purchase of extrication equipment for the Jacksonville Fire Department. – Unanimously Approved 
  • Councilman Tony Taylor thanks Chief Kadle and all the staff for working so diligently to get this grant. Chief Kadle gave the credit to his staff for all the work.
• Consider action to accept the resignation of the following: – Unanimously Approved 
  • Valerie Smallwood Clark, Utility Account Manager, effective July 12, 2022.

• Consent Agenda – Unanimously Approved 
  • Purchases over $7,500.00.
  • Requests to Attend Conference/Training Session with Costs Exceeding $1,000.00.
• Public comments for general items. – No Comments
• Council Member Remarks.
  • Councilman Green wanted to show his gratitude for all the staff that made JaxFest a success. He stated it was a great event and her really loved the volunteer appreciation portion.
  • He also waned to commend the fire department for the helipad and it’s recent use. As mentioned on the city’s facebook page:

“A planned photoshoot at the Jacksonville Public Safety Complex’s new emergency landing pad was preempted by a real emergency landing Friday morning.

The Jacksonville Fire Department had booked a Survival Flight helicopter to come to the new pad at 11 a.m. for photos to pair with an announcement about the landing zone’s opening. But when a Jacksonville resident suffered a stroke at about 8 a.m., plans changed. Jacksonville Fire and Piedmont Rescue & EMS responded to the call, but local emergency rooms were on diversion, according to fire Assistant Chief Carl Hairrell. Survival Flight was tapped to pick up the patient and take them to the Birmingham area for treatment, culminating in a takeoff with the patient in tow just after 9 a.m.

If there was ever a way to make a point about the pad’s purpose, this was it.

The 40-by-40, concrete landing zone — which is restricted to emergency use only — allows the fire department a dedicated space for air transports to land, rather than blocking off city streets or parking lots full of visitors, customers and students. The department saved thousands of dollars by using in-house expertise, Hairrell said: Fire staff installed the electrical wiring for the lighting on the pad, and sodded the stretch of land around the pad that had been cleared for construction.

“We talked with the mayor and council about getting a dedicated lot that would always be available. Here it’s much more controlled, we have the landing lights and it’s free of obstruction,” said fire Chief Keith Kadle. “We’re thankful to the City Council for seeing that need and listening to us.”

• Mayor’s report.
  • The Mayor wanted to echo Councilman Green’s comments on JaxFest. He felt it was the “best one ever.” He also thought the volunteer appreciation was a great addition and credited Mrs. Grant for her hard work on that project.
  • He mentioned the Downtown Strategic Meeting on 7/14.
  • He mentioned the Classic Car Show this Friday 7/15.
• Any Other Business. – None
• Consider action to adjourn into an Executive Session under the provisions of the Code of Alabama Section 36-25A-7(a)(3) to discuss with the City Attorney a certain matter not yet being litigated but imminently likely to be litigated. – Unanimously Approved