Piedmont, AL – In a brief meeting on Tuesday evening, the Piedmont City Council approved several items, including a resolution honoring the Piedmont First United Methodist Church’s 155th anniversary.
The church’s history dates back to Sept. 10, 1867, when Wilson Johnson, P.W. Harbor, and Neal Ferguson (trustees of the fledgling Episcopal Methodist Church South) were assigned the task of finding a suitable location for the construction of its first church. The three trustees purchased from Jacob Forney Daily (the first white settler and first mayor of Cross Plains) a plot of land approximately four acres where Hood Street connects with what is now Church Street.
District 6 representative David Ivey said there will be a celebration at the church on Aug. 14 at 10 a.m.
Other items passed during Tuesday’s meeting were a liquor license for the Roadside Grill restaurant, a resolution to pay a total of $10,238 per vehicle for the detailing new police vehicles, renewing two transportation vehicles for East Alabama Planning, and three grass cutting resolutions. The locations of the grass cuttings are 304 5th Avenue, 400 Briarwood Circle, and 108 Memorial Drive.
The council also approved a 2023 Recreational Trails Program Grant application for repairs and repaving of the Chief Ladiga Trail, which Mayor Bill Baker said is an 80/20 grant.
“We can possibly get $400,000 worth of grant money. Our cost would only be 20 percent,” Baker said. “Any time you can get that much free money we need to take advantage of it.”
The council also approved a motion to allow City Clerk Carl Hinton to order water pumps for the repair project going on at the Piedmont Civic Center.
Speaking of the civic center, the council heard from Recreation Director Jeff Formby during its work session updating the council on the progress of several projects going on around the community.
Minutes from the previous meeting were approved, as were bills for payment totaling $701,858.66.
During his closing comments, Baker said he, Hinton and city accountant Leanne Pike recently had an exit interview with auditors Kemp and Associates. Baker said the city had “an excellent audit for this past year.” He told the council he would put together a packet with detailed information for their review.
The council’s next scheduled meeting is set for Aug. 16.
Mr. Fagan is a reporter for WEIS Radio. (Information Provided by WEIS RADIO)
