Piedmont, AL — The Piedmont City Council met on Tuesday evening to address the aftermath of a sudden flash flood and to move forward with major financial commitments aimed at city services and infrastructure.
Mayor Bill Baker updated the Council on Monday’s weather event, which brought over five inches of rain in just one hour. The heavy rainfall overwhelmed the city’s drainage systems and caused localized flooding. One residence on Alabama Street suffered a collapsed retaining wall due to the overflow. Baker stated that while the storm was intense, the city was recovering quickly from the “brief ordeal.”
In the meeting, the Council approved $40,000 for the Electrical Department to purchase a new vehicle. Electrical Manager Cory Horton reported on the department’s ongoing right-of-way trimming project, noting strong progress. The Council also approved $548,726 in bills and payroll.
The meeting included several departmental reports. Police Chief Nathan Johnson shared the department’s June statistics, which were reported ealier by the Calhoun Journal and included:
- 35 arrests (38 misdemeanor and 4 felony charges)
- 591 public contacts and 21 traffic citations
- 7 traffic accidents
- 346 calls for service, with 76 resulting in reports
- 313 extra patrols and district checks, totaling 8,148 miles
The dispatch center fielded 1,727 calls, dispatching 401 rescue responses, 81 Piedmont Fire Department calls, and 13 after-hour utility calls. The City Court reported $16,758 in collections, with the city retaining $6,155.
The Nuisance and Abatement Department reported 36 cases in June, including 15 new cases and 15 related to yard maintenance. The department had 4 court appearances and made several contacts related to building permits and code enforcement.
Fire Chief Todd Kirkland also presented a report for June. The Fire Department responded to 82 total calls, including:
- 4 fire-related incidents
- 1 overpressure/overheat call
- 2 hazardous (non-fire) responses
- 14 service calls
- 2 false alarms and 2 good intent calls
- 3 severe weather-related responses
- 54 medical assists
Additionally, 128 fire hydrants were tested across the city to ensure functionality.
Terry Baty, representing the Arts and Entertainment Committee, gave a positive report on the city’s July 4th celebration, which featured a successful 16-minute fireworks display.
The Council also revisited a proposal from the Daniel Group for a $6 million project to establish an industrial waste transfer hub on county-owned property near the Industrial Park. The development could bring up to 30 new jobs to Piedmont. Mayor Baker announced he would follow up with Don Hopper, Executive Director of the Calhoun County Economic Development Council, for further discussions.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for August 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
