Work Session
The first item discussed was to hear from Jason Hardin with East Alabama Regional Planning and Development. Mr. Hardin needed an update on the direction of the project. He presented three options:
- Find another property to replace the one removed. (This would not require going back to ADECA).
- Asking ADECA for an amendment to include repairs to the senior center. (Senior Centers qualify and a survey would not be required).
- Move forward with the one property already approved. Once complete ADECA could be approached to add an additional property or work on the senior center.
After discussion the council decided to move forward with option 3 which will not require a vote at this time. It was also noted that Jason Hardin will be leaving his position and his last day will be February 11, 2022. The council congratulated him on his new position and thanked him for his hard work.
A quote has been received for the IT work needed, but the owner is on the agenda to present later this evening.
The Mayor gave an update on the administrative office renovation project. The scope of work is to remove two windows and make the existing door a window. The desks and pedestal chairs would be removed. Where they sat the floor would be replaced. The walls would also be fixed and new counters and cabinets installed. The work would make the office more efficient and do away with a lot of the clutter. The existing desks would be donated to the fire department. The Mayor asked for $20,000 from the CARES funds to complete complete this project once all bids have been received.
Councilman Clendenning asked how much was left from the existing CARES finds and how much was expected in the next round. He would like to pursue new bids for the bathrooms. He believes this is a need and it would be better to do it with CARES funds than to wait and the funds have to come out of the budget.
Councilman Bowles wanted to know what else the fire department needed for the new station. He felt that this project was being overlooked and wanted to make sure it was not forgotten. CARES funds cannot be used because the project was underway prior to CARES funding and that is a restriction. There are upcoming grants for volunteer fire departments so the city will look into that possibility once details are released.
Councilman Clendenning also wanted to look into bids to repair the dock at Lake Buckhorn and requested an updated balance of CARES funds at the next meeting.
For the Pet Tethering Ordnance no changes have been made and he Mayor proposed to a motion of action. If no action the ordnance will be removed from the agenda.
Mayor Willis gave an update on the splashpad. It is moving forward and should be completed next week. He would like to add 2-3 picnic tables in the near future. He would also like to get a bid for a 24*24 concrete pad to add an additional metal pavilion. Also the 5*12 concrete pads for the disc golf are moving forward. He also mentioned the closing of Jo Jo’s Swamp Shack. Rack and Roll had been interested in the building at one point so that could still be a possibility, but there are not plans in place for the location at this time.
City Council
- Call to Order
- Invocation
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Roll Call
- Jeff Clendenning – Present
- Nick Bowles – Present
- Clint Burns – Present
- Tim McRae – Present
- Cathy Hamby – Absent
- Mayor Willis – Present
- Adoption of Agenda – Unanimously Approved
- Adoption of Minutes –Unanimously Approved (Nick Bowles Abstained)
- Department Reports
- Joey Conger – No Report
- Chief Bush – No Report
- Chief Bunn
- An update on the firehouse that sheetrock has been completed up upstairs and it is ready for painting. The sheetrock will start soon downstairs. All workers are volunteers so often are working at night after their normal jobs.
- Chasity Whetstone – No Report
- Council Reports
- Jeff Clendenning
- The city will be cleaning up in the park.
- The Disc Golf is progressing and there will be a grand opening one it is complete. There will also be 100 discs to be given away at the grand opening.
- Requested a vote to re-bid the bathrooms. After discussion the decision was made to wait until later in the year when the second round of CARES money is to be sent out.
- Nick Bowles – No Report
- Clint Burns –No Report
- Tim McRae – No Report
- Jeff Clendenning
- Old Business
- IT Quote – Ricky Odom – InCare Technologies
- Mr. Odom was not present so this was tabled until next meeting.
- Demolition Project – Jason Hardin – East Alabama Regional Planning and Development
- No vote needed based on discussions at work session
- Administration Office Renovations – Unanimously Approved
- Pet Tethering Ordnance – No Motion (ordnance is dead)
- IT Quote – Ricky Odom – InCare Technologies
- New Business
- Executive Session – Public Employee Contract Negotiations – Unanimously Approved to go to Executive Session
- Spirit of Weaver Committee Report – No Report
- Mayor’s Report – No Report
- Public Comments – No Comments
- Adjournment – Unanimously Approved