Weaver Work Session Tackles Leadership Transition Plan at Work Session and City Council Meeting 7/12/2022

Weaver, AL – A the Weaver city hall the regularly scheduled work session and city council meetings were held on July 12, 2022.

Work Session

1. This first matter discussed was Buckhorn Lake. A discussion was held to vote to table until all members were present.
2. An agenda item regarding a retiree COLA increase was discussed. There was some confusion as to whether this was a one time payment or if this was a set increase. A request was made to request a motion to table until clarification could be received on the details.
3. Mayor Willis wanted to discuss the purchase of two new grills for the park. These would be charcoal grills and would cost $250 each. A suggestion was made to purchase a total of four instead and add three to the park and place one at the fire department. The funds would come from the CARES money that was given to the city.
4. The picnic tables for the park have arrived and the plan is  to put them together and get them placed next week.
5. An idea was brought to the council from the Mayor of a secondary round of bonuses for employees from the CARES funds. This would be a COVID bonus. The suggested amount was $1,000 for full-time employees and $500 for part-time employees. Any employees still within their probationary period would receive the funds after the six months of employment had been reached. Councilman Clendenning said he would be more comfortable waiting for the second round of COVID funds to be disbursed, but that he had no issues with the bonus being given. There was also much discussion of the difficulty in keeping current employees due to competitive wages in surrounding areas. The bonus is an incentive for employees to stay. The total cost would be roughly $25,000.
6. Chief Bunn presented research he had done to procure a refurbished 120 lb capacity ice maker for the Meeting Center. This machine is one year old and comes with a full warranty. The cost would be $1,600. For a new machine the cost would be $2,200. The existing ice maker would be moved to City Hall to replace the broken. After much discussion the council felt a new machine would be a better investment.
7. Chief Bush discussed two  items he would like to be declared surplus. There is a 2013 Chevy Tahoe that he would like to sell on the gov bids site. There is also a truck vault that there is no use for that he would like to donate to a neighboring agency.
8. Mayor Willis wanted to give an update on the main Weaver well. The mayor approached the Calhoun County Board of Education to purchase the well and surrounding land. This is for the purpose of obtaining grants. He anticipates an offer being presented to the city in the next couple of weeks. It would be reviewed by the city attorney and then presented to the council for consideration in Executive Session.
9. Public works director, Joey Conger wanted to find out what was the proper communication for residents requesting street paving. He was asked to refer them to email or call the council for assistance. Only the streets currently budgeted for paving will be paved this fiscal year, but requests will be considered going into the next fiscal year.
10. Chief Bunn gave an update on the firehouse. The main thing remaining is the floor. To cost to get it installed will be $3,100. The flooring was donated, but they are 800 feet short of flooring material. The cost of purchasing flooring would be roughly $4,000. Councilman Clendenning asked if the council approved $10,000 would that guarantee that the firehouse was ready to open on August 18th? Chief Bunn said yes that would cover any remaining costs for supplies and labor. He also mentioned the donation of furniture from the East Metro Area Crime Center.
11. Councilman Tim McRae wanted to speak about putting out a reminder for people to bag their trash. Loose trash being placed in bins often doesn’t make it into the truck or blows out and ends up on the street. The discussion led to utilizing the city’s facebook page to put out a reminder as well as creating a brochure that is available at city hall.
12. Councilman Clendenning wanted to go on record requesting that once the second round of CARES money comes in he would like the majority of the funds to be slated for building new bathrooms at the park. He would also like to request to have a percolation test done and to get plans drawn up so that the city is ready to request bids once the funds come in.
13. Mayor Willis wanted to discuss the transition plans for his retirement. The date for retirement is set for September 29th. This is the last day of the fiscal year and the end of a pay period. He felt that the new Mayor should be in place at the start of the fiscal year. The council discussed various options for choosing the next Mayor, the next Mayor pro-tem, and the replacement council member. The group decision was that at the next council meeting an excessive session will be called to discuss options on the three positions and they would be voted up at that same council meeting. The new members would be sworn in on September 30th. The mayor stated he will abstain from the voting process as he is the outgoing member. Legally he would only be required to vote in the event of tie. Members chosen for these positions and voted in by the council would serve the remaining term ending in 2025. They could then choose to run through general election at the end of the term if they choose to.
14. The owner of Weaver Meadows mobile home spoke. There have been many discussions regarding an ordnance violation requiring individual meters at each address. The individual meters are a Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) requirement as well as a city ordinance. The property is technically outside of the city of Weaver, but inside the city water service area. An agreement was reached for the owner to apply for individual taps and to pay the tap fee on 7/13/22. The city would absorb the cost of moving the water main 200 ft which would significantly reduce the cost to the owner to run lines. This would show good faith on both parts. The remaining responsibility would fall own the owner to ensure that all nine currently inhabited properties have individual meters and that as new residents moved in individual meters are placed.

City Council Meeting

• Innvocation
• Pledge of Allegiance
• Roll Call
  • Councilman Jeff Clendenning – Present
  • Councilman Nick Bowles – Absent
  • Councilwoman Cathy Hamby – Present
  • Councilman Tim McRae – Present
  • Councilman Clint Burns – Present
  • Mayor Wayne Willis – Present
• Approval of Agenda – Unanimously Approved 
• Apprval of Minutes – Unanimously Approved 
  • Councilman Clendenning and McRae abstained due to not being present at the last meeting
• Department Head Comments
  • Public Works – none
  • Police – none
  • Fire/Code Enforcement – none
  • Administrative
    • The city’s audit will begin on Tuesday
• Old Business
• Fire House
  • Request for $10,000 to be allocated to the fire department to complete all work by August 18th. – Unanimously Approved 
• New Business
  • Request to table to COLA increase for retires until clarification can be reached on the terminology. – Unanimously Approved 
  • Requested that $1,500 be allocated for a percolation test for the restroom site at the park. – Unanimously Approved 
  • A request was made for the mayor to be authorized to spend $1,000 for four grills. Three will be for the park and one for the fire department. – Unanimously Approved 
  • A motions was made to approve a COVID bones to all employees at a rate of $1,000 for full-time employees and $500 for part-time employees. This payment will be disbursed with the next pay period. – Unanimously Approved (Councilman McRae abstained)
  • A motion was made to purchase a new ice maker for the Meeting Center for $2,200. – Unanimously Approved 
  • A motion was made to declare two items from the police department as surplus. – Unanimously Approved 
• Council Comments
  • Councilman Clint Burns – none
  • Councilman Tim McRae
    • Addressed the trash issue that was discussed at the work session. He would like to really get the message out to bag trash before placing it in bins.
  • Councilwoman Cathy Hamby
    • Wanted to thank Chief Bush and all his staff and state they are outstanding.
  • Councilman Jeff Clendenning – none
    • Mayor’s Comments
      • Mayor Willis asked that all department heads start working on their budgets for the next fiscal year by August 1st.
        • Councilman Clendenning stated he would like to add and new officer in next year’s budget.
      • Park signs have been completed for rules at the park and splash pad.
• Public Comments
  • Brad Campbell from the the Calhoun County EMA wanted to present information on the Heartbeat program. This is a program that does not cost the city to join. It ensures a partnership between participating agencies to help with 911 EMS calls. If there is not a provider available then a neighboring agency would assist. This would help reduce call times. Currently Jacksonville and Anniston are participating. Ohatchee is voting at their meeting tonight. Oxford and Piedmont are not participating as they have their own EMS services. If Weaver choose to join they would also have a board seat.
    • No action taken at this time. This item will be added to the next council meeting agenda.
• Adjournment – Unanimously Approved