Police Chief Tommy Johnson and Mayor Latasha Johnson award Certificate of Appreciation to 7-year-old Draylon Davis at the June 8, 2021 City Council meeting for his courage, bravery and presence of mind to call for help for his mother, Marquita Davis, who was having a medical emergency. “His calm response in contacting help probably saved his mother’s life,” said the Chief.
During last night’s City Council meeting, Mayor Latasha Johnson announced that the city had received a payment of $309,083.08 from the American Rescue Plan Act federal funds for states and cities to cover coronavirus expenses and invest in infrastructure improvements to improve the city for the future. This is the first half of the funding the City expects to get from the ARPA funds. The Council approved a $2,500 one-time loyalty payment to all city employees who continued to work and provide essential services during the pandemic. “These funds will go to our 40 employees who willingly gave their support and services during a difficult time. They enabled us to keep City Hall open and continue to provide basic services like water, sewer, streets and garbage collection,” said Mayor Johnson. The Council also approved a salary increase to $1,500 a month for City Judge Joshua J. Swords. A $500 increase was approved for City Attorney Zane Willingham. The Mayor said the rest of the funds will be allocated to improvements in the City’s infrastructure, like street repairs, a telemetry system for the Water Department and other projects which will help the long-term development of the City. Mayor Johnson also reported that with the help of the City’s financial adviser, Ralph Liverman and its CPA, the City reached an agreement with IRS to pay $19,715 in tax liabilities for 2015. Records and payments for tax years 2019 and 2020 were accepted. The City was required to file IRS 941 Quarterly Tax Reports for 2018 and the IRS would calculate the taxes due. Mayor Johnson said, “Once we submit all the requested information, the IRS will be able to determine our tax liability for that year. We feel it will be less that the $230,000 previously discussed since some of the taxes for this period have already been paid. Once we reach an agreement on 2018 then IRS will lift the lien against the City of Eutaw.” In other business, at the June 8 and 22 meetings, the Eutaw City Council:
• Approved the Water Department Identity Theft Prevention and Response Plan, since the city is accepting credit card payments on line, this will help protect people’s confidential information.
• Approved contract leasing the city’s farmer’s market space for ten years to the Greene and Sumter Farmer’s Market Cooperative for a nominal amount.
• Approved a contract between the City of Eutaw and the West Alabama Food Bank for the distribution of food to people in need.
• Set a meeting date of June 29 at 4:00 PM for a meeting of the City Council with the City Zoning Board to discuss the location of “modular homes” in the City, based on the ordinances and making more spaces available for mobile homes.
• Ended the City’s mandatory mask mandate for the prevention of the coronavirus but left the decision of wearing masks up to the individual’s discretion.
• Approved rental agreements for Brielle’s Boutique and HUGS A LOT Daycare for spaces at the Robert H. Young Community Center (old Carver Middle School); also approved business licenses for Christ Temple Church for a coffee shop, furniture store and theater; also, a business license for Paula Calligan’s Adjusted Crowns Hair Salon at 322 Brown Avenue.
• Agreed to change signatures on the Citizens Trust Bank bank accounts; and pay bills for the month of June. Mayor Johnson complimented the Chief of Police, Tommy Johnson, on the Police and First Responders Parade held in Eutaw last Thursday, June 17th. Chief Johnson announced that he will be holding a Coffee and Donuts Public Meeting on the second Thursday of each month at City Hall, beginning on July 8, 2021 at 10:00 AM. The public meeting will be a chance for people to raise comments, complaints and suggestions with the Chief of Police and his staff.