At its regular meeting on August 22, 2023, the Eutaw City Council handled routine business for the city.
The Council heard a presentation from Tom Bowman of Business Computer Systems of Tuscaloosa for complete office IT support, including phones and security cameras, which are linked to the computer systems. The Council agreed to a contract for these services, to be negotiated with the Mayor, to include all technology related equipment at City Hall.
At the recommendation of Ralph Liverman, Financial Advisor, the Council voted to set up a separate bank account, in Merchants and Farmers Bank for road and bridge repair funds coming from the 2019 Rebuild Alabama Act and to develop a ‘Transportation Plan’ as required by the State of Alabama for the expenditure of these funds.
Liverman said he expected that $33,000 would be received in the next fiscal year (2023-24) from the Rebuild Alabama Act. The Transportation Plan calls for giving priority to repair of the Lower Gainesville Road and repairs needed on Woodfield Avenue. The priority for this plan does not change other priorities for the use of state gas tax monies, FEMA funds and others for already scheduled road, bridg and drainage repair plans previously adopted by the City Council.
The Council approved an agreement for payment of $8,445.25 in back water and sewer charges for King Village, Greene County Housing Authority. These funds will be repaid at the rate of $703.77 per month for 12 months, beginning October 1, 2023. Based on the agreement, no interest or late charges were levied to make repayment easier for GCHA.
The Council approved advertising for bids, for a company to conduct an environmental assessment of Brownfield sites, within the city limits, that could be ameliorated and improved.
In other business, the Council approved the following:
• Travel and per diem for the Mayor and Council members to attend the Alabama Association of Regional Councils (AARC) Annual Conference at
Perdido Beach on October 8-11, 2023.
• Payment of a claim of $2,323.70 for repairs to a truck, owned by Rev. Michael Barton, after a collision with a vechile driven by a city employee.
• Received financial reports on city bank accounts for the period October 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023 in Merchants and Farmers; and water accounts in Citizens Trust Bank, for the same period.
• Agreed to pay all bills incurred to the meeting date.
At the end of the meeting, Mayor Johnson asked Kevin Gorskey to make a presentation on behalf of Phi-Air-Medical, a company that provides helicopter transportation of sick and injured people to area hospitals from the heliport at the Greene County Hospital. Gorskey explained that his company offers coverage for helicopter medical services for $65.00 a year membership to families in Greene County. If you join his service, you get helicopter rides to medical service and the company collects, whatever your insurance agrees to pay, instead of a potentially very high bill.
Mayor Johnson said that she would look into this service as a potential fringe benefit for city employees and to encourage other area businesses to consider the service as well.