Greene County Democrat

Tag: Assistant Clerk

  • Eutaw City Council meets Jan. 9th, hears from CPA, engineers, and others

    The Eutaw City Council held its first meeting of the new year on January 9, 2024. The mayor and all council members, including newly appointed District 2 member, Jonathan Woodruff were in attendance.

    The Eutaw City Council heard a report from Rick Harbin, its Certified Public Accountant on the status of the audit for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022. Harbin passed out and read from a draft report and collected the reports after his presentation.

    Harbin said he was still refining the numbers and would have a full report with an opinion on the city finances by the end of the month. He went over the major findings including that the city had total assets of $12.9 million dollars. Complete details will be available when the official report is released. Harbin said some of the delay was caused by the city switching to a new accounting system and some was based on personal family emergencies that required his attention.

    Harbin said once the 2022 fiscal year audit was issued, he planned to move ahead with the 2023 fiscal year report, which will go more smoothly.
    Mayor Latasha Johnson said the audits were needed to apply for grants to assist and improve the city facilities. Angela Henline, the city’s engineer for the water and sewer project supported this saying she needed to report to ADEM, when the audit would be ready to be able to apply for continuing grants on the city water and sewer improvement projects that she is supervising.

    The Council approved a Proclamation naming January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in the city. The proclamation highlights the importance of citizen awareness of the problem in helping to resolve it.

    The Council approved an agreement with the Sixth Day Saddle Club for using parts of the Lock 7 City Park for horse rides, trail rides and horse shows.

    At the request of City Police Chief, Tommy Johnson, the Council approve purchase of a police dog for the city for $23,000. The Chief has raised $20,000 for the dog from the public and was asking the Council for the additional $3,000 needed to acquire the dog. The dog will be able to do search and rescue operations for people lost around the city, as well as drug enforcement during traffic stops or when asked by the school system or others to investigate for drugs.

    The Council chose Tracey Hunter, District 3 Councilmember, to be Mayor  Pro Temp, to assume the duties of the mayor, in the case of  her absence.  Hunter was unopposed for the position.

    Assistant Clerk, Joe Powell opened bids for the sale of the city owned, but inoperable, Greyhound bus, which is parked behind the National Guard Armory. LA Transportation offered $2,500 and Cliff Taylor offered $2,700 for the bus. The council awarded the bid to Taylor.

    The Council agreed to a Work Session on January 22 at 4:00 PM to review and discuss a property rental policy for city facilities, like the Robert H. Young Community Center and the National Guard Armory. The council agreed to rescind charges for using exercise equipment that had been donated to the city for use by residents to improve their health and wellbeing.

    The Council approved a plan for the Rebuild Alabama Funds that it receives for road and bridge improvement. There is not enough money to do all the needed projects but the plan lists and prioritizes work on the most needed project.

    Angela Henline, engineer for the city’s water and sewer improvement project made a report on current work underway and requested approval for the next set of projects, which was approved by the council. This included awarding of contracts for pump station improvements and upgrading the Lower Gainesville Road Force Main.

    Mr. Ralph Liverman, City Financial Advisor gave the Council five reports on financial issues and bank balances, one of the reports on the lack of income from rental of city owned properties will be discussed at the upcoming work session.

    The Council approved liquor licenses for the sale of beer and wine at Eutaw Station Inc. (formerly One Stop) on Highway 43 and or a new Dollar General Market, that is being built on Highway 43.

    The Council approved paying of bills and tabled a $500 claim for damage, by the Eutaw Fire Department, to a mailbox and basketball goal for ReShonda Daniels.

    District 5 Council member, Jacqueline Stewart, who works at the Love’s Travel Center said they were interested in stronger security on weekends and wanted help from the Eutaw Police Department. The Mayor and the Chief agreed to meet with Love’s and see what could be worked out, similar to efforts made with Rock Tenn.

    In the public comments, Siegfried Williams, Pastor of the Freedom Rock Church, renewed his request to purchase five acres from the city as a site for the church and community center. The city is conducting an appraisal of its properties to determine a fair market price.

  • Eutaw City Council deals with financial matters; IRS lien lifted

    Mayor Latasha Johnson presents Proclamation for National Diaper Need Awareness Week (September 27 to October 3, 2021) to Danielle Edison, of the Bottoms Up Diaper Bank, that distributes diapers to families that need them, at Woman-to-Woman in Eutaw. The Mayor is joined by Council members Valerie Watkins and LaJeffrey Carpenter.

    At its regular Eutaw City Council meeting on September 14, 2021, the council dealt primarily with financial matters.

    Mayor Latasha Johnson announced that the city had received a Certificate of Release of Federal Tax Lien from the Internal Revenue Service stating that tax debts for the years 2015, 2018 and 2019 for employee taxes had been paid and satisfied. “We have been negotiating with IRS and provided documentation of payments made, so we paid much less than was listed on the lien to satisfy these back payments. The lien release has been recorded in the Greene County Probate Office,” said Mayor Johnson.

    The Council authorized Mayor Johnson to negotiate a loan of up to $500,000 with Merchants and Farmers Bank for purchase of a new knuckle-boom truck, to pick up limbs and other debris from the city roads and streets; a street sweeper, three police cars and other utility vehicles needed by the city. Mayor Johnson said, “We have cash resources in our Capital Improvements Fund and other funds to purchase this needed equipment, but we felt financing it over 4 to 5 years would give us more flexibility for other projects and allow us to budget our funds more clearly and accurately. We explored various options including leasing and Merchants and Farmers agreed to meet the rates of other financing agencies.”

    The Council agreed to various resolutions to close a USDA bank account at Citizens Trust Bank, close an Airport Grant Account and give the funds to the Airport Authority and to create a new account for currency seized by the Police Department.

    The Council authorized a sale of surplus items including cars, trucks, a van, tractor and other items through a bidding process. Items are listed on the City’s website along with bidding documents. The bids will be opened at the next regular City Council meeting on September 28, 2021.

    A request for rental space at the R. H. Young Civic Center was approved for the Warrior Academy EMS Institute, which will be training people for certification in the medical emergency field.

    The Council approved participation in the Rural Water Apprenticeship Program for up to three positions. These people will be trained to become water and waste water treatment licenses operators. The Alabama Rural Water Association will pay half of their wages while in training. The Water Department also submitted a list of needed equipment to the Council and reported that they were continuing to work on water leaks.

    The Council approved a Proclamation for National Diaper Need Awareness Week (September 27 to October 3, 2021) and presented it to
    Danielle Edison, Director of the Bottoms Up Diaper Bank, that is sponsored by Woman to Woman in Greene County. The program provides diapers and related supplies to families interested in keeping their babies clean and healthy. Persons interested in supporting the program may contact: bottomsupdiapers35@gmail.com, website at http://www.bottomsupdaipers35.org or call 205-539-2696.

    In other business, the Eutaw City Council:

    • Approved a contract with CCI Construction for $14,799 for a new roof on the Registrars Office building, which is owned and rented by the city.

    • Approved payment of bills.

    • Approved travel for Joe L. Powell, Assistant Clerk, to a conference on community and economic development in Tuscaloosa.

    • Heard a report from City Engineer Torris Babb that FEMA drainage projects, the roof for the R.H. Young Community Center, lagoon clearing, GIS utility mapping and street paving project applications were all moving forward.

    • Approved plans to hold National Night Out at 4:00 PM on October 21, 2021 at the R. H. Young Community Center to celebrate police community relations.

    • Police Chief Johnson announced that he and the Police Department are holding a firearms training program, focused on training women, on Saturday, November 13, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, including classroom instruction coupled with experience at the shooting range.