Greene County Democrat

Tag: for being named Miss Black Alabama Talented Teen

  • Eutaw City Council votes to return staff to a five- day schedule

    Mayor Latasha Johnson presents certificate to Mah’Kenzie Na Khole Jhordan Walker of Branch Heights in Eutaw, for being named Miss Black Alabama Talented Teen

    The Eutaw City Council met on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, for its regular first meeting of the month. All members of the Council and Mayor Latasha Johnson were present.

    The Council voted to extend the time for full time staff to five days and hours of 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Mayor Johnson argued that she was not sure she could do this under the City’s current financial position. Councilman Woodruff said the Council had adopted a budget that eliminated some positions so that the staff could return to full time operations. He also requested a rooster of staff positions and salaries that the city is paying.

    Hodges Smith addressed the City Council on an Automatic Aid Agreement developed by the Association of Volunteer Fire Departments in Greene County. The agreement would allow the dispatch of the closest four fire departments when a fire is reported. The four fire departments that would come to Eutaw’s assistance would be Springfield, Lower Gainesville Road, Clinton and Dollarhide. The Eutaw Fire Department would automatically be dispatched to fires in these four rural communities. The motion for approval did not receive a second and was not considered. The members of the City Council seemed to need more time to study and understand the proposal. It can be considered again at a future meeting.

    Mayor Johnson submitted a proposal that she received from the West Alabama Action Group to rent the Grubbs/E911 building for a period of
    December 1, 2024, to October 1, 2027, in exchange for making repairs to the building to make it usable as an office. The Council voted to table this request until more study could be made to the proposed lease agreement.
    Councilman Woodruff pointed out that $50,000 had been allocated to repairs to this building, for use by the Eutaw Police Department, in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget recently approved. “How will these monies be reallocated in the budget, if this lease proposal is adopted,” asked Woodruff.

    David Ficken, Vice President for Business Development of the Alabama Fiber Network addressed the City Council and asked for an agreement to place a 50 by 50-foot building on land owned by the City of Eutaw. The building would be built on a cement slab, surrounded by a chain-link fence, house equipment to permit local ISP (broadband) providers to
    connect to the national fiber optic network. Alabama Fiber Network has been funded by the State of Alabama to be a “middle mile” provider for broadband. Other middle mile providers have also approached the city to provide similar services.

    The Council voted to allow the Mayor and City Attorney to explore a location for the Alabama Fiber Network building and develop a 20-year renewable easement agreement for their building. The Council favored the Robert H. Young Community Center (former Carver School) as the site for the building. The proposed agreement would have to be presented to the Eutaw City Council for final approval.

    At the beginning of the meeting, Mayor Johnson reported on progress on several infrastructure projects that the city has agreed to work on. These are: 1. Ditch between Edward’s Drive and Roebuck Avenue, 2. Street Repairs on 3rd Avenue,  3. House on O’Neal Street, next to Mollie Rowe’s resident. Work is continuing on all these projects and complying with legal requirements before the city is involved with work on private property.

    In other business, the Eutaw City Council:

    • Approved paying $75.00 membership dues to the Eutaw Area Chamber of Commerce.

    • Approved reimbursement of Assistant Chief William Smith for $196.00 for city expenses.

    • Approved purchase of a half page ad ($300) in the Greene County Democrat Progress Edition.

    • Approved paying entry fee of $20 in Christmas Parade, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.

    • Approved holiday schedule for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.

    • Approved payment of bills for the period.

    At the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor Johnson awarded a certificate of completion to City Clerk Sha’Kelvia Spencer or her participation in the Municipal Revenue Officers Program provided by the University of Alabama.
    The Mayor also awarded a certificate of commendation to Mah’Kenzie Na Khole Jhordan Walker for being named Miss Black Alabama Talented Teen.
    Walker is a resident of Branch Heights and will represent the State of Alabama in the national completion in the Spring of 2025. The Mayor pledged to raised funds to help pay expenses for Ms. Walker to participate in the national completion. Chief of Police Tommy Johnson presented the ‘Officer of the Month Award’ to Officer J. Powell.