By: John Zippert, Co-Publisher
At its October 24, 2023, regular meeting the Eutaw City Council worked through a full agenda with many important issues. The Council also held a working session on October 23, which paved the way for many of its decisions.
One controversial action taken by the City Council was a 5-0 vote to park all city vehicles at City Hall, when not in use. This includes police cars.
Since many Eutaw city police officers live out of town, they have been permitted to drive city vehicles home, so that when they are called to a crime scene on an emergency basis, they can get their faster and be fully equipped.
Councilman LaJeffrey Carpenter has been pushing for this policy change for many months. Carpenter, who is a Greene County Sheriff’s deputy and often comes to council meetings visibly armed with his pistol,
says this will save money and wear and tear on city vehicles. All five council members voted for this policy change, while Mayor Latasha Johnson and Chief of Police Tommy Johnson were opposed and spoke against the decision.
In the public comments section of the meeting, several Eutaw residents, including Faye Tyree, Danny Cooper, and Carol Gator, raised concerns about the new policy hampering police response to emergency situations. Concern was also expressed that this decision might result in more police officers quitting their positions to take better paid opportunities in other places.
At the City Council Work Session, City Financial Adviser Ralph Liverman presented a report which acknowledged receipt of a long promised $371,294.88 check from FEMA for reimbursement of expenses incurred by the City of Eutaw in debris clearing and collection from storms earlier this year. Liverman indicated an additional check for $40,000 is still forthcoming from FEMA for additional expenses. In his report, Liverman indicates the city accounts that have been reimbursed for storm expenses, including $118,544.88 to the General Fund, which improves the City’s overall financial condition and outlook.
The Council approved an Ordinance No. 2023-4 to grant a right of way agreement WIFI connections to cities in the Yellowhammer Network, which is planning to build a network of fiber to cities and towns in the western Alabama Black Belt, starting in Selma and moving west. Yellowhammer is fully funded for its plans, which reach cities and anchor institutions and cover some of the rural areas in between but not all parts of each county. The right of way agreement will allow running of fiber on and under streets and right of ways, owned by the city, but it is not an exclusive arrangement and other companies may also seek similar permission.
The Council also approved payment of an invoice for $30,000 as a reimbursement to the Alabama Department of Transportation for work done to improve lighting on the Interstate 20/59 Exit 40. This one of several annual payments owed by the City to ALDOT for the lighting project.
A credit card, with a maximum of $25,000, to be held by the Mayor, for training and travel expenses for city staff was approved. This single card will replace individual cards assigned to council members and staff department heads.
The Council approved Resolution No. 2023-16 for Traffic Signal Management between ALDOT and the City to install Econolite Cobalt Controllers at the four city traffic lights at the county square, which will improve traffic flow. This improvement will come at no cost to the city. The
Council also approved Resolution No 2023-17 to allow for the rehabilitation of the Sanders-Black Apartments with no changes to the zoning approval of the project, which is in place.
The Council heard a presentation by Leah Banks of Alabama Power Company and representatives of the University of West Alabama’s Connecting Minority Program, to provide broadband in Sumter County and parts of Greene County, especially the Boligee area. They left copies of a broadband survey for residents of Eutaw and Greene County to fill out, showing the limited broadband services available. The Mayor agreed to collect completed surveys at the City Hall. The Council also heard a presentation on the Tree City Program from the Alabama Forestry Commission which encourages the planting of trees in cities and towns across Alabama.
In other business, the Eutaw City Council:
• Approved renewal of the business license and gas tax collection agreements with Avenue Insights and Analytics for 2024.
• Approved repair of three police cars, two for transmissions and one for a motor. Tabled a proposal by the Chief of Police to lease purchase new police cars.
• Approved request by the Mayor to seek bids to renovate the bathrooms in the National Guard Armory, which must be completed by March 2024 for the facility to be used as a voting poll.
• Approved an additional $100 rental charge for groups planning to serve alcohol at functions held at the Robert H. Young Community Center (former Carver School) now owned by the city.
• Approved a contract with Living Waters Association of Alabaster to provide laboratory testing the City Water and Sewer system.
•Tabled leasing a new 2023 John Deere tractor for grass cutting, for 5 years at $1,926/month (total $97,852), until the city financial adviser can explain how this ad other expenses fit into the city’s budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
• Agreed to pay bills on hand for the month.