SYLACAUGA — Sylacauga is one step closer to becoming a sister city with Pietrasanta, Italy, thanks to an endeavor by the Alabama Governor’s Office and the Sylacauga Arts Council to create a relationship and encourage the forming of a reciprocal culture exchange between the two cities.Further progress was made down that road Wednesday when the Sylacauga City Council agreed to pay for a portion of the traveling expenses for Mayor Sam Wright to visit Pietrasanta in June. The Sylacauga Arts Council will be picking up the remainder of the mayor’s expenses.
The common factor that connects the small town on the coast of northern Tuscany in Italy to Sylacauga here in Alabama is a rich resource — marble.
Although not a world traveler, Wright feels a duty as mayor to travel at times, and he believes that pushing Sylacauga’s marble merits traveling abroad.
“My wife and I are a part of the delegation that will be visiting Pietrasanta to publicize our marble and see how they celebrate their marble,” said Wright. “Marble is a big influence on Sylacauga... We don’t push it like we ought to as a city.”
Wright further said the city should take better advantage of its natural resources.
The marble companies here are excited about the possibilities of fostering this relationship and are cooperating in the effort.
Wright said Imerys has even gone as far as to indicate its willingness to make the company more accessible for people from U.S. 280 or Fayetteville Road.
“I envision in 2009 that we have a sculpture from Pietrasanta in our city for four to six months,” said Wright. “We have been told that, by entering this partnership, we can expect to see sculptures from around the United States visit Sylacauga.”
Wright noted that, while Sylacauga quarries down for marble, Pietrasanta’s marble is found on a mountainside.
He further noted that Francesco Vuzzoni, who is the manager of Alabama Marble in Sylacauga, is from Pietrasanta.
“We learned this strictly by accident,” said Wright. “When I made the contact to the marble companies here in Sylacauga, Vuzzoni brought to my attention that Pietrasanta is his home town.
In other business the council:
• Approved the minutes of its April 15 meeting.
O Rescheduled the May 20 meeting to May 22 at 6 p.m. with a work session beginning at 5 p.m.
O Approved the request from William Ferreira of Liquid Airbrush to set up a temporary airbrush business on the property located at 16 W. Ft. Williams St., to provide airbrushing of baseball helmets, T-shirts and other items.
O Set public hearing on June 17, at 6 p.m. to consider a recommendation from Planning Commission for rezoning of property on Motes Road between Westchester Apartments and the rear entrance into Indian Valley School, from RT-1 to RT-3 to accommodate apartments.
O Set public hearing for June 17, at 6 p.m. to consider a recommendation from Planning Commission for rezoning of properties owned by the city of Sylacauga and the Sylacauga Board of Education, and located off East 8th Street, East 9th Street and East 10th Street — from B-1, M-1 and M-2 to R-3 to conform to the current Sylacauga Zoning Ordinance.
O Set public hearing for June 17, at 6 p.m. to consider a recommendation from the Planning Commission to name the street leading to the rear entrance of Indian Valley School as Reading Road.
O Approved paying refunds to Honeywell International for $15, Mom Eze for $30, Veribill LLC for $26.72, Auto-Chlor Services Inc. for $146.25, Bathfitter Inc. for $56.25, and Coldwater Creek LLC for $260.00 for overpayment of business licenses.
O Approved a contract amendment with the Boy’s Club to increase amount paid for contracted services by a one-time payment of $12,000.
O Approved a request from street department superintendent Tommy Woolley to approve the re-allocation of employee position classifications within the street department as follows: helper 2 positions /slots, concrete 4 positions/slots, driver 16 positions/slots, heavy equipment operator 9 positions/slots.
O Accepted a recommendation from police Chief Lois Zook to declare a surplus and authorize disposal by sale on GovDeals various miscellaneous items and a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria.
O Approved an expenditure in an amount up to $10,000 to Tool Floor Coating for the application of epoxy seal coating to concrete floors at the animal shelter building.
O Approved an expenditure of $14,500 to Finishing Solutions for application of expanding foam insulation in the attic area at the Sylacauga Animal Shelter building.
O Agreed to pay gas and meal expenses for Chris Carden with the police department to attend the Alabama Association of School Resource Officers Conference to be held in Gulf Shores, June 1-6. The registration fee will be paid by Sylacauga Board of Education.
O Agreed to pay the expenses in the amount of $376 for registration and $100 membership fee for councilmember Harold Ward to attend the Global Retail/Real Estate Convention to be held in Las Vegas, May 18-21.
O Agreed to pay the expenses in the amount of $225 for Josh Forbus and Daniel Bullard with the fire department to attend Fire Instructor I Training to be held at the Alabama Fire College in Tuscaloosa July 21-25.
O Agreed to pay A/P invoices in the amount of $166,506 for April.
