Submitting a low bid of $482,648 Powe General Contracting was given the contract to renovate 1st Street.
Meeks was also given authority to execute an agreement with construction engineers Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc. for the same Alabama Department of Transportation project.
The council authorized Meeks to execute the disposition of municipal records.
City Clerk Sandra Donahoo explained an agreement must be made by the city with the Alabama Department of Archives and History and secure their approval before any records can be destroyed.
Once the mayor executes the agreement the city must present a list of items to the Department of Archives for their approval. “We have to explicitly tell them which records we want to destroy,” Donahoo said.
“The last time records were destroyed was around 1996,” Donahoo said. Records are being recorded on CDs and Donahoo said no permanent records will be destroyed.
Councilman Billy Lester asked Donahoo if she planned to shred the records. Donahoo said, “I like to burn them.”
After completing the agenda, the council voted to adjourn to reconvene for a town meeting.
Local resident Dorothy Noell asked to address Police Chief Shane Burnette. Noell said during a traffic stop by a Childersburg Police officer, the officer “talked to me like I was nothing.”
“I see why people say what they do about how officers talk to them,” Noell said. “I couldn’t say anything about it until I had the experience.”
Noell said the officer walked off when she asked him for his name.
Burnette said, “I apologize and if you will get with me after the meeting and give me the day and the time, I’ll check into it.”
Noell said she knew exactly the day and the hour, “It was May 24 at 5:30.”
Shatara Avery-Mann addressed the council asking why her application for a liquor license was not on the agenda. “I made the application two weeks ago,” she said.
Avery-Mann is planning to open a bar on 8th Avenue S.W. She said the name of the bar is Racks and it will feature pool tables, a flat screen TV, and karaoke. Avery-Mann said the music will feature blues and jazz.
Donahoo said she received a call from the ABC Board asking the application be withdrawn from the agenda.
Meeks said that once the ABC board approves the application the local police department also does a background check to make sure there are no previous incidents that would prohibit the application’s approval.
Local resident Martha Little said that she understood the delay is just a formality. “Its nothing negative,” Little said.
Eighth Ave Frames owner and neighbor to Racks Mike Little said. “I hope that when the application comes before the council they will approve it. We need businesses downtown.”
Other business the council addressed included:
• The mayor announced that Greyhound bus has resumed services and will stop at Allen’s One Stop on US 280. The bus will stop in Childersburg on its Birmingham-Mobile service at 10 a.m, and at 3:30 p.m. on its Mobile-Birmingham service.
• Meeks announced the mosquito spray service was disrupted due to a calibration problem on the sprayer. Once recalibrated for more efficient service spaying will resume.
• The new sign at the entrance of the industrial park will be set on B.J. Meeks Blvd. Thursday, the mayor announced.
• The council approved an ordinance allowing for a sales tax holiday the first full weekend of July. The sales tax exemption will be on severe weather items. Items exempted will be posted on the EMA’s website and the Department of Revenue will post cities and towns participating in the holiday.
• The council accepted an audit by Kellum, Wilson, and Associates for the fiscal year 2011.
• The council approved expenditures for replacing rotten decking at city hall, the purchase and installation of new gutters on the fire station, and the purchase of a time clock for the fire department.
• The council appointed Francis G. Rowland to serve on the Waterworks, Sewer and Gas Board and Terry Wyatt to the Medical Clinic Board. Both appointments were for six years.
• Chamber President and CEO Pete Storey announced that Julie Meeks, Miss Childersburg is competing in Miss Alabama this week.
• Martha Little, Childersburg Historical Preservation Commission President said the commission’s fund raising calendar was full through the rest of the year.
The council voted to adjourn and reconvene today at 5:30 to consider a proposal by Burnette regarding a neighborhood watch and reserve officer program.
Contact Mark Ledbetter at mledbetter@dailyhome.com
