Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Administration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Jasper City Council clears routine permits, renewals, appointments and multiple resolutions
Summary
The council approved event permits, grounds-maintenance contract renewals, travel for police leadership, several board appointments and a series of resolutions including an ALDOT mowing agreement, insurance services and funding for a treatment facility from opioid funds; one budget amendment was introduced without action.
The Jasper City Council on Feb. 4 approved a package of routine permits, contract renewals, appointments and resolutions and introduced a budget amendment that will return for later consideration.
Events and public-safety approvals: Miss Kelly Barnes requested and the council approved a blanket permit for the Central Alabama Rotter Society’s Cruisin’ on the Square car shows (five smaller monthly shows in April–August, 5 p.m.–9 p.m., and a larger show Oct. 18, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.). Barnes said the smaller shows will block Second and Third avenues between Eighteenth and Nineteenth Streets and the October show will use Nineteenth Street; she said the event uses no vendors and that police, fire and street departments have approved the permit.
Barnes also presented Art in the Park by the Walker County Arts Alliance (Gamble Park, May 10, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.) and an art crawl hosted by St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and The Trace Church (June 25, 4 p.m.–7 p.m.). She said all departments approved both events.
Contracts and travel: Miss Jessica Cook asked the council to renew three grounds-maintenance contracts for another year under the same terms and pricing: Premier Lawn Services LLC for North Jasper Park; Frontline Lawn Care for New Prospect Cemetery; and Eddie Knowles for Gay Reed Cemetery. The council approved the renewals.
Chief J.C. Poe sought overnight-travel approval for himself and Assistant Chief J.C. Poe1 to attend the Alabama Association of Chiefs of Police winter conference in Montgomery, Feb. 10–13; the request was described as budget-neutral and approved. (Transcript lists the police chief as Chief JC Poe.)
Appointments: The council filled an opening on the Johnson Waterworks and Sewer Board for District 4 after the passing of Hague Wright and approved appointments and a supplementary appointment to the Jasper Zoning Board of Adjustment, including David Miles and Hag Wright III as the mayor’s supernumerary recommendation.
Budget amendments and purchases: Finance presenter Cathy Chambers introduced budget amendment No. 9, an appropriation of $125,000 for the street department (introduced at a prior meeting and ready for approval); the council approved amendment No. 9. Chambers introduced budget amendment No. 10 (no action taken) discussed at a work session; she said that request included a $214,000 appropriation for a new BBT truck for the street department, $127,000 for library shelving and half the cost of a new HVAC system, $15,000 for the warming center and $140,000 for additional workers’ compensation premiums. Chambers also introduced budget amendment No. 11 and the council moved to suspend rules for immediate consideration and then voted to finally approve the appropriation for two used pickup trucks (one for the fire department, one for building inspections) totaling $58,000 to come from capital-improvement funds.
Real estate and resolutions: The council added and approved an item authorizing Mayor Cowan to enter a real-estate-exchange contract with Jasper Consulting LLC to obtain an annex building the city no longer needs; the agreement is subject to Jasper Consulting’s approval and to a later council declaration that the current annex is unneeded for municipal purposes. The council adopted the annual right-of-way-mowing agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation for reimbursement of mowing on state rights of way.
Treatment-facility funding: The council adopted a resolution authorizing an agreement with Alethea House for $450,000 in opioid-fund dollars to support construction of a treatment facility; city staff explained the agreement contains a clawback provision that would require repayment of $150,000 if the property stops being used for rehabilitation services within 10 years.
Insurance services: The council also authorized an agreement with Higginbotham Insurance Agency (the successor to Buyer’s Right Insurance) to provide workers’ compensation insurance services and training intended to reduce the city’s workers’ comp mod rate.
Other business: Attorney Robson said two alley-vacation items previously approved lacked a proper public hearing; the council set a public hearing for March 18 to satisfy the statutory 30-day-notice requirement. Chandler introduced the annual ad valorem tax ordinance; the council introduced the ordinance with the tax rate unchanged at 16.5 mills and a 0.5 percent assessment/collection fee. There were no audience comments; the council adjourned.
Nut graf: The meeting largely moved routine city business—permits, renewals, appointments and routine resolutions—while also approving two larger items the council characterized as investments in public safety and downtown redevelopment: funding for a treatment facility from opioid dollars and a tax-incentive agreement for downtown development.
Ending: Several introduced items will return for further review or execution in coming weeks, including the budget amendment details and the alley-vacation hearings.
