Alexander City Council names police facilities for retiring chiefs, approves fee change and other routine measures

The Alexander City Council approved resolutions honoring two retiring police leaders, enacted an ordinance amending city facility-use fees and took several other routine actions during its meeting.

Council members voted to name the Police Administration Hall for Chief Jay Turner and to designate the police training room as the James Easterwood Training Room in honor of retired Deputy Chief James Easterwood. Council also approved an ordinance amending Alexander City Code section 62-1, which governs fees for use of city facilities. The council voted to rescind a prior resolution that had set a public hearing to consider rezoning 256 South Central Avenue in Ward 3 from High Density Residential to B-2 General Business, and it approved a request to waive special event and facility rental fees for a Benjamin Russell High School alumni reunion scheduled for Oct. 18, 2025. The meeting also included approval of minutes from recent September sessions.

Why it matters: The facility namings formalize recognition of long-serving public-safety officials; the ordinance change alters the city’s fee schedule for facility rentals and special events; rescinding the rezoning notice removes a scheduled public hearing from the council calendar for the parcel at 256 South Central Avenue.

Council action and context

- Naming police facilities: The council approved a resolution to name the Police Administration Hall “Chief Jay Turner Hall” to honor Chief Jay Turner’s retirement and a separate resolution to name the police training room the “James Easterwood Training Room” in honor of retired Deputy Chief James Easterwood. Council members thanked both officers for their service during the meeting. The two naming resolutions were adopted by roll call vote with all members voting in favor.

- Ordinance amending fees: The council gave immediate consideration to and approved an ordinance to amend Alexander City Code section 62-1 (fees for use of facilities). The motion carried on a roll call vote with councilors voting to approve the ordinance as written. The ordinance text on the record was limited to the change request; specific fee amounts or tables were not read into the public record during the item and therefore are not included in this report.

- Rezoning public hearing rescinded: The council approved a resolution rescinding “Resolution 2025-1,” which had set a public hearing to rezone 256 South Central Avenue (Ward 3) from High Density Residential to B-2 General Business. The motion rescinded the scheduling of that public hearing; no rezoning decision was made at this meeting.

- Fee waiver for alumni reunion: The council granted a request to waive special event and facility rental fees for a Benjamin Russell High School alumni reunion planned for Oct. 18, 2025. The request was approved as presented.

Votes at a glance

- Minutes approval (minutes from 09/15/2025 work session, 09/15/2025 regular meeting and Sept. 30 special meeting): approved. Tally: yes 5; no 0; abstain 0. - Resolution to name Police Administration Hall “Chief Jay Turner Hall” (agenda item No. 1): approved. Tally: yes 5; no 0; abstain 0. - Resolution to name police training room “James Easterwood Training Room” (agenda item No. 2): approved. Tally: yes 5; no 0; abstain 0. - Ordinance to amend Alexander City Code §62-1 (fees for use of facilities) (agenda item No. 4): approved. Tally: yes 5; no 0; abstain 0. - Resolution rescinding Resolution 2025-1 (to set a public hearing for rezoning 256 South Central Avenue, Ward 3) (agenda item No. 7): approved. Tally: yes 5; no 0; abstain 0. - Request to waive special event fee and facility rental fee for Benjamin Russell High School alumni reunion (agenda item No. 11): approved. Tally: yes 5; no 0; abstain 0.

Other notes from the meeting

- Parks and recreation: Council President Protean Arden reported on upcoming Parks & Recreation events, including an October community festival and youth football activities, and thanked city staff and volunteers for recent facility improvements and program support.

- City scheduling: The city clerk noted the next regular work session and council meeting are scheduled for Oct. 20 (work session at 4:30 p.m.; regular meeting at 5:30 p.m.).

What the meeting did not decide

- The council did not conduct a rezoning hearing or issue a rezoning approval for 256 South Central Avenue; the prior council action that had scheduled a hearing was rescinded. The record does not include the text of the amended fee schedule for §62-1, so specific fee changes are not reported here.

Next steps

- Implementation: The facility name changes will be implemented administratively; the ordinance amending §62-1 will take effect according to the city's normal ordinance-adoption timetable. Any future public hearings or zoning actions for 256 South Central Avenue will be scheduled separately if and when the council chooses to do so.