Thomasville council authorizes TRIP grant application, appoints healthcare authority member and advances parks lighting plan

The Thomasville City Council on an evening session approved routine minutes and bills, received a multi‑point update from water utilities and staff, and authorized several next steps on grants, appointments and park infrastructure.

The meeting opened with the chair noting Councilman Roy Wade and Councilman Bill Davis were absent but that a quorum was present. The Water Board portion began with approval of prior water minutes and water department bills. City staff reported that elevated tanks and other supply tanks have been fully refurbished and are back online, and that bacteriological samples from the industrial park tank were taken and returned from the lab. Officials said crews completed line stops and caps near the planned highway intersection and resolved temporary pressure issues during the cutover to new lines.

Staff also reported broadband work: a Pine Belt contractor is installing house‑to‑house fiber from Pine Hill into North Clark County and along Highways 5 and 43, which will require utility locates as the project proceeds. Utility work at commercial sites was also noted; the sewer and water taps for the new Zaxby's are installed.

Council heard that remaining grant dollars from a prior award could not be reallocated to sewer work because the administering agency (referred to in the record as 'ADM') declined a transfer. Council discussed a package of proposed uses for the leftover grant funds, including a full rehabilitation of the Pine Hill connection and metering, repair of a valve and the SCADA telemetry system at the Highway 43 tank, and boring a 12‑inch main across Highway 43 near Sheffield Motors and Doja Hardware to improve water pressure for the old hospital site, an adjacent nursing home and nearby businesses. Staff said they would request additional grant money from Adeaca (named variably in the record) as needed and hoped to have an answer by the next meeting.

In new business the council voted to authorize the mayor and clerk to submit a TRIP grant application, described in the meeting as a $2,000,000 application to fund a corridor analysis and safety improvements on the stretch from the North Clark industrial area to the 5 & 43 intersection. The study would review signal visibility, access points and changes to reduce distracted‑driving crashes; staff said the application deadline was the end of the week. Councilman Smith moved the authorization; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The council appointed Dr. Kim Leslie Patton to the Healthcare Authority to fill a vacancy left by the death of Mary Niles Gunn. The healthcare authority had recommended Patton; Councilor Madison made the motion and Councilor Smith seconded. The appointment was approved by unanimous voice vote.

The council approved several building permits presented by the clerk, including a $430,000 building project identified with United Parcel Service, a plumbing permit for Zaxby's and a mobile home permit for Sandra Jackson. A motion to approve the permits was made by Councilman Culpepper, seconded by Councilman Smith, and recorded as unanimous.

Mr. Charlie Dixon delivered the fire department’s annual fire‑prevention report, summarizing outreach at day cares, elementary and county schools and listing dozens of stops the department made in October (a monthly total of events and children engaged was presented on Dixon's report sheet). Fire leadership thanked local businesses and volunteers and noted the department is largely volunteer‑run but well staffed.

Parks and Recreation staff presented a Musco lighting proposal to replace aging park fixtures and coordinate underground work with restroom and concession building replacements. The proposal would be financed as a 5‑, 7‑ or 10‑year lease purchase with the first payment deferred until the next fiscal year; staff estimated energy savings of roughly 75–80% from switching to LED fixtures and said grant funding for the concession project could offset costs. Councilman Smith moved to issue a purchase order to proceed with final engineering and financing options; Councilman Madison seconded and the motion carried by unanimous voice vote.

No opposed votes or roll‑call tallies were recorded in the public record for the motions noted; the chair recorded voice votes as unanimous for the listed items. The council adjourned at the close of business.

What happens next: staff said they expect a decision on use of remaining water grant funds by the next meeting and will submit the TRIP grant application by the stated deadline. The parks lighting project will return with final engineering and exact financing terms for council review before payments are due.