Talladega City Council approves FAA grant application, summer food contract and $419,738.97 in water invoices

The Talladega City Council on a routine agenda vote authorized the city to apply for Federal Aviation Administration and Alabama Department of Transportation airport-improvement grants and granted the Talladega Airport Board chairman authority to execute any resulting agreements on behalf of the city. Council president opened the item as resolution 6690; a council member moved and another seconded, and the resolution carried on a voice vote with no discussion.

The council also approved several travel requests, including a trip for two staff to attend a final inspection of new fire apparatus in Chico, California, and travel for Joanne Mentlin to attend the District 4 clerks spring meeting in Rainbow City. A council member clarified the fire-apparatus inspection travel is being paid from a grant, not the city’s general fund.

Council approved resolution 6696 to contract with the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind to provide lunches for the city’s summer food program at $4.75 per meal. The motion was made by Councilor Sams and seconded by Councilwoman Hall, and it passed by voice vote.

In departmental business, the council accepted water-department invoices and expenditures totaling $419,738.97. After a member moved to accept the report, the clerk called a roll; the transcript records Councilman Keith, Councilman Timbs, Councilmember Spratlin, Council President Dickerson and Councilmember Hall voting “Aye,” and the motion passed unanimously.

The council also considered three related resolutions (6693, 6694 and 6695) to review and accept Municipal Wastewater Pretreatment Program (MWPP) annual reports for the Breco/Breeco wastewater treatment plant, the Talladega Airport wastewater treatment plant and the main Talladega water treatment plant. The three items were taken together on a single motion and accepted by voice vote.

Why it matters: the FAA/ALDOT grant authorization allows the city to pursue federal and state funds for airport projects that could affect local infrastructure and economic activity; acceptance of the MWPP reports and payment of water-department invoices keeps required compliance and utility operations current. The summer food contract secures a provider for federally subsidized meals for children during the summer months.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution 6690 (FAA/ALDOT airport grant application): approved (voice vote; no recorded roll call). - Resolution 6691 (travel for fire-apparatus inspection): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 6692 (travel for clerk Joanne Mentlin to District 4 meeting): approved (voice vote). - Resolution 6696 (summer food program contract with Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind at $4.75/meal): approved (voice vote). - Water department invoices/expenditures $419,738.97: approved (roll-call recorded as unanimous). - Resolutions 6693–6695 (MWPP annual reports): approved together (voice vote).

Next steps: where formal agreements or grant applications proceed, the airport board chairman was authorized to execute documents on behalf of the city; staff will process the summer food contract and the clerk will execute payments for the approved water invoices. The meeting moved on to final comments and adjournment.