Reynolds council names Liberty Park, pauses cemetery plot sales and approves tractor and police server purchases

The Reynolds City Council on April 20 approved several operational purchases, ordered mapping of the city cemetery and placed a six-month moratorium on sale of cemetery plots while that mapping is completed. The council also named the park on Liberty Street "Liberty Park." The meeting convened at 6:30 p.m. at the Train Depot with a quorum present.

Why it matters: The decisions affect city capital spending, festival logistics, and stewardship of cemetery property. The moratorium pauses lot sales to ensure accurate mapping before future transactions; the tractor purchase is paid from TSPLOST funds and the police server uses city Solar funds.

Minutes, agenda and committee updates The council approved minutes from the March 16 work session and the March 16 council meeting (the latter with corrected bank account numbers). The agenda for the evening was adopted after a motion by Tommy Beeland to add a Police Department server under New Business and property under executive session; Bill Mims seconded and the motion carried.

Public-safety and festival preparations Fire Chief Sam McCrary told the council the fire department is conducting training and will sell barbecue and hotdogs at the Gospel Strawberry Festival. Chief Holder reported condolences to the City of Butler on the loss of its mayor and said the police department purchased a golf cart to use at the Strawberry Festival.

Finance and street closures for June 18 City Clerk Sissy McLaughlin updated council on implementation of the Tyler ERP finance and payroll systems. On behalf of the Taylor County Chamber, she requested permission to close William Wainwright and S. Macon Street on June 18 for karaoke and food trucks; Council approved the closures on a motion by Bill Mims, seconded by George Stokes.

Public works: water/CDBG status and tractor purchase Public Works Director Scott Jones reported that work on the USDA loan for the water project is ongoing and that the CDBG project is on hold until deeds are completed and property owners accept offers. Jones presented a $52,005 quote from Mason Tractor Company for a new Kubota tractor. Bill Mims moved to purchase the tractor using TSPLOST funds; Mayor Pro-tem Hannah Sloan seconded. Brandon Hunter abstained from the vote due to a conflict of interest; all other members voted in favor and the motion carried.

Cemetery mapping and six-month moratorium The council directed the city clerk to obtain quotes and proposals for ground-penetrating radar and mapping of the cemetery, a motion made by Bill Mims and seconded by George Stokes that passed unanimously. Following that, Mims moved to impose a six-month moratorium on selling cemetery plots until mapping and research identify which plots are available; Blake Stalnaker seconded and the moratorium was approved unanimously.

Police server purchase Bill Mims moved to approve purchase of a server for the Police Department from Neos for $10,347.98 to be paid from Solar funds; Tommy Beeland seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Park naming, executive session and adjournment Mayor Pro-tem Hannah Sloan moved to name the city park on Liberty Street "Liberty Park," a motion seconded by Brandon Hunter and approved by unanimous vote. The council adjourned the regular meeting at 7:30 p.m., entered executive session at 7:31 p.m. to discuss property litigation, left executive session at 7:57 p.m., returned briefly to regular session and adjourned at 8:02 p.m. No formal action stemming from the executive session was recorded in the transcript.

What’s next Council business flagged for future attention included continued work on pay scales, merits and employee evaluations, a scheduled finance committee meeting to discuss the upcoming budget, and completion of cemetery mapping before any further plot sales.