Pleasant Grove council approves $310,915.77 in bills, appoints two to park board and declares military backhoe surplus

Pleasant Grove City Council approved bills totaling $310,915.77 and appointed two park board members at its Dec. 1, 2025 meeting, and the council also voted to declare a military-acquired John Deere backhoe surplus.

Mayor Yolanda Lawson presided over the meeting and led several announcements, including a tree-lighting carnival scheduled for Dec. 2 and a change to the council's next regular meeting date to Dec. 8. Lenise Washington, the Jefferson County district attorney whose jurisdiction includes Pleasant Grove, addressed the council and offered the DA's office as a resource to city officials.

The council approved an amended set of bills totaling $310,915.77 after one agenda item required additional information; the motion to approve the bills carried with no recorded opposition. The council also voted unanimously to appoint Yolanda Wright and Shannon Edy to the park board; staff explained the appointees will fill unexpired, staggered terms. Later in the meeting the council moved, seconded and unanimously approved a motion to surplus a military-acquired John Deere backhoe (NSN and DID numbers read into the record).

Council members used the meeting to introduce the city's new public works director, identified in the record as Mr. Bell Smith, and said residents will see increased public-works activity as crews address cleanup and seasonal decorations. Councilors and staff said larger park projects (including tennis-court repairs) are being scoped for the next budget year unless outside grant funding becomes available.

During public comment residents raised several recurring concerns about parks and local information channels. Melissa Brown, a community moderator, said residents should rely on the official city Facebook page and warned that a separate page called "what's really happening in Pleasant Grove" "has no structure" and "we have no idea who runs that page." Whit Vincent, a former Alabama forest ranger, urged the city to remove dead snags and prune overhanging limbs at city parks, saying the trees present safety hazards and offering to show staff the problem areas. City staff noted tree and underbrush clearing is on the to-do list and that more extensive repairs may be considered in the next budget year or if a grant is obtained.

Councilors and staff also described the city's holiday giving-tree program: the city posted an application and flyer on the official website and is accepting lists of needed items (toys, clothing and sizes) to ensure families in Pleasant Grove are served; staff said they would extend deadlines if necessary to include more residents.

The meeting concluded after the council approved a set of procedural corrections to the Nov. 17 minutes and completed the listed agenda items. No votes failed, and the council adjourned with holiday well-wishes to residents.