Council member seeks inspection of Public Works vehicles after employee letter warns of heat-related risks

A Prichard council member urged the City Council to inspect all Public Works vehicles and repair or replace those without functioning air conditioning after reading a letter from a city employee that described routine outdoor work in temperatures "frequently exceed[ing] 90 degrees" and reported symptoms of heat exhaustion.

The council member, who identified herself as the district 3 council representative, said the letter warned that the lack of functioning air conditioning for crew vans is "not an inconvenience. It is a serious health and safety issue," and that employees had experienced "dizziness, headaches, fatigue, dehydration, and nausea" while performing their duties. She said similar concerns were expressed by other employees and that the conditions could lead to severe heat-related illness or death.

The letter and the council member's remarks prompted her to move that the council review all city-owned vehicles to identify ones that are not working properly. She told the council she had sent several emails to administration but had not received a reply and that Mr. Patway had been copied on the email about the complaint. The council member also described observing a van patched with tape and said finance had not approved a proposed vehicle purchase.

The council member asked the council to hold an emergency Public Works meeting on June 30 at 5 p.m. so the issue could be addressed and the employee could speak directly to councilors. The motion and the meeting request were put on the record during the session; no vote on the motion is recorded in the transcript.

Other council members pressed for information about whether the complaint had been filed up the chain of command and stressed urgency because inmates were reportedly still performing outdoor work. The council member framed the request as both a worker-safety and liability concern, saying, "No employee should have to choose between earning a pay check and risking their their health."

Next steps recorded in the meeting: the council member said she would present the matter under her report to the Public Works and Public Safety Committee at the 4 p.m. meeting, and she formally requested the emergency Public Works meeting for June 30 at 5 p.m. The transcript does not show administration's response, a vote on the motion, or a formal schedule confirmation during this session.