By Bonita Wilborn
As the workshop of the Rainsville City Council came to order, Mayor Rodger Lingerfelt said, “We have a sponsorship check ($5,000) for Mr. Jerry Clifton and the Freedom Fest Run.
We’d like to present that to him. He does a great job with this run every year, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
Next up was Summer Summerford, Candidate for District Attorney. Summerford addressed the Council by stating, “I’m running for District Attorney, currently Deputy District Attorney. I’ve practice law for over twelve years, and I spent eight years in private practice, and I’m in my fifth year as a prosecutor. As a prosecutor, I’ve handled all types of cases, everything from misdemeanors to serious felonies to murder cases. I love what I do and feel like it’s a calling.
I enjoy working with law enforcement. I tell people that I have a unique perspective with law enforcement because I’m married to a member of law enforcement, so I know how it is with families at home to worry about their loved ones. That’s now something that I never forget when dealing with officers or with cases.
People have asked me why you need experience to be the District Attorney. School is great; it teaches you a good foundation, but you learn a lot by experience, by doing, and I’ve been doing the work. It’s a decision I made years ago, and I’ve been showing up every day, putting the time in, and learning to do the work that I do. We live in a wonderful place, but there’s evil in the world. And because there’s evil in the world, bad things happen. Law enforcement can do everything right, by the book, and perfect, but at some point, they have to turn it over to somebody to finish it out in court.
You want them to turn it over to somebody who’s been there before, not someone who’s never done it before. I’ve stood with law enforcement. I’ve fought for victims in the courtroom. I’ve prosecuted dangerous criminals and sent them to prison. I want to do that on a greater scale as your next District Attorney. I’m the only person in this race that has done those things.
So I ask for your support and ask for your vote on May 24. I appreciate you allowing me to come and address you.”
After answering a few questions from the Council members, Summerford was thanked for her time, and she took her seat.
Mayor Lingerfelt continued the session by stating, “The next thing on my list is a sponsorship for the golf tournament for the Chamber, $1,000. We’ve been working on the mapping system for the sanitation trucks.
We had to buy two laptops and four tablets to put in our trucks at $6,248.20. The audit was completed before the last day of the month. The next thing is a $2,500 sponsorship for Plainview High School. They’re reconstructing a wall, and this is to help support that. They’re getting donations from different people in the city and community to help with that wall, so it was requested for us to help them out with that.”
Lingerfelt gave an update on the Chavies Culvert project. He said, “I went over to the Chavies culvert today on Chavies Road.
It’s been going on for a while, and of course, we’ve had a lot of rain, but if everything goes good, they are finishing the forming up of the top section today and tomorrow and the concrete for the rest of the culvert on Wednesday. It will have to set for seven days with the forming still on it, and then it will have to set for about 28 more days before they can do any kind of construction around it. The concrete has to be set and hardened to a certain stage. It’s moving along real good, and it’s going to look good.”
Councilman Arlan “Monk” Blevins stated, “We had applied for a grant for getting tablets for all of the police cars and the fire department too, and that grant has been approved.”
Police Chief Michael Edmondson stated, “We have to buy the tablets, and then they’ll reimburse us.”
A discussion of the Council came to the conclusion that the purchase has already been approved with the grant was applied for, so the current action needed is to purchase the items so the grant can be used.
Councilman Bejan Taheri stated, “I want to take bids for a fire truck with low mileage, about a 2004-2006 model, with a capacity of gallons of water needs to be 1,250 – 1,500 per minute.” Bids will be opened on Wednesday, April 27. Taheri further stated, “We have a quote from Covenant Cabinetry for a work station at the annex for $2,850.”
Councilman Ricky Byrum then expounded on his list. “We need six 4-yard dumpsters ($5,238). We need two 20-yard dumpsters ($10,988). We need 100 garbage cans ($7,521.60). On the Wilson Street/Boozer Construction, we need a Water Flume to keep the water off the street ($5,000). We have to build some headwalls and pipe extensions on Scott Street/Boozer Construction ($5,000). All of this should take care of the drainage problems there.”
Councilman Brandon Freeman stated, “Originally, we put out to bid for a RTV for the Park and Rec, and we had one company put in a bid. We were ready to proceed with that, and then they told us we wouldn’t be able to get it before July or August. We’re in the middle of ball season right now. Luckily they had exactly what we needed as a used cart, with 400 hours on it.
We were able to get it for $14,900 instead of $17,900, so for 400 hours, we saved $3,000, so I just told them we’d take that.”
Councilman Derek Rosson didn’t have anything to bring up.
During the regular scheduled meeting, the Council:
• Approved the $1,000 sponsorship for the Chamber golf tournament
• Approved the purchase of two laptops and four tablets for the sanitation department, $6,248.20
•Approved $2,500 sponsorship for Plainview High School
• Accepted resignation of Dusty Garrison/Police Department
• Approved travel/training for Gerald Mount, Michael Edmondson, Matt Crum, Austin Langley, and Dean White, all with the Police Department. And Kelly Frazier from City Hall
• Put to bid a fire truck, specs at City Hall, bids to be opened 4/27/2022 at 12:00 PM
• Approved purchase of a work station from Covenant Cabinetry for the annex, $2,850
• Approved purchase of 4-yard dumpsters ($5,238)
•Approved purchase of two 20-yard dumpsters ($10,988)
•Approved purchase of 100 garbage cans ($7,521.60)
•Approved Water Flume on Wilson Street/Boozer (5,000)
•Approved headwalls and pipe extensions on Scott Street/Boozer Construction ($5,000)
• Approved purchase of RTV from Boykin Tractor for $14,900
State-of-the-City will be held on Monday, May 9. The Mayor and Council invite everyone to attend.
The next meeting will be held on Monday, May 2, 2022.