By Sherri Blevins
Several visitors attended the Rainsville City Council meeting on June 19, 2023. The 2023 Plainview Lady Bears Softball Team members and their coaches were among them. The Council congratulated the team on its 47/ 1 season and Class 3A State Softball Championship. Several Councilmen expressed their appreciation for the team’s dedication to excellence and all the effort they put into their sport. They thanked them for bringing the trophy back to Rainsville and for inspiring younger athletes to strive to do the same. Councilman Freeman, who also works with the team, praised the young women for their character, which he said was even more admirable than their record. To show their appreciation for the team, the Council gave a $500 donation towards the purchase of championship rings.
Rainsville Freedom Run 10K/5K promoter Jerry Clifton also visited the Council and thanked the Council for its support of the 2023 run, which raised over $50,000 for local charities. Clifton commented on the tremendous amount of support the local volunteers had invested in the race and the efforts of all first responders, emergency workers, and City employees to make the event a success. Clifton also thanked the citizens of Rainsville and the surrounding area for making all the visitors feel welcome. He said he had received several emails from out-of-town participants complimenting the town for its friendliness. Clifton invited everyone to go ahead and make their plans for the 2024 Rainsville Freedom Run on June 8, 2024.
Councilman Byrum asked Code Enforcement Officer Sandy Little to update everyone on the unsafe property cleanup efforts around the City. Recently, the Council revised its unsafe property ordinance, and Little has been working to ensure everyone complies with it. Several unsafe properties that have been abandoned or in severe disrepair have been identified, and the owners have been notified. Little said that everyone she had contacted had been very cooperative and willing to do what was needed to clean up the properties. She provided before and after photos of three properties that had completed the process. The average cleanup time has taken six to twelve months to complete. One property was completed in eight days. Little said she had identified more properties needing work and would begin the paperwork to bring them into compliance.
Chamber of Commerce Director Sandy Goff reminded everyone to attend the Rainsville Freedom Fest this Saturday at 1:00 pm at the Rainsville Field of Dreams. There will be lots of free children’s activities, musical entertainment, many vendors, and a fireworks extravaganza at 9:00 pm.
During the meeting, the Council took the following actions:
- Empowered Mayor Lingerfelt to proceed with contracts for the land purchase across from Plainview High School
- $725.00 to Rainsville Auto Glass for a court office window
- $911.57 to purchase two ScanSnap Scanners for the Rainsville Court and City Hall
- Resolution 06-19-2023(A) surplusing a 2006 Ford 350 from the Public Works Department
- Resolution 06-19-2023(B) surplusing a 2011 Ford Escape from the Public Works Department
- $13,450.00 to Boozer and Son Construction for headwalls on Marshall Rd.
- Empowered Mayor Lingerfelt to sign a contract with ESO for reporting software at the Rainsville Fire Department and the grant application for an RC&D reimbursable grant to purchase an extrication tool for the fire department
- Approved adding a street light to Dilbeck Rd/Hwy 75
The next Rainsivlle City Council meeting will be on July 3, 2023.