City of Fort Payne to provide help as clubs clean Beasons Gap
Story by Emily Kirby
moc.liamgobfsctd@nvm.ybrikylime
The Fort Payne City Council heard from Mike McElhaney last Tuesday who asked the council for their assistance in a community clean-up project on Saturday, April 6.
McElhaney, a long-time, active member of the Fort Payne Lions Club, said the five civic clubs in Fort Payne used to come together for events, but the COVID-19 pandemic halted many service projects. Now, McElhaney said they want to unite the five service organizations, including Fort Payne’s Altrusa, Optimist, Rotary, Lions, and Kiwanis Clubs, in a community, like-minded project.
“We’re going to need your help,” McElhaney urged the council.
He said in the past, clean-up projects included the ditches at the DeKalb Plaza at the South Y and the on and off ramps of I-59. Now, the city maintains those areas, and McElhaney is seeking a new place for volunteers to make a notable difference. After discussion, Beason’s Gap was proposed.
McElhaney asked the police department and the sanitation department to assist any way they can. Police Chief David Davis said they can close Beason’s Gap for approximately two hours to ensure the safety of the volunteers and allow clean-up vehicles to move along the gap, and Sanitation Director Patrick Dunne agreed to provide a roll-off dumpster at the pavilion.
McElhaney urged community members to attend, stating they do not have to be a member of a service organization to help.
“If you’re community-minded and you want to help, then by all means, show up at the Rotary Pavilion that Saturday morning, and we’ll find you a place to go and work,” McElhaney said.
The clean-up event will be held Saturday, April 6 beginning at 8 a.m. at the downtown Rotary Pavilion. A cookout will be held for volunteers at the pavilion after the clean-up is complete.
The council also:
- approved the minutes from the February 20, 2024 meeting.
- Set a public hearing for April 16 to receive comments on the proposed re-zoning of 1.16 acres located at 4307 Pumpkin Center Road from C-4 (General Business District) to R-F (Rural farm) and owned by Terry and Lisa Baine.
- approved to hire two additional police officers to be utilized as school resource officers.
- approved a budget adjustment for the police department in the amount of $25,000 to assist in paying the above-mentioned SROs.
- reappointed Neal Baine to the school board.
- approved the following activity permits for downtown:
- Courtney Wilson, Cotton State Boutique, Easter Egg Hunt, City Park, Saturday, April
6 , from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
- Christian Payne, Kiwanis Pancake Day, Rotary Pavilion, Saturday, April 20, from
5:00 to 11:00 a.m.
- Shelly Sartain, SAM Foundation, Suicide Prevention Walk, Rotary Pavilion and
Alabama Walking Track, Sunday, Sept. 29 from 1:00 tol 4:00 p.m.