By Sherri Blevins
moc.letsremrafobfsctd@snivelbas
FORT PAYNE – The Fort Payne City Council met on April 2, 2024. Council member Phillip Smith, who also drives a bus for the Fort Payne City School System, was unable to attend due to the weather-related early dismissal of school.
Mayor Baine reported that the construction renovations at the Fort Payne Police Department were still on schedule, and the sports complex was up and running, with large crowds attending on the weekends. He said he had spoken with area restaurant owners, and they agreed they had seen a huge increase in business on game days. Baine also said that Patriots Memorial Park’s Dedication will be on May 27, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.
To address an issue that came up in the previous City Council meeting, the Council voted to authorize the transfer of $25,000 to $50,000 monthly from the General Fund into the City Savings Account to prepare for possible city funding emergencies and to have money available for matching grants. The savings account had been itemized in previous budgets but did not appear in the most recent budget. The practice continued into the new budget year without being in the budget. Council Member Phillip Smith objected to it at the last meeting because the Council had not approved the transfer of monies, and he did not feel it to be an appropriate practice without the Council’s vote. The Council discussed the issue for several minutes before ending the meeting. With this vote, the money will continue to be transferred into the savings account as long as the City can afford it.
The Council also approved the following items:
- Resolution 2024-09 authorizing the transfer of monies from the Sewer Fund to the Savings Account for repayment of expenditures for upgrades to one of the oxidation ditches at the Wastewater Plant for $500,000
- Resolution 2024-10,11,12, accepting the low bids for vehicle and equipment fuel, plant mix and binder, and sewer piping and fittings
- Resolution 2024-13 granting tax abatements to Kudzu Millwork
- $20,000 to DeKalb Cherokee Gas to purchase and install two generators for stations 2 and 3 at the Fort Payne Fire Department
- $25,000 for the rental of dump trucks for the Public Works Department to use in paving projects
Several activity permits were also approved, including the following:
- Lions Club Chicken Fundraiser on Saturday, May 18, at the City Park from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
- Rotary Club BBQ Fundraiser, Saturday, May 18, at the Rotary Pavilion, from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
- Woodman Life, Woodmen Fun Day, Saturday, July 13, at City Park from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
- Festival Latino Community Event, Rotary Pavilion, Saturday, October 12, from 1:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
- UGF Kickoff Fundraiser, City Park, on Monday, November 4, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
The Council ended the meeting with an executive session in which they took no action.
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