By Sherri Blevins
The Rainsville City Council met on Monday, August 20 for its by-monthly workshop and meeting. Two citizens addressed the council during the work session to voice their concerns on different issues. Tina Pike, speaker for Addicts for Christ, addressed the council requesting money for advertising for their annual Meth on the Mountain Event that raises awareness of the drug addiction problem in our area. This program also raises funds to use to financially sponsor addicts in rehabilitation programs. She reported that the organization was able to sponsor three hundred individuals last year which was an increase of one hundred individuals over the previous year. She also requested that the council also offer their moral support and participation in the event.
Rodney Etherton, a citizen who resides on Dilbeck Road, next addressed the council. He was requesting answers to why Dilbeck Road had only been widened on the industrial side of the road and not on the residential side. He also discussed the need for the enforcement of the speed limit on that road and the prohibition of eighteen-wheeler trucks on the road as well as the need for businesses to post entrance signs for their establishments.
Mayor Lingerfelt replied to Etherton explaining the reason for the paving. Mountain Valley News got further clairification from Mayor Lingerfelt on the issue. He stated, “We needed to widen the road from the bridge on Dilbeck East to Marshall onto Industrial to accommodate the eighteen wheelers entering the road. This was the recommendation of Engineer Sam Phillips to deter large trucks from traveling down Dilbeck Road. The state granted the money to complete this process.”
During the meeting the council acted on the following items:
• After discussion, agreed to approve the previous minutes
• Authorized Mayor Lingerfelt to sign a contract with ADECA for the Wastewater Treatment Pumping Station Project on Highway 35 and Scott Street (Jet Pet will do the work at a cost of $389,412.72.)
• Approved the request to spend $3,400.00 to pave the culvert across Parker and Maple Street.
• Authorized Engineer Sam Phillips to start the paperwork requesting a permit to construct an easement or road off of Highway 75 to the city’s garage
• Agreed to discuss revising a 2014 Ordinance pertaining to the amount of money councilmen can spend without the need for a vote
• Agreed to spend $750.00 on advertising for Addicts for Christ
• Agreed to pay the bills
During the actual meeting, Councilman Stiefel stated, “People say I am painted as an obstructionist, but I want the public to know the city is $322,000.00 in the “red” with seventy-five percent of the year complete, all coming from the road department.”
Mayor Lingerfelt responded that the city had the money to pay for the paving, and he explained the normal procedure the council has followed concerning paving each year. He stated, “We generally do not make a line item budget entry for paving. We see when we have money available, and then we pave accordingly. We did have the money to pave the projects so far.” After the meeting, Mayor Lingerfelt told Mountain Valley News, “The overall budget is not in the red, but in the black. “