By Nathan Prewett
For the Tribune
PINSON – The Pinson City Council met briefly on Thursday night to discuss several items on the agenda before going into executive session to talk about trade, commerce and litigation. During the meeting the council accepted a $1,000 donation from the Lancaster family to dedicate two benches to Gray Lancaster, who died of brain cancer in 2016.
The Lancaster family was not present at the meeting but the council voted unanimously to accept the donation for two benches at the park. Gray’s name will be on the markers for the benches. He passed away before Thanksgiving last year at the age of eight.
“We share in Gray’s memory,” Mayor Hoyt Sanders said. “I got to know Gray and his family. In that way a piece of him will live on in that park which he very much enjoyed.”
The Lancaster family maintains a page on Facebook.
Afterwards the council decided to postpone the showing of the film, “The Secret Life of Pets” originally set to be shown on May 5. But with the temperature projected to go down to the low to mid 40s and the possibility of rain, the film will be postponed to June 2.
Among public comments was Alison Scanlan of the Pinson Public Library, who said that the library is now operating at regular hours after being short on staff. Library hours are Monday and Thursday at 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Scanlan announced that the library will be kicking off its Summer Reading Program with a LEGO themed party on May 20 at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. She also said that a fundraiser for the program has gotten more than $1,000 in donations.
The possibility of turning a private road on Sliver Lake Circle to a public road was brought up. City Attorney Shane Black said that there would be a process to have the road dedicated as a public road by property owners nearby, who could sign a dedication note. A title search could be performed by a title company for $1600 or $200 per tract as there are eight property owners there.
Mayor Sanders and Black will work on a letter proposing a dedication to the owners. Sanders said that they will try to get approval from all eight owners on the road.
In other business, the council passed a resolution to contract an architect to design a first responders storm shelter in Pinson. FEMA will pay $127,637 while the city will pay $32,345 for the design and construction of the shelter.
With the mowing crew at city hall’s duties growing into fence repair, tree limb removal among other works, the council voted to rename it to Public Works. After regular business was concluded the council went into executive session.
Regarding the recent vandalism of the football field at the Pinson Youth Sports Complex Mayor Sanders said that officers with the sheriff’s department are following several tips about the vandals. Two days ago staff at the park discovered that the field was had tear marks left by vehicles in the grass.
Sanders said that a maintenance crew is working to repair the damage.