By Nathan Prewett
For the Tribune
PINSON — During their regular Thursday night meeting, the Pinson City Council heard from a member of the Jefferson County Board of Education on proposed renovations to the city’s schools. Ronnie Dixon from the board spoke to the council and made copies of architectural renderings available.
Dixon – who is also executive director of the Clay-Pinson Chamber of Commerce – explained the board of education’s intentions with the Pinson schools that have been outlined in an announcement made in September 2017. The plans for school renovations will have an overall cost of $230 million over a three year period.
Rudd Middle School in particular will a subject of extensive renovations. Problems at Rudd Middle School have prompted citizens to voice concerns over the school’s structure, including places where mold is present, limited bathrooms in an overcrowded school, as well as electrical issues among others.
Dixon said that among the improvements to Rudd will be a new electrical system, new air conditioning in the gym along with chillers to eliminate molding throughout the building and repairs to the roof.
The package displaying architectural renderings showed seven slides. The first slide depicted the new softball field at Pinson Valley High School that will amount to $2 million. The second was an aerial view of Rudd with proposed additions and removals of certain aspects of the building, such as canopies. The third showed a exterior shot of Rudd with a new portico for school buses to park under as they pick up or drop off students.
The fourth slide was of areas to enclose at Rudd and turn into classrooms, as well as the addition of 10 new bathroom stalls and 20 new fixtures. The fifth was new common stairs after areas are enclosed at Rudd. The sixth was infilled floor ares, new restrooms and science labs. Finally, the seventh was a plan for a new media center to be build beneath the school.
The council renewed the contracts for the Alabama Butterbean Festival, the chamber of commerce and Birmingham Southern for Turkey Creek National Park. Sanders said that a minor change was made to the contract with the chamber of commerce to include the use of the internet in promoting and advertising events.
“It embraces the growth of online media,” he said.
Dixon gave a report on the 12th annual Butterbean Festival, calling it a success. He requested that the council consider increasing the funds that the festival receives for advertising and promotion from $7,500 to $10,000.
Sanders said that the council would prefer to keep the funds for the Butterbean Festival in a separate contract but proposed that the council increase its funds to the chamber of commerce to use the money as it will. After some discussion, the council voted to approve the increase with the exception of Councilor John Churchwell, who abstained as he is a member of the chamber.
Dixon also reported that the chamber of commerce will launch a new website next month, saying that it will be user-friendly and will be more informational.
Discussion then turned briefly to the recent murder that occurred over the weekend in Clay.
Related article: Teenager killed in Clay
Sanders made a comment on what he called the “prompt and expedient” arrest of two suspects in the murder of Brandon Alexander Burpo. The Clay teenager was killed at his home on Feb. 11. Sanders said that the community he lived in was close to the Pinson line. He commended the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on apprehending the suspects.
“It was terrible for both communities,” he said. “We appreciate the prompt action that deputies took on that.”
In other business, the council approved the purchase of equipment to be used at Bradford Park. Those items were for a Lazer Z E Series mower with rear discharge and a 26-inch brushcutter from Argo Power Equipment in the amount of $11,991.65.
The council discussed proposals from Wright Construction Company on furnishing labor, materials and equipment for the projects in making the city, including city hall, ADA-compliant. The proposal was approved for $9,925.
Sanders gave a report on the storm shelter, saying that engineers have begun finalizing architectural plans and that bids have gone out.
The next meeting of the Pinson City Council will take place on March 1 with pre-council at 6:30 p.m. followed by the regular meeting at 7 p.m.