From the Trussville Tribune staff reports
PINSON — The Pinson City Council met on Thursday September 6. The meeting was called to order and the invocation was led by Mayor Hoyt Sanders. After the invocation Council Person Dawn Tanner led the room in the pledge of allegiance. Once concluded a roll call was performed so that it could be established that a quorum was present.
The council discussed the possibility of the city providing health insurance for full time staff. It was suggested that only about six employees would be interested in the benefit and that it might be structured in such a way as to pay 100 percent on the personal portion but nothing on the families of the employee. This was just an early discussion on the matter, the council will be doing more work on the issue.
The council discussed accepting a grapple truck as a gift from the city of Clay. The gift was given in appreciation for financial help that Pinson gave Clay, back in 2012, when the latter city was devastated by tornados. A grapple truck is a vehicle that has a grapple loader mounted to the frame. It can be used for construction, maintenance, repair and sanitation purposes. The council unanimously approved receiving the truck.
The council discussed, and unanimously approved, a resolution to increase the city’s credit line up to $250,000. An ordinance was passed and the matter was unanimously approved.
The council discussed extending the Rock School warrant of $752,000. The measure was considered because the original loan was not structured with a fixed interest rate, such rates are uncommon for municipal loans, but it was possible to extend it at a very good interest rate of 3.34 percent. An ordinance was proposed and passed unanimously.
City Attorney Shane Black discussed, with the council, measures to “augment, supplement, bolster” existing policy in the arena of social media. As Black explained city websites can be viewed as public forums. Speech or access to the forums could not be limited unless rules governing the forum were already established. Black made it clear that he was not referring to discriminating against any viewpoints, but rather that the guidelines would address such issues as prohibiting vulgarity and the like. An ordinance was proposed and it was approved unanimously.
Black also discussed, with the council, the possibility of creating a parks and recreation board. Black described the form and function of an unincorporated recreation board. This type of board would receive resources from the city but would not take direction from the city council. The city would still be able to influence the board indirectly as the board could not choose members and would receive funding from the city council. Still the parks and rec board would have a large degree of autonomy and could even receive funding from third parties. The council agree to discuss the issue farther in the future.
The council heard comments on having either banners or a large inflatable football helmet for the football teams to rush out of during games. After much discussion it was decided that the city would purchase the inflatable helmet to be used in home games. The cost of the helmet is $673 and it will cost an additional $343 for shipping.
Other business included:
• Annexation of lands, per the request of the landowner
• It was decided that “Christmas Movies” will be the them of this year’s Christmas parade.
• Ordinance on zoning.
• Request from Rudd Middle School in reference to an allocation for the ESC program.
• Insurance issues stemming from the lease of the Palmerdale School if the lease was extended from 20 to 99 years.