By Bethany Adams, For The Tribune
CLAY — During Monday’s Clay City Council meeting, City Manager Ronnie Dixon presented several Certificates of Election for City Council. The certificates were presented to incumbents Becky Johnson and Ben Thackerson in places one and three, and Don Baker and Dennis Locke in places two and five, all of whom ran unopposed. Dixon also presented a Certificate of Election for the Office of Mayor to incumbent Charles Webster.
Also during the meeting, the council voted to approve the purchase of two mobile camera units to be used at various intersections within the city. The cameras, which will be purchased at roughly $60,000 each, are intended to monitor for license plates with outstanding warrants and will not be used to issue traffic tickets.
According to Councilman Kevin Small, the cameras are not just to look for car tags with outstanding warrants, but they will also report back to the sheriffs office where they will be watched by deputies just as if a car was parked there.
“They can be used to safeguard the shopping centers, school events like home football games and to watch intersections for vehicles fleeing a crime,” Small said.
Centerpoint Fire Department Battalion Chief Brad Appleton addressed the council and community regarding the department’s recent rating from the Insurance Service Office. The department’s rating, which was previously a Class four, was upgraded to a Class one. Appleton explained that a Class one is the highest rating that a department can receive and that there are only five such ratings in the state.
Appleton also noted that the rating is expected to result in savings for both homeowners and commercial insurance. He urged community members to contact their insurance providers to inquire about savings after October 1, when the new rating will go into effect.
“We want to thank the mayor and this city council for working hand-in-hand with us,” Appleton said. “Without them, we couldn’t have made it happen.”