By Megan Miller, Editor
TRUSSVILLE – The newly sworn in Trussville City Council had its first official meeting Thursday.
Among the first orders of business was a resolution for a change order on the Railroad Avenue Project in the amount of $40,356. Mayor Buddy Choat said the city will be pursing a reimbursement after the project is complete due to errors on part of the contractor.
A line of credit was also renewed with First Commercial Bank, who came to the most recent council work session with a presentation for the council. The council obtained a revolving credit with the bank five years ago in the amount of $6 million for a two-year period plus 1.95 percent. The council voted to renew the agreement.
A number of city property was also declared surplus, including the bleachers behind the library at the old baseball fields, and telephones from the public works department. The council unanimously approved both motions, with Council President Brian Plant joking that the city had gotten its money’s worth out of the bleachers.
The council approved a contract with Sain Associates in the amount of $69,900 for an ADA Transition Plan. According to City Clerk Lynn Porter, Sain Associates will evaluate public infrastructure, rights of way and sidewalks and then evaluate whether each is compliant with ADA standards.
Two proclamations were also presented recognizing Everything Christmas, which will take place at the Trussville Civic Center Nov. 18-19 and Hospice and Palliative Care Month, which takes place through the month of November. Both proclamations were unopposed.
The proclamation recognizing Hospice and Palliative Care Month cited there are 114,000 professionals and hundreds of thousands of volunteers that support hospice service for 1.5 million families. The proclamation went on to encourage Americans to commemorate the month with ceremonies and activities, in order to encourage citizens to learn more about the hospice concept.
The final order of official business before council and mayoral reports was a change order in relation to the tennis courts at the Trussville Sports Complex in the amount of $7,585.36. Additional work was approved, which was unforeseen at the time the initial bid was approved according to Councilman Zack Steele.
The meeting concluded with an update from Mayor Buddy Choat on the status of Trussville’s new waste services. Choat said Dec. 1 will be the first day of pickup using the service of SanTek.
Choat said post cards were sent out to all Trussville residents that receive garbage service including instructions on what to do with existing garbage cans and how the transition will work.
“A letter will be going out next week to 8,600 residents that have cans reiterating what the card says,” Choat said. “Services will remain on the same day you’re currently getting service, although there could be a change in timing.”
Choat also said brush and debris pickup will be scheduled for the same day as garbage and recycling pickup. All of the city’s protocol for garbage disposal and recycling will remain in place. SanTek will also be inspecting cans to make sure they are workable and serviceable.
“If they’re not, the resident will be notified about how to purchase another can,” Choat said.
