By Faith Callens
CENTER POINT — On Aug. 5, 2021, the Center Point City Council held their regular meeting to discuss a resolution about a traveling advance and an ordinance rezoning a property on one of the commercial streets in the city along with other items.
Center Point City Council. Photo: Faith Callens.
The consent agenda passed unanimously:
- Resolution No.2021 -29 Authorizing Travel advance
- Ordinance rezoning property for 1636 Old Springville Road from C-1 ( Commercial) to R-1 (Residential)
For public comment, Gary Chambers, a resident of Center Point apologized to the council about a public Facebook post he made prior to the council meeting about a cell phone tower.
“First of all, I would like to apologize because some of the information I got was outdated,” said Chambers. “I am big enough and small enough to admit when I’m wrong.
“This issue was concerning the cell tower that is supposed to go on 2nd Street Northeast and I just recently found out that this was done prior to this administration taking over, and a lot of the work has, well, some of the work has begun,” he said.
Chambers said he had seen crews working, taking surveys and measurements but he didn’t know what it was for.
“Now, I find out there is a cell tower supposed to be going directly up across the street from my house, so if I’m walking out my front door, I’m going to look directly across the street at a cell tower and I’m here to let the mayor and the council know that I’m opposed to this cell tower, 100 percent,” said Chambers.
Chambers went on to say he doesn’t know if it can be reversed but if it can he wants it reversed because it’s going to make his property value decrease.
“I do not want to walk in and out my house every day and have to look at a cellphone tower,” he continued. “I don’t care what the purpose that tower is for. I’m making it short and sweet; I don’t have a lot to say about the matter, but I’m put it down in record, I don’t want the cellphone tower in my front door.”
Along with Chambers, resident Arlene Hicks Cosper spoke briefly about the previous administration and their doings for the community and the request of overturning the 5G cell phone tower.
Resident Mae-Ola Wood wanted to know what was going to be placed on her street and the reasoning for this new tower.
“That’s the first for me being here,” Wood said. “How it got by us? I don’t care. So, what we going to do about it? I hope y’all can help us because before y’all got here we was coming to city council, but we wasn’t getting any help.”
Wood said no one in her neighborhood wants the tower placed on 2nd Street.
Council President D.M. Collins said the once more information comes out about the 5g cell tower, there will be a public hearing.
In other public comments, resident Don Halsey spoke about the people who are living on the streets of Center Point and the statistics of the number of people he has researched who are soon to become homeless.
“We have a few people who are homeless here and after discussing with them, they said although they don’t like being homeless, they are in a place people care,” said Halsey.
Halsey also said recent storms are why some residents have become homeless and he urged the council to help service people in need.
“I suppose that the emergency services give out bags and if we have someone in need, to give them stuff. I’m not asking the police to do more, but the emergency people see them on the daily,” said Halsey.
Halsey said another thing needed for the residents of the city who are in need, is a reference list. He gave the council a call for action to stop and have a conversation with the homeless, set up a fund for the people who are currently without shelter and to remember that they are their residents.
Resident Rosie White spoke about the recurring vehicles that park in her yard and in front of her door. White previously came to the last council meeting referencing the same issue.
Mayor Scott said he would send a code enforcement officer out there to monitor White’s residence and place no parking signs. He also said the city would deal with the trash problem around the area.
Mayor Scott encouraged all residents who attended the council to continue to show and voice their concerns at the upcoming council meetings.
For discussion and action items, The Upland Apartments hearing was held and the construction crew working on the property said they have replaced 16 wooden decks and completed four sets of new metal stairs. Currently, the crew has 10 more metal sets to replace and there are 14 total that need to be repaired or replaced.
The construction crew also mentioned during the Upland Apartments hearing they also have a new courtesy officer that stays at the property full-time, and he has made an effort to make relationships with the residents and notifies the team of safety issues.
The construction crew also mentioned that they have added temporary breezeway lights for residents to see going to and coming from the apartments. Other improvements are in the works to make residents have a safer Upland experience.
Collins suggested that the construction crew for the Upland Apartments come back to the council for another discussion on Nov. 4, after they have the proper documentation from the inspection department concerning new and upcoming changes.
A security proposal for the community center was discussed and the council is looking for a security officer to work from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The council discussed the action of the security proposal, and the decision was made to revisit the discussion at the next council meeting when more details are available.
A proposal from GMC was also discussed. The city is considering buying a property that is currently listed for sale and Engineer Manager Pete Strickland spoke about a three-step proposal. Strickland left the council with more information on the details of the property that they could use in the future if they wanted to partner with a developer and sell the property.
The council passed the proposal unanimously.
The Rebuild Alabama proposal was discussed as well. The council approved the Rebuild Alabama project unanimously for the streets of 9th Street Northwest, 9th Street Circle, and Place Northwest.
For Mayor and council reports, Collins said economic development had their first meeting on Thursday. The members were sworn in and during the organizational meeting, the mission statement was adopted.
The next meeting will be on the fourth Thursday of August.
Collins also stated that East Gates has sold, and the buyers have 30 days to close on the property and two new businesses are coming to the city: J wings and B &W Philly Steaks and Seafood.
Councilman Glenn Williams said the kids of the community are now registering to play football and the first football game is August 21. Williams said 177 kids are registered to play in August and there are 60 cheerleaders for the games. He encouraged the public to come out.
Councilor Tiffany Moore said she met with the block captains for the neighborhood watch program on Tuesday and Sherrie Pettway gave the members present great information about their role.
Moore said she is still looking for more participation and now the current block captains are planning events in their neighborhoods in the upcoming months.
Councilwoman Sharon Jones gave thanks to the neighborhood Walmart in the city for donating back-to-school supplies. She distributed the supplies to several schools.
