By Nathan Prewett, For The Tribune
MOODY – A regular meeting of the Moody City Council on Monday, May 9, began with recognizing the high school’s softball team, followed later by the council hearing from residents on issues regarding road maintenance in the Avalon subdivision.
Six Moody High School softball team members were present to be recognized, along with their coach, Rebecca Seymour. Councilman Nick Rutledge said that they won the 5A area champion last week.
The members present were Maddie Barfield, Faith Myers, McKenzie Phillips, Skylar Black, Hollie Graham, and Riley Mitchell.
The team will head to the regional tournament in Albertville on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. The council later approved a $500 donation for their travel expenses.
After passing the agenda items, attention was turned to two items related to infrastructure. The first was an agreement with the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham to conduct an Advanced Planning Program and Logical Engineering (APPLE) study.
The study would look at the U.S. Highway 411 Intersection from the Moody crossroads north to the city limit. This would include traffic count, lights, and others on those roads. Priority would be given to the intersections of High School Drive and Highway 411, and Washington Drive.
The project’s total cost is $59,959.12, with a match from the city of $11,991.82.
The agreement was approved unanimously.
Following this was a resolution to accept the public streets in the Avalon subdivision for upkeep and maintenance. Mayor Joe Lee said that the subdivision should have been accepted a number of years before when it was completed but that the developer “dropped the ball” in requesting that they be accepted.
“We’re just kind of cleaning up what should’ve been done years ago,” Lee said. “We will have to maintain those roads.”
Before the resolution could be passed, resident Jeanne Doss spoke and said that there were potholes on roads in the subdivision in need of repair, asking if they would be added to a list. Lee responded that they would be addressed soon.
Doss said that the issues with the roads had not been addressed since “at least 2019” and asked if she and other residents could be assured that their roads would be put on a list. Lee said that the streets there will be the city’s responsibility when the resolution is passed.
Resident Amanda Byrd echoed Doss’s concerns, with City Attorney James Hill responding and explaining that issues will require the city to determine that the subdivision is up to regulations.
“Part of what they have to do is to make sure that when they accept city streets, then they are obligated to maintain with public funds, that they’re up to those regulations,” Hill said.
It was suggested that the resolution be tabled to allow for time to study the roads and see to what needs to be met. The council voted to approve the suggestion.
The council heard reports from department heads, with the police reporting 1,487 calls for services, 54 arrests, 125 warning citations, 130 traffic citations, 94 reports written, 59 misdemeanors (closed 53), and 55 felonies (closed 44). Police vehicles drove 15,912 miles, and $3,114 was spent on maintenance.
The fire department reported 145 calls, 10 fires (three residential and seven woods, grass, and rubbish), 88 emergency medical services, 13 wrecks, nine lift assists, ten false alarms, and mutual aid given twice. The average dispatch to enroute time was one minute and 58 seconds, with the dispatch to arrival being seven minutes and six seconds.
In other business, the council approved:
- Approved a request from Parks and Recreation Director Mike Staggs to purchase an 84” finishing mower for the park for $2,182.00,
- Approved Staggs’ request to purchase metal benches for the splash pad for $1,569.65,
- Approved Public Works Department Director Steve Mitchell’s request to have the public works bucket truck repaired for $4,500,
- Approved a request from Police Chief Thomas Hunt to purchase evidence supplies for $387.75,
- Approved Hunt’s request for Officer Bruce Steward to attend APOSTC refresher at Jacksonville State for $1,200,
- Approved Hunt’s request to repair Car #332 oil filter housing replacement for $633.59,
- Approved Hunt’s request to promote two officers to night shift sergeants. No increase in the police salary budget due to recent retirements of Captain and Assistant Chief,
- Approved Fire Chief Larry Horton’s request to purchase uniform supplies for $1,200,
- Approved Horton’s request to purchase medical supplies for $824,
- Approved Horton’s request to purchase eight individual SEEK Thermal Imaging Cameras with two truck-mounted charging banks for $5,600,
- Approved Councilwoman Linda Crowe’s request to install mop sink, paint the hall walls, install new ceiling tiles in both bathrooms and kitchen and replace door closer at the Senior Center for $2,400,
- Approved Lee’s request to advertise and hire a new librarian and library assistant due to Patsy Spradley’s retirement,
- Heard from Don Smith of the St. Clair Economic Development Council, who introduced Jeff Traywick, Senior Vice President of the Birmingham Business Alliance, and
- Held a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the city’s zoning regulations pertaining to signs, which will be voted on at the June 13 meeting.
Meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday of every month at 6 p.m. at Moody City Hall on 670 Park Ave.