By Nathan Prewett, For the Tribune
MOODY — The Moody City Council approved a resolution that authorized a one-time lump sum benefit to retired city employees during a regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 8.
The resolution was passed as R2022-08-08 and will be submitted to Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) to fund the payment for $9,502.
The Alabama Retired State Employees’ Association (ARSEA) and the Alabama Public Employees’ Advocacy League (APEAL) recently passed a legislation that provides an estimated 900 cities, as well as counties and public boards active in RSA’s Employees’ Retirement System with a policy to award one-time lump sum benefits or bonuses to retirees.
“By providing the bonus this year, you can have a meaningful financial impact on the lives of your retirees,” said ARSEA/APEAL Executive Director Liane Kelly in a letter to the City of Moody. “Living on a fixed income is difficult in even the best of times, but rising prices on needs as simple as groceries, prescription medication, and gasoline make the struggle that much harder. In addition, American Rescue Plan Act dollars can be used to free up the funds necessary to pay for this one-time expense.”
Each retiree receives an amount based on the years they worked for the city multiplied with the lump sum benefit, which is $2 per month or $24 per year. For example, the letter said that a retiree that worked for 25 years would get $600.
In addition to this and other actions taken, the council heard monthly reports from department heads.
Police Chief Thomas Hunt reported 1,562 calls, 40 arrests, 48 warning citations, 114 total citations, wrote 95 reports, 70 misdemeanors (closed 64), 27 felonies (closed 22), and 15,714 miles were driven by police vehicles. In addition, $1,982.21 were spent on vehicle maintenance.
Fire Chief Larry Horton reported six fires (two vehicles, four woods, grass, or rubbish), 112 emergency medical responses, 10 vehicle wrecks, 11 public services, 52 lift assists, 20 false alarms, and one mutual aid. The average dispatch to enroute time was one minute, 53 seconds and the average dispatch to arrival time was six minutes, 33 seconds.
There were 51 annual inspections, 13 re-inspections, and one fire hydrant inspection.
In other business, the council:
- Approved a request from Hunt to purchase a FoldAR (a collapsible gun for SROs) single-fold pistol for $2,000,
- Approved a request from Public Works Director Steve Mitchell to purchase tires for an equipment trailer for $589.52,
- Approved a request from Mitchell to purchase a drive shaft for a 10ft bush hog for $1,400,
- Approved Horton’s request to purchase station supplies for $1,500,
- Approved Horton’s request to have the yearly PM done on E-1, E-2, E-3, T-4 and ladder inspection on the T-4 for $7,450,
- Approved Horton’s request to purchase training and educational supplies for $3,500, and
- Approved a resident’s request to have their property off Agape Circle be rezoned from B-2 (general business to I-1 (light industrial).
Meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday of every month at 6 p.m. at Moody City Hall on 670 Park Ave.