By Nathan Prewett, For the Tribune
LEEDS – A meeting of the Leeds City Council began with a presentation to the track team of the athletics department of Leeds High School on Monday, May 1.
Mayor David Miller presented a $1,000 check to be used by the team for an upcoming state championship game. The check was given to coach and teacher Jesse Turner.
Turner spoke before taking the check, expressing his gratitude. Despite a decline in participants in recent times, there have been more who have signed up this year.
“In a track program, we don’t make a lot of money,” Turner said with a laugh. “So, a thousand dollars goes a long way to help kids have a wonderful experience. I told all eight kids today and two of them shed real teenager tears, which if you haven’t seen those, something about them just hit a little bit different.”
He gave Miller a Leeds High School cap, calling it his “$1,000 hat.”
During the regular meeting, the council approved a resolution allowing the city’s fire department to be an EMS clinical training location. The resolution approved the location as an agreement with Regional Training Institute.
Fire Chief Chuck Parson said that the department will be paying $5,500 for training, less than in a previous agreement.
“It’s a lot cheaper but we’re getting good, quality teachers in this school,” he said.
Councilwoman Angie Latta asked if there was an insurance policy to protect the city, to which city attorney Johnny Brunson said that there is.
The last item on the agenda was the discussion of a property at 1600 Moton Street, in which the owner, Alma Watson, and her attorney, Oshanta White Bulgar, gave an update on its condition as it is being considered for demolition based on an order by the court.
Bulgar said that Watson and her family have been coordinating with a contractor and architect to begin repairing the house and bring it up to code in the hopes of avoiding the demolition. She said that the timeframe for completion would be 90 to 120 days. When asked by Councilman Johnny Dutton what the cost would be, she said that she did not have an exact amount but the family is working to pay for it.
In other business, the council:
- Authorized a budget amendment for the purchase of a fire department quad cab truck, not to exceed $80,000, and to be paid for out of the St. Clair County EMS funds, and
- Adopted and ratified the February 2023 city expenditures and payables.
Meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of every month at City Hall on 1400 9th Street Northeast. Agenda packets can be seen online at the City of Leeds website.