By Terry Schrimscher, For the Tribune
SPRINGVILLE – The Springville Council played host to the 2023 5A state champion Springville High School girls soccer team. The Council introduced the players during the work session prior to the regular June 5 meeting.
The Springville Girls Soccer team won the 5A State Championship in May. (Photo courtesy City of Springville.)
Coach Meg Childress introduced members of the team. The team clenched the title May 13 in Huntsville with a 9-4 victory over Gulf Shores.
Council member Austin Phillips requested a donation to the city to be used toward championship rings for the team. The contribution of $1,700 to the St. Clair County board of education was added to the agenda and approved unanimously.
During the regular meeting, Police Chief Wayne Walton recognized officer Paul Trammell with a promotion to corporal within the department. Trammell has been filling in as Officer in Charge (OIC) while the position has been vacant.
Trammell joined the Springville department two years ago from Jefferson County and will serve as night shift supervisor in his new role.
Fire Chief Richard Harvey introduced firefighter Matthew Brown who recently completed the advanced EMT certification at Jefferson State Community College.
The Council approved the appointment of Kevin Early to the Planning and Zoning board. Early currently serves on the board for Parks and Recreation and will continue to serve there as well. Greg Allen was also nominated but has agreed to serve on the Board of Equalization for St. Clair County and will be recommended for the position by Mayor Dave Thomas.
Thomas also commented on the recent decision by the St. Clair County Commission to reject a request from the St. Clair County Mayors Association for funds to municipalities from the 4¢ gas tax in effect in the county.
“Within the language passed by the County Commission imposing the four-cent tax, that money is to earmarked and used only for road and bridge construction in the county,” Thomas said. “So, there’s a debate and argument right now between mayor and the commission as to what constitutes county roads.”
The Mayors Association has been lobbying for use of some of the funds collected from the tax to be used within the municipalities to improve roads.
“The Mayors Association is arguing that our city roads are within the county. Are they not? They are,” Thomas added. “The County Commission is arguing that those are our responsibilities while they’re collecting the tax from our citizen in our cities.”
Thomas encouraged everyone to call members of the commission to encourage them to work with the Mayors Association.
“We’re not trying to take anything from them, we’re simply trying to get more resources where they need to be in our communities, and who better than our Council and Mayor to know what our needs are,” Thomas said. “There’s going to be a meeting here soon and it might be helpful if our county commissioners were to hear from us.”
In other business, the Council approved:
- A contract for phase two of sewer construction
- A water testing contract with Coosa River Keepers
- The acceptance of the FY 2021-2022 audit
- Installation of a backflow preventer on the sprinkler system at City Hall
- $14,875 for gravel at Big Springs Nature Preserve
The next meeting of the Springville City Council will be held at 6 p.m. on June 19 with a work session at 5:30 p.m.
