Officers Austin Burns and Stephen McLaughlin are recognized by Police Chief Reece Smith.
By Nathan Prewett, For the Tribune
MOODY – During a meeting on Monday, Jan. 22 the Moody City Council heard a feasibility report for a possible new school district and recognized two local police officers for their response to a car wreck in December.
In a brief regular meeting the council heard from Police Chief Reece Smith as he described the actions of officers Austin Burns and Stephen McLaughlin, who responded to the wreck on Dec. 27 in which a car carrying two occupants left the roadway on Kelly Creek Road before hitting a tree and catching fire.
“Both officers disregarded their own safety as they physically removed both passengers before the vehicle burned completely,” Smith said. “Unfortunately one victim lost his life but another passenger is still here today due to their actions.”
Ivey L. Mason, Jr, 85, died while Sharon B Mason, 83, survived. She is expected to make a full recovery. Smith commended the actions of the officers.
“That’s the type of police officers you want,” Smith later added.
After the regular meeting was concluded the council heard the report from members of the Criterion K-12 Consulting group. The report was approved during a meeting in August 2023 when it was announced that city officials were contemplating forming a school system that would be independent of the county.
Around six months later Doctors Frank Costanzo and Phill Hammonds from Criterion, along with retired chief financial officer Sheila Jones, delivered their findings for the council to consider. As in the August meeting Hammonds said that the study would not make any recommendations but would collect data to help the city make a decision.
The study examined information regarding population growth, school attendance, transportation, facilities and finances. In population growth the city has 13,587 residents as of 2022, up from 11,138 in 2011. It was projected that around 2,400 students will be attending schools in Moody in the next five years.
“Growth is a good thing,” Hammonds said. “Growth also brings a lot of challenges but it brings a lot of opportunities as well.”
During her outline of the finances Jones said that the total long-term debt of establishing a district would amount to an estimated $64 million and includes the building of the new Moody High School. The various costs would be different based on funding from two scenarios: the budget by the city that includes a one cent sales tax or the budget by current attendance zone.
“And a school budget is very similar to a household budget, right?” Jones said. “We all list what we bring in. We list what we spend and then we see what we have left over. Same thing in a school system budget.”
Additional revenue increases would be required to make the proposed formation a reality, along with financial reserves in the amount of $3.5 million to $3.8 million should be approved to cover startup costs, as well as a one-month operating reserve of $1.6 to $1.9 million.
Legislative action by St. Clair County will be required to receive proceeds from the one cent sales tax funding, said Hammonds.
In his summary, Hammonds said that in the experience of Criterion, forming an independent school district takes approximately two years.
A PDF copy of the study will be made available on the city’s website at www.moodyalabama.gov.
In other business the council:
- Approved a proclamation declaring January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month,
- Approved a request from Smith to purchase two handheld radios for $4,531,
- Approved a request from Smith to replace two desktop computers for the patrol division for a cost not to exceed $2,400,
- Approved a request from Parks and Recreation Director Mike Staggs to purchase nine loads of infield mix for the athletic fields for $17,775,
- Approved a request from Library Director Sara Roberts to spend up to $3,000 for the Summer Reading performers and program supplies,
- Appointed Angela Cisco to the library board of trustees,
- Approved a request by Fire Chief Larry Horton to purchase uniform garments for $2,000,
- Approved a request by Horton to send Lt. Mulkey to a fire marshals conference for a cost not to exceed $1,000,
- Approved sending Andrea Machen to a retail show and conference in May for a cost not to exceed $3,300,
- Approved a request by Horton to purchase medical supplies for $1,300,
- Appointed Mark Wood to the Zoning Board of Adjustment and Appeals,
- Approved a request by Smith to replace a transmission for $5,915,
- Appropriated $6,000 to St. Clair County for half the costs for a Phase II Apple Study to replace a bridge on Kelly Creek Road, and
- Amended the Policy and Procedures Manual to clarify the aggregate hours worked for a period of consecutive days by police and fire employees.
Meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday of every month at 6 p.m. at Moody City Hall on 670 Park Ave.
Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@gmail.com.
