By Terry Schrimscher
SPRINGVILLE — Springville honored Public Works Superintendent Earl Peoples with a proclamation during the February 5 meeting of the City Council. Mayor Dave Thomas read the proclamation \ to the crowd in City Hall ad online viewers.
“The City of Springville does hereby its sincere appreciation for Earl Peoples in the service he provides to the city, the public, and all those with whom he has worked in St. Clair County,” read Thomas. “On behalf of its City Council, its Mayor, and other city officials, the city of Springville expresses its sincerest appreciation and gratitude for his previous and continued service to the city of Springville and St. Clair County.”
In the proclamation, Thomas noted the various roles Peoples has served during his tenure.
Illustrating the camaraderie among city employees, City Clerk Lynn Porter read an additional proclamation for Peoples offering a more satirical, good natured, summary of his work experience. Porter noted Peoples’ resume where he gained work experience in water management during his time with Moses parting the Red Sea. She also noted his sewer experience with the Roman aqueducts.
“And whereas Earl is known to march to a different drummer, and not necessarily the drummer in his band,” Porter continued, “and whereas we are reminded that our creator does things in his own time, and so does Earl,” she added followed by a couple of “amens” from the Council.
“Earl, you are incomparable, irreplaceable and an institution unto yourself,” she concluded.
Several Springville Police Officers were presented commendations during the Council meeting.
Officer Jason Brooks was commended for act of bravery and exemplary service during a fire on January 19. Brooks spotted smoke rising from a house near main street and worked to contain the spread of the fire until help arrived.
Chief Wayne Walton commended five Springville officers for their service during a car chase of a suspect on the run from Mississippi. City Attorney read a letter of Meritorious Service from the Grenada County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi naming the officers involved.
“To Springville Police Department, Chief Wayne Walton, Corporal Steve Wilson, Officer Jason Brooks, SRO Kevin Thompson, SRO Whit Burttram, SRO Josh Melton,” Hill said, reading from the letter.
“Greetings, we would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation to each of you in regards to the pursuit and high risk arrests,” Hill said. The letter from Grenada County commended each officer for their service and asked Chief Walton to preserve a copy in the file of each officer to note their appreciation. The officers each received a framed copy of the letter.
Walton added the officers were able to recover more than $100,000 in cash as well as guns and stolen merchandise from the two suspects in the car.
The next meeting of the Springville City Council will be held at 6 p.m. on February 19 with a work session at 5:30 p.m. prior to the meeting.