Home Depot – Herron: Radio tower must be up by March or city looks elsewhere
CARBON HILL – Mayor April Kennedy Herron says the city’s new radio tower should be ready by the first week of February as a crane is being waited on – but that if it is not up by early March, the city may have to look to a new contractor for putting up the tower.
Herron made the statement at Tuesday’s meeting of the Carbon Hill City Council.
The crane is available on the last week of January and the first week of March, officials said.
“If, for some reason, that is not taken care of by the first week in March, we will have to take other avenues,” Herron said.
Fire Chief Buddy Smith quoted Ray Goggans, who spoke to contractor Bobby Jackson before deciding not to be the city’s police chief, as saying equipment was now in stock for the job.
City officials have had trouble reaching Jackson about the project, which is replacing equipment which was damaged during last year’s Easter tornado. Jackson had reportedly said at one point the delay was due to waiting on equipment to come from the West Coast, according to city officials.
In other action during the meeting, the council:
• Held an executive session to discuss the good name and character of an individual.
• Heard Smith said the air fill station certified again that day.
• Heard Herron say that a couple of people were interested in getting items from the old City Barn that was not cleaned up as called for in a recent contract. “We have kind of a plan to get the rest of that finished up,” Herron said.
• Discussed getting with the Mobile District of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to deal with a tree blocking a creek and potential flooding issues at the site. Fire Chief Buddy Smith said the city does not have the equipment to remove the tree quickly. “It’s going to be a major problem if we have one of those 50-year floods,” he said.
• Heard Marian Ognoskie of the Little League that quotes are still being obtained for red rock for the ball fields. She also asked for a street light for the parking lot at the Little League field, near the old National Guard Armory, as that has been dark for five years. Herron noted she will be approaching Alabama Power about several lighting issues in the city, and will mention that one as well, adding a flood light at the Blue Gym also needs some attention.
Ognoskie also asked about putting a $19 solar panel light from Home Depot on a pole to light up a playground. Herron said she would have a couple of those picked up. Ognoskie also said baseball and softball registration is under way for $40, but that doesn’t include uniform fees.
• Heard Herron discuss about getting a credit card for Sam’s. She noted cameras were obtained from Home Depot for $1,864, under the agreed upon $2,000 limit. “We wanted to get them at Sam’s where they were $100 cheaper, but you have to have a credit account to buy from Sam’s online. Either you have to have a Visa or MasterCard, which we do not have, or like a Sam’s Walmart card, which we do not have. But we did have a Home Depot card to be able to order them online, but they were $100 more,” she said. Herron said the city makes a large number of purchases from Sam’s and it might be a good idea to have a Sam’s credit card, and asked the council to think about the idea.
• Voted to move Amanda Keeton from part-time dispatch to a full-time police officer and send her to the first available police academy.
District 5 Councilwoman Jewell Hess was not in attendance to vote due to sickness, and the District 6 council seat has not been filled since Greg Anderson’s resignation was accepted in July 2019. No one ran for the position in the recent municipal elections.
• Agreed to approve a $2,000 quote from Davis Tree Service to cut and remove a tree and large stump at Second Avenue and Third Street. Herron said one has to move further into the road to see around the tree, which is in the right of way. The Street Department does not have the equipment to do the work, she said, adding after the vote, “It is really quite dangerous.” Herron did note later in the meeting the brush truck is now in operation for other sites, and asked for specific addresses for problem areas.
• Heard District 1 Councilwoman Cindy Killingsworth mention again a petition that is still available to sign to convince Burlington Northern to open up a closed railroad crossing at Third Street SW and First Avenue, also known as the South Oak Street crossing. The petition is available at City Hall to sign.
The next council meeting is Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.
