Council approves surplus of land, premium pay

Clarion Top News

Thursday, 24 February 2022 15:25

The Scottsboro City Council voted to declare the property on 301 North Houston Street as a surplus, allowing the city to deed the property over to the Scottsboro Boys and Girls Club. The property previously held the old Scottsboro Wholesale building and was originally donated to the city by the Harris family. Recently, the city cleared the land of debris, leveled and graded it, allowing it to be prepared for utilization in the future. This will allow for a basketball court and a multi-purpose facility to host various activities such as STEM competitions. The clubs compete four times a year, with Scottsboro occasionally hosting these events, and a facility would also allow for large group activities, performing arts or physical education. Currently, the Club has been raising money and has received several donations to help achieve this goal. Local businesses have also contributed. If you’d like to participate in helping the Club raise these funds, you can mail check or money order to Boys & Girls Club of North Alabama – Ben Sanford, 309 North Houston Street, Scottsboro, Ala. 35768.

Two vehicles, a 2000 Crown Victoria and a 2014 Ford F-150 were approved to allow the Scottsboro Police Department to use as a surplus. As of now, the vehicles have been a financial drain with constant repairs, and using them as a surplus will save the SPD money in the long-run. The vehicles will be sold on deals.gov, with the profits going back into the SPD’s budget. Some equipment, including two ice makers, were also approved to be used as a surplus for the Street Department to be replaced.

Council also voted to approve the treatment of the Standard Allowance for Revenue Replacement from the city’s ARPA funds. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law on March 11, 2021, providing $350 billion to be divided up in the states in additional funding for state and local governments. According to gfoa.org, the city may use their share of the funds for revenue replacement for the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, relative to revenues collected in the most recent fiscal year prior to the emergency; COVID expenditures or negative economic impacts of COVID including assistance to small businesses, households and hard-hit industries, economic recovery, investments in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure and premium pay for essential workers. All public sector employees eligible for premium pay were approved to receive $3,000 each from ARPA. Council also voted to approve premium pay for eligible essential workers, with Councilmember Ralph Dawe abstaining.

The bid for installing the traffic signal on Highway 72 and Scottsboro Commons was approved for Stone and Sons Electrical Contractors, Inc. in the amount of $230,802.13. The other bid for the traffic signal to be installed for Shops of Scottsboro/Publix area went to Stone Electrical Company in the amount of $311,366.53.
The request made by Mr. Lamar Clark of CTS to rezone 1290 Porter Road from R1 to C4 was approved to be moved ahead to public hearing that will take place at City Hall on Monday, February 28, 2022 at 5 p.m.

Budget amendments for repairs were approved. The Solid Waste Department was approved to allow a budget amendment in the amount of $33,361 for repairs to a compactor and a dozer. These funds will come out of excess sales tax. The Vehicle Maintenance Department was also approved to allow $7,472 to come out of excess sales tax for repairs to a heater and a roll-up door. Finally, an office remodel for the Building Inspection Department was approved in the amount of $8,175 with the contract going to Kirby Construction.
The $5,000 tourism grant fund request from Castin’ ‘N Catchin’ was approved. This year, the tournament will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at Goose Pond Bait, Tackle and Grill, 417 Ed Hembree Drive, Scottsboro, Ala. There will also be an angler’s dinner the night before at 6 p.m. at the same location. The tournament is held every year, and all proceeds benefit the Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center of Alabama at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. If you’d like to donate, visit castinncatchin.org, click on contribute and donations and choose your gift amount. You can also select a recurring or tribute gift. To register for the tournament, go to castinncatchin.org and click register.

After a unanimous vote, Kevin Roney was voted to fill the remainder of a term on the Goose Pond Board. This term expires in May of 2025.

by Martha Smith