Council mulls over business license enforcement, street paving

Due to renewed emphasis from the Demopolis City Council, the number of delinquent business licenses in the city decreased from 133 to four in the past month.

Mayor Mike Grayson noted the improvement at Thursday’s council meeting, at which the council agreed on a stricter business license enforcement policy for future years.

Beginning in 2015, businesses that have not paid the license by Feb. 1 will incur a 15 percent penalty. On Feb. 15, a $100 a day penalty will be tacked on as well, and those who have not paid by March 1 each year will be served a summons to appear in municipal court.

Business license renewal notices will be sent on Oct. 1 each year, and are due Jan. 1. Businesses will be allowed a 30-day grace period until the end of January.

The council did not technically pass the measure, due to the revisions that will be incorporated into a new resolution for review at next meeting.

The council discussed bids from S.T. Bunn for street paving, but took no action. Most of the discussion centered on re-paving Main Avenue, but the council wanted to address the possibility of placing a median on Main Avenue between Washington and Capitol before making a final decision. Between now and its April 17 meeting, the council will seek input from businesses and property owners in that area.

Demopolis resident Shanek Madison asked the council to address a problem of water backing up on her property on East Monroe. She said ants, snakes and rats are a persistent problem due to the backwater. “And it stinks,” she told the council.

Public Works Director Mike Baker said beaver dams are the primary culprit, adding that his department has removed the dams from a ditch adjacent to Madison’s property numerous times, but beavers return as fast as the dams can be removed.

Council member Charles Jones Jr. said he feels a permanent solution is attainable, noting that he has brought the issue to the council’s attention on at least two previous occasions.

“We are a reactionary council,” Jones said. “We need to be proactive and do something for people in the Brickyard (area).”

Grayson told Madison that the ultimate solution would require Federal grant funds due to the project’s size and expense, but in the meantime the city will attempt to alleviate them problem with water pumps and by attempting to trap the beavers in the area.

The council approved a request by Rev. Tommy Carr, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, to hold an Easter sunrise service at the City Landing and approved Alabama Department of Transportation agreements relating to various signage and maintenance of public right of ways.

Also, Grayson announced that the city received a Silver Letter Award from the Municipal Insurance Corporation for its workers compensation and risk management low loss ratio for 2013.

Baker noted that the city will provide a dumpster at Main Avenue adjacent to Alabama Power from April 9-12 for residents to deposit general household items as part of an overall city cleanup effort.