Roman Alley, water tower, flowers highlight council meeting

In a meeting filled with lots of comments and a wide range of topics, the Demopolis City Council Monday began action on Roman Alley, took under advisement proposed plans for the renovation of the water tower on North Commissioners and heard a great deal of discussion on the beautification of Demopolis.

The plan to extend Roman Alley, a narrow, single-lane dead-end street, to McNamara Road finally became a possibility when Councilman Nathan Hardy reported the county surveyor said the property was donated to the city in 1904. Previously city maps show one thing; county maps, another.

The Council voted to approve bushhogging the area and go ahead with plans to extend the street. Hardy has $5,000 in his budget to put toward the work, and he said the Marengo County Commission would pay for the road work that would meet city specifications. However, after the meeting, Mayor Laney asked the city attorney to research ownership of the property to verify the city has the right to do any work. The mayor asked that he report back his findings before any work is completed.

Once the work is completed, Roman Alley would become a one-way street from west to east.

The city’s Water Works and Sewer Board requested a response by July 10 from the council on the disposition of the water tower. The city owns the property, but the board owns the tank. Before any discussion of demolition could be held, it must be determined who would be in charge of any bids.

Then the discussion arose on preserving the tank and making it a historical resource for the city and a feature of Riverwalk.

Brian Brooker presented an artist’s rendering of how the tank could be converted into a pavilion, making it a centerpiece for events and an attraction to bring people to the river.

There’s a lot of interest in the water tower not only locally but on a state level, Brooker told the council. Demopolis is unique in that it boasts three water towers from three different centuries, he added.

The council directed the Historical Preservation Committee to come up with a plan by the first meeting in October so the council can respond to the board with a plan by Nov. 1.

What started as a simple request by Kay Evans with the Beautification Committee became a discussion between Mayor John Laney and several spectators.

Evans asked the council to consider reinstating the Horticulture Department and the budget it once had. She said she “would like to see the spark” in planting to come back to life in the city.

In his comments, Laney commended Barbara Blevins and the Public Works Department for the improvements that have been made across the city since Public Works and Horticulture were combined. He said the city needs the support of businesses to maintain any plantings since that work would stress the city’s resources.

But Joy Collins stood up to disagree with the mayor. She said the city lacks the lush and colorful banks of flowers and plantings it enjoyed several years ago that drew compliments from visitors and residents alike.

The mayor urged those who wanted to see more flowers in the city to work with Blevins and their councilmen to set priorities for the coming fiscal year.

In other business the council:

• Approved an increase in Municipal Court costs which, said Fire Chief Rex Flowers, had not been raised in 10 years. The fees now meet those of the Marengo County District Court costs: $160 for traffic cases and $262 for non-traffic cases.
• Tabled a request from Blevins to raise fees for the Demopolis Civic Center. Blevins said the higher fees would help pay for maintenance and repairs. She requested a $250 deposit and a hike from $500 to $900 for each reservation. Another $200 would be charged for kitchen use. The Civic Center crew would set up tables and chairs instead of individual organizations doing it, she said.
• Agreed to serve as a pass-through grantee for the Canebrake Players to apply for a $20,000 grant from the Alabama Historical Commission to provide handicapped access to the Old School. Kelley Mullins, speaking for the group, said plans also include an upgrade for the bathrooms, which the little theater group would pay for. Mullins said if the entire $20,000 is not awarded, the Canebrake Players would find a way to do the work.
• Passed a motion by Charles Jones Jr. for Councilman Bill Meador to head a committee to investigate raising the city’s sale tax by one cent. The extra income, Jones said, could be divided among Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital, road work and other city needs.
• Rescinded the previous loan agreement with the Tombigbee Healthcare Authority for $ million and then approved a general obligation warrant for the same amount. The outcome is the same, explained Laney, but the bank required a warrant rather than a loan, and the paperwork had to be changed.
• Approved the 2017-2018 audit by LeCroy, Hunter and Company of Northport. Ryan Alexander summed up the report by saying the city has a clean record, it brought in more than it spent, and its history will help secure future grant requests.

In the only other public comments, Harold Parks continued to bring up the issue of speeders along Walnut Street and 18-wheelers using the street instead of the designated truck route.