Monday, May 6, 2024

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Water tower to be demolished

Jan McDonald , , , ,

Because the Demopolis City Council took no action at its meeting Thursday, the Demopolis Water Board will proceed with plans to demolish the water tower on North Commissioners Avenue.

Councilman Charles Jones Jr. said the board voted to give the Council until Thursday’s meeting to decide the fate of the tower, whether to give the board the go-ahead to tear it down or to take ownership and preserve the tower.

At the last Council meeting, board member Jay Reynolds presented two options to the Council. The cost of repairing and maintaining the tower for 20 years was estimated at $370,000. To demolish the tower and remove the concrete slab would be $48,400, Reynolds told the Council.

Funds to demolish the tower will come from the Water Board budget.

Honored at the City Council meeting as EMT for 2019 was Hayden Ray, second from right. With him are, from left, Mayor John Laney, VFW Post Surgeon Philip Spence and Fire Chief Keith Murray.

The Council meeting began with a proclamation and presentations for the Demopolis Fire and Rescue Department.

The proclamation, read by Mayor John Laney, declares Oct. 4-10 as Fire Prevention Week, especially focusing on fires caused by unsafe cooking practices.

Battalion Chief Greg Russell pins the newest member of the Demopolis Fire and Rescue Department Mason Sessums.

Philip Spence, VFW Post 5377 Surgeon, presented plaques to Hayden Ray, EMT of the Year; Nick Brown, Fire Fighter of the Year, and Justin King, Employee of the Year. The honor is for 2019.

The newest member of the department, Mason Sessums, was sworn in by Mayor John Laney and given his pin by Battalion Chief Greg Russell.

Test results from samples of water taken from the ditch behind Richard Fountain’s home on South Ash Avenue are expected back before the next Council meeting.

City Projects Manager Mike Baker said Guardian Systems from Leeds took samples Wednesday from five locations. If results for contamination are positive, the Demopolis Water Department will determine the source of the problem and whether it is the responsibility of the city or of a homeowner to correct it.

The Council voted to adopt the same operating budget as 2019-2020 for next year and approved the 2020-2021 capital budget. Mayor Laney abstained.

In other action the Council also:

  • Approved a resolution to apply for a grant to build a terminal building at the Demopolis Airport. No financial commitment is required at this time.
  • Amended wording of Resolution 2020-09 concerning the moratorium on any new mobile homes being placed in the Braswell Drive neighborhood.
  • Changed the time of the Oct. 15 meeting to 11 a.m.