By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
During the Monday, April 12, meeting of the Atmore City Council, members appointed three individuals to the city’s Industrial Development Board and re-appointed two others, approved a mental health awareness event, and gave the green light to the purchase of a used excavator for use at the city landfill.
Mayor Jim Staff told the council the excavator purchase was a “good deal” that would help save time and money by eliminating the need to haul city equipment to the site.
“This is going to authorize us to buy a used excavator that will be out at the landfill,” the mayor said. “It works, but it’s old and used. It costs 10 grand, but if it were to break down, we could probably get that much for the scrap. This will solve a big problem out at the landfill; it will be a big deal for us. We won’t have to haul our equipment out there when we need to do work.”
The council appointed three new members — Stephanie Rolin, Stephen Van Pelt and Mike Smith — to the Atmore Industrial Development Board and reappointed Richard Maxwell and Sheilo Faircloth to the same body. The board’s other members are Dr. Ulysses McBride and Bob Jones, each of whose term expires in 2022.
The council also approved a request from Marlo Young for permission to conduct a Mental Health Awareness Walk on May 15. Participants will walk from the former YMCA building on Pensacola Avenue, to Tom Byrne Park during the event, to raise awareness of the importance of mental health.
Staff read a proclamation designating May as Mental Health Month in the city and presented Ms. Young with a copy. (Below)
Randy Brown, who had asked to address the council on the proposed parking lot off Trammell Street, did not attend, but city officials provided figures indicating the city currently has 161 public parking spaces in the section of downtown north of the railroad tracks. The new, 38-space parking lot will bring that number to 199 in that area.
Mental Health Month 2021 Proclamation
‘Tools 2 Thrive’
WHEREAS, mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being; and
WHEREAS, all Americans face challenges in life that can impact their mental health, especially during a pandemic; and
WHEREAS, prevention is an effective way to reduce the burden of mental health conditions; and
WHEREAS, there are practical tools that all people can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency; and
WHEREAS, mental health conditions are real and prevalent in our nation; and
WHEREAS, with effective treatment, those individuals with mental health conditions can recover and lead full, productive lives; and
WHEREAS, each business, school, government agency, health care provider, organization and citizen share the burden of mental health problems and has a responsibility to promote mental wellness and support prevention and treatment efforts;
NOW, THEREFORE, I Jim Staff, Mayor of the City of Atmore, do hereby proclaim May 2021, as Mental Health Month in Atmore, Alabama. I call upon the citizens, government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, and schools in the City of Atmore to commit our community to increasing awareness and understanding of mental health, the steps our citizens can take to protect their mental health, and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental health conditions.