By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Atmore City Council, sitting one member short, approved during its Monday, August 23, meeting a half-million-dollar paving project for a city cemetery and the purchase of a used pumper for the city fire department.
With District 1’s Webb Nall absent due to a prior commitment, the council voted unanimously to approve both measures, representing a total expenditure of $608,000.
Prior to tackling the brief business agenda, Mayor Jim Staff paid homage to former Mayor Howard Shell, who passed away Saturday, August 21.
“Our flags are half-staff in honor of our former mayor, Howard Shell,” said Staff, who replaced Shell after he served two years on the council and 22 years in the mayor’s office. “He died from a multitude of illnesses, nothing to do with COVID. He had the lead on Rivercane and Alto (Products) with the industrial development board. He’s going to be missed. He was a good friend and a good person for Atmore.”
The first order of business was the roadway and drainage improvement project at Oak Hill Cemetery. Triptek Construction was awarded the bid and will perform the work at a total cost of $496,000.
Next came approval of the firetruck purchase, a used pumper to be bought from Fort Myers, Fla.-based Bradford Fire Apparatus, which submitted the only bid at $112,000.
In other business Monday, the council:
*Approved Atmore Youth League’s use of Houston Avery Park for its annual Christmas in the Park. Organizer Don Taylor was not at the meeting, and no date was announced for the holiday event.
*Approved the use of Houston Avery Park by Faith Tabernacle Holiness Church for a weeklong revival, from September 20 to 24.