By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Atmore City Council members tackled one of their lengthiest agendas in a while during their Monday, April 11, meeting.
Among the business taken care of Monday, the council approved a resolution to accept a bid for construction of a much-anticipated rail spur off Industrial Drive and gave the green light to the use of a city park for two separate upcoming community events.
The four members present (District 2’s Jerome Webster was returning from out-of-state and was not able to attend.) also approved a mental health awareness walk for May, formally continued mandatory specialty insurance coverage for firemen and designated voting delegates for annual statewide municipal meetings.
The final agenda item carried the most importance, as far as local economic growth. Council members voted across the board to pass a resolution that Mayor Jim Staff said was more than significant to continued development of ancillary businesses that support the Coastal Growers peanut processing plant.
“This resolution will allow us to proceed with the project by awarding the contract (for the spur) to the low bidder, TripTek Construction of Atmore. Their bid was $2,558,274. I make a motion that we accept this bid and get started on the rail spur.”
Other items earning unanimous council approval were:
*Appointment of District 3 Councilwoman Eunice Johnson as the city’s voting delegate for the annual meeting of Alabama Municipal Insurance Corporation, part of the Alabama League of Municipalities. Mayor Pro Tem Shawn Lassiter (D4) and Councilman Chris Harrison (D5) were tagged as alternate delegates.
*Continued cancer and disability insurance coverage for paid firefighters, as required under a law passed in 2020.
*Approved a request by Devon Howard to conduct a “Youth Throwdown and Egg Hunt” this Saturday, April 16, at Houston Avery Park. The free event, which debuted last year, will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Kids ages 12 and under are eligible for the egg hunt.
*Approved a request from Concerned Citizens of Atmore to use Houston Avery Park on June 18 and June 19 for the annual Juneteenth observance.
*Approved a request from Marlo Young to conduct a Mental Health Awareness Walkathon on May 7. Participants will walk from the former YMCA building on Pensacola Avenue, to Tom Byrne Park. The event is set to begin at 9 a.m.
Councilwoman Johnson also reminded the public of Saturday’s Autism Awareness Walk, which will begin at 9 a.m., at Atmore City Hall, and continue to Heritage Park.