By Joseph M. Morgan
joseph@southerntorch.com
RAINSVILLE, Ala.—The Rainsville City Council discussed a number of costly city improvement projects at their meeting on Monday, but choose instead at the mayor’s urging to hold a workshop to thoroughly discuss the city’s existing debts and how to pay for them first before taking on any additional loans.
One project discussed was the re--grading of the parking lot at the former Weekly Post building that is now owned by the city. Councilman Rodger Lingerfelt recommended the $20,000 project that he said is necessary to address poor drainage that currently causes water to flow into the building. Lingerfelt mentioned utilizing city labor as a means to decrease the $20K price tag. Councilman Joey Graham mentioned extending the city’s debt to move forward with city paving projects.
Both projects were put on hold until the city can hold a workshop to discuss all of Rainsville’s current debts and formulate a plan to pay each debt before obligating the city and taxpayers to pick up the tab for additional funding for more city improvement projects.
The council also took up the following business:
• Corrected the minutes to reflect an accurate depiction of what occurred at a previous meeting.
• Voted to send a city employee to a regional seminar for municipal court training.
• Voted to begin the process of looking at the roads in Pine Subdivision to make sure they are brought up to spec.
• Approved the purchase of trees out of beautification fund to be planted at the Field of Dreams baseball complex and fulfill the obligations to retain the status as a “Tree City.”
• Voted to empower the mayor to sign a resolution declaring a property surplus for a truck and disposition of same.
• Voted to settle up with 5-star food services with a payment of $3,000 for alleged overbilling by the city’s sanitation dept.
• Approved a motion to officially designate April 20, 2016 as Arbor Day in Rainsville.
• Voted to empower the mayor to sign a legal service agreement for city representation.
The Rainsville City Council will meet again on Monday, April 4, 2016.
