Marla Jones, Managing Editor

marla@southerntorch.com

Fort Payne, Ala.-- The Fort Payne City Council held its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, December 6.

Fort Payne has experienced an ongoing issue of “Boots” being placed on trucks when they park on private property, near the Mapco Gas Station at the South end of town The property owners have contracted with Buckhead Parking Enforcement of Union City, Georgia to apply and remove the booting device. 

In prior Council meetings, Mayor Brain Baine advised that the company is legal in what they are doing. In the past, the trucks have been allowed to park there but now the property owners have posted that trucks can no longer park on the property.

“This is not the City doing this, this is not our officers doing this, this is not Mapco doing this. It is kinda a negative light on Fort Payne by them doing this…we are trying to look at a way to help with that, by giving a place for trucks to park,” stated Mayor Baine. 

According to City Attorney, Rocky Watson, Birmingham has a city ordinance against commercial lots “booting” trucks.  

Buckhead Parking Enforcement was booting trucks and charging them almost $600-$800  to remove the boot.

“If you want to do something about it, we can,” stated  Watson at a previous council meeting. 

In Tuesday’s Fort Payne Council meeting, the Council passed Ordinance 2022-06, which regulates the practice of “Booting” vehicles in the City limits of Fort Payne. The Ordiance sets a maximum limit of $60 that can be charged for the boot.

The Council passed Resolution 2022-41, declaring a certain Sanitation Department vehicle surplus no longer needed for Municipal or public purposes. This pertained to a garbage truck that will be sold to the Town of Collinsville. 

The following Board Appointments were made: (These were the only applicants)

• Two (2) vacancies on the Fort Payne Improvement Authority; Robbie Davis and Monia Smith.
• One (1) vacancy on the Fort Payne Water Board; Dana Goggans.

In New Business, the Council  discussed  changing earned vacation intervals in the personnel policy.  Fort Payne has 225 employees with 66% of employees being with the City less than five years.  

Fort Payne Human Resource Director, Tricia Clinton-Dunne, asked the Council to give employees with five years of service, three weeks vacation.  She requested that employees with ten years of service, to be awarded with four weeks vacation.  The Council approved the request. 

The Council approved  Columbus Day to the City’s recognized list of allowable holidays. This was the last Federally recognized holiday that the City dis not  acknowledge.

The Fort Payne Council went into Executive Session to discuss pending litigation, with no action taken. 

The next regular meeting of the Fort Payne Council will be on December 20, beginning at 12:30 p.m.