By Marla Jones, Managing Editor• marla@southerntorch.com

FORT PAYNE, Ala. — On Tuesday, the Fort Payne City Council honored Evan McPherson with a key to the city after being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the National Football League (NFL) draft.

“It’s not every day that you get to say that your hometown has an NFL football player,” said Mayor Brian Baine.

McPherson, a five-year starter from Fort Payne High School, continued his football career at Florida after receiving eight scholarship offers. McPherson played three seasons at Florida before being drafted last week.

“I would like to thank everyone here who’s doing everything for Fort Payne,” said McPherson. “I will always love coming back here...I’ll be forever grateful to call this place my home. Whenever someone asks me where I’m from, I say Fort Payne, Alabama, proudly.”

The Council approved a one-time budget pay adjustment in the amount of $68,000 to the Fort Payne Sanitation Department for CDL drivers.

“We have reached a critical point in the sanitation department,” said Councilmember John Smith. “We do not have enough people or reliable equipment to run it. This pay adjustment just got us up to the average of what the sanitation department needs to pay. If we can’t do this, we need to just close it down and hire a private service.”

The Council took the following action:

• Passed Ordinance 2021-08 establishing a 35 mph speed limit from 45th Street to 55th Street on Gault Avenue North and a “school zone” at 25 mph during school hours
• Passed Resolution 2021-19 granting $64,000 in tax abatements to Plasman Corp.
• Approved a speed table for Hiawatha Drive NW
• Agreed to conduct a study on Echols Drive W on enforcing a speed limit and installing stop signs
• Approved a curbing request for 460 Elm Street

Following the meeting, the Council went into executive session with no action taken. The next meeting of the Fort Payne City Council will be held on Tuesday, May 18 at 12 p.m. at Fort Payne City Hall.