COLONY – The Colony Town Council met Tuesday evening at Colony Town Hall. Present were Mayor Donnis Leeth, Clerk Patricia Ponder and all current council members: Jamelle Dimbo (Finance), Curtis Johnson (Parks and Recreation) and Carolyn Twitty (Sanitation and Utilities).
After and invocation by Johnson, the October and Nov. 7 meeting minutes were approved.
The mayor then called for reports. Dimbo stated that she and Johnson are still working on financial statements to be presented later.
Due to still-vacant council seats, no reports were available on Police and Fire, or Streets and Drainage.
Leeth pointed out two instances of people cutting down trees and bushes and leaving them on roads or in ditches in the town. He stated that this cannot continue, and the council discussed how to deal with such debris already present.
Johnson spoke for Parks and Recreation, saying that he is working on repairs to the educational complex, and to the gym and restrooms at the community center.
Twitty had no report on Sanitation and Utilities. The Council then discussed the problem of illegal dumping in the town hall's dumpster, noting discussions with Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry and plans to install security cameras. Ponder shared that squirrels are causing problems at the educational complex, and the council discussed previous measures to get rid of them. Leeth will see that those measures are implemented again.
When the mayor called for petitions, appeals, applications, complaints and communications, none were presented. The council then moved to resolutions, ordinances, orders and other business.
Dimbo moved to table multiple items until a later meeting: 2017 budget, 2013-16 audits, educational complex kitchen stove, community center and park bathroom building bathroom fixtures, water park repairs, flag poles and landscaping, building rental policies, town attorney, street signage and ethics training. The motion passed.
Dimbo moved to have the Cullman County Health Department inspect the community center concession stand to prepare for onsite food preparation and sales, and to remove Alvin Foster from the town's health certificate. Both motions passed.
The council next addressed the two remaining council vacancies. A previous offer by local resident Doug Farley to serve on the council was found to be invalid, as Farley lives outside the town limits. Dimbo moved that Tam Malcomb be appointed to fill Place 2 (Police and Fire), and the motion passed. Johnson moved that Julian Fields be appointed to fill Place 3 (Streets and Drainage), but with no second the motion was withdrawn and the filling of Place 3 was tabled until the next meeting.
Under Accounts Payable and Vendors, Dimbo moved that the town have all Coke machines removed from town facilities and replaced with Pepsi machines; the motion passed. Twitty then moved that the 2012 Town Clerk be payed $500 for still-uncompensated services; that motion also passed.
Then the council and mayor discussed their salaries. All current council members declined any salary, and Leeth offered to serve for a salary of $75 per month. Dimbo's motion to accept those offers passed.
At the conclusion of council business, the floor was opened to public comment. Former Mayor Morris Fitz, in attendance, presented a point of procedure, stating that the council cannot present a candidate for appointment to the council and vote on them in the same meeting. Leeth agreed with Fitz on that point, but no action was discussed concerning the vote taken during the meeting.
There being no other business, Leeth thanked the council and clerk for their work and adjourned the meeting.
The Colony Town Council meets at 6:30 p.m. at Colony Town Hall on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The public is invited to attend.
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