Retiring firefighter Terry Gamble was commended by Councilman Andy Page and Cullman Fire Rescue Chief Brian Bradberry for 25 years of service before his retirement. (W.C. Mann for The Tribune)
CULLMAN – On Monday evening, the Cullman City Council took a moment to recognize a veteran firefighter, then set about fighting a fire of its own.
Fire Engineer Terry Gamble honored on his retirement
Cullman Fire Rescue engineer Terry Gamble was recognized by CFR Chief Brian Bradberry and Council Public Safety Committee Chairman Andy Page, as the firefighter prepares to retire after 25 years of service. Gamble has served with the CFR since March 5, 1993.
Bradberry told the crowd, “He’s been a great firefighter, very dedicated. He’s one of those firefighters that you could always count on to make off-duty runs, off-duty calls, and anything we’d have where we had a need, Terry was just always good to step up and help us.”
Gamble is a certified pump and aerial apparatus operator, certified fire instructor and engineer.
Heritage Village
As soon as the floor was opened for persons not on the agenda to speak, the council meeting temporarily became a referendum on the Heritage Village subdivision off Welti Road and construction company Barker Brothers. Kerry Zozoka, a subdivision resident who addressed the council at its last meeting, returned with several other residents to make a complaint about stormwater drainage issues and bad road conditions in the neighborhood. Zozoka presented the council numerous photographs and noted that multiple neighborhood residents were having similar problems.
Zozoka told the council, “I have potholes in my road. I have a 7-foot (wide) river that runs through my backyard. I have no street lights, so you can’t walk around the neighborhood safely, for fear you’re going to fall into one of the potholes.”
Other residents concurred that the streets are not well maintained, and that rainwater that should drain down channels running between the middle of blocks between backyards does not flow properly, ending up running between houses and into front yards out to the street.
Mayor Woody Jacobs and council members explained that some of the water issues appeared to be occurring on private property that falls outside city jurisdiction. They assured the residents, though, that city officials would visit Heritage Village and examine the situation themselves, and that they would determine what the city could do, and what residents would have to take up with Barker Brothers Construction.
As to the street conditions, Jacobs noted that construction of the subdivision is ongoing, and that the streets will not fall under city jurisdiction until that time. He did tell the residents, though, “they have not been completed to the city’s satisfaction.”
Other council business
The council approved:
- a request from Brenda Allison of Pentastar South Car Club for a special event permit to hold the annual MOPAR Car Show on June 9, 2018 from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. in Depot Park to benefit Secret Meals for Hungry Children
- a request from Louise Cole of Cullman County Bosom Buddies Foundation, Inc. for a special event permit to hold the Bikers Against Cancer Ride starting at Cullman Regional on June 23, 2018 from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Resolution No. 2018-49 to renew the general liability, property, and workers compensation insurance for the City of Cullman with the Travelers Companies through the city’s local agent, Wayne Mauldin of Smith-Gray Insurance, Inc. Jacobs said that this could have been put up for bid, but the extensive amount of insurance-funded reconstruction and repair going on in the city right now made staying with the current provider a more logical choice.
- Resolution No. 2018-50 to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Cullman City School Board to provide part-time police officers at each school campus. This resolution will provide one extra officer for Cullman High School and will raise the pay of school resource officers to match that of current city police reserve officers.
- Resolution No. 2018-51 to enter into a professional consulting services agreement with Retail Strategies, LLC for the recruitment of retail businesses to the city
The council also approved the following board reappointments:
- Darlene Quick and Beverly Wilkerson to the board of the Cullman County Center for the Developmentally Disabled
- Alan Green and Ronnie Easterwood to the City Alcohol Review Board
The next Cullman City Council meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 14 in the city hall auditorium. The public is invited to attend.
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