HANCEVILLE, Ala. – The Hanceville City Council at its Feb. 8 work session and meeting discussed the future of the city’s community pool, the use of the Rayford Talley Building by student athletes and the renaming of parts of College Drive.
To keep the city’s community swimming pool, located at CW Day Park, operational requires funding of upwards of $60,000 a year, according to the council. Over the last few years, patch jobs have been done and parts replaced. There is also the possibility that the pool needs to be replastered.
Parks and Recreation Director David Wasilewski addressed the council about pool’s biggest expenses.
“Payroll is a big one, obviously. Chemicals are huge, (and) of course, your utilities like water. One of the big things – I’m not sure the last time the pool was plastered, but it will need it probably sooner rather than later,” he said.
Although the council discussed options of repairing, refurbishing or replacing the pool, no action or decision was made. The council said it expects to continue discussions as it explores options.
Hanceville High School’s Junior Varsity Softball Coach and Assistant Varsity Coach, Roxie Lee, addressed the council to request the use of the Rayford Talley Building as an indoor training facility for her student athletes. She said current facilities are shared between the school’s various teams, allowing little training time in inclement weather.
“We are definitely a rebuilding program and one of those things that we want to do is give the girls every opportunity to better themselves in the sport. I’ve come tonight because the Rayford Talley Building is a building that the softball team could utilize on a weekly basis,” Lee said. “What we would like to do is have an indoor batting and pitching facility to be used by our own program.”
The council approved the request unanimously, granting the team a year-long lease of the building as a school entity, requiring that the team or school itself pay any utilities or maintenance and upkeep costs incurred.
Administration at Wallace State Community College discussed the possibility of renaming portions of College Drive that encircle the entirety of the college’s campus to give first responders clearer directions in the event of an emergency. The measure passed unanimously.
In other business, the council:
- Approved updates to the Dispatch Radio Agreement between Cullman County Sheriff’s Office and Hanceville Police Department
- Approved the surplus and replacement of a 2022 Ford F-150
- Held the first reading of Ordinance No. 2024-1, the annexation and zoning of 22.63 acres off Hopewell Road
- Appointed Councilwoman Kim Brown mayor pro tem and authorized Brown as a designated signee for the council
- Appointed Kenneth Cornelius to member place 5, the seat vacated by now Mayor Jimmy Sawyer; Cornelius will be sworn in at the next regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 22.
- Announced the placement of a United Way of Cullman County food drive collection box in Hanceville City Hall
- Heard biweekly public works job details
The next Hanceville City Council meeting will be held Feb. 22, with the work session beginning at 5 p.m. and the meeting immediately following at 5:30 at Hanceville City Hall.
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