Updated 11-4-20 at 11:48 p.m.
BAILEYTON, Ala. – Cullman County Circuit Court Judge Greg Nicholas on Monday administered the oaths of office to new Baileyton Mayor Windell Calloway, along with council members Wendell Peterson, Greg Griffin, Benny Guthrie, Dewayne Sumner and Roy Shedd.
Peterson and Griffin were joined by newcomers Shedd, Sumner and Guthrie. A large crowd came out to welcome the new administration. Shedd was named mayor pro tem.
Calloway encouraged Baileyton residents to continue coming to monthly meetings, which are held on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m.
Mayor Calloway and the council quickly got to work on the lengthy agenda vowing to be committed to transparency. Calloway clarified a statement he made last week at the dedication of the new town hall when he said the offices in the old town hall would be used as storage. In a meeting in January, the council approved allowing Dr. Josiah Daily to rent the office space. Daily will be using the office space, not the Town. Daily is already renting the basement of the building.
Peterson offered a motion to open the town’s park. The council was in unanimous agreement that the park should be opened and said it will consult surrounding municipalities on procedures being followed and have signs made explaining personal risks due to COVID-19.
Guthrie said, “I think the town deserves their park to be back open.”
The Baileyton Volunteer Fire Department had a successful Trunk or Treat event Saturday night. It was joined by members of the council in passing out candy to kids and their families. An estimated 300 trick or treaters were given bags of candy from the fire department and newly sworn-in council.
In other business the council:
- tabled any decision regarding a proposed trailer park ordinance
- passed a resolution defining rules on calling regular and special called meetings requiring adequate notice and allowing public and media access to all meetings unless there is a need for an executive session
- agreed to have lights changed at the town’s park and have a meter added to the concession stand. Calloway added, “We are going to have to do that if we’re going to have a ball season next year.”
- said it is working to make sure the town’s weather siren is repaired as soon as possible
- said Calloway will be restarting the Baileyton newsletter to be distributed to the citizens of Baileyton
- said it will begin catching up on past audits in order to proceed with the FY 2019-2020 audit. Calloway said, “We are going to get it caught up so that everybody in the town knows that everything is OK.”
- approved having Town Clerk Pat Gilbert’s QuickBooks and other software updated
- approved having all credit cards canceled and new cards issued
- approved allowing the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office use of the town’s aluminum bleachers for the upcoming Sheriff’s Rodeo
- voted to dismiss all of the Town’s temporary employees for the remainder of the year.
- voted to temporarily suspend the Town’s new drug policy. The council had recently approved a policy modeled after the state’s lengthy policy that could potentially result in hefty rehab expenses. The council said it wants to create a drug policy that is shorter and simpler. Calloway said, “We can look at several different ones, that’s your choice and your decision. I would hate for us to get into a bad situation where it costs us a lot of money for something like that.”
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