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The Rainsville City Council is tackling beautification with plans to demolish unsafe buildings.
Councilman Rickey Byrum said there are 40-50 such structures throughout the town and it will take some time to clear them. He said it is important to prevent rodents that spread disease from inhabiting old structures belonging to absentee owners and areas overgrown with tress and tall grass. Following the passage of Resolution 02-18-2021(D), certified inspectors will test the unsafe buildings for asbestos and other banned materials so they can be safely burned.
âWeâve got to start somewhere,â Byrum said, proposing the resolution that passed unanimously.
The Rainsville City Council on Monday approved to amend the 2020-21 budget following the approval of various changes and upgrades.
At the councilâs budget workshop last week, they heard an update from City Accountant Betty Holcombe, who informed the council the city had more revenues than what they had budgeted due majorly in part to the increase in gross receipts.
âWe held a budget workshop last Thursday night and we were able to increase our budget by about $45,000 because of some revenues and different things coming in,â said Councilman Arlan âMonkâ Blevins.
Blevins briefed the council on a few changes, including pay scale adjustments, revenue adjustment, increased budgeted costs and capital outlay related expenditures.
The Rainsville City Council accepted Allen Stiefel s resignation Monday night, effective immediately.
Stiefel, the former supervisor at the Rainsville Wastewater Treatment Plant was suspended without pay, pending an investigation. He was arrested in December after an illegal winery was discovered at the plant.
The council also discussed Jimmy Brooksâ move from Wastewater Treatment Plant Maintenance to interim Public Works Director.
The motion caused the council and mayor to be at odds over the temporary candidate for the position.
Rainsville Mayor Rodger Lingerfelt explained the move was temporary until the position was posted and they âsettled on a person.â
Councilman Bejan Taheri, who expressed his opposition, asked if Brooks would be receiving a pay raise, to which Lingerfelt said yes.