Anniston City Council: March 19, 2024 – Progress, Appointments, and Community Engagement

Anniston, AL – The city of Anniston held the regular scheduled work session and city council meeting on March 19th, 2024.

Work Session

1. Travel/Training Reimbursement
   1. Aimee Grey, Museum Education Department, $81.50 while attending EEAA/ANTS Conference at Camp McDowell in Nauvoo, Alabama, February 16 – 18, 2024
      1. No discussion
2. Board Resignation/Appointment
   1. Bill Robison resigned from the Anniston Water Works & Sewer Board
      1. No discussion
   2. Emily Robison – Anniston Water Works & Sewer Board appoint to unexpired term of Bill Robison
      1. No discussion
3. Bids
   1. Discuss rejecting the bid for the HVAC/Humidification replacement for Museums & Garden.
      1. Bid were higher and the City would like to break up the bids and rebid them.
   2. Reroofing for Anniston Fire Station #4, 1923 Cooper Avenue. Pre-Bid is March 19th at 10:00 a.m. Bid Opening is March 28th at 2:00 p.m.
      1. No Comments
4. Surplus Vehicles
   1. Request from Anniston Police Department to surplus vehicles
      1. Standard surplus and no additional comments
5. Development Agreement Amendment
   1. Blackwater Development Company, LLC second amendment to Development Agreement
      1. The is to consider extending the agreement. The President of Blackwater spoke and said they have positive momentum and would like to continue working on this.
6. Current Opioid Settlements
   1. Resolution authorizing the City of Anniston to join the State of Alabama and other Local Governments as participants in current opioid settlements
      1. This was noted as another round of State issued settlements. The city’s then get to opt-in. Advised by the city attorney that there was no reason to not opt-in.
7. City Manager updates
   1. W 4th Street easement for Chief Ladiga Trail
      1. There was a small piece needed and the Commission did grant the easement.
   2. ACS request for funds from Sales Tax Proceeds for Educational Purposes
      1. The Anniston City Schools are requesting their portion for the Career tech program reimbursment.The amount is roughly $70,000. This is the process that the city requested.
   3. Scheduling the groundbreaking for the Chief Ladiga Trail Project
      1. The location will be due south of Michael Tucker Park. A date will be selected soon.
   4. April 2, 2024 Work Session and Council meeting will be held in Anniston Hall due to Rooms A, B, C and Victoria Board Room reserved for school testing April 1 – 3, 2024
   5. A request was made from Manager Folks that the property at McClellan be referred to as the North Anniston Development.  This is just for the development project to remove “McClellan” being duplicated in the name. this is not changing the name of the actual area.
8. Mayor discussion item
   1. ALM Voting Delegate and Alternate for the Annual Meeting
      1. Mayor Draper volunteered and Councilwoman Harris will be an alternate.

City Council

• Invocation
• Pledge Of Allegiance
• Call To Order
• Roll Call
  • Mayor Jack Draper – Present
  • Ward 1 Councilman Jay Jenkins – Present
  • Ward 2 Councilman Demetric D. Roberts – Present
  • Ward 3 Councilwoman Ciara Smith – Absent
  • Ward 4 Councilwoman Millie Harris – Present
• Reading/Approval of Minutes of Previous Meetings – Unanimously  Approved
  • February 20th, 2024
  • February 27th Called Meeting
  • March 4th Called Meeting
• Additions/Deletions to the Agenda  – None
• Adoption of Agenda – Unanimously  Approved
• Board Confirmation Hearing
  • Emily Robison – Anniston Water Works and Sewer board
    • Mayor Draper noted that Bill Robison, former Mayor, has resigned and his wife has been nominated to fill his term.
    • Councilwoman Harris thanked Mrs. Robison for her service.
    • Councilman Roberts thanked her for her service.
    • Councilman Jenkins said this was proof that behind every good man was a better woman.
• Public Hearing
  • Receive public comments over-ruling objections to the abatement of identified nuisances
    • Code Enforcement gave an update on several addresses that have been completed.
    • Several residents spoke to their code violations and the status of the properties.
• Unfinished Business – None
• Consent Agenda – Unanimously  Approved
  • Resolution authorizing reimbursements to city officials for expenses incurred while traveling away from the City
  • Resolution over-ruling objections to the abatement of identified nuisances Group 2024-01 Resolution appointing member(s) to the Anniston Water Works and Sewer Board
  • Resolution declaring personal property as surplus and authorizing the disposal of said property
  • Motion to award bid for FY2024 CDBG Demolition of seven (7) substandard structures to Emtek for a total $36,100.00 and one (1) substandard structure to T and D for $10,500.00
  • Motion to award bid for purchase of 40 – 50 Sig Sauer M400 Pro Rifles for the Police Department to Gulf Shores Distributors in the amount of $959.00 per rifle
  • Motion to reject bid for HVAC/Humidification replacement for Anniston Museums & Garden Motion to appointment Mayor Draper as the Voting Delegate and Millie Harris as the 1st Alternate Voting Delegate at the Alabama League of Municipalities Annual Business Meeting on May 17, 2024
• Ordinances
  • Ordinance declaring surplus real property and authorizing conveyance of the same 1ST Reading – Unanimously  Approved
    • Public Hearing on declaring surplus real property and authorizing conveyance of the same – No Comments
• Resolutions
  • Resolution authorizing Second Amendment to Development Agreement between the City of Anniston, Alabama and Blackwater Development Company, LLC – Unanimously  Approved
    • Extends the agreement until 2026.
  • Resolution authorizing the City of Anniston to join the State of Alabama and Other Local Governments as participants in current Opioid Settlements – Unanimously  Approved
  • Resolution authorizing disbursement from New Business Sales Tax Revenue Education Fund
    • $70,878.72 to be disbursed to the Anniston School System for the Modern Manufacturing Program.
  • Resolution authorizing acquisition of certain real property – Unanimously  Approved
• Additional or Other Matters That May Come Before the Council – None
• Public Comments – None
• Council Comments
  • Councilman Jenkins  – Thanked everyone for coming out tonight. He also thanked everyone for working to get the properties cleaned up. He also congratulated Sinclair Social for opening this past Saturday.
  • Councilmen Roberts – Thanked all for coming in. He noted the city has many good things going on. He thanked everyone who came out the the Anniston Changers event. There are also many events coming up in the next month.
  • Councilwoman Harris – Thanked everyone for coming and stated she was happy to be there.
  • Mayor Draper – No Comments
• Adjournment – Unanimously  Approved