Summerdale’s first council meeting of the year had a larger audience than usual, especially considering the National College Championship game was being telecast at the same time. The council had a packed agenda to match the packed council chambers.

After further discussion, the Summerdale Town Council agreed to call a special public meeting on Jan. 27 to discuss whether police officers and other town employees should be able to take home a vehicle owned by the town.

The town council voted late last year to change the policy, which allows certain town employees, including police officers to take vehicles home. The town’s original plan was for employees to stop taking town cars home beginning January 1, but some members of the town council felt the change was too sudden and would cause undue hardships to some employees who may have no other way to get to and from work if they no longer have access to a town car when not on duty.

After the issue was brought up at the town council work shop last Tuesday Summerdale Mayor David Wilson and Police Chief Dwain Riebeling held meetings to discuss the issue amongst themselves and with the employees the policy change would impact.

“The police officers will be allowed to continue taking vehicles home until we have another meeting to discuss this,” said Wilson. According to Wilson, he has spoken with Riebeling and the police officers, who “are making provisions” to deal with the change.

    Wilson called the special meeting a “special workshop to deal with police business.” The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. on January 27.

    In other council news:

    The town council voted to approve the purchase of property on East 1st Street from a Mr. Street. The town had the property appraised and it was worth $11,000. The town offered the owner fair market value at $11,000, but the owner said he would not sell it for less than $20,000. The town sought legal counsel and determined if the property was obtained by condemning it, legal costs would make the price of the property equal nearly $18,000. As such, the town offered $18,000 for the property, which the owner accepted. The town needed the property as part of a property sale.

    Council members voted to pay $19,767 into the municipal worker’s compensation fund. This amount will pay for a year’s worth of worker’s comp for the town.

    James Hendricks was approved unanimously by the council  to use the asphalt area near the Babe Ruth baseball park for motorcycle practicing. Hendricks approached the council last week to use the area when it was not already in use. Hendricks also presented proof of insurance to the council and agreed he would not hold the town liable for any injuries he may sustain and told the town he would be liable for any property damage he caused. The council agreed to allow Hendricks to use the area any day except Wednesday and Sunday as long as he did not interfere with any other activities held in the area, which is also used for basketball on occasion. The town will allow Hendricks to use the area for one year as long as there are no complaints. He will have to reapply for permission each year.

    The proposal presented by Krebs Engineering for the Safe Routes To School sidewalks which will be put in place in the coming months around Summerdale School was accepted. Krebs addressed the potential interference with existing city water meters, but determined there were only two meters which would be in danger, but the sidewalks should be able to steer clear and not interfere. The town council also agreed to use the alternate proposed route for the sidewalks. The alternate route will use the right of way on the school’s side of the street instead of private homeowners because of complaints. The alterations to the plan will result in a $7,870 increase in cost. The total cost for the project will be $92,282, which will be paid to Krebs. The construction costs of the sidewalks will be less than $30,000, which will be covered by the Safe Routes to School Grant. Krebs Engineering hopes to have the project started in 3 months, pending ALDOT’s final approval of the alternate route.

    The council voted unanimously to accept the fees presented by Krebs Engineering, which will be placed in a contract, and to allow the mayor to sign the contract after the town’s lawyer reviewed it.

    The town council also voted to approve an ordinance dealing with the franchise agreement between the Town of Summerdale and Southern Lights. The new ordinance will appeal the original ordinance and require the company to refrain from naming the town as part of the fees if the franchise fee is passed along to the customers. If the company intends to name Summerdale as the cause for a rate increase, the company is required to give the town a 2-month notice before doing so.

    The town passed an ordinance to approve the sale of property near Tobacco Warehouse to Marjorie Snook. The property purchased from Mr. Street near East 1st Street will be included in the property sold to Snook.

    The town also passed an ordinance allowing the lease of town property to the Summerdale Church of Christ and family physician Barbara Corcoroan. The town’s tenants have already moved in and the council had already approved the lease agreements, however, the town is also required to put the agreements into ordinance form.

    The purchase of mower blades and other supplies the public works department needs was approved by the council. The supplies will be purchased during a once a year sale from a local supplier.

    Wilson also brought up two issues where he feels the current ordinances the town has in place may be lacking. The first issue he brought up deals with companies coming in and doing construction work in the town. He pointed out a situation where an outside company had come in and created a huge hole near a major roadway, but the hole was not clearly marked, which he considered a safety hazard. He asked the town’s lawyer to look into neighboring municipalities to see what ordinances were in place there.

    Wilson also brought up an individual who has been protesting in Summerdale. Wilson and the town’s lawyer looked into the ordinance Summerdale has on the books regarding protesting and signage, but Wilson said the language of the ordinance is extremely vague and could be taken many ways. He suggested the council look into this ordinance as well to consider reworking it into a better ordinance.

    The town council voted to move its February council meeting to Feb. 15 so the meeting will not interfere with Valentine’s Day.