Of 84 complaints the city’s Environmental/Code Enforcement Department received in April, 77 of them had to do with grass and weed complaints.

That was the word from City Planner Miriam Boutwell last week when she gave the Community Development Department report for April to the city council. Violations of the Grass and Weed Ordinance have proliferated since the recession as properties in various stages of development have been neglected or abandoned for economic reasons.

Boutwell also reported that Building/Inspections issued 85 total permits last month at a total construction valuation of $1.4 million. Included in those figures were permits for seven single-family residences at a total construction valuation of $954,650.

Fire Chief Joey Darby said the 97 total responses made by the Fire Department in April are about average of late. Of that total, Darby told the city council that there were 31 different types of incidents. Foley firefighters responded to 26 motor vehicle accidents in April, 12 of those involving injuries.

Asked about the four passenger vehicle fires that Foley Fire Department responded to in April, Darby said, “Typically we don’t have four vehicle fires in a month.” He called the vehicle fires “just circumstance.”

Regarding one of those vehicle fires which proved to be a total loss, Darby said the owner of a late model Cadillac, which served as a second car that was not used during the winter months, decided to drive the car to a local business. When he came out the car was on fire. It seems squirrels had built a nest in the motor and chewed some of the wires.

Deputy Chief Randy Bishop gave the Foley Police Department report for April. He reported 88 misdemeanor arrests, six felony arrests, 81 misdemeanor warrants served, and six felony warrants served.

Foley police officers made 32 DUI arrests in April, wrote 427 citations, 563 warnings, and handled 54 motor vehicle accidents.

Officers conducted 535 close patrols and assisted motorists 131 times. Officers also responded to 96 alarms, made 412 positive citizen contacts and 170 official business visits.

FPD Dispatch had 3,588 computer aided dispatch entries last month and 362 calls for service were dispatched.

`The drug report last month reflected 13 misdemeanor marijuana arrests, two felony marijuana arrests, 14 controlled substance arrests, six drug paraphernalia arrests, and four drug raids/search warrants.

FPD’s Criminal Investigations Division received 70 new cases last month, had 19 unsolved cases from the previous month, and solved 36 cases. Those cases resulted in eight felony arrests, one misdemeanor arrest, four warrants issued, and 17 cases being sent to the grand jury. Six cases received exceptional clearance and three were closed as inactive.

Total arrests processed at Foley City Jail in April numbered 276. The highest number in jail at one tome was 41, the lowest 27.

The School Resource Officer took eight reports in April, held 18 discipline meetings, and effected four arrests and releases.

Animal Services had 81 calls for service in April and issued five warnings. Twenty-nine animals were transported to the county shelter.

FPD’s Community Outreach and Development had 100 GED participants in eight GED classes held in April.

Among the crimes reported in April were the following: five commercial burglaries; seven residential burglaries; eight felony thefts; 24 misdemeanor thefts; 24 domestic incidents, six white collar crimes.