The Haleyville City Council met Monday afternoon with Royce Benefield absent. The Council approved the August general operation bills and purchase orders in the amount of $406,908.25.

Two part-time city employees were changed to full-time status with the approval of the Council. Emily Farris is immediate and Starla Watts, pending her completion of the Criminal Justice Program. Vivian Hutcheson was hired as a part-time Class II police and fire dispatcher. Clay Wilson was hired as a police patrolman pending he passes a final interview, his pre-employment physical and a drug test.

An amendment to an existing city ordinance was approved clearly defining the Haleyville school zone where the operation of mobile telephone or personal digital assistant (PDA) while operating a motor vehicle is prohibited. New signs will be posted in at the entrance to the school zone indicating where the zone is located as well as the hours of enforcement. Basically, this area is all roads, drives, parking lots or access ways which lie east of 18th Avenue on 20th Street or south of Alabama Highway 195 on 20th Avenue. This also includes, but not limited to the access road to and from City Lake. The designated device free times shall be in the mornings when school is in session from 7:15 a.m. until 8:15 a.m. and in the afternoons from 2:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. The fine for a violation of this ordinance is $200.00 and becomes effective on October 1.

In addition to the building permit fees for the city already in place, the Council approved the new fee from the State of Alabama which adds $1.00 for each one thousand dollars of construction authorized on the issuance of any nonresidential construction building permit issued by the City of Haleyville.

The purchase of trees and shrubbery for the new sports complex was approved in the amount of $13,932.00. Greener Expectations, Inc., was the low bidder at $377.00 per tree for 36 Cryptomeria trees.

A new agreement with Lakeland Hospital for drug testing was tabled.

The Council authorized the city to receive quotes on the paving of 22nd Street from Highway 195 next to the nursing home to behind the post office on 13th Avenue.

A new pump will be purchased for the city pool. The new pump will automatically add water and chemicals as needed and will run at a slower rate during off season. The pump will cost $$5,634.00 installed and is expected to save the city $5,000.00 per year in operating costs.

The next scheduled meeting of the Haleyville City Council will be Monday, October 3.