By Megan Miller, Editor
TRUSSVILLE – The Trussville City Council met in special session on Dec. 1 to approve a handful of resolutions.
The council moved that Fire Captain Phillip McLaughlin be promoted to battalion chief, which comes with a salary increase. McLaughlin will go from a grade 24 step 10 employee to a grade 26 step nine employee, which was approved unanimously.
Councilman Zack Steele also made a motion for a two percent salary increase for all employees, including classified positions under the Jefferson County Personnel Board, which was approved unanimously.
The council also voted on potentially bringing the state basketball tournament to Trussville, co-hosting with the city of Homewood.
Mayor Buddy Choat said Gadsden won the bid and Trussville came in second, but Gadsden may have to withdraw, so the council and city want to be prepared should they take on the responsibility of hosting the tournament.
“When I was on the Parks and Recreation Board, there was a lot of excitement about us getting this tournament,” Steele said.
Choat said he estimates the economic impact would be well over half a million dollars, as last year there were 136 teams that participated in the tournament. The council approved the motion to move forward with planning unanimously.
Councilman Jef Freeman made a motion relating to the fire alarm and sprinkler requirements for multi-tenant spaces. According to the ordinance, any building that has multiple tenants that are served by a single Automatic Fire Sprinkler riser will meet the following conditions: the sprinkler riser should have a flow switch, tamper valve and exterior horn/strobe notification device; the sprinkler system serving each tenant space should have a dedicated flow switch, tamper valve, inspector’s valve and drain; each flow switch and tamper valve shall be monitored by a fire alarm system; the fire alarm system shall identify each initiating device individually so that an address and suite number can be sent to the monitoring station upon activation of any sprinkler head; horn/strobe notification devices shall be installed in each tenant space, with spacing and locations in accordance to NFPA 72; all notification devices located between fire separation walls shall activate together; each tenant space shall have an exterior horn/strobe that operates only at the activation of the individual tenant’s flow switch to notify arriving fire department personnel of the location of water flow; and all devices, equipment, locations and installation methods shall be installed in accordance to the applicable NFPA standard.
The council adjourned to go into executive session to discuss good name and character.
