By Crystal McGough, copy editor
Pinson Mayor Hoyt Sanders announced during the regular meeting of the Pinson City Council on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, that the Palmerdale Homesteads community in Pinson is to be considered for historical status.
“You may have seen it posted or advertised, but we have some great news that the Palmerdale Homesteads community, our application for their historical status will be heard the 26th of September by the Alabama Historical Commission in Montgomery,” Sanders said. “We look very, very forward to a positive outcome.”
The city of Pinson first began looking into historical recognitions shortly after the city’s incorporation, Sanders said.
“We had three districts. Palmerdale is the largest and was the most complex,” he said. “Still took longer than we wanted, but nonetheless, it’s coming before the commission the 26th. We’re very hopeful that that will receive a positive recommendation.”
Sanders said that being added to the historic registry makes the location a landmark for tourism, as well as opening it up to potential federal grants such as preservation grants. Additionally, it does not take away any rights to the homeowner.
Under new business, the council passed Resolution 19-33, which directs the mayor to execute a service agreement with Alabama Power for upgrading exterior lights in the city.
According to the resolution, “Alabama Power has embarked on a comprehensive system-wide upgrade to LED lighting improvements.”
The first two LED upgrades in Pinson are to be done at City Hall and at the Bradford Soccer Park. The monthly cost of the new lights at City Hall will be $185.38, and the monthly cost at Bradford Park will be $57.34.
The lights, themselves, are owned and operated by Alabama Power, but Sanders said that the LED lighting will be more cost efficient for the city.
“What they’re going to be doing is getting me these agreements sort of in manageable pieces,” Sanders said. “… This is less than what we’re paying now.”
The council also held a first reading to renew its contract with the Greater Birmingham Humane Society for animal control and pound services.
A public hearing was held during the meeting concerning weed abatement at 2812 Sweeney Hollow Circle. However, no one spoke for or against the property during the hearing. The council unanimously passed Resolution 19-32, declaring the weeds to be a pubic nuisance.
Library Director Allison Scanlan presented the council with the 2019 Summer Reading Program statistics.
The Pinson Public Library had 1,099 participants in its 2019 Summer Reading Program, a 1% increase from 2018. Event attendance totaled 2,567 people, which is a 59% increase from last year. Materials checked out from the library during the program totaled 16,351, a 1% increase. Finally, an average of 349 people participated in library events each week, which is a 9% increase from last year.
“Overall, we had a great year,” Scanlan said.
Scanlan additionally announced that she had been contacted by Library Journal, a national library magazine, about featuring Pinson Public Library in its November architectural issue.
“Library Journal is the library magazine for America,” she said. “That is a nationwide, they look at every library who had any kind of renovation, a new build, all over the country. And they picked us, to feature us. It’s huge!”
Upcoming Events:
FOOTBALL
9/6 Shades Valley @ PVHS
9/13 PVHS @ Clay-Chalkville
OTHER
9/27 Pinson Insanitarium opens
9/28 Pride of the Valley Marching Festival
10/5 & 10/6 Alabama Butterbean Festival
The next meeting of the Pinson City Council will be Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, at Pinson City Hall. Pre-council begins at 6:30 p.m. and the regular meeting follows at 7 p.m.
