By Crystal McGough
PINSON – The Pinson City Council unanimously approved a motion Thursday night, Nov. 5, 2020, to purchase a contactless security system for city hall.
“If you have ever been into a building or worked in one that has the swipe card badges – it’s got your picture on it and you push it up in front of a proximity receiver and it doesn’t even touch it, then it opens the door – that’s basically what we’re talking about,” Mayor Joe Cochran said. “We would secure several rooms within city hall, thereby increasing the security, as well as the safety standards for our employees, making sure they’re able to do their job without coming in contact with (somebody) that might have Covid. … Another benefit to it is, when you come in and out of the door with a swipe card, it identifies who you are and tells who is coming and going all day.”
The cost of the system is $15,300 and includes card printers so that the ID cards can be printed at city hall. Cochran said that the cost should be covered under the federal government’s Covid-19 reimbursement fund for municipalities.
“I definitively believe we can get this on the Covid-19 reimbursement,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to get some upgrades here at city hall, do the right thing and, again, not necessarily have to pay for it out of our general fund.”
The council also passed a motion to approve $5,400 for the installation of a decontamination showering area in the back of Pinson City Hall.
“Again, getting to Covid-19 money,” Cochran said. “The previous council had asked for a bid on a decontamination area. We had thought that this had passed at a previous council meeting – it has been brought before council before – but apparently, it did not pass that we’re aware of. … We do believe we can get Covid reimbursement on this.”
Additionally, the council unanimously approved a motion to purchase new technology for city hall, including laptops, computer monitors and stands, and docking stations, for under $13,000.
“We have computer needs here at city hall … these pieces of technology are easily reimbursed through the Covid-19,” Cochran said.
After passing Resolution 20-54 on Nov. 2, 2020, which ratified the city’s existing depositories, stating that the city would continue to use the same banks and keep the same bank accounts after the swearing in of the new council, the council unanimously passed a motion on Nov. 5 to move its four existing tax accounts from Wells Fargo to Hometown Bank.
“We’re wanting to move those accounts because the Wells Fargo branch (in Pinson) stays closed so much the clerk can’t get in and out of there and be able to do business,” Councilor Robbie Roberts said. “We need a bank that’s actually open and doing business here in Pinson.”
The council held a discussion regarding the reopening of the city’s rental facilities at Bicentennial Park and Civitan. The event rooms that the city would normally rent out for gatherings and parties were shut down in March when Governor Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency due to Covid-19.
“I’m inclined to say let’s open them,” Cochran said. “When you look at the other municipalities around us, they’re doing that kind of thing. I don’t want to be hysterical about it. We want to be protective; we want to protect our citizens, but we also know that there’s some responsibility that lays within the citizen’s, themselves. … We’ll give you the restrictions, tell you how many people you can have there, say that we prefer you have face masks, etc.”
City attorney Shane Black said that the state ordinance would allow non-work gatherings so long as masks are worn in any indoors space if participants who are from different households cannot maintain a 6-foot distance.
“I think that’s probably the way to go,” Cochran said. “Say we’re going to reopen it with normal capacity issues, asking that if you are within 6 feet of someone who is a non-family member, please wear your face mask. Do the right thing and allow us to open up those facilities for the public’s use, because people in the municipality, especially those with young children, would love to have the opportunity to go down there and have a party by the playground.”
Councilor Dawn Tanner also reminded the community that the Palmerdale Homestead Community Center is open and available to rent for events.
In other city business, the council approved the following:
- Motion to accept a proposal from Smith Roofing for $8,635 to replace the roof on a rental property the city owns at 4182 Powell Ave.
- Motion to purchase two upgraded batteries for the city’s limo golf carts for $3,570 each
- Ordinance 2020-19, authorizing the unified adoption of the city’s existing Zoning Regulations, Subdivision Regulations and Design and Construction Standards
- Ordinance 2020-20, annexing property at 4461 Main Street into the city of Pinson
- Resolution 20-57, authorizing the mayor to receive bids for debris removal services; bids will be due Nov. 19 at 3 p.m.
- Resolution 20-58, proclaiming the third Saturday in December, Dec. 19, 2020, Wreaths Across America Day
Upcoming Events:
- 11 – Veteran’s Day drive-thru lunch at city hall
- 4 – Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting
The next meeting of the Pinson City Council will be Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, at Pinson City Hall. Pre-council begins at 6:30 p.m. and the regular council meeting begins at 7 p.m.