By Crystal McGough, For The Tribune
PINSON — Palmerdale Homestead Community Center president and vice-president Barry Wilson and Dorlin Terry announced at the Pinson City Council meeting on June 16, 2022, that they would be stepping down from the PHCC and passing the torch to the city of Pinson.
PHCC President Barry Wilson addresses the Pinson City Council
“We just want to make a public announcement that we’re giving up the community center,” Wilson said. “We’ve just really got to old to do it, and our whole group is too old to do it. We had a meeting Tuesday night and it’s kind of emotional for us, especially me and Dorlin. We’ve been doing it for a long time and we’ve really enjoyed it.”
Wilson said that he and Terry started the Alabama Butterbean Festival 17 years ago in order to raise money to fix up the center, which was originally a school that had been abandoned and fallen into disrepair. Since then, the Palmerdale Homestead Community Center has become a staple in the Pinson and Palmerdale communities, hosting many different types of events.
“We will work with the city as much as we can to transition,” Wilson said. “It’s book really heavily right now. We’re booked till the end of the year; about two pageants a month till the end of the year. We’ve even had two pageants that came out of Missouri.”
Vice President Dorlin Terry presented the council with an official letter stating that they were giving up management of the center.
“I anticipated this would be the case coming up soon because … you’ve run out of numbers,” Mayor Joe Cochran said. “The amount of people that were running the PHCC when it first got organized was a lot of people. There was a great number of people volunteering time to do this and our numbers have dwindled down to you two guys, and it’s an awful lot to burden on your shoulders. I agree it’s an emotional time.”
Cochran went on to express his gratitude for Wilson and Terry’s investment in the community through the PHCC.
“You guys have done phenomenal work in our community,” he said. “My intention — and I’m sure the intention of this council — is to continue that great work in that community center. … You guys should know how much the community — and I think I speak on behalf of the entire community — how much we appreciate the effort, the time, and the love you’ve given to this community through that community center and other things.”
Councilors John Churchwell, Clinteshia Irvin and Brad Walker also spoke words of appreciation for Wilson and Terry.
In other news, the Pinson City Council approved the following:
- Resolution 22-19, declaring a public nuisance relating to overgrown grass/weeds at 4221 Oak Street
- Resolution 22-20, declaring a public nuisance relating to overgrown grass/weeds at 4018 St. John Way
- Resolution 22-21, declaring a public nuisance relating to overgrown grass/weeds at 4109 Powell Avenue
- Motion to approve funding for Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Service System in the amount of $1,239.20
- Motion to approve the purchase of exercise equipment to be used for fitness classes at the Rock School Complex, in the amount of $343.65, as well as an allotment of $1,000 for organization at the Rock School
- Resolution 22-22, concerning a 5% service charge for the use of credit cards to pay city fees
- Resolution 22-23, approving $20,000 to the Clay-Pinson Chamber of Commerce in exchange for activities promoting the economic and industrial development of the municipality
- Resolution 22-24, authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract for advertising and promotion with the Clay-Pinson Chamber of Commerce for the 2022 Alabama Butterbean Festival, in the amount of $10,000
- Ordinance 2022-12, regarding an annexation agreement and transfer of real property on Faucett Cut-Off Road to Billy and Pamela Eady
The council called a special meeting for Wednesday, June 29, at 6 p.m., to discuss preparation of the city’s 2022/2023 budget. The next regular meeting of the Pinson City Council will be Thursday, July 7, 2022, at Pinson City Hall, beginning at 7 p.m. A pre-council workshop will take place at 6:15 p.m.
