By Crystal McGough, copy editor
CLAY – The Clay City Council met on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020, where Councilor Dennis Locke presented the City of Clay School Grant winners for the month of January. Each winner will receive a $500 grant from the city to use for specified classroom supplies.
The winner for Clay Elementary is Taylor Federico, a fourth grade science and social studies teacher. Federico will purchase STEM bins, which are filled with engineering manipulatives.
Due to an error in December, in which Clay-Chalkville Middle School received two grants and the high school did not receive a grant, two grants were awarded to the high school Tuesday night.
“We will not have a grant for the middle school because we gave them two in December,” Locke said. “We’re doing two for the high school to make up for it.”
The first winner for CCHS is Melanie Gains, who plans to use the funds to purchase graphic novels for her ELL (English Language Learner) students and other students that struggle with reading.
The second winner for CCHS is Kay Mickel, who teaches self-contained special needs. She will use the funds to purchase and install a swing and other items to aid in calming and encourage self-regulation.
Counselor Becky Johnson announced that the Senior Center will be having a party at the center on Friday, for Valentine’s Day, and that Clay Methodist Church will also be having a senior citizens’ party on Saturday. Additionally, the seniors will be taking a trip to City Market in Pell City on Feb. 19, she said.
During the pre-council meeting, City Manager Ronnie Dixon informed the council that construction on the splash pad is now about three weeks behind schedule, due to rainy weather.
“We poured the splash pad part, and it has a drain and the drain works,” Dixon said. “But nothing else; we haven’t been able to form the slab or put plumbing in the ground for a building or anything like that. So it’s going to depend whether or not we can have the soft grand opening the same day as Opening Day (at the ballpark) or not. Just if we get enough dry weather to do it. We have enough time, we built-in enough time, but not for four weeks of rain.”
Dixon added that it would be too cold the first week of April to operate the splash pad, anyway.
The next meeting of the Clay City Council will be Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, at Clay City Hall. Pre-council begins at 6 p.m. and the regular council meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
