On Monday Dec 12, 2011 the Scottsboro City Council held a work session prior to the regular meeting.
The Scottsboro High School Student Body elected Amanda Rodgers as Scottsboro City Council Student Representative.
Scottsboro High School link: http://shs.scottsboroschools.net/ Go Wildcats!
The big issue involved the purchase of new radio equipment for all city agencies. If all new digital equipment is purchased it will cost the city of Scottsboro in excess of $200K. Happy Thompson made a presentation along with Lamar Miller and Mike Boylan. The purchase of the new equipment would allow trunking of radio communications. Wiki has a good article on "Trunked Radio Systems." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trunked_radio_system After the discussion last evening the question seems to be, to trunk or not to trunk? More on trunked radio systems http://www.mwc.co.uk/frames_trunk.htm
If the trunking system is taken down for whatever reason the question is what will be utilized for a backup? Backup Communications is a must! Failed communications has been experienced during natural and man made disasters due to a centralized location of all communications resources. Other questions involve: Who will work on a new digital system, will all work have to be accomplished out of town? Will the North Alabama emergency net frequency be utilized and accessible on the system? Apparently other area departments who will not have the digital equipment will not be able to communicate with each other. There was a motion made to table the issue at the regular council meeting until more definitive information could be gathered on the subject.
This is a problem which must involve the entire county, not just Scottsboro.
Other issues discussed at the work session were the resurfacing of South Broad Street project and FEMA fund reimbursement for the so called "Gravity Wave" storm in April 2009. $30K will be put aside for the purchase of emergency power generation equipment at City Hall. Mayor Potter reported that $61,657 has been approved for payment and a $15,450. balance remains unpaid.
In other business: 1) Jim Flowers was appointed by Mayor Potter to the Planning Commission.
2) A public hearing was held for a liquor license for the Raceway located at 2409 S. Broad St. 1 citizen spoke against the license being granted. Mr. Hall stated there should be a prohibition on alcoholic beverages in Scottsboro. He stated, "alcohol usage causes the crimes of spousal and child abuse to rise." He also stated crime in general increases as a result of alcohol abuse. The alcohol beverage license was approved by the City Council.
City Council Agenda, click on image for an expanded view.
1 comment:
Concerning Mr. Jim Flowers being appointed to the Planning Commission, doesn't this give the company that he works for an unfair advantage over other local construction companies?
Without doubt, there is a conflict of interest there. General Contractors often take the responsiblility of taking projects they are designing to the planning commision.
Mr. Flowers will have advance knoweldge of ordinance changes as well as future projects under development ahead of his competitor.
This clearly provides an advantage to one contractor over another.
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