The Maplesville Town Council moved forward Tuesday with a project to sidewalk and put street lamps in part of the downtown area.

The council voted to give the state of Alabama the right of way along the project’s path, the Alabama 22 truck route, behind the Town Hall/Library.

As the project is written now, the 80/20 split of the state grant would cost Maplesville $36,000. Mayor Aubrey Latham said it’s possible that bids for the project could come in less than that amount. It’s also possible that specifications for the project could be changed to save money if it’s needed.

The mayor and council worried if they backed out of the project at this point it would hurt the town in getting future grants. Whatever the amount Maplesville will pay won’t be due for at least six months and will still be a great deal, Latham said.

In other business, the council took the following actions:

•Fire Chief and Councilman Michael Abbott reported that the town’s fire department answered 162 calls last year, up from 110 in 2009.  He also discussed a $56,000 grant the fire department earned that will be used to buy equipment. The grant requires a 5 percent match from the town.

•Police Chief Todd Ingram reported that the state had given the town two e-citation machines. Though the exact date has not been finalized, a Department of Homeland  grant will award the town two more machines in coming months, equipping four patrol cars with the computers. The town court is working to interface the new records with theirs. For the time being, a clerk must reenter the tickets filed by officers in their cars.

Ingram and the council also talked about equipping the machines with air cards to give them wireless Internet access from any place in the town.

The council also authorized Phil Kamerer to look into backing up the city’s data externally. Currently, the town’s only back-up is housed in the Town Hall.

•Approved a proposed budget for 2011.

•Approved contracting with Sentell Engineering for $500 (including travel) to check the structural integrity of the old Brown Brothers Building. The town is trying to determine how it might use the building/property in the future.

•Purchased a quarter page ad in The Clanton Advertiser’s upcoming Progress edition for $525.