The Maplesville Town Council approved pay raises for two police officers and the hiring of a new employee in the street department Monday.

Officers Keith Avery and Bridgette Ellis received a 25-cent increase in pay.

Avery and Ellis were hired as full-time officers in May and were eligible for their first three-month increase pending the council’s approval. As new officers, they are eligible for the council to grant them a 25-cent pay increase every three months until they reach their one-year mark of being employed with the department.

After accepting the resignation of street department employee Malcolm Huff, the council approved hiring Darrell Goodwin on a temporary, 60-day trial basis.

Huff resigned because he accepted another job in Calera.

Street department superintendent Kenny Barrett and the council will evaluate Goodwin’s work at the end of the 60-day period and decide whether to retain him as an employee.

Shawn Reed with the Maplesville Pee Wee Athletics Board visited the council and presented a new policy for use of Maplesville Community Park on Shanks Drive.

The council approved for local and out-of-town groups using the park to pay $125 per night if they use electricity for lights and sound systems.

Groups using the park without electricity are required to pay a $100 security deposit to be returned after usage, pending no damages to the park’s ball fields and buildings.

Reed said the $125 fee to use the park with electricity would be non-refundable since the board would have to pay the power bill.

Reed said the monthly bill is normally about $800, and the board has had to cover most of the bills and expenses for the park, even when groups other than Pee Wee Athletics teams have used it with electricity.

“I want everyone to enjoy the park, but we don’t get a lot of donations,” Reed said. “There is a financial burden. I don’t think we should be solely responsible.”

In other police department business, Court Clerk Cindy Brown told council members a swipe machine will soon be installed in the municipal court office to allow people to make credit or debit card payments when they come to court.

Previously, people could only pay with cash at court time, but the swipe machine will provide more payment type options.

“I think it will increase our court collections,” Brown said. “It’s not going to cost the town anything to do it.”

For the month of July, there were 894 outstanding warrants, six new warrants issued, seven warrants recalled and 16 warrants served.

The town collected $550 from the Safe Streets Act.