At a council meeting Monday, Maplesville Mayor W.C. Hayes signed a proclamation recognizing April 20–26 as Parental Alienation Prevention Week and April 25 as Parental Alienation Awareness Day.

As part of Parental Alienation Prevention Week/Awareness Day, Maplesville will participate with other Alabama municipalities in the “Bubbles of Love” national campaign by taking 10 minutes to blow bubbles at noon April 25 to show support for children.

The campaign is sponsored by the Alabama Family Rights Association (ALFRA) and is held in April since it is Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month.

According to an ALFRA press release, parental alienation, or “hostile aggressive parenting,” is a form of child abuse that “deprives children of their right to be freely loved by and showing love for both of their parents.”

“Parental alienation is when one parent tries to damage or destroy the relationship a child has with the other parent,” said Wendy Archer, co-founder and officer of Parental Alienation Awareness Organization USA (PAAO USA), in the release. “Parental alienation can be mild, moderate or severe. It’s a form of child abuse that causes extreme emotional harm and trauma.”

Anyone in the community may participate in the bubble release April 25 at noon.

In other new business Monday, the council approved Monday to hire Josh Franklin as a part-time employee for the street department.

Franklin has served as a part-time garbage worker since the town approved him in February.

“He’s proved to me he’s going to be here every day,” Superintendent Kenny Barrett said.

Franklin will fill former street department employee Earl Livingston’s position.

Barrett told the council he started an animal control certification class Monday to be able to handle the town’s animal control issues.

“[There is] a lot of good information coming out of there right now,” Barrett said of the class.

Sheila Haigler, Rex Cleckler and Tommy Glasscock, all visitors on Monday’s agenda, addressed the council.

Haigler, who resigned after more than nine years as town clerk earlier this year, thanked the council for helping with her retirement tea held in the library before the council meeting.

 

“Thank you so much; it was a wonderful tea,” Haigler said. “I’ve enjoyed working with all of you, and I hope to come back. Thanks so much for all you’ve done.”

(For more coverage of Haigler’s retirement, check ClantonAdvertiser.com and an upcoming edition of the newspaper.)

Cleckler told the council he is running for the office of revenue commissioner of Chilton County this year, and Glasscock said he is running for the office of superintendent of education.

In other business, the council:

•Approved to have the roof in Town Clerk Dawn Smitherman’s office in town hall repaired for as much as or more than $500, depending on how much the repairs cost. Hayes said the roof started leaking after a series of heavy rains recently.

•Approved to load all town ordinances to the town’s official website, TownOfMaplesville.com.

•Approved the minutes from the March 10 council meeting, the financial report and monthly bills.