The Maplesville Town Council approved Monday to hire two new full-time police officers and to accept the resignation of an existing officer.

The council accepted Bridgette Eller’s resignation and approved Police Chief Todd Ingram’s recommendations to hire Keith Avery and Kenneth Casey as full-time officers.

Avery worked at the town’s police department from March 2013 to May 2014 before transferring to the Jemison Police Department.

Ingram said Avery expressed interest in coming back to work in Maplesville.

“He was never written up for anything,” Ingram said in response to a council member’s question about his behavior and performance on the job. “Any extra shift, he would never turn it down. He’s a hard worker; that’s why I like him. I can count on him.”

Avery will start his job with the town on Nov. 20.

Ingram said he met Casey outside of work and thought he would be “good” for the department.

“I’ve known him for two years, and I have seen him outside the police department,” Ingram said of Casey.

Casey told the council he is an Afghanistan veteran and weapons instructor.

“My wife and I love it here,” Casey said. “We love this area and want to stay here. This is our last move.”

Casey will start on Dec. 1 and will ride along with other officers to learn how they operate on a daily basis.

He will go to the Police Academy from Jan. 19 to April 19.

Ingram said hiring Avery and Casey would ensure his department has five full-time officers.

In addition to Eller’s resignation, Frank Jones, another full-time officer, recently resigned.

“We are going to be two officers short, so we’ve got to hire one immediately, or we’ll be down to three officers and will not be able to operate the way we should,” Ingram said. “We’ve got to have somebody ASAP.”

For the fire department, Assistant EMS Chief Christine Epperson updated the council on the town’s annual Christmas parade, which members of the department organize.

The 2014 parade is scheduled for Dec. 6 at 5 p.m., with line-up at 3:30 p.m. and judging at 4:30 p.m.

“We are not having a very good response this year,” Epperson said. “Right now, we only have five people that are going to be in the parade. It’s not fair to us because we work hard.”

The parade is free for participants and spectators. It starts and ends at Maplesville High School.

Float winners receive prize money.

“Normally, by this time, I’ve got 10-15 people wanting to be in the parade,” Epperson said. “We’ve got to do a little better.”

In other business, the council:

•Approved a nine-month 25-cent raise for Town Clerk Dawn Smitherman effective Oct. 26.

•Approved a request from the Chilton County Humane Society that the town pledge $292 to the shelter for the purchase of a new incinerator.