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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

The Clanton City Council has approved raising the lodging tax charged by hotels to 6%.

The 2% increase was unanimously approved during the April 26 meeting.

Rep. Van Smith gave an update on the city’s request for draft beer sale approval by the State Legislature.

“We have fast tracked that as much as possible,” Smith said.

He said he filed the bill “the last day that it could possibly drop.”

“I hope it will be on local legislation tomorrow (April 27) if not Thursday,” Smith said.

If that is the case, he said he would still have time to get it before the House of Representatives during this legislative session. However, he did not know how things were progressing in the Senate.

The City Council also approved purchasing 20 air packs and a rapid intervention kit

for the Clanton Fire Department. Chief David Driver had said in a previous meeting that this would give the department four updated packs on each of the four engines and the ladder truck.

Also during the meeting, the Council approved:

• A vehicle for the mayor, maintenance supervisor and the police department.
• A bid for janitorial service.
• A resolution to continue cutting the grass on the right-of-way on highways 31 and 145 and receiving some compensation from the state.
• Billy Singleton as the Mayor Pro Tempore. He would serve as mayor if something happened to Mayor Jeff Mims, and he was unable to continue as mayor.