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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

The Clanton City Council approved two full-time paid positions during the Oct. 25 voting session.

A full-time director of parks and recreation was established with a job description and salary as well as paying the Chief of Staff.

Bob Woods had been appointed to the Chief of Staff position as a volunteer the day Mayor Jeff Mims took office on Nov. 2, 2020.

“I would like to see us go ahead and hire Bob as my Chief of Staff,” Mims said in a work session on Oct. 7. “We had talked about a city manager, but as long as I have Bob, I don’t think we need a city manager just yet.”

During the meeting, the council and mayor also heard Robert Binion’s concerns about Martin Luther King Jr. Street needing guardrails near the ditch and mowing of the right-of-way. He also asked that some fall decorations like what was seen in other places in town be placed on the street.

“That is the only historic (named) street that we have in that area,” Binion said, emphasizing that other towns with historically named streets keep up beautification efforts on them.

Mims said crews are mowing as they are able in a rotation, and the neighborhood was not being left out.

“Don’t think you are being mistreated,” Mims said.

Mims explained that the fall decorations had been donated.

“But you are excluding MLK Street,” Binion said.

“I’m not excluding anyone,” Mims said.

The Council also approved:

• An amendment to an ordinance that creates a permit requirement for mobile food units. A permit would be good for three days with an additional permit required for additional days.
• Abandoning a portion of Allen Street (Baker Avenue) that had remained undeveloped.
• Participating in the Severe Weather Preparedness Tax Holiday on certain supplies on Feb. 25-27, 2022.
• Allowing the Clanton Fire Department to apply for a grant for a chest compression device.
• A one-year lease agreement with Chilton County Transit for $1,200 and a one-year lease agreement with Gibson Timber Company for $600.