The city of Jemison approved a $21,000 grant to the Jemison Fire Department on Monday.

The grant was awarded to JFD under the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) program and Jemison Fire Chief John Dennis explained to council members Monday night that the money would be used to meet the firefighting and emergency needs of JFD.

“We have some hoses in our department that need to be replaced and this money will go toward replacing many of the hoses that are outdated,” Dennis said.

The recipients of the grant are those who closely conform to program priorities and considered and scored by review panels to be in need of the grant.

FEMA will pay $20,703 and the city of Jemison will pay $1,089 for the new equipment.

“We are essentially getting $20,000 worth of new equipment for $1,000,” Dennis said.

Mayor Eddie Reed thanked Dennis and told the council the AFG grants were very competitive to receive and it was a wonderful thing for the city of Jemison to receive the grant.

“I know I don’t say it enough but we are truly thankful for all that you do for our city,” Reed said. “You seek out grants for our city and we are blessed to have you.”

The council also voted to install a street light and curve sign at 16808 County Road 51.

Councilman George Brasher explained that a curve sign needed to be put in place due to low visibility around the sharp curve at night.

“I think it would be helpful to let everyone know about the sharp curve when they are driving on that road,” Brasher said. “There used to be a sign a long time ago but it was knocked down.”

The council voted to approve cemetery guidelines for both Holly Grove and Pine Hill cemeteries.

The guidelines came after the city voted on March 18 to set rates for the unclaimed lots at Pine Hill Cemetery.

The rates established during the March 18 meeting were $300 for the remaining unclaimed lots and $150 to open and close a grave. In November 2012, the Chilton County Circuit Court declared Pine Hill Cemetery was property of the city and the mayor and council had to decide pricing for the burial plots at the cemetery.

Reed said the resolution for guidelines at both Pine Hill and Holly Grove would have to be approved by the council and be available at city hall for anyone interested.

The guidelines include a cemetery committee’s roles, regulations and cemetery upkeep and gravesite preparation.

The meeting concluded with Reed thanking Jemison Police deputy chief Marc McMinn for his work with the 2013 Citizens Academy.

“Tomorrow night will be the last meeting of the Citizens Academy and I think you have done a wonderful job putting everything together this year,” Reed said. “I have heard from several people who have told me they have really enjoyed it and I think it is a great program.”

Councilman Brasher echoed Reed’s statement telling McMinn he had heard encouraging remarks regarding the Citizens Academy and thanked him for the work he had done in putting everything together.