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Thorsby Town Council member Roger Marcus resigned at Monday’s meeting.

Marcus said his decision was based on personal reasons.

“I think it’s the right thing for me to do at this time,” Marcus said without offering more details.

Mayor Jean Nelson and other council members expressed surprise about Marcus’ decision.

Marcus was elected unopposed to the District 5 seat in the 2012 municipal election.

The council would declare the seat vacant at its next meeting, on Aug. 19, and have 60 days from that date to fill the seat. Nominations could be made and voted on as soon as the first meeting in September.

If a new council member is not approved within 60 days of declaring the vacancy, each council member and the mayor could submit a recommendation to Gov. Robert Bentley, who would then appoint a new council member.

If Bentley failed to appoint someone, Chilton County Probate Judge Bobby Martin would call for a special election.

In other business, the council:

•Agreed to put a piece of town-owned property up for sale. The old sewing factory, along with about 2 acres of land, will be listed for about $199,000.

•Heard from Police Chief Rodney Barnett that a dedication ceremony for a memorial street clock would be held at 2 p.m. on Aug. 11 at Helen Jenkins Chapel. The clock was installed in honor of former Mayor Dearl Hilyer.

•Amended a previous resolution to correct miscalculated tapping fees for new water customers. The fees will range from $1,200 to $1,700 for residential customers, depending on the type of meter needed and whether the location was inside town limits, and $3,100 for commercial customers. The fees are only charged for residents installing new water meters. “This is only going to affect people who are building new houses, needing new meters,” Mayor Jean Nelson said.

•Allowed Town Clerk Crystal Smith to purchase three new computer workstations for $3,690 and a software upgrade for $1,950. Smith told council members that the cost of the software would come out of the town’s general fund, while the computers could be paid for out of the court improvement fund. Smith said Municipal Court Judge Amanda Baxley approved of the expense.

•Changed the pay scale for the Public Works Department to reflect an increase from $8.50 per hour to $10 per hour for the position of water waste intern/meter reader. “I feel like we need to make this job more enticing so we can keep them,” Nelson said of current employees.

•Approved hiring Cecil E. Martin Jr. as the town’s building inspector. Martin works in the same role for the city of Clanton.

•Approved Smith attending a three-day city clerk certification session at a cost to the town of $235.

•Heard from Marcus that he plans to donate a painting of Helen Jenkins Chapel and the adjacent memorial street clock to the town in honor of Bess Bentley.