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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

The Clanton City Council approved two rezoning requests during its March 13 meeting.

The first approval rezones 1901 Seventh St. N from R-3 Multi-Family Residential District to B-3 Neighborhood Business District. The second rezones property owned by Jeffrey Howell on U.S. Highway 31 South from R-1 Single Family Residential District to B-2 General Business District.

The council also approved moving forward with an application to the FEMA SAFER grant to fund personnel for the Clanton Fire Department. The grant application will request funding for nine full-time employees for three years. Securing the grant would add three positions to the downtown station, which is already staffed 24/7, and provide personnel to have a second station staffed full-time. The grant program is competitive, so there is no guarantee of funding.

Chris Johnson of the Chilton County Rescue Squad thanked the council for the funding it provides.

“Every penny of your support will be used to serve our community,” Johnson said. “Your funding helps provide insurance, tags, tires, equipment maintenance, building maintenance and utilities.”

Johnson gave an overview of the squad’s service in the community providing vital light towers for law enforcement and other emergency workers during night time responses to severe traffic accidents. Lights are also provided for night time community events.

He also provided clarification on the city’s history of funding. The support for the rescue squad started with the city allowing the squad to use city shop gas pumps. When auditors recommended against continuing this, the city started giving the squad $25 a month and allowing use of city park for an annual horse show fundraiser. However, concerns about damage to the baseball fields from the horses later prompted the city to offer the squad $5,000 a year, if they discontinued the fundraiser. This was agreed to and this level of funding continued for several years. The amount has decreased since then.