Council - Regular Meeting

I don't know if she's over here. That's what that's when I was 18.

Okay.

All right, it is 5:30. Uh, thank you everybody for being here. We will run through our agenda for tonight's 6 pm meeting. We will start with a proclamation by the mayor. Uh then approval of minutes approved March 9th, 2026 5:00 p.m. council work session approved March 16th, 2026 9:30 a.m. Council work session approved March 16th, 2026 10 a.m. council meeting approved March 23rd, 2026 10 a.m. special call council meeting, changes, any questions? All right. Uh we'll have three public hearings. The first one is ordinance number 264639. I approve reszoning request 144526 for property located at 3418 Indian Hills Road Southeast to community commercial. This public hearing was set March 2nd 2026. Any changes? No. Any changes? Any questions? All right. Resolution number 26068. Approve request for restaurant retail liquor license for Logan's Roadhouse Enterprises LLC. New business has Logan's Roadhouse 369 at 2315 Beline Road Southwest 35601.

Changes over there today. All right. Resolution number 26069 approve request for special event retail liquor license for Responsible Partners LLC doing business as 609 social market for deck days festival on April 18th, 2026 at 109 East Molden Street Southeast Alabama 35601. No changes. No changes. Resolution number 26070, approve river contract for auxiliary auditing services for the revenue department. No changes. No changes. Resolution number 26071 award whistleb construction to fight construction company LLC.

No changes unless no changes. Resolution number 26072 declare surplus of vehicles no longer used by various departments. No changes. No changes. All right. Resolution number 26073 approve agreement with Fight Building Company for construction management small works. No changes. No changes. Resolution number 26074 approved rebuild and repair to the VHS polishing screen. No changes.

No changes. Resolution number 26075 approved budget increase for dec utilities cut patching and pipe burst object changes. Resolution number 26076 approve proposal for MS4 permit renewal and outfall reconnaissance services with three notch group. No change no changes. Resolution number 26077 approved proposal for ADM services for Wilson Morgan Park. How about improvements from Morell Engineering? Objective. No changes. Resolution number 26078 authorize mayor to sign high paddle sports agreement.

There's no changes to that. That's what that's what Hunter Allen wanted to say. Also, no changes. Yes. No changes. Resolution number 2679 approve sidewalk cafe application for mother's Italian kitchen. Okay. No changes. Resolution number 26080 authorized Baker Foundation to retain contractor for chapel renovation at Decar Historic Cemetery.

Yeah, that presentation report was last week. There's been no changes since then. Thank you. Approve resolution number 26081 approve purchase of AED equipment. No changes. No changes. Resolution number 26082 approve victorious re-entry program agreement.

Yeah, that's the lady of course that came made the presentation. That's it's a three-year contract. No changes. Ordinance is first reading ordinance number 264642 approve franchise for three course main pipes and discharge pre-treated waste waters. I made one slight the there was two documents that were attached to it and all I did was add a sentence that just refers to those and make sure that that's part of the franchise agreement. That's the only change that was made and this is the first reading for this morning. But I wanted to get it so y'all would introduce it.

All right. Ordinances. Ordinance number 264640. Approve request to operate a show for service by Dawn's Transportation LLC located at 406 Bird Road, Marshall, Alabama 35640. No changes. Boards and committees. The mayoral appointment of Hannah Bleven to the ambulance regulatory board with term expiring August 19th, 2027. This will be a partial term to the resation of Kenneth Kirkland. No changes. Anything to add? council. Good. All right. Again, at 6 o'clock. Thank you.

All

[clears throat]

right, Clark will call the meeting to order. Alice will lead us in our invocation. Let us pray. Dear heavenly father, God, as we come to you today, we just thank you for your many blessings. God, we thank you even yesterday, God, as we celebrated Easter. God, we thank you that you arose and you gave us a hope and a promise, God, of knowing that you're going to come back. And we just pray today that you would be with this council, the mayor, as they make the decisions to lead the city. God, I pray that you just give them the wisdom to do that. God, I pray that you'd be with us, God, that we'd forever and always be seen doing your will. In Jesus Christ's holy name we pray. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right. Thank you everybody for being here. The first order of business is a proclamation by the mayor. All right. Whereas more than 100,000 Americans and nearly 1,200 Alamians are currently on the national transplant waiting list. Whereas another person is added to the waiting list every 8 minutes. And on an average 13 people die each day while waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Whereas the most effective way to address this health crisis is to educate and encourage citizens to commit to the following actions. Register your decision to be an organi and tissue donor at legacyofh hope.org or at your local DMV and learn more about living donations at donatelife.net. [clears throat] Where is that the donate life cause of saving and healing lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation is of such immediate and worthwhile importance that now therefore I, Kent Lawrence, mayor of the city of Decar, Alabama, do hereby pro proclaim April 2026 as National Donate Life Month. I encourage all residents to reg register their decision to be an organ and tissue donor at legacyofh hope.org or at your local Alabama DMV. And I'd like to call Mr. Kevin Huckabid up front. He's a ambassador with Legacy of Hope and a double lung transplant himself to receive this proclamation. And I think Mr. Humphrey wanted to make a statement.

Yes. Yes. Thank you. So, I'm sorry.

Thank you, mayor. Thank you, city council. Just make this brief. So, I'm very passionate about this because in 2019, I was given less than 6 months to live. I had two twin 10 year old boys at the time and my desire was to live longer with him. Unfortunately, I faced a transplant on February 14th of 2020. Valentine's Day I got my two loans and if you remember what happened in 2020 co so I was trapped in Nashville Tennessee for about 5 weeks and as you see it's been just over 6 years I have done really well but it was because somebody decided to be an organ donor just so everybody knows less than 3% of people decided to be organ donors are actually capable of donating organs based on the way they died so it's important to get the word out so if you're not an organ donor I encourage you his son, but I appreciate this very much. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] All right. Up next, we will go into agenda related public comments. Uh before we begin, I want to briefly outline our public comment process. Any wish to speak should have signed in with their name and address on a signin sheet in the back. Comments on agenda items will be heard before the first agenda item and general comments at the end of the meeting. Each speaker will have up to three minutes. All remarks should be directed to the council in a respectful constructive manner. By signing in, you're acknowledging and agreeing to follow the rules on the signin sheet. Please note the comments may or may not be addressed after your time ends. Public comments an opportunity to share ideas, input, and engage with the council and a mayor in a positive and productive way. Uh Mr. Farooqi. Yeah, mayor council. Just want to highlight a couple things uh for comment here. First off, last month I think it was Black History Month. It took us almost a month to get that put out this month. Um I think it's autism awareness,

sexual assault awareness, national volunteer month, and Arab awareness history month. So again, those are all part of your proclamations that you could have done today, too. Um the resolutions I'm concerned about, uh first of all, did everybody see my question? I sent a copy to every one of you. Pam, I saw you nod. You saw him. Mayor, did you see them? It was to you and I CC everybody else here. Did everybody get them? No.

Oh, well, you I got an out of office reply from you. So, um, anyway, uh, the questions I had was how does 26071 and well, how did it get on the agenda since at the work session community development brief that it was brought up two years ago and it was CD0032, which implies there's 31 before 032 and many perhaps after 0032. How does those get brought up before the council for a vote?

The [clears throat] community development in this instance would bring the project to the council.

Okay. And so when they brought it to the council and I saw the the map, it had a lot of issues with it. Um, seems like a pretty price tag for a company that basically you work for, Mr. Pike. Um, to get a artist rendition done by some of our some of your um sponsors for your campaigns. uh and the city has to pay that mean taxpayers have to pay for that. So that seems like an unjust use of funds, unwise use of funds. And then resolution 26073 approves uh an agreement with fight for construction of small work. Small works defined as anything less than $2 million. So what are the left and right limits for what fight can and can't do?

Less than $2 million. So any project including CD 00031 down to zero and after CD 002 gets approved tonight that they can get automatic approval for all those small works if if we need construction management services. Yes. So a monopoly for fight industries. It's not a monopoly. Who else would have an opportunity in the future then? I don't know how many were interviewed but this was Well, you should know that before you approve this. Yes, you should because I believe it was seven is the number that was given during the last work session. Same with the bid. It was a bid process. Okay. In accordance with state law. So you talk about waste fraud abuse. I love to talk about that.

They were the low bid. So are you advocating that we don't go with the low bidder because you simply don't like where the council president works. I would ask that in the future if you approve that measure, we will have no option other than to go to fight for anything less than $2 million according to the written resolution. So yes, you rather No, no, I didn't say that, did I? What did I say, Carlton? All right, it has been 3 minutes. Uh, thank you, Mr. Farooqi. You can respond later. Minutes approved March 9th, 2026. 5:00 p.m. Council work session approved March 16th, 2026. Is everybody okay? One.

Yes. Approved March 16th, 2026, 9:30 a.m. Council work session approved March 16th, 2026, 9:30, excuse me, 10 a.m. Council meeting. Approved March 23rd, 2026, 10 a.m. Special call council meeting. A motion by Mr. McMasters. Second by Mr. Atkins. Any discussion? Roll call. I

all right the minutes are approve of a vote of 5 to zoom in hearings. First one is ordinance number 264639 approve reason zoning request 144526 for property located at 3418 Indian Hills Road Southeast to community commercial. The public hearing was set March 2nd, 2026. Uh this is a resoning for 1443-26. It's on 3.24 acres currently zone residential single family 10. The land owner is Barbara Guthrie. The location is 3418 Indian Hills Road and the request is to reszone 3.24 acres from RSF10 single family residential to community commercial. The proposed land use is community commercial and one decada recommends a land use of neighborhood commercial.

All right. This is a public hearing. If there's anybody from the public who'd like to speak on this matter, you may speak now. There's no specific order. Got a few signed in, but whoever would like to speak first.

Hello.

My name is Peggy John's. Um, I live on I'm one of the residents on Indian Hills Road that this will affect. Uh, it will not affect me as much as the Coopers and the and the Kooies who live behind me. The Coopers live next door to me. That lot or that parcel of land is right next to them. Uh, they will both be more affected than me, but it'll also affect me uh too if if that happens. Uh we I've been living there 23 years. So it's my home. Co the Kooies have been living there 25. Uh my neighbor to the right of me 11. Um to the left of me 7 to eight years. So we're all we're a neighborhood. We may be a small neighborhood, but nevertheless, we are a neighborhood. and you've already reszoned um the parcel up closest to 67 which they're going to build an express oil change and probably a couple other businesses also. So I would like to ask you to please leave us a buffer between I mean not just be business business right up to our houses. I think we deserve that. We already have a Publix right in my front front yard just about that I have to look at every day. And I just think it's not too much to ask to leave that buffer between the uh the Cooper's house which they would be here only she just had surgery and he's her caregiver. Uh they would be here to protest this also. But I just would love for you to, you know, consider us and our little neighborhood. And we're more like a family, uh, than we are, you know, neighbors. We're really close. So, um, it would just I just love it if you would, you know, really consider leaving that

buffer in between, uh, the Cooper's house and the express oil change that's already going to be built up there. Thank you. [clears throat]

Thank you. name is Robert Cooey. I live at 3318 Indian Hills Road. Sorry, y'all probably got double emails. I was trying to head to see my son. He's in college at Pensacola Christian. And so I was trying to to get him down there or go down to see him. I came back early because my son said, "Hey, would you fight for my property? Would you fight for my home?" So, we came back. I've been here 25 years. We bought not on the outskirts, not on the edges. We bought in a residential area. And as Mima Peggy, as my kids call her, because she's been there the whole time. Um, 25 years. That's our home. We didn't buy to try to make an investment to make money. None of us trying to get rich. We bought a place because we want a home. They wanted a home. And uh I do love most because this is where we live. We've been part of the city decater. We bring kids in from church. I do uh fire pits there. Uh we do want we teach children's church. We we pray and and we say we want God to bless. But we invest in the children. We we bring them to the home. We teach them how to to build uh uh fire pits. We teach them how to to contribute to the community. We teach them they have responsibility. And and you know, none of y'all would want a business put in your backyard or in your kids' backyard. We have a between more than four, less than five. But the acres are going to be split between my two boys because they want to live here. My son's taking electrical engineering. That's what I was. I know I read system safety teams and before I ever went to a board to get a a missile approved or a UAV approved, most

of the time I'd already talked to the board. I wouldn't know where we was going to be and I usually knew what the decision was before we got there. I don't know if y'all already know the decision you're going to make. But, you know, u we're real people. We're not brick and mortar. We're not there to try to make a profit. We're a neighborhood. We're not just we're not just some entity where people are moving in and out all the time. We're part of each other. Uh just like she was talking about Marilyn and and Barry, she's having real bad back issues. She's had several surgeries having to have another one. We take care of them. My wife has fixed meals for them. Uh we our kids run their garbage cans back up to the house. We're We are It's just like family. Are we kin to each other? No. Um we didn't purchase it, like I said, to make a living. We've been there for decades. We're real people. My son wanted me to come back for one simple reason. He said, "Dad, I'd like for you to stay down here with me during Easter and stay down here for a few more days, but please go back and fight for my place. It's worth it to us. We like being citizens in Decape. We enjoy being there." And uh I I didn't two or three years ago invest in trying to get

wrap up. Okay. We didn't two or three years ago invest trying to to make money. We wanted to raise a family. I I'd like to ask you to please vote no.

U my name is Lilian Cooey. I live in 331A Indian Hills row. Um, no one want to have a commercial beside your house. And y'all all know grocery is buying the property and they just want to have a business and just let us be honest with the city councelor. Let us look at the city of the Dec Mall. is ghost town. You can do better job to made that place have a business to come in rather stuck or allow the business beside your next story decor just made they just buy the property and make it to residential and they don't care. They don't care who you live there. But we care. We've been living there for more than 25 years. I hope y'all can consider to make decator because y'all allowed people just knowing have a lot of vacancy in the dec area to make a better decator really just stuck the business next door of you. That is not that is not good. Re recognize of the city better.

And I just consider y'all y'all need to consider to vote no to put the business beside us. That is not what we need. Thank you.

Thank you. Well, I was at the planning commission when a lot of the folks here have already spoken came up to the planning commission to voice their opinions and it still got approved and moved forward to this body. Um, and as you know, my biggest issues with the current zoning regulation, and Kent, you were the man in charge for 12 years in that body, was neighborhood meetings and notification. Uh, was there a neighborhood meeting for this? Hello.

Okay. I think I'm hearing no. And when I went to the planning commission, they also said no, but you all don't apparently know that. And that's a problem. Um, the new zoning rewrite which is apparently going to be established because I think Barry, you were at the last planning commission meeting, correct? And it was notified then that they were going to have a new committee of nine people to establish a rewrite. The rewrite that took us 12 years under Kent to do is now going to take us how long to get done? We don't know. But notification [clears throat] and neighborhood meetings ought to be part of that, especially if developments are going to have an impact on neighborhoods. [clears throat]

It wasn't ready for prime time then. It's not ready for prime time now. Why don't we just accept that fact and do something about it? Thank you, councel.

Is there anybody else like Richard Humphrey with Purat McAlli 3108th Avenue Northeast. Uh we represent the the property owner on this one. Um basically they're just asking to reszone the property to commercial which matches the one decator comprehensive plan. A lot of effort went into that plan to create those future land use areas and and this is in in compliance with that. Um there are currently not any specific plans for development. When those plans are uh uh presented, they will come to the planning commission for review. They will include the necessary items in this zoning that would include some buffers uh some landscape buffers, those type things that will provide some separation to these uh adjacent property owners. U basically th this is uh just a move to again step toward uh compliance with that comprehensive plan. Thank you. Is there anybody else like to speak to this? All right. Since there's no one else from the public, we will consider the public hearing closed. A motion and a second on the floor. So moved. Have

a motion by Miss Wler and I'll second by Mr. Buller. Any discussion? Yeah, I'll say something on on this miss John's, there will be a buffer. It's it's required in zone three, right? Um, you know, when you look at this, and I understand y'all's concern with, you know, you thought you're being pushed out. Nobody's telling you you got to be pushed out. We have been, we have been told that the intent was to move us out. Plans aren't always right. It was a 43 vote. So it was three three people recognized what it was

and and it and we've been told the intent is to move south plans. Well, I I don't I don't know whose intent it is because it's your property and and the same way it's it's your property. If it's zoned, you should be able to do what you want to. Whoever owns the property, if they want to have it reszone, they should be afforded the same courtesy. Um, and that's really all I've got. Any any other discussion? Well, we we've closed the public comment here. I'm sorry. So, anything else from the council? Roll call. I

All right. Ordinance number 264639 approve with a vote of 4 to1. Resolution number 26068 approve request for restaurant retail liquor license for Logan's Roadhouse Enterprises LLC doing business as Logan's Roadhouse 369 at 2315 Buine Road Southwest Alabama 35601. Yeah, this is a change in ownership and they have um been approved by us. They've completed everything they needed to to be approved.

All right. This is a public hearing. If there's anybody from the public that would like to speak on this matter, you may speak now. All right. Since there will consider the public hearing closed motion by Mr. McMasters, second by Mr. Atkins. Any discussion? Roll call. I I

All right. Resolution number 26068 is approved with a vote of 50. Resolution number 26069 approve request for special event retail liquor license for responsible partners LLC doing business at 609 social market days festival on April 18th 2026 at 109 East Mult Street Southeast Alabama 35601. They've met all um requirements and we recommend approval. All right, this is a public hearing. If there's anyone from the public that would like to speak to this matter, you may speak now. See, there's nobody from the public consider the public hearing closed. So have a motion by Mr. Atkins. Second by Mr. McMasters. Any discussion?

Roll call. I I resolution number 26069 that's approved with a vote of 5 to 0. Resolution resolution number 26070 approve river Tree contract for auxiliary auditing services for the revenue department. Yeah, we are asking that you approve this. They're a third party auditing firm that we use to help us since we're a small department with auditing and it's proven to pay for itself. So move a motion by Mr. McMasters. Second. Second by Morsler. Any discussion? Obviously, I think they've done a really good job and obviously provided return on investments. [clears throat] They have.

Anything else? Roll call. I resolution number 26070 is approve of the vote of 50. Resolution number 26071, award whistleb construction to Fight Construction Company LLC. Uh yes, this is a project that we received $850,000 grant from um the state to to construct a park at um Market Street. Uh we received three responsive bids and we're requesting a award to low. So I have a motion by Mr. McMasters.

Second. Second by Worler. Any discussion? I will just state that I'll be abstaining due to a conflict of interest. Anything else? [clears throat] Roll call. I abstainers. I. Resolution number 2671 is approving the vote of 4 to 0 with one abstension. Resolution number 26072 declare surplus of vehicles no longer used by various departments.

Good evening, council. Don Rudder, finance department. Uh as Mr. Cheryl from the procure uh purchasing department shared with you last week at the work session in 2025, we entered into a lease agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management. Since then, we've acquired 33 vehicles to update our aging fleet. And part of that deal was that they were going to we were going to get rid of some of our more aged vehicles. Uh we have comprised a surplus list of 36 of the oldest assets in our fleet that are no longer needed and we are seeking approval to surplus those. So we have a motion by Mr. Remasters. Second second by Mr. Buller. Any discussion? Roll call.

I resolution number 26072 is approve the vote 5 to zero. Resolution number 26073 approved agreement by building company for construction management small works

and this is uh Mr. Cheryl also shared with you that this is an agreement with fight for small works construction management they would be this would be any project or construction project rather below $2 million in this agreement will allow us to partner with them to assist in management of programs project estimation oversight etc on these selected projects as they are needed. Um the procurement team did receive and review proposals from seven different management firms from across the region and the purchasing department is recommending five building company. So a motion by Mr. McMasters second. Second by Miss Porcel. Any discussion?

Let me just make this statement. This doesn't mean that every project that is million or less would contract fight for this. just gives us the the means to be able to use them if we need to. Anything else? Again, I'll just state that I'll be abstaining to to a conflict of interest. Roll call. I resolution number 26073 is approved with a vote of 4 to zero before extension. Resolution number 26074 approve rebuild and repair to the VHS washing screen

on the Tyler Landfill and Recycling. Uh while we're down, I've asked uh bulk handling solutions, well systems to come in and assess the the other equipment. And this is one of those uh pieces of equipment, the polishing screen that needs rebuild and repair. So, and they started the work today. So, we are uh slowly getting back functioning. Hopefully in the next few weeks, I'll be having some good news for you. Have a motion by Mr. McMasters. Second. Second by Miss Wler. Any discussion? I'll just I'll just explain how they started today because we approved this under the emergency.

Yes. Proposal. It was less than $40,000. And since this has our recycling plant shut or shut down this time, uh, we made that decision to go ahead and start today here. Yes, sir. And and good job, Wanda, being proactive and, you know, before. I'm trying. I got the scarlet letter on my app. [laughter] probably had an opportunity to do it on a couple more weeks maybe. Well, this is this is not

that's not the BOR. That's what Yeah. All right. Any other discussions? Roll call. I Thank you. Thank you. Resolution number 26074 is approved with the vote of 50. Resolution number 26075 approved budget increase for the county utilities cut patching and pipe burst.

Yes, mayor council Carl Puit city engineer. Uh we begin the year doing some patching of the DU cuts and we ran over our budget a little bit. This resolution would cover that overage plus add about 500,000 because I'd like to continue doing patches on those cut cuts. And this also applies funding to to redo uh Duncanby Drive. And all this money that is spent would be reimbured 100% by Dec Utilities. Motion by Mr. McMasters, second by Mr. Buller. Any discussion? I would just reiterate that this is a budgeted line item essentially for the city and we are reimbured 100%. Great. We got plus 1%.

We have to we have to create the expenditure code to get reimbured. All right. Thank you. Any other discussion? Roll call.

I All right. Resolution number 26075 approve with the vote of 50. Resolution number 26076. Approve proposal for MS4 permit renewal and outfall reconnaissance services with three notch. Yeah, this is a our ADM permit requires us to do outfall reconnaissance which they do and inspect our outfalls and this helps us do that. And then also every 5 years the permit comes up for renewal which means you have to redo your storm water management plan which is a fairly sizable document. This company can help us uh rework that um this year. Okay.

So motion by Mr. Atkins second by Mr. McMasters. Any discussion? Roll call. I resolution number 26076 is approved with a vote of 50 to 0. Resolution number 26077 approved proposal for ADM services for Wilson Morgan Park out on improvements from Morell Engineering. Yeah, we're getting ready to try to get this under bid. Uh this is allows Morell Engineering to submit to ADM our stormwater permit. They also do the ADM um inspections through the construction of this project. So a motion by Mr. McMasters.

Second. Second by Miss Wler. Any discussion? Roll calls. I resolution number 26077 is approved with the vote of 50. Resolution number 26078 authorize the mayor to sign Hive Paddle Sports agreement. Good evening, council. Um, this is for the city to enter a contract with High Paddle Sports, who's the manufacturer of the kiosk rental systems that were put in at Point Mard Park. Um, and we went over some details of the contracts last week, but just wanted to open the floor for y'all for any questions. TVA permits in hand.

Yes, it is approved and in hand. So motion by Mr. McMasters, second by Miss Wler. Any discussion? 13. We kind of been over this a few times. We've seen the presentation, but 13 total units. Um $55,000. Uh they'll have an administrative fee. Props beyond that are split 8020. 8 to the city, 20 to Hive. And we will furnish all the equipment. I think that's

Yep. Yeah. Yeah, that's correct. Um that's a good rundown of it. Uh 13 total units. So it's a it's a blend of single and tandem kayaks, fishing kayaks, and paddle boards. Uh just offer a variety. Um and then we could change those out as needed depending on the usage that we're getting. So if we see more singles being rented, then we can we can replenish with whatever we want to replenish with. But that's what we're starting with. People excited about this. And one thing I did want to point out, too, is that this will not be inside the gates. Point water park. It will be outside so it'll be accessible. There will be a fee involved but you won't have to pay to get into the park to use these. There's a lot of excitement. I think it's a great project. Appreciate you.

The location is right near the trail head uh where the bike rental station is. So in between the pickle ball center and the wave pool in that open uh grass space. Um and so that that will and also be will be accompanied by an accessible kayak launch uh as well. The dog was to bring that up. Yeah. be locked off at night. I mean, not obviously, but

the kayaks will be you cannot get to the kayaks without actually like it has a lock mechanism on the system. So, to unlock the lock, there's there's a time frame. So, like we set the times, you're able to lock it and unlock it. Um, now the the the dock the dock itself, there's no plans at this moment for it to be locked. So if if you're a citizen that has your own kayak, then feel free to use the launch at under your own valition. All right. Any other discussion? Roll call. I I

resolution number 26078 is approved with the vote of 50 to 0. Resolution number 26079 approved sidewalk cafe application for mother's Italian kitchen.

Yes. This is for the approval of a sidewalk cafe that actually opens to the rear of the property behind 209 2nd Avenue and to Sunny Side Alley. Uh we reviewed the plans and the design for the sidewalk cafe. They provide the proper ingress and egress for handicap accessibility and for patrons to walk through and move freely. Also through Sunnyside Alley as well as the area where they'll have the sidewall cafe. So moved. Motion by Mr. Wler. Second by Mr. Atkins. Any discussion? Roll call. I.

All right. Resolution number 26079 is approved with the vote of 50. Resolution number 260. Authorize Baker Foundation to retain contractor for chapel renovation at Decar Historic Cemetery. We had Miss Maloney present last week. U Mr. Taylor is here tonight. Anybody's got any questions? But a motion by Mr. Masters second by Mr. Atkins. Any discussion? I would just re reiterate again appreciate the Baker Foundation for their work um at the historic cemetery. They've done a great job and put in a lot of time and effort. This just another phase of that. We appreciate what they do. So looking forward to to seeing the completion of this project. Anything else?

Roll call. I I forward I All right. Resolution number 26080 is approved with the vote of 5 to zero. One note on that one that is at no cost to the city. All right. Resolution number 26081 approve the purchase of AED equipment police department. Good evening, mayor, city council. Respectfully requesting approval of this um resolution which will allow us to put AEDs in all our patrol vehicles. um as our first responders and during the work session it was an approved item to use the opio settlement funds to purchase this motion by Mr. Masters second.

Second by Morler. Any discussion? I'll just say I appreciate everybody's work on this and ensuring that it it meets the the guidelines and I'm certain this will save lives. Appreciate y'all bringing this forward. All right. Roll call. I resolution number 26081 is approved to vote of 50. Resolution number 26082 approve Victoria's re-entry program agreement. Hello. Um I'm asking for this I'm sorry guess I'm a little short.

I'm asking for this proposal to help save lives. Um the Victoria's re-entry program that's here in Decator. Um I'm needing help as far as the program. This would help for the men to be able to attend vocational training at Calhoun so that they can have careers that would carry them on and not be able to do things that's going to put them back in prison or get back on drugs. Also, it's going to help pay for additional educational materials that we need for training for the people that we need to hire and also for materials for the program. We also uh will use this to help with the housing for the men for food and transportation. They go to court, they go to medical appointments, they go back and forth to work and to vocational training. And we would also be using this to help with our monthly community service that we do.

Motion by Mr. Atkins, second by Mr. McMasters. Any discussion? Well, I was just I was going to say I appreciate you came and present it um a couple sometime in the last couple months, I believe, and appreciate your passion for this. The work that you do certainly impacts lives. Appreciate the mayor working with you on this. Bring this forward. Thank you. I'll be I'll be glad to support this.

Yes. And the good thing about this, many good things, but not only do you help the individual, but you help the community. Yes, ma'am. Right now, the unemployment rate is like 2% or somewhere in somewhere in that neighborhood. And employers don't always want to hire those people that you're helping because they're not sure about it. But with your program, you're giving them, you're helping them and you're helping the community to get those people back to work and be productive members of society. So, that's a great thing. Thank you. And this is paid for out of the O settlement fund. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate it. Any other discussion?

Roll call. I resolution number 2682 to approve the vote 50. Ordinance is first reading. Ordinance number 264642 approve franchise for 3 and fourth main pipe to discharge pre-treated waters. That's what it does. It's it's a continuation of remediation that's been in process for some years now. This is for them to put a line in the right way. This is basically just giving them permission to to put a pipe so they can uh move it toward a force vein toward the utilities for wastewater discharge.

Yes. Pre-treated. It will be it will it will be inspected and they will have to adhere to all ADM and EPA requirements. If those were to change, they would have to make the same. Yes, that's right. So, does ADM inspect? Who does the inspections? ADM? They they have to they have a permit from ADM and they'll have to continue to meet those standards. Thank you, Herman. Ordinances. Ordinance number 264640 approved request to operate for service by Dawn Transportation LLC located at 406 Church Road, Marshall, Alabama 35640. He's met all requirements. We recommend approval.

A motion by Mr. McMasters. Second. Second by M. Worler. Any discussion? Roll call I

ordinance number 264640 is approved with a vote of 5 to zero boards and committees mayoral appointment of Hannah Blevens to the regulatory board with terming fired August 19th 2027. This will be a partial term due to the resignation of Ken Kirkland. That one is not required. A vote by the council. Uh we will now move into public comment. We've got two signed in. So Mr. Farooqi, when was the last time the council uh voted no on an agenda item?

You voted no? No, no, no. council when you've disapproved an agenda item. Oh, okay. When was that? Home. I don't remember what year. Yeah. We can't even remember what year that was. Okay. That's part of my concern. Uh because a lot of issues seem to be, in lack of a better term, I'll say rubber stamped for approval without having any thought that maybe these things aren't ready for prime time like the zoning rewrite. Um, I'm sorry.

I am not I'm not done, sir. I'm This is my comment period, not yours. Uh, why is community development initiatives not before or do not go before the planning commission? Why do they not do that? Because the planning commission is the only entity that takes into consideration the one decator plan and whether it meets the comprehensive plan objectives for the community. So you would think a park like CD 0032 we just voted yes on would have gone before the planning commission for approval when 21 22.

Okay. So nobody in at least the last four years have had eyes on that project until just now. Right. Correct. Uh, so and bottom line is just because you can vote to do things like you do, maybe you shouldn't do those things because you legally or at least ethically in the state of Alabama, you can do those things. But sometimes that little voice in the back of your head that says maybe I shouldn't do that should come to the forefront because this doesn't make sense for the public. Um, Kent District 2 meeting McMasters, you were there. Uh, you've tked your community director to publish the bimonthly staff notes. When's that going to happen?

I didn't ask you to You said take a note. Yes, you did. Okay. Am I wrong? You were there. Didn't he say to his community director that he should Didn't he say that, Carlton? I wasn't at the district two. Oh, I'm sorry. The district three me. I'm sorry. District three. You were there for that. It wasn't said at the district. Oh, Pike, you were there. That's right. Wasn't that said? You don't recall? Of course not. Got it. Um, now if the AEDs in the police vehicles are going to be a response time objective, shouldn't that be part of the 911 board? You just approved 911 board.

I'm sorry. I didn't say anything. I noticed. Um because I would offer as a measure of effectiveness, we ought to have police response times. If we're going to give them AEDs and we're holding the ambulance service and the fire department to response times, we ought to know what the police department's response times are, too. Three minutes. Thank you. Up next will be Michael Gayler.

How y'all doing today? Good. How are you doing? Good. Uh let's start with the the the bigger question with John Scott situation. What what was what's up with that? What's the deal with that? Where's where is that going? That's a pending issue. That's a that's pending litigation and that's handled in the court. So it'll go through the court process. Okay. That's where that's where it is. So, I'm assuming everybody saw what occurred, right? How would y'all feel if that was your kid? We're going Mr. I'm not I'm just hermit.

They can't They can't respond to that, you know. But go ahead. I don't want to stop you. I'm just asking. I'm just asking whatever, but he No, I'm just saying. I'm just saying like

I understand. But you got a mother that that has probably has no answer from anybody about what's going to happen. What has happened? Are those cops still on the street, still have their job? Whatever the case may be. I just find that crazy. And I hope that none of those cops were in the green report. So, speaking of the Green Report, so you had another guy just got fired that was in the Green Report numerous of times. Should have never been on the streets with a gun and a badge, but time after time after time, he's always somewhere putting his hands on people. But it took a woman to have a brain bleed for y'all to be like, "All right, you're you're you're done."

I it it doesn't even matter. But I'm just saying. And then he's probably going to get another job with another police force somewhere. He's going to make them look bad. And he should be in jail. He should be in jail because if I gave anybody a brain bleed, if I was on the job, because that's all it is is a job. If I gave somebody a brain bleed on my job, they would not hesitate to lock me up. And I think we all know that to be true, right? See? Okay.

Thank you, Terrence. My thing is I was hoping with this new city council it wouldn't be a reflection of the old city council. Blank stairs, no comments. That does no good. That does the city no good. It don't. It doesn't. You know, and I appreciate y'all y'all probably don't know me. You know what I mean? But you know me. You know me. You know me. I'm just saying like you guys have to think about things like you quick to vote things that you like, things that you don't care about, you really don't want to hear about. It's the same thing over again. It It's the same cuz I've sat back and watched the city councils. I got you. I've sat back and watched the city councils. I might not have been here in in in present form, but I've sat back and watched and it's it's the same. I get the same vibes. So, if we want something new for Decatur Oh, I'm almost done. If we want something new for Decatur, we have to give new energy to things.

Thanks for your comment. And that's what I'm talking about right there because there's is there anybody else signed up to talk after me? There's not. Exactly. My point one meeting will be held tomorrow, April 7th, 2026 at 2 p.m. at Turner Surles. Um, Mayor and Council Atkins will be there. The next council work session will be held on April 13th, 2026, 5 p.m. The next regular council meeting will be held on April 20th, 2026 at 10 a.m. Anything else from department

council? I just wanted to clarify something so that the public can hear in terms about the zoning rewrite committee. The zoning rewrite committee is not being assembled so that we can rewrite the rewrite. The actual purpose of it is so we can refine it. As mentioned when we first initially passed it. It's a document that's a living document. We're human beings. Everything in it is not perfect. But we do do want it to get to a place of perfection that can help guide and lead the city in the right direction in the terms of the way that we plan and develop and shape the city. So with that being said, we wanted to form that committee with public input to ensure that we're going in the right direction and we're making the right decisions for how the city is going to develop. So I know there's been a lot of conversation about why we've created this committee. When it takes time to make a decision such as this and making these type of decisions, it's always best to use wise counsel and do it with a committee of people and a committee of individuals that are professionals and thinkers and have experience and an understanding of how this operates. So this is the direction that we want to go and I wanted to make that very public and this is a public process and we are all looking out for the good of everyone who lives in Decar and who wants to be a part of this process. This is something that was always planned from the beginning that this council this committee would be formed. Like Mr. Bowman said, it is a living document and you know, we'll find things that that need to be changed. And so we took a proactive stance to form a committee so that we could react to those things as they came to life.

I think one thing people forget is how many times was the old zoning ordinance amended? Well, it's like any any law are always being amended. That's what

All right. Anything else? Thank you. We'll stand