At its regular meeting on Tuesday, June 12, 2012, the Eutaw City Council voted to approve additional raises for employees and agreed to sell New Peace Baptist Church two acres on Choctaw Road in the city’s industrial park for a cemetery.

At its last meeting, the City Council approved an across the board raise of 5% for all city employees and a step/merit raise for some employees based on specialized skills and longevity of service. After some discussion, the Council approved additional step/merit raises for Jesse Lawson and Doug Smith in the Street Department to $12 per hour, based on their skill levels in equipment operation; and a 10% increase for Police Officer Charles Strickland and City Clerk Peggy Stripling, based on their longevity of service.

Councilwoman Sheila H. Smith apologized to the council members for opening “Pandora’s box of complaints from employees” concerning equity in wage increases and hoped this was the last adjustment needed. Councilman Ralph Liverman said without a written analysis of job and skill requirements a step raise was based on arbitrary and subjective conditions and that he favored doing things for “all or none”.

On a 4 to 1 vote (Mayor Pro Tem Hattie Edwards was absent due to illness) the City Council voted to approve an ordinance to sell New Peace Baptist Church two acres for $5,000 for a church cemetery on Choctaw Road. Mayor Steele said, “I am not against New Peace having a cemetery but I would prefer us finding them some land that is not in our industrial park area because this may hinder future industries from developing at that site.”

In the public comment period, some citizens raised the issue that the City sold land to New Generation Church for a church site on Prairie Avenue, at a higher price ($8,000 for two acres) and how equitable was this action by the Council.

Three citizens -  Judy Livingston, Dan Williams and Theresa Beeker -  have petitioned the City to establish an Airport Authority Board as a first step toward reopening the city’s airport, near Lock 7 Road. City Attorney Mike Smith prepared a resolution for creation of the Airport Authority with a seven member board, five of whom should have pilot’s licenses, own planes or have some interest in aviation related activities. The resolution was tabled until the next meeting.

In other actions, the Eutaw City Council:

- tabled action on purchasing a mosquito sprayer, to secure additional bids on this type of equipment;

-tabled action on additional check signers on the city’s bank accounts;

- approved payment of bills and the financial statement for the City;

- heard from Iris Sermon and Beverly Gordon thanking the City Council for providing the Eutaw National Guard Armory for the dinner for the Alabama Conference of Black Mayors, held last Friday; and for providing air conditioning of the Armory, making the event a success. They indicated that they paid the standard fee for using the Armory and that the investment in air conditioning would help make the facility more accessible for future users. The Council in turn thanked them for their volunteer service in supporting the Mayors’ conference.

- heard from Councilman Liverman on the need for replacement garbage carts from Waste Management;

- heard from Shirley Winn on the need to repair and clean the curbs and gutters in Branch Heights; Councilman Joe Powell said that the City would work with the County Commission and HUD to make these repairs;

- Councilman Joe L. Powell complained about an unsigned op-ed in the Greene County Independent which compared the Alabama Conference of Black Mayors to a KKK meeting. Powell said that writing and publishing an unsigned commentary was a “cowardly act” and attacking him for supporting air conditioning of the Armory was unfair and racist.