[WATCH] Sylacauga City Council meeting and work session – Jan. 5, 2021

SYLACAUGA, Ala. – Sylacauga’s city council met Tuesday night with the session highlighted by a 1-hour 5-minute work session prior to the regularly scheduled meeting.

The majority of the work session featured Police Chief Kelley Johnson revisiting a new pay plan and recruitment/retention incentive plan for his department, which was discussed at the Dec. 15 meeting. Johnson told the council the department has faced challenges in keeping officers due to higher wages in surrounding areas, one of those being a 17-year veteran of the Sylacauga Police Department.

Requests from City Clerk-Treasurer, Patricia Carden were also made to add a F/T Accounting Clerk III position, to allocate funding, and to authorize posting; and to designate Kim Morris as Asst. City Clerk-Treasurer effective immediately and to authorize a 5% pay increase.

Mayor Jim Heigl opened up the council meeting recognizing lifelong Sylacauga native, Ray McDiarmid for over 60 years of service, as a pharmacist at Dixie Drug in Sylacauga. McDiarmid announced his retirement last week and officially closed the doors at Sylacauga’s oldest pharmacy on Dec. 31, 2020.

In the meeting, the council took the following actions:

• Public hearing for City’s request to obtain permit from ADEM to use incinerator (Public Hearing set by Resolution 90-2020 12-1-20).
• Appointment to Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals – three-year term of Jonathan Hall expiring January 2021.  Hall has reapplied for another term.
• Approve travel/expenses for PD Lt. Willis Whatley and Sgt. Chris Vinson to attend the Crime Scene Professional Development training in Anniston January 20, 2021.  No registration fees, but officers will use a department vehicle for travel.
• Additional invoices for FY20 Accounts Payable received after year-end close on September 30 in the amount of $4,938.47.
• Accounts payable received to date for December in the amount of $75,481.32.

Watch the meeting here: