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Ward lines, retirement changes confirmed at busy Anniston council meeting

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

The Anniston City Council meeting on Tuesday ended in disarray as the mayor walked out of the meeting while Councilman Ben Little celebrated a the defeat of one of the mayor’s appointments by pumping his fist and declaring himself “the winner.”

It was a chaotic end to a mostly orderly four-hour meeting in which councilmen laid to rest a number of controversial issues, including votes on new ward lines and the beginning of the process of creating a commercial development authority.

The council granted the Anniston Water Works and Sewer Board permission to use the alley next to its future offices in the Watermark Tower for a drive-through window. This is not the first time the issue, which has to go through several steps for approval, has been before the council. Each time, Little has argued against the proposed drive-through.

Little again expressed opposition to the proposal, but no on else showed up at the meeting to contest the project. The proposal passed 3-2 with Little and Councilman Herbert Palmore voting against it.

The council also approved a statement of support for a plan proposed by the Police and Fire Retirement Board to shore up the ailing retirement fund. The plan included concessions by police and firefighters, including an increase in employee contributions and a decrease in the maximum benefit to 75 percent of average pay. The city will have to come up with an extra $1.7 million per year to cover the increased costs.

Little reiterated his opposition to the proposal, saying that the taxpayers had already contributed to the plan and shouldn’t have to bail it out. The plan passed 4-1, with Little voting no.

The council voted 3-2 to approve a new ward map drawn by city manager Don Hoyt. Councilman David Dawson and Little voted against the new ward lines. The new ward map must be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice before it goes into effect.

The council voted 3-1, with Little voting no and Palmore abstaining, to hire Birmingham-based legal firm Morris and Brumlow to begin the process of creating a commercial development authority.

The council voted to request that the Civil Service Board revise its rules to allow the city to recruit a future chief of police outside the department. Currently, the city can only promote a captain serving in the Anniston Police Department to that position. Mayor Gene Robinson voted against the request, saying the current rules provided an incentive to the rank and file officers in the department. Robinson said the current system wasn’t broken and didn’t need to be fixed. The issue passed 3-2 with Robinson and Councilman David Dawson voting no.

A couple of issues were postponed. The Anniston Land Company building’s fate will be determined after a joint meeting between the Anniston Historical Preservation Commission and the City Council can be arranged. In addition, an appointment by Robinson failed and will have to be made at a future meeting.

Robinson had asked the council to approve his appointment of Councilman Jay Jenkins to the city’s Planning Commission. Dawson had formerly been the mayor’s appointment, but Robinson asked Dawson to step down and allow him to appoint Jenkins. Dawson resigned the appointment at the council’s last meeting.

When the vote was called Tuesday, Little voted against appointing Jenkins to the board, Palmore and Robinson voted yes and Jenkins and Dawson both abstained. The measure needed at least three votes to pass.

Little, who had argued against the appointment, celebrated by declaring “I’m the winner,” which prompted Robinson’s departure.

In other business, the council:

-- Approved unanimously a $63,740 bid from Sunny King Ford for a new brush truck.

-- Appointed and reappointed seven members to the Anniston Historical Preservation Commission.

-- Reappointed Richard Logan to the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Board.

-- Unanimously approved the closing of a portion of Littlebrant Drive

-- Approved unanimously the donation of two surplus police vehicles to the city of Ohatchee.

-- Approved 5-0 the sale of a house donated to the city and renovated with federal HOME funds to a low-income resident through the Community Development Block Grant program.

-- Approved 3-1, with Jenkins abstaining, a contract to lease fitness equipment from the Municipal Asset Management Inc.

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Keywords: City meeting, Anniston,

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