By Stephen Dawkins

Registration will be held Wednesday evening for a free tutoring program to be held in Jemison.

The program is for any school age children. Those interested should visit St. James Highland Bible Church, located in the old Jemison elementary building at 130 25th Street (across County Road 42 from its intersection with County Road 38), from 5-7 p.m.

Classes will last from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday evenings while school is in session. During the summer, classes will be held from 8 a.m. to noon four days a week.

Instruction will be given in math, reading and English from K-12 teachers in Chilton County and surrounding areas.

The tutoring program is part of the Center for Humanity and Revitalization of Community and Home.

Jemison Mayor Eddie Reed, who developed the CHURCH concept and has served as program director, said the program assists as many as 50 Chilton County children during the school year and as many as 80 during the summer.

“It’s a way to not allow them to spend so much time out of the classroom,” Reed said about the program’s mission of maintaining consistency in students’ schoolwork even after they leave school—for the day or for the summer. “We’ve had kids on the D, C level, and they’re on the honor roll now.”

Reed said a limit is placed on the number of students who can register so an ideal teacher-to-student ratio of 5:1 can be maintained.

“We want to keep it where the teachers can have that 1-on-1 instruction,” he said.

The tutoring program is funded entirely through state grants. It began as a project of the Pride of Jemison Masonic Lodge No. 630, of which Reed is a member.

By Stephen Dawkins

Population growth brings both challenges and opportunities—something Jemison, as Chilton County’s fastest growing city, is becoming familiar with.

Though official numbers have not been released, Jemison Mayor Eddie Reed said he expects the 2010 Census to show the city has grown from 2,248 in 2000 to more than 3,000 residents.

Along with more people comes the need for investment in infrastructure, such as sewer upgrades and road improvements.

“These services cost,” Reed said as part of a conversation about what the city faces in the New Year. “There have been no increases in taxation since 2004—we’ve tried to absorb costs.”

Reed said he’s proud Jemison has been able to maintain a minimal tax burden on its residents and that he and the City Council have avoided layoffs of city workers and cuts in services.

“The downturn in the economy has been a consideration for everybody, and Jemison is no exception,” Reed said. “I thank God we are blessed with a council that helped us through it.”

Reed said a company that helps Jemison with its finances, AlaTax, disclosed that while many municipalities experienced a sales tax revenue decrease of 25-30 percent in fiscal year 2008, Jemison’s decrease was 2 percent.

“We watched our pennies and stopped buying where we didn’t need to buy,” Reed said.

But more revenue will be needed as the city continues to grow. Reed said he and the council will continue to encourage small businesses to open in Jemison. Several have either recently opened or plan to soon.

“Like all cities, we survive off sales tax,” Reed said. “We hope we attract small retailers—that’s good for every city. It says a lot that businesses have begun to look toward Jemison.”

New businesses are imperative for keeping sales tax money in the city, Reed said, but locations like Jemison must have stores and restaurants that can compete with what is offered in nearby shopping malls.

“When we take our trade to Alabaster, when we take our trade to Prattville, we’re hurting this county,” Reed said. “If you want better services, we need to patronize these businesses here.”

By Stephen Dawkins

Even in the midst of a struggling economy, Jemison is welcoming in new businesses.
Mayor Eddie Reed said Jemison’s population growth and central location in the state are the reasons—and said the city would continue to pursue growth.

“With the down economy, any new signs of life are welcome,” Reed said.
Anytime Fitness opened Dec. 1, and a Family Dollar store will move into the space between BB&T Bank and Dr. Jay Patel’s office.

Both of those businesses are off Highway 31, but Reed said he has also seen interest in Jemison’s Interstate 65 exit.

The city’s Municipal Complex opened in April, and its auditorium has been a popular attraction. Reed said he’s talked with potential renters who said they would benefit from a hotel in the city.

“The No. 1 goal is going to have to be a shopping mall or strip mall to come in and bring the kind of restaurants we all want,” Reed said.

Reed said he expects the 2010 Census to reveal Jemison’s population has grown from 2,248 to more than 3,000 since the last census.

“Chilton County is the prime location, with growth coming from the north and from the south,” Reed said. “We’ve done economic studies that show North Chilton County is the fastest growing area (of the county).

“Where the population goes, the business is going to follow.”

By Stephen Dawkins

As plans were being formed for Jemison’s Municipal Complex, Mayor Eddie Reed had to be convinced an auditorium would benefit the city.

Reed has since seen the light.

“That has been one of the best things we could have done,” Reed said at Monday’s city council meeting.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Jemison had received more than $11,000 in revenue from people renting the auditorium, including deposits that have already been paid to reserve a date in the future.

The auditorium features seating for several hundred people, depending on the arrangement; a stage; a sound system; and two drop-down projection video screens.

Karen McMinn is handling reservations for the auditorium. She can be reached at 688-4492 ext. 319 (office) or 287-1260 (cell).

An updated application will be uploaded to the city’s website, www.jemisonalabama.org, in the coming days, McMinn said. Those interested in making a reservation can print the application, fill it out and send it to McMinn or take it by her office at the complex.

“There were some things that needed to be added, like we don’t rent the room to people that are going to charge admission at the door—without prior approval of the council and mayor,” McMinn said. “We’re going to let non-profits do that, of course, we just don’t want anyone running a business out of there.”

The auditorium hosted its first event, in late April, before the complex was officially open. McMinn now has reservations as far out as December 2011.

Most of the events held at the auditorium are banquets, wedding receptions, birthday parties and church events.

The building has provided an unexpected benefit to the city by being the site of police training courses.

The city might pay several hundred dollars for one officer to attend training in Montgomery, for example, but hosting the training allows all Jemison officers to attend, at a reduced cost to the city.

“That has gone over really, really well,” McMinn said. “Officers that have been to the training here have nothing but positive things to say.”

The auditorium floor was finished in October, along with the bathrooms.
“The room looks beautiful now,” McMinn said.

By Stephen Dawkins

Jemison’s city council on Monday approved a bid to enter into a contract for garbage pick-up with Longwood, Fla.-based Waste Pro.

The contract is dependent upon approval from Jemison’s attorney, but Waste Pro’s bid, the lowest of four entered for the service, was approved unanimously by the council members present, which did not include Sam Reed, who was absent because of medical reasons, Mayor Eddie Reed said.

Waste Pro’s service would begin at the beginning of the 2011 calendar year, and the council requested that residential trash be picked up on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which Waste Pro representative Todd White said could be accommodated.

White said his company could remove Jemison’s trash in less than two full days, though there would likely be an initial transition period, with pick-up possibly taking all week, while routes are determined and all customers located.

Waste Pro entered a bid of $12 per standard residential customer pick-up. More would be charged for businesses and for customers who require more than one 95-gallon bin or who desire “backdoor pick-up.”

Jemison residents will see no change in their garbage bill.

The council agreed to a three-year contract.

Mayor Reed said the three city employees responsible for collecting garbage would remain employed and assigned to other duties.

In other business, the council:

•Approved a one-year, $1,075 contract with Active Air to service the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning system in the city’s Municipal Complex.

Reed said the contract covers all work and parts associated with the system.
•Canceled the council meeting scheduled for Dec. 20. The next regularly scheduled meeting is Jan. 3.

•Added Byron Lindsey Oliver to the police reserve, with the recommendation of Police Chief Shane Fulmer and dependent on Oliver completing the necessary training requirements.

•Recognized councilwoman Faye King for her work in organizing the city’s Christmas parade, which was held on Dec. 4.

By Stephen Dawkins

The Jemison City Council on Monday passed ordinances to combat nuisances caused by large trucks traveling through town.

Responding to a concerned resident’s petition earlier in a regular council meeting at Jemison Municipal Complex, the council banned the use of “Jake brakes” inside city limits and reduced the speed limit to 25 miles per hour on the stretch of County Road 42 from Highway 191 to County Road 38, a portion of road that sees heavy truck traffic.

“We’re going to enforce it,” Mayor Eddie Reed said of the new restrictions.
The fine for using compression release engine brakes will be between $25 and $250.

Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer said signs warning against use of the brakes and of the new speed limit would be posted clearly to give motorists plenty of notice.

With another traffic related ordinance, the council renamed three roads in the Oak Grove community.

County Road 138 is now Cobb Drive, County Road 560 is Garrett Lane and County Road 141 is Gentry Street.

The changes came at the request of an Oak Grove resident, who was asked to consult neighbors.

In other business, the council:

•Accepted a bid of $350 for a surplus GMC truck.

•Received an invitation from the Rev. George Brown, Scout Master of Pack and Troop 773, based in Jemison, to attend the Boy Scouts group’s annual honors and awards banquet on Saturday at the Municipal Complex auditorium.

By Stephen Dawkins

Jemison’s city council voted at its meeting Monday to raise the rate for collecting garbage by $1 per week per stop.

Mayor Eddie Reed said the increase was necessary because the state continues to increase how much it charges municipalities to dispose of garbage.

“We absorbed the first year of it, didn’t pass it on,” Reed said. “We don’t like to do that in these difficult times, but our responsibility is to=o see that the city of Jemison is not losing money. We have no choice.”

Reed said the city lost about $36,000 last year in garbage collection and disposal.

Cities without their own landfill pay the state to dispose of garbage, and the state charges a rate per ton of trash. The state’s rate has gone up partly because of increased fuel costs, Reed said.
“It has become an expensive operation,” he said.

The council, at a regular meeting, took other actions regarding revenue.

Bids for two pieces of equipment were approved. A Land Pride side cutter will be sold for $2,750, and a John Deere tractor will be sold for $1,000.

Only one bid was received for the tractor, and the bid for the cutter was the highest of three.

The council also changed the way city merchants will pay for licenses to sell alcohol.

Jemison was charging a percentage of annual revenue from alcohol sales, but, after Monday’s vote, businesses will pay a flat rate of $2,000 per year.

Reed said the change was meant to bring Jemison more in line with local municipalities.

“We’re trying to do what’s fair to our merchants,” he said.

The council also adjusted the water bill for Guadalupe Marin and W.C. Burnett; looked over a report from Fire and Rescue Chief John Dennis; passed a motion to install streetlights at the intersection of Church and Forest streets, on Darryl Street and at the entrance of Royal Oaks subdivision; and paid the bills.

By Stephen Dawkins

The Jemison City Council at its meeting Monday approved the dates and times for important holiday events.

The city’s annual Christmas tree lighting will be held at 6 p.m. on Nov. 30, and the Christmas parade will follow at 2 p.m. on Dec. 4.

The parade date is a week earlier than it has been on previous years.

The council also heard a report from Police Chief Shane Fulmer.

Fulmer requested that two department vehicles—a 1992 Ford E-350 and a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria—be declared surplus, and the council voted accordingly.

Fulmer also announced, in the absence of Fire Chief John Dennis, that the Jemison Fire Department has received word it has been given a grant from Firehouse Subs restaurant in the amount of just more than $20,000 for a new heart monitor.

“That is wonderful because that can really mean the difference in somebody’s life,” Councilwoman Faye King said.

Fulmer said the machine could arrive at any time.

Fulmer told the council he recently moved an officer from part-time to full-time, and asked the council waive a 90-day probation period before the officer can receive a 50-cent per hour raise.

The council voted unanimously after listening to Fulmer explain the officer has been employed by the department for a significant amount of time.

In other business, the council adjusted the water bill for Sandra Edwards.

By Stephen Dawkins

The Jemison City Council spent most of its meeting Monday talking about road and water projects.

The first item brought up for discussion was the removal of a tree that interfered with traffic on County Road 42.

“We’ve been wide open,” Mayor Eddie Reed said, and the rest of the meeting proved his point.

Councilman George Brasher said some bushes need to be cut back on County Road 71.
Councilwoman Faye King asked that, while they were in the area, workers could clean the debris out of a nearby ditch. Water is flooding the road because of the debris.

Councilman Robert Morris then asked if workers could push back dirt from a recent project on County Road 48. The dirt in question is in the same vicinity as the other projects.

The council—in a regular meeting that did not include Councilman Sam Reed, who was absent for personal reasons but will return—voted to replace the water line on a section of County Road 138. Land was recently purchased there, and the new owner plans to build and open a plant. But the landowner is worried the pipe, which is exposed and over part of the road, will be damaged.

So, the city will replace 1,500 feet of pipe and bury it.

Brasher said the city will have to tear up 60 feet of road on Ellison Road and repave it.
Mayor Reed said work on Sycamore Street is ongoing. A delay has been encountered, but the work should resume soon.

The council also voted to renew its contract with Revenue Discovery Systems for the collection of sales taxes. Reed said the new contract was identical to the one that is expiring.

By Stephen Dawkins

The Jemison City Council at its meeting Tuesday voted to allow the creation of a “public explorer” program.

The program, which would be organized by Fire Chief John Dennis, is intended to create a reserve-type force that would be made up of young men and women.

The council also approved an ordinance accepting the annexation of 20 acres of land off Smith Road. Both owners of the land, Paul Shannon and Kimberly Robinson, requested annexation into the city.

In addition to passing the annexation ordinance, the council amended several ordinances already on the books.

One such ordinance was amended so city officials could better deal with the problem of people not keeping vicious animals restrained. Another amendment will allow the city to change meter rates for new water customers.

Finally, an amendment was passed in regard to the police department’s drug tip fund. Revenue comes into the fund through court fees paid by drug offenders.

In other business, the council:
•Entered into a contract with Thorin and Associates for grant writing services.

•Recognized councilman Sam Reed for becoming a Certified Municipal Officer through a training course.

•Summarized reports from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, on the city’s water, and from the Alabama Municipal Insurance Corporation, on liability insurance paid by the city. Jemison received high marks in both reports, Mayor Eddie Reed said.

•Heard a presentation from Care Net Pregnancy Resource Center Executive Director Lynda Beebe. Beebe gave the council an overview of the non-profit organization and invited council members to a banquet Care Net will hold at Jemison’s Municipal Complex on Nov. 4.