By Lawton Vallely
For the Opelika
Observer

The Opelika City Council started their regular Tuesday night meeting by honoring Opelika City School’s Teachers of the Year Award winners.
The honorees included: Taveta Debrow of Carver Primary; Rebecca
Lindsey of Jeter Primary; Samantha Knowles of Southview Primary; Elizabeth McFarling of Morris Avenue Intermediate; Tanya Brown of West Forest Intermediate and Betsy Gore of Opelika High School.
Brooke Hipp, Northside Intermediate School, was named as the OCS’s Elementary Teacher of the Year and Amanda Vaughan, Opelika Middle School, was selected as the OCS’s Secondary Teacher of the Year.
“The committee met and they had a really tough time in deciding on teachers of the year because we have many great teachers and I think without exception every one of our teachers gives their best every day to all of our kids,” said OCS Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Jean Miller. “It’s a great place to work and our kids are very fortunate to have teachers of this caliber.”
The Opelika City Council also approved a downtown bike race to be held on Feb. 25. The race, previously held in Opelika in 2016, is an officially sanctioned Southeastern Conference sporting event. According to Pam Powers-Smith, president of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, the bike path will consist of a circle around N. Railroad and 1st avenue and will allow cars to pass through the barricades if needed. Smith added that she and other city officials expect a higher level of attendance at this year’s race.
In other business, the council:
-approved purchase of a new Digger Derrick truck for Opelika Power Services for $259,118
-approved purchase of a new aerial device for OPS for $219,535
-approved resurfacing of Auburn Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard for $306,480
-approved expense reports from various departments
-approved the designation of city personal property surplus and authorized its disposal
-approved the purchase of one 2018 Ford F150 for Opelika’s Parks and Recreation Department for $23,707
-approved the purchase of one refuse dumper for Opelika Environmental Services at $15,882.38
-approved a resolution honoring the life State Representative George Bandy Sr.
-amended text Zoning Ordinance, Section 2.2, 7.3, 7.6, 8.16, and 8.17.
-denied Mr. Sunny’s Food and Gas Package Store’s request for AB Lounge retail Liquor Class 2 license
-reappointed Wilbert Payne, Angela George, and Chris Anthony to the Business of Zoning and Appeals, with terms ending on Feb. 11, 2021.