By Michelle Key
Publisher
Mayor Gary Fuller and the Opelika City Council presented a proclammation to Janatuka and Jaevian Holmes recognizing November as Epilsepsy Awareness Month. Jaevian, Janatuka’s 16-year- old son, has epilepsy.
Following the meeting, Janatuka distrubuted flyers with information on seizure first aid. Important things to do in the event of a seizure include:
- staying with the person and to start timing the seizure
- move the person away from harmful objects in order to keep them safe
- turn the person onto their side if they are not awake or aware
- do not put anything in their mouth
- do not restrain
- call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than five minutes, if the person is having difficulty breathing, if the seizure occurs in water, if the person is injured, pregnant or sick, if the person does not return to their usual state of being and if this is the first time they have had a seizure.
Also during the meeting, the council voted to susupend the rules of two readings and voted to amend the city’s handicap parking ordinance after the first reading. According to a press release provided by the city, the purpose of the proposed ordinance is to bring the city code into compliance with the recent changes to state law. The new ordinance will give police officers the expanded power and authority to enforce handicap parking regulations on private property.
Primary changes to the ordinance include:
- Mandatory minimum fines of $50 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense and $500 for the third or subsequent offense.
- Mandatory community service of 40 hours for the second and subsequent offense.
- Authorizing police officers to have vehicles illegally parked in parking spaces designated for disabled persons towed away and impounded at the owner’s expense, even though the parking space is located on private property.
- Making it unlawful for a person to park a vehicle in the hash-marked or cross-striped space that is directly next to an accessible space designated for the parking of vehicles transporting persons with disabilities.
In other business, the council:
• received the October 2019 monthly building report from City Administrator Joey Motley. According to Motley, there was $14,555,844.70 in building permits issued during the first month of the fiscal year
• approved a contract with VSP Vision Care for vision care insurance for city employees
• approved the repair of voltage regulators for Opelika Power Services
• approved the purchase of one 2020 F-550 Cab and chassis with aerial device from Altec for $135,326
• approved the expense reports from various departments
• approved the purchase of two zero-turn mowers for the Parks and Recreation department for a total purchase price of $21,067.88
• approved the purchase of one 2019 ford F-150 Supercab for the public works department for a price of $24,890
• approved the purchase of 624 Toter 96-gallon EVR II carts for the environmental services department – the carts will cost the city $31,905.48
• approved the purchase of one Kubota tractor for the public works department at $51,949.74
• approved the purchase of one 2019 Pac-Mac Knuckleboom for the Environmental Services Department – the net cost of the equipment will be $82,950.64 after a $55,000 trade-in allowance
• approved the purchase of live-action software and a 3-year maintanence contract totalling $255,937.79 for the IT department
• approved a special use permit with Verizon at 269 Lee Road 711
• nominated and approved Rush Denson to fill a vacant position on the Historic Preservation Commission, with his term expiring Aug. 19, 2020
• voted to designate city personal property surplus and to authorize the disposal of said property
• voted to designate the controllor for EMMA reporting requirements
The Opelika City Council meetings on the first and third Tuesday nights of every month unless otherwise posted. Work sessions begin between 6 and 6:45 p.m. with regular meetings beginning at 7 p.m. Meetings are held at City Hall which is located at 214 7th St. in downtown Opelika.
The next scheduled meeting will be Dec. 3.