BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH
KENDYLH@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
SMITHS STATION —
The Smiths Station City Council approved a few items and proclaimed October “Pro Bono Month” during its regular meetings held in October.
In addition, the Smiths Station Government Center donned pink ribbons to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
At the Oct. 11 meeting, the council:
- approved the purchase of a utility trailer for the city’s Public Works Department from Speaks Offroad and Trailer Sales in the amount of about $15,500 and
- entered into a lease agreement with the Lee County Commission for the rental of office space at the Smiths Station Government Center.
The renewal of a rental lease agreement will allow the city to continue operating in its current building on County Road 430, also known as Panther Parkway.
Following the resolutions, Smiths Station Mayor F.L. “Bubba” Copeland issued a proclamation to observe October as Pro Bono Month. Lee County District Attorney Jessica Ventiere was present to acknowledge and receive the proclamation.
On its Facebook page, the city explained that the proclamation is intended to recognize the pro bono work attorneys provide to disadvantaged Alabamians each year.
“Attorneys with local bar associations statewide, including Lee County’s, provide thousands of hours of free legal service to disadvantaged Alabamians, and this proclamation is designed to recognize and celebrate their services,” the post reads.
According to Ventiere, the Alabama State Bar works with local bar associations to highlight these efforts each year. Pro Bono Month is commemorated in different ways throughout the state.
“This year, the Lee County Bar Association chose to celebrate Pro Bono Month by hosting a ‘Wills For Heroes’ event for all first responders serving Lee County,” she said. “… More than 40 first responders received donated legal services covering the writing of wills, powers of attorney and advanced medical directives.”
Ventiere said anyone who needs help with legal services should call the Volunteer Lawyer Program, part of the Alabama State Bar, at 1-800-354-6154.
On Oct. 25, the council:
- entered into a contract with Phenix Paving and Maintenance, LLC for some asphalt patching to be done on certain parts of Jackson Drive (Lee Road 929), Lamb Road (Lee Road 242) and Station Drive (Lee Road 931), and
- allocated $5,000 from the General Fund for the city’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 2.
The asphalt patching project is expected to begin in mid-November and will take about a week to complete.
“The portions needing repairs will be like brand-new roads when completed,” said City Clerk Morgan Bryce.
A statement about the general fund budget for September indicated that the city finished the month at just over $12,600 in the black and finished the fiscal year at about $726,100. According to Mayor F.L. “Bubba” Copeland, the reserves will be put toward infrastructure improvement projects, including a major project to fully resurface and repave Cummings Road (Lee Road 294) from Pittman White Road (Lee Road 293) to Panther Parkway (Lee Road 430).
The council also went into an executive session closed to the public to discuss potential litigation, but no action was taken.
The Smiths Station City Council meets at 6 p.m. Eastern Time on the second and fourth Tuesdays each month at the Smiths Station Government Center, located at 2336 Lee Road 430. The regular meeting is preceded by a work session at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.