Council celebrates local impact, weighs infrastructure decisions
BY KADIE TAYLOR
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — At the Feb. 23 LaFayette City Council Meeting, three proclamations were read, Harmon Engineering presented two new proposals on the Highway 431 water line and information regarding the new waste disposal company was shared.
Mayor Kenneth Vines read three proclamations to honor locals who have impacted the LaFayette community. Proclamations were read for the following:
- Vickie Rampey for the service of local families through Rampey’s Daycare Center
- Alfredia Silmon for outstanding service in the community
- Elaine and Wallace Smith for their commitment to enhancing the local economy through the Small Town Nail Spa
Representative for the Chattahoochee Humane Society, Dantz Frazer, shared information regarding his recommendations for cities to handle stray cat concerns for the City Council’s consideration. The council members thanked Frazer, and no decision was made regarding the issue.
“Typically, how a lot of areas handle stray cats is through a trap-neuter-release program, particularly if they’re feral cats,” he said. “Pet cats are not that much of an issue. The ones that we get at the shelter, typically, we can get adopted out pretty quickly. But feral cats, as y’all are pretty aware, are fully armed with claws and teeth and are very, very difficult to handle. In fact, our staff is not trained, really, to handle those type creatures. Typically, I would say, what we’d like to do within the county and the cities, including Lanett and Valley — [although] we have not been able to institute these programs as of yet — is we trap them, take them to get them neutered, spayed and then release them back into where they were trapped… Typically, once you start working with the TNR programs, the colony just eventually proceeds to nothing — without the ability to reproduce.”
An announcement was made regarding the change of the city of LaFayette’s new garbage disposal agreement. 121 Disposal will begin servicing the city of LaFayette garbage customers on Friday, March 5. 121 Disposal will begin delivering garbage cans to residents, including backdoor customers, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, and Wednesday, Feb. 25. The new garbage collection day moving forward will be Friday. 121 Disposal is requesting customers to place garbage cans out on the road the night prior to collection day.
An announcement was also made, reminding LaFayette constituents that there will be a Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. at the Alfa Building — located at 1006 Avenue A SE., LaFayette — to discuss how to proceed with the Highway 431 water line.
During the time for public comments, audience members presented concerns regarding cemetery upkeep, the desire to extend the sidewalk past Renfroe’s to make walking safer, cars parking on the sidewalk downtown, along with speeding and littering on Highway 431.
In Other Business
• The council voted to approve the reading of the Feb. 9 regular city council meeting minutes.
• The council heard a proposal from Harmon Engineering regarding a Highway 431 Waterline Tie-in Proposal. A motion was made to approve the proposal, but a second motion was made to table the motion. The tabling of the motion had to be voted on before the approval could be voted on. In a roll-call vote, the council unanimously voted to table the proposal until the next regularly scheduled council meeting.
• The council voted to table a 10-year Comprehensive Water Distribution Rehab Plan Proposal by Harmon Engineering.
• The council voted to table a Chambers County Detention Facility Agreement.
• The council voted to approve the account audits.
• The council voted to approve the following:
- The appointment of Bailey Meacham to the Recreation Board by District A Council Member Emily Milford.
- The appointment of Jermaine Rampey to the Recreation Board by District C Council Member Toney Thomas.
- The appointment of Terry Mangram to the Adjustment Board by Milford.
- The appointment of Dessiree Green to the Adjustment Board by District D Council Member Charlene Story.
• The council conveyed Cemetery Deed No. 1833 to Kathy Gains at Handy Cemetery.
