Mayor urges participation in renovation program
BY JOHN BRICE
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — Local resident Robert Gardner raised concerns over the current status of the police jurisdiction during the LaFayette City Council meeting on Monday night. Gardner asked why the LaFayette Police Department was still patrolling outside of its city limits despite no longer receiving compensation for services as it had in the past. New legislation has restructured the arrangement between the city and the state in the past few years.
City Attorney Mac Tucker explained that due to the low volume of police activity in the jurisdiction outside the city limits, the decision was made to continue patrolling it since it has a minimal impact on the staffing and services that the LPD provides.
Mayor Kenneth Vines addressed the audience to give notice that the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development will be coming to LaFayette Saturday, Aug. 16.
“This is related to a program that we have been working on for the longest [time],” Vines said. “Myself, some of the state representatives, the mayors of West Point, city of Valley and Lanett — we have been working tirelessly for the last couple of months about the renovation of homes. Previously, back to last year, HUD had given us $20 million for renovations. That $20 million, through an executive order, was denied. What we have been doing [during] this particular time is petitioning the governor. She sent it back to us, told us to get with our state representatives, our congressman and our state’s senators, Sen. Britt and Sen. Tuberville. We have contacted them and they are on board at this time.”
Vines implored residents to be present for the visit and to participate in the program.
“On Aug. 16, at the barber shop here in the city of LaFayette, that is [at] 117 Alabama Ave. East, a production team out of Washington D.C. will be here. They are looking for at least a minimum of 15 people who will come forward to participate. The camera crew will be talking to individuals about why it is important that we receive this funding to renovate properties in LaFayette. This taped segment will go to Washington D.C. to the president’s desk. It will probably be taken by Congressman [Mike] Rogers along with our state’s senators Britt and Tuberville. We need each and every one, if you want to have your home renovated, now is the time to show up in large numbers and try to get this done for houses.”
In other business
• A motion was approved to declare September 2025 as Ovarian and Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month.
• Tabatha Bledsoe made a claim and alleged her car door was damaged from a rock. Tucker advised the council to deny this motion and due to a lack of a second, the motion died on the floor.
• Alison Mapp also alleged damage to the exhaust system of her vehicle from the roadway as she was pulling out of the main entrance to the city cemetery. Tucker advised the council to deny the claim and the motion was not approved.
• A request to seek bids for chemicals needed by the wastewater department for the 2025-26 fiscal year was approved.
• An agreement for the ADECA low income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for 2026 was approved.
• A single motion to convey cemetery deeds No. 1813 to Mary Joyce Abner-Chislom and No. 1814 to Rashundra Ross, from Handy Cemetery, was approved.
