Planning certifications, financial transparency discussed at council

BY KADIE TAYLOR

THE LAFAYETTE SUN

LAFAYETTE — The LaFayette City Council began the Jan. 12 meeting by recognizing the certified Alabama Planning and Zoning Officials: Planning Board Member, Linda Kay Brooks; Superintendent, George Green; Planning Board Member, Jennifer Harrington; City Council Member for District B, Kim Thomas Langley; Planning Board Member, Diane W. Perry.

“We had some individuals throughout the city, whether on the Planning Board or city employees, who actually went through a pretty long and rigorous certification process through the Alabama Planning and Zoning Commission, so we just want to recognize those individuals tonight,” said Clerk Lewis Davidson.

LaFayette Main Street Executive Director, DeAnna Hand, said she wanted to remind locals to attend the LaFayette Main Street Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration event on Monday, Jan. 19, from 11 a.m. to noon at the ALFA Insurance building and the annual Love LaFayette event on Feb. 7 from 5 to 8 p.m. on the downtown LaFayette square. Hand also shared the annual report for LaFayette Main Street and the impact it has had on the city and local businesses.

“We’ve created 39 jobs in 2025, 14 new businesses as a whole for the city of LaFayette, our private investment is over a million dollars and our public investment is $429,000,” she said. “Our amazing volunteers — who work day in and day out, pouring back into our city, showing this passion and momentum — have donated 5,938 volunteer hours. So we are very, very thankful and blessed and want to continue the momentum going. We urge you all to join us at our events and also let us know how we can assist the city in any way in this partnership.”

LaFayette City Council Member for District C, Toney Thomas, requested a financial audit from the Parks and Recreation department and noted city contributions to the funds. The council later approved a resolution to request a financial report from LaFayette Parks and Recreation.

“I would like to go back and report some what the city has spent in the recreation department, but first of all, I’d like to say that you guys are doing a great job in the department, but we’ve got to keep up with our finances,” he said. “Back in Sept. 30, 2023, the city of LaFayette spent $52,148.55 into the program. Also, back in Sept. 30, 2024, the city of LaFayette spent $16,084.83, and that does not include some events that take place. In 2025, this is without the grant equipment, we spent $16,427.26. I said that to say this, I asked [and] Attorney Tucker has written a request for the budget request.”

Council Member for District D, Charlene Story, said she is working to ensure there will be a financial report for the council according to the date required.

“I do realize a financial report is warranted, and we are working on that,” she said. “We have 10 days to get that information to you. You will receive information within 10 days. Once that financial report is released to everyone on this council, that financial report will be released online so every person in the city of LaFayette can see that there has not been, not one mishandled dime of money from parents.”

A member and secretary of the previous LaFayette Parks and Rec board shared her perspective on the budgeting communications and said she also sees a need for a financial report.

“The last communication [the LaFayette Parks and Rec board] had as a whole was Oct. 4, 2024, and during that communication, we received the end of the month report for September,” she said. “I won’t say anything like live or anything, I’m just saying that to say from a board perspective, and as a board member, we don’t know what’s going on or what’s been going on, and I think that’s important for the council to know. And as far as financial reports, that has been a long-standing thing with Parks and Recreation [and] asking for financial reports, not just now, but in the past, and nothing’s ever been provided. So I commend Council Member Thomas for requesting the information because it does need to be known, and I commend Council Member Story for her efforts with Parks and Rec and for the years that she has served. But in fairness, of calling for transparency, it is time that everything — from whatever time it stems from, to come forward.”

In Other Business

• The council voted to approve the minutes from the last meeting.

• The council voted to declare January 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

• The council voted to approve the resolution for the budget, financial statement and receipts from the Recreation Board of the City of LaFayette, per the letter that City Attorney Joseph Tucker wrote, which was dated Jan. 8, according to Section 6 of Ordinance 317.

• The council voted to approve the application for the license to sell retail beer (off premises only) and retail table wine (off premises only) for Piggly Wiggly 175 (AADHYA, LLC), 337 9th Ave. SW, LaFayette.

• The council voted to approve the account audits.

• The council voted to suspend the roles for Ordinance No. 492.

• The council voted to adopt the amended Ordinance No. 492.

• The council voted to approve Resolution No. 2026-01-12-01 regarding the Waterline Replacement Proposal.

• The council voted to approve Resolution No. 2026-01-12-02 regarding the Funding Match Commitment.

• The council voted to table Resolution No. 2026-01-12-03 regarding the emergency bid acceptance because there was only one of the two necessary quotes.

• The council voted to convey Cemetery Deed No. 1828 to Khristopher Foreman at Handy Cemetery.