Police officers awarded, EAMC Lanier update at Valley Council

BY JOHN BRICE

THE LAFAYETTE SUN

VALLEY — Several officers of the Valley Police Department received awards for their outstanding service at the City of Valley Council meeting on Monday evening of this week.  VPD Chief Stacy Shirey addressed the council with details on the awards being presented while being joined by the recipients from his department.

“Typically when we do Officer of the Year it is one officer.  This year we sat down and tried to decide which officer was going to be Officer of the Year and we really could not decide.  It got to the point where we were going to flip a coin and decide which one was going to be Officer of the Year.  We decided at that point that we would name two Officers of the Year and an Investigator of the Year.   At this time I want to congratulate these two young men, Sergeant Davonte Allen and Officer Austin Billingsley on becoming Officer of the Year for 2025.”

Shirey went on to announce the remaining officers receiving awards.  “Also, on the end we have got Sergeant Detective Burgos who is gong to be named Officer Investigator for 2025.  Last but not least, Officer Graben, who won our Top Gun award last year for being the highest score on the range last year.  Congratulations to all these young men.”

Later on in the meeting EAMC - Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital Administrator Greg Nichols provided the council with an update on extensive structural changes that have taken place at the facility.

“Most of you probably know that rural healthcare providers have struggled for years with higher costs, lower census and even lower reimbursements when looking for options to remain viable in the community so that they continue to provide care and actually continue to serve the people in their community.  Back a year and a half a year ago now we made the decision that EAMC Lanier would convert to a rural emergency hospital.  What that meant is that we transformed from an inpatient acute care hospital to a rural emergency hospital which allowed us to keep our emergency department open.  It allowed us to provide our outpatient services but then we no longer provided inpatient services.”

Nichols emphasized the positive impact that this reorganization has had.  “Since that time the rural hospital has not only provided financial stability for us, it has allowed us to keep over two hundred and seventy employees or so here in our community and still provide care to our community.”

In other business

• Mayor Leonard Riley called for a public hearing on confirming the cost of abatement on 7281 20th Avenue, Welcher.

• There was a proclamation read for Arbor Day 2026.

• Adopting the new employee handbook was a motion that was approved.

• Authorizing a two million dollar line of credit from Auburn Bank was a motion that was approved.