FAIRVIEW, Ala. – The Fairview Town Council Monday night again addressed concerns about the bus parked behind Fairview Fire Station 1, located along Alabama Highway 69, which has been the subject of many complaints from town residents.
Fairview Volunteer Fire Department Chief Doug Williams was on-hand to discuss the bus and provide the fire department financial records the council requested from him at its last meeting.
Said Williams, “We’re opening books at the fire department.”
Williams also informed the council that the controversial pole on the bus behind the fire station has been hidden and will no longer be a problem; however, he said the firefighter occupying the bus will need to stay.
At the July council meeting, Williams told the council the bus is occupied by a volunteer fireman who resides at the department, stating, “The bus belongs to a firefighter that is now a full-time resident, if you will, which provides an extreme amount of ability to respond at least 24 hours a day with at least one person with a truck, whether it’s medical or fire. That’s home. He put it there to live in so he could be here all the time. It helps on your insurance rate.”
There are living quarters inside the fire station, but Williams said they’re being used for storing medical records and the showers need to be pulled out and redone.
Mayor Keith Henry addressed Williams Monday night, saying, “We appreciate what you’ve done so far.”
Henry told the council he’s looking into having a lawyer look over the contract with the fire department and modifying it so a structure or vehicle like a bus will no longer be allowed to be parked outside fire department buildings.
The council was also visited by Good Samaritan Health Clinic Executive Director Jolanda Hutson, who is visiting the various municipalities asking for support for the clinic.
After her presentation, Henry said, “We’ll consider a spot for you in our budget.”
Fairview resident Bobby Jackson approached the council and offered to buy a mosquito sprayer and donate it to the Town of Fairview. Jackson estimated the price to be $100 for the sprayer and offered to buy the necessary chemicals to be used for the sprayer. He also volunteered to spray for the town in the evenings. After some discussion, the council concluded it would pay for the sprayer.
In other business, the council discussed the possibility of buying the property at the southwest corner of Welcome Road and Wesley Avenue, next to Randall Shedd Community Park; a fireworks trailer is on the land now. Henry talked of the possibility of opening a farmers’ market on the land. Henry informed the council he’s tried bargaining, but the owner of the land is asking $30,000. The council took no action.
The council also discussed potentially building storm shelters.
During the discussion, Henry said, “We can afford it and not be broken by it.”
He said one shelter costs an estimated $43,000. No action was taken on the shelters.
The Fairview Town Council meets on the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at Fairview Town Hall. The next scheduled meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 3, due to Labor Day.
Fairview Volunteer Fire Department Chief Doug Williams addresses the Fairview Town Council Monday night. (Maggie Darnell for The Cullman Tribune)
