Big night for schools at Cullman City Council

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Mayor Woody Jacobs and the City Council present Cullman City School Superintendent Dr. Kyle Kalhoff a check for $600,000. (W.C. Mann for The Cullman Tribune)

CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman City Council on Monday evening received a good report from Cullman City School Superintendent Dr. Kyle Kalhoff and responded with some good news of its own for the system’s chief educator.

Kalhoff reported that:

  • The system will bid out projects at Cullman City Primary School and Cullman Middle School in December and open bids in January and February.
  • A new gym floor has been installed at Cullman High School, and the gym’s bleacher project should be completed before the start of the season in November.
  • The high school softball field should be re-turfed before the team’s first game in February.
  • The central office is receiving security upgrades.

Kalhoff reported that the system recently partnered with Wallace State Community College to offer a career exploration event for students and parents. The superintendent said that he hopes to ensure that:

  • The system’s career tech program align with area workforce needs.
  • The middle school offers an exploratory program corresponding to each of the high school’s career tech programs.
  • Students in each high school career tech program have an opportunity for dual enrollment at Wallace State.

Kalhoff also shared the results of Cullman’s performance in the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program, which assesses language, arts and math in grades 2-8 and science in grades 4, 6 and 8. The system scored:

  • In the top 15 in all categories
  • Third in 6th grade English Language Arts
  • Sixth in 8th grade English Language Arts
  • Fifth in 8th grade Science

Kalhoff reported, “Our administrators, instructional coaches and teachers are working relentlessly to move forward in all categories to achieve our goal of being in the top five in everything we do.”

Following the superintendent’s report, Mayor Woody Jacobs and the council presented Kalhoff a check for $600,000, the first payment in a 10-year, $6,000,000 city commitment to the system. The money will help fund numerous construction and improvement projects among the city schools.

Other council business

The council approved an agreement with MXI Environmental Services LLC for the disposal of household hazardous waste materials. The city will hold a hazardous waste disposal event for the public from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Nov. 13, 2021 at Heritage Park.

The council also approved the following resolutions:

  • No. 2022-04 to enter into contract with St. John & Associates for design and engineering services for Streetscape Improvements on Second Avenue NE from Arnold Street to Clark Street.
  • No. 2022-05 to enter into a contract with St. John & Associates for engineering services for the sewer collection improvements program for screen refurbishment at the South Pump Station.
  • No. 2022-06 to amend the professional services contract with Cohen, Carnaggio & Reynolds Inc. due to an increased scope of work for the Civic Center Complex project. The civic center design was expanded from 101,000 square feet to 125,000 square feet.
  • No. 2022-07 to award a bid for a crew cab flatbed truck to Eckenrod Ford in the amount of $43,503.00.
  • No. 2022-08 to award a bid for black and gray pipe to Bear Concrete Products, the lowest responsible bidder.
  • No. 2022-09 to amend the Cullman Fire and Rescue Fair Labor Standards Act Work Cycle Policy.

The council voted to rezone property owned by Shelby Hankey located at 101 Main Ave. from R-4 Residential District to CBD Central Business District, to annex property owned by Sherry Rutherford located at 1240 County Road 1422 as a residential district and to annex properties owned by G.A.P. Properties LLC., located on County Road 770 as a residential district.

The council also suspended its regular rules of procedure to pass on its first reading an ordinance to adopt Emily’s Law regarding dangerous or vicious animals, updating its existing policy to current standards.

Special events ahead

The council approved special event permits for:

  • Keith Varden of the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce for Christmas Open House in the Warehouse District on Nov. 12-14, 2021.
  • Andy Palys of the Cullman County Wranglers Club for a trunk or treat in Depot Park on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021 from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

The Cullman City Council meets at 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month in the City Hall auditorium. The public is invited to attend.

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W.C. Mann

craig@cullmantribune.com