CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman City Council on Monday passed Ordinance 2023-11 to regulate the City’s emergency response resources. Due to specific call demands by individuals needing mobility assistance as opposed to emergency services, the new ordinance, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2023, will permit three non-emergency calls per home per year before a $50 an hour fee is levied.
City Attorney Luke Satterfield said responding to non-emergency calls for lift assists, false alarms, etc. spreads the city’s first responders thin in the event of true emergencies. The call volume in a typical year runs between 800-900 calls. Last year, over 300 calls were placed from one household for mobility to and from the bed, to the bathroom and other tasks. Upon transitioning into an assisted living facility, the calls continued for mobility-related tasks which made first responders unavailable for other incoming calls, which could be serious. The new ordinance seeks to curtail the approximately 90% of non-emergency calls the department responds to, according to Satterfield.
Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Executive Director Nathan Anderson reported stellar attendance at the weekend’s Christkindlmarkt. Anderson thanked the council and City employees, stating, “I think just about every City department got involved at some point over this weekend.” Anderson noted that families traveled from up to four hours away to attend the event in its second year.
In other business, the following agenda items were approved:
- To hold a public hearing on Dec. 12, 2022, at 7 p.m. for Ordinance 2023-04 to adopt the 2021 International Building Code including the companion codes.
- To hold a public hearing on Dec. 12, 2022, at 7 p.m. for Ordinance 2023-05 to rezone the Apel property located at 1106 Second Ave. NW from M-1 Manufacturing to B-2 Business District.
- Ordinance 2023-10 to enter into a franchise agreement with the Cooperative Connection LLC dba Sprout
- Ordinance 2023-12 to update and clarify language for 2023 license fee schedule
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