Latham will not run again

Published 8:19 pm Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Mayor Aubrey Latham announced in Maplesville’s council meeting Tuesday that he will not seek re-election in August.

Latham said he plans to stay involved in his hometown despite his decision not to serve on its council for the next year.

“I’m not going to disappear,” Latham said. “I’m just a phone call away. Just for personal reasons, I’m going to step out of the limelight for a little bit.”

Latham has served on the town council since 1996. He works full-time at Auto Collision Repair in Clanton.

The council approved election officials for the municipal elections Aug. 28. The deadline to qualify is Tuesday, July 17 at 5 p.m.

In other business, Town Clerk Sheila Haigler said all of the town’s fire and police department public safety radios have been converted to narrowband in compliance with a federal mandate. Handheld radios, vehicle radios and repeaters must be switched to narrowband by Jan. 1, 2013.

Fire Chief Michael Drewry said the fire department is working to set new bylaws, repair its computers and file old paperwork set aside because of computer glitches earlier this year.

Police Chief Todd Ingram reported a shooting that occurred in a trailer park near town July 6, but said no one was injured.

Kenny Barrett of the street department said he and his crew have filled numerous potholes in the roads with asphalt purchased by the town. They also repaired a hole on Magnolia Avenue for about $100.

Barrett said a Maplesville citizen recently donated a 20-by-20-foot dog kennel and two dog houses to the department to help with enforcing the town’s leash law.

The next council meeting will be Tuesday, Aug. 14 at 6 p.m.