In other business Monday, the council granted Fire Chief Michael Drewry permission to purchase materials for fire department employees to give students in kindergarten–fourth grade during Fire Prevention Week in October.

The materials will cost $300 and should be enough to distribute to students this year and next year.

Drewry told the council the fire department would like to switch its communications to SouthernLINC to be on the same system as the police department and other agencies in the county.

Drewry said the fire department could not afford the cost—about $29,071.55, including 25 portable radios and seven mobile radios—to switch fire department communications to SouthernLINC.

“I just wanted to let y’all know what’s out there,” Drewry said. “It would be all out of pocket.”

The council also approved Melissa Griffin’s application to be a volunteer with the fire department.

The council heard from two visitors, Robert Binion and Jeremy Smith.

Binion said he was speaking on behalf of a resident who recently filed complaints against the police department for mistreatment, discrimination and other reasons.

Binion asked for minutes from the last council meeting when the resident spoke to the council prior to filing her written complaints.

Proper procedure requires residents to file written complaints at town hall.

Haigler said the town has responded to all of the residents’ written complaints.

Binion said he would read the minutes from the Aug. 12 meeting and contact the council again at a later date about the complaints the resident filed.