Residents in Jemison’s Oak Grove community are one step closer to getting city water.

The Jemison City Council awarded a bid Monday night for the installation of a water line in the recently annexed community. Consolidated Pipe & Supply of Montgomery was awarded the project for its low bid of $13,498.23.

The next step for the city will be to seek easements for the project. The council appointed building inspector Shannon Welch and city council member George Brasher for this task.

“We cannot put a 6-inch water line in that community until we have the easements,” Jemison mayor Eddie Reed explained.

In other business, the council hired Cameron Emerick part-time for the Fire and Rescue Department to do paperwork for grants and various other items. Emerick was hired for no more than 20 hours per week.

The fire department just received a thermal imager and new extrication equipment as part of a grant. Fire chief Bobby Tucker said the thermal imager would allow firefighters to see through smoke and collect evidence.

The city is also working toward building a second fire station on the east side of town.

The council also:

accepted Steven Blalock and Bradley Crane as police reserves.

approved a road upgrade for County Road 153 and Anderson property (the upgrade involves cutting ditches on each side of the road to improve drainage)

approved a pipe for Eugene Avenue at the cost of $682.40

passed a resolution as part of the application process for a COPS grant, which would provide funding for additional law enforcement personnel.