The town of Maplesville assumed ownership of the historic Foshee house from Ovid Merchant in a council meeting Monday, March 12.

Merchant, a resident of Randolph, had owned the old house and surrounding property for about five years.

After storms left the house in significant disrepair, Merchant sought the town’s help.

Merchant approached the mayor and council members in February, proposing to donate the house to the town along with a $10,000 check for interior repairs.

The house was appraised at $52,000 this month.

“My other choice was to tear it down,” Merchant told the council Monday. “That choice is up to y’all now.”

At this time, the council has not decided what will be done to the house.

The council also approved a revised garbage ordinance stating that garbage will be picked up every Tuesday and Thursday instead of Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

All garbage must be bagged and placed in a sufficient-sized garbage container.

Extra pickups for larger items will be $50 each.

Non-profit organizations do not have to pay for garbage pickup.

The ordinance will go into effect seven days after it was passed, and the Tuesday-Thursday pickups will begin April 3.

“We need to give the citizens time to adjust,” Mayor Aubrey Latham said.

The fire department recently held a fundraising roadblock and raised about $1,076, Fire Chief Michael Abbott said.

The department is selling $1 raffle tickets for a TV as part of another fundraiser.

Police Chief Todd Ingram introduced his department’s newest officer, William “Clay” Morgan from the Alabaster Police Department.

“I think he’ll do a good job,” Ingram said.

In the street department, future projects include filling potholes, fixing electrical failures on the garbage truck, repairing a damaged streetlight and lamppost and pouring concrete around the bases of street signs.

The next council meeting will be Tuesday, April 10 at 6 p.m.

Maplesville’s Heritage Day on Main Street will be Saturday, April 14.