Thorsby council approves hire of new part-time officer

Published 6:19 pm Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Thorsby Town Council approved the resignation of one police officer and the hire of another in its meeting Monday. 

The board—minus Councilman Randall Higgins, who was absent—unanimously approved the resignation of part-time officer Frank Davis.

Davis resigned for another position in Clanton, and according to Thorsby Police Chief Rodney Barnett, left on good terms.

Barnett then suggested the board approve the hire of Rocky Mims for the same part-time patrol position.

Mims currently works with the Chilton County Sheriff’s Department in the Special Operations Narcotics Division.

“I’ve always liked to have a guy on the drug task force, in case we have a meth lab or something like that,” Barnett said. “I’d like to replace Frank with Rocky Mims. I think it would be a good swap.”

Mims would work during the day with the sheriff’s department but would be available to fill in if a Thorsby officer was not able to make a shift or if needed for the drug task force.

In other business, the council:

•Voted unanimously to amend the city employee handbook, implementing Alabama Code 31-2-13, guaranteeing no more than 21 days of paid leave per year when called to duty for any employee in any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States. Previously, the employee manual had not defined military leave.

•Voted unanimously to offer a part-time grass cutting position to Danny Cottingham. Pending Cottingham’s acceptance, he will be paid $9 an hour, and will work less than 32 hours a week.

•Agreed to use money from the general fund to pay for a fence along Sam Bentley Park Field No. 5 and U.S. Highway 31, near Baggett Road. The fence will cost approximately $681.

•Voted unanimously to approve an agreement with the Department of Transportation on State Route 3/Highway 31. Per the agreement, the town of Thorsby will cut the grass and remove trash along the roadway within the town limits.

•Voted unanimously to approve a donation of $1,500 to Butterfly Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center.

•Voted to approve the minutes from the March 16 meeting.

•Voted to pay all bills and transfer funds.