By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

CLANTON — The Clanton city offices will be closed Dec. 22, 23 and Dec. 26 as well as Jan. 2.

Clanton City Council approved the holiday schedule during its meeting this week.
Mayor Billy Joe Driver said this schedule worked best for the sanitation employees and the trash pickup schedule.
Other options were discussed but none were approved.
Road improvements were also a topic of discussion.

The council approved paying the bills associated with the paving of two roads in town.

Councilwoman Mary Mell Smith said Martha Street needed to be repaved. Other council members agreed, but no action was taken. The city has a list of roads that will be repaved, but a definite timeline of when these projects will be completed is not set.

Paving projects are completed a few at a time by an out-of-town paving company.

The council elected to put off a decision on purchasing new diagnostic equipment for the city shop.  The shop foreman said the machine would assist in diagnosing issues with vehicles.

“These mechanic shops charge $100 to $200 to put it on that machine,” Councilman Sammy Wilson said.

The equipment would cost close to $10,000. Wilson said upgrades would be needed on an annual basis to keep the equipment current.

Driver said he was uncertain whether purchasing the equipment would pay for itself in savings over going to a mechanic.

He also mentioned a similar device that cost less, but would do essentially the same thing.

Smith said the council needed more information before it made a decision. The topic is expected to be discussed at the Council next meeting.

The council did approve paying for bleachers in a city park.

The next meeting of the Clanton City Council will be Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. at city hall on Second Avenue.