By JOYANNA LOVE/Senior Staff Writer

Maplesville is set to step up security at its street department lot.

The Maplesville Town Council unanimously approved the purchase of security cameras for the lot during the Jan. 23 meeting.

Council members approved purchasing the equipment from Southern Elt Service at an estimated cost of $2,560.

Break ins at the lot in September prompted discussion of the need for the security cameras.

Safety was also the focus of a presentation by resident Annie Taylor about pot holes on Mitchell Hill Road. The town has fixed potholes on this road in the past, but Taylor said the potholes she was talking about were caused by stormwater runoff and erosion of the hill above the road. Since Mayor W. C. Hayes, Jr. could not attend the Jan. 23 meeting, the council members plan to talk with him to see what can be done to remedy the issue.

Votes on employee raises and the conversion of the old Brown Brothers lot to a parking lot were postponed until next month’s meeting. According to the meeting agenda, the town has received two estimates on the conversion of the parking lot. One is from Chandler Seal Coating & Striping, LLC for $6,500. The other estimate was form Smitherman Brothers Construction Company, Inc. for $7,000.

Plans are in the works to update the Welcome to Maplesville signs to reflect that the Maplesville Red Devils were the 2016 Class 1A Football Championship winners.

The council unanimously approved:

– a nine month raise for Deborah Blais.

– Timothy Franklin as an emergency hire for the garbage department e, following the resignation of Keith Shields.

– an increase in the fee to the “Maplesville Utilities Board for billing and collecting for garbage services to $400 per month.”

– purchasing $500 worth of rocks to put around the storm shelter.