Members of the West End neighborhood watch were on hand during Monday’s Clanton City Council meeting and raised four issues that they have noticed taking place.

The issues included adding speed bumps to certain roads, utilizing the police sub station in the area, tearing down the condemned houses and doing something about the illegal drugs and alcohol sales that are taking place.

The group was in search of answers to the problems and was looking for the Council to address the issues presented.

“We’re trying to get something done before an accident happens,” Jackie Baker said. “We are tired of having our community look like a slum. That’s why we’re here.”

Mayor Billy Joe Driver informed them that abandoned houses have been torn down in the past and have resulted in litigation. Therefore, steps have to be taken before a house can be demolished.

Driver said that the city can start writing letters to those who own the property that the designated houses are on.

However, Driver said that he has been against implementing speed bumps because of the liability that they create from the insurance company.

Royce Rogers asked Driver to reconsider his stand on the speed bumps.

“There are times when there are exceptions to the rule,” Rogers said. “We are at an extreme situation.

According to the neighborhood watch, the community is like “Mayberry” Monday through Wednesday, but begins to take a turn for the worse with cars racing up and down the streets and all sorts of other shady activity.

“It’s [West End] not a bad place, but unfortunately there are things that are taking place,” Agee said. “We here you, and we are trying to address your needs.”

According to Agee, he has talked with Clanton police chief Keith Maddox about increasing the police presence in the West End community to two patrols an hour for every hour.

In other news from the meeting, the Clanton Council:

• Approved to change the Council meeting on May 22 to May 25 at 5 p.m. due to the Alabama League Convention taking place at that time.
• Approved to pay the bills, as well as the minutes from the April 24 meeting.
• Approved to transfer Cornelius Jenkins from a position on the maintenance crew in the sanitation department to a mechanic helper.
• Approved to hire Howard Barnett as a truck driver in the sanitation department at a rate of $10 per hour that was effective May 4.
• Approved the use of a grant for playground equipment at the YMCA.