By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Maplesville Town Council unanimously approved a 3-percent pay increase for full-time employees with at least a year of experience with the town during its Jan. 22 meeting.

A 25-cent raise was also approved for Maplesville Police Officer Josey Edwards. The raise was recommended after his three-month evaluation. The raise was approved unanimously and will be retroactive to Dec. 24, 2017. A one-year raise of 25 cents an hour was also approved for JoAnn Ratliff, which will be retroactive to Jan. 2.

A number of equipment and renovation related items were also discussed during the meeting. The Town Council approved replacing Tasers for the police department at a cost of $1,309 per Taser, as well as specifications for renovations to the fire department and having a streetlight installed on Shadyside Drive.

Town Clerk Dawn Smitherman said bids are being accepted on the fire department renovation until Feb. 12.

The town is also accepting bids on a 2009 Dodge Charger that was declared surplus from the police department. Bids are being accepted at the town hall until Feb. 12. Smitherman said the minimum bid is $2,000, and the vehicle is being sold as is.

The council also approved changes to town policy to bring it in line with

Alabama Act 2017-415 Regarding Delivery Business Licenses, which was passed last year. Smitherman said the law exempts a business that has less than $10,000 in gross receipts in a municipality from needing a delivery license in that municipality.  This would apply to businesses that sell and deliver their own products in the town, but do not have a brick and mortar store in the town.