Maplesville applying for police and fire equipment grants

Published 2:54 pm Monday, August 16, 2021

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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

Maplesville is pursuing grant funding for needed equipment.

The Maplesville Town Council approved hiring Kim Trimble to apply for grants for the town during its Aug. 9 meeting.

The hope is to secure funding for laptop and docking stations for the Maplesville Police patrol cars through a Homeland Security grant.

Trimble will also be working on an application to secure P25 radios for the volunteer fire department. These radios will be compatible with the new countywide emergency communications system.

The system is in its final stages, and a patch was being worked on to allow old and new equipment to both use the system. However, emergency departments have been urged that this needs to be a temporary fix and they need to secure new equipment.

Funds the town receives from the Rebuild Alabama gas tax will again be saved for a future project. The required resolution stating what will be done with the funds was approved during the April 9 meeting.

A Free Little Library where residents can give a book or take book will soon be established in Maplesville. It will be located downtown somewhere near the Free Little Pantry near the Methodist Church property, Town Clerk Dawn Smitherman said. The container for the books will be supplied by Stanley Varner.

The council also approved an emergency hire for a police officer to work the night shift, a part-time officer and a reserve officer. Two applications to the volunteer fire department were also approved.