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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

The Clanton City Council discussed the future of the Exit 212 property that the city jointly owns with the county at their work session on July 21. Mayor Jeff Mims said the property is being looked over by a few different engineering companies to develop a master plan for the property. Mims said the engineering companies will construct the plan and develop renderings of possible future buildings. The council will share the plans with the community to gauge how they feel about them before moving forward.

The need for school resource officers and what department they would be from was brought up at the session. Mims said that the Chilton County Schools Board of Education requested three SRO’s for Clanton schools for the upcoming school year from the Clanton Police Department.

Clanton Police Chief Erick Smitherman said it is roughly $67,000 per year to have an SRO from CPD in the school.

Mims said that three officers was not possible and that the board should be responsible with providing the funds for the officers. Smitherman confirmed after the session that SRO’s will still be in the Clanton schools once the new school year begins.

The council also discussed selling a small piece of land at the end of Third Ave. that is jointly owned with the county. The just over one-acre piece of property has a cemetery on it that Councilwoman Mary Mell Smith asked if it would be disturbed if it is sold. Mims said it would not be. The city will discuss with the county about moving forward with surveying and selling the property. A vote on the matter is expected at the July 25 council meeting.

A ride along program with the city police and fire departments for students was brought up at the work session. Smitherman gave details on the program to the council and that he spoke with attorneys about liability paperwork and working out other details. The program will operate as an internship and give students who are looking to get into the first responders field experience.

Clanton Fire Department Chief David Driver gave an update on getting Automated External Defibrillators for the departments in the city. Driver asked the departments how many each would need and the number was lower than expected. Two quotes were received — one just over $18,000 and one just under $18,000.

A donation to the Chilton County High School FFA program to help them travel to the national horse evaluation competition was discussed.

A vote on both the defibrillator quotes and the FFA donation is expected at the July 25 meeting.